[Toronto Lost the North and Well Beaten SabreSpace Horses]

Guess this thread can get locked 🙂

 

[Shopping Jack Eichel: Toronto]

Well I wouldn't trade Eichel for Matthews cause Matthews has already proven he's playoff incapable. Eichel might be too, but we don't know yet do we.

Really, I don't want any of those Toronto "stars" cause every year they keep proving that their model is the wrong way to build a hockey team.

3 hours ago, dudacek said:

If the Sabres are trading Eichel, they simply have to re-sign Reinhart.

Why? I see no reason for this to go together. If we're cleaning house we should scrub hard and clean it all. 

[If Eichel is traded, what is your desired package?]

I don't really want a "roster player" unless it's a very good one like a Tkachuk or a Schiefele so I go with the guideline of the old offer signing rules so 4 1sts. In this case we don't want to wait all those years so I'd say 2 top prospects like Turcotte and Byfield for example and 2 additional non conditional 1st rounders. 

One of those picks for Bedard's year cause, well, you never knowm Eichel might ruin the team he goes to and it's worth the gamble. 

[2021 NHL Playoffs 2nd Round]

3 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

Not that he is going anywhere, but I’d love JG Pageau on the Sabres,  and I’d kill for a 4th line like Clutterbuck, Martin and Cizikas. 

Yup. Earlier in a free agent related thread I was saying we should try to land Cizikas if he'd come, which I doubt. 

Was a really good close game. So many hits, and speaking of 4th lines we could have (snicker) did you notice how this Curtis Lazar guy throws the puck in and plays hit the D man first a lot? Guy likes to throw his body around. We could use a guy like that too :)

 

and just SO glad the Laughs did it again. 

[Why can't the Sabres be more like the Bruins?]

3 hours ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I love how you speak so goodly here, especially the dastardly part ... 😍

The only thing worse, well just as bad, is if someone were to suggest we try to more like the equally dastardly Flyers.

@dudacek should know better than to suggest such a dastardly thing as trying to be more like the most dastardly.

I really like the Avs, maybe we should try to be more like them?

MacKinnon!!

😎

The Flyers need to try to be more like the dastardly Flyers. That team is a mess and might be a good trade partner for any number of possible deals. 

[Suitors for Reinhart?]

6 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

When's the last time Reinhart was tried for 5 consecutive games at center and who were his wingers?

probably roller hockey in the summer 🙂

 

[Why can't the Sabres be more like the Bruins?]

9 hours ago, dudacek said:

It's obvious what you need to do to be good this league, just create a great culture like they did in Boston and we'll be fine for a decade or more.

Just follow these easy steps:

• Go 13 years in a row without winning a playoff round, missing the playoffs entirely 6 of those years.
• Hire a top-notch awesome GM like Peter Chiarelli and a savvy hockey mind like Jim Benning to oversee your operation and turn things around
• Wisely invest your 1st round picks on such noted talents as Lars Jonsson, Martin Samuelsson, Hannu Toivenen, Marc Stuart, Shaone Morrisson, Matt Lashoff, Zach Hamill, Joe Colborne, Jordan Caron, Malcolm Subban, Jakub Zboril, Zach Senyshyn, Urho Vaakaninen and John Beecher
• Trade away your rare first-round mistakes like Phil Kessel, Dougie Hamilton and Tyler Seguin for notable building blocks like Louie Erickson and Joe Morrow
• Sign a 29-year-old never-was to be your minor league backup and watch him win a Stanley Cup
• Sign a 29-year-old free agent defenceman and expect him to not only play at an all-star level for the next decade, but also command your room like a five-star general
• Draft the player destined to become the best 2-way centre in the NHL in the middle of the 2nd round
• Draft the player destined to become maybe the best 2C in the NHL in the middle of the 2nd round
• Draft the player destined to become maybe the NHL's best left wing in the 3rd round
• Draft the player destined to become one of the NHL's premier goal scorers late in the 1st round
• Swap a goalie destined to be out of the NHL in three years for the goalie who will man your crease for the next 15
• Make sure all of the above sign contracts for under market value and continue to play well, or even improve for the duration of their contracts

Easy peasy. The road map is laid out perfectly, if only the Pegulas would follow it. Culture.

Oh I know where this is directed................

I can counter this easily. First, isn't it amazing that despite all those bad draft picks and trade mistakes they are consistently still that good? How does that happen? Where does it come from? I wonder.......

