JohnC

While he has played in Washington I never heard about his educational pursuit. Good for him. I have even more regard for him as a person.

Attached is a mock draft taken from the NHL.com site. Within the link is a 7 min interview with Sam Contentino talking about the prospects. https://www.nhl.com/news/mock-2021-nhl-draft-luke-hughes-new-jersey-devils-los-angeles-kings/c-325675970?tid=277764372

The baggage he carries relates to his onerous contract and not the player. If he had a contract with much less term Seattle might have an interest in plucking him off the expansion list with the hope that he can regain his scoring prowess. And he knows that as well.

There is a simple ground rule for the Sabres: No Lafreniere-- no deal. From everything that I have read the Rangers are adamant that they will not trade him. And the same line of thinking should apply to Anaheim: No Zegras---no deal. And everything that I have read about the Ducks is they are adamant that Zegras not be included in a deal. My recommendation is to hang up the phone.

I don't agree with you that asking Skinner to waive his NMC is disrespecting him as a player. In a sense it is the opposite. I'm sure that when the GM asked him to waive his clause that he was informed that there was an infinitesimal chance that he would be selected by Seattle. And Skinner who is a smart guy and in consultation with his agent knew that to be true. So he did something that will benefit the team that he will be playing for. Helping the team also indirectly helps him. Skinner knows as well as anyone that for a number of reasons his play has precipitously declined. He is smart enough to know that with the departure of the previous coach and the hiring of Granato he has a better chance of reviving his career. By agreeing to waive his self-interest clause he demonstrated to the organization that he is bought in to the team and this new regime.

When people primarily out of defiance don't want to do the sensible thing when it relates to a life and death issue they aren't acting rationally. Nearly 99% of the hospitalizations and deaths associated with covid are not vaccinated. This is ignorance rising to a deadly level. I don't wish anyone ill-will. What I don't have to give is sympathy for something that can be easily prevented.

The vaccine research that ended with at least three effective vaccines didn't start when covid started ravaging the world. The foundation of these current vaccines was built a number of years ago when the sars virus was ravaging the far east. That's when the research for the current vaccines started. The basis of the current vaccines were being researched years ago. When the sars virus was mostly tamed after wreaking havoc in the far east the research dramatically slowed. My point is that this vaccine wasn't rushed because the ground work was done years ago. And then over the past year or so it started up again at an intense level when this year's covid outbreak worked its way through the world. The simple and stark truth is 98-99% of the people dying in the US from covid were not vaccinated. What is the explanation for so many people not getting vaccinated? Willful ignorance based on an anti-science orientation and a political leaning that promotes an anti-establishment and anti-elite belief system.

The way Granato operates, as do most coaches, if not all, is that he doesn't ask a player if he wants to do something; he tells them what to do. The HC makes decisions on what is best for the team. If the coach wants to split up the lines in order to get more balance I'm sure he he will talk to the player in advance of the move, and then make the move. It doesn't matter if the player is happy with his changing role or not. If a player is unhappy but continues to play hard that is fine. If a player is unhappy and his play slips he will be sat down. Holding players accountable for their play is a responsibility of the coach. Making players happy is not a major concern of his.

Sometimes in a relationship there is no solution if one of the parties doesn't want a solution. When it reaches that point of no return it is best to acknowledge it and then move on and leave the rancor behind. The act of departing doesn't have to be a totally negative experience. It can in the end result in a revival for both parties.

The reasons for the player's disillusionment are not too difficult to discern. When you reside in a rickety house with the roof leaking and the foundations buckling it shouldn't be surprising that you would prefer living in a more stable house. In his fifth year, although sidelined due to injuries last year, the Sabres had the worst record in the NHL. He's simply grew tired of being stuck in such a dispiriting situation. He's not unique with the feelings he has. It's the same sensation that Reinhart, Risto and others have. There is no back story to figure it. It's a story that is in plain sight for everyone to see. As I said in the prior post it just seems as if it got to the point where it is in everyone's best interest to move on and get a fresh start. What I am focused on is the return. When the train has left the station it is gone. The issue then becomes about the next train and not the train that has passed you by.

What's clear is that the GM is listening to offers for Jack. And what's also clear is that the Sabres had made it known that the price tag is high. Is that a fact? Most people in the business think so. There are so many reports from credible people in the media business who talk to front office staffs that it can't be ignored. The question of how it got to this point isn't very meaningful because it's apparent we have already arrived at that trade point. When there are two parties in a dispute where both sides agree that the best course of action is to move on then what is obvious is obvious. This is a case where both sides are acting on what they see as their perceived best interests. It happens. The most important issue for me is what is the return.

