JohnC

Most people would agree with you that this unit is not a shutdown group. As you describe, it’s not constructed to be that caliber of defensemen. However, that’s not the measuring stick. The issue is whether thus group is better defensively than previous units. I would say yes. And is this group compared to previous groups better in transitioning to the offensive zone? I again would say yes. The bottom line for me is that getting better is preferable than not doing so. The more critical issue for me is what caliber of goaltending are we going to get. I don’t really know.

You are correct that my bar of expectation is low. This is what happens when you have a Terry P type ownership. It’s his toy to play with staffed by a sycophantic GM that he personally selected. I am far from being broken, just realistic. My low bar of expectation is to be a low end playoff contender. With a little more tweaking it is doable.

The most intriguing player for me on the blueline is Samuelsson. It would be a terrific redemption story for a player who has received a lot of criticism, most of it deserved. He's not a banger and because of it he is targeted for scorn because he is a big fellow. He's best when he plays a simple game of getting the puck out of his zone. It would be such a bonus if he can come close to what originally expected of him which was probably too high.

If we can get some consistent goaltending the picture looks much more promising. Possible flicker of hope?

I took it wrong. I apologize. Following this franchise has taken a toll on simply talking about hockey. Talking about prospective deals and the roster is the fun part of following a team. It's sad to say that this franchise has been hollowed out by incompetence to the point where the rest of the league doesn't take this franchise seriously. What makes the situation even more agitating is that I don't see a sense of urgency in the organization. It is ambling along while everyone seems to be running hard. It's a sad situation.

How do you know I went to college?

I respectfully but strenuously disagree with you. The Sabres have become a ghetto franchise scorned by many players because of its own systematic malfeasance in operating a franchise. Players are competitive and want to win. It's not the total reason why they want to go to a particular franchise but it is a factor. I would also say that the majority of players in all sports have homes that are not in the city that they play in. You can't hide this franchise's record. It's known to all.

I hope that is the case. Very often the issue isn't necessarily how much you spend as it is how you spend it.

I have never been told that I acted adroitly. However, I have been told many times that I acted impetuously. Too much Italian in me. 😁

Sometimes as a Sabre fan you feel boxed in. You go with what you got. No other choice. In a way, I don't want KA to get too exotic when making moves because he would be acting beyond his capacity. Sticking with the basics is the right course of action for him. No fancy French or Italian food on his plate. Simple meat and potatoes with a domestic beer.

I have said this in a numerous postings that I feel KA is playing this Byram situation adroitly.

TP hired a GM who was unqualified. That same GM imprudently gave out costly long term contracts to players who didn’t deserve such contracts. A more qualified GM would have been smarter in handling player contracts and would have saved money for the parsimonious owner.

Just maybe KA is counting on that scenario to happen.

The complicating feature is that Byram's value hasn't been established. His play so far doesn't warrant a long-term deal in the $8/9 M per range just yet. When you watch him play it is evident that he is a talented player. But so far for a variety of reasons it has not been established on a consistent basis. I just believe that it is in his interest to sign a short term deal in order to increase his value. That type of arrangement would benefit him and the Sabres.

It depends on how well he plays if he stays. If he has a stellar season his contract leverage goes up and his trade value also increases. If he has a donkey season then he and the team lose from a value standpoint.

Theoretically, you are correct that some deals have multiple components with multiple teams to get a deal done, usually a big deal. That's not how KA operates. And another real problem that the Sabres have in fashioning a major deal like you describe is that too many good players have NTC in their contracts that make it even more challenging to make a deal. KA is a meat and potato GM who plays a simple game. The bottom line is that pigmies don't play in the NBA and checker players don't play in major chess tournaments. Unlikely to happen, especially as the offseason winds down.

Will Power be a better player this year? I think so. Will Samuelsson be a better player this year? I think so. Will the two new defenders improve the unit? I think so. If kept, will Bo strengthen the unit? I think so. Will Dahlin continue to play at his high level? Yes. Is this a better overall unit compared to last year? I think so. This is where we are at. There are no guarantees other than Dahlin's play. As far as I'm concerned, the biggest issue is still the caliber of our goaltending. On that issue, I just don't know. Without a doubt, there are a lot of "not sures" and few "very sures" with this roster. That's why I'm again queasy about this KA constructed team. When you have a third-rate operation you end up with a lot of "I'm not sures". Normal state of affairs for this forlorn franchise.

Listen to your gut. It is responding rationally. 😄

It's difficult to get into the head of this reticent and withdrawn owner. I sense, as you seem to do, that he made a decision that he wasn't going to allow his hockey franchise to be a $$$$ drain for him. The irony is that if he was wise enough to hire the right staff and be committed to building a winning franchise, he would end up generating more revenue and profits. Take the Bandits as an example of the better business pathway. He hired good staff that not only put together a talented team that wins and competes for championships but is also tremendously entertaining. When the Bandits play the place is rocking and rolling with all the adults sucking up a copious amount of overpriced beer. The same scenario should be playing out for his hockey franchise located in a good hockey market. His own ineptitude has ended up sabotaging his franchise and demoralizing his fading fanbase. Ineptitude and hubris can be financially costly.

I heartily agree that we entering the season with a lot of “ifs”. Where we are at is where we are at.

Sometimes the unfavorable situation you are in is better than the alternative response that would get you a less than value return. It’s understandable why you are uncomfortable with having so much cap $$$ dedicated to the blue line. However, teams get constructed differently and still succeed. So if this is a blue line dominate team for the short term, then so be it. As far as our GM liability, this is another creation of our peculiar owner.

It seems that the COVID onslaught financially caused a financial drain. At the time he was heavily invested in the hospitality business, hotels and restaurants. The Covid plague was financially devastating for all of his businesses. It seems that after that financial stressful period he tightened his wallet. Just maybe, he might be loosening up there. The problem is what has hurt him the most is his own hockey decisions, especially relating to staffing. What’s to be learned? The obvious: when you shoot yourself you wound yourself.

If he were only getting futures for offers it certainly would be considered trash offers from a Sabre perspective. What seems to be developing is that currently the return isn’t as high as hoped. And it seems BB’s contract expectations are not being met by the market. So it might be in the player’s interest to bet on himself by signing a short team deal and improve his future market value. And it would be better for the Sabres to have him on the team, even if for the short term, rather than peddle him for less than perceived value. This can be a situation where individual interests mesh.

Do a lot of people from the American side of the border go to Blue Jay games?

I'm going against the analytics but I believe (maybe naively) that Quinn will surprise a lot of people. He's been plagued with injuries that have set him back. If he can turn out to be what was expected of him when he was a good prospect in Rochester, then maybe that will plug a gaping roster hole. A couple of years ago, I thought he was a better prospect than JJP. Entering the season, there are a number of "what if" questions that need to be answered. Will Benson, Kulich, Power and Quinn make a quantum leap? Maybe. The biggest issue for me is the goaltending. If it can be at a consistently solid level, then we should be in the mix for a fringe playoff spot. Just maybe.