JohnC

No. While he was smoothly walking out the door I was stumbling and bumbling my way behind him. However, I thought I saw him smirk and chuckle. Maybe it was just my imagination???

I was at the gym a couple of days ago and was in the locker room getting ready to leave. There was a blind fellow with a cane who was leaving the locker room. He confidently walked out of the locker room tapping the cane in front of him. I marveled at that. While watching him easily negotiate the room I walked into a bench and nearly fell flat on my face. I thought to myself how klutzy I was and how ridiculous the situation was.

His lack of self-awareness is as damaging as his lack of pro hockey knowledge. Acknowledging what you don't know and being willing to entrust people who do know are tough for successful people in one field who cross over into another field. And without a doubt, layering a high degree of stubbornness and hubris onto those other sabotaging traits doesn't help him as an owner. Without having personal knowledge about Kim Pegula, my sense is that she is a tough woman in a man's world who was not going to tolerate being treated in a disrespectful and condescending manner. And to her credit, she didn't tolerate any staff, especially women, to be treated inappropriately. And adding another opinion without much inside knowledge is that I don't think that this sinking ship franchise would have continued for so long if she was still healthy and involved.

That’s what I’m shooting for. I’m not looking for miracles. I’m trying to get the biggest bang for the buck. What the Pittsburg Pirates are to baseball the Sabres are to hockey. So my expectations are not too high.

You are correct that the goalie and D issues are my priorities. In my view, unless the goalie position is elevated to a respectable level, everything else done will be wasted.

If you want a playoff making decision acquire a legitimate #1 goalie. That would be the most impactful decision for this flailing team.

If @Brawndo is your source, the information is credible. He’s our inside mole. He is sly and sneaky. His favorite word is “surreptitious”.

Leave this congenial fellow alone. He’s under a lot of stress. He knows the Sabrespace combatants are in hot pursuit and want to string him up. 🙂

The basis of my disagreement with the trade Quinn advocates is that I have a higher evaluation of him than this faction has. I believe that he will be a 30+ scorer. Quinn is not a rookie. He’s had a few rough and injury plagued years with the big club that has prepared him to make a qualitative leap. Clearly, a lot of people have a different assessment of him based on his past performances. I’m viewing this issue looking forward while others are looking back to make a judgment. Difference of perspectives leading to differences in opinion. That’s okay.

I agree with you to an extent. The boundaries are certainly a lot tighter for the hosts working for the station that broadcasts the home team. The point that I and others are making is that it is noticeably different when Marty is on TSN and when he is on WGR. On the outside outlet Marty is a superb analyst and candid, while on WGR he is restricted and bland. Being tepid on a media forum is not very appealing to the audience.

There is a bigger issue here that has plagued this dismal franchise that is reflected in the rumors, credible or not, about player dissatisfactions. It is absolutely real. It's a fact that Buffalo is very often, if not the most often, a team listed on many players NTCs. And it is true that our best players, such as Eichel, Reinhart and maybe to a lesser extent Ullmark wanted out. Don't be surprised if Tuch allows his contract to run out so that he can be sooner free from this sinkhole franchise. And don't be surprised when Dahlin, one of the best blueliner players in the league, says get me the fungo out of this Micky Mouse organization. I'm stuck in this losing factory and my career is fading away. So you may be tough minded on a player exercising a contract option to leave sooner but I realistically see it as a legitimate consideration when discussing trades. This situation is pathetic. This is what happens when you have a Pegula owned and operated hockey franchise.

The general point that the posters are making here is that Marty on WGR is more inclined to tip toe on issues as compared to when he is on TSN where he is more analytical and incisive when talking about players and other teams. The comparison between being bland on one stage and speaking critically, but fairly, on another stage is noticeable. One forum wants and allows forthrightness while the other stage doesn't encourage it. If you don't put some salt in your soup it turns out to be bland.

I’m more inclined to keep Quinn over JJP. The rumors that Peterka would like to be somewhere else makes me less committed to keeping him and more open to dangling him on the market to see what his value is.

I wouldn’t put it in those terms. It’s simply when you are near shark infested waters you are careful/mindful where you are at.

You are right that Marty on WGR is deliberately cautious when discussing the team and organization. Bread and butter considerations come into play. That’s disappointing because I consider him to be an excellent analyst.

I really like Kulich a lot and would hate to give him up. If you proposed JJP, our first pick and a B level prospect, I would say yes.

It's a mistake to get fixated on an outside player as if that one acquisition is going to be the answer to our roster problems. When you thin out your roster to harpoon the big what you end up putting yourself in a vulnerable situation in a business that injuries are an expected part of the landscape. What happens if the so-called star player is injured? Then what do you have to show for it? You end up thinning out your roster and have less of an ability to absorb the injuries that will likely happen. I'm not automatically against making a bonanza deal but you have to be smart about it. The proposed deal that included 9OA, Kulich and Östlund for Robertson is not necessarily a steadfast no for me but I am very hesitant to make that deal. Kulich is ready to play for us now. And our first pick and Östlund could be used to deal for another quality player. We need to thicken our roster, not thin it out.

Hell no! What you're offering is nothing but foolishness that sets this plagued franchise further back. My fear is that our Howdy Doody GM gets desperate just to show that he is doing something and makes a similar deal that thins out this already insufficient roster. If you want to make a big splash that will meaningfully upgrade this team, find a capable #1 goalie. That will do more than any of these imaginary fantasy hockey deals that one can concoct. An example to follow is Washington. They added Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren with medium deals that resulted in a top tier backstop for them. And it should be noted that they also made a series of medium deals that helped to infuse the roster with vigor for a fading SC team that was starting to age and fade. That's what happens when you have a smart front office that is creative and resourceful. Compare that to our rickety operation led by a dullard GM and an obtuse owner?

No.

Of course not. I said that if it was the deal, one for one, I would pounce on it. And what I also said is that if Byrum was thrown in the deal I would with no hesitation walk away.

I have no problem being laughed off. I would hang up and move on.

In a previous post you were willing to throw in Byrum into the deal. That would bring me to an absolute no because I would prefer using him in another deal.

A more proper evaluation is that the Sabres would have a better record if a more consistent goalie was in net.

My hairstylist asked me how would I like my hair cut. I told her to cut the gray off. I ended up leaving the establishment very bald. On the positive side I now where my Bills cap a lot.

You have a keen eye in recognizing that my position is grounded in my having more faith/expectations in our players than many here have. We shall see.