LGR4GM

At least we aren't this dumb

No ***** way.

Hamilton thinks UPL will get the start in goal tonight.

It isn't specifically about Chychrun but he is a great example of the issue the Sabres not only have now, but will not be fixed by "draft and develop" which has been Adams mantra. It is a mantra that I don't usually have an issue with, however. The Buffalo Sabres do not have prospects internally that will be top 4 defenders anytime in the next 2-4 years (I lean closer to 4 years). Lindgren, Komarov are 4 years out from being impactful, 3 if you get lucky. Novikov is at least 2 years out and probably 3 if you get lucky. Then there is Ryan Johnson who hopefully signs but he's going to be Lyubushkin's replacement basically on the 3rd pairing after next year. That's it. There are no other defenders in the system that we should even think about IMPO. Which brings us back to Chychrun. The Sabres defense is bad and we saw what happens when 1 injury happens, it gets way worse. Power will get better and Samuelsson might get a little better but no one else in the top 6 is going to improve a bunch to make the defense better. Adding a guy like Chychrun allows you to bridge some of the time from now until maybe a prospect is ready to fill in. It upgrades what you have currently and it does signal that we are starting to move away from development seasons to serious attempts at winning. It doesn't have to be Chychrun, but giving up a 1st in 2023, 2nd in 2024, and a 2nd in 2026 should not have been a deal breaker. The 2023 first is probably around 17-19th depending on points and that is a player who is 2 years away once you draft him. The 2026 2nd is a player who won't make the NHL until what? 2029 or 2030. Now we could argue that Buffalo's 2023 1st is viewed as slightly less valuable than Ottawa's but we also could have coughed up an earlier 2nd rounder, hell we could have given them one this year. My point in all this is that we have to trade or sign not 1 but 2 defenders. Bryson, Clague, whatever is not good enough. Jokiharju is hit or miss and really struggles when you bump up his minutes and responsibility. Boosh has one more year. There is no help in the pipeline that we can point to like Savoie or Kulich and say "yea reinforcements are coming". That means as soon as next year's deadline we will only have 3 useful defenders on this team, Dahlin, Power, Muel. It isn't about Chychrun specifically but if we want to make the playoffs ever, we can't just "draft and develop" because at that rate the defender we draft in 2023 will be impactful in 2027. Outside help has to come to the defense or this will be another failed rebuild. One of the best times to add is the trade deadline, if not now then when? Before the draft? UFA? They need help and it might cost a precious pick to acquire it, I just hope they aren't afraid to pull the trigger when the option come along. We have seen cheaper deals for helpful defenders, do we really need 3 second round picks this year?

And now, I guess we wait and hope.

No plan survives contact with the enemy.

I don't set my stuff so I read the 1st unread post. I would argue it's an ongoing conversation that a new poster might want to look back on since Quinns breakout is ongoing.

Just remember, spit on someone, 3 games. Flying elbow to their face, 2 games. #playersafety

Ppl will serve him non crispy wings.... .... ... ... With ranch.

I think I'm in that ship with you.

Hard to say. It's been such a whirlwind but Fabbro?

I'm obviously not happy but I'm trying not to be Sabres Twitter...

We don't have enough draft picks. Need at least 5 more.

Karlsson isn't good defensively

Both are younger than Larkin too I think. Cozens is for sure.

Beat me by seconds

It's possible

My issue isn't that Adams wants his plan, it's that there is no defensive help coming. Just Johnson, that's it. There's nothing else. This was a good way to bridge us to defensive help coming and also improve now.

I might log off for a bit. There's "sticking to the plan" and then there's burying your head in the sand yelling "lalala I can't hear you"

Actually, I'm somewhat angry. Thats so easy for Buffalo to top, it isn't funny.