Terry Pegula wants Owen Power.

[PerreaultForever]

38 minutes ago, Weave said:

Stating our opinions about what the Sabres will or should do is wasting energy as well.  I'm sure SDS appreciates all the wasted energy.

And the insinuation isn't that he has an opinion.  It is that he is using his opinion to direct his (presumably much more qualified) staff. Hopefully that's not the case here.

Regardless, I don't really have a dog in this fight so I can't say I care to defend the point beyond the energy I've just donated to SDS's little empire.

Does it really matter in this case though? Power is a hell of a good hockey player, it's fine if he wants him. 

I'd only be worried about this if he was saying he liked Taro Tsujimoto's grandson. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, msw2112 said:

The fact the owner of a professional sports franchise said that he likes the consensus #1 overall pick in the upcoming draft (if he in fact said this) is not newsworthy.

I agree, nor is it wrong for this franchise to grab the No. 1 consensus player.  I think hindsight will show it to be a mistake (like Seiling over Bossy or Reinhart over Draisaitl) if we lose out on Eklund and Beniers because of it, but I don't think we can fault this franchise with so many needs from taking a guy who at worst looks like a long-term top 4 D.

[LGR4GM]

Y'all should read that tweet carefully. 

Eklund is their top FORWARD. So they could take Power and hope Eklund is there at 3.

[Marvin]

35 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I didn’t say that, but if you don’t think he is involved with some hockey decisions, I don’t know what to say.  For starters do the names Ehrhoff and Leino ring a bell?  Am I supposed to believe that over the years he has backed off?

We know he meddles to at least some extent.  The place where I and others differ is in degree.

IMHO, if you think it would be sane to expect the Pegulas not to have opinions about a property and occasionally voice them, I cannot strongly recommend enough that you get fitted for a manilla, burlap jacket with long arms which tie in the back.  We expect that everyone here has opinions, so why wouldn't they?  For God's sake, they are fans like we are!

I understand the downsides.  Yes, everything that comes out of their mouths is putting a thumb on the scale (or maybe even slab of lead).  Calling them ignorant of hockey team building would be both insulting and accurate.  Their mercurial behaviour has set the franchise back for a decade.

Even so, just because Terry shoots off his mouth in a bout of verbal diarrhea does not mean that he's a tyrant about it.  We know that the Bills' management could ignore the Pegulas, or else Patrick Mahomes would be the Bills' QB instead of Josh Allen.  And they weren't canned for doing so.  I expect Adams and Karmanos to act similarly if they don't want Power -- and I expect the Pegulas to accede to their decision too.

You can feel differently, but please don't act as if those of us who are not a fearful as you are either toadies or fools.

[kas23]

7 hours ago, nfreeman said:

It's also worth noting that "TP is a fan of Owen Power" is a very different statement from "TP has instructed KA to draft Owen Power."

"We felt like we needed to be heard," said Terry during the Botterill firing press conference….

[PromoTheRobot]

Just throw this on the pile of charges for his trial.

[LGR4GM]

7 minutes ago, kas23 said:

"We felt like we needed to be heard," said Terry during the Botterill firing press conference….

That was literally about Botteril firing half of hockey ops

[kas23]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

That was literally about Botteril firing half of hockey ops

Yes, that we know of. But, yes, I’m sure he’s ambivalent about being listened to, with the exception of firing an entire hockey department. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

57 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Y'all should read that tweet carefully. 

Eklund is their top FORWARD. So they could take Power and hope Eklund is there at 3.

We have to trade something to get 3.  If we walk away from the draft with Power and Eklund or Power and Beniers plus a forward early in the second, I don't think anyone would complain to much.

[PASabreFan]

 

[DarthEbriate]

9 hours ago, Brawndo said:

 

As a continued tangent of conversation, IF we trade into the top 10 (either Reino or Eichel) what is everyone's preferred draft scenario? Alternately, what is the worst that could come about?

Because I'd be ecstatic with a draft haul of Beniers/Eklund, and only slightly behind would be Power/Eklund. And if we get 8-10, I'm kind of good with looking at Beniers/Power and Wallstedt as well. But Eklund/Wallstedt would disappoint me.

