Your grade for the Sabres at the deadline?

[tom webster]

1 hour ago, Buffalonill said:

It sounded like they tried being unprofessional torwards adams 

 

It’s really hard to know without hearing both sides but it also goes to different negotiating tactics. It’s not always team A is offering this, can you offer more. Sometimes it’s like, I know this is the least I will accept and I know I can get from all teams involved so I will lock it in with one team while trying to get more from the two or three other teams involved. Some guys will then ask for final offer knowing they got the one offer lined up, or at least an offer that can be tweaked to their satisfaction. It can be bad business practice to go back to other teams after telling them you won’t. 
Nobody knows except the principals. I believe that KA believes his version and he may be right, it also could be him not reading the room good enough. It happens all the time to the best of them. In the end you just hope they will get it right most of the time. 
 

I am encouraged because they seem to understand their weaknesses and have tried to address them. He can say all he wants about his comfort level with his team’s makeup but the facts are;

1) He acquired Matt Murray only to have him reject it

2) He fought hard for Chykhurn and feels he made a better offer.

3) I think they can close to another, big name forward. I’m disappointed none of the press asked him if he was close to anything else.

Anyway, in summary, he is excited by what his team has accomplished but no matter what he says, he has tried hard to jump start it without offering his top two prospects. Notice he didn’t mention Oslund, Rosen, Johnson or anyone else.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Bob Malooga said:

An "F" for Greenway...paying the Wild a 2nd round pick to do them a favor doesn't sit right with me.

They added one of the best forecheckers in the NHL with 5 plus seasons of NHL experience who is only 26 and until this season was a consistent 30 point player.  He is also willing to stand up for his teammates and loved playing for Granato.  He adds elements we simply don’t have on our roster.  Getting him for a LV’s second is a steal.  

I’d suggest watching the Sabres video when KA told Jordon he was coming to Buffalo.  KA’s excitement is palpable.  This is a player DG was pounding the table for.  

If you liked Marcus Foligno, you’ll like Jordan Greenway.

Ask yourself what is the likelihood that a late 2nd rd pick becomes a full time NHL player and in how many years?  If you get lucky maybe 1 in 3 become NHLers.  

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[nfreeman]

12 hours ago, matter2003 said:

We traded the extra one we had...we still have our own and it will be a higher pick than the one we traded most likely.

He wasn't trying to push full steam ahead this year. That's where people seem to have a disconnect with what they "think" he should have done versus what he actually said he was going to do.

I'll defer to the person who won a Cup. That wouldn't be you, FYI.

This is obnoxious.

[Pimlach]

I do not see the purpose in grading the trades at this time but it is common in todays sports world so here goes. 

 

Stillman - C- but potential for higher.   He should replace Bryson and Clague so that in itself could be a really good move.   I wanted to make a bigger splash on D, maybe add more of a solid and respected veteran force back there.  At minimum we added much needed depth and physical toughness to the team.  

Greenway - B-  with potential for higher.    At a minimum he is a deterrent to help stop the the flagrant cheap stuff that happened in the last Tampa game.  I would love to see Greenway introduce himself to Nick Paul this afternoon.    DG is excited that he has a reclamation project so lets see what happens.  

Giving up Bloom and a late 2nd in a draft were we have 2 other second rounders does not dent the bevy of picks and prospects that Adams has.  Adding size and toughness has been talked about all season and they did that. 

Overall C+  with legitimate opportunities to improve.   

Moving Asplund, Bjork -  good karma moves and that is it

Moving Portillo - salvages the pick we spent on him 

 

[nfreeman]

My grade is a B.

I like both of the guys they brought in.  They both address team needs, both add edge and toughness, which were deficiencies, and both fit the Sabres' timeline and are presumably good fits in the room.  I think it's reasonably likely that Stillman displaces Bryson in the top 6 and very likely that Greenway displaces Vinnie in the top 9.

An A would've required getting a top-4 D or top-6 F, in either case at a reasonable price.  As I've mentioned previously, I wouldn't have wanted the Sabres to give up Kulich, Savoie or their #1 this year for any of the D who were traded this year (or any of the Fs, for that matter, other than Meier, and I don't think I would've wanted Meier either because of the contract he'll require).

A #1 G would've been exciting, to be sure, but probably better on paper than on the ice -- I can't think of a #1 G who was acquired at the deadline in any season and who made a big difference for the acquiring team.  I remember when the Sabres traded Miller to STL, his effect was much less than expected and there was a fair amount of talk from STL about the difficulties in adjusting on the fly to a new goalie.

