mjd1001

If they don't want to trade Cozens because They don't have center depth behind him, That's a bad reason. If he is playing bad... And hurting the team... Even someone who comes up behind him... Isn't going to be much worse. I think that's the point. Of course it depends on who you get for him. Do you take a slight step back at center but bring in something else that helps you just as much or more? McLeod, Krebs, Kulich splitting up the ice time that Cozens used to have at Center...you MIGHT be losing 10 goals through the course of the year (MAYBE), but you are getting much better and more discipline play without the puck. That might be an even trade off right now, and as Kulich or Helenius develops, it might be a net positive regardless of the return for Cozens. As far as him having success someplace else? I don't mind if he does. If you trade him and he goes on to score 35 or 40 goals, that doesn't mean if you kept him here he was going to do the same here. The change of scenery actually may help. In his head, No matter How bad things get here, He may just have it in his head that he's going to keep on doing what he's doing, playing the way he is playing, and if it doesn't work he's going to keep on doing what he's doing the same way but even harder.... digging a deeper hole for himself. I'm sure he realizes he could get traded but maybe if that trade occurs it will be something that he says to himself... "I knew I could have been traded but I never expected it. Wow, this is a shock." That may be a shock to his entire life style that causes him to reevaluate how he does things, including hockey, that will never happen here. He could put on another uniform and have an entirely different set of guys in the locker room and different people on his line. You put him on a line with two veteran guys, and they make it known "Kid you're the new guy, the way you played in Buffalo isn't going to work here with us" It may be the only thing that causes him to rain back his freelancing on the ice. That isn't happening here, who is going to say that to him where he is going to take it seriously. Here HE is one of the longest tenured guys on the team. HE is the guy who scored 30 a few years ago. HE is the top 10 pick. HE has the "A" HE is one of the owners favorites. HE got the big, secure, long term deal. What reason is there for him to acknowledge any other teammate as an "Alpha" in the room more than he is that he has to listen to? Heck, he even knows he is likely to outlast any coach, and maybe a GM or two. If he goes to another team he just might hear: "stop freelancing without the puck" Or "This isn't pond hockey" They might tell him "you hung your D-men out to dry and that guy is going to talk to you after the game in the room about it"..even a winger saying "I was wide open with an empty net, next time look up before you shoot the puck yourself where it goes 2 feet wide." If he can change his style of play, it's not likely to happen here. He has to be removed as part of the leadership group. He has to be just another guy on a team who has to earn his way to a higher level. That likely can't happen here anymore, because he was given his deal, his ice time, his letter...ALL before he developed a well rounded game.

I do not go to games anymore. I don't buy merchandise anymore. I haven't for a long time. The last Sabres merch I bought was a discontinued Slug jersey with no name on it I picked up for about $15, that was about 10 years ago. If I could get my hands on a good, reasonably priced Black and Red jersey with no name on the back....I'd consider it now. Not to support the team, but not to not support the team, just because I like it. I still watch the games. Boycott doing that? Not really. If they play bad enough and there is something better to do, then I'll skip the game for whatever that is. But if a game is on and I'm not doing anything, I'll still watch.

I can say that I personally....I think Terry Pegula looks at the balance sheet of the Buffalo Sabres, likely sees he is bleeding money on this franchise, and tells the GM no spending unless it is run by him, and as far as bringing in vet free agents, he will not 'overplay' to get someone valuable in the building.....hed rather just "wait" and "hope" the young guys gel so he can save those few $million dollars per year and it will happen 'eventually' by itself with that strategy. I think the Sabres were under the cap the last few years and Adams, along with any GM would love to use the cap space to spend it, even on one year or 2 year 'overpays' to bring in better talent. I think Pegula, even with all his Billions, put that directive out to not do that. I do not think that is unreasonable at all and I think that is likely what has and is currenlty happening. When Adams is asked about anything cap and contract releated, if pushed he says something like they need to save money for the upcoming deals for the young guys. Why? He HAS to say that. If the truth is what I layed about above...and beleive is what is happening...what is Adams going to say? I want to bring in some othe guys with THIS years cap but I was given orders from above not to, so we are just going with the current Roster?" Adams got this job becasue the last guy before him disagreed with Terry, and ALL his Billions, on spending. The last guy got fired for that.

Awful funny coming from the person who can't stop responding to me. You are like the 14 year old guy who likes a girl but calls her names because he doesn't know what to do. I'm dreaming about you? LOL....hilarious that not only are you responding to my posts like this...but you are the one initially escalating things with sarcasm, trying to sound 'smart and cute' in some kind of way with the words you chose above. Dreaming of you? grow up.

Let see....when Thorner declares a fact is a fact, that is it! close the book....no further discussion or argument is needed. We can't have someone state an opinion without him escalating it....using as many "definitive terms" to say someone else is just wrong...can't have that! No place for discussion on an ACTUALY discussion forum without him putting his foot down when he KNOWS he is right. This place is a joke. Not the fact that others people have different opinions....but more so that when you do have different opinions...jokers like that want to put you under their foot and press down until you concede to their 'higher intellect'. lol..They know what is right. For you to even SUGGEST something isn't 100%....its laughable.

