mjd1001

I'm cautiously more optimistic about Kulich than any of the other prospects, including Benson. Let me take a quick step back in this discussion. When we evaluate players, a lot of us, myself included like to look at just a portion of a season and project that for players. Such as "Peterka had 7 goals and 9 assists through the first 16 games, so that projects to a high 30 goal/80+ point guy... so that is who he is now" or "Cozens scored 31 goals one season so that is who he is and its just a matter of time until he gets back there". It doesn't always work out the way we want. I THINK you can do that, at least a little, with Kulich this year. Its not going to be 100% accurate, but there are reasons to do it with him. Kulich is a pretty decent (slightly above average) skater (decent speed, lots of effort), with a good shot and a very quick release. His strength appears to be shooting. You want him to not pass up shots when he is open he likely has a better shot than most other players on the ice. However, the first month-or-two of this season that is what he was doing, passing up things. The coaches, and himself, may have KNOWN he had a better shot than some of his linemates, but he lacked a bit of confidence....or maybe he still thought he was the 'new guy' so he wasn't playing to his strengths. The number of shots he took wasn't drastically different early in the year compared to more recently, but how much he carried the puck and the type of shots, to me, seem different. He seems more confident in his offensive game and I don't think that will go away (not to the extent of they way he was earlier in the year). So how do the numbers break down? There seems to be a clear break where his game changed in mid-December pretty much right at the Montreal game where Pegula told them 'no changes': First 22 games of the year: 3 goals, 0 assists, 3 points, 49 shots, -2. (82 game pace of 11 goals, 0 assists,11 points, 182 shots, -7) 15 games since mid Dec: 8 goals, 5 assists, 13 points, 35 shots, +7 (82 game pace of 44 goals, 27 assists, 71 points, 191 shots, +38) Now, do I think he has turned into a 44 goal, 70 point, +38 player? No. But that line between where his stats changed seems to be a bit more than something random used to make the numbers look good...its more of a point in the evolution of his game where he is playing with more confidence, something that is NOTICABLE to the eye when you watch him....not just something we say to justify an increase in production over a 15 game period.

I'm ready for another 'insider' rumor, this one has kinda played out.....we need something new to talk about.

I'm going to play devils advocate here....and I'm not saying I support this point of view, but just putting out out there of how people may think.... They might justify booing by saying....Pegula is never here. He hardly talks to the fans. Isn't avaiable for press. He is invisible to the fans and hides to not take any heat. If THIS night is the night he shows up, that is my only chance to boo him. If that takes away from Rob Ray's night...thant is on Pegula, not me for booing. In essense, if he shows up he's doing it this night as a way to 'hide' behind Rob Ray's moment. Again, I'm not a person who boos...but I can see those who would boo him as using the above as a justification.

I'd imagine McDavid's next deal, if longer term, will probably be worth about $17m per year. If it goes that high....is Edmonton still in on it?

Maybe it will make Cozens $7 per year a little better to another team considering trading for him? Of course with this franchise it'll probably work the other way around....probably make Pegula think Cozens is less of an issue in relation to the cap so they'll justify keeping him even more. If this is a bigger jump that most anticipated, it also makes signing Byram a lot more expensive if Pegula doesn't want to spend the money.

Those are huge jumps for the 2nd and 3rd year.

Nope. Tuch is not a legit 1st line star, and he's not the do every single thing people want, but he's a good player. He is a very good forchecker, above average at penalty killing and scores more clutch goals than anyone on the team. Zucker? Nope there also. Unless you are getting a top prospect or a 1st rounder, there is no reason to trade hime. Levi? I don't know much about how he is projecting now as a futur pro, but I think you are looking at him next year as a key part of your goaltending. Quinn? I could go either way on that. He has been playing better lately and I still see a path to him being a productive winger. I don't think he's an all around-2 way winger, but he is almost back on pace for a 20 goal season after an awful start (Since mid December vs the Leafs, 19 games played, 8 goals, 6 assists). I want more time to see if that 'turn around' is real. Cozens is the only one I want gone, and I'm willing to almost give him and his contract away.

He may be incompetent in terms of the overall job, but every single trade he made has not been a disaster with a much better package known to have been out there. If he is incompetent, the biggest reason might be because he DOESN'T make enough moves. If a trade is available to be made that makes the team better, yes, I want it to happen.

