PerreaultForever

Already did that in the draft thread and we already argued about it. Beniers is a good player. Eklund is also but I'm not as sold on him. If we drafted 2 or 3 I'd be happy with that but @ 1, Power is the guy. You just don't get a huge minute D man like him every draft. With him added to our D we have the potential makings of an incredibly good back end that could become the envy of the league and potentially that can also lead to playoffs and playoff success.

I have a hard time believing the Sabres would be stupid enough NOT to draft Power. But given the history of the last decade, it's possible.

So just to be clear, you WANT them to be fully in on analytics? You think that's a good thing?

I'm not sure how his limited NTC works but isn't it a set list from when he signed? So Seattle might not be on it. Besides that, why wouldn't he want to go to Seattle? No offense Buffalo natives, but it's a nicer city than Buffalo. Why not go there as a veteran leader. Maybe start a move toward a future coaching career. Maybe get deadline traded in the final year to a cup contender. idk, if I'm Kyle I'd be more than happy to get out of a city that doesn't like him or want him and Seattle would be a fun place to play.

Yes, between the two drafts or possible at the draft itself.

Yes. Definitely yes.

Tell me how much money that frees up for different players to be added. Think buddy, think. You want a new culture it'll be easier to build with Skinner not around.

That's true. I heard Krejci is pretty much the same. Hall ready to take a hometown discount to stay a Bruin. Let that NMC kick in and watch Jack say he will only go to Boston too. Skinner, unfortunately, ain't going anywhere, but if he'd waive that NMC I'd give Sam away for free if the Kraken would take Skinner off our hands.

Hate to break it to ya, but Delta not half as worrisome as Epsilon. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210706093857.htm It's possible it could take us right back to square one.

I don't have a problem with using analytics. I just don't believe they should be the primary focus (like Toronto or at least like they were). This Kreuger control thing has been asserted many times, and you Brawndo are quick with the info often, but I still have never seen any actual proof that Kreuger was anything more than a coach. I can accept that. (One step at a time, eventually you will see I've been right all along 🙂 )

Sorry but no, Gritty is the best mascot in sports history. He's not perfect for us, but he is the absolute perfect fit for Philly, what that city is, their history, identity, etc. There are quite a few Flyers who look like his relatives, then and now (Voracek with the beard) . McIlhargy with his playoff beard was Gritty's twin as well. As an aside, for some odd reason Gritty is hugely popular with the LGBTQ and they don't even have to be hockey fans. No idea why but it's true. This was genius marketing.

That's what I would figure. I guess we see if he becomes a leader down there.

Maybe. I honestly haven't seen enough on him or know enough about him to decide. It was not a pick I considered at the time and need to see him at the NHL level. Will he be ready this coming season?

The bottom line for me is they shouldn't have been able to add Savard at the deadline with Kucherov coming back and their cap situation. He's not getting talked about much because he's not flashy and a scorer but he is a very very good defenseman and his addition totally changed the make up of their D, which otherwise might have been their only weak spot. You don't add Savard to their D and I do not think they make it past the NYI and we'd have been watching Montreal/NYI in this final and every game would have been 1-0 (or thereabouts) and toss a coin as to which team wins.

Fair enough, and I imagine there's very little way of showing any view as factual until it actually happens, but briefly, my thoughts go along these lines. Karmanos and Ventura worked for Pittsburgh. Pitt success is based on Crosby and to a lesser extent Malkin and the team has generally been built for speed and offense and when it has failed in the playoffs (often) they usually come up short in the grit, toughness and defensive aspects of the game. They tried to get a little more balanced lately (and now shifted with the change in management) mostly because Crosby is aging, but the Pittsburgh model does not seem to be what Adams is talking about. Granato's vision is harder to discern as the conditions and sample size were small, but in general his focus seemed to be on generating offense and letting the kids loose so to speak. More of an aggressive perhaps Euro style but definitely not something like Montreal or maybe the NYI were showing in these playoffs. It was a little like Housley hockey imo. It might be an improvement for these players from Kreuger hockey but I'm not sure if it fits with what Adams is saying . It does seem to be in line with the Pittsburgh model, but they have Crosby, and if we're trading Eichel, I'm not sure it's the right idea. Now on analytics, that's a big discussion and I don't really want to get into it. Anything I say will lead to the analytic believers getting all riled up and it's not worth the argument. In simplest terms imo heavy analytic teams tend to be like Toronto, and that's a path I don't want to follow, I'd rather be Montreal. For me, analytics are one tool but not the be all and end all. Roughly I'm a 1/3 1/3 1/3 guy. 1/3 analytics, 1/3 eye test on ice, 1/3 character and personality. The Sabres, it seems to me are putting most everything into that first third and the last third doesn't seem to concern them at all in their hires even though Adams is talking about it. It seems disconnected to me (to use Eichel's big word :)) but when I see who they draft and sign I will be able to make up my mind better. Hope that clears it up but likely it'll annoy someone else who will consider my views crazy or out dated 🙂

Ya, they did. No f'n way was Kucherov not ready to play long before the playoffs started. You saw him and how well he played first game of the playoffs and onwards. You going to tell me with a straight face that was a guy JUST coming back off a serious injury? No way. He was ready and in game shape. Impossible if he was JUST healthy then.

I'm with you on that, but is that it? I'm not sure. Especially hiring these Pittsburgh guys. I think the hiring of the guys from Pittsburgh is opposite to what KA says. Also not sure if what we were doing under Granato end of the season fits with what KA is saying. I need to see next year's roster and who they draft for a better idea.

Yay, cheaters won...........what a shock. Who cares? Hope the league is happy with itself. Total joke. Just hope they get rid of this loophole in the future. Tampa already had enough advantage with their state tax code. This cheating was just downright ridiculous. Worst cup ever.

I suppose this all comes down to what style/type of player the Sabres want. At this point I'm still trying to figure out what type of team this management group plans to try to ice. Mixed messages. The draft might make it clearer.

This could definitely be correct. I imagine they were not getting huge returns for him and might simply be trying to drive up the price. Having said that though, if management is in fact trying to shift culture/style/etc they may in fact feel Risto is a better fit for what they want to do going forward. A sort of placeholder for Power and the other young D men perhaps. Offer him a deal later if things are working out and if he doesn't want it, he is a better player to ship out come deadline than Sam (as discussed in the other thread). D men are always in demand before the playoffs. In the meantime, his size and toughness (along with his erratic play and mistakes) allows us not to rush too many young guys up the line up. Of the 3 big names, he was the one I'm least interested in moving out.

Always liked him as a player. Hope he has a long and successful coaching career.

personally I'd be more worried about the effect Sam would have on the locker room and these impressionable kids if he knows he's leaving at the deadline. This is a possible culture change moment and I don't want to lose it with half measures. It's too fragile for that. If we dont' do this right, we are stuck with another cycle and another round and we will never get out of this mire. Guy I wish we could land would be Czikis. Not a 1C, I know that, but invaluable for leadership for these kids.

I just think we get more for him now than we'd get then. He's at peak value. A one year signing isn't worth it.

They certainly have enough pieces and prospects if they're interested. Maybe toss Kadri at us for part of that salary dumping you mentioned.

maybe. But my point really is we will get more trading him this summer than we would at the deadline. Teams will squeeze us like Boston did with Hall and Adams will get low balled again. Better to trade him now after the good end to this season. Playoff track records and multiple suitors. Remember what we got for Hall.