JohnC

I was struck by the comments made that money was a primary consideration for him as if it sullied his motivation. Not only was it an important consideration but if it wasn't then he is a dope. When looking at the decision and considering which teams would be most appealing for him it would be the teams that offered him the most money and gave him a short enough deal to get back into the free agent market when the economic environment was healthier. Related to that money issue what enhances Hall's future contract's prospects is that he would be playing with an elite player that would help him to enhance his game and burnish his stats for his next contract negotiation. In addition, on the plus side for him is that he is playing for a coach that he knows well and respects. And to top off the plus side of the argument where to play is that he is playing on a team that is close to his home and family. What is apparent in the many interviews for the Buffalo market that have surfaced is that he is a bright and thoughtful person. Some people may be surprised at his decision but what can't be denied is that he fully examined his options and made a very reasoned decision that was in his best interest. To be honest I'm still stunned that he landed in Buffalo. I may be a bit dizzy but I'm also ecstatic.

According to this article by Chad DeDominicis the answer is yes. https://www.diebytheblade.com/2020/8/5/21355224/buffalo-sabres-loan-arttu-ruotsalainen-back-to-ilves-until-further-notice-liiga

With the probable compressed schedule it is likely that more injuries, including nagging injuries that need rest to heal, will require players to fill in. Whether Arttu makes the big club roster or starts off in Rochester there will be a need to have a reserve of players to draw from. Getting him a lot of playing time in Rochester and allowing him to acclimate to NHL sized rinks may be the best route for him. The grind of a compressed schedule is going to take a physical toll on the players. The teams that have the most depth not only on their teams but in their systems will have an advantage.

Don't get greedy. Just subtract one and replace with one.

I don't think that Okposo will be on the second line. However, if he does find himself on that more talented line it would be terrific if he would be more involved in the scoring. He's a fine fellow that one roots for.

Not eight. Just six or seven to cause some congestion. 🤡

What is exciting about the prospects of this team next year as you indicate in your scoring listing is that there is enough talent to disperse it throughout all the lines. Getting sufficient secondary scoring has been a problem area for years. Although our top line should be the most productive pressure will be taken off it because other teams can't load up on that single line. Also, with the players you listed our PP should be able to put together two good units.

What you are concluding is the direct opposite of what I said in my multiple posts. How you came to your conclusion about bias in the "news" is mystifying. What I did say is that the news industry of the past also had biases just as it does today. That's why I recommended going to a variety of sources to make your judgments.

With respect to Eichel trade rumor it wasn't a rumor. A team made an inquiry. Our GM even acknowledged it. So what. Swirling rumors that have substance and do not have substance are part of landscape. You can't avoid it. Sometimes it is smart to acknowledge it and sometimes not. Sometimes rumors can cause internal problems with players and sometimes it causes problems for management. It's part of the nuisance that all sides of the business have to deal with. As you noted it's part of the landscape in the political, business, entertainment etc. The bottom line is when you are in an environment you can't control then you learn to live and adjust to it. What other option is there?

Many stories if not most stories do get spun. That's the reality. It comes from the eyes of the reporter/s. So that shouldn't be surprising that there is a human element to the reporting. That is why it's a good idea to get your information from a variety of sources.

It's a different world out there than the so called good old days. And it has been different for a long time. And don't kid yourself the olden days of the editorial tinge not being involved in the paper in general never existed. It's a figment of one's clouded memory.

You as a person who diligently and intelligently follows the sport should be discerning enough to know what is what. When making a determination it is not about a report but a collection of reports that should give you a more accurate depiction of what is happening. What makes sports fun to follow beyond the wins and losses are listening to different views and having different views.

The Sabres should do this and not that. This player is better than that player. The coach is good or is it bad. When you are in the opinion business you give opinions. When you are reporting about the law business you give opinions. When you are reporting about the entertainment business you give opinions. When covering politics and the financial field often involves giving opinions. etc. etc.

How do rumors and misinformation leveraged by teams' social media and fanbases against opponents weaken their competitiveness? The nature of sports includes a lot of surrounding noise from a variety of sources. That is an inescapable part of the entertainment business. And it is good for business because it promotes interest in it.

What do you expect reporters or those involved in the sports media world to do on TV, radio, internet, blogs, twitter etc to do? Be bland and spout statistics or the company line. One of the central purposes of this industry is to give their opinions and promote interest? They are talking sports to entertain and to stir reactions. What's wrong with that? What do you want them to do?

Rivet is infatuated with Thompson and has been so for quite a while. But the point he is making emphasizing weight and strength with Thompson and to a lesser extent with Dahlin is that there is a transition period for young players who haven't entered the adult stage from a physical standpoint. As he often states it is growing into an adult body. He calls it Man Strength. It would be a major bonus for this team if a young player such as Thompson made a quantum leap forward and became the player that was expected for a first round pick. Because of his height and gangly stature the maturation process was going to take him longer than other touted younger players. Let's hope that he has finally gotten to that level.