So I'm going to make it short and sweet. Cam F'n Neely.

Named Vice President in 2007 and President in 2010 and Bruins have been really good and had a great culture when exactly? 

So the solution here was simple. Rick F'n Dudley should have been given that role here and molded this team in his image the way Cam molded that one in his. Yes, it's that freakin' simple. 

This is where I drop the mic I think.............

[Suitors for Reinhart?]

On 5/28/2021 at 12:31 PM, LGR4GM said:

... the coaches didn't put him there. And because the entire roster of centers died. 

He's been tried there before. 

There has however always been this idea to play him with Eichel. Give Eichel the best RW possible or something like that. 

[2021 NHL Playoffs 1st Round]

6 hours ago, dudacek said:

And it starts by acquiring players who create culture, like Chara, and dumping players who need it, like Hall.

Exactly. No argument there. 

and like Hall, that includes Eichel and Reinhart and probably several others. 

[2021 NHL Playoffs 1st Round]

3 hours ago, dudacek said:

He likes it there because they are winning and he doesn't have to be the one counted on to make sure that happens.

If only the Pegulas would realize winning is the solution and give it a try.

In my opinion that is a simplistic and incorrect view. It's about a lot more than simply winning, and not realizing that is why we aren't winning regardless of who we draft, who we sign, or what we do. 

Winning would definitely be nice, but to truly get back to where we were in the golden days it's going to take a huge culture shift. 

[2021 NHL Playoffs 1st Round]

4 hours ago, dudacek said:

What lesson do you expect the Pegulas to learn from how Taylor Hall is playing in Boston?

Not about how he's playing, but about how much he likes it there and why. The team culture. It's a culture that brings out the best in players and makes them want to give their all for their team. 

Pat LaFontaine understood it, there's your initial mistake. They keep going from there. 

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

He is better in Boston because:

1 - He is playing with a much better team,

2 - he is not  expected to lead (which he does not do), 

3 - the team will kick his ass if doesn’t play hard and contribute. 
 

 

idk about "kick his ass" but you watch how that team interacts with each other on and off the ice. We were like that once upon a time...............

[2021 NHL Playoffs 1st Round]

4 hours ago, JohninMinn. said:

Watching Taylor Hall infuriates me.

I know this won't be popular, but I'm enjoying it. To me it magnifies the problems with this franchise. Maybe if the Pegulas are watching it too they will finally get it. 

[Eakin over Larsson: a big blunder by Kevyn Adams]

I really don't think signing Eakin is any big thing one way or the other. Bottom line player, a couple years, easily benched. Small mistake.

The real problem this team has (for years to come) is Jeff Skinner.

There is simply no way to build a winner when you're paying, what, 1.3 million per goal or thereabouts. 

and it's not like he suddenly got great after RK was fired either. 

[Shopping Jack Eichel: Arizona]

I could see Arizona really wanting to make a deal. They might envision a new marketing scheme based on an American superstar (they still probably resent Toronto winning that lottery for Matthews). Not sure they'd give up all their young players though. Eichel wouldn't want a full rebuild either. More likely they'd offer future draft picks so not sure we'd want that. Fan base certainly wouldn't. 

[I despise this team]

3 hours ago, Radar said:

You could have left out "trophy grasping wife". No need to go sexist there. 

Well to be fair, he did leave out Skinner . 

[Sabres Trade Taylor Hall (50% of His Salary Retained)and Curtis Lazar to Boston for a 2021 2nd and Anders Bjork]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

I  only care that Eichel play his best, and be his best while he is here.   It really sucks that we are in this situation, looking at  trading our 2 best players.  I really hope Terry and Kim step away and turn this team over to an experienced and competent leader.  

But you see, Hall's comment is indicative of the real problem. What I've been trying to say for years (and I'm not alone, although in the minority I think) . We have to fix the culture, what it means to be a Sabre. The team has to have an identity and feeling that would make a statement like that impossible. The only way to do this will be to tear out the core, get a coach who believes in that identity and rebuild on those lines. 

You should know it best Punch. Back in the 70s we had that identity. This was a hugely successful expansion team. We were exciting, team oriented. Players wanted to be here. They hung out together, stepped up for each other. It meant something to be a Sabre. We've let all of that fall away. There are a variety of reasons, and the Pegulas get their share of that blame, but if you don't fix the culture this horror will never end. 

