What’s left for KA to do this Summer?

[Thorny]

1 hour ago, 7+6=13 said:

Some fans are mad that KA is doing exactly what he said he would.  That's not his problem. 

Does it leave much room for discussion if any disagreement with something the GM has done is deemed as the poster being “mad”? If the idea is KA has laid out what he’s going to do, so any disagreement is pointless, I’d wager that’s a pretty big block on healthy debate 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Thorny

[JohnC]

30 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Does it leave much room for discussion if any disagreement with something the GM has done is deemed as the poster being “mad”? If the idea is KA has laid out what he’s going to do, so any disagreement is pointless, I’d wager that’s a pretty big block on healthy debate 

You are absolutely right in stating that there is validity to criticizing the moves or lack of moves of the GM. You and many others (majority of contributors) believe that the GM is possibly making a big mistake that will undercut the roster he has assembled by not bringing in another goalie. That certainly is a reasonable position to take. And there is a great deal of validity to the idea of wanting a deal for a more established defenseman for one of the top two pairings. Is the GM taking a risk by taking a less aggressive acquisition approach this offseason? While you and I are on opposite sides of this issue, we both agree (I think) that the GM is taking a risk on how he has handled this offseason. 

Edited July 23, 2023 by JohnC

[dudacek]

33 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Does it leave much room for discussion if any disagreement with something the GM has done is deemed as the poster being “mad”? If the idea is KA has laid out what he’s going to do, so any disagreement is pointless, I’d wager that’s a pretty big block on healthy debate 

I think ideally most fans wanted:

• a goalie to share the load with Levi
• 1 top 4 defenceman
• defensive depth

plus maybe someone to take faceoffs, then Quinn got hurt and it opened another spot there.

Seems to me like there's still work to be done.

[Thorny]

10 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I think ideally most fans wanted:

• a goalie to share the load with Levi
• 1 top 4 defenceman
• defensive depth

plus maybe someone to take faceoffs, then Quinn got hurt and it opened another spot there.

Seems to me like there's still work to be done.

Wouldn’t surprise me if Adams felt the/a depth F could be added more in the neighbourhood of training camp, considering the required/desired aptitude of said addition, and their likely confidence in the matter after reasonably successful signings like Jost.

on his checklist he undoubtedly has top 4 d add and depth d add checked off. And while I definitely think he’s open to/been open to a goalie add, I feel like the answer as to whether Adams might overpay by value somewhat to achieve “his man” is probably a resounding “no”- thought that might shift given state of roster/expectations. If the goalie box goes unchecked, I think Adams is more than content to pride himself on holding to his hard line evaluations and is confident what we have in house is not so inferior to what’s available so as to make any kind of (what he’d determine to be an) overpay worth it

Edited July 23, 2023 by Thorny

[dudacek]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Wouldn’t surprise me if Adams felt the/a depth F could be added more in the neighbourhood of training camp, considering the required/desired aptitude of said addition, and their likely confidence in the matter after reasonably successful signings like Jost.

on his checklist he undoubtedly has top 4 d add and depth d add checked off. And while I definitely think he’s open to/been open to a goalie add, I feel like the answer as to whether Adams might overpay by value somewhat to achieve “his man” is probably a resounding “no”- thought that might shift given state of roster/expectations. If the goalie box goes unchecked, I think Adams is more than content to pride himself on holding to his hard line evaluations and is confident what we have in house is not so inferior to what’s available so as to make any kind of (what he’d determine to be an) overpay worth it

He pretty much outright said he wasn't going to acquire a goalie if he didn't believe that goalie was better than what we had.

Now you have to assume a big part of that is posturing toward other GMs, but another one is that he may feel better about his trio than we do.

And I'd say the same goes for Victor as the Quinn replacement.

the league has moved into waiting mode and he seems content to wait it out.

He's got a lot of depth in most spots and the flexibility to make a move or 2 if the dominoes start to fall. But hes done a good job of making it seem like he doesn't have to make a move.

[Thorny]

Why does it make me feel we are going to run 11-7 till Quinn is back? Is that the plan? Considering all the D, too? The 3rd scoring line invariably seems to amount to a spare parts line if we are seeking to maximize the top 6 + checking line

Skinner - Thompson - Tuch 

Mittelstadt - Cozens - Peterka

Girgensons - Krebs - Okposo

Greenway/Jost swap into line periodically on a rotational basis during games? VO scratch?

Samuelsson - Dahlin

Power - Clifton

Lyubushkin - Jokiharju

Johnson or Stillman dressed as 7, subbing in to keep things fresh, other scratched? 
 

