dudacek

I wonder what contender will be looking to add Fleury and what kind of money or environment they might they offer. I mean it’s impossible for us to know what factors a player is weighing and what his priorities are. 2 years $15 million to play in Buffalo or 1 year $2 million to play in Toronto or Edmonton?

This struck me as impossible even a few months ago; there’s no way the cheap, rebuilding Sabres would be interested, and if they were, why the hell would Fleury want to come. A few factors have changed my mind, especially after watching the pressers yesterday. Fleury is easily the best available candidate for what we believe Adams is looking for under the cap: a guy who can step in for a year or two and supply some stability and mentorship without blocking Lukkonnen or the prospects coming behind him. He can do everything Anderson did, but better. It would be foolish not to kick those tires. Anderson’s presser could be used as a recruiting tape for Fleury who was treated like dogshit in Vegas. Come here and hang out with a bunch of great guys who love hockey working for people who treat you the way you want to be treated. In addition to Anderson’s sell, Fleury can pick the brains of a large group who remembers the way it used to be in Vegas and speak first-hand to the way it is in Buffalo: Eakin, Miller, Subban and Tuch. The latter spoke yesterday of Fleury being a mentor. Which brings us back to Kevyn Adams the high priest of culture and rebuilding connections with the fans. Fleury embodies everything that Adams wants his organization to be. And his right hand, Jason Karmanos, must have a relationship with Fleury over their long stints in PIttsburgh. Maybe it’s a good one. Finally, there’s the man at the top of the Buffalo food chain, who I suspect has a lot of love for a PIttsburgh Penguin star and lots of money available to send his way. Not sure if there’s any truth to the rumour the Pegula family cat was named Flower. So I see the potential of a highly motivated owner and GM offering Fleury more money than anyone else to play hockey on an emerging team in a great hockey environment, accompanied by the testimony of a number of people he can trust. I think there may actually be a possibility there.

I don’t think it’s out the realm of possibility. There’s an opportunity here to both make a statement that those who want to be here and perform get rewarded, while it the same time setting a Boston/Tampa situation up in terms of a contract structure where people are getting maybe a little less than they might because the guys up top did. Tage this summer and Ras next summer will be important.

He’s really caught my eye as the type of player our group needs. Guess you could say I’m fully on board with the Concept of Cutter Gauthier. 😜

Given the Sabres love for the USNDP and the added insight of Nightingale’s brother I’m prepping myself for the Sabres “reaching” for someone from the program, which won’t bother me at all.

So much respect for what Adams did for the culture this year. He made good people treating each other properly the focus above all else and in just one season totally transformed the way I feel about my team. So much was said about his lack of experience when he was hired. But he’s the anti-Tim Murray. So much of management has nothing to do with analytics, or negotiations, or evaluating talent. It’s about creating an environment where people are empowered to succeed. If Johnson, Portillo and Levi don’t want to be part of this (for the record, I’ve seen no sign that’s the case) we probably don’t want them anyway.

To me he’s looked more “fearless” since Power arrived, particularly pinching and defending the rush. Hasn’t always worked, but he’s made more plays as a result

They asked him about that Said it won’t change a thing about his approach. If it happens he’s honoured. If it’s someone else he’ll be that guysbiggest supporter. I think there might be a run on those jerseys

Quinn looked more like Quinn last night than he has lately. Just the way he constantly demands the puck. Sucks they couldn’t do it on their own, but I hope he gets a shot at the post-season. Really enjoyed watching Krebs Jack JJ and Mule back in December as Amerks. Would like to see it again with more on the line.

What excites me is what we saw down the stretch has been done almost entirely without any help from Adams drafting. We are about to open chapter 2 of a 3-year period of 6 1sts and 6 2nds. Odds are decent that over this period we will be adding a half-dozen more good pieces to a pipeline that began with Quinn and Peterka 2 years ago. More importantly, these guys will be asked to help the franchise, not save it.

This is going to be one of the great debates of the summer. Harrington asked Okposo about it this morning. Kyle called it a tricky question because ordinarily he’d say these wins don’t really matter. What he thinks might be different is that the Sabres didn’t win because they were loose and had nothing on the line, they won because they prepared and played as though they were in the race and those habits can carry over. Thoughtful stuff, like we typically get from Dad. Ill post the video later.

It’s interesting that almost unanimously this board believed Adams had assembled a terrible collection of goalies this year, and we were right. Yet also almost unanimously we believed that goaltending was going to crush the development of this team and we were wrong.

I’m inclined to view it though the Dan Dunleavy effect: where the circumstances amplify the warts. But no, they’ve really been night-and-day better.

One year ago today, by the hockey calendar, we got McCabe, Risto, Reinhart, and of course Jack, all saying in different ways “goodbye” and officially lighting the torches for a burn-it-down off-season. Wont be nearly as incendiary this year. Hope to see a united message of “can’t wait until next year, we’re going to make it worth your while.”

They certainly were part of the leadership group this year. I wonder if they make everyone available? I’m probably over-estimating but it feels like most years we get most, if not all the team.

Taylor Hall is an a-s-s. Come to think about it, that does make him a perfect Bruin. 😜

This strikes me as odd. Are they swapping tonight’s backups? Why? Is Dell going to start over UPL in must-win for the Amerks? Huge red flag. Is Houser going to start over Dell for the Sabres? OK, I guess…? Having him play the last game of the year in Rochester instead of Buffalo will fix that.

Or you could just ask Portillo - you know, in an open and honest conversation - his intentions and act accordingly. As far as incentives go, how about the fact that the only players standing between him and an NHL job are players who have never earned an NHL job? Cincy? WTF? As things stand, he’s closer to the NHL than Cincy. The only guys in his way in Buffalo have combined for 10 NHL games. How much easier can his path get?

You mean unlike the rest of us, who are in no way convinced we know better than teachers, or doctors, or scientists, or hockey coaches....😜

Not that I’m aware of. Of course they were playing during the Final 4, and the Sabres haven’t been to Minnesota or Detroit since their season ended. Adams and Pegula watched Portillo and Johnson in the Final 4 and probably talked to them, considering we know Adams has talked to them at regular intervals throughout the year, and that the development staff talks with them on a continual basis. We’ve heard from Adams mouth last week that he’s been given no indication Portillo plans to bolt, on the contrary, he’s been told the Portillo family looks at the Sabres as a great opportunity. We’ve heard from Johnson’s mouth how valued the Sabres have made him feel and how much he appreciates the relationship he has with the development staff and how it loves the collection of young players and the direction the team is headed. We know, for a fact, the vast majority of drafted players who play a full 4 years in college and are offered a contract end up signing with the team that drafted them. We know the high-profile ones who don’t - Vesey, Fox, Butcher - generally make it known they intend to exercise free agency well ahead of that time. I’ll worry when I’m given reason to worry. Signs? Yes.

Absolutely. I think fans put way too much faith in consensus rankings, which give equal weight to Tampa’s opinion, Arizona’s opinion, and the opinions of basement hobbyists.

Checking out his buddies Krebs, Cozens and Power. I refuse to worry about Levi, Portillo or Johnson until we see signs that they are less than happy with organization and the opportunity it offers. We’ve seen none aside from panicky posters. And what we have seen seems to indicate the opposite.

I have been enjoying watching the sabres play more than any times in years. I'm sad there are only 2 games left. No question for me on this one. I'll catch up on the Bills later.

My perception is Gauthier is ranked between our 1st 2 picks, but he has caught my eye as well. I agree that the system could use a mean Alex Tuch.

What is interesting to me about Tuch giveaways is how often he takes the puck back. Tage has had good linemates all season. He has been good regardless of his linemates.