JohnC

If Sabre fans get butt hurt over a prospect signing somewhere else they can soothe the pain with a soothing jelly lubricant to quell the fire. Player movements for a variety of reasons are part of all pro sports. That movement is now more evident in the college ranks. You just have to deal with it. The best way to handle these setbacks/departures is to have depth within the system so you are in better position to handle these losses.

Absolutely, running the hockey operation in a smart manner is all you can ask for. How do you expect to reach the point that you so vociferously clamor for? I'm not jumping on the proverbial bandwagon (your words) based on faith. I'm predicating it on what has been done during the tenure of KA and DG. If you can't handle the challenging process then that's an issue you have to deal with. I don't see any other way.

I'm in the camp that it's more likely than not that Portillo will become a free agent and sign with another team. When he gets to that free agent status he will see which team offers him the best opportunity to reach the NHL. That's his prerogative. I don't begrudge him using the system to pursue his best interest. That approach worked out well for Peterson.

An interesting debate could center around the question who one would prefer having in the system next season between Portillo or UPL? The UPL durability issue really concerns me. I wouldn't be surprised if Portillo exercises his free agent rights and moves on to another franchise.

My time frame is three years if you start with this season. In general terms I'm simply more optimistic than you are with our young core maturing together and stepping up to the level of becoming established good players. The list of young players that I'm counting on is expanding. They include Dahlin, Power, Tage, Cozens, Mitts, Tuch, Joki, Quinn, JJ, Krebs, Samuelsson and hopefully another player or two bubbling up from the system. As I and others have stated the biggest concern is the goalie position. That's where my uncertainty comes from. Only time will tell whether my more optimistic projection materializes. What I can say for sure is that the organization is making a lot of sound decisions that is putting this formerly erratic franchise on the right path to sustained success. That's all you can ask for.

I also heard Marty Biron make the comments about UPL on his WGR Show that @dudacekand @GASabresIUFANreferred to. His major criticism was that he had difficulty tracking the distant shots, even shots where he had a good sight line. Marty B wasn't totally down on UPL. He liked how the goalie utilized his size and his economy of movement when there was congestion around the net. But the issue of durability and giving up those long shots were liabilities that bothered him. Just a sidenote on UPL and the issue of his durability. I either read it or heard it on WGR that the coaching staff wanted UPL to take up yoga this offseason in the hope that it would improve his flexibility and help him to be more durable.

I don't think it is unrealistic for this team to be a serious cup contender two years after this upcoming season. The roster is being filled out with mostly young players who have upside. The issue comes down to what level of goaltending will we have at that time? That's the key issue that will determine success. I don't expect Vezina caliber of goaltending. That would be unrealistic. What I'm hoping for is consistently good play.

I agree with you that the coaching position is not usually noted for its longevity. But it just seems to me that the coach and GM are tightly synced with respect to roster building philosophy. You bring up a key question with respect to Granato. It's widely acknowledged that he is adept in developing players and guiding a young roster. In a year or two the next issue is going to be whether that ability to develop talent will result in leading a more mature team to being serious cup contending team. I think he is capable of making that next step up. But it is still an open question.

DG and KA are riding on the same train. If DG succeeds, KA succeeds. If KA succeeds, DG succeeds. They are inextricably linked. The owner has a history of impatience and changing staffs. I believe that he has learned his lesson that constantly turning over of staffs isn't a solution. When your franchise is unstable creating more instability isn't the answer. This staff is going to be in place for the next few years.

You make a good point that even for highly ranked prospects it takes time for them to develop before becoming established NHL players. But what I can say about the three prospects that you listed is that they should be better than the players they will be replacing on the roster. Based on Peterka's and Quinn's play in the AHL they demonstrated that they are ready to move up the system. (However, that is not to say that especially for Peterka more time in the AHL will not benefit him.) It's encouraging that in the short audition that Power had last year he demonstrated that he can play at this highest level of hockey and not look out of place. Each of these players will at times will struggle. And along with their struggles they will show glimpses of their abundant talent that they will have to tap in to during the season and future. The NHL has changed since the Tampa players you listed were drafted. It's gotten younger. Although I am expecting inconsistent play from these young Sabres, I am also expecting enough production to the point where they are considered to be more assets than liabilities for this team. I'm really excited to see how the large group of young players on the Sabres play next season!

It is often suggested that Skinner's contract is significantly excessive and has limited the organization's options to add talent. But does it? If he continues to score in the 30 goal range for the rest of the contract, then that contract should be viewed to be more reasonable. There is no question that he is not a $9 M per year player. But if he continues with his usual production level he becomes a $ 7 M per year player. He would still be playing beneath his contract value but it would be at a more respectable level relative to his contract.

Yes, the new GM inherited a mess. That's obvious But that doesn't mean that he was able to instantaneously wipe the slate clean and install his replacements and start implementing his plans. The quibbling over when the clock started when he had full authority is not very meaningful because no matter how you calculate the time the GM has accomplished a lot during that period of time. Let's look at what KA during his time as a GM. He nearly completely rebuilt and restaffed the hockey operation. He dealt the old core and got a fair-value return on those assets. This roster has substantially turned over with younger replacements. The prospect pool has increased. The point here is regardless how you manage the clock the GM has put this franchise is a good situation to succeed in the near future. Compare that to where this franchise was before he took over?

Where you designate him at is where he should be, and probably will be. I'm also fine with that role.

