LGR4GM

I dont think there is any issue with Tage or Cozens. They didn't have an issue with making less than Skinner. The other thing I will say about Thompson is that for several years he was on the edge of not being an NHL player. He had a great season and then the GM was like, "wanna sign a 7 year deal" and that deal basically sets up his family for life even if he is only getting about 25-30mil when all is said and done (taxes and escrow). He and his wife were starting a family and it was a big jump up from "almost out of the league and making just over a million" to "7yrs and 50mil". Tage decided to take the money and I don't think he regrets it at all, in fact I think he feels he has to earn that deal.

The Sabres core is better but it is closer than I would like. Stutzle and Tkachuk are really good and Batherson and Norris also have chances to be really good. That said, Chabot and Sanderson aren't Dahlin whereas I could argue that Tage and Cozens are Stutzle and Tkachuk (yes they play different styles). Sanderson and Power are similar but I think Power is underrated and this comes from a guy who didn't love Power in his draft year. As you also note, the Sabres have a ton of depth still to come and some of that will be very good including Quinn, JJP, Kulich, and Benson.

How can Power ask for 9 when he's basically Sanderson at this point? Also pay the consequences? You're talking about a GM that pays Tage and Cozens 14 million a year, combined.

There's always been a reason Adams hasn't spent a ton in UFA and it isn't because Pegula won't let him. Dahlin and Power are going to eat around 20-22% of the Sabres cap (at first) and that's gotta be budgeted for.

Cozens had 2 rookies on his line and even though Quinn and JJP are good, he still was held back slightly by that. I expect great things this year from Cozens. 80pts+

Levi is a rare breed. He charts his own path and is unstoppable.

Conn Smythe

That's right there betrays what this thread is really about. You want Terry to sell and dislike Kim Pegula. Idc because I don't know either of them but an unsubstantiated claim that Terry is selling is because you think they have run the team poorly (they have) doesn't make the rest of us hung up on anything.

Harbor Center.

Feel like it was in a post game presser.

Good. I knew I liked him, he understands his goals and is internally motivated to achieve them.

Rumors that Kane wants to go to Detroit. Take them with all the grains of salt. Does this guy know anything? Probably not but it's still the offseason so.

He'll be the best defencemen in the league.

It is and has been the most logical line combo since Quinn was injured. We've been talking about this line combo for 2 months already. Skinner - Tage - Tuch JJP - Cozens - Mitts Greenway - Krebs - Olofsson Zemgus - Jost - Okposo Rousek

Went with 2 but I'm hoping 1. It all depends on how quick Levi adjusts to nhl teams attacking his weaknesses.

Hard to tell with a guy with only 18 Sabres games to his name. I'd hope he is a solid 6/7 defender

I go to the tweet I want and in the lower right corner is the share option. I click share - copy link. Then I post it here and wait a few seconds for the forum to embed the tweet after I post it. It usually takes 2-5 seconds for the forum to actually do its embedding and if you post before that it doesn't work.

This just reminds us all that you need 5 separate channels/apps to watch Sabres games. The NHL is a dumpster fire when it comes to how they broadcast their product.

The problem with Detroit's/Yzerman's strategy is that the league has changed from the mid 20-teens to now. It has greatly changed from the early 2000s to now. The league is trending to younger and more skilled. Yzerman doesn't have a game breaking.

What?

Wait, wait wait. This was freaking written yesterday? What a giant pile of trash. It's the worst written thing I've ever read. The writers should feel ashamed.

Depends on how you feel about Krebs, Greenway, Mitts and I suppose possibly Cozens (although I think Olofsson's lack of grit or defense make it less likely he sticks with Cozens 5v5). Last year Olofsson was paired with Mitts and it was death, like truly atrocious in terms of how they operated together. It is why I just can't see him getting that again but I could see Mitts going to play with Cozens and JJP.

27% of Buffalo's 1st or 2nd round picks from 2019 to now have been either defenders or goalies. That's 4 out of 15 picks. 58% of Detroit's draft 1st or 2nd round picks from 2019 to now have been either defenders or goalies. That's 11 out of 19 picks. 46% of Ottawa's draft 1st or 2nd round picks from 2019 to now have been either defenders or goalies. That's 6 out of 13 picks. While Detroit has had the most 1st or 2nd round picks since 2019, they have used the least percentage of them on forwards and to be honest it shows. Instead they have drafted: Sebastian Cossa G, Trey Augustine G, Axel Sandin Pelikka D, Andrew Gibson D, Brady Cleveland D, Simon Edvinsson D, Shai Buium D, William Willinder D, Moritz Seider D, Albert Johansson D and Antti Tuomisto D. That's 2 goalies and 9 defenders. The only forwards they have drafted in that time are: Robert Mastrosimone, Lucas Raymond, Theodor Niederbach, Cross Hanas, Marco Kasper, Dylan James, Dmitri Buchelnikov, and Nate Danielson. Note that Mastrosimone was not signed by Detroit and is slated to play for Marlies in the AHL this yeas.

Goals For and Goals Against Buffalo: 296gf, 300ga Detroit: 240gf, 279ga Ottawa: 261gf, 271ga This is where I would be the most concerned for Detroit. Yes, they added DeBrincat and that will help but does it really bring them up by at minimum 21goals? They also lost Kubalik's 20g. Detroit's biggest issue is that Stevie Y has prioritized high floor lower (not low but lower) ceiling players in his drafts. He seems to really like 50pt-60pt guys over say a more flawed but possible 90pt guy. Danielson and Raymond are probably the most dynamic forwards he's drafted and they would both need to hit their ceiling. Idk, I worry about Detroit.