The offseason so far - Are the Sabres better?

[Pimlach]

5 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Not only bad but “bad and refuses to change his play”. Ok. Uncoachable I guess.

I must be blind because I didn’t see much bad body language or attitude from Peterka.  Maybe some I’m the last two weeks which I chalked up to being sick of losing. 

He had a strong start, then he cooled off, and then he was pretty steady despite the constant line juggling, and the poorly coached power play, and playing in front of a goalie who’s confidence was shot.  The team under Ruff played 3/4 of the season as if they didn’t know each other. Yet Peterka was a steady contributor.   
 

[Weave]

6 hours ago, pi2000 said:

JJP was fine defensively, was a +2 team relative plus/minus.

You want to allow fewer goals?  Trade Quinn and Malenstyn, they were a combined -34!  

You completely wiffed on my use of the word defensive.

[JohnC]

7 hours ago, Pimlach said:

I’m tired of the “Peterka is bad at defense” story.  He is 23, and he is a goal scorer, and an emerging star player.  

Peterka is bad at defense just like almost every other player that came up the Sabres development path.  Granato did not teach an NHL system, and Adams did not support his young players with his &hity methods of roster building.  

Peterka didn’t get along with Ruff.  Something happened. Oh well.   But I get the feeling Ruff is gone in a year and Peterka will be Sam Reinhart-lite on another team.   

Why did the coach ride JJP? It surely wasn’t because he was responding to what the coach/es were telling him. So an old school coach coached like an old school coach. Big freaking deal! The player couldn’t handle it. 
 

I’m not suggesting that JJP is a bad fellow. What’s obvious is that he wasn’t as receptive to coaching and as resilient as he needed to be. 
 

In the end, the player made it clear that he wanted out, and got out. He was traded for players that filled other needs. What this backwater franchise doesn’t need is lingering dissatisfaction in a room already filled with a lot of existing frustrations. 

[LGR4GM]

9 hours ago, pi2000 said:

JJP was fine defensively, was a +2 team relative plus/minus.

You want to allow fewer goals?  Trade Quinn and Malenstyn, they were a combined -34!  

Question. JJ Peterka was -1 on the season but Zach Benson was -2... who's a better defensive forward?

[LGR4GM]

9 hours ago, pi2000 said:

JJP was fine defensively, was a +2 team relative plus/minus.

You want to allow fewer goals?  Trade Quinn and Malenstyn, they were a combined -34!  

They did dump Cozens -13, and Lafferty -15... but somehow kept Bryson-9. They did dump Clifton's -6 and Kubel's -4

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

Why did the coach ride JJP? It surely wasn’t because he was responding to what the coach/es were telling him. So an old school coach coached like an old school coach. Big freaking deal! The player couldn’t handle it. 
 

I’m not suggesting that JJP is a bad fellow. What’s obvious is that he wasn’t as receptive to coaching and as resilient as he needed to be. 
 

In the end, the player made it clear that he wanted out, and got out. He was traded for players that filled other needs. What this backwater franchise doesn’t need is lingering dissatisfaction in a room already filled with a lot of existing frustrations. 

Of note through all this...   Ruff called out TNT and Cozens as centers who weren't putting in the effort to play center last season. TNT got moved to wing. Cozens just continued playing center (I have a note that he started one game 11/1 vs. NYI on the wing before immediately going back to center). So JJP wasn't alone as a top 6 key scoring forward who wasn't playing his defensive role up to expectations.

The difference between them all is JJP had a choice - a smallish choice, but a choice nonetheless. TNT is under contract with reasonable big money, Cozens is already traded (also under big money). As an RFA, JJP's rights were owned for a couple more seasons, but he was not under contract this summer. He used that little leverage to say adios to this inept franchise.

If you were a player -- what would you do? Would you want to sign for 1 year to play it out all over again next summer, 2 years to UFA, or sign here long term? With this GM/Owner forever linked? Why? You're in the NHL -- you can play hockey and make (likely) more money elsewhere on a team without an internal cap, or with lower taxes and more palms if that's your thing. Or go be on a team trying to win.

(Or a team trying to tank, if that's your thing. Or pull a Skinner and go to the Sharks for sunshine and no playoff expectations.)

 

17 hours ago, Thorny said:

17 hours ago, Thorny said:

Good... gooooood...  your Sabreing has made you powerful!

[DarthEbriate]

18 hours ago, Thorny said:

Anakin remains loyal to the sabres. If not, you’re the enemy 

Jackikin Eichwalker did not stay loyal to the Sabres, however. He was seduced by the desire for victory, the Cup Side.

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Of note through all this...   Ruff called out TNT and Cozens as centers who weren't putting in the effort to play center last season. TNT got moved to wing. Cozens just continued playing center (I have a note that he started one game 11/1 vs. NYI on the wing before immediately going back to center). So JJP wasn't alone as a top 6 key scoring forward who wasn't playing his defensive role up to expectations.

The difference between them all is JJP had a choice - a smallish choice, but a choice nonetheless. TNT is under contract with reasonable big money, Cozens is already traded (also under big money). As an RFA, JJP's rights were owned for a couple more seasons, but he was not under contract this summer. He used that little leverage to say adios to this inept franchise.

If you were a player -- what would you do? Would you want to sign for 1 year to play it out all over again next summer, 2 years to UFA, or sign here long term? With this GM/Owner forever linked? Why? You're in the NHL -- you can play hockey and make (likely) more money elsewhere on a team without an internal cap, or with lower taxes and more palms if that's your thing. Or go be on a team trying to win.

(Or a team trying to tank, if that's your thing. Or pull a Skinner and go to the Sharks for sunshine and no playoff expectations.)

 

Good... gooooood...  your Sabreing has made you powerful!

You make a keen observation that JJP wasn't singled out for criticism of one's play. Coaches critiques players and hold them accountable in a variety of ways. There is nothing abnormal about that. What's surprising to me is that the Sabres are rightly criticized for soft and irresponsible play. So when that issue is emphasized and there is an attempt to hold people accountable, there is a response by some that old-school coaching was not appropriate for this particular young player. That doesn't resonate with me. 

You are right that JJP had options that the other contractually bound players didn't have. So he exercised his prerogative; and so did the organization. The GM traded a discontented player for players that hopefully will help strengthen in other areas. That's the sports marketplace in practice. 

[dudacek]

It’s surprising how much this team has actually changed. Half the roster has played less than 80 games in blue and gold. Peyton Krebs has the 3rd-most experience as a Sabre.

Games played for Buffalo:

• Lyon 0
• Timmins 0
• Kesselring 0
• Doan 0
• Danforth 0
• Norris 3
• Kulich 63
• Zucker 73
• Malenstyn 76
• McLeod 79
• Byram 100
• Greenway 118
• Benson 146
• Luukkonen 155
• Quinn 178
• Samuelsson 212
• Power 242
• Bryson 254
• Tuch 281
• Krebs 283
• Thompson 407
• Dahlin 509

We talk about the culture being bad. I don’t think many of us include Thompson, Tuch and Dahlin in that, but those are the guys who logic dictates are the ones setting the culture.

Setting talent aside, who are the personalities setting the wrong tone in the room and how?

Specifically, on a culture level, who and how many need to be pruned?

Edited 2 hours ago by dudacek

[LGR4GM]

45 minutes ago, dudacek said:

It’s surprising how much this team has actually changed. Half the roster has played less than 80 games in blue and gold. Peyton Krebs has the 3rd-most experience as a Sabre.

Games played for Buffalo:

• Lyon 0
• Timmins 0
• Kesselring 0
• Doan 0
• Danforth 0
• Norris 3
• Kulich 63
• Zucker 73
• Malenstyn 76
• McLeod 79
• Byram 100
• Greenway 118
• Benson 146
• Luukkonen 155
• Quinn 178
• Samuelsson 212
• Power 242
• Bryson 254
• Tuch 281
• Krebs 283
• Thompson 407
• Dahlin 509

We talk about the culture being bad. I don’t think many of us include Thompson, Tuch and Dahlin in that, but those are the guys who logic dictates are the ones setting the culture.

Setting talent aside, who are the personalities setting the wrong tone in the room and how?

Specifically, on a culture level, who and how many need to be pruned?

If Jacob Bryson is your 2nd most games played on defense, you done ***** up. 

[French Collection]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

If Jacob Bryson is your 2nd most games played on defense, you done ***** up. 

Power should pass him this season but your point is well made.

A healthy Mule (yeah right) could close the gap.