All Activity

We’ve got the capflation that’s been confirmed since those comparables were signed, we’ve got the “Terry’s favourite” factor, we’ve got the whispers of not loving the city factor, and we’ve got the “his agent is Allen Walsh, who is already planting the offer sheet seed factor”. I will be very surprised if it’s as low as $7.5M on term.

If you've done nothing, you've earned nothing of value. BUT you still have a culture. It may be toxic, it clearly is unproductive, but it is still a culture. And, you've EARNED that culture you end up with. IF you've worked hard, and built up something positive, well, you've earned THAT too. Were culture necessarily a positive thing, would agree it necessarily is built. But culture can vary widely and what you get is what you've earned.

maybe they should start by correcting this

Man, this hand wringing about Benson’s production is weird to me. Here are the list of players 19 years old (his age) or younger who outproduced Benson offensively in the NHL this season: Maclin Celebrini (first overall), Will Smith (fourth overall), Connor Bedard (first overall). That’s it. To be able to develop all this time in the NHL will be a godsend down the road. He may never be a sniper, but he will always be a core player on this team. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-zach-benson-fights-jason-zucker-jordan-greenway

The Capwages site's AFP Analytics estimates either 6 x $6.627M or 2 x $4.221M. I feel both of those are a touch low, without even including the palm trees and income taxes. Anything in the 7-or 8-year range has to be with a floor of $7.5M. Wyatt Johnson is the most recent forward signing of note with a 5 x $8.4M (coming off a 65-point season and in the midst of this year's 33-38-71). Edit: Bah. @LGR4GM beat me to the Capwages estimate.

Even though I think Benson is a little overrated by some people on this board, I love the way he hustles out there 100% of the time. He's quicker than just about anyone to a loose puck, he sets up players with some excellent passes, he's tough for his size, he's got good vision for the game, and his stamina is up there with the best. On the same token, he just can't seem to finish on enough of the opportunities he gets to score, and he's often flat on the ice which takes him out of the play for too long. Just the same, with the right coaching, I think there's a chance that he could develop into somewhat of a Theo Fleury type player. Maybe. Hopefully.

Fully agree. Do we bridge him for a year or 2, or just go 6-8yrs considering the history. So 7.5 x 7ish Capwages puts him at 6.6 x 6 as his estimate. I think we'll need to go a bit over that.

In my mind, you have to build or work at something to earn it. You can earn wins, you can earn goals, you can earn tangible things. How you accomplish that goal is culture and that isn't earned because it's not something that can be given. It is something you build and it takes constant maintenance.

If they want 7 or 8 years, it’s going to cost them around $8M. Market for bridge hasn’t really been set, but I’m going to say around $6M?

I took Ruffs comments about getting to know his players and some guys were different than he thought (paraphrasing here) to be about Cozens 1st and foremost. I think Ruff was like the entire mainstream hockey world where Cozens is a 25g 65pt 2way center with grit. I think that's why he got an A and Ruff was disappointed in what he really was. I'm speculating. I fully agree we're seeing a shift in real time towards Ruff. The press conference has Ruff interject a few times after Adams answered.

Byrams going to be expensive for what he is to most teams who don't have as many PP minutes, so i think if he is moved it would be to another young team - and it's unlikely that's bringing us a top-6 winger. Like looking at someone like the sharks for example: they could really use his speed... but i'm not sure who i'd even want, or who they'd be inclined to move. So if you wanted to improve the top 6 and someone's willing to waive and come here, or we try to upgrade the player peterka is and take on a bigger extension and more risk.

It just means it's the top Sales guy.

Peterka is worth whatever it will take to keep him here.

The biggest gripe any of the players should have had for the last year is the fact that they never had a legit number one goalie. No wonder they were so inconsistent. When you're skating your hearts out and the goalie can't keep you in a game by making the big save, then it's only human nature that their play will start to reflect their frustration. I like Lindy okay but over the last bunch of years if Adams had gotten this team the most important thing any good hockey team needs, a real number one goalie, Don Granato would most likely still be coaching this team and the Sabres would have already been in the playoffs. No goalie + not enough decent veterans = no playoffs, especially the no goalie part. We need a legit goalie and Adams has failed time and time again to get us one.

Potential recent comparables: Lucas Raymond 8 years, $8.1M coming off 31 goals and 72 points Seth Jarvis 8 years, $7.4M, coming off 33 goals and 67 points Dylan Cozens 7 years, $7.1M during 31 goal, 67 point season Trevor Zegras 3 years, $5.7M coming off 23 goals, 65 points Matthew Boldy 7 years, $7M, during 31 goal, 63 point season Cole Caufield 8 years, $7.8M coming off 26 goals, 36 points (in 46 games) Alexis Lafreniere 7 years, $7.45M coming off 28 goals 57 points (3rd contract) Quinton Byfield 5 years, $6.25 of 20 goals, 55 points

This business side will suck as long as the on ice product sucks. Good luck, Jake.

what makes you say that?

Same with the Labatt's Bear commercial where he's complaining the worst part about living in Canada is sleeping on hard rocks and then the hot brunette he's talking to says she's got a waterbed. "Check please." Spent an inordinate amount of time trying to find that one a few year's back.

Guelli needs help and some distance from the Sabres.

Guelli did a long stint in the NBA with Charlotte.

This is a pretty significant hire for the business side of things.

This thread is about not what you want done, but what you think will actually happen. For example I want Power traded because he stinks defensively and has a redundant skill set to Byram who will be cheaper to re-sign and will actually hit someone. The Adams' lead Sabres will likely trade Byram for a middling prospect and conditional 3rd pick in 2027 so that they don't have to re-sign him.

Personally, expect that's been the case since at least the trade deadline. Adams brought Byram onto the roster to pair with Dahlin. Ruff said on day one that Dahlin should be paired with Samuelsson &/or Power. Dahlin and Byram were a pair for a long time. Muel was Dahlin's partner down the stretch. They traded out from their core leadership group a player that was supposed to be a strong, solid, smart 2 way player that would contribute significantly at both ends. They brought in a guy that is that (though only gives you 50 or so games per season. Both of those moves would seem to be moving away from Adams' vision. Both Ruff and Adams are constantly saying they themselves need to be better. Ruff states what he's been doing in season to be better and what he plans to do to continue to get better. Adams gives platitudes of what he'll do to be better. Of course, all of this could be simply reading into statements what one wants to hear from them. (Hope that's not simply the case.)

Didn't they hire another executive in the last year or two from Minnesota... or somewhere else in the NBA?