JohnC

No. I’m not taking the fanciful route you are on. I strongly believe that Quinn shouldn’t be moved right now. Don’t misinterpret what I’m advocating for. There is no question that moves have to be made to reconfigure this roster. But it has to be done thoughtfully and judiciously, and not out of frustration. The most impactful move the GM has to make is add a credible goalie. If that is not done then everything else done will be undercut.

It would be a big mistake to trade away Quinn for even a more rugged replacement. His offensive skills that revolve around his shooting are too good to deal off. It would be so exasperating to see him scoring a lot of goals for another team. Grinders are more easily acquired than skilled offensive players like him. If the GM is going to error on this particular player, it should done after more patience is exhibited.

For those of you who are more familiar with Norris than I am, how good is he? Can he be a legitimate #1 C or is he more suited to be a #2 C? As a center is he more inclined to shoot or pass? If he works out as either a 1 or 2 C it would be such a positive compared to when Cozens struggled along as a 2C. From the previous post where @dudacek posted some proposed lines, you can see the roster building out with some reserve when Benson and Kulich are considered to be in the roster mix. As has been frequently stated, the defense and goaltending need to be addressed this offseason. If that can happen (big challenge) then this should be a playoff team, in my opinion.

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The real issue is will they be vying for the top 6. I like Benson a lot. However, if he is on the top line again, then I'm worried.

Responding to the highlighted question, I would say the current roster balance is still problematic . A couple more rugged and defense-minded players need to be added to the blueline mix, and another Zucker-like (younger) player brought in. As @GASabresIUFAN has repeatedly pointed out, the goalie position needs to be addressed. If that doesn't happen, the positives will be neutralized. This offseason shouldn't be about dramatically remaking the roster as it should be about making a few judicious moves that better balance the roster mix. Also, to state the obvious, a lot is going to be riding on the young players getting better. If the development in our young players doesn't rise to a sufficient level, this franchise will again be rowing a boat against a strong current i.e. not moving forward.

Not being sober is one way to deal with a gut wrenching sight. The problem is the residual throbbing headache.

Most people agree that altering the mix on the blueline is a priority. In my view, the most impactful thing our GM should do this off-season is bring in a solid goaltender. (As you noted.) If that issue isn’t adequately addressed, little will have changed.

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Will my proposed line of Quinn/Kulich/JJP work next season? We won't know for sure until tried. However, what I'm not going to do is dismiss the possibility based on the prior season's play. Most people will agree that all three players need to get stronger and tougher. Will they physically mature and toughen up their style of play? That's yet to be determined. What I'm not going to do is have a predetermined view on the possibility. Assuming that none of the three listed players are dealt, and that is not a safe assumption because Quinn and JJP could be dangled on the market, I can see the possibility of this young line. I'm not saying you are wrong. or your stance is invalid because it is certainly reasonable. We shall see. TBD.

If we can add another Zucker and Tuch like players to the roster this offseason it will result in a lot of line flexibility and depth. Assuming that these youngsters are kept, a lot is riding on them maturing and getting better.

A Quinn/Kulich/Peterka line appeals to me. All players on the line can shoot and skate. Not sure if I would want them as our second line. They would make for an interesting third line.

In general. I disagree with your take but do heartedly agree with you about the poor roster construction and the necessity to add more grit and toughness to the roster. But let's be realistic about our talent base and player roles with a substandard team. I like Benson a lot but on any credible team he would not be playing on the first line. The same judgment applies to Peterka who also did play on the first line. There are no upper tier teams that would have had him playing on their first lines at his stage of development. Samuelsson played on the first pairing as the season wound down. And I would say that he did a decent job. But what serious team would have him playing a first pairing role? I'm comfortable in saying none. Teams with fuller rosters are able to play players in the roles they are suited for. For many players here, they are playing an elevated roll because there is a dearth of talent, at least compared to competitive teams. The mismatch is clearly due to insufficient talent on the roster. It's obvious to all that Sabres have a number of problematic roster issues. In believe that much of it can be attributed to a lack of required talent. Exhibition of class and grace.

It shouldn't be a surprise that when players play with a better cast of players their performances usually improve. Conversely, when players play on a team with a lesser talent base their production numbers decline. Basically, if you improve the team, it will rise the production tide for other players.

Qualifying to make the playoffs might be a minimal achievement for most teams but as a Sabre fan I would be ecstatic. You can't have high expectations until you prove that you can meet lower expectations. When going up on a ladder you take one step at a time.

I understand the sentiment you are referring to. My response is not so much about being petty as it is a reflection of a mind-set coming from a person who gets teased as if they are an inferior. No one likes being treated in such a demeaning way. But the ugly truth of the matter is that the Sabre franchise is an inferior franchise relative to the rest of the league. We have an owner who has presided over this franchise for a generation of failure. It's a chaotically and amateurishly managed operation competing against organizations that are professionally managed. Neither of us enjoy being ridiculed. However, it shouldn't be surprising that this unserious franchise does get mocked. The scorn that this faltering franchise attracts is well deserved. The best way to respond is to become a serious franchise that is a factor in the league other than being a doormat. My ire is targeted to the owner who has debased the franchise and its fading fan base and not outside targets. Don't get angry with them when the problem is within our own house. That's my basic point on my commentary on this topic.

