LGR4GM

Heartily disagree. Also they addressed the line this offseason. This team needs Allen and Diggs.

There is a rumor that Josh Allen had something going with a bartender downtown that resulted in... complications right around the end of the season. Josh then ended up being broken up with by his GF after the season ended. The rumor was they tried to make it work but it didn't. If that love life drama was going on, still might be going on because of complications, Diggs might not be too happy with Josh Allen right now. AKA just a little personal issue between them. Again this was all rumors that no one has ever even remotely confirmed or corroborated to I would take them with a healthy dose of small town gossip salt.

Sounds like a coach issue and I don't think it is limited to Dorsey. I think McDermott has rubbed some players the wrong way. Josh and Von came out in support of Diggs so I am not very worried. I'm sure they will get this sorted.

Juraj Pekarcik, 6'2" 183lbs, LW, Sept 12th bday. If I am Buffalo, this is probably my target at 45. Why? First things first, he is basically a 2024 draft eligible player. For comparison presumptive 2023 1st rounder Nate Danielson (consolidated rank 16) is 350 days older than Juraj. That means you are looking at a guy who is at a distinct disadvantage in terms of age compared to the majority of his class. Now alone this doesn't matter but once we start looking at the player, things get better. You have this kid who is super young, is already 6'2" and he is smart. He makes passes to the high danger areas and prepares defenders to get the passes through. His has some nifty handles, although I think at times he makes 1 move too many. His skating is fine, average for the NHL but I think it will get better. When you watch him, he looks like a 17yr old kid at times with a bit of that uncoordinated limb movement. With his size though, I think added strength will tighten up his skating and make his edges more dangerous. His shot is good and added strength could make it a major asset but it does need some refinement. Now being younger it could mean he is a bit differential to others but nope. He engages in the offensive zone and that includes forechecking. His physical game is solid as well, he uses his body to help separate opponents from the puck. I like his motor the best as he never seems to take shifts off but is always looking for plays both in the offensive zone and when on defense. The bottom line is you are getting a really raw prospect who at the u18s really showed that he can keep up or even outplay a guy like Dalibor Dvorsky. Dvorsky will probably go top 10 if not top 15. He has all the tools and the toolbox to be a top 6 forward in the NHL and I think at worst you get a solid 3rd line guy. I like Juraj Pekarcik and would be excited if Buffalo drafted him. His age, skills, and motor make me excited for his future and I think he could be an under the radar pick.

For the "we hate Kevyn Adams and everything he does because it isn't exactly what we want done" crowd, this must really grind your gears. Who do you think has more pull on more players, Jack Eichel or a bunch of player agents? My money is on the agents because they have a lot more reach and their business isn't playing hockey, it is getting money and helping their clients succeed to do it. What about this? I bet the group of ppl who crapped allllllll over the Okposo extension because "we don't like it because winning or something rabble rabble, not what I wanted so bad rabble rabble" are really excited to know that Kyle Okposo is respected league wide. This isn't coming from a fan either, this all comes from someone who reports on the team and goes to the events and talks to other reporters, players, execs, etc... This all comes down to one thing, there is a vocal minority of ppl on this site who hate the Sabres. It is true, you hate them. They can't do anything correct because you are so angry and bitter about the past 12 years that anything short of winning the cup is a total failure that feeds into your feedback loop of the team being a failure. Hell, I bet when Buffalo wins the cup you will bitch too because they didn't win it in the way you demand. This is why I am taking breaks from this place, your constant negativity about everything the team does always is atrocious to read and be mired in. Last season was a blast. It is the most fun and intense season since 2011. Yea, we came up short but I am still allowed to enjoy it even though a bunch of no name internet randos keep screaming at me that "losing is accepted" and "Adams is awful" and "Granato can't coach because he is new and his defense sucks." Next year when we win a playoff round it will be the same crap. "Oh if Adams wasn't so dumb we could have won the cup" or "Oh if Granato wasn't such an amateur coach we could have won the cup." If the only way you will find joy in the Sabres is if they get the exact players you want always (because there aren't apparently 31 other teams out there that might also want good players) and if they win the cup every year, I feel sorry for you.

You mean like you do? See below. FTR I played teams sports from the time I was 4 until I graduated from undergrad. I've been in a lot of locker rooms over the years and let me say my college room was the best. We didn't all get along off the field but man when a game started and you stepped onto that field, it was all of us in it together. (no it was not hockey) Bolded #2... "but the attitude about the team is changing. There are a few reasons... Another is head coach Don Granato, who has coached players like Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch to career-best seasons." guess it must mean something if it is being written and talked about. This also isn't the first time it has come up. https://theathletic.com/4600049/2023/06/11/nhl-sabres-offseason-owen-power/ But again, you consistently demonstrate you hate the Sabres. I don't think there is a move short of trading for Connor McDavid that would make you say something good about Kevyn Adams.

Look, if you don't know who David Jiricek is, that's fine. But maybe you should find out before saying something like this. David Jiricek will be a top 4 defender in the NHL starting in October. Ever hear of Moritz Seider? David Jiricek is a good comp.