What is your best two-pick top 10? Your worst?

[dudacek]

2 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

As a continued tangent of conversation, IF we trade into the top 10 (either Reino or Eichel) what is everyone's preferred draft scenario? Alternately, what is the worst that could come about?

Because I'd be ecstatic with a draft haul of Beniers/Eklund, and only slightly behind would be Power/Eklund. And if we get 8-10, I'm kind of good with looking at Beniers/Power and Wallstedt as well. But Eklund/Wallstedt would disappoint me.

What is your best two-pick top 10? Your worst?

Beniers/Eklund

Eidvisson/Hughes

[PerreaultForever]

So they're NOT interested in Power? or they're just a dumb lazy organization?

https://www.nhl.com/news/projected-no-1-nhl-draft-pick-owen-power-buffalo-sabres/c-325532378

 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

So they're NOT interested in Power? or they're just a dumb lazy organization?

https://www.nhl.com/news/projected-no-1-nhl-draft-pick-owen-power-buffalo-sabres/c-325532378

 

[Kr632]

 

 

18 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

 

 

Also likes Beniers and Johnson. 

 

Nothing like Targeting 3 average players. 

 

 

There was a report wgr yesterday that said the sabres have Eklund rated higher than any other Forward. 

 

17 hours ago, WildCard said:

Was really hoping we'd keep Reinhart, that part is disappointing.

Thanks @Buffalonill, much appreciated. 

I don't think keeping Reinhart has been a realistic option for a while now. Samson seemed to have made his decision a year or two ago and everything that's happened since just solidified it. Everything points to him leaving after his RFA ends. 

[That Aud Smell]

14 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Power is the consensus #1 pick but now that Terry Pegula said he likes him, do we NOT draft him?

No. It’s just the fact that Pegula’s still giving his 2 cents on any hockey talent. It’s ludacrisp.

[inkman]

4 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

So they're NOT interested in Power? or they're just a dumb lazy organization?

https://www.nhl.com/news/projected-no-1-nhl-draft-pick-owen-power-buffalo-sabres/c-325532378

 

I don’t think this means anything.  It’s smokescreen season, so any info being shared by so called insiders, is suspect at best.  Most likely straight up BS. 

[Der Jaeger]

Hmmm.  Pure speculation, but trying to connect the dots.

What if the Sabres take Beniers 1st?  And then trade Eichel to Anaheim and get 3OV back?  These reports put Seattle in a weird spot - not that it really effects them.  They could just pick whoever they want.  But it could effect a trade down.

Reports: the Sabres owner loves Power.  The Sabres have Eklund as the highest rated forward.  Say a team like NJ wants Power, they might now want to trade with Seattle to get him, knowing the Eklund report is likely bunk since the Sabres took Beniers.

Then the Sabres walk away with Beniers and Eklund as part of the Eichel/Reinhart replacement plan.

Probably not likely but just some thoughts.

[pi2000]

1 hour ago, Kr632 said:

There was a report wgr yesterday that said the sabres have Eklund rated higher than any other Forward. 

Power still #1 OA 🙂

Would be nice to get one of Eklund, Beniers, or Johnson as well.    

I don't understand all the hate for Johnson.   Nobody here knows what drives him, what he values, etc... as per KA those attributes are just as important as his talent level.    Maybe he's a total douche and thinks he's god's gift to hockey, lacking drive to get better every day... or maybe not, nobody here really knows so lay off the kid, he's 18.     

[LGR4GM]

8 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

As a continued tangent of conversation, IF we trade into the top 10 (either Reino or Eichel) what is everyone's preferred draft scenario? Alternately, what is the worst that could come about?

Because I'd be ecstatic with a draft haul of Beniers/Eklund, and only slightly behind would be Power/Eklund. And if we get 8-10, I'm kind of good with looking at Beniers/Power and Wallstedt as well. But Eklund/Wallstedt would disappoint me.

What is your best two-pick top 10? Your worst?

