GASabresIUFAN

I have been outspoken about my wish to move on from Cozens and McLeod. I have also been outspoken about my wish for the Sabres to bring in a top 6 forward, preferably a playmaking center. I have also been outspoken on my belief we need more vets like Zucker not less. However, I have been watching the Sabres again lately just to see if there is really any hope left and I have found two players, that are bringing me some hope. They are Kozak and Kulich. Kozak brings an honest effort every shift. He has shown more effort in heart in his 8 games than all of Adams 4th line acquisitions except maybe Malenstyn. Kulich just keeps getting better with each game played. He now has 12 points (8 goals) in 33 games and as many goals as Benson (8, 8, 41 games) and twice that of Krebs (4, 12 46 games). Kulich also was solidly 9/20 in the face off circle last night. If Kozak and Kulich continue to build on this game and others like it, the Sabres just may have their 3rd and 4th line centers for the near future. The best news about their ascension is it frees our limited capital to begin to fix the other holes in the lineup like defense and playmaking in the top 6.

True.

Samuelsson and Dahlin. Two guys from the stands. Me and you. Anyone would be better.

Why do these two teams remind me so much of each other?

Power doesn’t touch anyone. UPL saves the game.

Power and Byram on the ice for 5 in 6. Terrible coaching.

Kulich and Kozak have back bone.

Icing, off-sides and no shots. Sabres PP continues to excel.

Hope can really only grow if Adams is gone. His plan is crap and everyone in the NHL knows it including him.

There is always hope, but this season is over and hope remains at a very low ebb as long as the current management is in place.

Good think we drafted Power over Beniers.

Do we really care anyone longer about what the public speak from anyone associated with the Sabres say? Actions speak louder than words. What management says is meaningless. Their actions; bad roster construction, bad contracts, and bad personnel moves have destroyed the team. The coaches haven’t made any improvement in the play of this team for the last season and half. Why should what they say matter? The players don’t seem to listen why should we? Most of the young Sabres are regressing on the ice again? Apathy? Lack of talent? Poor work ethic? Injuries? Who knows, but whatever they say about their effort is clearly not reflected in results.

Are you saying that there is a danger in giving a player a long-term deal after only one good season? Who knew? Cozens, UPL, Samuelsson, Power; I seem to be spotting a trend. The Sabres have 6 long term contracts, 5 were given out after the player's "break out year." Only TNT's is marginally working out. Dahlin's was after a success bridge deal. Maybe, just maybe Adams' strategy isn't the smartest way to handle guaranteed contracts.

UPL isn’t the problem. The problem with this team is Dahlin, Power, Byram, Joki, Bryson, Samuelsson, Clifton and Gilbert. They can’t place defense.

Centers? We need no stinking centers.

That's how you score an empty net goal.

The PK is having a hell of a night. They won in the end.

The Sabres are already "playing" for next year. As hard as this is to write, it’s already audition time for jobs for next year. If we did a stock report McLeod, Zucker, Quinn, Byram and Kozak up; Power, Cozens, Joki, Reimer, JJP down. With each passing good game, Zucker's trade value increases. A competent GM can start to get what this team needs for next season at any time, but Adams is a pretty much a deadline/off-season GM. I don't expect anything to improve the team between now and the deadline. My guess is even Terry has had enough and will instruct Adams to only move out contracts (Zucker and Joki) to save money and replace with waiver pickups or callups. This will buy Terry time to decide as to whether or not to finally do the right thing and fire yes man Howdy Doody at season's end. I'm guessing right now Adams will be moved upstairs with the GM duties handed over to Karmanos. Hopefully I'm wrong and Terry cleans out the lot (Adams, Karmanos and Forten), but I doubt it. Anyway I have enough faith in Karmanos to believe he might know what the team needs to improve this summer and he will find better D as the GM. Maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

maybe they’ll trade Mitts back to us for a 2nd rd pick in 2026

It’s already dead and buried.

As I wrote discussion Beck Malenstyn, we would have been better off keeping Robinson for less money and for less cost of acquisition. Robinson does hit people. He has 64 YTD, which would put him 4th among Sabres Forwards and had 72 in 40 games for the Sabres last year.

unless a playmaking center and 2 top 4 defensive D are coming to Buffalo the trade deadline and next off-season are another exercise in futility. Don't get your hopes up for even one of the 3 things I listed happening. Most likely Zucker, Joki and someone else will be headed out of town so that the team will get even younger, less experienced and less costly. Yeah! Should be great.

So because Lars Eller was a poor signing we should make a similar deal with McLeod? I won't re-sign McLeod at all because he is wilding inconsistent and doesn't drive offense. I concede that given our lack of centers, my wish is unlikely to come true. However giving a long-term extension to a wilding inconsistent center who doesn't drive offense and is having a career year is a contract we are destine to regret. At most I'd give him 3 years and certainly not more than 3.75 per season. He just isn't worth it.

That we didn't register a shot on goal in the 3rd period when leading 3-0 or that we nearly coughed up another 3 goal lead or ........

He is having a career best scoring season so far. Yeah! Lets say he finishes with 45 points. How much are you paying for a career year? How many years? 5-6 years $4.5 mill a season. How do a I know this is a career year? Just look at this shooting %. It's 21.3 this season. His other 3 seasons, 11, 14.1, 11.3. This isn't Sam Reinhart. Alarm Bells should be ringing. Talk about a contract that won't look good sooner than later as this player doesn't drive offense as you freely admit and there is no way he'll sustain a 20%+ shooting %. Are you really going to pay your 3rd line center, whose play got him demoted to the 4th line for weeks $4.5 a season? How do I know that's what KA will give him if he hits 45 pts? Because Adams always overpays. No bargain allowed except ELCs. So why am I against McLeod, because I've seen enough lousy play from him to realize that he's wildly inconsistent and I fear another terrible contract being given to a guy off a career year. If you don't think this is a justified concern lets take Cozens for example: Shooting % by season 6.5, 8.1, 14.7, 9, 10.4. Guess which season Adams gave Cozens his long-term $7 mill a season deal? The off-season after the 14.7 season.