Also, getting a #3 back for Portillo was a good move.

[Pimlach]

Just now, nfreeman said:

My grade is a B.

I like both of the guys they brought in.  They both address team needs, both add edge and toughness, which were deficiencies, and both fit the Sabres' timeline and are presumably good fits in the room.  I think it's reasonably likely that Stillman displaces Bryson in the top 6 and very likely that Greenway displaces Vinnie in the top 9.

An A would've required getting a top-4 D or top-6 F, in either case at a reasonable price.  As I've mentioned previously, I wouldn't have wanted the Sabres to give up Kulich, Savoie or their #1 this year for any of the D who were traded this year (or any of the Fs, for that matter, other than Meier, and I don't think I would've wanted Meier either because of the contract he'll require).

A #1 G would've been exciting, to be sure, but probably better on paper than on the ice -- I can't think of a #1 G who was acquired at the deadline in any season and who made a big difference for the acquiring team.  I remember when the Sabres traded Miller to STL, his effect was much less than expected and there was a fair amount of talk from STL about the difficulties in adjusting on the fly to a new goalie.

 

No Rico, the grade is a C+, not a B.  

Let's go!

[matter2003]

24 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

This is obnoxious.

But nonetheless true.

[PickaPecaPickles]

18 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

B+.  I could go to an A though. I'm someplace in between there.

Why?  I think you are going to get a lot more options in the offseason when the teams who were bidding for guys now might have to be dumping guys in the offseason.  A different selection of  players might be available, but I think a much larger selection will be there. I want my assets available for moves at that time. Plus, its going to be a lot easier to integrate a new guy into the team when you have the offseason and training camp to do so, rather than throwing him in now.  Finally, Yes, I would LOVE for this team to get a 2nd pair quality D-man now, but I didnt expect it, and other than that I am more than happy with the current young team getting experience together to fail or succeed the rest of the season.

I agree with this sentiment, giving him a higher grade for what he didn't do, rather than what he did.

In his presser, KA said something like "I'm giddy about the arms race going on in the east." I believe what he meant was, while they are all mortgaging the future for a cup run this year, he is content to maintain his patient approach of building the team for an extended Cup run.  While many Sabres fans have run out of patience, I'm glad the leader of the franchise has not.

[Indabuff]

C-, if KA successfully fixes things prior to next season I would revisit this grade.

[dudacek]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

My concern from Adams presser is he doubled down on internal growth. I'm worried he believes the Sabres Def will be fine next year with Power and Muel "growing". There isn't enough talent and almost no depth to that group. I'll wait until this summer though since they were in on Chychrun and maybe Adams words are not his full intention. 

He also apparently offered a significant chunk of futures in order to acquire a very good defenceman. I don’t think we need to worry that he doesn’t recognize the need on the blueline.

@Thorny was beating this drum yesterday, and I tend agree with him: yesterday demonstrated that while Adams is firmly dedicated to his young core, he is not oblivious to his team’s flaws, and not unwilling to use pieces of the future to address them.

 

1 hour ago, tom webster said:

 

Anyway, in summary, he is excited by what his team has accomplished but no matter what he says, he has tried hard to jump start it without offering his top two prospects. Notice he didn’t mention Oslund, Rosen, Johnson or anyone else.

Indeed. Although It must be said that the focus on Savoie and Kulich was a result of the question being asked about Savoie and Kulich.

[North Buffalo]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I'm shocked that an upstanding and well run organization like the Glendale, Arizona State, Phoenix, Arizona Coyotes would do something like that? Shocked!

Adams owes AZ some serious hate... Hope TT scores a bazillion against them next year and somehow Adams forces AZ to lose their shirts in the next upcoming trades... f the desert rats.

[PASabreFan]

43 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

But nonetheless true.

Could you testify in court to it though? Maybe it's former Sabre and Cup winner Bob Errey.

[Marvin]

The reason I lean towards believing GMKA's account of what was going on with Arizona is that the Kings' GM gave a similarly negative review of his dealings with Arizona.

[dudacek]

5 minutes ago, Marvin said:

The reason I lean towards believing GMKA's account of what was going on with Arizona is that the Kings' GM gave a similarly negative review of his dealings with Arizona.

Yeah, you get the idea that Armstrong was more interested in setting a tone with his peers than getting the best possible return.

I know some of you like that approach (hi @Eleven) but I personally don’t see how he’s helped himself or his team here.

He’s just encouraged at least 2 other GMs to do their shopping elsewhere.