In defense of not just this show but radio shows in general where there are multiple hosts and interviews it is really a difficult challenge to have a timely flow when all the participants are on remote. You just do your best to adjust to this new contaminated world and hope that it ends sooner rather than later.

The Instigator Show that Biron often appears on is at times chaotic. The hosts are far from being polished. That doesn't bother me. In general, I enjoy listening to hockey talk especially about the home team. This link was Biron on the Howard and Jeremy Show. Marty Biron is a very congenial and engaging fellow. But his friendliness and wordiness belie his detailed knowledge of the league and its players. In my opinion he is a very astute hockey analyzer. And to his credit although he is an ardent Sabre fan he is in my opinion still an objective commentator when discussing their play and talent.

The attached 16 min link is a WGR segment with Marty Biron yesterday commenting on the Hall signing. Needless to say he is ecstatic with the signing. He stated that he considered our top two lines collectively as one of the better top six groupings in the league. He also noted that with the additions that included Hall this team is a faster team and will be able to push the pace which is a hallmark in Krueger's hockey philosophy. He also noted that he still believes that although the team has good defensive players it still has to sort out and figure out how the players will be used. Biron again stated that he has felt that our goal situation still could be upgraded through a trade but for him it wasn't his main priority. https://www.radio.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy

As you well know Krueger is one of the most congenial and articulate interviewees. Even during the times of team struggles he continued to maintain his composure and congeniality in probing interviews. The only time I have seen him get agitated and curtly respond was on a WGR segment being asked about adding Skinner to the Jack line. This is an issue that bothers him. I don't believe it is a personal issue with the player as much as it is a style of play of Skinner. Without question it deviates from his demand of playing two way hockey from one end of the rink to the other end of the rink. Skinner's style of play involves some floating and not a lot of tight checking. That is anathema to Krueger's philosophy and system. I'm hoping that the coach and the player can come to an acceptable accommodation. I like Krueger as a coach. I just wish that he was a little more flexible allowing Skinner to play to his strength (goal scoring) and have less angst with his looser defensive style of play. Skinner is capable of being a 30-40 goal scorer. We need him to get back to that level.

Krueger is person who is careful with his words. He knew he would be asked about the goaltending situation. His carefully crafted response was: "At the moment, they are our goaltenders. " When a verbal ace like Krueger gives you a legal and noncommittal response then the meaning should be clear to everyone other than the dullards. It's obvious that the organization is looking for an upgrade probably for the backup goalie. With a probable compressed schedule addressing the goalie position is an imperative.

We are for the most part in accord. And we are in accord on the PK issue and the goaltending factor in its diminution. There is no doubt that with the addition of Staal and Hall the roster has been upgraded. And if you add in the fact that last year we had a lot of young players (Dahlin, Joki, Tage etc) on this roster whose trajectory is still upward. It is expected that with the internal improvement it should be an elevating factor. I won't say that last year's roster was a playoff roster because as you well know it was an incomplete roster. Simply too many holes. On the other hand with a little more attention to detail like the PK it was a fringe playoff caliber team not far away from qualifying for the playoffs. And another uplifting factor is that many of the players will be more familiar with Krueger's philosophy/system of responsible full rink play.

Right now the call up option is Jonas Johansson. Is he good enough? I don't know? I'm queasy about the situation.

Let's stand back and assess the roster. The top two lines however they end up being constituted are staffed with players who meet the standard of players who genuinely fit those roles. Because of the acquisitions of Hall and Staal it will push players to lower lines where they are better suited. The defensive corps without question has enough quality players to put together a genuine first and second pairing unit. Dahlin, Joki, Risto, Montour and stretching it a bit McCabe. There is enough talent within the group to spread to the third and lower pairing to make this unit a solid to good unit. There will probably be some player shuffling becomes of some overlapping attributes but in general this is a solid to good unit. The big question mark that is widely recognized is the goaltending. If Ullmark continues his upward trajectory as he did last season then he should be a solid goaltender. The big question mark and a bigger issue in a season with a compressed schedule is Hutton. Are his eye issues resolved? I don't know. Can he return to form and become an adequate backup? I'm not sure. Marty Biron has often stated that as long as Hutton is not over-used he is not troubled having him as a backup. It shouldn't be forgotten that the Sabres brought in some mid-tier players who should help to upgrade the PK, a major deficiency last year. With the added talent, the internal improvement and tightening of play on the PK and goaltending this is a very competitive to good team.

Attached is a 14 min interview with Krueger on WGR. He talks about the Hall acquisition and his knowledge of the player and person. He also superficially goes into the possible line combinations. It appears that he has already put some thought into where on the lines Olofsson and Cozens fit. He also talks about the other recent acquisitions. It's apparent that Krueger has a philosophy on how to build a roster and that it is his concepts that are being implemented by the GM. https://www.radio.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy