dudacek

All grades adjusted for role and expectations Jokiharju C Kind of expected him to solidify himself as a #4 with less responsibility being moved off the top pair, but that didn't really happen. Had some really good games and some not so good ones and he didn't stay healthy. Samuelsson B You can't really argue with the record when he's in the lineup: 33/18/4. He's got more to give. Power B It was so hard to believe this kid was a rookie — so calm, so smart, so constant. Hardness was about the only thing missing in his game. Dahlin A- Would have been A if not for the late season letdown. Proved he is elite and in the conversation for the NHL's best defenceman Clague C- Signed as a depth defenceman to fill in for injuries. Played as a depth defenceman to fill in for injuries Lyubushkin C There was a 2-month stretch in the middle of the season where he looked exactly like the hard-nosed #5/6 we signed him to be, but he hobbled through the start and had a shaky finish. Stillman C Better than Canuck fans would have led you to believe, and better than the guys he pushed into the press box. Managed to stay unnoticed except for a few big hits and that's mostly what you want from a #7 Bryson D One of the most disappointing seasons on the team. Like many youngish Sabres he was given a chance to step up, unlike most he stumbled badly and looked overmatched in all but the most sheltered role. Luukkonnen C People need to remember no one expected him in the NHL this year and half the board was ready to dump him completely. The fact he started 32 NHL games and won 17 of them was completely unexpected. He's incredibly inconsistent with a lot of holes, but his contribution outstripped expectations as the #3. Comrie D He was given every opportunity to be the starter but mostly fell flat on his face. Injuries certainly played a role but he had only 8 games over .900 all year, and just 2 over a 4-month stretch. Anderson C+ He wasn't great, but as long as he wasn't overused, he was the team's best goalie for most of the year. Showed great leadership and did all anyone could have expected of him.

There have been plenty of perennial contenders over the past 15 years. PIttsburgh made the playoffs for 16 years straight. Washington under Ovie. Chicago for all but the final years of the Toews Kane run. When was the last time Tampa was bad or Boston wasnt in the mix? Alex Tuch isn’t a homegrown talent, neither is Jeff Skinner. Technically neither are Thompson or Krebs or Levi. I’m sure there will be more. I agree with the bold. I will be surprised if it doesn’t happen here. I’ve seen and heard nothing that suggests to me it won’t. Most of the debates seem to be a matter of degree anyway: the make some moves crowd isn’t really advocating blowing things up, the stay the coursers aren’t really saying don’t add. And the frustrations generally boil down to “you’re too pessimistic/optimistic because you aren’t paying enough attention too…” Here’s to a team that comes back in September ready to take the next step. See you all again when something actually happens.

So that's a valid concern, but he said things had to go extremely well just to make the playoffs We missed the playoffs by a point with that bottom 3. Levi can't give us few more points on his own, let alone what we might get from the rest who can improve? Also, he said "no significant' additions,. Now maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think upgrading the bottom 3 constitutes "significant". I'm not sure what does is his mind, but I'll bet good money that they will bring in new players in the off-season and that will include additions to the defence. The entire implication of his post was that we can't improve next year by "staying the course." Pretty sure that's what people said last year too.

Why do you say that? They traded away their entire core two years ago, acquiring just one veteran of any significance (who missed nearly half the year) and improved by (a prorated) 21 points through internal development. They made no significant trades or free agent signings last year and improved by 16 points through internal development. They are bringing back 4 rookies, 2 more near-rookies and adding Levi. Why cant there be more internal development?

The Krebs/Gilmour comparison crossed my mind in the earlier discussion. I stayed away from posting it because people see “like” and read “as good as” but there are similarities their games, if not in ability. I like @Flashsabre’s Cirelli comparison. It would be a nice parallel in role and stature that I could see him hit as early as next year.

And PA seemed to take my “hardliners” as a shot a Wawrow, but I actually appreciated the questioning as necessary for those who are looking like this season as a wasted opportunity. Kevyn’s answer just reinforced what you already knew: making the playoffs is not his goal and probably never will be. His goal is to build a perennial contender and the season, to his mind, was not a wasted opportunity because he feels he got closer to that goal. I know many respond to that with a “when”. To me, this presser said this season got us to the doorstep and they think next year the team will be stepping through. It wasn’t said in the words some people wanted to hear, but I’m pretty sure he expects your goal of “playoffs” and his goal of “contender” are about to align.

My take as someone in the other room is that some fans need to hear it for themselves, not for the team. They need to be reassured that the new men in their lives aren’t going to let them down the way Jason and Ralph and Tim did. And maybe they also need to be able to fully hate Kevyn and Don as “promise-breakers” when the letdown inevitably comes. Hardly professional analysis, but on the flip side it’s free!

I’m asking why he needs to say that? Will him saying it increase the chance of playoffs actually happening? Don’t actions speak louder than words?

Why?

At this point in time any rational person has had enough information to make up his mind. We're talking a year here. I doubt the Sabres sprang anything surprising on him last week. It's very odd. It speaks to either character or some bizarre circumstance behind the scene. They are entirely process-driven. They've been telling the players and themselves "do the right things and the results will take care of themselves." It's hardly unusual in the athletic world You're asking them to do effectively abandon that and say "***** the process, now we're focused on the result". It's OK to be disappointed they don't share your view of what's needed to be said, and it's OK to think that is motivated by weakness. But you shouldn't be surprised. Do you make a habit of promising things you may not be able deliver, or enjoy people who do? And for the record, both Adams and Granato made it clear that they believe that they've set a foundation that should mean the playoffs now and for years to come. If you didn't hear that, you're not listening.

I think they kinda addressed that move with Greenway and may see where that goes before adding another. That said, how do you like this? Skinner Thompson Tuch Mittelstadt Cozens Wilson Greenway Compher Okposo Peterka Krebs Quinn (Savoie) Dahlin Samuelsson Power Graves Boosh Joki (Stillman) Levi (New veteran) Feel free to mix and match as desired/ Did I miss anyone?

I think one of UPL and Comrie is dealt and wouldn't be surprised if both are. I think Savoie is here, but sending him to juniors is the obvious solution under your scenario. Or, if Okposo is back, you may not see your additional power forward.

As far as tools go, I'm talking strictly physical. I think JJP is faster than Quinn and stronger on his skates, Jack has better hands. Vision-wise, I think there's another level to Jack and that's why I tend to agree with your ceiling projections.

For me personally, Jack is only marginally ahead offensively and not at all on tools. It's that I have a level of trust for Jack defensively that I haven't developed for JJ. I'm certainly not down on either of them; each had the type of rookie year I kind of expected and we're still 2 or 3 years away from seeing what they will be.

Its on the Sabres Facebook site. Johnny Wawrow making the hard-liners proud

The other ex-penguin Bales is the only other one that comes to mind

Believe, no. Think it’s possible, sure. For me, I think I’d open extension talks this summer and it comes down to how much money Casey wants.

They eliminated the draft pick compensation. I think it was the season after Bylsma (naturally)

To be fair, he did, he just picked the wrong goalie. It is pretty crazy to look at what happened with the goalies who moved last year. I mean who knew Georgiev and Gustafson would play great Vanecek, Samsonov and Kuemper be OK? And Campbell, Comrie, Talbot, Husso and Murray fail? I can almost guarantee the same goalies won’t be in the same category next year. Seems like there’s only a dozen or so goalies you can count on. Let’s just hope Levi joins them.

Do Jost, Okposo and Girgensons fit? How many of the kids can you project higher int the lineup? Who is expendable? How do you best fill the holes?

Under contract and properly slotted for what they have shown so far (not line combos): Skinner Thompson Tuch Mittelstadt Cozens xxx Greenway/Olofsson xxx Quinn* Peterka* Krebs* xxx Kulich* Savoie* Rousek Dahlin xxx Power* Samuelsson* Lyubushkin Jokiharju Bryson Stillman XXX UPL/Comrie Levi* *A player who could reasonably make a leap

#5 forwards salary-wise make between $3.2 and 4.2 million #5 forwards production-wise score between 35 and 40 points Casey Mittelstadt made $2.5 million and scored 59 points. If you could convince him to sign a similar contract to the 4 year $4.4 million deal just inked by the very comparable Filip Chytil, I would do it. The affordable deals we gave Tage and Cozens creates some flexibility and it’s a very tradeable deal if you need to create space for a breakout Quinn or Savoie.

The flaw in this argument is portraying Casey as a “3rd line guy”. A better argument would be to acknowledge him as the team’s 5th forward: it’s reflected in his ice time and it’s reflected in his production. Maybe the kids will eventually push past him, but right now they haven’t and it’s not particularly close.

It was tongue-in-cheek given your feelings about Krebs. I guess I need to up my emoji game. My serious response would be that I’ve liked the way Krebs has seemed to embraced his role between Girgensons and Okposo. No signs of pouting, just consistent hustle and a much-improved defensive game. As to the bold, my guess is that it’s because he wants to be here and he’s bought into what the coaches are selling. He’s been shown a path to more ice time and he’s blazing it. Or, in other words, maybe he’s not an entitled douchebag?

You and your wishful thinking.