Sabres have elected arbitration with Byram

[Flashsabre]

Utah just signed McBain to a 5 year deal after electing arbitration with him.

[JohnC]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

lol, if you think about it, this team has already broken you. Your bar of expectation is buried under ground and you're okay with it. You accept it. You have already given up even though you will think you have hope and you will feel the pain of having even that taken away slowly. 

You are correct that my bar of expectation is low. This is what happens when you have a Terry P type ownership. It’s his toy to play with staffed by a sycophantic GM that he personally selected.

 

I am far from being broken, just realistic. My low bar of expectation is to be a low end playoff contender. With a little more tweaking it is doable.

[JP51]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

You are correct that my bar of expectation is low. This is what happens when you have a Terry P type ownership. It’s his toy to play with staffed by a sycophantic GM that he personally selected.

 

I am far from being broken, just realistic. My low bar of expectation is to be a low end playoff contender. With a little more tweaking it is doable.

I think some parts of us (all) are broken to a point because we lower our expectations... its hard not to have broken pieces when you are in a relationship that is toxic like this one...  yet... I believe one day... when the acrimony gets so intense that there will be a day of reckoning... Pegula will sell the team OR he will attempt at least to take a different path... attempt to hire a FO office that is experienced and competent,  a tear down and rebuild will ensue again.... and maybe we have a chance to build something... 

tweaking in its current state I agree... it could lead to a playoff appearance at some point... but certainly not the success needed to repair the brand... not sure I even want to set that as my low bar of acceptance (although I would be thrilled to watch playoff hockey) I just don't know that minimal success like that gets us to a place where we can truly try to build a relevant team, despite the fact that we really do need to make the playoffs or players are gonna bail... but will that just postpone what we all think needs to happen.... or are we just happy with an odd 1st rd playoff appearance here and there... 

[Slack_in_MA]

2 hours ago, JohnC said:

You are correct that my bar of expectation is low. This is what happens when you have a Terry P type ownership. It’s his toy to play with staffed by a sycophantic GM that he personally selected.

 

I am far from being broken, just realistic. My low bar of expectation is to be a low end playoff contender. With a little more tweaking it is doable.

As I get older I’ve realized that setting high expectations on things over which I have no control is a recipe for a lifetime of frustration. 
 

As fans, we can stop buying tickets and merch and scream into the void on social media and message boards, but other than venting, it doesn’t actually do anything, especially when you have ineffective ownership and management. 
 

It’s (unfortunately) their expectations that matter most.

[LGR4GM]

32 minutes ago, Slack_in_MA said:

As I get older I’ve realized that setting high expectations on things over which I have no control is a recipe for a lifetime of frustration. 
 

As fans, we can stop buying tickets and merch and scream into the void on social media and message boards, but other than venting, it doesn’t actually do anything, especially when you have ineffective ownership and management. 
 

It’s (unfortunately) their expectations that matter most.

Yes it does. It saves our hard earned money and keeps out of the pocket of someone who is ineffective. Billionaires get enough handouts, I don't have to participate though. 

[Slack_in_MA]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Yes it does. It saves our hard earned money and keeps out of the pocket of someone who is ineffective. Billionaires get enough handouts, I don't have to participate though. 

I agree. That was presumed on my part.

[JustOutsideChicago]

5 hours ago, JohnC said:

You are correct that my bar of expectation is low. This is what happens when you have a Terry P type ownership. It’s his toy to play with staffed by a sycophantic GM that he personally selected.

 

I am far from being broken, just realistic. My low bar of expectation is to be a low end playoff contender. With a little more tweaking it is doable.

Penn State got McKenna. Surely Terry was involved. It sounds like they have incredible facilities. Is he just neglecting the Sabres in favor of them?

[DarthEbriate]

38 minutes ago, JustOutsideChicago said:

Penn State got McKenna. Surely Terry was involved. It sounds like they have incredible facilities. Is he just neglecting the Sabres in favor of them?

Penn State funds would be a donation that would be a tax deduction.

Some Sabres business expenses could be shuffled around and could angle for public funds for building construction and such, but the player salaries are just a cost.

 

 

Unrelated note:

Finished the latest Baker Fairburn Hockey Show podcast...  Fairburn's never seen Star Wars. When he finally watches Revenge of the Sith and realizes that Adams has been Palpatine all along it's going to blow his mind.

[Eleven]

2 hours ago, JustOutsideChicago said:

Penn State got McKenna. Surely Terry was involved. It sounds like they have incredible facilities. Is he just neglecting the Sabres in favor of them?

The Sabres just built incredible facilities within the past decade.  

No team can re-make its facilities every year.

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, JohnC said:

You are correct that my bar of expectation is low. This is what happens when you have a Terry P type ownership. It’s his toy to play with staffed by a sycophantic GM that he personally selected.

 

I am far from being broken, just realistic. My low bar of expectation is to be a low end playoff contender. With a little more tweaking it is doable.

Not a chance. 

[inkman]

12 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Not a chance. 

Eh it all depends on goaltending.  If they get some quality play, they will get a sniff of the playoffs. 

[Eleven]

21 minutes ago, inkman said:

Eh it all depends on goaltending.  If they get some quality play, they will get a sniff of the playoffs. 

 

The one thing Adams never addresses.  I can't understand it.

[LGR4GM]

7 minutes ago, Eleven said:

 

The one thing Adams never addresses.  I can't understand it.

He has, just not professionally. The Sabres went from basically never draft goaltenders (2020 and 2021) to taking 5 goalies in the next 4 drafts including using a 2nd round pick on one. Of course... that won't matter for another 3-5 years so your point stands. I just wanted to mention all the goalies we drafted. 

[Skibum]

Probably the best they can do at this point. Arbitration makes it much more likely that he'll remain on the team for at least the coming season, even if they have to overpay. They just can't afford to let yet another good player entering his prime walk away right now. 

But it's sad, because this is something good teams don't have to resort to. 

[JohnC]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

Not a chance. 

As @inkman states, if the Sabres get consistent solid goaltending the team will be in the mix as a fringe playoff team. Pegula’s motto is strive for mediocrity. He has embraced the loser’s ethos of the less you expect—-the less you will be disappointed. 

[Thorny]

36 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

He has, just not professionally. The Sabres went from basically never draft goaltenders (2020 and 2021) to taking 5 goalies in the next 4 drafts including using a 2nd round pick on one. Of course... that won't matter for another 3-5 years so your point stands. I just wanted to mention all the goalies we drafted. 

Ya Dad I sent out a stack of resumes I swear 

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

 

The one thing Adams never addresses.  I can't understand it.

Alex Lyon? We also draft one or two goalies a year.

Edited 2 hours ago by PromoTheRobot

[Taro T]

39 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Alex Lyon? We also draft one or two goalies a year.

Really?

A guy pencilled in to be the backup as he's been a career backup pretty much every year in the league except 1 where he was the definition of a platoon starter is your example of Adams "addressing goaltending."

This team sets itself up annually to in a best case, if everything goes right to have a 100 point season.  And EVERYTHING never goes right, ever.  Realize it was a tough ask this year to put a goaltending tandem on the ice that would be clearly better than last season's tandem as the few goalies that moved aren't worldbeaters.  But Vancouver, at a minimum, is in a place that they've essentially got 3 GOOD goalies and are on the verge (1 year away) of only have 2 spots available for them all.

Why not make an offer that they can't turn down, ideally to land Demko.  But if not, to land the backup that they locked up LT.  Get yourself a little breathing room to not need every single thing go right.

Why not make an offer on somebody else (other than Gibson; he won't come to Buffalo and he fades badly down the stretch)?  If the Swamp Cats needed a goalie, you know darn well that Zito would've found a way to get one.  Vegas would too.

[tom webster]

7 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Really?

A guy pencilled in to be the backup as he's been a career backup pretty much every year in the league except 1 where he was the definition of a platoon starter is your example of Adams "addressing goaltending."

This team sets itself up annually to in a best case, if everything goes right to have a 100 point season.  And EVERYTHING never goes right, ever.  Realize it was a tough ask this year to put a goaltending tandem on the ice that would be clearly better than last season's tandem as the few goalies that moved aren't worldbeaters.  But Vancouver, at a minimum, is in a place that they've essentially got 3 GOOD goalies and are on the verge (1 year away) of only have 2 spots available for them all.

Why not make an offer that they can't turn down, ideally to land Demko.  But if not, to land the backup that they locked up LT.  Get yourself a little breathing room to not need every single thing go right.

Why not make an offer on somebody else (other than Gibson; he won't come to Buffalo and he fades badly down the stretch)?  If the Swamp Cats needed a goalie, you know darn well that Zito would've found a way to get one.  Vegas would too.

I really believe it’s three things;

A) A lot of teams are looking for goalies

B) goaltending is so unpredictable 

C) the Carolina theory; unless you can get yourselves on if the top 5 guys, the rest are all nearly the same.

That is why losing Ullmark was unforgivable in my book. 
 

Finally, for the record, I think they were in on Demko before Vancouver decided to re-up.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, tom webster said:

I really believe it’s three things;

A) A lot of teams are looking for goalies

B) goaltending is so unpredictable 

C) the Carolina theory; unless you can get yourselves on if the top 5 guys, the rest are all nearly the same.

That is why losing Ullmark was unforgivable in my book. 
 

Finally, for the record, I think they were in on Demko before Vancouver decided to re-up.

Hated, and still hate to this day, losing Ullmark.

[PromoTheRobot]

18 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Really?

A guy pencilled in to be the backup as he's been a career backup pretty much every year in the league except 1 where he was the definition of a platoon starter is your example of Adams "addressing goaltending."

This team sets itself up annually to in a best case, if everything goes right to have a 100 point season.  And EVERYTHING never goes right, ever.  Realize it was a tough ask this year to put a goaltending tandem on the ice that would be clearly better than last season's tandem as the few goalies that moved aren't worldbeaters.  But Vancouver, at a minimum, is in a place that they've essentially got 3 GOOD goalies and are on the verge (1 year away) of only have 2 spots available for them all.

Why not make an offer that they can't turn down, ideally to land Demko.  But if not, to land the backup that they locked up LT.  Get yourself a little breathing room to not need every single thing go right.

Why not make an offer on somebody else (other than Gibson; he won't come to Buffalo and he fades badly down the stretch)?  If the Swamp Cats needed a goalie, you know darn well that Zito would've found a way to get one.  Vegas would too.

You named one goalie who didn't leave Vancouver. What exactly is an offer the Canucks can't refuse? 

It's easy to come to with hypotheticals. It's another to make them happen. If you didn't like Gibson, then Adams got the next best free agent goalie available. In other words, he addressed the need. You may not like it, but he addressed it. 

[Taro T]

11 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

You named one goalie who didn't leave Vancouver. What exactly is an offer the Canucks can't refuse? 

It's easy to come to with hypotheticals. It's another to make them happen. If you didn't like Gibson, then Adams got the next best free agent goalie available. In other words, he addressed the need. You may not like it, but he addressed it. 

He's had 5 YEARS to address the need.  What is the excuse the OTHER 4 years?

Yes, it is easy to come up with hypotheticals.  It's even easier to just shrug and say "well, there's absolutely nothing he could have done."  

[Eleven]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

He has, just not professionally. The Sabres went from basically never draft goaltenders (2020 and 2021) to taking 5 goalies in the next 4 drafts including using a 2nd round pick on one. Of course... that won't matter for another 3-5 years so your point stands. I just wanted to mention all the goalies we drafted. 

I mentioned it myself in one or two of the draft threads.  That's different.  Since (and including) the Ullmark situation, Adams has proved himself inept where it comes to G, if not generally inept.

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I mentioned it myself in one or two of the draft threads.  That's different.  Since (and including) the Ullmark situation, Adams has proved himself inept where it comes to G, if not generally inept.

Now, now, be fair to Mr. Adams, whatever could he POSSIBLY have done differently?  We KNOW there were no other options available because he didn't do anything differently.  We, and he, are left with raising our arms and shouting at the sky because there were LITERALLY no other options available to him.

[PromoTheRobot]

16 minutes ago, Taro T said:

He's had 5 YEARS to address the need.  What is the excuse the OTHER 4 years?

Yes, it is easy to come up with hypotheticals.  It's even easier to just shrug and say "well, there's absolutely nothing he could have done."  

You keep changing the topic. First it was "he's not addressing goaltending now." Now it's "he didn't the past 5 years" which is also not true.

He did commit to UPL but he also traded for Devon Levi. He's drafted goalies every year. (Leinonen, Ratzlaff, Leenders, Meloche, Prokhorov) So to say Adams is doing nothing is demonstrably false. You may not like it or agree with what he's doing but that's a different argument.

And this year in particular, the Sabres are beefing up their defense which should help the goaltending out considerably. 

Over and over people talk about addressing goaltending in the abstract. Gotta get that magical guy who'll be awesome! Who that is is rarely identified or is a player who's team would never trade away. (Even an offer they can't refuse, which no one ever articulates what that is.)