 

3 goalies, one scratched makes 23

[Thorny]

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

He pretty much outright said he wasn't going to acquire a goalie if he didn't believe that goalie was better than what we had.

Now you have to assume a big part of that is posturing toward other GMs, but another one is that he may feel better about his trio than we do.

And I'd say the same goes for Victor as the Quinn replacement.

the league has moved into waiting mode and he seems content to wait it out.

He's got a lot of depth in most spots and the flexibility to make a move or 2 if the dominoes start to fall. But hes done a good job of making it seem like he doesn't have to make a move.

Well why would any GM acquire a goalie they thought was inferior for the role to someone they had? I took it more to be, we aren’t going to get a guy if he’s not ENOUGH better, which is where the wiggle room comes in. Like how we’ve been supposedly close on a few things but not quite there 

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, 7+6=13 said:

Some fans are mad that KA is doing exactly what he said he would.  That's not his problem. 

Doing what you say is important and so is building a winning team.  Some GMs, actually most GMs I should say, do not get to lose  four years in a row.  This is his year #4 and this is the year that KA should elevate this team into the playoffs   The talent is there (thanks to him and his staff) and there are tons of assets to work with to address this teams shortcomings    

They missed the playoffs by one win last season   They scored 296 goals but gave up a whopping 300 goals   They were an abysmal 17-20-4 on home ice. They were 28th overall on the PK.   They were dead last in faceoff win percentage.   It’s pretty obvious what has to improve.   

I am behind KA on most of his moves and even some of his non-moves.  But this is the year he must get this team into the playoffs.   Getting there should be his goal and his focus.   If they don’t make it this season that really is his problem, even if he does exactly what he says. 
 

The questions are did he do enough and what is left?  

[dudacek]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Well why would any GM acquire a goalie they thought was inferior for the role to someone they had? I took it more to be, we aren’t going to get a guy if he’s not ENOUGH better, which is where the wiggle room comes in. Like how we’ve been supposedly close on a few things but not quite there 

Seems to me after hashing the issue to death that the Venn diagram of goalies better than UPL, available, and at a price acceptable to Adams is very small.

Or maybe he’s just trying to wait somebody out, or he’s got something he wants to do, but it’s held up by another shoe that has to fall around the league first.

Who knows? It’s dead out there and we’re just basically trying to fill the vaccuum.

[dudacek]

6 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Doing what you say is important and so is building a winning team.  Some GMs, actually most GMs I should say, do not get to lose  four years in a row.  This is his year #4 and this is the year that KA should elevate this team into the playoffs   The talent is there (thanks to him and his staff) and there are tons of assets to work with to address this teams shortcomings    

They missed the playoffs by one win last season   They scored 296 goals but gave up a whopping 300 goals   They were an abysmal 17-20-4 on home ice. They were 28th overall on the PK.   They were dead last in faceoff win percentage.   It’s pretty obvious what has to improve.   

I am behind KA on most of his moves and even some of his non-moves.  But this is the year he must get this team into the playoffs.   Getting there should be his goal and his focus.   If they don’t make it this season that really is his problem, even if he does exactly what he says. 
 

The questions are did he do enough and what is left?  

Great post.

I read elsewhere on here today that the Sabres are putting out the vibe that “now’s not the time, we’re still a year or two away” and I don’t see that all.

Those who are buying into Adams by and large see the pieces of a playoff team assembled right now. If they cough up an 86-point year, no one is going to be OK with that, and Adams knows it.

[Pimlach]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Great post.

I read elsewhere on here today that the Sabres are putting out the vibe that “now’s not the time, we’re still a year or two away” and I don’t see that all.

Those who are buying into Adams by and large see the pieces of a playoff team assembled right now. If they cough up an 86-point year, no one is going to be OK with that, and Adams knows it.

If the bold is true I will be very upset.  The core needs to win right now or else they could start accepting the loses.  

I think they might be a few veteran players short of a playoff team as of today,  but if the core players all contribute big again, and some more kids evolve and step up they could make it. 
 

Too much depends on Levi to make me comfortable and have high confidence.  
 

[Turbo44]

31 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Why does it make me feel we are going to run 11-7 till Quinn is back? Is that the plan? Considering all the D, too? The 3rd scoring line invariably seems to amount to a spare parts line if we are seeking to maximize the top 6 + checking line

Skinner - Thompson - Tuch 

Mittelstadt - Cozens - Peterka

Girgensons - Krebs - Okposo

Greenway/Jost swap into line periodically on a rotational basis during games? VO scratch?

Samuelsson - Dahlin

Power - Clifton

Lyubushkin - Jokiharju

Johnson or Stillman dressed as 7, subbing in to keep things fresh, other scratched? 
 

