JohnC

SDS, thank you for everything you do to keep this community engaged. Out of gratitude I am mailing you a check for $1000 for your unstinting services. If you don't receive it in the next day or two it will probably be because the postal service is in a state of turmoil and there are major delays to delivery. I suggest that you forward your complaint to the Director of the USPS. You can be assured that I am acting out of a spirit of generosity. 🤡

What I and others will be watching for is to see how much the financial situation affects the hockey decisions that could upgrade the roster. I really don't know how much the fiscal restraints will influence the personnel decisions. We will soon find out this offseason.

You paint an accurate picture of the situation. Paul Hamilton who for a long time covered the Sabres for WGR said on the radio during that departure period that ROR who used to be the hardest worker on the team in practice and a supportive teammate, especially to the younger players, noticeably changed his demeanor. Whether he should or should not have been dealt or handled in a different way is another discussion. His attitude changed and it was apparent to all. So the decision to move on from him was made and rushed to be implemented. My major criticism of the trade was not that he was dealt but that the bonus should have been paid to allow more time to get a better deal. But as you point out the organization's jaundiced attitude to this enriched player was more than understandable. The problem is that you don't get back at someone by shooting yourself in the foot.

It was a disastrous hockey decision that to this day has affected the team. I agree with you that a financial consideration was a factor in that decision to move him out.

I'm not saying you are wrong in not having confidence to successfully run a hockey organization. There is certainly merit and history for your position. Your opinion is very understandable. What's obvious is obvious. The record is the record. However, my central point on this topic is that I understand why from a business sense that they will be running their hockey business with more financial restraint as will a lot of other owners.

As I said in a prior post criticizing the Pegulas for their hockey decisions is fair game. Without question they made bad hires and bad hockey decisions. And there is no question that when they first took over they foolishly and recklessly spent money without getting back much return. Those days are over with. The Pegulas are still billionaires. However, they don't have the cash flow to wastefully throw away money. So they are tightening how they run not only the hockey operation but their other businesses as well until the environment becomes more favorable. Whether you like it or not for the foreseeable future the free flowing money spigot has been tighten. You may not be aware of it but there is a real world out where a lot of people have to adjust to.

You make a good point about the dependence on attendance for revenue in hockey. As a contrast the rich national TV contract for the NFL allows for every team, well run or not, to be profitable. That's not the situation in hockey when the arenas are empty. Different sports and different calculations.

Who isn't criticizing the ownership and organization for their lack of success and bumbling operation? That's fair to do. But what I am not going to do is criticize the Pegulas for trying to take actions to weather the fiscal storm due to circumstances they had no control over. They are adapting as are (or will) most franchises to the situation. One of the most successful developers in Western NY is Roco Termini. He is converting some rooms in the hotels he owns into apartments because the pandemic has affected his hotel business. The point is a lot of people and businesses are adjusting how they do business in this extraordinary environment. https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2020/08/19/hotel-rooms-check-out-of-two-buffalo-buildings.html

You are being unfairly harsh. The judicious fiscal approach that the Pegulas will be taking will be the same approach that a lot of owners will be taking. The stress that this organization is subjected to is the same stress that other organizations are subjected to. Few organizations will be untouched by the Covid era.

Excellent work. I looked at your proposal and the other proposals made by the members. What's apparent is that there are a lot of pieces to the roster puzzle. Adams has a lot of considerations/judgments involving players and contracts. With some creativity and boldness this roster can be reshaped and made into a competitive team. The linchpin is coming away with a genuine 2C. And if that is accomplished then some of the other pieces will fall into place.

Most people agree that Larsson is a tough defensive player who can play against the top lines. And I agree that with better wingers he could be a better scorer than he has been with his current unit. But overall I just can't envision him playing on the second line. I'm hoping that Skinner will be put on the top line with Jack. But if he is directed to play on the second line he will need a much better offensive player than Larsson to get the enough out of him to get a return on his investment.

He may be worth more but as you noted he is not liquid. With respect to his energy business he will be sitting on his resources until it will be worth drawing from. I have no complaint with how the Pegulas are adjusting to the financial environment in the hockey business. They simply are being prudent.

You are right that there are billionaires who have made an extraordinary amount of money in this covid era. A lot of money has been made in the financial and tech sectors. But in the sectors that the Pegulas are mostly involved are very troubled.