My appreciation of Matthew Wood went up. “If a scout who came to watch me play thinks I’m inconsistent, not fast enough, or don’t compete, they should get another job.” I don't think Wood is fast or agile enough yet. That said, he is consistent and does compete. Also Calum Ritchie played the year with a torn labrum? WHAT? Omg, I probably need to move him up the board. That is insane especially if you go watch some of his stuff. He's probably not going to be a Sabre but I just enjoy the way he plays hockey.

It is like on draft night 2022 when I am sitting there watching Kulich just slide and slide and slide. I couldn't believe it when he was still there at 28. Teams IMPO tend to have too many voices and also they tend to have "this is what makes a good NHL'er" attitude that often doesn't reflect reality. Guys that show up at the u18s get overdrafted because they were good for 7-8 games, where guys who were good all year in their jr leagues slide down because scouts don't see "progress". I think I have my top 32 done. It looks different than Buttons. Pellikka at 5 is a thing you could do, you shouldn't, but you could.

You think it's a problem, I don't. Using hits to measure physicality is not great impo. Hence why sometimes status quo is all you can you do. Or we could be Detroit who dumped money on downgrades.

No the point of UFA is to fill holes on your roster. Sure that can mean upgrading but it can also mean downgrading or status quo. Also Boosh speaks russian... so it was an upgrade IMPO.

Wood scored quite a few PP goals in college because he has a cannon of a shot. That's fine and all but getting fed one timers at the circle is not something that impresses me overall. My other issue is his skating which needs to improve quite a bit. His short area burst and his edges are below average IMPO. At 13 I would rather get Musty I think over Wood. Wood has the better shot but Musty has the better everything else and both still have some size.

I didn't mention Hagg at all. I said Boosh was a solid #5 defender.

I wouldn't. If Jack has tiny man syndrome that badly you have issues to work out. If I were Eichel I would spend the cup day with my family and friends in my hometown. It is why you put in the lifetime of work. Going to Buffalo so you can show everyone you got a big schlong isn't you trolling, it is just you showing your insecurities.

Ilya Lyubushkin played his roll perfectly last year. In fact if we had had another Lyubushkin we probably make the playoffs. Boosh is a very solid #5 defender.

This is the thing with Mitts. You can play him in 6 of the top 9 forward spots, maybe 5 (I don't truly think he is a good 1c for a long period of time but that's an aside) and he can produce. He is 6'1" 200lbs so he isn't slight and can handle himself against bigger players. His passing is quite good, he has above average edges, he has some manipulation in his rush and zone patterns. He's really the perfect middle 6 player. He only overlaps with Jordan Greenway for 1 year so you could conceivable give him a 4yr, 5.5mil extension and basically just use the savings from when Greenway (3mil) comes off to accomplish that. I might go 5 years with Mitts but that would probably be my limit. I like him but I don't love him and there is a lot of talent coming behind. Also, his buddy is your #1 defender so paying a little to keep one of his friends around, especially a useful friend, doesn't hurt anything.

My only concern with Wood is how he scored in college and his skating. Wood needs to really increase his agility to be like Tage. Tage has excellent edges and Wood simply does not.

Because I think that David Jiricek is going to be better than any "proven" defender you can trade that for. In fact I like Jiricek so much I think he might be a top 10 defender in the league within the next 3 years. 6'3" great skating physical RHD don't grow on trees.

You don't see how a GM moving players when they would like to go elsewhere and sending them to places they might like helps? Of course you don't. The perception about the Sabres as a team is changing. Why? Because the team is actually a team now. There is a reason all those fun videos are coming out of the locker room and guys are going on vacation together etc... That is the stuff that players talk about, is the room fun. Also Don Granato is highly liked and respected by everyone who plays under him. Contrary to the narrative that comes up here repeatedly, DG isn't some novice bumbling his way around. He's got 20 years of coaching experience and players like him. Finally, no one gives a crap about other stuff when you start to win and the Sabres made a big statement last year. Before you toss out "they didn't make the playoffs!" this team was supposed to be a lottery team again. Almost every single national publication picked them to finish in the 5-9 range. I don't know of anyone who picked them to finish above Detroit or Ottawa. There is an entire thread on this website dedicated to Tage Thompson's sh% because everywhere you looked his new contract was highly questioned and basically everyone said "he will regress because his sh% won't be that high again". I mean I guess they were right there, it was higher. The point is, what Jack Eichel does or says doesn't matter because the teams locker room is fun, the coach is highly respected and liked, and they are starting to win. When the Sabres win a playoff round this upcoming season, no one is going to be thinking "oh man, they traded Jack Eichel 3 years ago and he won a cup so they are a bad franchise I won't go there."

Can't believe you disagree with trading 13oa. I thought you wanted to get better? I guess you're content with losing. See how annoying that post sounds. It's exactly how you frame everything.

Couldn't disagree more with this mess of a Response. No one cares that 2 years ago Eichel was in Buffalo, no players do. He doesn't.