Per Friedman The Sabres are Open For Business

[Thorny]

15 hours ago, Brawndo said:

From This Week’s 31 Thoughts 

 

What a cursed year for Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres.

All we know for certain as I write this is the captain will not play Tuesday night against Philadelphia. Since Monday morning, there’ve been rumours he could be out awhile. It appears as if both he and the Sabres are going to take a few days to gather all information and consider all options. They’re on the road. It might be better to wait until the team gets back after this game.

It’s the right and responsible thing to do; I hope the rumours are wrong.

Eichel showed up to camp injured from something that occurred during off-season training. He hurt his leg on Feb. 23 when getting tangled with Nico Hischier. He was clearly in pain on Sunday after a crosscheck from Casey Cizikas during a loss to the Islanders.

It’s a microcosm for the team’s season — nothing can stay on track.

Head coach Ralph Krueger did what he does — put the most positive spin on things — saying he’s “looking forward to seeing guys step up to the plate for the minutes that Jack is going to be missing here.” Dylan Cozens, a true bright spot, gets promoted to first-line centre between Taylor Hall and Sam Reinhart.

This comes at a huge, huge time for the Sabres. GM Kevyn Adams did not mince words during his media availability last Friday, saying he was “angry.”

“I’ve been empowered by (ownership) to fix this, and that's what I'm going to do,” he added.

Other teams describe them as “wide open” for business, willing to listen on anything and everything. There’s a difference between “listening” and “doing,” of course — just because they’re asked about someone doesn’t mean that person needs to go to Amazon for luggage deals. Adams is working to determine the market value of his players, and from there will come the decisions.

It’s hard to say how the Eichel news effects all of this, but one theory about what Buffalo is considering long-term is one plan with the captain, and one without him. Either way, the decisions involved are critical. I don’t believe for a second Adams is incapable, but I don’t think it would be a bad idea for the Sabres to add an experienced voice or two to this mix.

Adams played in Carolina under Jim Rutherford. Could Rutherford be a hire here, even if the title was special assistant to the GM or consultant for the rest of 2020-21? The moves the Sabres are about to make will have long-term ramifications. Never hurts to have another opinion.

10. Looking at goaltending: Carolina, Colorado (but at more of a depth level — I think they were looking at Buffalo’s Jonas Johansson) and possibly Washington. Must have been great for the Capitals to see Ilya Samsonov with a 36-save win over Philadelphia on Sunday; he’s had a lengthy recovery from COVID and it created some uncertainty. Vitek Vanecek’s played well and really battled for them, earning respect from his teammates and the organization, but Samsonov’s performance will determine how the Capitals proceed at this position.

One plan with Eichel, one plan without. Damn.

Red pill or Blue. 

[USMCSnyper]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Adams addressed 2C this year. Right. 

He absolutely tried. Staal was a great pickup, on paper. Looks to me like #24 should move to 2C.

[Thorny]

Just now, SyrSabreFan said:

He absolutely tried. Staal was a great pickup, on paper. Looks to me like #24 should move to 2C.

[Thorny]

12 minutes ago, SyrSabreFan said:

He absolutely tried. Staal was a great pickup, on paper. Looks to me like #24 should move to 2C.

And Botterill tried to fill 2C and account for the loss of ROR by bringing in Berglund. 

Looks like both he and Staal had the "not really wanting to give it a go" thing in Buffalo in common.

It doesn't matter that the GMs tried, what matters is the result from the position in question. 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Thorny

[USMCSnyper]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

 

Agree that results matter. I was saying that at least GMKA made a move, which looked great at the time.

[GASabresIUFAN]

We have no idea how Staal and Hall would have done if they played for a coach that actually knew how to coach and how to utilize his players properly.

[Thorny]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

We have no idea how Staal and Hall would have done if they played for a coach that actually knew how to coach and how to utilize his players properly.

And Adams acquired those players fully aware of the system he was working with, probably even in support of it

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, Thorny said:

And Adams acquired those players fully aware of the system he was working with, probably even in support of it

Also true.  I don't think he fully understood what a terrible coach he had.  

[PASabreFan]

5 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

At some point they will get a new coach and Olofsson's 5v5 play will actually be considered and probably reduced. He's pp dependent and right now the pp is good but pp numbers often fluctuate. Trade him b4 those things happen. 

Is he a garbanzo bean in a salad without lettuce? In other words, a topper when you have a contending mix of greens?

