Sabres Trade Taylor Hall (50% of His Salary Retained)and Curtis Lazar to Boston for a 2021 2nd and Anders Bjork

[Brawndo]

Just now, inkman said:

What if his boss told him to comply with Ralph’s wishes?

[Thorny]

18 minutes ago, inkman said:

What if his boss told him to comply with Ralph’s wishes?

 

19 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Cause the guy hadn't been in the NHL for like a decade or whatever? Whoever's decision it was to bow at the alter of Krueger's every whim this offseason is every bit to blame as Krueger is

Boss is still here and Boss still has a direct line to Adams and Boss isn't smarter all of a sudden. Rutherford ain't coming, Boss didn't agree to stop dictating the terms. Maybe KA is selling Boss on a plan or maybe Boss is feeding the plan directly into KA...does it even matter? Adams is merely a vessel of Pegula and has been since he was hired. 

If ever there was a Concept we necessarily need to come to fruition it's the Concept of Karmanos. I don't even like his MO which is tear-down and rebuild (so I've been told) but regardless he's apparently and quite literally our only chance for climbing back to mediocrity. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Thorny

[LTS]

5 minutes ago, #freejame said:

I have a theory that those who hate Hall also believed we would be competing for a playoff spot this year and since we didn’t, he is catching a good deal of blame and animosity. 

Yeah. Hall played the odds. He got paid good money and had things really taken off then he was in a good position to keep making good money whether the Sabres offered him a contract or as an UFA.  If not, he knew he would be traded and he could control where he wanted to go and potentially still be in a position to make good money.  Once it was clear things weren't going to work it was easy for Hall to just wait for the trade.

From the Sabres viewpoint it was always a stupid move and they handcuffed themselves.

[dudacek]

38 minutes ago, Thorny said:

 

Boss is still here and Boss still has a direct line to Adams and Boss isn't smarter all of a sudden. Rutherford ain't coming, Boss didn't agree to stop dictating the terms. Maybe KA is selling Boss on a plan or maybe Boss is feeding the plan directly into KA...does it even matter? Adams is merely a vessel of Pegula and has been since he was hired. 

If ever there was a Concept we necessarily need to come to fruition it's the Concept of Karmanos. I don't even like his MO which is tear-down and rebuild (so I've been told) but regardless he's apparently and quite literally our only chance for climbing back to mediocrity. 

Krueger had the boss’s ear and doesn’t any longer. Your point stands, but what we need is a good hockey man shaping Terry’s opinions. Don’t know yet if we have one.

It’s finally June. If the Rutherford plan has any life, it will happen in the next few weeks. I think he’s probably been offered a senior advisor gig and is weighing his options.

Why do you think Karmanos is advocating a tear-down?

[Thorny]

6 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Krueger had the boss’s ear and doesn’t any longer. Your point stands, but what we need is a good hockey man shaping Terry’s opinions. Don’t know yet if we have one.

It’s finally June. If the Rutherford plan has any life, it will happen in the next few weeks. I think he’s probably been offered a senior advisor gig and is weighing his options.

Why do you think Karmanos is advocating a tear-down?

Everything we've heard from Friedman is that it's the Sabres who aren't open to the idea, so I think it's unlikely he's been offered anything. If they did offer him something, from what we've heard it didn't come with satisfying-to-Rutherford Pegula autonomy. So it comes to the same thing.

Isn't the rumor that Karmanos wanted to go that way in Pittsburgh?

Edited June 1, 2021 by Thorny

[dudacek]

3 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Everything we've heard from Friedman is that it's the Sabres who aren't open to the idea, so I think it's unlikely he's been offered anything. If they did offer him something, from what we've heard it didn't come with satisfying-to-Rutherford Pegula autonomy. So it comes to the same thing.

Isn't the rumor that Karmanos wanted to go that way in Pittsburgh?

I’ve seen the Sabres aren’t interested in a PoHO. I’ve seen nothing about senior advisor. Rutherford was always pitched as senior advisor (resource, sounding board, credibility creator) not as the visionary or decision-maker.

I think the latter remains Adams, as much as anyone can be under Terry.

Not familiar with the Karmanos want in Pit story you are referring to.

[Thorny]

15 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I’ve seen the Sabres aren’t interested in a PoHO. I’ve seen nothing about senior advisor. Rutherford was always pitched as senior advisor (resource, sounding board, credibility creator) not as the visionary or decision-maker.

I think the latter remains Adams, as much as anyone can be under Terry.

Not familiar with the Karmanos want in Pit story you are referring to.

I agree, Adams *can* be that as much as (probably more than) anybody and to me this is because I have a hard time drawing the line between where Terry ends and Kevyn begins. He tasked him with deciding how many people to fire during a pandemic, Adams returned a massive list and TP fired them all. He clearly trusts Adams to the extent that their mindsets in my estimation are pretty lined up. 

KA hadn't proven a lick of anything, so I doubt he's convincing anybody so much as he's "already in agreement" with said people. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Thorny

[Brawndo]

Friedman and Marek both agreed that Buffalo would make the most sense for Rutherford and Friedman believes the Karmanos-Rutherford Rift can be easily fixed. 
 

Rutherford probably will command 1-2 Million per year as a Senior Advisor. 
 

Both Adams and Karmanos were in Boca last week to discuss Their Plan for the Sabres moving forward, including an expansion of the analytics department. 
 

Given that the Sabres are still likely under financial constraints, I can imagine a scenario where the Pegulas give a choice Rutherford or the Analytics Department. 

The latter would be more beneficial to the team in the long run in My Opinion.

