Pimlach

I did not like the long term contract for Power, still don't. Not sure the long term deal for Cozens was warranted either. But this one is not even close to being in that league.

He has already proven to be better than the younger and less experienced UPL that we saw prior to last season. He will return as the #1, with the same goalie coach (Bales) as last season, and with Lindy as head coach and who has publicly stated his confidence in him. I feel pretty good about it. I hope Reimer can handle the #2 so that Levi gets lots of games in the AHL.

Depends on what “doesn’t pan out” means. If he plays good, but Levi becomes the #1, he is tradable. If he plays ok, and we need cap space, he is still tradable. If he is very good, he is a steal at $4.75M and easily tradable. If he falls apart and busts then it’s a problem, no different than any other contract of this length. He looks like a real NHL goalie right now. The years 4 and 5 might be medium risk, but not high risk, unless you think last season was a mirage. Besides, they need to win now. They are counting on him. You have to take some risk and you should reward your own.

I like it. Not gonna worry about the 5 years at this point, there are ways to manage that risk. This could be a steal if he plays like he can, which we saw the second half of last season. I think this kid could be very good.

Hard to believe he gets an NHL job

Zegras is not Eichel. Not even the injured Eichel. I offer them Krebs, a protected 1, and a lower tier prospect. Nothing more, and certainly not Benson.

Skinner simply does not fit Lindy's vision for this team and he makes too much money for what he brings. That is why he is gone. If DG was still here I think he would have been ok with keeping Skinner. I think Pegula is listening to both Adams and Lindy right now. The Zegras rumors show there may be intent to spend to cap, but they won't force it either. I think the Malenstyn contract was fine, and now he comes in happy and ready to prove himself. Lets get working on UPL next.

I know that area well. Been to Hughes hundreds of times. The weekend newspaper had 20 pages of job ads for aerospace back then too. McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach, Northrop in Hawthorn, Lockheed, General Dynamics, Ford Aerospace, Loral, Rockwell, etc. Lots of greats jobs in So Cal in the 80’s. Not to mention the chip industry in Silicon Valley.

She is an old school retired RN and a clean freak. I would have to go through the motions of cleaning it, then burn all the germs out, but it must be cleaned first. This would be an operation under her careful supervision. I know my Sweetheart.

The idea is that they bring skills that Lindy wants in support of the core players you named. Lafferty, NAK, Malenstyn, McLeod are replacing Olofsson, Okposo, Girgs, Jost, and Robinson. They appear to be upgrades to me. The loss of Mitts is the only concern I still have and if McLeod can provide speed, faceoffs, and defense then maybe he is a good alternative. Zucker is a player that can move around and slot into any line. Something Skinner could not do. I’m not sure this is a playoff group but it looks like a better team so far. The Lindy factor is another consideration.

What kind of grill can these chubby creatures get into? My wife would make me sanitize the entire grill.

Right now we know who the top 13 forwards are, unless one of Kulich/Rosen/Rousek pushes Krebs out or they move him. Defense top 8 is Dahlin, Power, Byram, Muel, Clifton, Joker, Bryson and Gilbert, unless Johnson pushes for a spot but its best to keep him playing in Rochester rather than the 5/6/7/8 rotation in Buffalo. Goalie is UPL, Levi and Reimer. Not sure what will happen here. Seems like the logical thing would be to start Levi in Rochester and give him games. We could still see another move before the season starts.

I don't see him as a minus 7 under Lindy. It does not track with his overall play last season. 75 games. 25 goals, 28 assists, +8

One of the things Ruff said he wants is a "shut down line". Whatever that line ends up being, you will see them protecting a lead and getting more shifts than a normal 3rd and/or 4th line. I think you are correct to throw out the past DG line combos, everything will start new.

So far he is a minus player that scores about 10 goals and maybe 25-30 points. Ok, they can keep him.

Yup. It’s dark in there for sure. It is often quiet, mostly because of the home team’s poor play. The seats seem far away in whatever level you are in. My giant size 12 1/2 feet barely fit when I sit in the 300 level, no legroom or feet room. The lighting, sound, scoreboard, seats and cup holders, can all be fixed. Some of the problems, like the viewing distance, cannot.

Agree. Then we have a mid sized guy, like Clifton, and he hits people hard and clean. I want guys that finish checks but don’t take themselves out if the play. Big helps, and I think we have good size, but big does not necessarily mean tough. Some of the guys we just added are big and fast and gritty. Can’t wait to see how Ruff uses this line up.

Planks. What a simple and amazing exercise. I am on a 5 week summer vacation trip and away from my normal retirement routine at home. I have made great strides by going to the gym and weight training for the past 7 months. I was afraid I would get lazy and lose my progress. My son is a workout warrior. He gave me a workout routine that does not require weights, or bands, that I can do anywhere and everyday in 30 minutes. No excuses he said. Stretches, yoga movements, planks, push ups, crunches, butt raises, squats, lunges, and more planks, and more stretches. Planks are awesome. Never did them until now. My daughter told me I look “jacked”. 😂

Agree. Levi was given the first opportunity, and UPL's play did not come along right away, but eventually it did when given the reps. But the question at hand is how does UPL feel about it? It is all a silly debate and very Sabresque. Adams better sign UPL to a fair contract with enough term to attempt to stabilize the position for the next few years. At the same time he has to create a culture of fairness, that the best players will play regardless of when and how they are acquired.

If the Sabres are truly high on the list of "second favorite teams" then it must be their nice Uni's. Another thing that Knox and Co got right.

The interview process does not guarantee success, you also have to have the right selection criteria and be honest and unbiased. But it helps the organization learn more what is out there than they knew before. Learning more about the people you didn't hire this time around has longer term advantages. Relationships in the business are important. It is arrogance to think otherwise. Are you telling me that Adams, Pegula and company, know everything about Berube, McLellan, Gallant, Woodford, etc. ? They know something about them sure, but the devil is in the details. Whether your hiring the next CEO for Boeing (a critical position that is opening up by year end) or a sports coach, it comes down to vision, details, criteria, and honest unbiased thought. I am ok with Lindy because he is Buffalo, and the team is so down that he can only help. But when I look at the past Pegula era selections for the Sabres GM and HC positions I am not impressed.

You believe that Adams made a good decision by hiring Lindy, and maybe he did. We don't know if it was the right decision since he didn't interview anyone. At a minimum, Lindy should make the Sabres look and act more like an NHL team. That's a start.

Does UPL think that Adams had faith in him? Not all will agree, including UPL. Adams actions in last years off season, and even at the start of last season, indicate that he gave Levi every chance to take the #1 slot. UPL was actually the 3rd goalie to get into the rotation.