JohnC

What do you think the return could be for a Samson and Risto tandem?

The plug on Krueger should have been pulled sooner. I don't know any other organization that would have tolerated such a disastrous situation as long as it did. It became even more evident when you compare how the level of play dramatically improved after the coaching change. It was a ridiculous situation.

I agree with everything you said. My ire is directed toward the organization and not the players wanting out. Ideally, Jack and Sam would be kept and be surrounded with more talent. The irony is that belatedly there is a growing young core that is ready to provide more support for Jack and Sam. However, when one side of the relationship doesn't want what the other side of the relationship wants then you have to adjust to the new reality. My sense is that the markers have been drawn and they can't be erased. So you have no choice other than to make the best of the situation that you can. Given what I have said I want to make it clear that if you can't get a reasonable deal for Jack then you keep him until you can get it. No more ROR fiasco deals that set you back! If a trade proposal is made by Anaheim that doesn't include Zegras and a top pick then the phone should be put down.

Some people have the odd notion that to save a village you have to nuclear bomb it out of existence and then start anew. ☠️

Do you really believe that the Sabres are going to be able to hoodwink a trading partner over Jack's health status? Do you really believe that a team would give up a bounty of assets for a player who turns out to be damaged goods? I'm very confident that teams serious about trading for Jack will do their due diligence. Will there be risks on his future health status? There are always some risks that will be factored in the equation. Jack's attitude doesn't have to rise to the level of toxicity to reach a point where the GM feels that it is in the organization's best interest that he be moved, especially if he wants a fresh start. My opinion: I'm sure that the driving force here is that Jack (and even Samson and Risto) is frustrated with the situation here and don't want to be here any longer. There is no secret about their dissatisfaction with the situation and organization. And although KA is an inexperienced GM he isn't so clueless not to be able to recognize their unhappiness here. To me this is a case where the players are not the bad guys. This inevitable divorce of players wanting out happens in all sports. In badly run organizations this type of disgruntled situation happens more often than with well run franchises. Look at the Green Bay and Rogers bad blood saga. I'm not happy that the situation has devolved to this but it is time to move on. And that's the thinking I believe that KA has.

There has never been a hint from anyone inside or outside the organization questioning Reinhart's effort and desire. Throughout his time in Buffalo he has been our most consistent player while playing for an organization shrouded in the fog of mediocrity. Your negative opinion is your opinion, you are entitled to it. I strenuously disagree with it. Even with players on winning teams that doesn't guarantee warm relations with the press. That's the human element that you won't be able to eliminate. Whatever the relationship is between any particular player/s I simply don't care. That's for them to work out.

Granato may be a first time coach at the NHL level but he has had a myriad of experience at many other levels. It should be forgotten that he was a coach of the year in the AHL. And although it was for a short stint he did more than a commendable job last year taking over for Krueger. What Granato excels at his previous job is developing young talent. If he is selected that attribute is critically important with the young roster he will be working with. I can't criticize anyone who is wary of Adams because of his inexperience at the position he holds because it is true.

I discount Hamilton's comments on Reinhart. This friction has been going on for a while. Ullmark also has a very frayed relationship with Hamilton. No one can question the attitude of Reinhart. He is one of the most honest and consistent players on the roster. Reinhart has in a classy and dignified way expressed his frustration with the status quo situation with this team not playing end of the season meaningful games. When all is said and done Reinhart will express his intention not through words but through the way he negotiates a contract. If he is not willing to have more than a one year deal that will give him an out the following year. My expectation is that he is going to be moved.

I apologize for repeating what I said in a previous post. If you go back to the interview that KA gave to the press after the Jack interview it is clear that he is going to move on from Jack and other players because he emphasized that he only wants player who want to be here and are bought in. The assumption is that Jack and his reps have communicated to the GM and organization that he prefers to be somewhere else. And the GM had emphasized in that interview that he doesn't want any players on the team who feel that way. Based on the reports on the active marketing of Jack and Samson the GM is acting on his stance.

If you can get in return a young player such as Zegras who may be a #1C, a gritty second line player in Comtois plus a high first round pick I would be willing to make the deal if VO needs to be added for the deal to get it done. The other side also has a say in a proposed deal. If this is the best deal you can get on the market then you take the plunge.

I would take that trade in a nanosecond. Why be concerned about giving up a fourth round pick when under the trade scenario we would have two high first round and 2 second round picks? In fact if Jack is traded to Anaheim I would hold out to retain Olofsson. If that was a deal killer I would then include him.

