JohnC

An overview of the game: Florida sat out their top 6 players. This Florida team is a Cup contending team. Overall, they had an edge in play using many backup players. We ended up losing in a shootout. So if this is a team measuring stick game against an upper tier team, how much farther do the Sabres have to improve to become a serious team? And the bigger question is how do you do that with KA as your GM and TP as your owner?

Why not both? Your first sentence indicates why he has been such a failure. When Ullmark didn't sign a deal in the last year of his contract, he should have put a lot more attention on focusing on that position. A GM is supposed to anticipate and properly respond to "just in case" options. As you have pointed out in a prior post, even if he didn't know that Ullmark wouldn't sign a new contract, what he did know is that Ullmark didn't sign another contract before it expired. The result is that the GM left the team in a vulnerable situation with respect to that critical position.

I just have a few items on my list that need to be done. 1.) The most important issue in my view is the goalie position. He needs a good option to UPL. I'm not advocating ditching him, but the GM has to have a backup option in case that UPL doesn't step up. I wouldn't mind bringing Reimer back. 2.) Get a legitimate #2 defenseman to pair with Power. Ideally, it would be a more rugged defensive oriented partner. 3.) Add another second-line forward to the roster. That would be in addition to Norris. Our GM took a rebuild within approach that heavily relied on a draft and develop strategy. The hope is that players such as Quinn, Power, JJP, Kulich will progress as players. I believe that what I'm suggesting are doable. Again, the goalie issue is the most important issue that needs to be addressed. What Reimer has demonstrated during his recent play is that this team can succeed when it has consistently good goaltending.

No one is arguing that team defense doesn't needs to be improved. But that doesn't preclude this front office from upgrading the netminding. It might turn out that UPL lifts his game and surpasses many of our expectations. That would be wonderful. What this mediocre GM can't do is assume that UPL will step up and provide the level of backstopping that is good enough to make this a more competitive team. If the GM bets on UPL without an option if he doesn't (or gets hurt), then he will be acting at a dereliction of duty level.

I respectfully but strenuously disagree.

Put Tuch on the top line and his offensive stats would be even higher. On this team he should a first or second line player. And as I said in a prior post, his stats don’t capture his importance to this team. He’s a good NHL player that a lot of teams would love to have.

If he departed it would leave a major void on this roster. The way this team is currently assembled I would now consider him to be an indispensable player. Stats don't reflect his value to this team. He has attributes on and off the ice that when measured understate his true value to this team. When it comes to contract negotiation, this player is in the driver seat of this flat-tired bus of this deflated franchise. As someone else stated: The issue is more does he want to be here than the franchise's desire to sign him.

A punitive one!

Power was the consensus #1 rated prospect in his draft class. He didn’t dominate that class from a rating perspective but on most teams draft boards was the top name. Power is not a banger and never will be. He’s a skater and positional defender. Some people have difficulty accepting his game. I’m not one of them. He’s not going anywhere.

The coach is trying to balance the lines. I would move Tuch up and Quinn down.

Drlnk slowly to get your $$$$ worth.

How much is a stadium beer?

So what If the contract he signs results in the backside of the contract being an over payment. That's not an unusual outcome in these extended contracts; it's a standard feature of these contracts. The standard outcome for these types of long-term contracts is that the player in the first half to two thirds of the contract produce at a reasonable rate of return, and then there is a decline in production. That's a normal occurrence for every team in the league. I'm not bothered by it. The historical problem for this plagued franchise is that it makes poor judgments on which players to reward and not to reward with these extended contracts. Tuch is a player who should be rewarded for putting up with the shiiiiit that he has had endure after being trading from a championship franchise to this clown show operation that he got stuck with.

Was Adams the GM who declined to sign Reinhardt when the player was willing to sign the extension? My sense is that Ullmark wanted to string KA along in contract negotiations so he could finish his UFA contract and get in the open market. When you run a dysfunctional franchise the incentive is for players to maneuver to get out. Hopefully the tide is changing in that area where players are more receptive to sign contracts to stay.

You accurately described where he should be pegged as a player. He's a third or even a fourth pairing player. Is he an upgrade from Joki or Bryson? Yes.

I'm not saying you are wrong but I don't see that happening. Also, he isn't playing up to his contract value but his game as of late has been stabilized and consistent. I'm sure it can be attributed to the Dahlin pairing. The bigger issue is who will be paired with Power and where will that player come from?

I don't think it is likely that Samuelsson gets moved. The inhibiting feature of his potential movement is his swollen contract.

Based on the figures you posted I would keep Byram. Better value and more cap flexibility.

Sometimes being unnoticeable is not a bad thing for young players. That indicates that he is not a glaring liability, especially in the defensive zone. Would it be better for him to play another year in the AHL and given more time to physically develop? My position for all players is that you earn your spot and role. No more of this "not blocking" and rushing prospects before they are ready. If he shines in camp and outperforms other roster candidates, then he will have earned the right to secure a roster spot. Next year, Norris and Greenway should be back and ready to go. The talent pool is increasing enabling us to handle injuries better and create more internal competition. That's a good thing.

What has been the team’s record since the trades? The other teams made deals that helped each of the teams to win the Cup. What happened to the Sabre’s post trades? The Sabres continued to wallow in the muck of mediocrity. There is a simple and understandable scorecard in sports: your re record. It is what it is.

He's had a terrific year and is our unsung hero. And he is being impactful while playing on a lower line than his talent should be on. He's big, fast, tough, and does the dirty work on behalf of the team. In addition to his scoring production, he's our best PK player. On top of all that his leadership is demonstrated more by how he plays than by his talk. It's a shame that his terrific season isn't rewarded by having the opportunity to participate in the playoffs.

According to the box score, the attendance was 13,709. There's still a lot more this franchise needs to do to win back the paying customers. The Sabres are doing well right now in its typical end of season run that will again result in this team watching the playoffs from the couch. This has been going on for a generation. This is an important offseason. The owner and GM can't allow it to be mostly another status quo offseason. Urgency most be demonstrated to what is now a withered fanbase.

Why?

I have underestimated his ability to play on a top two line because I thought he was limited offensively. I'm slowly but steadily altering my position on him because he has demonstrated albeit in an early stage that he can improve offensively. It will come when he gets stronger. He has more offensive upside than I originally thought. My hope is that players like Quinn, JJP, Kulich and Power continue on an upward trajectory. The GM and franchise are counting/betting on it. In addition, although it is still very early to make a judgment, I'm impressed with Östlund's mature play in the little that I have seen of him.

That's a fair response. I think he will get better while a number of people are skeptical that he will. I can't blame others for having a different viewpoint because his play has been uneven. The issue for him is whether he is willing to play a grittier game that goes beyond his offensive game. TBD.