I'm 1/2 way there with you on the bolded. The team has a lot of issues, but I think they can be a lot better (not good enough to win a cup, but a lot better) with 2-3 simple moves: -Get another Center like Pettersson or someone who is not too young or not too old, and better than what they have. -Remove Cozens from the roster entirely...or move him to wing, never to be a Center or on the PP again. -Get one veteran, late 20s year old D-man with a balanced overall game but maybe slightly more on the 'defense first' side. Again, they need more than that overall. But if they moved Cozens and Bryam and got back Pettersson and a good 2nd pair vet D-man, I think this team is immediately a lot better at that moment.

They don't know Cozen's game all that well then. Or maybe they are just thinking Cozens is Bad, and Pettersson is damaged goods....so the simple fact that there is ONE potentially good player in this deal (Byram) and he is going to Vancouver....so that is why they would be ecstatic. Vancouver gives the Sabres very expensive 'damaged goods', Buffalo gives Vancouver a 'somewhat expensive' bad hockey player....but Buffalo also gives a pretty good D-man. All that = Vancouver being VERY happy getting the one good piece.

After you brought it up and I went to see if it loaded, I remember why I don't vist there much anymore. I have said a few times, I followed the Bills and Sabres both since I was a kid, but I used to be a much bigger Bills fan. Season tickets for 10+ years when I was younger, never ever missed a game for any reason, when I was a kid I would memorize the names and numbers of all the players on the team each year...etc, etc. Lately, just in the last 5 years since the Bills have been good, I have not been watching all the games or following the team (or the entire NFL for that matter) all that much. I only watched about 1 hour of the last game, and its likely I won't be watching the Superbowl. Anway, I disagree and have disagreements with many people on this forum about the Sabres, but its nothing like what happens when I go to 2 bills drive and read the forums there. There are posts and opinions here I don't agree with, but more often than not, the people here have opions that are well thought out, or at least I can relate to where they are coming from. I went there yesterday to browse around...and it seems like 75% or more of what people post are one-liners they are reiterating from what their favorite national media personality said....or memes about the team they picked up on social media....opinions they generated from how football was played in 'the good old days' that they are applying to what they want to beleive now. Its like reading a transcript of a really bad call-in talk radio show from the 1990s. That's what these forums are for though, everyone has the right to say what they want to say and engage in conversation, I'm not complaining about that, but....smh.

He was the most annoying, and the most fun (at the same time), anthem singer I have ever seen.

The knee injury the issue for the drop in production is the #1, and quite honestly the only reason why I would consider not taking him on. I don't know much about that injury, is it something that will heal over time or is it an issue long term? Is it something that you make a trade for him, shut him down for the rest of the year, and it can heal after having 6+ months off? If there is a chance it is a long term thing and it has been bothering him since his productoin as dropped, then yeah....stay away from him and that contract. I just checked out NHL edge..and the numbers are fun but they don't give you a complete picture..however as far as what they show for skating: -This year: Top skating speed: 21.58 (bottom half of the league) -Last year: 22.48 (1mph is a BIG difference) -2022-23: 23.31 (top 5% in the league) -2021-22: 22.25 So, this year, at least his single instance of top skating speed, is much lower than it was last year and WAAAYYY lower than it was 2 years ago. As far as him being a soft player, I don't get that. I dont' watch every Vancouver game, but I have probably seen 10-20 over the last few years and I just don't get where he is a soft player. He doesn't throw thundering hits or fight guys, but he does take the body, he blocks shots, he doesn't shy away from the front of the net, he doesn't even avoid scrums. I keep on asking this and no one is giving me an answer....how is he a 'soft' player?

working for me too.

For me its not how quickly they turned it around, we won't know that until/unless Pegula sells, if there is any correlation. The issue is how bad they were with him. I think he owned Washington for what, 24 years? And in that time they won a total of 2 single wildcard games. As far as the Sabres go, how could this team never miss the playoffs for more than 3 seasons (yes, decades ago more teams made the playoffs, but still), and they had a pretty good team when led by a guy who didn't care about hockey that much so was hands off (Golisano), and then Pegula steps in saying he is a big fan and IS involved, and the team becomes one of the worst stories in the history of North American major professional sports. Through their history....the Sabres when they had a somewhat-to-totally hands off owner = pretty good results. With Pegula tinkering with things = worst results probably in the history of the nhl.

I guess that makes sense, I just thought 'showcasing' didn't really happen anymore. There is so much tape on Cozens, teams that might be interested in him have scouted the entire team in the past through advanced scouting or just routine scouting visits. I'm not sure an extra 1-3 minutes of ice time to 'showcase' someone makes a difference. At least I THINK it shouldn't make a difference, but maybe it does.

The Funny thing is...imagine they went on a 30 game winning streak. That would put them at 103 points with 2 games to play in the season. That would make them the 10th -12th best team in the league (recent history that is where 102 points get you.) Can you imagine winning 30 in a row and still only barely breaking the top-10 in the league, and likely starting your first round series on the road?

I think you aren't getting my point. My point is that with the bye week, you get that extra week to rest, and with having it wrapped up early, you can possibly give key players multiple weeks off, or at leat multiple weeks of a lower workload. KC had the bye week and even with it at the end of the season rested players at the end of the regular season. They were basically 100% healthy. The Bills with the extra game played were not. You might win that game...not if it was in Orchard Park...but if YOU were 100% healthy, not missing key players....and KC had the extra game and they had a key player or two injured instead of you.

Well, yeah, I'm sure Vancouver would WANT Thompson over Cozens, but there are 2 sides to every trade. Lets be honest, if they were 100% happy with Pettersson, he wouldn't be shopped at all. If he is moved, its a decsion based on what you are getting out of him vs what you are paying him. Thompson may be an equal player to Pettersson when they are both healthy (certainly he's a better goal scorer.) But you are paying a lot less for Thompson. There is no way the Sabres should do that one-for-one unless Vancouver throws in more. So why would they 'settle' for Cozens? Simple. If you shop Pettersson around, Cozens 'plus' something else from the Sabres might be the best deal you can get around the league...for an assett that has $11m per year comitted to it.

Zucker and Greenway. Zucker is more talented offensively, but in terms of veteran intangibles, do they bring the same thing? I don't know. In an ideal world I guess you want to keep both, but I can see moving one of them, NOT for a 2nd or 3rd round pick, but if they are a critical part of a much bigger package that the other team insists on. As far as Power/Bryum/Cozens. My feelings on Cozens are well known...he needs to be moved. For the sake of the team and himself. If the Sabres will not move him to wing and take him off the PP, then he hurts this team UNLESS he scores 30+ goals for you to make up for all the other parts of his game. Power...he has good games and bad games. But the fact that he has some REALLY good games, shows that his ceiling is still there. He certainly is not worth his contract now, but I'm hesistant to move him. Byrum...what is it going to take to re-sign him? If he is moved for a big return, I won't be upset, but if he stays here, I won't be upset either. I agree 100%, and that is the problem. He IS a 20 goal scorer on average, maybe slightly above. He has the potential to give you 30 again, just like he has the potential to give you 15. But the rest of his game is BAD. My issue with him is he is no longer developing (not sure his entire game every did). He doesn't see the ice well. He actually brings DOWN his teammates and the powerplay....not making them better. He is almost totally un-aware of what is going on around him. Remember when Gretzky said go to where the puck is going to be, not where it is? Well, Cozens is the antithesis of that...he almost ALWAYS goes to where the puck is when he starts, he is unwilling or unable to adust once he makes a decision, and by the time he gets there he misses the puck, and he (and his teammates) are now all scrambing because they are out of position. I THINK Cozens has the potential to reach 30 goals again. My fear is they are keeping him around for that when, at this point, the other awful aspects of his game are not developing (or simply can't be developed, maybe they aren't there), and the 20 goals he does give you isn't enough to make up for the negative.

For all the talk about Cozens and Bryum being the pieces many think are most likely to be traded.... Bryam led all players in ice time last night (ahead of even Dahlin). Cozens was 2nd in forwards ice time only behind Tuch (and only 46 seconds behind him). I think the coaching staff likes those players and might be against a trade, based on usage.

The last playoff spot is currently .550 point percentage. (90.2 point pace) If Buffalo wins their next 14 games in a row, they will be right there in 8th in the conference. Yep, just a 14 game winning streak will get them either to, or in striking distance, of the last playoff spot. (a 90.9 point pace)

He's likely to get 40 goals this year, probably a few more. Its hard for me to understand why, with all the problems this team has, many people feel he is one of them. Even if he is only average without the puck (and I do not beleive he is 'bad'), 40+ goals out of a guy for $7m is NOT one of your teams biggest problems.

Usually it's the opposite. Usually he gets the puck someplace in front of the net and the goalie is squared up and taking away the angle and he still shoots it when he has an open teammate to pass to.

A very simple play but with about 2 and 1/2 minutes left in the second Owen Power showed how he can use his size. One-On-One with a guy going into the corner, power just gets a half step ahead of him, turns his body and blocks him, basically blocking out the small guy, and using his reach to gain control of the puck. You don't always have to hit somebody to use your size and that was a good example of it. Now he just has to continue to do that more and more.