PerreaultForever

You sure he didn't do it just because they wanted a guy named Josh?

Bennett's the only difference maker that's out there to my mind, but I doubt he'd even take a Buffalo phone call and we aren't where we need to be for him to make that difference. Marner is just going to be too costly imo. Not worth it. I could see him sign and float. I personally don't see anybody on a losing roster as untouchable but the offers would have to be huge for Dahlin or Thompson. I want Tuch and Peterka but if Peterka's contract ask is ridiculous he's also a trade chip that could get us a different type of player. I personally want to move one of Power or Byram and someone change the make up of the team by bringing in veteran defenders and toughness. A different focus and a better mix. I agree, I doubt Adams is the guy for the job.

No, Thompson's definitely a top line winger now. Both him and Dahlin have reached their maturity level and are elite players. They should remain what they are into their 30's and then decline slowly as players do. The new guy has top line skills. The only thing about him that makes him questionable is the durability. If he stays healthy we have 2/3 of a top line. I doubt he stays healthy though.

They might, but I'm not sure I see Adams making those moves without creating new holes. He seems to believe too strongly in his guys, his picks. So Samuelson might go but what's his value? I'm not sure there's a market for him at his cost. Tuch? Sure, easy to trade but how would that make us better? Peterka is tradeable for sure but again, what's the return and then who is your top 6 scorer to replace him? Clifton's a UFA next year so he will become next year's Jokiharju. I just don't see anything to indicate Adams will move away from his philosophy which is shown in the type of players he drafts.

I think you're actually right about that. I do believe he is a slow thinker and sometimes that leads to on ice indecision. It's possible that in his new environment he gets renewed confidence and plays more instinctively (and is thus better) but thinking not a strength.

Well obviously I used those names as elite guys on top lines who exemplify the TYPE of player best suited to the role. The issue for me is line composition. Roster composition. Complimentary players and guys who make a unit. Not a pile of guys who play the same way. Every team that succeeds sees the need for these guys. This is why a team with high end talent like Edmonton signed Hyman (as an example). Hockey has never changed in any era in this way. You want a great top line you need a sniper, a playmaker and a mucker, all with the speed and level of skill that let's them play together. Bossy-Trottier-Gillies as the perfect example. Team building requires a player mix. Adams has failed in this regard.

The signing of Greenway and Zucker pretty much assured the same roster. There's room and money for a piece or two or a trade to change people but overall I don't see many changes taking place. If you look over the free agents I don't see a game changer that would come here.

I already know I won't get what I want and it's obvious that next year's roster will look pretty much the same as this year's now. We might trade a piece like Peterka or Byram or somebody else but overall it's the same guys and the same poorly constructed roster. Probably UPL Levi in goal. KA gets another year, as does Ruff, but likely both fired before next season is over. In other words, same old same old.

Sure, but what kind of horse is he?

I think he'd lost his love here, yes. This is the thing. All these younger guys know they'll get another chance somewhere else and it's the easiest path away from the losing. Once he had his contract he knew he held all the cards.

Thompson is a goal scorer and a true sniper. With a lack of centers Granato tried him there and when he utilizes his size for puck possession he can play center but he's better paired with a playmaking center. He's Hull, he needs Oates. Ideally, the top line could be dominant with Thompson on it if he had a playmaking center and a power forward on the other side. Ideally he needs a Tkachuk type on the other wing or even just a Tom Wilson type but we don't have that guy. Tuch is a power forward but a B level not an A level player. I am however interested to see if Norris-Thompson can work. Skill wise I see the possibility. I just wish they had that other guy to go with them and to open up more space for them since Thimpson, for all his skill, will likely never use his physicality fully. It's just not who he is. The problem with this team isn't the amount of talent. There's lots of talent, as there has been in the past. It's the make up of the roster and the pieces around the talent that on other teams help the talent be talent. We just have a bunch of kids.

and as he's the captain and the meeting was in private of course he'd denied it. That is hockey 101 these days for anyone who is a true pro. Agents however like to leak information to podcasters to fertilize the ground for future events. Get the ball rolling so to speak. That's hockey business 101 these days. Logic says of course this happened and of course he has said it. Wouldn't you? Anyone here who wouldn't? Now I don't know if the new guy bump will continue with Cozens or if he will be good in Ottawa long term or eventually drop back but they always told us the Sabres were a close group and they are all friends so you know that Cozens has talked to them in DM and he's telling people how great it is and how he's feeling the love and every one of them is thinking I want some of that. The losing kills. They lose their love. It's the same stuff all over again. Now the neck thing muddied the water but I remember Eichel trade rumors and talk of Eichel wanting out if things didn't change before as well and they got generally dismissed as empty rumors but you can see the similarities. The more guys that do well when they leave the more guys here that will want out. If Jokiharju succeeds in Boston they might ALL want out. What will likely happen? Hate to say it but KA will bungle the off season, team will miss again and he will then be fired. New guy will say he has to start again with players that want to be there. Even if he's competent he will know he can't do it instantly so he will tear down again and Dahlin will be moved out just like Eichel and Reinhart and Risto when Adams took over. I wondered then if Dahlin should have gone (not because he was bad) because maybe he already had too much of the losing stink on him and maybe that would have been the better idea because I think it likely his patience is gone, just like mine and probably yours and everyone else's here.

It was interesting in the Edmonton broadcast tonight DeBrusk was saying the exact same thing when asked for his opinion on why the rebuilds keep failing. You need veterans and veteran leaders.

Oh definitely. Could have easily lost that one with a bounce or two the other way but that's hockey. Some nights you get more luck than others. Still, if the new guy and Thompson develop some chemistry we might have something there. Thompson as a winger will however put us back to the 2C question. McLeod should really be 3C and I really hope they won't just try not to block Kulich for next year.

Cozens got second star for scoring the game winner on the late PP but otherwise he wasn't really a star in this one. Ullmark however was sensational. Totally stole the game.

Losing streak over. These lines seemed better.

Yup the not blocking prospects things has always been absurd.

So basically at the deadline he went to Florida to see if he could get some palm trees but in the end just decided to give Jokiharju away and sign the guys he already had. Then he figured he'd get Brady Tkachuk's best friend hoping that in time it would convince Brady to come here too. I think that's it.

I agreed with your post overall but I pulled this out to draw attention to it. This is the core issue to me and it's been the core issue for a really long time.

As you probably know I have said they should have given it to Tuch. It's pretty hard to strip it from someone though and still keep them happy. I can't see them taking it away from Dahlin and if they do it might piss him off and he might be the next guy to quit on the team and want out.

Well sure, Florida didn't give us their A game because they didn't have to. This is why we have had late season runs. Teams don't take us seriously at this point. Same every year. It fools some people, including management it seems.

I'm not convinced on the talent aspect yet. What I do think is this was just like Risto. Different position and so different attributes but asking too much too soon, developing him poorly and basically making him worse than he should be. Torts has fixed Risto and made him into a competent second pairing guy. Will Cozens get fixed in a different environment and become a competent 2nd line center? idk but if he does, you have your answer to everything.

yes.

Norris looked flat and miserable. Reminded me a lot of Quinn. Rosen isn't an NHL player. The tough guy was alright but he looked slow. I'd keep him around though. We need one. If he's the best we got so be it.

So if that's it what you have is a franchise that didn't evaluate their talent properly, rewarded him too early and too much and asked him to do too much accordingly. You can't just make people leaders by deciding you think they will become them, you have to have actual leaders.