Thorner

I think there’s probably a better chance of finding success with 2 legit, top level “2Cs” (low-level 1Cs) than we do of Thompson establishing consistently as an elite C. Thankfully their contracts appear to allow for that reality Because as of now it’s that one year that’s the outlier re: elite or no, not this season

nah, f*ck riley boychuk wait, wrong boychuck

Could be. Can you be a cup contender with 2 2Cs, if you have 2 elite defenders? Was Nashville a cup contender for a couple years (actually asking)? I think this is possible i certainly know we can be a solid playoff team in that scenario. We have the top 6 c depth to be a playoff team Quinn can be mark Stone, and we trade for Eichel

Even if true, and I believe it to be a gross exaggeration, this doesn’t represent a considerable obstacle to finishing 16th out of 32

Speaking of experience, I would love a safety net backup we could set our watch to behind UPL. at least, relative to Comrie and Levi if it’s Levi they have to be SURE sure

Dahlin is in his prime and Byram should be in his so, I could see Adams thinking as soon as next year, if Power takes a jump. It may totally not be by next season, or even ever. But I think Adams thinking it could happen next season is reasonable If it’s not, and we miss the playoffs: he should simply be fired But it absolutely could work. Skate or die

I’m not interested in setting up the excuses before the season even starts, no offence. It’s year 5. Byram is a good player, right? Did he have a NMC? That it’s “most” players is a myth. That deal alone proves the good players are there: it just also proves what I was saying that you have to pay to get them Adams is responsible for fielding a playoff team next season. I don’t care about nmcs. It’s a league relative competition im tired of living in an even more undesired location than buffalo and watching them make the playoffs every year. There are threats of relocation and they are adding Tyler Toffoli at the deadline. We haven’t made it once since they returned to the league i might watch the jets come back, make the playoffs a bunch, and bump off to a new town again before the sabres get back to the playoffs lol come on. Just make the playoffs I don’t know him and I wouldn’t put it past the organization to try

It’s a worry. I just sorta think the fact we’ve dealt away two mainstay forwards already and it’s not yet the summer may be a pretty significant sign MAYBE KA is actually looking to tweak the F group too along with the D tweaking we just saw. And this proactiveness seems to me positive/preferable in general. maybe we are finally willing to pay the price necessary to add the players we (at least feel) we need

The most positive thing is that we add our names to the list of teams that don’t want him great guy we need upgrades

With the islanders getting hot I think we are well and truly cooked. Moneypuck has us at 1.2%. Only Ottawa at 0.1% remains between us and the teams with 0%. KO trade does reinforce that. It’s an abject fail of a season. Puts KA on the hot seat for next. I’m glad to see early signs point to him being proactive in switching some things up. It’s very needed and could bode well. I’m ready to shift my focus to next season and it seems the team is too. For better or worse.

Byram - Dahlin Johnson - Power Samuelsson - Clifton … has a chance to be pretty fun and formidable if there’s a strong UPL and Vet backup/absolutely ready Levi combo behind it.

It’s a positive trade. It means we intend on replacing him on the roster

No, I meant I was joking above, playing off what PA said Thus: “I get the idea is to send him to a contender”

Good because we won’t be overcommitting to playing him on his proper hand - - - this is a joke. I get the deal is to send Kyle to a contender and WHAT a contender! edit: do they have like 7 former Sabres now?!

First look at new acquisition Sjalin

Grizzly Adams DID have a beard

Really nice add for Winnipeg tbh

Toffoli to Jets

“I got Tim hortons and took the day off work for this?” - - - I can’t believe we’re slated to draft 8th again haha

Yes? Wait, no

He’s not leaving

McDavid is a playmaker, but he scores a lot of goals. If we need to arbitrarily cling to players being defined by a max of one designation, he’s not typically classified as a “goal scorer” - but that doesn’t stop McDavid from being one of the best goal scorers on the NHL. It shouldn’t dampen our outlook on Quinn as a playmaker is his stat line one day reads 40g 40a rather than 20g 40a. Quinn can pass the puck. Benson: again, not a skill issue, execution issue. He’s not producing yet, no, but you said it in your post: “rookie”. Obviously we know we need production now and outside help at that, but the discussion was more so veering into whether Benson in theory could represent the playmaking from wing we need and the answer is definitely yes.

Everyone just travels around in a big pack

Guys like Thompson and Cozens theoretically work fine at C as long as we complement them with playmaking wingers. It’s been that way in the league for a while that you don’t necessarily need to funnel the playmaking through the “centreman” as forwards generally rove around in the O zone wherever they want. Say, Marner in Toronto. As long as we have guys like Benson and Quinn filling out the wings I think Thompson and Cozens work more than fine provided they are on their game. I don’t think it’s a skill and fit issue, it’s an execution issue the biggest thing the guy listed in the middle of the depth chart needs to have is the defensive awareness to handle the centre’s responsibilities in the D zone: where F positions actually become more relevant