Excellent review of value of an asset that should have multi-team interest.

We also have assets such as prospects and draft picks to dangle. On the Quinn, Samuelsson and JJP availability I would rather keep them but that doesn't mean that I'm completely closed off to deals that give us a return that upgrades the roster. I would love to add players in the same mold of McCleod and Zucker to the roster. What did we give up for them? McCleod was added for a good prospect in a system that has other replacement prospects. How about scanning the RFA players such as Zucker whose cost would be less due to the contract status. We'll get a player, even if for one year, who is incentivized to produce the next season. It certainly worked out well for us with the Zucker transaction. What we need from this dullard organization is a little creativity and imagination from the front office this offseason. The problem is that so far KA hasn't shown that creative ability to make enough of those type of deals to sufficiently improve our roster better. As I have previously stated, I'm not advocating for a bonanza deal/s that strip the young talent from our roster. What I'm looking for is a number of medium B deals that better balance this incongruous roster.

What’s a disgrace is that Toronto fans have the ability to fill up the arena because there are so many unsold seats and seats being sold by the hometown ticket holders. That in itself is a freaking disgrace that opposition fans are more willing to attend than hometown fans. You want to be mad about the situation? Focus your venom on the obtuse owner with the big boat who has crushed this franchise and fanbase with his foolishness. And it should be noted that his absurd ridiculousness has been going on for a generation.

I don't know what you are getting out. My point is simply that being gleeful at another team's failures, when their failures are still miles ahead of your own puny successes, is ridiculous. Pathetic losers who derive satisfaction at snickering at people who failed yet are more successful than the biggest losers in the chortling crowd should show some grace and be silent. You may not be aware of it but you are embarrassing yourself when you do that. (Not singling out anyone but stating my comments in general.) It's like a 300 lb. slob telling a person who is a few pounds overweight that they are fat. The lack of self-awareness is stunning. I apologize if I'm coming off as a scold. It's not my intention to be judgmental. But being a Sabre fan under the ownership of a fool owner has resulted in skewing how a lot of people view things.

As a Sabre fan I’m not going to be gleeful about another team losing the seventh game in the second round when my team hadn’t even qualified to make the playoffs in a generation and still counting. The Toronto fans are angry that they didn’t go on to win the Cup. Their expectations may be unrealistic but at least they have them. What are the Sabre fans’ expectations? Low! Just qualify. Compare Toronto’s ownership to our owner who is silent and clueless? Our owner has created a franchise where not only do players with a NMT clause don’t want to come here but also our best players exerted themselves to get out of this cluster (F—k) franchise. I’m not going to mock the Toronto fans for being disappointed because they outshine us to the extent they fill their arena every game while our arena is often half empty and silent. It’s gotten so bad that when Toronto plays in Buffalo they have more fans in the arena cheering on their team. How embarrassing is that!!!!???? I choose to be silent and not snide about another fan base’s playoff outcome disappointment because as a Sabre fan I’m not in position to snicker at anyone else. This is where our obtuse owner has relegated us to. I detest what he has done to this franchise and fan base. He should be ashamed of himself. The problem is that shameless people can’t be shamed.

I don't see Tuch and JJP moved; and I would be happy if that they get under contract. I'm receptive to dealing Byram and would be open to dealing our first round pick in a package to get either defensive help or even a second line caliber of forward. A lot of people want Quinn dealt. That would be a mistake. Granted that last season he was a disappointment but he finished the season indicating a glimpse that there is still plenty of upside with this young player. A would love to see a line composed with Quinn/Kulich/Peterka. I may be a rarity in this group but I don't want to give up on Samuelsson. When he finished the season paired with Dahlin I thought he played well and his game was consistent. I would have no qualms in dispatching UPL and bringing in another veteran goalie who is younger than Reimer. I'm not in the group vociferously arguing for a blockbuster deal/s to demonstrate a willingness to be bold. If we could add a younger Zucker type player, a rugged defensive oriented blueliner and another goalie, and with the return of Greenway, this lineup should be a tougher and grittier group. It's not talked about as much as it should be but, in my opinion, our biggest need is in net.

You make a insightful point in your description of the Bryson re-signing of the one dimensional thinking our GM exercises when making player and contract decisions. He seems to lack the big picture vision that involves balancing the present and future needs. He’s a checkers player playing in a big stakes chess match. He’s an earnest fellow who is simply overmatched with the multi-faceted job he is in. The owner is the person who created this fiasco. What makes this situation even worse is that our owner is a stubborn rich fellow who is reluctant to acknowledge his mistakes. When the person driving the misdirected bus has an attitude that when lost, continue on and hope that eventually you will get back on track. Such a ridiculous situation!

You just defined the word “ Byzantine” in your description of the organizational structures that the owner established. My head was spinning trying to follow the different iterations of the organization’s front offices. It was/is like a Russian bureaucracy that Putin would be proud of.