PerreaultForever

That is actually a pretty good interview and I think his comments are spot on. It especially made me think about Eichel watching Hall on the Bruins. The Shawshank Redemption bit. That must actually be killing Jack to see Hall succeed there. He'd be wishing it was him and thinking why not me? I want that too. I wouldn't be surprised if that led Jack to talking to his agent and saying "how can I orchestrate my way out of here without looking like the villain" and hence the disconnect presser. As for Barnaby, he may be an idiot (lots of hockey players are idiots, and often worse, rich idiots) but I won't bad mouth him. He was a passionate Sabre who gave his all for the team and did what he could to stay in the league with limited talent. We could use a few Barnabys on this roster. A little heart and soul, not to mention entertainment.

Ya, that's reasonable. Gonna bet it'll take some serious convincing for the Pegula's to take on more dead money though. Don't think they feel the same urgency at this point that we do.

You really have to stop watching with a video game mindset where all you think about is numbers and statistics. It's also a game of passion and character. This is where we always disagree. So you can quote me stats and number of goals and zone time and possession and all the numbers you want forever, but the team will never win without building a new culture and that has to start with removing all the losers. Pretty much agree with this: https://www.niagara-gazette.com/sports/buffalo_sabres/sullivan-time-for-sabres-to-hit-the-reset-button----again/article_0ab72182-9371-5b29-9166-c3cae76bde35.html

I don't like that Vancouver deal. Miller is a good player but I don't want Loui Erikson anywhere near the young team we will be building. Definition of a lazy hockey player. Unless we could take him for their cap, eat part of it and flip him away to someone else, but otherwise a big no.

Okposo isn't an issue to me as the contract won't last much longer. I'd give up a little to get rid of that Skinner deal, but I don't think he would leave and I don't think anyone will take that contract on. We're stuck with him. If he'd go, and they wanted to take on the contract, I'd give him to the Kraken for a bag of chips. Jalapenos.

I heard this too. Starting to look like my dream is coming true much to many of your chagrins. Of course everything depends on the return and the FA signing(s). Now if only there was a Skinner solution.....................

Well if he is a leader, it will likely be leading another team. Maybe we can trade them both (and throw in the tandem bike) to LA. https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/sabres-sam-reinhart-wants-to-play-canucks-west-coast

Maybe this was already posted somewhere. I'm usually a step behind, but I don't see it so here ya go. https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/sabres-sam-reinhart-wants-to-play-canucks-west-coast

Yup. Those are the two series I have picked to be the (likely) most interesting. St.Louis Colorado might be if the Blues have more playoff hockey in them. Not sure, haven't seen them play at all this year so going on the past. Isles Pens likely 1-0 2-1 boring as heck. I think the Florida series will be the best.

I know what you're saying, but I just don't see Reinhart being valued highly enough for that kind of bold antagonistic move. In the NHL today the GMs seem more all on the same page and not looking to rape and pillage other teams with offer sheets. I think it only happens in cases where you have a really young guy not at his perceived peak yet. Reinhart is at peak value now. Just as an aside, regarding Boston. I'm going to guess Krejci will take a huge discount to stay and he and Hall will basically flip salaries (looking at Hall's salary after half of it not being there. So maybe 7 to Hall and 3+ to Krejci. That is if they still click in the playoffs. That'd be funny if they did offer sheet and sign Reinhart. and resigned Hall. and then if Hall - Reinhart worked we'd all go wtf??? Not going to happen though. That brings to mind Sean Kuraly as an FA. There's a solid 3rd 4th line center to consider. His salary is pretty low so maybe it doesn't take all that much.

Yup. He's a possible. Czikis might be interesting as well. Not sure he's leaving NY but he's definitely a character guy. Point is there are a LOT of free agents this year. Any number of ways to rearrange the line up and add solid leadership.

Well, you do have lots of the Eichel-Reinhart-Risto money to kick around if you move all 3 for picks and entry level deals. So there are plenty of free agents who could be signed to fill the gap until those players mature and take over. Ryan Nugent Hopkins and Nick Bonino maybe? Other possibilities. Not in any way saying you'd sign a player equal to the ones leaving but there's definitely some possibles who could be found to hold places for the kids better than Staal did. That's the part of this not many seem to be talking about. Since the return is likely prospect types there will be a lot of salary cap space and free money.

