In December and your team is failing - Adams Do Something Substantive Already!

[PerreaultForever]

6 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I think you are correct. 

It has to come from Tage, Tuch, Dahlin, Cozens and Mitts.  Its their team. 

I want to replace the lesser vets (KO, Z, Jost, VO)  with NHL ready players that fill needs that balance the team.  Balance mean add some solid 2 way players that are ready now.  

 

 

2 scoring lines, 1 heavier checking line (if they can play 2 way all the better) and a character/energy line made up of defensively responsible players that like to play heavy. That's the age old formula and it still holds. Teams that falter are always missing one or more of these ingredients. 

 

[Pimlach]

43 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Trade a 4th that can become a 3rd for Duclair.

Move Benson into Tuch's role for the puck hounding and Duclair into Benson's spot

Peterka - Cozens - Duclair  SPEED KILLS

Why would they trade Duclair for a 3rd rounder?  Seems to easy to be true.  

[thewookie1]

38 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Why would they trade Duclair for a 3rd rounder?  Seems to easy to be true.  

Because that's his value; he was literally dumped for salary reasons by Florida

[PerreaultForever]

4 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Because that's his value; he was literally dumped for salary reasons by Florida

3 million cap hit I don't see him moved easily. Any contender who wants to add him late will want SJ to retain salary so if they aren't into that they might move him for a lower pick like a 3rd sooner than the deadline. 

He's not what we need though. 

[zow2]

No worries Adams. Stay the course.  My son was in 1st grade last time we made the playoffs. Now he’s a grown man in college.  Ya think maybe we can get this playoff thing happening by the time he’s father in a few years? and i’m a grandfather?  Just a little urgency? 

I tell ya, some of these other organizations make the playoffs every few years by accident. 

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

Because that's his value; he was literally dumped for salary reasons by Florida

That’s just sounds too easy. 

[Ducky]

The season is far from lost.

5 or 6 points out of a playoff spot and 57 games to go.

 

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, Ducky said:

The season is far from lost.

5 or 6 points out of a playoff spot and 57 games to go.

 

You need to face the reality of how it works. For example, Philly just swept Pittsburgh in 2 games and both went to OT so Philly moves up 4 points and Pitt still moves up two. You don't catch anybody losing to Nashville. 

Only Columbus is behind us. What on earth would make you think we can get in the final 8???

[French Collection]

I haven’t contributed my 2 cents here, I’m so disappointed that I don’t need to be reading negative stuff so I try and stay away for a while.

Cozens comments are spot on imo. This team is too soft and others are taking advantage of it. They seem to be building a 4 scoring line team and I have entertained these thoughts myself. The focus has been skill, skill and more skill but this is still a man’s game. DG’s background from the USNTDP has been to go all skill so this probably makes up a big part of his plan.

I don’t think the solution is to go out and get a fighter. A guy like Reaves is a liability in today’s game. He has not made the Leafs a foot taller or heavier by his presence. They are still soft and can’t play him because he sucks. I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s so fighting was a part of hockey and part of the entertainment package. I enjoyed that hockey but have moved on with the direction of the broader changes in the game.

The Sabres need to fill out a roster with more grit. Many have been saying this for a while and I think the Cozens comments are a cry for help. He has dropped the gloves to try and defend and inspire others but he is not the guy to be doing this on a regular basis.

I don’t know if it can be done in season but KA must go outside the organization and find bottom six guys with some jam. Recent Cup winners have had plenty of skill but they also had grit. I think if the Sabres had a fourth line of Barclay Goodrow, Myles Wood and Trent Frederic they would provide a heavy forechecking presence and the capability of throwing down to defend teammates. A guy like Goodrow also brings a winning pedigree and can win many draws as well as be an effective PKer. The Rangers wouldn’t part with him as they are thinking Cup this year.

These 3 guys are probably not available, affordable or willing to come to Buffalo. You can plug in different names like Hathaway, Colton, Paul, Sissons, Kostin, Lafferty, Jeannot, Clutterbuck, Martinook, Carrier, Foligno and many more.

If you can find grit to play on your second or third lines like Sam Bennett, that is a bonus.

I don’t think one of these guys is enough to make a big difference, they need at least two and probably three. If they are older then they can be load managed and insert one of Kulich, Rosen and Biro once in a while. Those guys wouldn’t be as timid as they are now, flanked by VO, Jost and KO.

I’ve said this in other threads, I love KO the person, but his leadership style doesn’t lead to wins.

One guy people have been pointing out for poor play is Mule. That has been evident but his lack of grit disappoints me. His father wasn’t a fighter but he was tough to play against.

Power is still young but doesn’t push back. I have wanted him to find a sliver of Pronger DNA and inject that into his veins. He will never be a tough guy but he doesn’t need to be targeted either.

Anyway, that is my rant for today. I’m getting close to start scouring the ‘24 draft reports so these guys better start playing soon.

 

[Believer]

Sorry to say, think we will again fail to make the playoffs… Rivet and Peters agreed no team is going to trade the kind of vet we need to add experience and grit in season… 

Would have to offer a blockbuster package if we could even convince these type vets to come here at this point… 

So, the onus will be on Adams this season to get his NHL scouts to identify those available players and to prepare Pegula for the cost… so he can get deals done in the coming offseason…

Then let Granato use the bulk of his training camp and preseason to integrate new vets and prepare his starters to begin winning Day One… No more late camp and preseason prospect tryouts… Enough amateur hour management.

[Marvin]

I am sure there are hockey trades to be made where the Sabres send out some youth for a gritty, if over-priced, veteran and a project.  Most rebuilding teams fill in their roster with gritty vets throughout their line-ups that they intend to sell at the deadline.  You can target a bit higher up their rosters with good prospects and/or picks.

[mjd1001]

The one thing I don't get is seemingly everyone wanting 'more grit', more 'tough to play against'.  This team was 1 point from the playoffs last year.  They are playing defense/allowing goals just about the same as last year (not good), but it is the scoring that is way down from last year.

Last year the team got .555 available points. If they were doing the same this year, they would have 27 or 28 points...in a wild car spot right now.  If the MAIN difference from this year to last year is scoring, how does a gritty, tough, hitting vet forward or two change that?

They need 3 things more than anything else: 1.) Thompson back and scoring like he has the last 2 years 2.) Cozens to pick up his scoring to close to where he as last year.  3.) if you DO want to prevent goals, get the young forward to have a clue about what they are supposed to do in their own end. (That will make those bottom 2 D-mean a lot more tolerable)

I see those 3 things as many, many times more important and impactful than making a trade for a tough-nosed, veteran forward. That guy isn't going to fix the scoring or the lack of knowing what to do by the rest of the forwards in their own zone.

Edited December 5, 2023 by mjd1001

[Ducky]

14 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

You need to face the reality of how it works. For example, Philly just swept Pittsburgh in 2 games and both went to OT so Philly moves up 4 points and Pitt still moves up two. You don't catch anybody losing to Nashville. 

Only Columbus is behind us. What on earth would make you think we can get in the final 8???

A starting goalie?

[Crusader1969]

3 hours ago, Believer said:

Sorry to say, think we will again fail to make the playoffs… Rivet and Peters agreed no team is going to trade the kind of vet we need to add experience and grit in season… 

Would have to offer a blockbuster package if we could even convince these type vets to come here at this point… 

So, the onus will be on Adams this season to get his NHL scouts to identify those available players and to prepare Pegula for the cost… so he can get deals done in the coming offseason…

Then let Granato use the bulk of his training camp and preseason to integrate new vets and prepare his starters to begin winning Day One… No more late camp and preseason prospect tryouts… Enough amateur hour management.

The sad part is that they were available last summer and GMKA resigns KO and Girgs and nothing else    HUGE failure on his part 

[Thorny]

17 hours ago, Ducky said:

The season is far from lost.

5 or 6 points out of a playoff spot and 57 games to go.

 

Which makes the lack of action more frustrating 

[Marvin]

I want to take these ideas further.  Are there any teams with a barren prospect pipeline or just loaded with character without talent whom the Sabres could trade with to get the type of veterans we want?  At forward, ideally we could get a couple of Mike Grier types, but even an Adam Mair or Paul Gaustad type would be welcome.  On defence, is someone like Chris Tanev available to teach Power better?  And what do you think is a good offer where you probably trade youth and talent for grit and experience?

[Ducky]

3 hours ago, Thorny said:

Which makes the lack of action more frustrating 

I know where you're coming from. We lost Buff, Trouba, Myers and Chiarot in one off season and Chevy replaced them with AHLers for the next two seasons.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Ducky

[Thorny]

1 hour ago, Ducky said:

I know where you're coming from. We lost Buff, Trouba, Myers and Chiarot in one off season and Chevy replaced them with AHLers for the next two seasons.

Ahhhhhhhh you think darkness is your ally? You and your Jets merely adopted the dark. As a Sabres fan I was born into it…moulded by it.

[Familykwi]

I want this team to be at least competitive.  I’ve reached a point where they could sell them and leave Buffalo.  I’d rather they stop embarrassing them and city.

[zow2]

Sell the team Terry.  Anyone would luck in to better results than under your ownership.  Literally anyone.

[Ducky]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Ahhhhhhhh you think darkness is your ally? You and your Jets merely adopted the dark. As a Sabres fan I was born into it…moulded by it.

I'm guessing that I've been a Jets fan for longer than you've been a Sabres' fan.

 

hint: I remember the last time the Leafs won the cup.

[GASabresIUFAN]

18 minutes ago, Ducky said:

I'm guessing that I've been a Jets fan for longer than you've been a Sabres' fan.

 

hint: I remember the last time the Leafs won the cup.

I don’t. I had just turned 1.

Edited December 6, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[sabremike]

If you are Adams why do anything? You have a job for life and nobody in the court eunuch media is going to go after you like they would in say NY or Philly. If you are KA life is great: he can fail forever and never have to worry about his job. Wouldn't YOU love to have a job like that?

[thewookie1]

At this point, is there anything we actually can do without having heavily overpay due to desperation besides just giving up?

Everyone wants our prospects not our picks; but are asking for Top 6 level guys for middling talent in their 30s. How do you break that?

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

At this point, is there anything we actually can do without having heavily overpay due to desperation besides just giving up?

Everyone wants our prospects not our picks; but are asking for Top 6 level guys for middling talent in their 30s. How do you break that?

It’s certainly a problem.  However we can afford to probably trade two of Savoie, Östlund, Kulich or Rosen without really hurting the longterm depth as long we hit on a few guys drafted later like Neuchev, Kisakov, Miedma, Richards etc…

The truth is is that there isn’t enough room on the AHL/NHL rosters anyway.  You have to move on from some of the guys anyway, might as well use them to bolster a near now and in the near term.

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN