FrenchConnection44

A 4th round pick? I’m not a big Joki fan, but that’s ridiculous imo. Especially after we just gave away our 2nd. Id have wanted something else. He has played better this year and I would have liked him as bottom 3 pair or #7 which, imo, is worth more than a 4th round pick.

I’d have given a conditional 2027 2nd rounder for Marchand sight unseen. Just get him in the locker room and instill some fire and toughness. Actually, an unconditional one. My guess is he would not have come here and they did him a solid to put him on a contender to give him a chance at a Cup with Florida. If Tkachuk is back healthy for the playoffs, no one will want to play that team. Just nasty.

I don’t think Benson will ever be a scorer unless he adds 10-15 pounds of muscle - just gets a lot stronger to strengthen his shot. (This is doable; look at what Bryson Dechambeau did with adding muscle and power in a single off season; then even toned himself back some and still has great power). Right now he has to have one of the weakest shots in the league, doesn’t threaten anyone with his scoring ability, and he doesn’t have the strength for a quick flick of the wrist that has any velocity (a la someone like Tuch). In connection with that he needs to develop his legs and try to be a stronger and faster skater. His mind and instincts are there. But physically he is just lacking.

Yes. I would love to see Novákov move up and add a vet Dman. Should have included him in my post because I think he could could really be a strong player for us in the future. Hopefully next year. Don’t know a lot about Dobson (I avoid Islander games like the plague as I have hated them since the late 70s early 80s).

Very happy with this signing for what it is. He’s not going to transform the organization but we need a player like him. He’s had some really good runs on penalty kill and has good games when healthy. I’d like to get Zucker on a deal as well. But I’d also be good with trading Cozens at some point — maybe not til after the season — as well as an few others (Samuelsson, Power) and try to find a tough guy at fwd and a defensive oriented rugged defenseman. IMO

The discussion that makes the best sense is to forego making trades at the deadline, especially by Adams, as what we will get back won’t help us in the near future. I also would like Greenway and Zuckerberg back. I would be happy to trade Cozens or Samuelsson in the offseason, as well as some prospects, and even the likes of Power if the offer is right. And try to get back some glue players who play a more physical game. if somehow we could procure a defensive defenseman who plays a physical game and a more intimidating forward who plays with physicality and can stand up to the most rugged players on other teams, those two steps alone would be a big boost to this team, imo.

Such a good point. And we’ve already been down this road multiple times in the past few seasons. On the other hand, if a couple of players, like Cozens, play well before the deadline we might be able to get some assets if the GM would pull the trigger. Really, the two things I wanted was 1) to trade a Cozens and even Power or Samuelsson for a stronger, more physical and more defensive defensemen. Who still has some tread left. And 2) make it to the top 4 in the draft (who knows with this team?). I think any of the top 4 could start for this team next year. I would rather trade away some soft players who are young than some of the guys that are constantly mentioned. We need grit and we are talking about trading some who have added some of that. I just don’t think the team culture is going to change with the way any of those 3 play. Maybe Power needs to be sent out in the ice in a tense situation to be forced into a fight - let Lindy tell him, “go kick that guy’s butt and stop asking ppl half your size, like Krebs here, to do your dirty work!” And get his ass kicked and it would light a fire under him to become physically tougher in the off season. 😉 Of course it won’t happen.

Now watch us continue on a big win streak and move out of a shot at one of the top 4. But then we will lose several and probably draft 8-10. Get some guy who will sit in the minors for the next 3 years. We While the Penguins will get a top 4 guy who comes in and plays well and becomes a star. Smh. This team can’t win and they can’t even lose when they need to! Lol. It’s the worst kind of failure 😂

Wow. That’s strange. He was 95 so he was not unexpected. But the wife and dog? Fishy I remember going to see The French Connection as a kid. I was 10 My mom took me and got some looks about taking me to an R rated film. But man, I loved it and it was one of the movies that launched my love of film—which remains to this day. He had some great roles. Always liked his on screen persona. RIP

Yeah! Misa is top class. I’d love him. Could be a great player. Would be awesome. If not him then Martone. Hope we can land one or the other. We should offer Cozens & Power for one of the top 3 picks and draft both Misa and Martone. 😉 Even throw in Samuelsson! No seriously. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Both are just so impressive. Both are first line players in the waiting imo Our luck, we will get hot and not get either. We need to make do everything at this point to ensure we are in the top 4. But this is a good draft. I would trade those 3 to get more picks.

Let’s make it happen. Frees up cap space and might get a player in return.

I’d like to keep Greenway and Zucker and all the NHL RFAS. I am done with Power, Samuelsson, and Cozens. The workhorse from Whitehorse has turned into a pommel horse or a kiddie ride horse. Seems especially so since he got hammered in that fight last year. Maybe we can throw in Ryan Johnson as well. About to be 24 and he’s on his way to another 0 goal 10 assist season in the AHL.

Well, if we keep our spot, Tankathon has us taking Porter Martone 4th who is 6’3, 207 at age 18. Maybe you’ll get your wish. We need some players with size and power. And have a bit of a nasty streak. Hopefully he does.

Czechs. Slovaks. But the Czechs did win Olympic gold in 1998. Of course, Hasek, Jagr & Lang

We haven’t seen the two countries together since 1991. Both countries still produce quality hockey players. I used to go to games there in the early 90s. Saw Jagr’s home town team—Kladno—play a few times. Quality hockey to watch. Always root for Czech players since I lived there for 2 years; have a soft spot in my heart for Kulich. (less a fan of the name Czechia than Czech Republic 😉 )

Said the same thing above before reading this. I've been saying this for 2-3 years now. Thought Power would be that but he's soft as well. If he had the fire in his belly he could have been a guy who was on his way to being a Victor Hedman type which is what you want in a 6'6 defender. He's 221. He should be 225-230 range by now and getting big hits. Both of them should. Maybe Novikov will become that guy but it's gonna be a bit. He has that ruggedness in him but he still needs to get stronger and a bit bigger (215 range). And he's a year away. But It would be great to get a veteran who is already an intimidator. And then if Novikov can come up next year, we could have two defenders who are more physical than anyone on the defense (though yeah, Clifton is nice to have but he's not going to make anyone think twice about roughing up our more talented players).

Not only is he constantly injured, which is a problem of reliability - the most games he's played in a season the last 4 years is 55 - but Samuelsson is 6'4, 225 and has 72 penalty minutes in 185 games played. That's one 2 minute penalty every 5 games. He's a friggin Lady Byng candidate! Not what you want from a player that size with minimal offensive skills. He should be an intimidating presence on the ice, and I don't mean fighting per se (but he shouldn't be afraid of that), but as a hitter and physically roughing up any forward who comes into the zone. And he's about to turn 25. He should be so dominating that people are challenging him and he's getting co-roughing penalties if not multiple majors. Between him and Power we have to have the softest and most spineless two defensemen combined who are over 6'4 and 220+. Those two should have been crushing it in the weight room and taking some MMA training the past three offseason just to be ready for some phyical scrapping. I'd rather see them get suspended for PEDs and be tough than what they are. SMH. I'm fine with trading him. And Power. Trade him and Power - even in a swap with multiple teams to try to get one defenseman the size of Samuelsson who has some gumption and toughness.

There is no one man enough to retaliate on this team. Krebs is the only one with the fire to do so but he doesn’t have the size and strength. And the players with size (Muel, Power) are, frankly, female genitals on ice. But 1-2 self appointed experts (fans who aren’t in the ring) keep arguing “nah, we don’t need bigger, physical, bad ass players.” That Tage incident is Exactly why we need 1-2 of those, a poor man Tom Wilson types. I don’t see anyone in the Amerks ready for that. Tyson Kozak would be as he’s about the only other one I see with any real gumption on the ice, but he has the same problem Krebs has as he goes only 5’11 173. Maybe if Komarov puts on 30 lbs of muscle he could. But that isn’t happening. If we are going to finish last or near last in the East and bottom 5 overall, we might as well be a team everyone fears playing. And make other players think twice about attempting some BS hit to the head of our star players. I’ll say it again, trade Power and some future small talent for a 6’4, 220+ guy who plays defense (F or D) and has some physical intimidation if not brutality to his game. And get these weaklings in the **** weight room. Stop adding 3 lbs of muscle to your 180 lb frames and on 10 lbs of muscle and start hammering some people. It’s a talented but soft team. That doesn’t play much D. That’s a bad reason.

I don’t understand why they don’t put McLeod on line two with Tuch and Zucker. Put Cozens with Benson and Quinn.

Really like what Kulich is bringing. His hard work is showing. He needs to keep working physically, get closer to the 200 pound range (190-195 would be great) for greater strength and he can be a force for us. I'd be happy with a Tage-Kulich-Tuch line next year. Or move Tuch to line 2 and put JJP up there.

There isn't a great deal of physicality in college hockey, anyway. Not like the NHL (or the AHL). But the FO, if they had any presence of mind, had to think if he understood what was needed for the NHL he'd become a bigger, stronger, faster player who could use his size and 'power' to good effect. Someone needs to light a fire under that kid or he's another wasted top pick. And we are likely on our way to another high draft pick, top 3-4, who might come into the league when he turns 21 or 22 and everyone will say, "Well, he's still young."

Funny how we are talking face offs. That certainly was a key to the win for this game. I forget who it was trying to argue that face offs wins do not matter. Well yes they do. They can be crucial if they are won at the right time. Not all face offs are created equal. Kulich had been over 50% earlier in the season. Even though he was at 45% in the game, the nine he won were instrumental. Several of our best opportunities came on his face off wins in their zone. And with Tage on the wing, that makes his wins a huge danger. I think there is some promise there and like the idea of Kulich centering Tage or other scorers. He does have to improve his D - but then so does the entire team. But I do like his clutch ability to win. He will get better as he continues to get stronger and more experienced.

This team desperately needs more physical players. Power is such a disappointment. He should be dominating with physicality and speed and he’s just not near the force he could have been by now. It’s a soft team. About the only thing we are really good at is Kulich winning face-offs especially in the offensive zone. I don’t dislike our forward lines. If we kept them as is but added one more rugged player who can play and be tough I’d be happy. Doesn’t look possible. Especially with defensive needs. Such a soft group of players. It’s just incredible that none of these know how to play defense with any dominance. Not a one. Physicality is a major part of this game. Not just getting in a scuffle but physically over powering the attacker. We just don’t have it. I would be happy to trade Power and a prospect in Rochester for a more defensive defenseman with some size and toughness. Or to sign one.

😂. True. And the 4 WS Titles Maybe because they moved? 🤷🏼‍♂️ I used to be a huge Buffalo Braves fan. But I sure ain’t a Clippers fan!

The real issue with ‘being a Sabres fan’: