Gabrielor
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Posts posted by Gabrielor
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Wasn’t this coming anyways?
And yes to Barkov, if they’re torching.
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I'm pulling for Nashville to win the pick. Completely apathetic regarding them, so they're the perfect landing spot for an Eichel-tier prospect.
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29 minutes ago, dudacek said:
Short-term pain for long-term gain.
Krueger did it the right way: demand he focus first on the things he needs to improve in order to make him a complete defenceman.
We want him to become Lidstrom, not Housley.
Yes...in theory.
I saw a lot of Dahlin skating the puck up to our blue line last year, and instead of continuing, he'd hesitate, or stop, in the effort of looking for a pass. I want him to skate if that's the only option, and coverage to adjust. That isn't universal for the other dmen, but I want Dahlin to have that freedom, for sure.
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2 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:
Agreed and he needs to unleash himself.
I'm not about to compliment Housley, but I think Dahlin had a lot more freedom to operate under him...and Krueger needs to allow that...
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13 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:
The best thing that may have ever happened was Dahlin was excluded from the playoffs and given 7 months off to workout and prepare for next year.
Yeah, they need to unleash him next season...
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3 minutes ago, MakeSabresGrr8Again said:
Maybe you didn't see this post...lol
After your first two, nothing really extremely exciting.
Yeah, it's probably my fault for asking that question, but it's all open to intrepretation, and so doesn't tell us much.
I'd imagine most people would be extremely excited if it's Monahan or Cirelli, but there's also folks who'd be extremely excited for a defensive center like Tierney or Copp.
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3 hours ago, sabresparaavida said:
Oh, and also, source: "I just have a good feeling about Adams"
If you do happen upon your source again in the near future, ask about Krueger unchaining Dahlin and finding him an actual support partner.
There’s obviously a long long list of to-do’s, but ensuring Dahlin’s development into a superstar should be right up there with adding multiple veteran centers.
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2 hours ago, JohnC said:
First, I don't consider your response as an attack and don't take it as such.
On the issue of player development I do agree that Mitts and Tage were rushed. That was a mistake. That is not to say that both of them have been irredeemably been damaged. Tage should be a contributor this season. With Mitts I'm not sure.
Where I disagree with most posters here is that I believe that Botts had a more long term plan than most people here were willing to tolerate. I'm not arguing that he has been a resounding success because it is obvious that it is not the case. What I do believe is this franchise from a talent standpoint is not as barren as most people portray it to be. It's my opinion that if this staff can make a few consequential personnel decisions this offseason this roster will be be meaningfully upgraded. And I do believe that it was the fired GM who put this franchise in a good position to be able to make those decisions. Will this regime take advantage of the situation this offseason? I certainly hope so.
I made a big HFBoards post forever ago on our Defensive unit and pipeline vs Murray's last season. It was night and day. I still hold a large amount of hope for that pipeline, because of the various flavors it has: the Superstar (Dahlin) the Hjalmarsson (Johnson, Jokiharju) the toughness (Samuelsson, Borgen), the offense (Laaksonen), the transition (Bryson). So yeah, he built that very well (if at the expense of forwards with the Johnson/Samuelsson picks)
Regardless of the setup, I wouldn't have had much faith in this offseason if he was still here. History shows his 'good moves' count is 2, with room to argue for mayyybe a couple more. In 3 years.
I've probably taken this thread way off topic though, so I'll circle back to: I think Botterill was a terrible GM, and I hope that the bad moves / planning / team building / rushing prospects ends with him, and isn't also a trickle-down from the Pegulas.
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4 minutes ago, sabresparaavida said:
A handful of random things I picked up from talking with my source:
Kevyn Adams is very analytically based, looks at the numbers more than Tim Murray's eye test.
There is a reasonable chance of Girgs and/or Larsson being back
KA is more focused on building a team that works together we'll than Jbotts was. Jbotts was focused more on bringing in the best pieces he could, instead of trying to fit pieces together. (Sited having a surplus of D, but no D chemistry)
KA comes across as smarter than Jbotts
There is a decent chance we see Skinner with Jack this year. Not 100% going to happen, but there is a good chance it will.
Appreciate the re-inspiration this is giving me, and the effort by yourself.
I just want this team to be good.
Log line back + a 2C at a reasonable price = ?
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30 minutes ago, JohnC said:
Botterill is rightly evaluated for his performance over the last three years. On the other hand the decisions that are going to be made this offseason by Adams and staff are the same decisions that Botterill would have faced if he were retained. I'm very aware that my opinion on him is contrary to most others opinion of him. It should be acknowledged that the former GM put the Sabres in a good situation to rework and upgrade the roster for next season. He had a more long turn plan to rework the roster and salary structure. Not only did time run out for him his reluctance to sync with the owners' altered plans contributed to his departure.
Given your position, and since you don't seem to mind discussing it:
His plan had too many failings of this own doing. We're a team that lacks NHL talent, lacks prospect pool talent, lacks picks, and is up against the cap, so much that overage costs will incur. Those 4 conditions shouldn't be possible simaltaneously.
He championed youth and building from the draft (great idea), but failed to put proper NHLers ahead of those developing (which is why Mittelstadt is tanking), and burned all kinds of picks on temporary players making little/no impact. Meanwhile, you can argue that Rochester's recent success was largely on the backs of guys who are career AHLers, and wouldn't end up effecting the Sabres. He also let Phil Housley coach more than one year after gaming a near 80 point team tank to last place. (and I won't belabor O'Reilly here, but we'll see it on all-time worst lists forever now)
Don't read this as any kind of attack. I'm merely curious in how someone could view Jason Botterill as anything other than the primary reason we're a NHL laughingstock.
23 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:If I had to throw one franchise overboard it would be the Sabres. The Bills are #1 and I'm glad Pegs bought 'em.
I'm controversially a Buffalo-born Sabres fan who roots for the San Francisco 49ers, not the Bills, so I was fine with the Sabres as the focus ?
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14 minutes ago, JohnC said:
Botterill would have been retained if he would have gone alone with the new Pegula organizational austerity plan. It was pointed out that after it was announced that he was going to be retained on the last year of his contract that there were further discussions with him about the direction of the franchise. He disagreed with the plan to slim down the staff that he hired. So the owners fired him.
From a business standpoint the way in which the owners responded to the current turbulent economic climate it is understandable and reasonable what they did. To fortify their position and weaken the GM's standing is that when the status quo is not yielding the expected outcome then arguing to maintain it is not a persuasive position to maintain.
Saddens me that his firing, from a hockey perspective, is more serendipity than logical decision. It's strange that the Pegulas' would dismiss him for wanting to down-size the department, either due to covid or to losing, but wouldn't dismiss him for hockey decisions that put them in a losing position to begin with (O'Reilly, Scandella for Frolik , 6th for a worse 6th, cap genius with overages on a 25th place team, the list goes on..)
It means we aren't out of the woods yet on potential dumb hockey decisions. I'm oh so antsy to gauge Adams, because I think we'll get a good understanding of whether or not there's hope for the Eichel era this off-season.
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I remember in 2014 wishing the Pegula's would lose the Bills' bid, because I knew it would take away attention they should be putting on the Sabres.
I think, especially in the case of the 50th anniversary, they didn't oversee much directly, and just let people they trusted handle it. Turns out, these trusted folks didn't really care about the details. Sadly, their trust-issue solution appears to be elevating family of suspect qualification. They just aren't thinking 2+ moves ahead; too reactionary.
Also, I'm still not 100% sure on the Botterill firing. I want to believe they fired him for the right reason (he was a joke), but I can't shake the feeling that it was for the wrong reasons ($$).
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7 minutes ago, irregularly irregular said:
I agree with the sentiment, but feel as though Cozens getting sheltered minutes at 3C would be acceptable. IMHO, retaining Larry for the 4C is crucial for this to work. Lazar maybe can handle the 4C, but we know Larry can do it.
The Kahun/Tierney/Cozens line would be very interesting. 3 interchangeable centers, all with the potential to play minutes on lines 1 or 2 if needed. I like it!
was JUST discussing that with someone else haha.
IF Monahan is the target, re-forming a LOG line becomes priority #1, for sure.
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16 minutes ago, WildCard said:
If Cozens isn't moved, he's 100% your 3C next season
I've argued it elsewhere, but I think guaranteeing Cozens starts at 3C next year is a mistake. If he earns it in camp / early in the season? Sure, let him ride.
In the meantime, I'd rather he break in on wing first, next to a veteran center who can manage the load of center responsibility while we adjusts.
Example 3rd line: Kahun Tierney Cozens
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3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:
crap now I think TB makes the most sense...
Basically I think there are options and I wasn't sure about that before.
That's certainly the target I'm preferring, and not just because Cirelli's the best fit.
Tampa's cap also dictates that the deal would be future based (pick 8 is the spearhead), so Reinhart couldn't be in that deal, and that we'd 100% be left with a Montour or Ristolainen to find a 3C with.
