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Sabres announce Ryan Johnson signs 2 year ELC (Finally)


Brawndo

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2 hours ago, Derrico said:

Huge thumbs up to ur first point and thumbs down for your second.

Here’s the thing. The Amerks have played a lot of hockey since the Sabres season ended on April 14th. Minnesota’s season ended on the 8th. He still could’ve used a couple weeks to recover. These games would’ve been a fantastic gauge on where Johnson is as a player, what he needs to work on over the summer, and importantly, a chance to gel with future teammates. Now none of this has happened. If he excelled, it would’ve raised some eyebrows that he could be on the Sabres roster next fall. Now, all he has is training camp to prove himself. My guess is he spends the whole next season in Rochester now. This is perfectly fine with me, but I wonder if this is perfectly fine with him. 

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2 hours ago, kas23 said:

Well, there’s goes that dumb theory that the Sabres would’ve preferred a late 2nd rounder in 2024. 
 

That said, I have real concerns on why he didn’t sign earlier. In the least, he could’ve  played in every Amerks playoff game. He doesn’t seem like a competitor. 

It is a little confusing why he didn’t sign earlier, but it’s hard to say it’s definitely a negative issue without knowing anything.

Maybe he was just truly conflicted about where he wanted to sign and was meticulous taking his time making a decision.

Maybe he is dealing with some injury from the college season and though it was better that he heal up instead of rush into the end of the pro season, so there was no rush to sign anyway.

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Situations like these are like personality or psychological tests. We really have no idea why the event did not unfold in a traditional manner and therefore we fill in the gaps with our imagination, unable to bear the burden of not recognizing a pattern that makes sense. We thusly put on display the contents of our psyches through whatever we choose to fill the gaps with and also show how much (or little) we can suffer a non-linear narrative.

Maybe we should just wait until Johnson and KA talk to the press about the process they went through instead of painting either into this or that corner.

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10 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Wasn't he dead to the board less than a week ago? 

How the tide turns.... Group think is a dangerous game. 

He is a first rounder, the messiah, get him in Buffalo ASAP.

He has been slow but probably took a well thought out approach to signing. KA is not rushing any prospects, Johnson will be given plenty of time to develop and earn a spot.

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1 hour ago, kas23 said:

Here’s the thing. The Amerks have played a lot of hockey since the Sabres season ended on April 14th. Minnesota’s season ended on the 8th. He still could’ve used a couple weeks to recover. These games would’ve been a fantastic gauge on where Johnson is as a player, what he needs to work on over the summer, and importantly, a chance to gel with future teammates. Now none of this has happened. If he excelled, it would’ve raised some eyebrows that he could be on the Sabres roster next fall. Now, all he has is training camp to prove himself. My guess is he spends the whole next season in Rochester now. This is perfectly fine with me, but I wonder if this is perfectly fine with him. 

I agree with most of this and certainly would've preferred that he sign earlier and play in this Amerks playoff run.  However, regarding the bolded, I think it's highly likely that he understands that he'll be in the AHL next season and is OK with it, and he's OK with it because he knows he wouldn't be ready for the NHL next year. 

He's almost certainly taken advice from his dad, who's a former player and a member of the Ducks' organization, as well as from other NHL people his dad has checked with.  It seems pretty likely that he would've gotten candid and accurate feedback about whether his game is NHL-ready.  And if he understands that he'll be in the AHL next season, I can see the reasons to wait until now that others have suggested -- contract negotiations, enjoying the end of his college days, injury, weighing the Sabres against other organizations -- outweighing the urgency to sign and play ASAP.

We'll see.  KA has spoken reasonably highly of him over the past couple of years and clearly wanted to sign him, so there's a decent chance he becomes a starting NHL defenseman down the road.  That would be a win.

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It could be as simple as in deciding that he wanted to enjoy his last few college experiences, graduation and attending college parties. I do believe that Linus Weissbach did the same thing after his senior season at Wisconsin. As there a pictures of him in Madison Wisconsin, enjoying his last few weeks of college life. Granted Johnson is a first round, pick compared to Weissbach who was a seventh rounder. Weissbach did sign on April 6, 2021 on the Amerks still did have games left however, he did not report to the Amerks until the next season 

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3 hours ago, JohnC said:

No more turmoil and dysfunction in the operation.

Aside from the Ullmark saga (which I can attribute to Kevyn being perhaps a bit to nice and naive), the organization has really been efficiently and competently run under Adams.  Once Jack was moved, all the drama has ceased.