Best: Beniers and Eklund or Power and Eklund 

if 8-10... Eklund and McTavish (who I am starting to highly doubt will be there at 8 )

The worst... the absolute nightmare scenario... Kent Johnson at 1 and Simon Edvinson basically anywhere in the top 10. 

 

 

[LGR4GM]

14 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Power still #1 OA 🙂

Would be nice to get one of Eklund, Beniers, or Johnson as well.    

I don't understand all the hate for Johnson.   Nobody here knows what drives him, what he values, etc... as per KA those attributes are just as important as his talent level.    Maybe he's a total douche and thinks he's god's gift to hockey, lacking drive to get better every day... or maybe not, nobody here really knows so lay off the kid, he's 18.     

FTFY

It isn't about knowing if he is a douche. It has everything to do with how he plays hockey and there are some issues with skating and vision. You don't end up with only 4 primary assists because you're really good... something is amiss there. 

Quote

Mitchell Brown: February 14th, 2021 - Wisconsin vs. Michigan - NCAA A much better performance from Johnson in this game. As usual, the fewer entry attempts he has per game, the better he plays. He had just two compared to seven last night, and found himself in more advantageous positions this game. He supported the puck across the ice, and found teammates and relocated instead of trying to beat everyone with those inside edge, straight line moves that rarely work. He passed up opportunities to weaponize contact, but used contact (and his hands) as a problem-solving tool to escape pressure and get inside. One of his escapes was an elite play, spinning back, and skating through two defenders to hit the trailer. Clean outside-leg wrister: shoulders square, lower-body engagement, top hand off the hip, downward force. Manipulated the feet of a defender with his handling, but misplaced the pass -- worked out anyway for his third primary assist of the season. Made some awful puck management plays, even though he was scanning. He either expects teammates to follow his every move or doesn’t process information quick enough. When he plays like this, he looks like a top-10 pick, but more on the lower-end. I don’t see what separates him from Cole Sillinger or Fyodor Svechkov.

 

[Thwomp!]

17 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I saw that.  I knew that looked far too familiar.

As an aside, what if the Sabres drafted Eklund 1st and, say, Beniers 3rd?

If Terry were the tyrant you claim, then the Bills would have Patrick Mahomes instead of Josh Allen.

Let's keep it at hockey.  There's plenty of Terry meddling decisions that have hurt this hockey club.  One choice in a football draft does not let Terry off the hook for the state of this hockey team during his ownership period.

[pi2000]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

FTFY

It isn't about knowing if he is a douche. It has everything to do with how he plays hockey and there are some issues with skating and vision. You don't end up with only 4 primary assists because you're really good... something is amiss there. 

 

Kinda like Reinhart who had 7 primary assists in 56 games this past season?   

Better throw him on the trash heap as well, smh.

[LGR4GM]

Just now, pi2000 said:

Kinda like Reinhart who had 7 primary assists in 56 games this past season?   

Better throw him on the trash heap as well, smh.

We are not talking about Sam Reinhart (who had 25goals and is a known entity) we are here to discuss Johnson. Kent Johnson had 4 out of 18 assists as primary and he played on a powerhouse NCAA team on a line with Matty Beniers. Johnson's hd passes, hd shots, hd shot assists are all lower than you would like for a top 10 pick. Scouch notes his offensive involvement % for primary points is only just above Owen Power. Beniers is a full 10% higher. 

 

I didn't put this originally but here's a really bad report on him:

Quote

David St-Louis: February 13th, 2021 - Wisconsin vs. Michigan - NCAA

Johnson doesn’t look like he belongs, honestly. If Beniers doesn’t set him up for a perfect scoring chance, giving him a runway, he can’t find his way around the ice. If options aren’t available to him immediately, his default play is attacking defenders in a glide and try to dangle through them. It rarely works at this level. He has some problem solving skills, using his backhand, the boards to connect with teammates, but his small-area game needs a lot of development overall: more balance, protection mechanics, more awareness and a different thinking in how he handles the puck, less confrontational, more protective.

 

[LGR4GM]

You can draft Kent Johnson but just be aware he is a project who needs probably 2 more NCAA years and maybe 2 full AHL years.