Pimlach

Probably on Rosen. Maybe on the rest of your conjecture.

I have no problem with him vacationing. It’s normal and necessary. Now that I saw him without a shirt on, it’s clear he needs to pack some muscle on that frame. It’s not easy to keep weight on while playing hockey, and know one wants him to get slower, so he needs to do something this summer.

I don’t want Cirelli, or any 3C, at $6.25M for 7 years. We need a veteran 3 C for 3 years max, by then at least one of Krebs, Östlund, Savoie, Kulich, or Rosen better be ready. I prefer Monahan or Stephenson/Karlsson for less money and less term.

I am with you. Lance is a buttercup. I get almost nothing from his writings because he is just a cheerleader. Jim Kelley of the Buffalo News (aka Buffalo Evening News) is the level I want. I know that is asking a lot, and why would a Sabres fan do that? I could be on a business trip in LA, Chicago, Boston, or St Louis and read what Kelley wrote because their local hockey writers referenced him for insider information. Jim Kelly was the one of the most respected Hockey Writer's of his time. A three time president of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, highly decorated as a Hockey Journalist, and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. This is the level we once had, and what we should be expecting. We Buffalo Hockey fans, including our fans in Southern Ontario and all over, are getting the shaft. Not only for the lousy team play for the past 15 years, but the team coverage, the home game experience, and the acceptance of mediocrity that has become this once proud franchise. With RJ gone there is nothing left that connects us to the better days. Now it is all on Ruff to turn this thing around.

I think he has being facetious about the pool side pictures? Could be wrong. After looking at his pool pictures I do recommend he start hit the weight room harder than ever. Strength training every other day, until camp. Seriously, the kid needs to get on a muscle building program. I strive for superiority, without aloofness and/or sophistication.

No. I tried to add more two way players, but the other GMs reluctant to deal. Drafting Seiling over Bossy - We knew Bossy was going to score goals, but we needed more two way players. This was a mistake drafting for need, not BPA. Trading McNabb for Savard - I hated him spouting off about the fans. Only I can be outspoken like that. I sent Mahovlich packing, so why not this kid? Savard had the checking game we needed, but I should have sent McNabb to rot out on the West Coast. The only thing wrong with my core was finding a healthy goalie to withstand the playoffs. That was the difference in the Cup series and afterwards. Edwards and Sauve took a little time and Bowman benefited from them more than I did.

Are you talking about season 4? The fan base was still in love with the team. The team was hit hard with injuries in season 4. HC Joe Crozier paid the price though. I thought replacing him with Floyd Smith and then Marcel Pronovost were both steps down. No one wanted the GM fired either. By the late 70's it was a mild shocker when Imlach was removed, but replacing him with Bowman was re-energizing for the fan base (but not for many of the players).

You think Ruff will leap frog Adams?

He picked up lot of useful players in the early years that helped get them competitive. Jim Lorentz was another steal, got him in trade for a draft pick that never played.

There is a positive to this rumor. If true, Pegula is adding a layer that will put more insulation between him and the GM and the Coach.

Luce was the throw in, and ended up the best player in the deal, up to then a good prospect that needed an opportunity. Robey only played a few years and then was sent to Vancouver (along with Tracy Pratt) for Josh Guevremont. They added a strong puck mover with a hard low shot from the point. Robey also played briefly for the Calder Cup winning Buffalo Bisons in their last season, he was brought in for the playoffs from the Central League. Good player. Liked to throw hip checks in open ice.

That team was built as much with great trades as it was with drafting. Maybe Adams should read up.

This is old. The Cali teams are nothing great, in fact 2 of them are worse than Buffalo, and not everyone wants to live in crime ridden and depraved south Florida. Like the Bills, avoid the rock stars, look for rock solid people instead. The Sabres have very good young talent already and they have a sufficient pipeline. They need vets in their prime to fill the holes on the roster. Trades need to be made to jump start the current core players we have or the losing will continue. Mid priced free agents are also out there.

Yes. This is what we are as a franchise. Hope to make the playoffs as a mediocre wildcard team. It is a realistic next step. I am in North Carolina on vacation. All I hear is how great the Canes fan base is. Sell out every game. Buffalo is a joke here. Not a threat at all. They laughed at the Brind'Amour to Buffalo comments.

Lots of passion here @Thorny I am still going to hope Adams plan is the right one for the long term, it’s already failed in the short term, as you mentioned 5 years is long enough. Since he started with a deliberate, slow, long term approach, that is what we have and were we are.

Good to see this. I don’t get to see the lacrosse game very much but it’s nice to see Buffalo had a strong team that wins. It’s something positive for the sports fans and the team deserves more honors.

So we only need 4 defensemen and 8 forwards?

Leaves signed Berube.

Brind’Amour is fine. The Canes are a result of his coaching and his disciplined system. The Rangers are the better team, and their goalie was amazing in the 3rd period.

If he were a Sabre he would be a legendary fan favorite. He dishes it out, he takes it.

Rangers tie it in the 3rd Trochek turned out to be a fine player, a 3rd round pick.

Yes indeed. I sure hope Adams turns out correct in the long term view.

100%. Contrast to Boston, who's team got booed after one lax home game. Montgomery said the fans are right and that they are smart and know what's going on. Marchand shrugged and said if we play better they will cheer. Even fans in Buffalo and several here at SabreSpace dismissed this as a nothing because the fans salute is "stupid". Maybe it is, but the players and coaches reaction was the exact opposite of what it should have been.

Yzermann in Detroit has been trying a different approach than Adams. Yzerman has not had great results yet either, but he is a bit closer than Adams. After stockpiling picks and acquiring some good young players (like Adams did), Yzermann then added decent goaltending (Husso and Lyon) plus many veterans with some tread on the tires (Perron, Fabbri, Copp, Sprong, Compher, Brindicat, Chiarot, Gostisbehere, Petry, etc). Contrast this list to Sabres who shopped in the $700K bargain bin to prevent blockers. The results are that Detroit is only 7 points better, and they missed the playoffs once again due to a late season slump, and a tie breaker. But more important, not all the pressure is on Larkin, Raymond, and Seider to carry the team - which they are doing anyway. I like Buffalo's young players better than Detroit's, Buffalo has more good looking young players, but Buffalo's overall mix is way wrong and has been for the past few seasons. Players like Perron, Sprong, Compher, Copp are so much harder to play against than Borg, Jost, Robinson, Olofsson, etc. Kane's decision to go to Detroit over home town Buffalo says something about what players around the league think. Hoping that Ruff's presence can help Adams to upgrade about 5-6 spots on the current roster. The team needs to get past their ~24 average age and join the NHL, were most teams average age is between 28-29 years old. I am so dam tired of watching boys against men. Adams so far is not helping his Core, and bringing in more 20-21 years olds is not helping them either.