JohnC

The repeating mistake is that the people who drove you into the ditch are now expected to drive you out of the ditch. This was the offseason where the owner's focus right after the season concluded should have been on finding the right Head of Hockey Operations and a new GM. The stubborn owner seemed to be flummoxed to the point of being frozen. It's a sad state of affairs.

As I see it, the enforcer addition isn't our biggest need. It is finding tougher players who play more physically. What I would love to get is another Zucker-like player or two, only younger, and have a better balance between finesse/skill players and hard-nosed players. Greenway doesn't fight much but he is a presence that influences how the opposition reacts to our players. The same imbalance in unit construction applies to our blue line. Adding a couple more rugged defensive-minded blueliners would also give us a better group to handle the rigors of NHL play, especially in the defensive zone. The style of play in the playoffs gets a lot tougher and tighter compared to regular season play. When watching post season games it is evident that the way our team is built couldn't handle the rigors of playoff hockey. The more critical issue is not so much as adding talent but adding the right mix of talent to the team. As an example, I like Byram a lot but would be willing to trade him for the Rangers' K'Andre Miller. Although I believe that Byram is the more talented player, Miller would be more valuable for us because he adds something that this team lack.

The unknown for me is the relationship between the Senior Advisor and the GM. What is the power balance when there is a difference of opinion on players and other issues such as contracts? Whose voice will be more influential if an issue is brought to the owner, whether he wants to stay engaged or not. There certainly could be a lot of upsides for the GM to have a wise sounding board to discuss issues with. Who has the last say? In general, I would think that the GM would be the final authority, but I'm not sure it would be so in this case because our GM has lost some stature due to his performance in office.

Without a doubt, there are rugged defenders than can be puck carriers. However, their acquisition costs are much higher (if available) than a more conservative defender in his zone. In my view, we need maybe two of those more physical defenders to recast the unit. And those type of players should be more attainable than the more valued rugged defender who can carry the puck. For the most part, we're not disagreeing here. The issue is what more doable. We have a good asset in Byram. I like him a lot but we need to remold the blueline to better balance out the unit. When you have an overlapping asset then use it smartly to fill a need.

If you believe that the Russian will be contributing in a year or so, I would say no. I would rather trade Bryam for some immediate help on the blueline, a defenseman who has different attributes (rugged) than a puck carrying defenseman. With the assets that this organization has there are no excuses for not adding two defensemen to the unit that change the character of it. And it should be noted, contrary to the group thinking here I would prefer keeping Samuelsson. At least for now.

Terry and his non-meddling. Hire the right people, empower them and stay out of the way. A recipe for success.

The issue here isn’t bringing in similar styled players. I agree that there needs to be a different mix. We can still refashion the defense corps without letting these two young defensemen go. I recommend patience. It will pay dividends.

It was enjoyable watching the fans having a great time. It seemed that every adult had a beer in their hand. They were really into the game. Compared to the lacrosse fans the hockey fans have been cheated.

They will then turn it on. Hurry up and go! 😀 He was the MVP in this game.

Stop watching; you are jinx.

Bandits are cooking. Fans in a frenzy!

I do like Byram a lot. However, he's an asset that can be dealt and used to better round out the unit. I would be very receptive for a Byram to the Rangers for K'Andre Miller. Would this trade be an equal value deal from a talent standpoint? No. Byram is the more talented player, in my opinion. However, acquiring this big, rugged defenseman would better round out the unit. And as you point out with Bernard Decker and I noted with Samuelsson, most often there is a time lag for players to become good defenseman. It's a tough position to play. My same reasoning applies to the Power critique. Be more patient and the talent will be more actuated.

The more telling indicator is the number of players who have Buffalo on their no trade clauses. Pro players are competitive by nature. A franchise that can’t qualify to make the playoffs in nearly a generation certainly makes this location less appealing for many players if given a choice. It need not be that way because this location does have many attractive assets.

If the organization can get it together and be a relevant team this would be an appealing destination for a lot of players, of course not all. One of the biggest advantages that Buffalo has is its proximity to southern Ontario and Toronto, an area where many players come from and reside in the offseason. Right now, our reputation for dysfunction is deeply ingrained and acknowledged in the hockey world. The only way that this accurate perception is going to change is for this franchise to be run more professionally. The owner has to show more urgency that he will do what he has to do to turn things around and make this franchise more appealing.

