Cascade Youth

The value of a Kane signing is the message it sends to the locker room and fans, and the fact that a notable FA believes in the direction of the franchise. Those things matter as much if not more than his actual on-ice contributions.

He has become a “glue guy” in the locker room and the best two-way player on the roster. He has worked his way through the system, had his highs and lows, and has fully bought into being a leader. They are going to reward him by making an example out of paying him. Zero chance this regime trades him.

Is Mitts now the best all-around player on the team?

Sorry, but picking a fight during the last two minutes of a loss is almost always a stupid decision. There was nothing to be gained at that point, he was just frustrated with himself for sucking this season and decided to get his face caved in. Which will end up costing his team with his absence. Cozens has been a disgrace so far this season, but he has lots of time to turn it around and now some time to think about it.

This team doesn’t need a trade it needs a heart transplant.

They want everything to be easy. Easy entries, easy shots. As soon as the other team makes them work they wilt. Has been that way Donny’s whole tenure. Philly has like zero stars but they work hard top to bottom and that’s enough to beat these Sabres. They are mentally soft.

They just don’t want to work hard.

The defining theme of Granato’s Sabres is the inability or abject refusal to play hard from period to period, let alone game to game. They just will not put in the work to be great.

Is UPL actually good? Mitts has gone from my least-favorite Sabre to perhaps my favorite. Cozens is just really off this season - something is up with him.

Remote work is here to stay.

That was actually the greatest empty netter I’ve ever seen.

Tuch and Cozens have been garbage through four games.

Where are the standards of accountability in this organization? Where??

Calm down.

OTOH I was listening to a speech about effective leadership last night and the number one tenet was “be authentic.” You have to own who you are and who you aren’t to be an effective leader. I agree with this. If Donny isn’t the hardass type he can’t pretend to be. He’ll lose credibility with his players. Has to stay true to himself first and foremost.

Both the Sabres and the Bills lean a bit too much towards the development / college program vibe and too far away from "championship or bust." That doesn't mean we need head coaches to call players out publicly and smash chairs in the locker room, but there are not enough signs of real accountability metrics in either organization for my liking. That's not to say I don't love a lot of what Adams (and Beane) has done - but I just don't ever get the sense that a mandate for success is implemented by the Pegulas. Scoring a B or B plus grade, and selling tickets, seems to be good enough for them (but not for me).

Cozens needs to watch from the pressbox on Tuesday.

Sabres were the better team tonight despite the outcome. The guys who got paid need to start playing well.

Cozens has lost wayyyy too many battles tonight.

Tage does not look interested in playing hockey tonight.

These calls.

Benson won’t get the assist point there but he tied up his man behind the net which caused the chaos resulting in the bounce to Mitts. Benson isn’t going anywhere. He’s here to stay.

Krebs plays hockey the right way.

You have to trust the process. Draft, then slowly acclimate into a culture of losing, then when they finally start to peak as a player you publicly alienate them so that they force their way onto a contender. You use the return on that trade to draft, then repeat. This is the way.

I’m just really glad Kevyn Adams is a good guy who Terry can trust. Honestly that’s all that matters.