Thorny

Isn’t Vilardi unsigned over here in the peg? Latest projection i saw was 7.5 mil Add in samberg and kupari to vilardi and they’ll be adding another ~ 15 mil so they should get to ~ 3 mil on space remaining. Think we are on track for about 5

I’m just teasing you, relax im not saying you are defending Adams. I definitely do disagree with you that Norris isn’t viewed as the key “addition”, though, along with Kesselring I can only see a whopping level of faith in the lad when I look at the F group and the lack of moves and also the subtraction there we saw

Ya the last time we eclipsed 90 points. Where exactly are you getting lost, here? Presumably the goal is to field a team that’s actually good Isn’t Norris supposed to be our 2C, at LEAST next season? He sure as hell *better* be a key addition dude or we ain’t making any noise It’s not even a matter of opinion - Norris being a key addition is functionally worked into any success of Adams’ plan Your stance is bizarre You get too hung up trying to contradict me for sport and it gets you into trouble

The reason for that is intrinsic to the player We were a bad team when cozens was playing well, I do find it funny everyone forgets that. The idea of replacing cozens is to re-establish what we had there when he was GOOD - that’s what we need at 2C. Norris being marginally better than a poorly performing player doesn’t get us anywhere, and even this is no guarantee as he struggles to get on the ice at all Being like, “Norris represents the avenue for improvement at F we need if everything goes right with him” DOES sound like Adams and it’s why many called that as the “key” addition at F its possible. It’s not likely but it’s possible, and it’s Adams, very Adams It’s pretty safe to say I think a big part of the reason we’ve seen so little at F *is* because KA has a lot of faith in Norris. We’ll see if he can catch and eclipse the poor Cozens, first, then we’ll have to see if we can make some ground in bridging the gap to the 2C play and improvement we actually need.

Ya I counted Kesselring but people didn’t mean trade a better player for a weaker one when they said change. We can be nice and call it an even swap- we still haven’t done anything to improve Norris was a member of the team last year - a good way to make the playoffs would be to pencil in what we got from him and build from there rather than counting on an unknown disclaimer being I know they won’t do that

Almost all fringe, par for the course tweaks on the edges of the line up every roster is mandated to go through every offseason that will have little to zero affect on results. When people say “change”, the connotation is “change that matters”. Changing the strength and conditioning coach doesn’t matter, either the only real impact addition was Kesselring, and he came at the price of a better player. So, one key change element, but zero key improvement elements =very little change. Because again, people aren’t referring to 4th liners and 13th forwards and backup journeymen goaltenders when they say “change” As predicted, Norris will be sold as the offseason addition

The jets spend every year, they’ll get there before the season starts as will most of these teams. We are the ones with the track record to not

I withdraw my Adams complaints in totality

And maybe I seem a bit confused Yeah maybe, but I got you pegged! Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!

McKenna And we won’t capitalize hell, we may be secretly in on it

Ya I mean they are sitting on 7+ right now. Obv if they bring in a F it changes things beyond the Timmins extension but I’ll believe it when I see it The most dense transaction periods are through

I don’t see the cap space as noticeably different this year. On track to have about 5 mil. They are top 10 in cap space now - completely unacceptable for a team 14 years out It’s bottom 10 spending teams that don’t make the playoffs

I think if we get a F it will be Roslovic

Very well said He’s gonna be a good one

I don’t know why and I know almost nothing about him but I feel like he could become a Seabrook like player

Right on - and these issues are only exacerbated by being such a young team prone to mental lapses. I can’t help but chuckle at the, “maybe with maturity they’ll learn to respect their opponent” stuff. I mean - ya - we were the youngest team in hockey *by choice* for 5 years. The Sabres are performing as can only have been expected - - - on a slight tangent - it’s rather (see:very) insane that we have been bad forever and have precisely 1 top 10 pick F in the *entirety* of our system, including on roster.

It’s a good point - It does seem to most mirror the feeling of having Tuch locked up to such a good contract and Tage in his prime firing on all cylinders not to mention Dahlin…the, damn we *really* could have something here but we are wasting it being comfortable with maybes and hopes in the now, in exchange for a future thst never seems to arrive. The D could be really quite good - retaining Byram at that price and even losing him yo UFA is a-oh-kay by me if made the playoffs in the interim: but we spoil it by apparently being content with paying for the D upgrade by weakening our F to the same extent There’s never been a recent roster I looked at and thought had no chance at making the playoffs - in fact I predicted it on a limb a couple times - but I think it’s clear our now very unique situation probably requires, but undoubtedly *deserves*, an approach far more significant than “well maybe, if everything goes right” We could make the playoffs next season and while id be ecstatic I wouldn’t view his approach, should there be nothing more of significance, as a good one even in hindsight: I think the fact we’ve utilized it to awful results so many times previous will proves that a reasonable sentiment we might make it - but we’ll need to get quite lucky

I don’t want a victory lap. I want to make the playoffs one more time The day I’m actually revealed to be a cynical fool rather than merely claimed to be one will he a glorious day for the sabres - and it’ll be a long time coming

THIS was my stance on Byram that I detailed out several days ago, for what I probably thought in moment was a belaboured amount of times but, wrongly, hadn’t been enough, apparently. Note that “Byram retained” features prominently in the high pass B grade I had outlined as an option I had a high pass B lined up for the old sabres in the big 2025 lol! (Hater!) note, as well, that I only didn’t have “trade Byram for a D” mentioned cause that just seemed oddly unlikely please note also that my stance was clearly outlined that my overall impression was based on the OVERALL OUTLOOK of the roster - - - “I think I’d prefer” you extremist, hater.

*read* what he wrote. He said my opinion was crafted by a groupthink and was expressing disappointment only because it didn’t happen exactly the way I wanted. this is what actually happened - yes I am being hyperbolic when I said the whole board loves it the direction. You get that that’s intentionally so, right? Because I’m somewhat shaken by the fact my position was so badly misconstrued. In fact that’s too light: it was outright claimed to be disappointed only because I was pigeonholed on wanting something and essentially the thread ran with it and I gotta say, it’s not very fair

Back of the line buddy

No, I didn’t start it because, like I literally just said, again proving that what I write is worthless, I didn’t have the idea that Byram specifically needed to be traded for a F. I wasn’t pigeonholed on that position - that’s my point. You grouped me in this group of people that didn’t like it because it wasn’t exactly what I wanted and that’s simply not fair. I detailed a stance with many varied options and my point was only ever to look at the whole. I will provide a link momentarily

@7+6=13 this isn’t cherry picking, I just typed thorny and McLeod into search. Works with Dahlin, Benson, plenty of stuff where it fits

Like, i like how your reading of this “overly negative.” It’s measured. Highlighted the McLeod bit because that’s just one topic I’m frequently positive about frankly I’m slightly disappointed in myself I’m taking the time to detail this - you are absolutely right: I care about what others think way too much. But I care about my rep here even through it’s pretty damn clear from Inky’s post that no one is really reads my takes or gives them the time of day. Not that anyone should - absolutely do not get me wrong - but it’s the same with the sabres, like I always say: if I am sticking around for them, now, at this point, there’s really no one to blame for it but myself, you basically do have to be a glutton for punishment. If I’m posting as much as I do and it’s going out the window, it’s on me for keeping at it.