JohnC

Don Granato was asked on WGR why the team was playing so much better the last third of the season. He said that is when we got our injured players back and when players who were playing hurt got healthier. (Just as you stated.) Olofsson and Mitts were two examples of impaired players getting healthier resulting in better play. What should be encouraging is this team's talent base is getting deeper. There is more depth here where a backup or even a callup from Rochester should be able to fill-in without a major drop-off in team performance.

I don't doubt that a coach told you that he felt that Thompson would eventually go back to wing. I just don't see that happening. He did play wing. And his talents were stifled. My understanding is that Don G. in the offseason made the decision to move him to center, where he has flourished. In fact, I have heard DG state on more than a few occasions on WGR that he believed that there was still more upside for him at the center position. I agree with the last sentence in your post. That's what KA has repeatedly said since assuming his position. And his actions have underscored his rebuild strategy.

Yes, absolutely Asplund has a place on this team. He is a good defensive player who has some room to develop more on offensive. Quinn and JJ are second line players, maybe higher. Asplund is a third or fourth line player who has an important role on those lower lines. That lower line role shouldn't be dismissed. I'm an Asplund fan. I really like his game and effort. I'm confident that the GM, the coaches and his teammates appreciate and respect his contributions.

You ask the key question whether the late season success represents a point of demarcation of an upward trajectory from its struggling past. I'm inclined to think so (but not sure) for the primary reason is that I witnessed a collective improvement from the enlarged core of young players. And if so, that improvement should continue. But as you indicate everything is relative. Just because we get better that doesn't mean that teams such as Ottawa and Detroit won't also get better at a faster rate.

I hope you don't mind if I ask you as a STH (paying customer) some maybe intrusive questions. As a loyal fan who backs up that loyalty with your $$$$ are you on board with what the GM is doing and is accepting of the rebuild strategy and rebuilding timeframe? Are you and the STHs you know optimistic about the long run and near term prospects of this team? And for someone who has already invested his money for this season what are your expectations for this team this year? I'm not arguing one way or the other but am interested in your view about this team and franchise. Just curious?

Attached is a 25 min WGR link with Paul Hamilton on the Howard and Jeremy Show. The focus is on free agents. The most interesting part is from 23 min to the conclusion of the segment. Paul talks about the GM's plan and what it entails. He basically reinforces the notion that the GM believes in his mostly internal rebuild from within and is sticking with it. It's a long segment but the last five minutes is worth listening to. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy-show

Getting any return on these players is better than no return. It made absolutely no sense. The issue isn't whether they were not worth the contract. They made the determination it wasn't. So why not then try to get something for them? The DeBrincat deal made little sense because the return should have been more.

What they are doing makes no sense. Even if the organization wanted to tank for better positioning in next year's draft, they could have shed players for future assets. Compare what Chicago did with how much KA got in return for his dispatched old core trio? If you are going to explode your roster doing it with some purpose instead of being nihilistic about it makes more sense.

Within this WGR link are two segments with Chad De Dominicis of Expected Buffalo (18 min) and Travis Yost (18 min) segment talking about the free agent market. The Travis Yost is more interesting and lively. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy-show

I'm aligned with @Brawndo's view on Asplund and his value to the team. It goes beyond the stats. I'm confident that the coaches and his teammates recognize his contributions.

Anyone who regularly watches the Sabres recognizes that he is one of our best defensive players. You don't have to be an analytical maven to not notice how hard and responsibly he plays. Right now, he is not much of a finisher but he has enough offensive instincts to put himself in a position to get opportunities. So, I do see him contributing more offensively even as a lower line player. And it should be noted that he is excellent on the PK. He is not going to be provide many scoring highlights but without a doubt his teammates and coaches appreciate him his contributions.

I was watching ESPN and saw a scroll that Kane and Edmonton were linked. What does that mean? Nothing. TBD.

We'll see. What I find interesting is the Chicago side of the equation. Are they just looking to dump Buffalo Kane and start anew, or will they try to get some assets for him? It might make sense for Chicago to hold him until the trade deadline and get whatever they can get. But it seems as if they want to clean out the cupboard and tank so they will have one of the top picks in the next draft for one of the premier prospects. I'm just so glad that Buffalo is more advanced in its rebuild because it is such a dispiriting and exhausting process for the fanbase to go through. I got to give KA credit for expediting our rebuild and shortening the time to get to the road of respectability.