She is really cool. 🤡

You are not alone in being fully vaccinated and getting infected again. Rich Eisen also had the same experience. By getting vaccinated you probably got a less severe outcome than if you weren't vaccinated. I wish you the best. https://www.audacy.com/929espn/sports/nfl/rich-eisen-reveals-breakthrough-covid-touts-vaccines

If it is so then that is an exciting development. We are starting to assemble a good young group with Dahlin, Joki, Samuelsson, Johnson and Bryson. If he comes out after his hockey season this year will he be ready to join the big club roster or will he need some seasoning in Rochester?

Is he a better defensive prospect than Samuelsson or Bryson? Samuelsson really impressed me with his positioning and instincts. If Risto had his smarts he would be an anchor player for us.

I doubt that Skinner would waive his NMC if he felt that there was a chance he would be taken. And I don't believe that it makes any sense for Seattle to take Skinner and his onerous long-term contract, even with inducements to take him. In order to induce Seattle to take him the Sabres would have to give up some significant assets to make this unrealistic scenario to happen. The Sabres are a rebuilding team that can't afford to jettison critical assets because we don't have much excess to give away. There is a simple explanation why Skinner gave it up his NMC clause: He was helping the organization with a small chance that he would have to move.

If Granato can get Skinner in the scoring range that you listed it would be like adding a good free agent to the roster. Skinner will never produce up to the level of his salary but he still could be an important goal scoring contributor on a team that struggles to score. Krueger did a lot of damage with not only his dinosaur coaching philosophy but he also made a number of bad personnel moves. As an example the Cody Eakins addition with his two year deal never made sense. And it was starkly evident when he was on the ice.

I agree with everything you posted up to but not including your last comment that Adams prefers straight futures. As you stated it is a safe assumption that Jack is going to be the best player on either side of the deal. But in order to get a fair-value (not equal return) is to get some young upside players who can play right away. A deal that you have been touting and fits in with your thesis is a deal with Anaheim that includes Zegras, Comtois and their 3OA pick.

The concept that if I don't experience something it doesn't exist or it is so far away from me it is not my problem but an issue for others is a damaging attitude from a preventive health perspective. People are exposed to different information silos. One silo informs and the other misinforms. Two different realities with one of them difficult to penetrate with the truth. It's frustrating, sad and deadly.

As you indicate he is another player whose assets have to an extent been squandered/misused because of the lack of overall support. The reality that over the past decade this team hasn't been built up enough to create a roster talented enough to emphasize each players talents and minimize their individual liabilities. Over the past decade there has been more regression than progression. And then people criticize Jack and other players for their frustration being stuck in this sea of futility. I'm far from being discouraged. I believe that our young GM has an established direction he wants to lead this franchise toward. Steadily he is putting together a quality staff and is receptive to input from others. He had a credible coaching search process that resulted in the right selection. He's checking the right boxes. I'm cautiously optimistic.

You nailed it on the head. On a good team as a 2B second pairing defenseman he would excel. There is no question that he makes a lot of mistakes. But because our goaltending has been less than mediocre and our scoring ability is feeble his mistakes are magnified. There is question that he is not a very cerebral player but in the right situation his strengths would be magnified and his vulnerabilities would be less exposed. In my view he is a player who get unfairly stigmatized.

WGR's Instigator Show today he talked about how other teams more positively view Risto than the home crowd does. He said that when he talks to the scouts and other teams' staffs the general view is that he is misused and overplayed. He pointed that it should be recognized that playing on a bad team doesn't enhance his play. Ray's thoughts on Risto is that if his playing time was more limited and his role of usually playing against the top players on the other teams were more limited he would be more effective. He also stated that there is plenty of interest in him as a player from other organizations.

I'm sure you are very professional and polite. However, when talking to these hesitant patients do you say to yourself WTF is the matter with you? If you can't think this issue through you got to be freaking stupid. I have a nephew who lives in Arizona. I asked him if he got vaccinated and he said no. I asked him why not? His reasons were lame. I'm aware that people have different political inclinations but allowing the vaccination issue to become a political issue is discouraging. For me getting vaccinated was a blessing and liberating. I just don't get it.

Fantastic work. Thank you.

Can you give a few intriguing players who might be available with our second round picks? And some very upside and not necessarily high profile prospects who have slid down the board who might be available when our second round picks come up?