JP51

Like did that dude really know when he started yapping he was dealing with a professional athlete whose job it was to knock people out... LOL

A lot to like about McTavish... really solid size, offensive upside... I would consider this a win I think if we could get him...

Glad to see Cliff doing so well... wonder if the Glasgow team will out sell the Sabres in tickets this year... lol... Stay tuned...

I think you find out a lot about players after they sign the big deal... some coast... I think we are seeing that with Power, maybe Muel... others try to elevate their game I think like Dahlin and Thompson... I think that helps you identify the type of players you want... I have not given up on Power... probably have on Muel but am willing to see... but if we see the same this year they are part of the problem not the solution... just my thoughts..

I am fine to wait... I think we always want to judge trades and draft picks right away for winners and losers... if you judged the Oreilly Thompson trade day 1 we gotta annihilated... judge it now... both teams probably won... that said... not sure how you judge a Peterka trade by what he does with Byram... and I think further... what are we really expecting to get for Byram.... very unlikely we get a skilled vet player of the same quality offensively that Byram was defensively... more than likely we get multiple pieces in a border line 3rd liner and a combo of picks and prospects to create a semblance of fairness... Not many vets will come here as this team is the bain of professional sports existence for all time... so I am legitimately wondering what you think we may get back to help us? I am not at all trying to be disparaging... just interested.

Some times bottom 3rd consistently is worse than bottom 3... but over 14 years we have been both and we have proven that we can screw both up... so there is that.... But to your point, especially in football when you must have a QB that 10-12 range is the worst to be in... Its why I look at teams like the Steelers and go.. dude cut bait and go get your guy..

I tend to agree with you... I don't know how much TP needs to see to make him get rid of his Binky KA ... like rationalizing with a child... Dude, you are 14 time to leave Carlos the stuffed Cat home .... I do not believe he has this burning desire to win... he just doesn't want nightmares cause he doesn't have his Binky the only thing that is going to move him I believe is when the core players all head for the exit... he has proven that he doesn't care what the fans thing or what the results are.. that may be the only thing that gets him to act... we shall see...

I am not sure, but to your point, it certainly is not in Adams modus operandi.... and further I think that is the great hope... the big improvement "play" this offseason... lets get tougher and play better D and we can finally break out... we shall see.

100% Agreed... I also look at those player we got rid of that should be on your list... no need to rehash them and my anger grows... I think further the destruction of the brand has effectively neutered him from actually fixing this... and the risk of losing the players or some of the players you have mentioned... is far far greater than Adams sparking some kind of genius and magically turning this around... yet.. here we are...

I agree with the vast majority here... I would like to agree with 100% meaning that dismissing Adams is a foregone conclusion... I just have seen too much you can't make this sh(t up stuff coming from them... but maybe its a split the difference... maybe it is a forgone conclusion and Adams is in the So your telling me there is a chance category...

LOL IYKYK

I think you are right... and this is one of the reasons I worry about adams managing assets... desperation is a really bad place to deal from... and hopefully there is something in place that limits what he can do there.

And I think he is there for a reason.. for sure... I think he is Pegula's contingency, I think ultimately he gets this year to really look at our current roster and formulate his own plan should what I think is likely and this is Adams last year... and credit where its due... if indeed that is where we are at then at least Pegula is showing some kind of pulse and prep... We can debate if JK is the right guy for sure, I am agnostic... I just dont know... but some one will need to set a new course if the reset button is hit and the FO undergoes change after their 15th year of failure... if Adams proves us all wrong.. well then... he is at least another good asset in the FO... JK is really no lose for TP. IMO

100% I said the same thing in a previous post.. TP has let this get way too far... so he wants Adams to say... well fine.. he has this year.. if he fails this year... TP is gonna find out pretty quick as Dahlin, Tuch and Thompson are likely gonna make the decision obvious... and look to leave... sad thing is I think they want to stay, I think they don't want to be known as "One of those players" but how many years of their career are they going to spend in futility... I cant blame them... I can only hope that Adams is not in charge of their disposal...