[LGR4GM]

Trade everyone. None of it matters so just blow it all up. Reinhart, Staal, Hall, Olofsson, Dahlin, Eichel, Skinner, the Zaboni, The Mascot, Rick Jeanerette, Marty Biron, that Beer Vendor on the 300 level with the cart... I would say burn it down but it is already on flames, covered in lava, hurtling towards the sun which just exploded. 

[Thorny]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Trade everyone. None of it matters so just blow it all up. Reinhart, Staal, Hall, Olofsson, Dahlin, Eichel, Skinner, the Zaboni, The Mascot, Rick Jeanerette, Marty Biron, that Beer Vendor on the 300 level with the cart... I would say burn it down but it is already on flames, covered in lava, hurtling towards the sun which just exploded. 

Wait a minute...french connection statue.....that was OUR franchise......You blew it up! DAMN YOU!!! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!"

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Thorny
sorry, fair bit of simpsons around here lately, this is a classic

[Marvin]

I really, really want to see this team with a real coach before we moved anyone.  Otherwise, we are in a classic "sell low" situation.

We can't get rid of RK fast enough for me.  He's passing Ron Rolston bad to Hank Bullough bad.

[PASabreFan]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Trade everyone. None of it matters so just blow it all up. Reinhart, Staal, Hall, Olofsson, Dahlin, Eichel, Skinner, the Zaboni, The Mascot, Rick Jeanerette, Marty Biron, that Beer Vendor on the 300 level with the cart... I would say burn it down but it is already on flames, covered in lava, hurtling towards the sun which just exploded. 

And Dooooouuuuugie.

[Radar]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Trade everyone. None of it matters so just blow it all up. Reinhart, Staal, Hall, Olofsson, Dahlin, Eichel, Skinner, the Zaboni, The Mascot, Rick Jeanerette, Marty Biron, that Beer Vendor on the 300 level with the cart... I would say burn it down but it is already on flames, covered in lava, hurtling towards the sun which just exploded. 

And cap it with Pegulas selling the team.

[Zamboni]

9 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

And Dooooouuuuugie.

And That in house DJ dude. 

[PerreaultForever]

9 hours ago, SyrSabreFan said:

He absolutely tried. Staal was a great pickup, on paper. Looks to me like #24 should move to 2C.

Pretty sure Staal was just considered a one season placeholder for Cozens. Adams hoped for a little more from him obviously, but he was here to mentor Cozens and hold the spot for next year. 

The real problem oddly is this team was supposed to be stacked on left wing and it has turned out the exact opposite. Lots of money spent and very little return.

[Andrew Amerk]

10 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

At some point they will get a new coach and Olofsson's 5v5 play will actually be considered and probably reduced. He's pp dependent and right now the pp is good but pp numbers often fluctuate. Trade him b4 those things happen. 

There is a potential that this view is skewed a bit. With the Amerks, Olof had 30 goals, 9 were PP. He was scoring fine 5v5. 

In the NHL, he has 29 goals, 19 are PP. With another season or 2 with the right coach and usage, I think he will probably get more 5v5 goals.

[Marvin]

23 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

There is a potential that this view is skewed a bit. With the Amerks, Olof had 30 goals, 9 were PP. He was scoring fine 5v5. 

In the NHL, he has 29 goals, 19 are PP. With another season or 2 with the right coach and usage, I think he will probably get more 5v5 goals.

I was wondering why he is not as good 5-on-5 on the big club.  What is different between his play in Rochester versus in Buffalo?

[Andrew Amerk]

2 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I was wondering why he is not as good 5-on-5 on the big club.  What is different between his play in Rochester versus in Buffalo?

Taylor had the Amerks playing different styles/systems than Krueger. 

A player with an elite shot such as his doesn’t need to be relegated to a PP specialist. 

Edited March 11, 2021 by Andrew Amerk

[Marvin]

7 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

Taylor had the Amerks playing different styles/systems than Krueger. 

A player with an elite shot such as his doesn’t need to be relegated to a PP specialist. 

Thank you for your response.

If we assume that your evaluation of the systems is correct, then it is a proper inference that RK wanted Taylor gone because he basically disproves RK's ideas.

[pi2000]

5 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Trade everyone. None of it matters so just blow it all up. Reinhart, Staal, Hall, Olofsson, Dahlin, Eichel, Skinner, the Zaboni, The Mascot, Rick Jeanerette, Marty Biron, that Beer Vendor on the 300 level with the cart... I would say burn it down but it is already on flames, covered in lava, hurtling towards the sun which just exploded.