I'm with you on not giving up on Samuelsson. There's no question that he has struggled and not played up to his prematurely rewarded contract. But as you point out, it's not unusual for it to take time for defenseman to find their game. He's had to contend with a series of injuries that have set him back. I thought when paired with Dahlin at the end of the season that he played solidly and consistently. He's a target of scorn because he didn't intervene on a Dahlin hit. He was internally held to account and seemed to be chastened after that. I'm not sure what pairing he will be slotted in but I do see him maturing and finding a role suitable for his style of play that relies on skating and moving the puck forward. He's not a banger and never will be. He needs to be placed in a role that is in accordance to his best assets, not his worst assets.

Does Dudley still live in western NY?

Appreciate the updates.

In reading this thread what becomes apparent is that there are so many options to pursue. I will be highly upset this off-season if it becomes mostly a status quo off-season. The GM has assets to parley including cap space to work with that other teams don’t have. It’s my belief that with a few judicious moves this flailing team can be stabilized and made to be relevant again.

The issue isn’t which player is better. I agree with you that Bryan is the greater talent. However, it is essential that the blue line needs to be reconstituted in order to play a tougher brand of defense.

If we start to think alike I will be troubled and have to reconsider. 😀 I strongly agree with you that the blue line needs to be reconstituted and the goalie position needs to be addressed this off-season. I still believe that the goalie position is the first priority. Counting on UPL to be the primary goalie is a loser’s bet.

Your son personifies what a hero is. It's a person who faces obstacles all through the journey of life without being deterred. Not only does he overcome those challenges, but he masters them. He's not afraid to get off the path he is comfortably on because he has the courage to pursue the challenges of the unknown. Nothing was handed to him. He worked hard and was persistent. A lot of people mistakenly view courage and bravery from a physical and combative standpoint. That's a shallow way to look at those admirable traits. Based on the thumb sketch of what your son had to deal with all his life it's obvious that he possesses internal strength and character at a level that sets him apart from most of us. I'm sure you are proud of your son and also am sure that your son is proud of his parents who set the example for him to shine in life. Congratulations.

What do you think of this proposed trade with the Rangers? Byram for K'Andre Miller and Will Borgen. If we have to include a draft pick, as long as it is not a first round pick, and/or a medium prospect such as Rosen to get this deal done, I would be receptive to it. What this trade will do for us is toughen up our blueline unit and make it more physical. I don't know who we should pursue for the goalie position but it is an imperative position to address. If KA goes into the season with UPL Ipenciled in as our #1 goalie, he should be arrested for felonious negligence. This position is the top issue for this franchise.

My impending fear is that the Sabres stay stuck on the road to mediocrity and a player like Tuch concludes that it is in his best interest to take an off-ramp to liberation. It's got to bother him that the team he was traded from wins the Cup and is a regular playoff participant while the team he goes to is plagued with organizational dysfunction that has perennially kept him on the couch watching playoff games of other teams. Careers are short and quickly pass by. It won't be surprising that when he has contract leverage to move on, that he will use it. And even a bigger fear is what happens when Dahlin gets fed up with his plight to the point where he says get me out of here! If Jack with a long-term contract could do it with wonderful results, then why can't I. Few people expect this perturbing owner to act out of desperation and order a flurry of action to demonstrate that he cares. What is the most bothersome is that there isn't even a demonstration of urgency to do what is required to do to become a relevant team. Cruising along when you are on the same road to failure is gesture to fans that I don't care. I just don't understand this owner.

In isolation, it would be difficult to sign Marner at his expected salary and then be able to address the RFAs. But that doesn't preclude the Sabres making transactions that subtract salary. Juggling contracts, such as bringing in and shipping out contracts, is what every GM is required to do the cap system.

The point I'm making and stressing is that just because you can't get the bonanza deal done doesn't mean that you can't make enough smart moves that will consequentially improve your roster. The model to follow are the Washington Capitals. Over the past two years, their GM made at least a half a dozen deals that weren't headline deals, yet dramatically remade the team. Including in those deals were the addition of their two goalies who were an excellent tandem. It can be done. If you have a GM who is creative and enterprising, there are good deals to be made. The Sabres are in a lot better position to participate in the market than most teams. We have a number of good prospects in the system, some players on their current roster that can be dangled (most notably Byram), some cap room and draft pick to parlay. It can be done!