GASabresIUFAN

@MODO Hockey wanted RK gone on February 16th. By that time the 5 on 5 offense had already cratered. Where would we have been if KA had listened to Modo and dumped Rasputin then or at worst by his stupid new conference on 3-5? Guys win out. Screw the draft pick. Learn to win as a team and take that confidence into next season.

Jack who?

Becoming more likely with each game. The kids are really responding to him. Love how Granato is doing line video sessions with each line and helping them implement the ideas in game. Talked about video sessions with the Cozens and how they are improving each game. How bad was RK. Geez.

Casey’s confidence is growing each game. Do we finally have the ROR replacement? Granato is now using him in all situations, 5 on 5, PP, Pk and end of game. Keep it up kid!

Yes, yes I did😁. I also said RK sucked when hired. I just bought tickets tonight. I let you know if I win.

I just finished watching the game. Some quick thoughts. Irwin should never play NHL hockey again. The kids up front really stepped up tonight. That was Cozens best game in a while. The ATM was creating O, killing penalties and Granato’s guys with the game on the line late. Dahlin is also playing like the kid we thought we drsfted I thought Bjork had a really nice game as well. Congrats to Togarski on his first win since 2015. He is so much better then Hutton. That was a lot of fun. Wash may have been sluggish, but the kids out hit and out skated them.

That’s not exactly true. Vanek and Pommers were stars. Roy and Stafford were high quality players. Thorburn and Paille had long solid careers. That’s 6 solid quality forwards from just the 1st and 2nd rounds. He also found quality in later rounds like Kotalik, Max, and Gaustad. Where he failed us was at drafting top 6 centers. Roy is arguably the only one during his entire tenure. He also failed for a few years after the Cup runs at get virtually anyone in the draft for a few years until he got a real scouting department back. He then found 7 NHL players in his last two drafts.

That's strange considering that was our best defensive pairing the last season plus until McCabe got hurt.

The expansion discussion on whether or not to protect Borgen raised the issue for me of what is the vision for the D next season and long-term. KA is fortunate that from a player standpoint he doesn't really need to do much to put together a reasonable D group for next season. Risto, Miller and Bryson are under contract. Dahlin, Jokiharju and Borgen are RFAs. Assuming for a second that McCabe wants to walk and we don't lose Borgen to expansion, then all KA has to do to bring back a reasonable group is re-sign his RFAs. Only Dahlin will command "Big $". I'm thinking 5 for 5.4 like Risto received. My ideal situation would be to get Seattle to take Miller in expansion; re-sign McCabe (4 for 4) and go from there. McCabe Risto Dahlin Jokiharju Bryson Borgen It would be balanced L to R and pretty balanced as well with style of play. You'd have young vet leadership in Risto and McCabe with a bunch of very talented kids behind them.

Y'all are nuts. Leave VO exposed. Leave Risto exposed. All to save a 24 year D with 8 games of NHL experience. I like Borgen also, but if management really really wants to keep him, either work a deal for them to take Miller or someone else. Do what Jbot did with Carrier and Ullmark. There is some way over thinking going on. Honestly Samuelsson is a better version of Borgen, but from the other side. My guess is Seattle will want some vets and someone to run their PP. Miller is a perfect candidate. A PP asset and on a not unreasonable 1 year contract. They may take Miller anyway without incentive (although I'd squeeze us for something if I were Seattle's GM). Remember that have to take some veteran contracts. You protect Eichel, Reinhart, Skinner, Asplund, VO, Mitts and Thompson up front. Risto, Dahlin and Jokiharju on defense. You expose KO, Bjork, Torgarski, Borgen, Girgensons, Eakin, and Miller. KA should then work a deal with Sea to take Miller and give them a 5th to do it. If Seattle goes a different direction and takes Girgensons. Borgen is going to have to work hard to beating out Miller for the 3rd RD spot.

Your exposing Ristolainen? Asplund isn’t exempt. Another case of bad asset management. Borgen is very replaceable. 8 NHL games at 24 screams replaceable player. If KA protects Bjork over Asplund and Borgen over anyone else he needs to have his head examined. We are losing one player off the worst team in the NHL. No biggie.

