PerreaultForever

You say it's a "myth" but the evidence would seem to say otherwise. You break the cycle by WINNING. You get to that with bold aggressive moves. Your stance has merit for some teams in general, but it's not how you break 13 years of losing. The window for progress (this time) will close faster than you think.

Buffalo is NOT a desirable location for players to come at this time. That's just a fact due to the ineptitude. If you want that to change you have to make a splash and send a strong message that things are changing. A move like this signals that earth shaking change. Once you make that move maybe other people start to give Buffalo a second look, like Tanev's brother. Maybe Kane. Others. If you continue to evaluate everything in "value" and try to win trades and over rate what you have it's going to take years and years and years still and during those years so many things can still go wrong. It's time for this team to change the narrative, and to make sure that happens they are going to have to "lose" some trades to get what they need and/or make some overpays in free agency. If they don't, Cozens will be back in the Worlds and we will be looking at the draft lottery again and again and again.

Did you catch the shot of Kyle jumping up and down on the bench at the horn? Just about the happiest looking dude I've ever seen. A lot of ex Sabres in this cup final. Florida playing a damn near perfect defensive game with blocked shots, sticks in lanes, it was textbook. I don't see them losing the final unless something crazy happens.

Trade for one Tanev and then try to entice another Tanev in free agency? Not quite my Foligno dream but pretty good if they were interested. If we made this trade and I was Adams I'd slap a letter on Gourde's jersey and offer him a long term extension with a promised leadership role. I know a number of you will think he's too old for that but I think a 5 year deal would entice him and 3-4 of those years will be good ones if not more. Overpay? Yes. Invaluable? Also yes. If Larsson worked out with Dahlin and he signed you'd also then have the luxury of being able to flip another D man at some point. Byram if his next number is too high for your liking or the oft injured Samuelsson. Consider Larsson-Dahlin, Power-Tanev, Samuelsson-Clifton (Byram traded for a power forward) Off season dreams are nice 🙂

My guess would have been Boston Vancouver because they are both on the far coasts. Edmonton is a fair distance into the interior so a straight line down is shorter I'd have thought.

Also possible Dallas is more worn down by playing tougher opponents. Lot of old guys on that Dallas team and going through Vegas and Colorado was a lot harder than LA and Vancouver. We will see if they have anything left on Sunday.

I'm surprised, but I think you need more physicality to throw Edmonton off their game and the Stars aren't delivering that. Edmonton might be in the final now (maybe) but I still think the cup goes to the East, likely Florida.

They might, but if it got us in the playoffs, who the F cares.

See you're trying to win the trade, and I agree with @dudacek I think it would get us in the playoffs and imo finally breaking that 13 year non playoff run would be worth it, even if all 3 left the year after (although obviously you'd try to keep some of them). Gives all those Rochester kids one more year to mature as well. A real coach, finally in the playoffs, regardless of what happens after, the entire conversation changes and maybe then the NTCs for Buffalo start to stop and more players will also consider coming. We simply HAVE to break the loser label before we lose another round of young talent and rebuild yet again in a perpetual spiral.

I'm curious what people here would think of this. Saw it proposed and approved of by several people on a Kraken website. Krebs, Jokiharju and our 1st this year for their3 pending UFAs next year Gourde, Tanev and Larsson. NTCs I suspect make this a non starter but if I was the Sabres I'd jump on this in a heartbeat.

I don't think this is true. I think it has more to do with the length of the season. There's no way you can keep up the level of physicality the playoffs has and demands for over 80 games. You see it now and again in an important game but overall their bodies can't handle that and so it doesn't happen. Often they can't even handle it for a full playoff grind. Last year Florida was worn down by the final. I think some of them have paced it better this year and that's why you've seen guys like Okposo get games as well. Depth still matters. It's not just physicality either, it's speed and intensity and it's simply physically demanding. Some are willing to give that, and some just aren't. At least not on a consistent basis, and that's the difference. As the cliche Shorsey type saying goes did you leave it all on the ice and did you go until you couldn't go any more. If the answer is YES, then that's your playoff guy that elevates, and that's the guys we need on the Sabres.

Playfair couldn't play in today's league. Big and mean and solid in his day but all he basically knew how to do was crosscheck anybody who came in front. Did it well, but he'd get a penalty on every shift today. Those were the days though weren't they?