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5 minutes ago, WildCard said:
Calgary. Do they blow up the core cause they can't get it done, or does this group make a run in the playoffs.
So, everyone, route for Calgary to lose
I, too, think they're the logical conclusion.
The question, of course, is whether the Bruke-era folks who refused Ristolainen are still around...
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29 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:
The Hawks make so much sense. Will be an interesting couple weeks around here.
I'd consider the best case scenarios are Cirelli or Monahan. (I'm going to leave Horvat off. There's no way.)
Cirelli is a style fit, plus brings what the team needs x 1000. (In all cases, you're still looking for a defensive 3C too (I like Chris Tierney or Andrew Copp trades for that))
Monahan would boost Skinner on a 2nd line into a respectable force, but then I think it'll force a bigger burden on that 3C line tbd.
Strome is a much bigger gamble. I guess you hope Reinhart wasn't in the deal, and Saad is. Olofsson-Eichel-Saad Skinner-Strome-Reinhart looks fine to me.
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16 minutes ago, sabresparaavida said:
At this point in time I don't know, it likely will depend significantly on playoff performance.
Fair enough, thanks.
Will Sabres fans be happy with this(these) possible trade target(s)? (Ville Leino was once sold as a 2C haha)
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21 hours ago, sabresparaavida said:
According to my source, the sabres are in discussions that would bring in a second line center, as well as a top 6 winter from a team that is currently playing. The center is a player the board has talked about before. The sabres main blocks are tentatively agreed upon, but they may have to add significantly depending on playoff performance.
I gotta ask...
Would this involve the 8th pick? (Because if the answers no, based on your words, drafting Jake Sanderson suddenly get 100% more appealing).
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11 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:
Cirelli + Killorn
Cirelli + Palat
Cirelli + Johnson
Cirelli + Gourde
Likely constitutes all possible Cirelli iterations with a "top six wing"Monahan/Lindholm + Tkachuk?
Monahan/Lindholm + Gaudreau?
Monahan + Lindholm?
Unless you count Mangiapane or Lucic as a top 6 wing, if this potential deal is with Calgary, it's probably going to be massive.Strome + Kane
Strome + Saad
Strome + DeBrincat
Strome + Kubalik
are the likely possibilities that the source's info would allow from Chicago. Some are less exciting.
Liger mentioned Frost, but Philly doesn't make sense as a team that fits the mold of potentially wanting to or needing to make a big move if they don't go far in the playoffs, the way Calgary (rumors of them wanting to blow up the core) and Tampa (money) do. Even Chicago doesn't really make sense.
What other centers have we talked about that are still playing?
Stepan + Kessel
Stepan + Keller
Stepan + Garland (22 goals)
Stepan + Dvorak (nice player...center?)
Stepan + Hall? (UFA though)This doesn't really fit what we were given about the team hemming and hawing based on playoff results either, quite frankly.
No way Vancouver moves a center.
Staal + Parise or Staal + Fiala? They love Fiala. I don't think this can be it either.
The Jets don't have a 2C to give us.I really would guess it's Tampa or Calgary given what we have in this thread, and I think we need to pray to the hockey gods each night that this thing plays out
This is a solid breakdown, and basically what I came to post.
CGY Monahan / Lindholm Lindholm / Gaudreau TBL Cirelli Killorn CHI Strome DeBrincat / Kane / Saad ARI Dvorak / Stephan Schmaltz / Kessel VAN Horvat Boeser WPG Copp / Roslovic Ehlers MTL Domi / Danault Gallagher / Drouin / Tatar That's the only combinations I could think of that fit the description, while also having any kind of plausibility. 100% agree on Vancouver, I don't see a Horvat trade.
I'm left praying that it's Tampa, content if it's Calgary, and the rest would depend on what we gave up.
Incidentally, the Cirelli deal I've liked from the start mirrors the Jordan Staal deal 8 years ago.
8th pick, Mittelstadt, Pilut for Cirelli, Coburn
They get big low-cost assets, we fill the 2C hole with basically the best solution this offseason offers.
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Kane? It's unclear. He was a hell of a player in a specific role (3rd line offensive driver), but he didn't have great chemistry in the top 6.
OReilly? We'd be significantly better, without a doubt. Imagine him replacing Sobotka. Also, if Thompson wasn't here, Nylander's camp would've won him a spot, and who knows what could've happened with that. Olof would likely be here too.
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Gotta keep up this intensity
Cant wait for the post-Sobotka world.
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Just win. Find a way.
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Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon being Fired
in The Aud Club
Posted
I would too, but notable: Barkov has 2 years left.