PerreaultForever

Helenius seems to have a little more snarl (or whatever you want to call it) so he is the one guy in Rochester I would prefer to keep for next year but really, if they can make the team better now I'm open to moving anybody in Rochester or picks.

He has skill, but he's not what we need. If he stays healthy, Greenway should give us more. If I could trade Östlund (plus whatever) for another Doan I'd do it in a heartbeat.

This is correct. Just as an aside, I think the reason the Bruins signed him to the overpay was he demolished Trent Frederic the year before and Frederic wasn't exactly a pushover. That sort of thing got Cam Neely all excited.

I agree. As a quick illustration of the failure, we all love Josh Doan right? Adams could have drafted him instead of Rosen, or as it turned out even instead of Poltapov.

Well I guess you take some solace from coming back from being down but really, they let Boston play Boston's game and didn't press the center of the ice. Boston has so little talent they just kind of rope a dope and occasionally counter attack. Sabres needed to be more physical and drive to the middle. They didn't. They lost. I did find it highly ironic that Doan muscled through Jokiharju to create that tying goal. That was the kind of thing that has happened to the Sabres for years with guys muscling the likes of Jokiharju only now he's on the Bruins and Sabres did the muscling. I'm not impressed with Kesselring so far but don't want to judge too much too early. At this point though Doan seems the more important addition. He seems to be a welcome missing piece style wise. Greenway going knee on knee twice. Don't remember him being that dirty but I'd rather he used the body. Still, big man made an impact and got under the Bruins skin. Zadorov chirps more than Shorsey I think. He does amuse me. They are better, but it's not good enough. They need to go get another Doan. Whatever it takes.

True, but highlighting it as an event just seems so wrong on so many levels.

and the sadder thing is the league doesn't get it. They just made the Vegas Philly game a national game as the "return of Carter Hart to Philly" game. I mean talk about not getting it.

I don't know what it is but he looks bigger. Maybe being older his weight is spread out differently idk, but he just looks bigger in the net to me. Maybe Levi crouches in more? I just think if I'm a shooter coming in I see more net with Levi.

I want to get rid of players that play soft. Chinakov has more snarl than Quinn. Quinn can be great in open ice. He'd be a liability in a playoff series with a team like Florida.

Ellis is physically bigger. It matters. His rebound control needs work but good D in front of him can help with that. Levi's weaknesses are less teachable fixes and more to do with his size imo.

Bruins are not very good so you have to jump on them and make their system collapse. Ottawa did it to them so no reason Sabres can't. Bruins will try to force everything to the wall and if they play perimeter they will falter but if you go to the net and use the middle of the ice Bruins won't keep up. In other words don't fall into letting them play their game. The third line match up is the one that is key here. Greenway might be a good idea as their third plays greasy.

It's probably internet bs but if true get him out of here. The second sentence most definitely. The mantra should be if you earn it you earn it. When they sent Dunne back I felt they were not living up to the best player earns it idea since he outplayed several people in preseason but they have given him a shot now at least. Has to hold for all players. Be the best and you get your shot. Beat out a guy who is here to stay here.

Lyon backed up by Ellis in Buffalo UPL and Georgiev in Rochester. (If UPL is claimed, all the better, cap money to spend on a top 6 forward added to the other cap money they have)

I'm not waiving Ellis, I'm waiving UPL. Levi? I don't care. If he doesn't want to be here F him. It's time to stop worrying about players feelings and make it just about winning. Well then you just leave him in Rochester. Too bad for him.

Here's the thing for me. It was similar the year we ended up a point behind Florida as well. I think there are positive signs, there are roster improvements, there are a number of good things, but I still think we end up a little on the outside. As such I think this is a moment not to be lost and if you want to build forward it's the time for some bold moves and immediate roster improvements. get just a little bit better and we might just get in like Montreal did last year and then you can really build. If you can move prospects or picks now for roster veterans or disgruntled players like a Chinakov we should do it and do it now. Forget about when Norris might come back and get a top 6 forward now. I really don't want Kevyn in charge but since he is, he needs to make the moves. Don't let this opportunity slip away thinking next year we will be even better. Be better NOW. Unfortunately I think Kev will be conservative and believe too much in his own guys and previous moves and then we will have Tuch issues and other people wanting out, Maybe Levi, maybe more and it can all go back down the dumper real fast. Don't miss the moment!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If it's prospects/picks I make this move in a heartbeat. In terms of roster I would not be unhappy moving out Quinn and moving Chinakov in instead.

If it's true. If he wants to be moved, just move him. Solves the the too many goalies issue. This team needs to start acting like a real franchise. Ditch him if he don't like it. He didn't earn it, so it's not his. We keep Ellis that way.

As I said in the Columbus thread, we've been fooled before. This could go either way. There are signs though. Positive signs. More grit. More players who go to the paint. Better efforts blocking shots and cutting off passes. It's trending the right way but there are still some passengers.

Loser point is still better than no points. Winnable game but kind of an even game too. Difference might have been Sabres have Owen Power. The good takeaway though is they have some guys on the roster now that weren't here last year that go to the paint. They go hard net front. One can only hope this becomes more normal for them and some of the passengers from past seasons start to get the message and join in. If not, replace them. Starting to look more like a real hockey team, but we've been fooled before.

Clearly, Benson should have been in that Scooby Doo grouping. He's most definitely Scrappy-Doo.

That's fair but I also want Power going so for now I'd leave Dahlin Byram together but maybe reduce their defensive match ups and even out the ice time. I think one of the issues is Dahlin is played with the top line more and Kulich and Thompson aren't great defensively.

I don't know what to expect out of Kesselring. I'm hopeful though. I don't actually want offensive production from him (that would be bonus) I'm hoping for stable D with some snarl. A tougher version of Samuelsson would make me very happy.

I think that may have been the plan going in to this season all along. The only question is how deep do they plan to go. Will they move any of the big names, or try to build around them.

Why would you break up Samuelsson Timmons when it has been good and is your main PK pair? You just play Kesselring with Power like you planned and see if it works. All Kesselring has to do to "work" is be as good as Timmons has been. If he's even better, well, then even better.

Yes, this is most likely true. It might be time for him to switch attitude though. He's skittish and afraid and doesn't want to make a mistake now and he didn't know what he was doing in goal so he just got guys available and hoped something would work. Now's the time to just become resolute and announce this is it. This is who we are going with and it's win time. Send that message to the team too. Cut bait, cut losers, be bold. Make a move for someone available if it's there. Buyer not seller. Forget Norris, forget Greenway, forget UPL. Ditch the mistakes and roll with what's working. I'm just rambling here but the idea is at some point you have to just get BOLD.