I'm not counting Adams's first year when Krueger was the coach. As I said before Krueger was the most influential person in the hockey operation at the time. It wasn't until Krueger was fired that everything that Krueger espoused was dramatically changed, starting with the designation of Granato as the interim coach. That's when the Adams clock starting ticking for me. And during that tumultuous year it took time to undo what had previously been done.

I don't know you very well. What I can say with confidence is that you and your wife are wonderful people. You both are kind and generous. I hope the situation with your wife's friend gets worked out. She needs a good lawyer and a court restraining order to address her situation. I wish her the best.

You are right that Goodall has the final say and can more severely punish this sleazeball player. However, if he does, then the issue is going to be challenged by the union (which it is not challenging the judge's ruling and punishment recommendation) and then the case will go into the legal system. If that happens there is a good chance that there can be a legal ruling that allows the player to get back on the field while the case is being adjudicated. As you well know that will only keep this scuzzy issue alive for a much longer period of time. It has to remembered that the judge who was examining the case was not reviewing all the more than 20 abuse claims. She was reviewing only four cases, and then made here ruling. My sense (opinion) is that Goodell either will accept the judge's six game punishment or he might add a couple of games to make the punishment an eight game period. I don't believe that he wants this tawdry affair to exist for another year. Goodell has been in his position for a long time. He knows that whatever decision he makes will be publicly debated and criticized. It's in his interest to get this case finalized and then deal with the claims against the creepy Washington owner, Dan Synder. That might be an even more tricky case for the Commish.

The Skyway issue was discussed for so many years. When it came down to computing the total costs of bringing it down and the costs of adding new roadways it was simply too much because it would crowd out so many other worthy projects. It was decided to spread the money around to a number of other projects rather than use it up on one project. I think it was the right decision at the time. In contrast to the Peace Bridge project as @Taro Tstated after years if not decades of discussion everything fell into place for building another bridge on the West Side. Both the unyielding environmentalists and the Signature Bridge fanatics killed the project that was ready to go. The unwillingness to compromise is a mentality that has set this community and country back. On the positive side, a lot has been done by the cooperation between the developers and the local governance. One of the best things that has happened is that an outside developer like Douglas Jemal has been able to establish a good relationship with the local government/s and get projects on the drawing board completed.

I doubt it because it is recognized that he can't handle the load of a #1 goalie. I'm offering my opinion because nothing is written in stone. I think that UPL will start off in Rochester and will be given a full load down there. It wouldn't be surprising that eventually he will be moved up. He will have to earn his way onto the roster. It's going to be interesting to see what happens if UPL shines in camp. It's my opinion that it would be better for him to get a full load in the AHL than intermittent play in the NHL.

Comrie will be the #1 goalie when camp begins and when the season starts.

The one similarity that applies to the ROR and Jack departures is that pervasive losing is corrosive and creates an environment where players want to get away from. It becomes dispiriting to the fans and players. I'm confident that this team and organization has turned the corner where there is atmosphere is more positive and the players are enthusiastically invested in. I do believe in the credo: that success breeds success.

I don't think anyone put Ullmark in the special category. Not even the front office of the team he played for considered him as an upper tier goalie. That was evident by the limit of the contract that was offered to him. But it shouldn't be forgotten that the team had a winning record when he was in net for us, even with a lesser team. The criticism I and others have had with the GM is that it was well known that Ullmark was in his UFA year. And it was apparent that he was stringing the organization along up to the point where his contract ran out. The GM should have been better prepared with a fallback position if the player decided to seek other options. And if the Sabres would have gotten Ullmark caliber of goaltending last season this team would have had in my estimation (opinion) at least 10 more points in the standing. That certainly would be a higher staging point entering this season.

Comrie is our expected #1 goalie entering the season. Does that continue making the position a question mark? Of course it does. Until we see him play as our primary goalie for an extended number of games, we simply won't know. The best I can say about the current goalie situation is that I'm hopeful. That's simply where we are at.

I, like you, consider this the second year going into the third year of the KA rebuild. In my view Krueger was the most influential person in the hockey operation in the new GM's first year. If our time frames are accurate KA should be given credit for the fast pace of this rebuild. One of his biggest accomplishments is in rebuilding the gutted hockey operation, and following that task his restocking of the talent base. In his short tenure he made two consequential personnel hires. He brought in Karmonos and installed Granato as the interim and then full time coach of the Sabres. A lot of good decisions that are now becoming evident.

During the Jack saga I can't recall any criticisms of Jack by his teammates either publicly or anonymously. I'm not saying that he was warmly embraced by everyone in the room. And I am not saying that he was even the leader in the room who was most listened to. It was evident to all that Jack was going to be dealt and was no longer going to be with the team. To their credit his teammates acted with class and maturity in this highly charged public conflict between the player and the organization. There is no doubt that Jack wanted out. And there is no doubt that the GM wanted him and the old core gone so he could start anew. It's simply something that regularly happens in the hockey business. In the end it appears to have worked out well for the parties involved. The stereotypical portrayal of a villainous Jack who sabotaged the room when he was there is a fiction.

You are smartly underscoring the point in this assembling of line exercise that having depth and lineup flexibility is essential in succeeding in this grinding and roster depleting sport. Some teams get hit by it more than others, but all teams are impacted by it to a degree. That became evident when the team got most of its injured players back for the last third of the season. There have been a number of suggestions here about who to put on the lines. Although the lines are different most of them make sense. That's a good sign that there is plenty of roster flexibility entering games and within the games as the situation dictates. What's apparent to me is that the talent base is increasing to the point that it should be able to compete for a lower rung playoff spot (assuming the goaltending play is improved). Entering the season I'm more encouraged than I have been for a long time.