I don't believe that the Sabres will spend to the cap. Paul Hamilton made the point that Terry Pegula stated that he has spent a lot of money without getting a commensurate return on the ice. The very unsubtle comment/s indicate that for the near term at least he will no longer be a profligate spender in his hockey business. That shouldn't be surprising as evident by the slimming down of the organization. With respect to your question about all the billionaires gaining money during the covid I would say no, especially someone like him who is in the energy, hotel, Nashville production and hospitality business. He's adjusting to the harsh economic reality like a lot of other businesses are.

Paul Hamilton was on WGR's Instigator Show and stated that he wouldn't be surprised if the Sabres don't spend up to their salary cap. This shouldn't be so surprising because not only are the Sabres in a tight financial bind but so are many other teams. What this probably means is that trade deals will be for players/contracts coming in and players/contracts going out. Another point he made regarding the probable lower salary structure is that more young players with lower contracts will make the roster to allow some more expensive players to be brought in. Your point that Botterill followed a strategy to get to this cap situation in order to be in a position of greater roster flexibility is true. However, no one could have planned for the health calamity that has been thrust upon us. Sometimes when you are forced to adjust to the stark reality of unexpected challenges you become more creative and flexible in dealing with it. I'm still hopeful that the brain trust can make some good hockey deals that upgrade and better balance the roster.

I understand what you are saying but I disagree with it. He was not going to get healthy until he agreed to accept medical attention. From what I remember it was the organization that helped him find the right medical services. And even when he was no longer associated with the organization it still kept in touch with him to see how he was doing. Anyone who has dealt with people with mental health problems knows that until the troubled soul is willing to acknowledge a problem and accept help for the problem the issue will remain and get worse. Lehner being dealt for a first round pick had little bearing to his health situation. And playing in Buffalo with an inadequate team and being the target of a frustrated fan base was not consequential to his personal demons. He's a NHL hockey player who plays in a stressful business in front of a large audience. It doesn't matter what city he is in because the stresses associated with playing in a pro sport is inescapable everywhere. It wasn't until Lehner received medical treatment for his complicated health issue and continued to do what he had to do (counseling and medication) to remain healthy that he turned around his life and ability to play in his chosen endeavor. My point is that playing in Buffalo or any other location wasn't at the heart of his serious problems that went beyond hockey.

Cirelli would be my #1 preference but I'm not sure he will be attainable. Another player who I think will be a good pickup and might be available with a reasonable deal is Danault. What others have said about him that would make him appealable to Krueger is that he is a good two way player. When one reviews the list posted @Curt what sticks out is that there are plenty of good primary and secondary options to consider.

If it turns out that Mitts doesn't become a capable player in the league or even becomes a player in the league he will be surpassed and replaced by other players. He not developing into what was hoped for when he was drafted will be replaced by a player like Cozens who is more likely to become a consequential player for us. That's how it works. Nylander was a disappointment and was exchanged for Joki. The young defenseman seems to be on a high trajectory. That would be a plus. Sheary and Rodriques were inconsequential players for us. The player who we got for him was Kahun. If he turns out to be a good third liner at worst and a second liner at best then roster would be upgraded. That would be a plus. In this league there is always a lot of player shuffling. What you hope for is when the plusses and minuses are added up it ends up with a positive number.

Tic-tack-goal. Pretty play. (clip taken from nhl.com) https://www.nhl.com/video/nosek-scores-on-odd-man-rush/t-277350912/c-5415391

As you indicate, and everyone else does, finding a genuine 2C is the priority for the front office. And there is an assumption that Cozens will either be the second or third center in another year or so.

Why prematurely make deals when trade options are limited compared to when the playoffs are concluded and when there will be more options? Just because Buffalo hasn't made any deals right now doesn't mean that our GM isn't communicating with teams out of the playoffs and even with teams in the playoffs to work on proposed deals. I would rather have a full menu of options than a partial menu of options.

I agree that it is more of a third line than a second line. But I think it could be a good third line that gets more production and minutes than our third lines usually get. That's why I inched it up in my evaluation of the unit. My point is with this line there will be less chasm between the lines instead of having the big drops in production from the first line to the lower lines.

You are being ridiculous. Go spend your research time on someone else.

I agree with you that Johansson is more of a winger than center. But in the short period of time the line played together last year and with the skating ability of Kahun the line meshed well. Both Kahun and Johansson have good instincts where to an extent they both could be interchangeable at the center position. If this line was assembled again I wouldn't consider it to be a second line so much as a very good third line or even a second tier second line playing behind the established second line.

My problem is not with you. As I stated before with our exchanges you and I are basically in accord. My issue is with another poster who keeps twisting my position when it is clear that it is not what I am saying. This repeated distortion by him irritated me to the point that I responded with needless vigor.