Well, assuming these guys are all in their prime, you can't build a roster or all your scoring stars from history. That's a team that just doesn't look like a realistic team. Now if you can build what looks more like an NHL team, that's different. With that in mind, 1. French Connection (duh) 2. Andreychuk- LaFontaine- Gare 3. Foligno-Peca-Foligno 4. Ramsay-Drury-Dudley (Younger people do not realize that next to Bob Gainey, Ramsay was the best defensive forward in the league) Schoenfeld-Korab Housley-Hajt Ramsey-McKee Hasek, Biron (because it's Hasek, so Biron sees the net like 2 games a season and no way Miller sits on the bench happy) and the 13th forward is of course John Scott 🙂 There's obviously too many to really pick from and you have to assume each era is an equivalent athlete (even if that's not true) but this would be a roster that can play every way and win every way. Shot blockers and hitters on D what a concept 🙂 and I'm sorry but the idea of original Foligno and son of Foligno on the same line with Peca is just too much of a dream type concept for me to put a higher skill guy in there - sorry Alex. I could be convinced to swap Dahlin for Housley, but Korab stays.

Obviously true, but I make my guesses based on what we see in tougher physical games and against teams that play styles closer to playoff hockey. We can do very well in wide open games and with open ice (score 9 against the Leafs even) but the tighter the checking and the greater the contact and then we often struggle. This does not bode well for playoff hockey. The greatest weaknesses of this team have been the same for quite a while. Lack of net drive and net front presence on offense and the inability to box out, block shots, and defend our own end in front and near the paint. That's where the playoffs get won and lost.

Well that's the big question isn't it? What can Ruff get out of them in a proper structured system. I basically agree but you are kinder and more flattering in your appraisals. The entire D struggles in front of their own net. None of them, not even Dahlin, is a dominant defender in tight. Borgen would have helped. That's the type I want added as well, but I do not think it will happen.

Yes, I know that's your position. All I'm saying is when we see the contract we can pretty much surmise whether the theory was right or wrong. Not definitively (because it's a different team and he might change his mind for that reason) but pretty much. If, for example, he signs for under 6 you can toss that "popular theory" away but if he holds out for more and Colorado pays him or has difficulty meeting his high number demand you can conclude the popular theory was spot on. But in any event, to what we have ended up with, we have a D with too many softer puck movers and offensive D men and a hole at 3C which we need to fill or we limp into another season with an inadequate bottom 6. Both things will cost us wins imo if they stay as is.

That is simply not true. Some do some don't. Some can't handle the playoffs at all (Mitch Marner eg.). If you think the current team we have will simply elevate if they make the playoffs you are sadly mistaken. Besides, Reinhart has been good all year. The intensity and push back comes from learning to play without fear.

No, what I'm saying is the contract number might help end the argument over whether it's a good deal or not. Obviously if one plays great and one doesn't that'll be a clear decision on who "won the trade" but I think, right now, if Mitts signs for a smaller number than people are thinking then the question of 3C is greater. The only necessity for trading Mitts was IF he wanted Cozens/Tage money and hence Adams avoided that debacle.

Except it's Campbell, not "Cambell" so X strikes again.

I think in general terms, the argument over Mitts vs. Byram might end when we see the number he signs for.

So now I tell you you are wrong thrice and we can go on forever. Oh yes, I remember those guys on the Sabres well. So much winning I got tired of winning. And the cup wins, wow, those were great times. All thanks to the fabulous play of these revered superstars who excelled to their maximum on the Sabres. Such wonderful history.

Smart yes, tough no. You are wrong. Exclamation point. What's next a meme? If so, be creative.

Agreed. I think this is the way you should always operate (unless there's something exceptional in your prospect pool and you are 100% sure). You already know how I feel about Adams "don't block the kids" philosophy. Too many guys pressing for one job is not a problem. That's what trades are for.

Maybe there was a taste here or there, but certainly not on a consistent basis.

I suspect these guys will be deadline dealt next year (assuming Seattle is out of it, which is likely). That's when they will have peak value and will also likely waive NTCs for cup runs. Seattle does have a 2C issue though. Wright just isn't that at this point (if ever).