Thorner

Model is operating pretty intuitively human here, honestly. It’s simply looking at at the fact our starting GT has all of 7 games at the NHL level and saying “hmm”. It’s not pointing out any potential downfalls and risks of essentially running back the same roster that we haven’t already mentioned

Keep on rocking me baby 🎵

Kind agree with this of late I could probably replace every one of my posts with the standard “Benson, Kulich, Savoie, Rosen, Johnson, Quinn, Östlund..” listing and I’d be contributing to the established conversation in a more meaningful, seamless way. Most any other posting is our SS version of a Block, I find, to use KA’s coined jargon

The 13th man is an unproven rookie We could use more F depth, Quinn injury saw to that

I like how Skinner is a deft playmaker now all of a sudden and VO a one trick pony who can only shoot lol. Skinner over the 3 full seasons previous to last year averaged 24 assists per 82 games. Olofsson over those 3 same seasons averaged 32 assists per 82. Maybe it more a function of who Skinner is lining up with relative to VO. If all it takes is a single season of increased assist totals to cement yourself as a deft playmaker, I’ll play devils advocate and side in the VO camp here because, considering he’s been *outproducing Skinner’s assist totals since he came into the NHL*, I would say he at least as likely, probably more likely a candidate to have that season that shifts opinions. Given the opportunity of course

I suppose the silver lining is if he gets back to “decent“, his raw counting stats probably look skewable to someone even a little bit better than that, in terms of trade value

Players don’t carry their teams to Cup titles Dude, honestly, it’s not worth it. I wrote my parody “Rosen is off limits” response before I read the thread, and by this time right now when writing this post I’ve realized said Rosen post probably plays closer to seriousness in this thread than parody The bottom line is that it’s difficult for folks to trade anything of the future for anyone, EVEN McDavid, because the perception held is said future is already *guaranteed* by doing nothing It’s almost the Monty Hall problem, psyche wise

Sign me up. What do we think it’ll take? I’m definitely open to it but we can’t go mortgaging the future to make it happen. For instance, Rosen remains an Untouchable for me in said deal. The Sabres aren’t trying to win the cup this season, remember - and I don’t want to Murray out, here Gretzky is the perfect example of why it’s pretty dumb to expect *any* one guy to substantially elevate or “carry” a team on their own - it’s just not really how hockey works

As noted, Skinner was still drawing penalties at a high rate when he wasn’t finding his way onto the scoresheet - a strong indicator in his favour that is absent with VO

We did! And a couple years ago..

If anyone laments losing UPL or Comrie on waiver..look I’ll tell you right now I’m calling Shenanigans I guess Promo could be the exception

No no, go on. This ain’t no truth or dare. Just beat it.

Aight. Scratch my “crucial” from the record and sub in “usually important”

The point was that even through the prism of a team in a vastly more assured, comfortable spot than we are, the backup goalie was an important part of that team. The argument wasn’t it say they couldn’t have made the playoffs without Swayman: the idea was to literally pick the most extreme example possible to show that EVEN they manned the backup position properly. Even for Boston the backup goalie was a key to a sizeable portion of their success. The Sabres *certainly* should be a team that mans the position properly, for the myriad of reasons already mentioned The fact Levi isn’t Ullmark isn’t even my central point. That’s where the argument’s strength lies: in the fact that Levi being very unlikely to be Ullmark right out of the gate *isnt even the biggest reason* we need to roster a competent goalie 2. Adding in that uncertainty is what makes addressing a roster spot that already needed attention, regardless, a no brainer

Ya, I guess if you are pacing for a regular season record, you can afford to roster someone bad as a backup. My point was that even then: they didn’t. And the Sabres aren’t even close to having that breathing room. I’d stick with my crucial vs nice designation where the Sabres are concerned. In fact, where the vast majority of teams are concerned

Were you out west at the time? The Sabres Jets trades have always come with an added degree of difficulty for me, considering the situation of being surrounded by people arguing the deal (s) primarily from the Jets’ perspective

That’s a good point, it probably did I’m sure if I could type back then I’d have a word document or several filled with similar bitching to that of my Eichel output

Ya if we lose him for nothing you’d have to believe that was an accepted offshoot of rostering a better guy and already factored in to acquisition cost this is Kevyn Adams we are talking about, here

This trade was heartbreaking and the first one I remember. Opening education into the idea that Buffalo as a small market loses its big stars

Not even nice: strictly crucial. In today’s NHL you need 2 guys. Keep going back to it: the Vezina winning tender on the best team had a compliment G who got like 40% of the starts

Even a small number is a number, it’s true

Funnily enough, even the rather hopeful, risky position that Levi can buck trend and be a legit starter right out the gate is something I see almost everyone to a man granting. There’s a ton of faith at work here, and willful belief. The bridge too far sticking point appears to be doubling down on that risk to an even further, probably needless degree by failing to roster a competent back up. There’s sort of a conflation: full belief in Levi doesn’t really have anything to do with the fact you need 2 good goalies: the discussion has always been about 2 roster spots, not one. It’s much closer to a 1C/2C dynamic than it is a 1C, negligible 13th man/mostly bench position dynamic, that some seem to treat it as. The fact a capable backup provides insurance to the idea Levi needs to be a statistical anomaly is simply, merely what makes it a no brainer addition We can bet on Levi. We should. But we don’t need to be so confident so as to laugh in the face of potential imminent danger by needlessly disregarding our backup parachute to prove a point, while jumping out of the plane. You still equip the second chute if you are serious

I totally remember him eliminating us in 1998 but yet had zero recollection of acquiring him in 99. Cool A fair few notable Sabres Jets swaps tbh

Briere for sure Gilmour trade was pretty fun. Especially cause it came with JP Dumont