Marvin

I personally think that Jack having Skinner on his wing is mutually beneficial. Jack and the other winger can shoot more (I especially want this if it is Reinhart) and he has a nose for the voids in the defencive zone coverage to cash in the garbage.

Malcontented Wallowing

I remember the same thing you do.

This is a good point. Lindy Ruff is considered the best coach on strategic adjustments and tactical changes within a game and from game-to-game in a playoff series. (As said by none other than Peter Laviolette, Ken Hitchcock and Mike Babcock when discussing coaching for Team Canada.) If what we are seeing is not just the usual jolt from a new coach but some actual adjustments, then that is a point in Don Granato's favour.

9-2-2 to start 2019-20. The 10 game win streak in 2018-9 was under Housley.

After I looked at the other players likely to be protected, it is clear that they are prioritising #3C over any other position in a 7-3-1 scenario. There are numerous defencemen whom I would prefer to have over Ristolainen from the viewpoint of analytics. Therefore: 1. I would protect Asplund, Mittlestadt, and Bjork over Thompson because there are numerous better wings available. 2. I would protect Dahlin, Borgen, and Jokiharu over Ristolainen because there are numerous better defencemen who are cheaper. 3. Given whom we will be exposing, if I were the Kraken GM, I would take Girgensons because he gives me a lot of flexibility. If I am scared off by his injury, then probably I would take Colin Miller.

I thought long and hard about Rico. I think he's the top of the next tier.

They do appear to be looking around anyway. Having said that, it would be consistent with Terry Pegula in his business to hire an up-and-comer like Granato. Indeed, going with someone better established would be somewhat out-of-character. We can but hope he gets it right.

Much as I loved Drury, IMHO, this is obvious when it comes to talent -- Eichel hands down.

Let's see. Dominik Hasek is a clear #1. Gil Perreault should be a clear #2. The next tier, based on my perception and statistics, include Bill Hajt, Jim Schoenfeld, Danny Gare, Mike Ramsey, Dale Hawerchuk, Pat LaFontaine, Alexander Mogilny, and Jack Eichel. So he is at worst 10th on my list.

Put this in another thread. I can engage there. Let us not contaminate a GDT.

10 years has worn on all of us. I empathise.

Rehab and disgust at GMJB fixes my limp, but I still have a nasty twinge.

Nice catch. Thanks.

I am using the following as a base line-up for discussion (5 forward lines, 4 defence pairs, and 3 goaltenders). Please follow-up with where I am being too optimistic. Skinner-Eichel-Reinhart Asplund-Mittlestadt-Thompson Ruotsalainen-Cozens-Bjork Reider-Sheahan-Olofsson Caggiula-Girgensons-Okposo Dahlin-Bryson Borgen-Jokiharu McCabe-Ristolainen Samuelsson-Miller Ullmark Tokarski Pekka-Lukkonen Let me take what I perceive as our weaknesses in decreasing order of importance. 1. Goaltending. This is the most glaring. Tokarski and UPL are fine for Rochester, but we need 2 in Buffalo. 1 can be Ullmark. The other should be someone who can play at least 30 games. This probably must happen in free agency. 2. Experienced mentor for the young defencemen. The youngsters are very promising, but need to improve their defencive awareness and positioning. I need someone headier than Ristolainen, Miller, or McCabe back there. As a group, they still don't pass well enough and are mistake-prone. I think we can find this kind of player in free agency -- preferably 2. 3. Bottom 6 forward depth. I need the entire 4th line to be like the LOG line has been the previous 2.5 years and the next 3 guys up to play that way effectively. We need to be able to still ice a solid line-up even if there are a few injuries. For far too long, we have had a least 1 line getting crushed for most of the season. These guys make up the bulk of free agents at forward. 4. Variety of forward. Yes, I wish more of that top 9 finished their checks. Indeed, Skinner could be that much more effective if he learnt it. However, you will need to move someone out in a hockey trade to acquire that kind of player.

Pirates?

Yup. If I were him, I'd be pretty insulted too if a team trying to lose traded for me for the explicit purpose of downgrading in goal.

Skinner is most effective on a line with other shooters. He is a great garbageman. And because he is a shooter, he needs someone else with finishing skills on his line. As we are stuck with him for several years, the Sabres need to maximise his value to the team.

Musk Wind

This is one reason I am in favour Dahlin-Borgen and Bryson-Jokiharu for a bit more balance. IMHO, the third pairing should be a defence-first pairing.

If we wan Reinhart to be a centre, then he needs to learn from this experience.

I wonder if Cozens would work better there in Eichel's absence.

It needs to be completely redesigned when Eichel is not there. Sam is good, but not as good as Eichel at distributing the puck. This is partly because he has not been a centre for long.

I am less afraid of the 7th year or even an 8th than most are here. Sam's game is headier than most; thus, I think he has a longer shelf life as a productive player until potentially his mid 30's. Yes, he may hit a wall sooner, but I don't think so.