Mango

I’m open to cleaning house behind the bench and in the FO. If Terry is on the page I’d actually stay put this season and let the new regime make any roster moves. At this point I have a lot of questions around the vision for this team. And if this is currently the vision of the FO, I don’t want that guy making performative moves to save his job.

The team doesn’t have enough versatility. It’s why some really liked Mitts on the first line when Tommers went down last year, Tuch has been so important, and Greenway is very much a top 6 guy here. Our skill players need a physical presence on each line. The league isn’t playing the game the way the Sabres want them to and this roster gets abused for stretches because of it. If this team could get another Greenway and a Mitts-lite it would go a long way. They won’t get over the hump this year, next year, or any other year until the vision for this team changes. I’m not sure Mitts came off the ice the last 2:30 minutes.

I really think next steps for this franchise starts with Terry asking GMKA what the plan is this year and next year. If Adams says “patience” or anything resembling “run it back”. We have to move on immediately. Because if that’s the case the problem here is vision not coaching and all we will be doing is delaying the inevitable.

Cozens has been playing bad hockey since before he was punched in the face. The injury is way over played.

Not a lot of patience? The Sabres hold the NHL drought record at 12 years. The next longest active drought is 7 years. If the KA misses the playoffs for a 4th time, he’ll be starting his tenure risking a 5th year. 5 years would be 4th longest active drought in the league. The NHL isn’t the NFL. I get it. There is no magic wand (QB). But the league isn’t some magic 5 year process either. This is as much a KA process issue as it is a roster construction and coaching issue.

I actually think this is way overstated. That line was Jekyll and Hyde last year. JJP came back an animal and Cozens has been no better than “middle 6” on his best day this year, and bottom 6 on his worst. Cozens -> JJP is the spectrum for that line in 2023-24. I have no idea why anybody would have any expectations for Quinn this year coming off of an achilles. That’s crazy. If missing Quinn based on 22-23 after rupturing his achilles totally details this team we don’t have much of a team at all.

I agree with this.

I was answering the question that was asked which was “why isn’t Cozens with JJP anymore?” To which the answer is Mitts is a better player. Also I don’t think Cozens game would be helpful for Benson right now either. Not to mention that Mitts/Peterka have also been a lights out pairing. I don’t get wanting to move Mitts away from guys he’s both helping and playing lights out with. I think Cozens best spot is at RW in the coming years as Tuch ages and moves down the line up. I foresee it as Skinner - Thompson - Tuch Skinner - Thompson - Cozens Peterka - Thompson - Cozens

Mitts leapfrogged Cozens on the depth chart. He’s now firmly the 3C. Cozens path to the top 6 in the next 3-5 years will have to be at RW. EDIT: 3C assuming the roster is healthy.

I think we should let Adams decide what to do. And if his plan is to roll it back again then tell him to pack his bags. I know that sounds a bit contrived, but part of the issue with the team is that we just keep rolling it all back. Instead of forcing the guy in charge to make moves, give him the freedom to fail. I am not putting this entire situation on Adams. Granato gets some blame too. But I am questioning how capable he is in pivoting from his vision, and pivoting well. We didn’t add enough this offseason. He didn’t force this team to change special teams coaches this last offseason. This is all by design. I’m not sure that firing Granato wouldn’t just be performative. And if it is, then just go ahead and have the GM pack up too.

Ranked by play this year? Or potential. This year has to be closer to: Mitts Thompson Peterka Skinner Greenway Tuch Benson Cozens Quinn (he hasn’t played)

I agree about the steady hand. But in regards to gas, and other stuff there are a ton of Stewarts around my house with another gas station either right across the street or just down the street, and in each spot the "other guy" is 5-10 cents cheaper.

And their gas is always more expensive.

For the most part I make it back every 4-6 weeks to help some of my more elderly family.

Oh, Webers is the truth. I’m definitely not knocking that.

Maybe I just don’t eat enough hot dogs? I’ve lived in 4 states and never bought the local hot dog and thought, “wow trash”. In regards to Wawa, that’s more a comparison to chains. In any mid/major city I’ll take a neighborhood bodega over any chain 7 days per week. But compared to Stewart’s they might as well be Wegmans.

I came into this thread thinking that this thread was going to go a totally different direction and talk about some of the stuff that Buffalo hypes but feels silly. I came prepared to answer a question nobody asked me, so here it goes. Tim Hortons- Their coffee stinks. I have never missed it. Sahlens hot dogs- Don't get me wrong, I love Ted's. But when it comes to brands a lot of regions have their local purveyor and most taste pretty similar. As not to pile on Buffalo, I live in the capital region now. Stewarts - If K-Mart were a gas station it would be Stewarts. People who hype Stewarts have never been to a Wawa (The Wegmans of gas stations/corner stores)

I was all in last year. But this year I am struggling to find the vision after seeing the bottom 6 perform. I know I keep coming back to it, but the top 6 is more or less set for the next 3-5 years. We have some guys to shuffle in towards the end of that as guys age out and contracts expire. But it seems like we have too much overlap in that skill set and lack anybody with any physicality or grit n the pipeline. I just don't see the plan other than just wait, see, and hope. And if that is the case, WTF is the point of an NHL GM if all we do is draft and wait? It just feels like we are building this thing as our first line is our best line and our 4th line is our worst, and that isn't how teams are constructed.

Maybe this is a net positive. Tage is super talented but could use a little less dangle and a little more straight forward play. Maybe he becomes a guy who crashes the net. Just to big and strong to get/move out of the way? I don't know. Everything stinks right now.

I missed this one. After the way we played the Pens, then the state of the Bills, a Bruins beating would have hit me pretty hard. Did Cozens finally have a good game? I imagine there was likely a lot wrong with last night.

Regarding Levi. I think it is because he is waiver exempt. If Levi needs to go down to the AHL he can go down. If Comrie or UPL stink they stink. Either way Adams is to blame.

I’ve been asking this for a bit. Given how common trades are much more common in the NHL. How long it takes draft picks to evolve into NHL players. The sheer number of leagues to manage your own prospects in and scout for new ones? Does managing your amateur scouting department alone make you a good GM? Im tempted to put this one on Adams more than Meatballs

I wasn’t going to watch this one after the Bills game but my lady is sick and just went to bed so I tossed it on. First scene is a replay, Power with a wrister, VO sneaks one in. But I think “that’s the least excited I’ve seen anybody after scoring a goal. Man, his situation in Buffalo sucks for everybody I guess”. Then the next shot is Levi walking to the locker room and it’s 5-1 on 17 shots. Jesus Christ.

I told my partner today that this PK thing might have some legs and he might be coming. She reminded me that a friend of her family was assaulted by Kane. I felt like such an idiot for not remembering. This hits home for the in-laws. For all the Eichel was an a-hole, and we need to clean up the locker room stuff, I think I’ll struggle with this one as a person myself; but also the judgement of the FO.

I’m not giving up on Cozens either. This was just sort of piggy backing off of some hypothetical. I really liked Cozens game last year.