 

3 goalies, one scratched makes 23

We aren’t keeping 3 goalies - Comrie will pass through waivers and play in rochester. 11-7 isn’t happening - Bryson will be sent to Rochester and either Rousek or Savoie will be active. 
 

Tatar is still available and would make SO much sense that it invariably won’t happen 

[PASabreFan]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Great post.

I read elsewhere on here today that the Sabres are putting out the vibe that “now’s not the time, we’re still a year or two away” and I don’t see that all.

Those who are buying into Adams by and large see the pieces of a playoff team assembled right now. If they cough up an 86-point year, no one is going to be OK with that, and Adams knows it.

Plenty of people will be OK with it, and you know it.

[dudacek]

31 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

If the bold is true I will be very upset.  The core needs to win right now or else they could start accepting the loses.  

I think they might be a few veteran players short of a playoff team as of today,  but if the core players all contribute big again, and some more kids evolve and step up they could make it. 
 

Too much depends on Levi to make me comfortable and have high confidence.  
 

How would you compare your confidence in Levi to your confidence in Anderson? 

We missed by one point with Anderson and I have high confidence Levi can replace his 26 games and supply another 26 at that level.

I think the experience gained and the pieces added over the 82 games last year will make a difference over the 82 games this year. I think Clifton and Johnson improve the weakest part of last year’s depth chart (PK, defensive depth) while also adding to those characteristics (experience, defence, edge) the team was lacking.

I also think it is highly unlikely the forwards will be able to repeat the scoring totals and the good health they had last year and I think the confidence in Levi needs to be buttressed with a better insurance policy.

I think they should be a playoff team as currently constructed.

I also think more can and should be done.

[dudacek]

5 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Plenty of people will be OK with it, and you know it.

Well, Pimlach and Thorny and I won’t be for 3. 🤷

Plenty is a little hard to quantify, but I’m not seeing it.

[JohnC]

13 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Plenty of people will be OK with it, and you know it.

I don't know anyone who would be happy with not making the playoffs. That's the near universal expectation. 

[dudacek]

8 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I don't know anyone who would be happy with not making the playoffs. That's the near universal expectation. 

I don’t think he means happy, more like he thinks people will move goalposts and say things like “well, it was never really the plan to contend this year” or “it was always about Levi maturing, and when Benson gets here” or some such.

At least that’s how I’ve been reading him.

He thinks the plan of building from within isn’t so much about building a winner, it’s about Adams managing expectations and building job security.

He might be right. 🤷

I don’t really give a ***** as long as the team continues to improve like it has.

Edited July 23, 2023 by dudacek

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I don’t think he means happy, more like he thinks people will move goalposts and say things like “well, it was never really the plan to contend this year” or “it was always about Levi maturing, and when Benson gets here” or some such.

At least that’s how I’ve been reading him.

He thinks the plan of building from within isn’t so much about building a winner, it’s about Adams managing expectations and building job security.

He might be right. 🤷

It don’t really give a ***** as long as the team continues to improve like it has.

There's no question that the GM's approach is focused on building a winner relying on mostly building through the system. He's clearly stated that was his philosophy when he took over the reigns as a GM. He has often stated that it was his belief that primarily building from within the system was the most sustainable to being competitive. 

However, I have different reading on the GM's expectations than some have. Based on last year's nearly miss for qualifying for the playoffs, the expectation for the GM, players, organization, ownership and fans is that this reconstructed team should make the playoffs next year. My sense is that the primary consideration for the coaching staff right now is centered on winning more than player development. That wasn't the case last year. 

[dudacek]

4 minutes ago, JohnC said:

There's no question that the GM's approach is focused on building a winner relying on mostly building through the system. He's clearly stated that was his philosophy when he took over the reigns as a GM. He has often stated that it was his belief that primarily building from within the system was the most sustainable to being competitive. 

However, I have different reading on the GM's expectations than some have. Based on last year's nearly miss for qualifying for the playoffs, the expectation for the GM, players, organization, ownership and fans is that this reconstructed team should make the playoffs next year. My sense is that the primary consideration for the coaching staff right now is centered on winning more than player development. That wasn't the case last year. 

Donnie said as much.

“Guys that have been with us as a coaching staff by the end of the year had 162 opportunities to grow and that’s more than enough for me.”

[PASabreFan]

30 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Well, Pimlach and Thorny and I won’t be for 3. 🤷

Plenty is a little hard to quantify, but I’m not seeing it.

It would be a good bet, but lawyers would have to be involved, and no one wants that. "Plenty" would have to be defined, and the point total broadened. 

I might be willing to bet that if the Sabres finish with a point total of 86 +/- 5, I could get 50% or more of the posters on this board to say they were OK with the season.

It doesn't seem plausible, but of course there will be injuries; young players regressing; growing pains with Levi, who will nonetheless look very good in stretches; bad officiating; "youngest team in hockey"; take away the losing streak and we would have made it; the goal was always to continue to develop the kids; KA wanted to make a move, but the other GMs are meanies; and the like.

It's just the makeup of this board.

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, JohnC said:

What difference does it make why a deal was made? Whether it was for reasons of disgruntlement, cap, better players in the system or whatever, the measurement of success of a deal is the impact on the team. The fundamental issue is: does the transaction make the team better and/or do the cumulative transactions improve the team. The Jack deal, for whatever reason it was made for, was a good deal for both teams involved. 

You are reflexive contrarian to the point where everyone knows what your position is on a topic before you even post it. You make @PerreaultForeverlook like a Polly Anna Optimist. That is quite an accomplishment. 

 

I don't know if I'm being flattered or insulted here but I will tell you straight out I am not an optimist when it comes to the Sabres.

For years I was an optimistic "fan" despite all the bad moves BUT after I jumped on the bandwagon with the 10 game season start win streak and the Skinner Eichel Reinhart line ripping it up I fell off that thing so hard I hit my head and the resulting brain injury turned me into a complete pessimist. I've been in the prove it and show me stage for a couple years now, and my patience is wearing thin. Seattle and New Jersey rising up haven't helped things. 

Still, I want it to finally happen this year and I want it really bad. 

If it doesn't, well, then, 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

How would you compare your confidence in Levi to your confidence in Anderson? 

We missed by one point with Anderson and I have high confidence Levi can replace his 26 games and supply another 26 at that level.

I think the experience gained and the pieces added over the 82 games last year will make a difference over the 82 games this year. I think Clifton and Johnson improve the weakest part of last year’s depth chart (PK, defensive depth) while also adding to those characteristics (experience, defence, edge) the team was lacking.

I also think it is highly unlikely the forwards will be able to repeat the scoring totals and the good health they had last year and I think the confidence in Levi needs to be buttressed with a better insurance policy.

I think they should be a playoff team as currently constructed.

I also think more can and should be done.

Sure he can replace 26 of Andy’s games, maybe 40 at that level or better.  Asking for 52 is a lot and carries a high risk, especially since we have not seen a commitment to team defense yet.  Sure, they added two defenders that will help, now the forwards have to do their part.  

I’m pulling for the overall team play improvement that could come from another year of maturity and leveraging of off last season’s experience. 

[7+6=13]

4 hours ago, Thorny said:

Does it leave much room for discussion if any disagreement with something the GM has done is deemed as the poster being “mad”? If the idea is KA has laid out what he’s going to do, so any disagreement is pointless, I’d wager that’s a pretty big block on healthy debate 

I think there's a massive gap between any disagreement and being mad. There's posters that are upset and want KA either fired or on the hot seat.  So yes, I think there's plenty in-between for discussion and that happens frequently.

I think the vitriol is completely unnecessary and boring.  

[Marvin]

A vast majority of my discomfiture is the goaltending.  I can accept that Levi can replace Anderson, but that leaves questions:

1. How much more can he play?

2. What happens once teams get some video on him?

3. For games without Levi, we have UPL and Comrie -- can either or both of them improve enough to improve the team's performance?

That is for the most important position on the ice.  I am very trepidatious about next season.

[JohnC]

29 minutes ago, Marvin said:

A vast majority of my discomfiture is the goaltending.  I can accept that Levi can replace Anderson, but that leaves questions:

1. How much more can he play?

2. What happens once teams get some video on him?

3. For games without Levi, we have UPL and Comrie -- can either or both of them improve enough to improve the team's performance?

That is for the most important position on the ice.  I am very trepidatious about next season.

The central issue for me is whether the coaching staff can adjust the team's style of play from a more freestyle play to a more disciplined and tighter brand of hockey? Will the additions of Clifton and Johnson make a marked difference to our blueline? And just as important, if not more important, will our lines be more conscious of their defensive responsibilities? If the coaching staff can get the team more focused on the defensive end of the game, our goalies will be in a better position to succeed. If that happens, the wins should be more frequent although the entertainment value from the more conservative offense might be less so. I'll take substance over style this upcoming season. 

There is a good reason why so many people are "trepidatious" (your terrific word) about next season: The expectations have increased to the point where if this team doesn't make the playoffs next season, it will be perceived as a failed season. And rightly so.