These questions are always hard to answer. It depends on who wants him, what they have, how much they want him. If I were Adams, I would move Eichel first. That's the biggest piece and what you get back for that influences what you are after for Sam and Risto, and who knows, maybe you have a player in the Eichel trade that someone else wants and you pull a three way like Colorado did with Duschene. Would I trade him for a solid starting goalie? yes. A solid defensive defenseman, probably, but I'd have to address center ice with the Eichel trade and maybe also the Risto trade. Maybe Risto goes for Lowry and a draft pick which helps at 2nd or more likely 3rd center temporarily. Who knows? Lots of options with lots of players in play (IF they are).

Yup, Sam has led the team down the garden path straight to dead last place. Yay! Can't wait for the 2021/22 Sabres led by their new captain Sam Reinhart. So exciting......

Nobody's signing Sam Reinhart to an offer sheet. That's nutz.

To the first sentence I need more. I'm not okay with it. It's unprofessional, it's bratty, and it's the sign of a person with a big ego who puts himself above the organization and his professional responsibilities. It's immature. To the second, excellent. Should max his trade value. To the third, absolutely. I still think we can get a decent deal from Winnipeg.

We're not going to reach an agreement on this. I'm firmly on the side that we have to cut out all of the rot for the thing to grow properly. To be clear, I'm not saying he's the cause of the rot (he might be, he might be one aspect, he might not be, that's a different, speculative and not really necessary argument) but he's been around the rot for so long it's hard to wash it off him. I really think the fastest way forward is to remove the entire old core, not just one or two pieces. It won't help if he is still besties with Jack and we trade Jack but keep him. We trade him for 25 goal 60 point value.

They're starting the playoffs anyway and overlapping with the remaining games for Vancouver.

I would do this for sure, but ideally I'd gamble and want the 2023 1st rounder (unconditional) instead of the 2021.

playoff schedule's out. https://www.nhl.com/schedule

Could be. But I still think if he's a primary leader he has to be more. He needs to have a public face too to be a real team leader. As for Granato, he's only going to say positive things as he tries to get the job, that doesn't mean much. I really just think if it's a non Eichel reset it should be a full reset and Sam simply has too much baggage from the losing era. Trade him at max value, which is now.

Well, that's one way of looking at it. Another way of looking at it is he just stepped it up because it's a contract year (like Skinner). That to me is the gamble. His comments about thinking and not being committed to the Sabres tells me he'd rather be elsewhere and if that's the attitude I think they have to go with that. His late season surge increases his trade value, so it's the perfect time to move him. I've never felt he is the kind of guy you build a team around. His character doesn't suit any kind of leadership role, and there's nothing that's changed that for me. I think it would be healthier for the young team if him 9and others) weren't around to chat with newer players about how crap things have been. If Eichel is going, we need a full reset, not some partial half reset. Don't overpay another guy like we did with Skinner.

The stats don't matter for any of this. It's all about attitude, desire, and pride in the blue and gold. I don't think he has it any more. I don't think he ever had it (but that's a point of debate not really important for the discussion) and as with Eichel (and Risto) if we don't want to ruin the kids, the non believers, the broken if you prefer, they have to go.

Quite the scenario you came up with there but I want to highlight just this one part. So you're saying, what if the Sabres doctors said one thing, but Jack kept googling another option and then brought it in and insisted upon it because he's such a wild and passionate guy or something like that? One, while he might have gotten a second medical opinion I cannot picture him researching and obsessing. Maybe his ego is big enough to view things in terms of "birthright" , but that would in and of itself speak volumes as to the problem with this team these years. So, I don't believe any of that proposed narrative is even the remotest possibility, but that's just opinion like yours. In any event, to me it doesn't matter. This would still be all about Jack, and that is imo what has to end for this team to have even the slightest chance of future success.

Don't let him have the surgery. Trade him (along with the medical reports) and let that team worry about his surgery or not surgery. make the picks in the trade conditional on successful surgery if they want, but don't take the risk and lose the timing opportunity. If his post surgical rehab takes longer than expected we will get to the NMC and we're hooped. Just trade him and end it.