And some will say just start winning and it'll be fixed, but chicken and egg, we won't start winning until we fix it. 

[Sabres Trade Taylor Hall (50% of His Salary Retained)and Curtis Lazar to Boston for a 2021 2nd and Anders Bjork]

Bruins don't make a habit of overpaying people, they usually get them to take a discount to stay. Hall's most recent words:

"I knew [Boston] was a great city, but I've been surprised at how much better it's been than I even thought it was," Hall said. "So hopefully it all works out."

 

And how does Jack Eichel feel about coming back next year when he reads that?

[Dahlin, is he good or bad?]

11 hours ago, Weave said:

Why does it have to be does he suck? Too much hyperbole.  
 

I think it is fair to say that parts of his game are pretty rough and need attention.

That's it. Like most high draft Sabre defensemen, rushed along and not developed properly. Bad habits stay. His strengths are obvious, and his weaknesses still need a lot of work. 

[Eakin over Larsson: a big blunder by Kevyn Adams]

9 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Cool story broseph

Sabrespace, and the usual disgruntled and bitter summer of snideness, sarcasm and other assorted egomaniacal quips. How wonderful. 

[Eakin over Larsson: a big blunder by Kevyn Adams]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

 Everyone on this board knew Larsson's value and even if he wanted to leave, replacing him with Eakin was tantamount to replacing Eichel with Steve Ott. 

LOL. That might be the most over stated ridiculous comparison I've ever seen on this board so I had to quote it. Funny though. Did make me smile. 

Eakin sucked, that's not a point of contention. Not sure what anyone else would have done though. Seemed like a reasonable 4th line (some felt 3rd) pick up at the time. One has to assume Larsson was NOT going to re sign and his value is kind of over stated. Didn't do much for the Coyotes. 

They wanted to improve face offs and PK. Those were a bit better were they not? I think the Girgensens injury was the thing that really cocked up the bottom end plan. 

but ya, Adams hasn't actually done anything good yet. Absolutely nothing imo.  

[Sabres have 35% Drop in Viewership]

I think only a 35% drop is pretty flattering too. If it wasn't a pandemic you'd probably see even lower numbers. I know I only watched some nights cause I had nowhere else to go anyway. next season it has to be better to get me interested. 

[Shopping Jack Eichel: Minnesota]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

You may be right, but it certainly is a fan thing.

That said, the Insiders have listed the Wild among the teams heavily interested in Eichel. 

They may be, but as was mentioned, they'd want to dump salary and that's not something we want to be doing. We already have a Skinner anchor on our cap, we don't need more lost space. 

[Shopping Jack Eichel: Minnesota]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

We currently have 1 star player and no roster depth because we draft like a trash plate that was left in the sun while seagulls pooped on it for a month. 

So you're finally conceding that Reinhart is not a star then? Good. About time. 

[Shopping Jack Eichel: Minnesota]

I have a question. You say the "general feeling" is they need an Eichel/top center to be a true contender but 1. aren't they already a contender? They are looking pretty good at the moment. and 2. Isn't their model entirely based on the opposite idea of a star center? Rather a solid team approach with multiple mid level stars rather than a few superstars?  I'm not sure a desire for a top 1C is their goal. I'm thinking that's just a fan thing. 

I mean every team wants a great player if you can just pop him in there but gutting your roster/prospect pool to get one guy is a whole other thing. 

Relying on a few star players certainly hasn't worked here. There's a lesson in that. 

[2021 NHL Playoffs 1st Round]

3 hours ago, Norcal said:

I know. They have to do the work.

I think, because of the expansion draft and cap implications, that this off season will present unique opportunities to acquire players that might not shake loose normally.

I don't know that to be true but it's being reported on more and more so it appears likely. 

Now. Can Karamanos and Adams get some of those guys? Idk?

If they do, and fix the goaltending and get continued progression from their younger players, then I could see the Sabres pushing into the playoff discussion.

That's alot of IFs and wishful thinking at this point but that's all I have right now. 

It's gonna be a long offseason.

 

 

Well one thing we might be able to do is get a goalie from a team that would lose one to the draft maybe. Ullmark is a UFA so unless I have the rules wrong we don't actually have one that we need to protect so there's a space there. Somebody might give one up relatively cheap rather than just lose him for nothing.