LGR4GM

Rosen is criminally underrated by this board.

Can't wait for October, JJP is going to be really fun.

Okposo's full interview

NHL should probably figure out their atrocious seeding mechanics for the playoffs if we are going to watch sweeps in the conference finals.

Last I checked it was May 25th and the season does not start until October. I'll worry about Jost and Rousek then, if both are still with the team and no one else has been moved. For the record, the Sabres could sign Jost and still have 1 forward spot open for Rousek.

Actually Occam's Razor would posit that Adams wanted to move on from Eichel and the reason it didn't happen was Terry. That explains the Hall signing and the one more swing. It is also why I don't think Adams was fully in charge yet as all of that stank of Krueger and Terry. Already that offseason there was rumors swirling that Eichel might want out and also that Adams was not opposed to moving him. Obviously that didn't happen and the team under Barf Krueger bottomed out. Once that happened, Adams went to Terry and said "we need to rebuild and we need to do it while we have these assets that I can turn into other stuff." Terry agreed and Adams started moving out Risto, Sam, and finally Jack. If Terry felt betrayed and just wanted the deal done, Adams would never have been able to sit and wait for almost 7 months.

A couple things. The first is I don't answer to you. I don't have to explain myself to you ever. The second is I haven't ever been asked about Rousek as far as I remember. I see no reason why Rousek cannot take the spot left vacant by Zemgus or Hinostroza.

It's fun to remember that this was the first full season with Tuch, Krebs, Quinn, and JJP. Really it was the first year post teardown as Eichel was traded midway through the 2021 season. Anyways, not important when looking at what this team did this season, I was just musing. Edit: and first season with Power. So first full season with Tuch, Krebs, Quinn, JJP, and Power.

The logic being used for Okposo not being brought back or why he shouldn't be captain is breathtaking in its shortsighted, detached from facts, and overall grasping at straws mentality. The outhouse level negativity this board feels the need to crap out doesn't surprise me. If Adams traded a week old slice of arena pizza for McDavid with 50% retained, ppl here would find some reason to bitch about it. "That pizza could have fed my pet gerbil! Why is Adams so dumb! McDavid never wins in the playoffs what an awful move." This thread isn't trash because a large group of you disagree with the signing, it's trash because of your reasons why.

Kulich needs another AHL season to fix parts of his game. If the Sabres decide to do it at the NHL level with a guy who's only just turned 19, I'll be surprised considering how they handled others to this point.

If I drew a venn diagram of all the ppl who say the tank failed because we didn't surround the kids with good leaders and then all the ppl bitching about Okposo coming back... it would be a circle.

Because they aren't ready. That's why.

Kulich and Rosen will be in Rochester.

Rousek will be in Buffalo, relax.

I've read quite a few pens ppl discussing how they just need a retool and can compete for another cup. I don't see it, no prospect pool and they are old and getting older.

Sam Reinhart will never get the credit he deserves here. He had the game winning assist and game winning goal in the last 2 games. Sadly too many ppl wrote him off early and didn't like his play style. He's always been effective and efficient. He's on the Florida 3rd line because he's defensively more responsible and helps Lundell. Oh well, doesn't really matter now. Considering Adams went out of his way to talk to Reinhart after his trade maybe Reinhart did try and did care but the other toxic turds drowned him out.

The Sabres take: 13: Gabe Perrault LW, this pick makes sense and I would bet money the analytics like Perrault. He has some deficiencies in his skating that strength and some coaching should fix. The question is how much of his production was linemate dependent? The other concern here is this is another highly skilled yet undersized winger much in the same vein as Östlund and Rosen. I would argue the big difference is the latter are excellent skaters and Perrault has more tools to play with. Still, not a bad option at 13 although there are some others I like a little better like Barlow and Musty but I haven't finished looking over stuff so that might just be my preliminary reaction. 39: Tanner Molendyk LHD, this pick doesn't make much sense to me with the RHD still available and how Buffalo basically has the top 3 defenders on this team as LHD that are all 22 or younger. Molendyk isn't particularly big, he's pretty average skill wise, not some physical wrecking ball. He just doesn't add anything to the pool we already have and if I were Buffalo I would look elsewhere. Hunter Brzustewicz is bigger and better and a RHD, Andrew Gibson is much bigger and also a RHD but I wouldn't say he is better yet, Beau Akey also a RHD who I would rank over Molendyk. Basically there were RHD options that were better or at least different than Molendyk who is basically like a poor man's Owen Power, good skating, fine defensively, 5'11" defender with a good shot. 45: Carson Rehkopf LW, again this doesn't really help our prospect pool and there are better options available. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't freak out at this pick as much as Molendyk, but I think we could add something better. Gracyn Sawchyn is still there and he is better IMPO, or Nick Landis who I think is a underrated guy. That said, I wouldn't complain much at all with Rehkopf.

Yes, Hedman actually spent several years after he reached the NHL improving his agility and short area quickness. I see no reason why Novikov needs to worry. Samuelsson for example still needs to work on his footspeed but its NHL average so he is fine most nights.

But you claim that Östlund has catching up to do, I don't understand how we could make that determination when he hasn't played on NA ice yet. I had Kulich above Östlund last year in my rankings but the Sabres didn't, and I don't think they do now. They are probably even in their eyes but Östlund was quite good in the Allsvenskan this season.

Why? Also how would we be able to say that?

This is from 2 years ago but Novikov is 74 in white. He needs to increase his foot speed and agility. I have seen very little of him since his draft but I think he is more physical than Samuelsson. s to

I would disagree. They need to add some defensive prospects sure but it does not have to be early. It can be but you make it sound as though they must and I don't think you should draft like that. Let's say that Ethan Gauthier slides and is there for you at 39 but you took Quintin Musty at 13th, the best defender on the board is ... idk Cam Allen, if I were Buffalo, I take Gauthier and worry about the rest later on. Defenders tend to slide and they tend to be found later in drafts compared to scoring forwards. Draft your board and unless two players are roughly equal, take the one that is most likely to be the best NHL player.