PerreaultForever

It was interesting to watch Seth Jones dominate offensively in this game. Made me think, when we had Montour, he was inconsistent and sometimes awful. So much so we cast him aside. Florida took a chance and turned him into an offensive force. Signed a fat free agent contract with Seattle and was overall meh. Average at best and over paid. Now Seth Jones was dreadful in Chicago. Much like Montour here, and yet now he's looking exactly like Montour did in Florida. So the obvious thing to consider is perhaps it's not so much the individual players you need to examine on the Sabres, but maybe the coaching and the system itself. Just something to ponder over the summer 🙂

Tomorrow is the best day of all. Tomorrow is podcast/media Leaf whining day. The what went wrong discussions begin. They are the best. On that note I heard that post game Matthews said there were "too many passengers" and I believe Marner agreed with that. Very interesting that your star "leaders" put the blame on others rather than taking the responsibility or even better by having actually stepped up themselves. Other than his game 6 goal Matthews was in fact a pretty big "passenger" and considering his salary and role perhaps the biggest passenger of all.

Yes. I don't think in any way shape or form Marchand would come to Buffalo (I think he'd be more likely to actually become a Leaf than a Sabre) but he is most definitely the kind of veteran leader the team needs. He practices, preaches, and competes to high standards.

Not true. To the bold, if they can win the Calder Cup I will suggest they did in fact do it right and maybe more of them belong on the NHL roster next year and it's time to make some Sabres changes and learn from that AHL roster. But I don't think that is what they have. One would think in fact that the worst NHL teams should have the best AHL rosters and all the non playoff teams get bolstered rosters so in theory those are the teams that should go further if they are built correctly. In that way, Rochester has been underachieving. Maybe that changes this year but as in everything Sabres I believe in nothing any more until it happens.

Leaf Killer strikes again.

I think you are over valuing the guys they have. I don't think what you call the "board guys" is overly impressive and while they do have the snipers they do not have a good checking line or heavy bottom 6. The D is also iffy and fairly thin. It's not as one dimensional as it has been but I still think it's constructed poorly. See how far they can ride Levi. I can never see the full games so I am just going by highlights and overall trends. I will fully admit there may be things I'm missing.

This is it. I don't really care about anything else but every year my playoff pleasure comes with annual Leaf whining and I want that to continue.

It's impossible to say though. Sometimes these (for lack of a better word) poor kids have a great work ethic and they are grateful and maybe have a chip on their shoulder but sometimes the bright lights big city also goes to their heads. You see this with some of the Russians for example. It's really impossible to say how it goes. Character is character and that's why you need scouts to go see them and talk with them and people around them and not just rely on video and analytics.

Don't think so. Not at 7. There will be better talent for them there. I'd place Martin around 12 but if the Sabres want to take him at 9 I'd not have any problem with that.

Didn't want to suggest it was "neat and tidy", just an overall trend. There's no question there's a lot of talent on that roster but that's also the case with the Sabres. Lots of high end talent on the big club too. No not at all. What I am saying is the roster isn't balanced. Just like the big club.

Rossi's interesting and if we are moving Quinn out and Rossi in I'm all for it (adjust it with whatever picks it takes to make it a trade) but otherwise I don't know how he fits or what the plan is. We need some bottom end depth, grinders and D, not scoring forwards. Cuylle definitely interests me. Demko? idk. Injury history again but adding a goalie I wouldn't complain. I'm not getting overly invested in these RFA UFA ideas because (as every year) we don't do much as a team and almost never do anything substantial. I doubt Adams does much this year either. He'll sign someone like Ceci or some other mid to low level guy(s) and that's it.

Exactly. I don't even want to think about McKenna for the Sabres. Bruins might be smart to tank for another year but I don't think they are going to do that. They think they can pull a Washington and turn it around in a year. Let Nashville have him. If we are end of the draft we might as well start over completely and well, that just sucks as you said.

I don't know the Laval roster well enough to say. I just know that Rochester runs in to this every year. They score a lot and start the playoffs well but then they run into the bigger, tougher and more veteran teams and they get bounced in a boys vs. men way.

This would be poetic fun. Best of all if Marchand scores the game winner to haunt them forever.

You don't have to get like that but if you enjoy it carry on. When I see the kind of players the Sabres need graduating from Rochester into the NHL I will know we have the right mix and type. As is we get a lot of the same.

I couldn't care less about any of our 2026 picks.

Remember when Adams said he interviewed lots of people and then chose Ruff? I'm reading today that the Bruins have actually interviewed 16 different people and are waiting (likely) to also talk to Donskov (in Dallas). Just a comment to consider the differences between how franchises are run.

This is my point. It's the same with the Sabres. Both teams should be a veteran/prospect mix. Veterans to teach and mentor the kids. It should start there. That's me Mr. Silly, and yet every year I am right about this and every year it continues cause the Sabres are the dumbest franchise in hockey. But whatever.

That's a lot for Knies but I'm not opposed to it. Some sort of bold moves need to be made.

There's a constant critique in Philly land over there being an "old boys club" and all this sort of thing. I'd suggest there is always a disagreement with fans over driving a team's culture forward and giving meaning to the crest vs. stuck in hiring their own in a nepotism sort of way. You know, Bruins give Chara a job. Neely is president. Flyers hire Jones and Briere and now Tocchet. Clarke and Holmgren are still in the structure. So is this good or bad? idk, but I do know that hiring Ruff here seemed right and maybe Sabres haven't had enough of this sort of thing and thus have little to no pride in the jersey. It's a forever argument I think, but in Buffalo's case I'd be happier if our senior advisor was Rick Dudley or if Pat LaFontaine was still here all along and I am sure if people like that were, this would have all gone different. maybe he is lying, but Briere has said he's already gotten calls from agents suggesting there are free agents interested in playing for Tocchet. Maybe that's a thing to consider to. We shall see how it goes, but I wanted Tocchet hired by the Sabres when Vancouver hired him.

Going to be the same if the Sabres ever get into the playoffs. It's the type of players Sabres have and want and draft. They don't know how to construct winning rosters at either level.

Brad Shaw is indeed not returning to the Flyers after being passed over for head coach. Sabres should snap him up and offer him whatever to work with our D. Unless they bring in McKee as another option. Either could be an associate coach who could take over from Ruff if he fails again or wants out or even gets elevated out. But the D is the priority. Sabres of course will do neither and the heir will be Appert and I will just hate this team more.

So if Edmonton does go all the way this year and wins it, Jeff Skinner will in fact continue the legacy of leaving the Sabres and winning the cup even though (barring injuries) he will have only played in one playoff game in his entire career and I believe only for a few minutes. Wouldn't that be something.

What would you offer him to be a Sabre? Everybody on every team is talking about Knies. I suspect if Leafs do let Marner walk then Knies will be paid to stay.

"assuming Norris is healthy". Well that's just it isn't it? He's never played a full season. If he did, he's potentially a 50-60 pt. player I'd guess but the odds of him playing a full season seems small to me. I'm pretty sure Ottawa moved on from him for that very reason.