Bravo. I think those of us supporting Adams are not saying he is a great GM. He MAY be a bad GM....but in light of the above comment that I agree with, Some of us really don't know....and if the next "GM" is hired under the same conditions...we will not know either.

Give up the argument...its best not to engage the Adams "lynch mob" on this forum. They have made up there mind. Sure, Adams hands may be tied by Pegula's spending contraints....sure he may have been hired under the condition he is not the only voice regarding the roster but just part of a 'roster construction by committee' due to Pegula's wishes....sure he may know he got the job because the last guy didn't follow enough of Terry's wishes....sure he may not, or may actually make GOOD moves if his hands were untied. But its best not to argue that with some people....because its OBVIOUS to EVERYONE that Adams is the worst Gm in the league. There is NO WAY any of the above could actually be true because it would not support what they want to say...and we can't have THAT. LOL. This is how the board works. The team is bad, Someone will find out who they think is at fault. I think its a group of players. Others disagree with me. I like to think I do not call them names or make fun of their argument/point of view that much. I will personally try to use stats...other people's opinions...to support my own opinion of what is wrong with the team. But other posters? Nope, if you agree with them too much....if you post too much that you think someone is NOT a problem that they thin is a problem...you will get attacked, or at least your argument will get attacked with not always rational respones..but comments like the above "straw man' argument.

Terry Pegula has to know that word of what was said was going to get out. Is he actually actively trying to see how upset he can get the fanbase and how little turnout they can get at the next home game?

Ditto.....I was going to write the exact same sentiment but was going to use a lot more words. The above will do for now....

Roster construction. Its not even the overall talent level, but its how that talent was developed and if you have available pieces that can mesh together. Its not Lindy. And before him Granato. And Krueger. And Housley. And Blysma. And Nolan. And Lindy before him. It starts up top with Pegula, and filters down to the hockey department. I'm not as down on Adams as some, but its on him before Lindy. To say this is coaching, its looking through a very very narrow perspective.

Pettersson's production drop is baffling..... But even with that and how much he is getting paid, his production is still a bit better than Cozens, and he seems to be infinately better away from the puck and almost as much better on the PP in terms of knowing what is going on around him. Normally...I'd say nope to taking on that contract for that much money for that long.....but even if Pettersson's year long 'slump' continues, he does make this team better than having Cozens on it. The question is...do they get someone else back with giving up Byram? Or do you fill one hole up front by upgrading, only to now have a different hole on the D-unit (I personally really like Bryams game this year)

Pegula is the only owner..... On every. Single. One.

The arguing and immature comments are a bit too much for me today, I'm out of the board for the night. Have fun taking shots at each other and coming up with cute insults for players/coaches/management on the team guys, and then of course each other, as a lot of you need to get the last word in. Looks like the Sabres are done at this point too.

Look higher, much, much higher. As high as one can go in the organization and there it is.

Every time I hear attacks on Adams, I'm going to keep responding...how can so much be directed at him when it is Pegula that is setting the rules he has to work under. Must be some kind of knee-jerk reaction I guess "I don't like that this roster isn't winning so I'll just blame the GM".

Tage is still scoring at a 50 goal pace, is a plus player on a 'minus' team, and has scored a goal in 14 of the 24 games he has played. He's not Mario Lemieux, but I will MORE than take that for him getting paid $7 per year. He is not a top problem on this team.

Ok, tie game. They scored 2 goals which isn't a lot but its one per period. They aren't LOSING. Yet for some reason this seems to be one of the most boring, un-eventful games of the year to watch for me so far.

I'm not blaming him for standing up for a teammate. I'm saying he is, and continues to be one of the worst 2 way players on this team, and someone that absolutely baffles me how he is on the powerplay at all. He has WELL EARNED his 'whipping boy' status.

He is an anchor to the entire team. His shooting is actually decent the last month, but he is the biggest anchor among all anchors on the PP, that is for sure.

You had a more balanced lineup top to bottom I think. Brian Campbell then was a 3rd pair D-man. Your top 9 forwards (all top 3 lines) basically were 20-30 goal scorers. The guy with the least goals among forwards in the top 3 lines were Hecht and Connolly (both just missing 20 goals) but they both missed a lot of games, so they were 'on pace' for 20+ When you have 3 lines you can roll out there, all of which are as productive as any single line on the current team, that gets you there.

Rob Ray is really pushing the "Sabes" thing instead of "Sabres" more than I remember. I know he did it in the past, but out of every commercial break he is saying it. Not a big deal, but I'm not a huge fan of the "Sabes" nickname. That was either just lazy play or slow skating by Power and Samuelsson as a combo there. They lose the puck, the Caps player outskates them, and they take a penalty on a play that should have never gotten to that point.

Ice time most of the way through the first is VERY even, Lindy is just rolling 4 lines, no one is getting extra or long shifts among forwards so far.

The Blue ones they had a decade-or-so ago (maybe longer) were some of my favorites in the league. Not as much of a fan of their current ones. To add to that, Washington doesn't really get upset by trailing. They have the best record in the league with the opposition scores first. They are 10-4 in games where they go down 1-0.

Its better than not scoring first. But on the year, the Sabres have a losing record when scoring first. 7 wins 10 losses.

If Greenway is not 100% give him another game or two off.