You are missing the point. Ullmark is relatively young and with a longer lifespan than exists for other positions. There is no need to belabor the point. We just disagree. No big deal.

Ullmark has steadily moved up the ranks from a developmental standpoint. I have never categorized him as a player with magical unforeseen ability (your words). What he has done is work his way up the system from the bottom to a credible starting goaltender. He's not elite and will never be. But it is not unreasonable to believe that he is a credible starting NHL net minder. I agree with you that this is a make or break year for Thompson to show what his talent level is.

When discussing goaltenders in contrast to forwards they have a much longer lifespan from productive standpoint. And with respect to Tage tall and long lean players take much longer than normal because it takes longer to physically fill out.

You are being overly punctilious.🤡

So what? Developing goaltenders usually take more time. He has gone through the system and worked his way up.

The core of the team will revolve around young players such as Cozens, Dahlin, Mitts, Thompson, Joki, Ullmark (if he signs), Bjork (if not taken in the expansion draft) and maybe Samuelsson and Bryson. Will there be some veterans added to the mix beyond Okposo, McCabe (if signed) who are currently not signed? Yes.

You are off the mark. Reinhart wants out and Jack wants out. Period! Their reservoir of patience has been exhausted. Both of these players have been with the team for years. Last season, the Sabres had the worst record in hockey. For these two guys, and more so for Reinhart, they will not be on the Sabres next season. The situation is not complicated. Samson has contract leverage. Odds are he will not be willing to sign an extended deal. The discussion about how it should be is irrelevant and wasteful. KA will be making his personnel decisions based on the reality of the situation. Common sense indicates that players who were our key players will soon be our former key players.

I respectfully but strenuously disagree. As I stated in another post I re-listened to KA's post interview after the Jack interview. He made it clear that he wanted players who wanted to be here. Reinhart is a classy person who stated clearly that he was tired with the situation he is in. And I'm sure in his exit interview with the GM that he mad it clear that it was time for a change for him and the organization.

That Jack and Sam issue has been settled. You would be better off focusing more on the return than on the inevitable departures.

I don't think that he hurt them either. It seemed to me that Granato who is good at slotting players was not afraid to pair him with the youngsters. The irony is that I thought Samuelsson played a more thoughtful and judicious game when paired with him.

If I had to guess I think Cozens will earn that moniker in a couple of years.

I know that my view of Risto is out of step with the majority. In my view he has had the misfortune of playing on a team where what was expected of him was beyond his skill set. It's safe to say that Risto is not a thinker on the ice who sees the field well. He doesn't have that field of vision and anticipation to read plays and never will for a top tier defenseman. The best way to use him was to simplify his game and have him play within his limitations that have nothing to do with his impressive physical attributes. In my mind he is a subordinate player on the second pairing. It's a shame that McCabe has been plagued with injuries because I think that he would pair well with him. One of the reasons why I look more favorable towards Risto than others do is that he provides some ruggedness on a team that lacks it. I recognize that I am an outlier on this issue. And I recognize that Risto will probably moved this offseason.

I agree with the general tenor of your comments but have a slightly different perspective. There is no doubt that the return for Jack, Reinhart and Risto won't be equal value. But that doesn't mean that we can't get good value back that will in the short term (next season) expand the young talent base and accelerate the rebuild. As an example, if in the return for our departing players we can get young contributing players such as Zegras and Comtois who can play right away and still have plenty of upside that will be a terrific start. Will we be a better team? I don't know? But it could result in a fuller roster of upside players. The precarious situation the organization is of its own doing. We are all aware of that. The slate won't be totally wiped out but it will be significantly altered. We have to accept the reality of it and go on from there. If handled right I believe we won't be in as bad a situation an many believe it will be. Needless to say this offseason is going to determine how far off the path or not so far we are off the path to credibility.

It's time that the franchise be run in an orderly and professional way. The situation that KA inherited included a coach he didn't hire and whose strongly held views devastated the operation. My impression of KA is that he is deliberative and detail oriented. He seems to recognize the importance of rebuilding the organization that was deliberately stripped. I like his Karmanos hiring. And I'm assuming that Granato will be hired soon. That will be a good hire. Yesterday, I again listened to KA's post season comments after the Jack interview. The repeated theme of his comments to the press was that he is excited about the enthusiasm of the young players. And he was close to being explicit that he was going to shed players who don't want to be here. So there is no mystery about what Jack, Risto and Reinhart's status are. Next year's team is going to be rebuilt around the young core who are bought in and committed to being here. Now let's wait and see what the return will be for these burnt out players who were tired of the situation they are in. Giving them a fresh start is the right thing for them and for the organization.