 

[Thorny]

7 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Friedman and Marek both agreed that Buffalo would make the most sense for Rutherford and Friedman believes the Karmanos-Rutherford Rift can be easily fixed. 
 

Rutherford probably will command 1-2 Million per year as a Senior Advisor. 
 

Both Adams and Karmanos were in Boca last week to discuss Their Plan for the Sabres moving forward, including an expansion of the analytics department. 
 

Given that the Sabres are still likely under financial constraints, I can imagine a scenario where the Pegulas give a choice Rutherford or the Analytics Department. 

The latter would be more beneficial to the team in the long run in My Opinion.

 

Well, at least if this is proven true and Adams and co are made to choose between 2 things the Sabres desperately need, we'll know this organization has their priorities in the right place. 

Edited June 1, 2021 by Thorny

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

Cause the guy hadn't been in the NHL for like a decade or whatever? Whoever's decision it was to bow at the alter of Krueger's every whim this offseason is every bit to blame as Krueger is

So the correct way to proceed was for KA to call Ralph into his office, tell him sucks, give him a wedgie and bum rush him out the door? Got it.

[Thorny]

6 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

So the correct way to proceed was for KA to call Ralph into his office, tell him sucks, give him a wedgie and bum rush him out the door? Got it.

The fact that you got all the way to this, from me basically saying to "not give into every whim", is pretty astounding. 

 

 

..As that's literally what I had typed out word for word before deleting it. Kudos

[PromoTheRobot]

Just now, Thorny said:

The fact that you got all the way to this, from me basically saying to "not give into every whim", is pretty astounding. 

 

 

..As that's literally what I had typed out worded for word before deleting it. Kudos

You're the guy weaving rumors and heresay into evidence.

[Thorny]

4 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

You're the guy weaving rumors and heresay into evidence.

Evidence for how I am choosing to formulate my takes on hockey, in theory, yes. As always, open to change (see: Reinhart, Mittelstadt, the list goes ON)

"Evidence" lol.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Is it just me or is everyone thrilled that Hall and Bruins got sent packing by the Islanders?  

[steveoath]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Is it just me or is everyone thrilled that Hall and Bruins got sent packing by the Islanders?  

It's not just you 😂

F*ck Hall

[Scottysabres]

He stuck around just long enough to sprinkle his 1st overall all pixie dust on the franchise.

Personally, I'm sending him a big thank you 😄

[French Collection]

50 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Is it just me or is everyone thrilled that Hall and Bruins got sent packing by the Islanders?  

He was basically zero vs the Islanders but the media don’t seem to talk about it. He was the guy that would put them over the top in the previous round according to the same people.

I hope the league show him what he is truly worth with his next deal.

[Zamboni]

Some GM on some team will still throw 6+ million dollars at Hall in hopes that he “finds himself” again and it’s a absolute steal. They will most likely be highly disappointed …

[nfreeman]

From the Islanders' writer on the Athletic:
 

Quote

 

Taylor Hall was supposed to solve the Bruins’ forward depth issues. He cost himself a lot of dough on his next deal with his no-show series, with Scott Mayfield outplaying Hall every chance he got. Hall had a Game 1 empty-net goal, a Game 3 assist and that’s all.

...

Hall, again, was fairly invisible. He showed speed and had a couple of nice zone entries, but the Islanders kept him to the perimeter all series. He was never a consistent threat.

 

 

[Curt]

1 minute ago, nfreeman said:

From the Islanders' writer on the Athletic:
 

 

Its probably true, but it’s crazy that Hall’s contract could be heavily influenced by his performance in one playoff series.  Have we not been watching this guy play for a decade?  Have we not seen how his career arc is playing out?  The NHL talent evaluators really need to see how he does in the Islanders series to determine what Taylor Hall is as a player?  Are these guys any good at their jobs?  Lol

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, Zamboni said:

Some GM on some team will still throw 6+ million dollars at Hall in hopes that he “finds himself” again and it’s a absolute steal. They will most likely be highly disappointed …

I don't think so. He didn't do much for Phoenix in their attempt before and he busted here too and they will consider that. There will be some "but it's Buffalo" talk in the negotiations but I think his reputation is shot. Doubt anybody rolls the dice on him with a huge deal. Remember there were not a ton of suitors at that high level when he signed here. 

Bruins might offer him a deal but it'll be at a 2nd line level so 4 million, maybe 5 at the most but with less term. Anybody who pays him more than that is nuts. 

[Rasmus_]

Taylor Hall, played like a gutless player in Buffalo.  I was so happy when we got rid of him for anything.  Stay in Boston.  

Edited June 11, 2021 by TheCerebral1

[Brawndo]

I would sign Hall to a two year deal, for reasons 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

I would sign Hall to a two year deal, for reasons 

Don't forget the league in anticipating such shenanigans is now limiting how often a team can have the 1st overall pick over any 5 year period moving forward.

Thought it was only 2 wins over 5 years (maybe it was 3?).  If so, winning this year will mess up their chances in that really loaded year.  If it was 3, they're good. 😉

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

Don't forget the league in anticipating such shenanigans is now limiting how often a team can have the 1st overall pick over any 5 year period moving forward.

Thought it was only 2 wins over 5 years (maybe it was 3?).  If so, winning this year will mess up their chances in that really loaded year.  If it was 3, they're good. 😉

That particular rule does not go in effect until the 2022 Draft and one of the underreported changes is if the team that finishes 32nd gets First Overall it does not count as a win. This is per the most recent Two in the Box Podcast. 

So I think we are good for two more years.