JohnC

As you point out, there will be many line options to consider. That's a good thing because it indicates that the body of talent has grown to the point that when injuries occur the lines could be jumbled without the cascading effect as evidenced when Samuelsson got hurt. Another advantage of having a greater amount of talent on hand is that when the lines are not clicking within a game, the coach has an option to scramble the lines simply to change the dynamic and provide a spark. You make a keen observation about Greenway. There is a chance that he will be a surprise contributor beyond what many people expected. As you know, it was Granato who strenuously argued for his acquisition because of his familiarity with this player. The coach believes that there is more potential to draw from. There is no question that moves have to be made this offseason, especially on the blueline. But there is also no question that this roster is close to already being filled, mostly by in-house players. How can you not be optimistic about next season, and beyond!

Attached is a link of the coach's post game comments when he was in the locker room and at the podium. The link came from Sabres.com. If this was previously posted I apologize for the redundancy. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/sabres-victory-speech-41323/t-277822760/c-16600150

Using legal language: Arbitrary and capricious. The goal kick is like the check swing in baseball: It's whatever the umpire wants it to be.

Tough decisions are made when assembling line combinations. I still like Cozens in between Quinn and JJ. There's still a lot of growth potential on that line. When you move one player, you are also affecting how the other lines are pieced together. Granato has been very smart in putting together lines. I trust his judgment. I still believe that the most impactful line decision he made was to put Krebs in between Okposo and Girgs. It made Krebs an exponentially better player.

My simple answer is: I don't know. In my view, if you want to maximize his talent/productivity, he should be on a line with shooters and finishers.

I'm not sure about the length of the contract but I believe you are spot on with his annual average. With respect to the issue of breakout season and whether he can repeat it, I believe so. If he stays with a line composed of upper tier talent such as Tuch and Skinner, his numbers will follow.

The interesting issue regarding Mitts isn't whether he is going to be with this team. Based on what the organization has said about him it is apparent that he is in their plans. The more intriguing issue is on what line does he play on. Does he stay with the first line with Tuch and Skinner where he currently thrives or does he play on a 2A or 2B line? And related to the Mitts issue is how does it influence the line Tage plays on? This team is starting to reach the critical mass of talent where there are a number of line options with a number of versatile players. It wasn't too long ago where due to a deficit of talent players were playing on higher lines and pairing that they were suited for. That's not the case now.

The GM was on WGR either yesterday or today. He specifically cited Mitts as a player the organization likes and who is committed to the team and being in Buffalo. My money is on Mitts getting an early deal like some of the other young core got. (I'm not talking about the size of the contract. I'm talking about getting him locked up sooner rather than later.)

Granato has spoken about Mitts on a number of occasions. He has made it evident/clear that Mitts is a talented player who is blossoming because he is playing with players that enhance his game. He has also made the point that Mitts is one of the hardest workers in practice, and is always working on his game. He's a player that the coach and GM appreciate. They both want him to be part of the core.

I think Buffalo and Ottawa are going to be intense rivals in the near future. Both teams are young and are moving up the ranks together. This is going to be a rivalry that we are going to enjoy.

Olofsson is more likely to be traded than Mitts. The issue for the organization is whether to keep Mitts on the first line or what players he is going to be playing with on another line. Mitts is not going anywhere. The GM is likely to follow suit with Mitts that he has done with other core players i.e. lock him up soon rather than later.

Taking a guess, I would say that he got hurt. Probably, aggravated an injury he has been playing with.

If you listen to the other teams' broadcasters when we play, it is universal that they acknowledge the abundance of young talent, and the team's future prospects. The Sabres are widely acknowledged in the hockey community to be a team on the rise. The Sabres are not going to be sneaking up on any team next year because everyone is aware of how good this team is, and will be.

I didn't make myself clear. That's on me. What I was asking is after his college hockey career was an evaluation of him as a NHL prospect increased, decreased or stayed the same.

Has Johnson's draft stock gone done after playing this year?

Unless Anderson is hurt, why wouldn't they play him? He is concluding a long and illustrious career, and his family is in town. Our organization is usually classy in acknowledging players, even players who were dealt. I'd be very disappointed if he didn't play. It would also give the players an incentive to rally around him. If the Sabres can finish the season winning the last two game, it will be a 16-point improvement from the prior season. That's progress!

The problem with the Sabres on defense isn't so much schemes. Most schemes on offense and defense are essentially similar, with slight variations due to team composition. The fundamental issue is having enough talent on the blueline unit. Our lower pairings are inadequate. Our top two pairings get overused because of the lackluster talent on the bottom half of the pairings. It's likely that the GM addresses this deficiency this offseason. At least, I hope so.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/don-granato-postgame-41123/t-277822760/c-16563752

Granato has addressed this issue of balance between the offence and defense a number of times. He's not unaware that there has to be a balance between the two sides of the ice. He has repeatedly stated that it is more difficult to score in the NHL than to play defense. He has pointed out that it is a more complex endeavor than instituting a defensive scheme. His priority was to get the offense established, and from there work to tighten up on defense. My basic point is that the coaching staff and organization are well aware of what next needs to be done to make this a more competitive team. It's only logical that you emphasize step one before you do step two. And it should be noted that this team did tighten up defensively at the end of the season during its late surge. There's certainly more to do on the defensive side of the game, and much of that will be to bring in a blueliner or two in the offseason.

You are getting weird on me.

So what! Players playing hurt at the end of the battering season is nothing unusual. Don't kid yourself, there were more players on the team who were gutting it out trying to get to the end of the season. Again, that's a standard scenario for all teams.

Our GM made the right decision. Arizona, wanting one of our top prospects, is an indication that other franchises recognize the quality of players in our system. I'm glad that it worked out as it did.

They all came back in the season. At the end of the season, most players on all teams are dealing with injuries. There was nothing exceptional about the number of injuries that this team incurred when compared to other teams. It's a reality of a tough sport in a long season.

When did we lose half the team to long term injuries? It didn't happen this season. In fact, it was the opposite. The Sabres sustained fewer serious injuries this season than the norm. Your negative imagination is running amok.

Do you remember if KA offered a first-round pick for the proposed Chycrun deal? If that is the case??? that is an indication that the GM is willing to part with a valuable asset for a second pairing defender.