What's funny is I look at these situations too and try to assess fair value etc... I always come back to we need to finally get the best player in the trade... and for once lets us be the team that creates the "equal" value with players and prospects or whatever... Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is the Sabres and especially Kevyn Adams are completely neutered by their situation... we have talked about it ad nauseum NMCs, FA not wanting this cesspool etc.. drastically limiting our options... honestly, it is to the point where I really don't believe a fair trade where we get the best player is possible in these conditions of desperation and horrific leverage... (a LaFontaine for Turgeon trade is impossible) Bottom line is IMO the longer Adams is managing our assets and the condition surrounding the FO, dysfunction, losing etc... continue the more damage he is going to do every time he trades (unless he gets lucky)... the more talent we will bleed out because he simply cant make a fair trade where he is the one upping the talent pool UNLESS he is doing it for prospects or picks.. which of course as you said and are 100% correct will set the fans/board/press off... and the cycle continues... I am beginning to move to a very unpopular place... acceptance that without a new GM and FO as well as a tear down of the existing team there is no way out of this... You might find yourself one of these years making the playoffs and summarily being dismissed and the next year out... etc.. but reasonable hope of contention is really not there... He has this year to prove he is a genius... and can turn the tide... if he fails my initial thoughts I believe will play out... and the ones who will finally cement this will be the Dahlin's and Tuch's and Thompsons who bang the drum to leave... I just hope its not Adams in charge of their disposal... But at this point I believe some level of rebuild is unfortunately inevitable and as much as I hate to say it... prospects and picks are probably once again our best hope as I don't believe he can up our level of talent in these conditions, conditions he played a very big part in... Adams baked the souffle its time to eat and unfortunately its caved in on itself... you probably cant save the souffle...

I get it... I read it that way... but intent is hard to gauge in text... decorated FO... I would say that you are correct here neither Polian or Marv or McD or Beane were decorated... you dont need to be... but you have alot less to prove early on if you already have the accolades... if you dont probably gonna take longer... so I will agree with you there... either way... its cool we dont agree... time will tell and I believe strongly we both hope for the same thing...

My hope... they have things you cant teach... size and skill... mostly... if you can teach them that its ok to use your body to create space and increase the degree of difficulty to play against... not only does that help defensively, but it helps with puck control and offensive transition.... there in lies the big question... can you teach this... will they learn this... do they have it in them to do this... I am not looking for Chara, Chris Pronger or Scott Stevens or Ulf Sammuelsson level of nastiness... but give me a player that uses the body before the stick in the corners and imposes his physical will to make someone pay a price... that would be a dream...

I get what he is saying to a point but that isnt the point... and I agree with you the mix of player might be different or we could have arrived there in a different way for sure... but to me the concept is to identify those players that you have drafted that are special and build around them... You don't need to look past those players that you actually had like Ullmark who won a Vezina or Oreilly, Montour, Eichel, Reinhardt that played significant leadership roles in cup winning teams to understand that your GM is clueless.. you had a generational player in Eichel that you lost because you wouldn't let him get a surgery that he preferred on his own body... the repercussions of that go farther than the player and move to the type of organization that we are and will be with the next person that wants to make a decision in consultation with their physicians on what is best for them... as opposed to your organizational meat grinder... the lack of ability of the FO to identify when they have those types of players on the team and build around them is one of the major downfalls and reasons for this relegation to the abyss...

I think some parts of us (all) are broken to a point because we lower our expectations... its hard not to have broken pieces when you are in a relationship that is toxic like this one... yet... I believe one day... when the acrimony gets so intense that there will be a day of reckoning... Pegula will sell the team OR he will attempt at least to take a different path... attempt to hire a FO office that is experienced and competent, a tear down and rebuild will ensue again.... and maybe we have a chance to build something... tweaking in its current state I agree... it could lead to a playoff appearance at some point... but certainly not the success needed to repair the brand... not sure I even want to set that as my low bar of acceptance (although I would be thrilled to watch playoff hockey) I just don't know that minimal success like that gets us to a place where we can truly try to build a relevant team, despite the fact that we really do need to make the playoffs or players are gonna bail... but will that just postpone what we all think needs to happen.... or are we just happy with an odd 1st rd playoff appearance here and there...