What does a pessimist look like?

Rumor: Kane to Edmonton. I saw a scroll on ESPN suggesting that Kane could end up in Edmonton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-LKAEhVDRY

We don't always agree but on the goalie issue we are in accord. I'm just hoping that the GM comes up with a reasonable addition to the backstop position, even if it is for the short-term. I do believe that for the most part Lance's thoughts reflect the GM's line of thought.

I'm not attempting to over-inflate Joki's talents. He may be a border-line second or good third pairing player. The issue becomes is the GM willing to pay for a second-pairing caliber of player to play with Power? And is that type of player available? I consider Joki more of a subordinate type of defenseman who doesn't lead the pairing but allows the primary player to dominate the play with his more expansive talent. He does that. And let me add that I still think there is more upside to his game to draw from. What I'm never going to complain about is a player moved down the ranks because of a better player is found. That in itself reflects a roster getting better and progress in general.

When you have been diminished by someone and then elevated by someone else, you become determined to repay that exhibition of confidence in you. Good people skills and a talent to manage people is something you have or don't. KA has it. A good leader who earns the trust of his workers gets paid in spades by better performances.

The transactions he suggests are all doable. I'm in the minority here but I thought that Joki worked well with Power. I foresee a veteran defenseman being added to the mix, but it is more likely a third pairing type player. As I said in a prior post it seems that Lysowski is aligned with the GM's thinking.

Within this WGR link is an interview with KA. It's approx. 17 mins. long. What he has said when he took over is what he is saying now. He has a plan and is not deviating from it. KA is clear and consistent. What he says he is going to do is what he is doing. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy-show

Attached is a link from the Buffalo News where Lance Lysowski plays a GM for a day. Most of his views fall within the framework of continuing to build from within. And his goalie thoughts are moderate and don't include any high end goalies. How he approaches the roster is the same as many here advocate for. I thought his views were moderate and modest. It seems that he is very attuned to what the GM is doing. https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/sabres-gm-for-the-day-plotting-a-course-for-a-tricky-offseason/article_9fca37ba-ff97-11ec-8140-0f3e18cdc487.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Your observation about the prior GMs having the requisite hockey experience but not the people/management skills for the position is very perceptive. The one area where KA doesn't get the credit he deserves is the impressive way he has in a short timeframe rebuilt the organization with a quality staff, starting with Karmonos. All the parts of the hockey operation from the scouting staff, analytical department and coaching staffs throughout the system are working in unison. Every segment of the operation from high and low gives input and are listened to. There is a collaboration and cohesion that was lacking with the prior regimes.

The complaint that I have voiced before is whether Ullmark or any other goalie was signed for whatever term or AAV that doesn't mean that the goalie couldn't be moved before the end of the contract if another goalie moved up the ranks. It happens all the time in this league. Why leave this team vulnerable or put yourself in situation where the options become limited because of a contract consideration that wasn't outlandish? As you point out in the Gibson example, the team would have the option to trade the goalie if the changing circumstances dictated a change of course. And if you also consider our bottom level cap situation, the worry about cost and term becomes even less persuasive. It just seems to me that the GM put himself in a vulnerable situation because he was trying to have the market bend to what he wanted to do when he simply didn't have the ability to control the fluid market. The moral of the story is when you paint yourself in a corner then don't complain that you are boxed in.

You are certainly more attuned to what's going on the inside more than I am. (Always appreciate your insights and commentary.) But I am very skeptical that the GM was seriously interested in procuring a goalie with such long term. However, putting aside the Gibson speculation I hope that the GM will demonstrate the urgency that you see in the Gibson scenario that I haven't seen over the past two years. The GM has done a marvelous job in assembling a lot of young talent that has a lot of room to grow. That's a good situation to be in. But he will be undercutting this young roster unless he supports it with good/competent netminding.

One of the wisest things the newly installed GM did was hire an experienced hockey executive to be his right-hand man. That is a testament to him being secure in himself and being willing to surround himself with experienced and quality staff. One issue he doesn't have is an ego problem. Krueger had plenty of authority during his tenure but that is not something he would have done. As I said in prior posts and as you just underscored, he assembled a top tier staff where everyone is heard and everyone is pulling in the same direction. KA is more of a listener than a talker. And he is more of a collaborator than hierarchical, top- down executive. Without question here is now an organizational coherency and ethos that didn't exist within this organization for a long time.