PerreaultForever

I'm with you, and I also don't know. I suppose if we really don't want Power (which would be silly imo but it's the Sabres so who knows) they might agree to pick a particular player from our expansion list to swap, or more likely guarantee we pick someone else so they can have him but I can't see anything else happening unless it's extremely creative and off the chart.

That can be true, but it's also true that your goalie is only as good as your D. From our recent history both Lehner and Hutton were bad with rebounds and rebound control. Lehner regained his confidence playing on a team with a solid D game that took care of those rebounds for him. Hutton in St. Louis had a similar luxury and when exposed here fell apart. A good D also clears sight lines and blocks shots and makes the goalies life easier and thus they feed off each other. We need a good goalie, but if we build a solid D he won't have to be Hasek for us to win.

You're not wrong, and I wouldn't look to do that. imo your left side is set for years with power added. Dahlin is your PP guy and the guy you play more down a goal and Power is your PK guy and guy you play more up a goal (obviously over simplifying). Samuelsson is the 3rd guy who can also move up if either is injured. Bryson is your #7 or depth guy. If, and it's still if, Johnson steps up he can switch sides or we make a trade. It's hardly a problem to be overflowing in D strength.

I'm just kidding around trying to make the point that none of these things are guarantees. Read this hockey future talent analysis of Stafford: https://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/drew_stafford/ Lots of similarities in that description to Guenther. I'm not saying that's who he will be, but he is far from a sure thing. Power, on the other hand is at WORST imo Tyler Myers, but more likely a more dominant big minute blueline fixture you can build around.

Shifting sides isn't impossible. Boston's been doing it with Clifton all season. Seems to work okay. Also we don't know if Johnson will be any good yet and Bryson is still a question mark imo. If we end up with too many trading one isn't out of the question, but do not undervalue depth at D. Power can be a 30 minute guy too. Don't want to pass up that sort of foundational piece for a possible immediate need forward.

Just want to add one comment about Tage's play. Still the same one trick pony. Reach out and try that wrister for a corner, easy stop almost every time. Nothing else. Kid just doesn't seem to get it. That worked in junior, it's time to adapt.

I suppose he could max out as a Vanek. Not Martin. maybe Drew Stafford 🙂

Should have gone for him before, but it isn't a bad idea now. I'd really like goal prioritized and think we need to sign 2. Give UPL one more full year in Rochester.

That gives me a dream thought. Power as the #1 and then Beniers at 3ish with a pick we get in a trade for Eichel or Reinhart.

I've looked around and it seems to vary a bit. Like here he's 170. https://thehockeywriters.com/dylan-guenther-2021-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/ idk, 180 is better obviously . He's definitely not a sure thing top pick though. Somewhere 5-10 I'd guess.

Not forever. Remember the guy is 18 and there's an adjustment period. We have rushed D men too many times already. We don't have a Chara to pair him with and mentor him so he needs to work with whoever the assistant coaches are. You don't want to dump big minute high pressure defensive responsibility on a kid right away. You ease him in. It worked for Burns, Byfuglein, Lindy Ruff if you'd like to go back in time. Larry Robinson even. He could fill Risto's PP spot, adjust to the speed, playing with men. Throw his weight as he grows rather than being banged into the boards himself. Can make a mistake and not cost us a goal right away. Adjust to his big money flashy NHL life, etc. As time goes you teach, he plays D in practice and you ease him in from #6 D up step by step as he is ready. You don't throw him into top D and expect instant miracles and break the kid.

I thought he was 170?

Why?

No. Definitely no. Not with the first overall pick. Undersized and overrated.

Read a few interesting articles suggesting Power could be immediately used as a power forward with comparisons to Byfuglien and Burns in terms of a possible development path. I find that idea intriguing.

Perhaps his floor would be Curtis Lazar, who was also compared to Bergeron at times.

So what you're saying is draft the next Bobby Clarke right? 🙂

I firmly believe Eichel is simply exploiting this opportunity (because of advice from his agent) and timing so as not to be perceived as the villain. His agent said here's a way you might get out and he's taken it. This idea that the team has to cater to an individual and prove to him they have a winning culture is bass ackwards . He's the captain, he's supposed to take it on himself right or wrong. At least publicly. Turn the page.

If they're stuck on the direction they are in philosophically this idea makes more sense to me than Granato staying on with Gronborg as HC. They hire Granato full time and add Gronborg to the staff. If Granato is failing there's your new interim to try out. Not my preferred option, but makes more sense to me than giving the job to Gronborg.

Two things on this quote. 1. I was accused a few times of being too negative on the team so I really tried to buy in and be optimistic and I chose to believe that the wild card off the path coach signing would work. I WANTED to believe so I tried. Big mistake. 2. Fool me once ............ the definition of insanity doing the same thing again and hoping for a different result and all that stuff. We won't resolve our difference of opinion here and that's fair. If we hire him and we win feel free to laud it over me for all the years he's here. I will gladly suck that up in exchange for this team winning cause that's all I want. I'm quite happy to be wrong, but I'm not going to buy in and blindly hope ever again. I feel real change is required and anything less will need to prove itself to me or I truly am out after all these years. I used to live near Buffalo and grew up with them and it stuck. I occasionally crossed the border and saw a game live while marvelling at how much snow you get there (lol) . It's been hard to stay a fan moving to southern BC but I have for now. The Kraken however, do provide me with an exit strategy and I just might be forced into it.

I like Beniers. I think he might become a really good player and if we were picking 3rd or 4th he might be my choice, but I think Power is better and a bigger piece for any team to build off of. I am of course (if anyone still hasn't figured it out lol) a D first guy, which does make it hard to be a Sabres fan at times. The Bergeron comparison might be a little optimistic.

I did. See that thread. Bylsma wasn't as proven as the guys I'm thinking about but we all know he was a second choice and although his hockey was boring, I think he was better than everyone we've had since. Don't think he was wrong, but the roster was pretty weak back then.

Well I read it and watched it and I appreciate your effort, but I'm not convinced. There's still too many Ralph similarities in the sales pitch imo and he's simply not proven in the NHL. I want a sure thing, a coach I can be sure knows how to win in the NHL so that if they still lose it's all on the players and we don't go through this yet again in a few years while contemplating what the disconnect between Dahlin and the Sabres is.................. As for Granato with him that'll never work. Cannot imagine Granato being okay with being an assistant to a new HC that has similarities to himself after being the interim. I'm sure the man has too much pride for that. Recipe for dysfunction imo.

It's possible, but I'm just losing my patience with this team. I want a guy I know for sure can win in the NHL not a guy who maybe can win in the NHL. I want a situation where I can check things off the list so we can move on to fix other things. Like the RK thing, too many people just think all we need is a new coach and it's all fixed. I want a situation where we know for sure it's not the coach and then everyone will know these players are a bunch of crap once and for all (especially if we don't trade the "core"). So 1. get an established good coach and implement the proven system 2. Get a goalie 3. Either start winning there, or start getting different players. In that order. My mind's pretty much made up on some of these players, but with a good coach I'd be willing to give them a final chance. If Rikard doesn't win, in 2 years we're right back where we were. Or rather you will be, I'll be on a Kraken site.

Money and term (and maybe a little control over personnel) and anybody's interested. Those guys love building something from nothing, but you need to give them a little freedom and security. Pegulas won't be willing to make that sort of commitment so its a moot point but I would if it was my team.