We dont agree... although I find it interesting how you say Buffalo isnt a good place to live, then profess to love it there and its people... Accusing me of not paying attention or otherwise being dumb or ill informed because I believe that with the right atmosphere and culture there will be players who would love living in Buffalo, currently do love it and or would be fine with it during the season is also interesting. Using the Bills as an example attracting the best free agents on the market like Paup, Takeo Spikes, Ted Washington, Sam Adams, Billy Brooks, Quinn Early, etc when we contended in the 90's and the Von Millers, Joey Bosa's etc.. currently to illustrate what FO office competence and winning do to snow and taxes doesn't make me think you are dumb or ill informed because you don't think anyone would ever come here or like it... .I simply just don't agree that we are fatalistically doomed because of our Geography and that there is a path to success... despite the lack of glamour...You don't... ok... hey, its your opinion fair enough.. You don't think any top players would think Buffalo is a worthy destination if we were an up and coming team... with a competent functional FO with a plan... ok, fair enough... I do.. I think there are people who love it in Buffalo... and find it a great place to make a home... others will not... some folks will find LA or NY to be a great place to live... others will not... just my opinion... I read your reaction to my posts as stated above as if I am some kind of an ill informed naive fool... and hey again, your opinion.. think what you need too... but to disparage posters with what I am interpreting as condescension because they don't think like you is your personal choice... I choose not to do that, because I like others opinions... learn from them, gain different perspective... and again we disagree on that.

I understand the difficulty of the position we are in. Long standing acrimony and failure etc.... but you start by getting a FO that is capable and decorated and you begin by drafting and retaining your stars... the Eichels and Reinhardts and Montours... A dream that will never happen.... just not true... Edmonton doesn't have palm trees but they attract players and they went thru am abyss themselves... the Bills went thru it for 20 years... but they gained a competent FO and built around their stars... people come here for less money than they would get to go elsewhere and they play outside. Green Bay would tell you the same thing... bottom line i get your lament and recognize the difficulty but this isn't about palm trees and taxes it's about culture and there is nothing wrong with Buffalo it's a great place to live for some.... LA NYC I would literally never want to live there not my style but to be sure its other peoples... different players would like different settings some love buffalo and stay ... Thomas Kelly Martin Ray Barnaby Hajt etc.. etc... others dont and leave... but to go anyplace to win and get paid well I dont think they care the city they do it in as long as they win... and if that is not their goal i dont want them

I want to be wrong...have Idemo and 7=6=13 and whomever comeback and I told you so all of us to death...

I agree on Quinn, just have a feeling... if there was improvement its fringe... you feel like you may have reshaped the roster to a more complete roster and that may help. To me the bottom line is improvement will come from within... Power takes a step, plays more physical and better d, Quinn last year was an aberation and he takes the Peterka role, Kulick proves he belongs as a top 6, UPL gains consistency, Levi challenges, etc....

I will take your insane and raise you an oblivion... this level of ineptitude and plummet in overall P% hasnt occured with sparks of success in between... this is 14 years and running... 23 year old players were 9 the last time the Sabres made the playoffs... they were 3 the last time there was success... the only narrative they have on the Sabres is perennial loser... always... no hope... dysfunction.... they don't remember the French Connection or Lafontaine and Mogilny and their entire careers have been filled with the we are fleeing hockey hell from other players... to them the Sabres are incompetent like water is wet... that is a brutal narrative to change... especially as we head into a 15th year of dysfunction... literally how can we not be a top 2 bottom destination...

Indeed.... its my brain with the issue LOL