I'd feel better with a move on goalie and a top 4 D, but really the team has very few holes compared to past GM regimes.

3 hours ago, The Jokeman said:

I'm glad we didn't lose him. 

I think it's another feather in the Sabres cap but whether he signed or not doesn't really move my needle that much.  Maybe Johnson will turn out bigger than I imagine.

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3 hours ago, RochesterExpat said:

It’s possible that was GMKA using the media similarly to how the front office allegedly used a mythical Calgary deal for Eichel to boost his value.

This is the one aspect of Kevyn that's kind of a wildcard.  Based on his past experience as a player and agent, I think he has a lot of connections around the league and has very good knowledge about how things work behind the scenes.  If the Johnson signing is another case of that, color me impressed. 

I think being a "hockey guy" is about knowledge, yes, but it's also about cultivating relationships and Kevyn seems to be very good at that.

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2 hours ago, kas23 said:

Here’s the thing. The Amerks have played a lot of hockey since the Sabres season ended on April 14th. Minnesota’s season ended on the 8th. He still could’ve used a couple weeks to recover. These games would’ve been a fantastic gauge on where Johnson is as a player, what he needs to work on over the summer, and importantly, a chance to gel with future teammates. Now none of this has happened. If he excelled, it would’ve raised some eyebrows that he could be on the Sabres roster next fall. Now, all he has is training camp to prove himself. My guess is he spends the whole next season in Rochester now. This is perfectly fine with me, but I wonder if this is perfectly fine with him. 

He signed just after he graduated.  That's the timeline that mattered to him.  There's no crazy conspiracy theory; stand down.

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7 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Meh. Was more excited about him when his season first ended. He pissed away a great opportunity by not signing sooner. I bet Metsa could explain that to him.

 

"Gotta be quicker, Ryan. Kinda like in the Frozen Four. HEY-OOOOO!" (Waves his ring in his face.) 👋💍

 

👹

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2 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Wasn't he dead to the board less than a week ago? 

How the tide turns.... Group think is a dangerous game. 

I had written him off as walking to UFA. But I am glad he signed. A defensive defenseman who can skate as well as he does is a good thing for this pipeline. 

My disappointment is that he simply could have said weeks ago, “It was a long season; I’m in need of some recharge and to heal up a bit. I’m going to have fun with my friends, graduate, and then sign with the Sabres. I wish the Amerks the best in their playoff run in the meantime.”

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2 hours ago, ... said:

Situations like these are like personality or psychological tests. We really have no idea why the event did not unfold in a traditional manner and therefore we fill in the gaps with our imagination, unable to bear the burden of not recognizing a pattern that makes sense. We thusly put on display the contents of our psyches through whatever we choose to fill the gaps with and also show how much (or little) we can suffer a non-linear narrative.

Maybe we should just wait until Johnson and KA talk to the press about the process they went through instead of painting either into this or that corner.

Waiting for a logical explanation?  Madness!

2 hours ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Wasn't he dead to the board less than a week ago? 

How the tide turns.... Group think is a dangerous game. 

I didn't say he was dead; I said I was okay with however it turned out.

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Was there any doubt?

In short, yes.

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3 hours ago, Taro T said:

The extensions, just like bringing in a UFA (in any capacity), can't happen officially for ~5 more weeks.  Until July 1 those 2 aren't in the last year of their current deals.

Pretty sure item 2 on your list has already happened and because of that, we MIGHT see a Mittelstadt &/or Jokiharju re-sign shortly after the 1st 2 guys get new contracts.

Still am not convinced there won't be a veteran goalie brought in.  Will come down to how much he'll cost and how long the term would have to be.  But am fairly confident that running back next year with what they have in net is plan B or plan C.  But a plan B or plan C that they're reluctantly comfortable with, which means they won't be in desperation mode trying to lock down plan A.

I would like to get your thoughts or anyone else's on this two-option proposal: 1.) Adding two 4/5 defensemen to the unit this offseason for little cost or 2.) adding one 3/4 defenseman to the unit that would require a #1 round pick plus a high-end prospect such as Savoie, Kulich or Rosen. I lean toward first option although very open to option two. 

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2 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Wasn't singling you out, or anyone. Just recall browsing the other Johnson thread and seeing a lot of hate/anger at him in general. 

Are you sure it wasn't an Eichel thread? ☠️

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