Here is the problem with your protecting Borgen over VO. Not only are you making VO available, but also likely Thompson and Asplund. It's also terrible asset management. If you place Thompson, Asplund, Borgen and Olofsson on the market who would have the highest trade value? Like Olofsson followed by Thompson, Asplund and lastly Borgen. Olofsson might be worth a 1st rd pick or a very good prospect. Borgen is probably worth a 4th rd pick or less. So you want to give Seattle our most consistent goal scorer for nothing, while retaining an aging prospect worth a 4th rd pick. That makes no sense. Even if the organization agreed with you they'd trade VO long before they expose him to the expansion draft and lose him for nothing. The other problem is what if Sea wants to go younger and cheaper. Are you ok with losing Thompson, when he have no one else in the organization with his type of length and size?

Tallinder and Numminen were established or proven veteran players when Buffalo made it's run 16 years ago. Borgen maybe Tallinder-ish in style of play, but he isn't Tallinder in ability. Not an apples to apples comparison. I'm glad you are clairvoyant.

Rakish, sorry but I don't think your chart passes the eye test.

Let me see if I understand you. You'd keep Borgen, a 24 year old D with 8 games of NHL experience, over one of Olofsson, our 2nd leading scorer this season with 33 goals in 102 career games, Mittelstadt, a former top 8 pick with 141 career games and who is now playing to his potential, Thompson and Asplund, who are also emerging. Thankfully your not the GM. I like Borgen as well. If management likes him as much as you do, they can use some of the draft capital KA just acquired to keep him by a side deal with Seattle.

"Those were the days my friend" Y'all realize that much of this team are still DR picks. DR found 7 NHL players in his last 2 drafts, including Ullmark, McCabe, Risto, and Girgensons.

Neither do Germans

At a bar hanging with Patty, DD, Nolan, Housley, TM, Rolston, and Jbot welcoming RK to the TP retirement party.

I forget about VO

The expansion list is the ATM line, Skinner, Jack, Sam and one other forward. Probably Bjork right now EDIT: VO (My bad). The D are Dahlin, Risto and Joki. Borgen is the mostly likely player to be taken unless they make a deal. See Yeah Borgen. .... and now back to the topic. Im trying Mitts and Thompson on the first PP with Sam, Dahlin and VO.

Over the last 10 games we are averaging 1.1 pts per game. Ottawa and Ana, our closest rivals for the bottom are earning about .9 pts per game over the last 10. If these 3 teams continue to play at this pace, we'll still finish 2 points behind the Sens. No worries mate. Root for the boys to play well and win every game on the way in. They'll gain more with the confidence boost then one more high draft pick in a crap shoot of a draft (because of COVID).

Now hire some friggin scouts. One pro scout is no where near enough. 5 amateur scouts isn't very good either.

Unlike many here I was unwilling to write off a very talented 21 year old kid because of a bump in his development. Chris Taylor, a person I respect now more then ever (partially because RK hates him) and even RK himself said that Casey turned the corner in Rochester last year and was working diligently to become a complete player. I took Taylor at his word and what Taylor said is exactly what we are seeing now. Offensively he is playing like the kid who dominated at the World Jrs and in the USHL/High School. The difference now is that he is so much more defensively aware. Ultimately his confidence was destroyed by the incompetent RK and fortunately for Casey and the Sabres, Chris Taylor was there is fix the kid and get him back on track. It is also a great compliment to Casey in that he put in the work to get better. Thompson is much the same story. He was set back a year in his development by the injury last season. The good news there was that RK didn't get an opportunity to destroy him as well. Honestly I was not as confident that Tage would turn the corner. I thought (and still do) it unwise to sign him to a 3 year deal when he had proven nothing in the NHL, but I'm thrilled he has matured into his large frame and is beginning to show the promise he showed in college. If Casey, Tage and Asplund continue to play this way for the remainder of the season, it will go along way toward making KA's job much much easier this off-season. KA then walks into the off-season knowing he has 9 forward slots filled for next year in Eichel, Reinhart, VO, KO, Skinner, Asplund, Cozens, Mitts and Thompson. That's a good start. He also has 3 more disposable forwards under contract in Bjork, Eakin and Z with prospects R2 and maybe Quinn knocking on the door.

Just finished the game. I'd like to thank Lazar for tipping in the shot for us. I'd also like to thank Taylor Hall for giving the Bruins exactly what he gave us. Nothing. I'd also like to thank Bjork for showing the great hands he has shown throughout his pro career. It was the best OT the Sabres have played this year. Also I again liked that the Sabres worked hard and played themselves back into the game.