Drag0nDan

Well... They also had ROR for 3 years. So... Zadorov and Compher for 3 years of ROR. Teams have given up similar returns for 1 year rentals honestly. The ROR trade was clearly pretty bad, but it's not "finished" yet. Johnson could end up being a solid top 4 dman or something for the team for 10 years, we really have no idea.

I liked how the guy put it. It isn't the total trainwreck that its made out to be... yet. Thompsons obviously been a dud, but he's still relatively young so there is some unknown there. And Johnson hasn't played yet so its hard to call him a failure.

Agreed. But the team was the worst team in the league last year, and they have since jettisoned 3 of the top 7 scorers on the team (4 if you include Eichel who is likely to either not play or get traded). To expect them to be anywhere above the bottom group of the league would be unfair to the team. Reasons to be optimistic: Better schedule - new teams to play, probably easier when you consider the division buffalo played in a year ago Better defensemen - I think the group they have is built to more effectively move the puck in the style granato wants. Risto was a lot of things, but accurate passer was not one of them. Pysyk is probably a steal at that contract as well. Better Goaltending - They lost ullmark, but he played less than half the games last year - and i truly think anderson/dell/UPL are upgrades over johansson, Hutton, tokarski, houser Healthier - I don't know that they can be less healthy than a team that loses like 4 or 5 goalies, their star center, and half the team to covid. I don't think they'll be the worst team in the league, but they should be in the conversation.

I thought that burned a year off the ELC - does it get them to UFA faster too? I never really understood it. They do this crap in baseball too, where prospects get called up in like August to save a cheap year.

Nice little olympic break for the entire sabres organization though. Probably good for a really young lineup. Silver lining?

He could absolutely have made more than the 1.25 from Nashville if he came to buffalo. But if you are a backup NHL goalie, you'd probably rather be a backup for a good team than a bad one. Buffalo isn't offering backup goalies term even as the laughing stock of the league. They aren't dumb enough to do carter hutton's deal again. Time to develop some goalies internally.

750000(The KA 1yr deal) x 3 = 2.25 m + (.333 x 750000) = 2.5 m (the KA 3 year deal) 2.5M x 3 = 7.5M + (.333 x 2.5M) = 749250 My guess based on this ridiculous math i made up? 6 years 8.25 million for Dahlin. The KA 6 year deal 😁 Free agent goalies aren't lining up to ruin their careers in front of the worst team in the league. It was Ullmark or bust, and i think Adams knew that.

Craig anderson was actually good as recently as 2016-2017. The 2 bad years after were woefully bad teams in Ottawa. I think if his numbers end up terrible, it's likely as much the defense as anything else. I also expect UPL to be the starter tbh.

Really neat spot. Cafeteria level food though - wings were on-par with little caesers. And the table and ordering system was insanely confusing.

Id say with Hagg/Butcher both only on 1 year deals, his path to the NHL is pretty set. The right side is pretty open outside of Jokiharju, but I'm interested to see what they do with Johnson/Bryson/Samuelsson. Depending who Pysyk plays with, and how that goes, I could see him returning if he finds a home here.

Owners had no fans in the stands for majority of games. And they let the players get paid full salaries for a shortened season. And didn't reduce the cap or anything from a revenue sharing perspective. So they sold as much ad space as possible. The boards, the seat coverings, and yes - they would show mid-game ads. I don't blame them at all. Hell i wouldn't have blamed them if the sabres were the buffalo Pepsi's for a year if it kept the ice cold so i could watch hockey. Wrestling promotions did the same thing, so did the olympics. If there aren't fans you kinda have to do something to generate some dollars.

It was likely his agent who recommended the arbitration route. Darcy was many things - and I'm pretty sure spiteful was one of them. I think it all had to do with arbitration. Darcy didn't like it.

I think Samuelsson will be given every chance to take a spot in the bottom pair. Bryson's as likely to hit the minors as samuelsson with Hagg as an extra skater.

Dahlins solid up top, and oloffson boasts a pretty nasty shot. The key is opening up the shot since teams will be looking to prevent that. Dahlin will probably need to shoot more, as will whoever lines up in jacks spot - be it cozens or mitts. I don't think skinner will be much different than Hall, and honestly thompson seems like he could be a fit in the middle there. He has a decent shot, and a big body to occupy space - it's just learning how to more effectively deflect the puck. As for PP2, I'm not sure who goes where but i'd imagine bjork in the skinner spot, cozens or mitts, ruots, miller, and someone to play in the middle - maybe Okposo or Asplund. Not a strong group, but that unit was constantly shuffling a year ago and might benefit from some continuity.

He just looks like confused and panicked in the d-zone all of the time. Never knows where to go with the puck, doesn't know how to use his length there to make a difference, doesn't know where to go once we do have the puck to create offense. He's just there.