Pimlach

Not sure what you disagree with since I pointed out the big investment in the 3 defensemen already signed, but ok. Adams plan is most likely to extend Byram and the top four would be Dahlin, Byram, Power, Muel - that is based on the moves Adams has already made, not on what I think he should do. Teams will be interested in Byram if he asks to be traded. I double checked Muels contract, it is $4.3M for 7 years, not $5.5 which is what I initially used, so the 3 signed defensemen total $23.6M, not $25M. If Muel can stay healthy and play the game like they projected he would it was a solid signing - remember he was given this deal after 57 NHL games. I thought he looked mediocre in his first game back against the Rangers, he was standing around watching the play on the first goal, leaving Ryan Johnson out to dry.

I felt from the very beginning that we were trading a decent 2C (Mitts had a better overall game than Cozens) for another very young D-man that could leave after a full season. It was a risk and it created a big hole in the center spline that went largely unaddressed. So he has to sign Byram this off season when we already have ~$25M tied up in Dahlin, Power, and Mule. As for the hole at center - McLeod is a nice player but not a 2C. He is a decent 3C, with great speed and good face-off and PK skills, and he can spell a bit on the top 6. I think he is an RFA too, so free cap money could go toward Byram and McLeod - unless they use the magic words "I don't want to be here". Even with palm trees this situation cannot easily be fixed. But palm trees might help.

He is a defenseman who is not that good at defense right now.

Yup. Byram is looking like a good pick up too. I’ve seen enough games now to see his value.. He has carried the load for Dahlin better than Power has, and Lindy really rides him on minutes. He could not re-sign, that was always a risk. He might want more from Buffalo than from a contender. We will see.

Indeed.

I don’t think Karmanos would turn it down, but there are circumstances where it’s possible. His name comes up as a potential candidate to be a GM. In terms of trying to trade for vets, I do think Adams knows what they need and who can help. He was recently linked to pursing guys like Necas, Euhlers, Pesce. All good players. Imagine Necas in our top 6. Image Pesce playing with Power and showing him the side of the game he never had to concentrate on when coming up. Why Adams can’t or won’t seal the deal is the question. We know the NMC thing is real.

Top 6 forward (preferably a center) and a Top 4 "defensive defenseman" are the biggest needs.

Pegula will not want to pay Granato, Adams, and Ruff. The terms of Adams contract from 2020 are not known to me. If he fires Adams he will probably replace him with Karmanos. If he doesn't take it, then Forton will. (BTW - I prefer Karmanos by a large margin over Forton) This way he does the least possible work on the Sabres, for the lowest investment, and he still has people he knows in there.

OK, I definitely see palm trees.

The TNT crew focused on Benson a lot. At first someone gave Schneider big props for standing up to .... Benson. I was laughing at that. He was taking on Benson. Then the TNT crew realized, Benson is that 5'10" 170'ish pound 19 year old, and they isolated him a lot after that because he was playing hard. It was like Benson knew how pissed of his coach was, and he understands how he wants them to play. So he does it. Greenway played hard. Aube-Kubel too. The top line players played with intensity and purpose for the last 15 minutes of the game, that's about it. They wasted another good game by UPL.

Punch was better. Then Regier. Bowman as a GM was hit and miss, so was Muckler. Meehan did some creative things. Murray was the wrong guy to trust with the tear down, so he get the title of the worst.

Agree with all of it accept the timeline. It is too fast, and not realistic for the amount of work needed. He can help direct player moves/acquisitions immediately, no problem trying to improve the on ice product immediately. However, once you hire the said experience hockey mind as POHO, he needs time to evaluate everything. He will need time to fairly evaluate Adams, his entire staff (and there are some good names there), and even the coaches. He may know who he wants to replace fairly quickly, but getting the best possible replacement will be tricky. The off season will bring lots more names and options to consider. No need to be hasty hiring new FO and coaches, look for the best you get instead.

Your use of the words talent and potential are confusing. Every single player listed had first round grades (which means they had first round talent and potential) before the draft, maybe R Johnson didn't (he was picked at 31). Unfortunately, the benefit of your hindsight is not available on draft day. Besides that, the players you cite were drafted by 3 different GMs. No need for me to cover Murray and Bots picks, it is way in the past. The problem we have right now with the current GM, Kevyn Adams, and his thinking that many of these prospects will be good NHL players right away. Adams mistakes are much more about how he handled all the draft capital that he compiled from letting good players go, more than it is about who he picked in the draft. The NHL draft is not a sure thing and his picks are still very young There were years he had multiple picks, he did not trade any #1 picks prior to draft day for proven NHL talent that could help the team win and help the younger players develop in a good environment. He signed only cheap veteran JAGs and/or over the hill vets to make it easy for his prospects to make the team. -> "No Blockers" Pushing 6 rookies (or young near rookies) onto the NHL roster all in one year (the 91 point season had Power, Samuelsson, Peterka, Quinn, Cozens, Krebs all rookies or close to rookie status). How many of those 6 players are thriving today? Answer = None. Inability to bring in worthy veteran help. When he learned that he could not get impactful vets to come here he doubled down even more on his prospects. This mistake allows Benson to make the team at 18, in a year that Adams said was all about playoffs. Benson is a hard worker but he is still 19, and still growing. This season he will get us ~12 goals while being a negative player on the ice. Was the decision to keep him up at 18 smart? The TNT crew talked about Benson quite a bit. Mostly as a curiosity, since he was the most tenacious player on the team. Which is a huge indictment on Adams roster construction . Adams inherited terrible conditions that most veteran GMs would probably walk away from, his two emerging stars (Eichel, Reinhart) wanted out and he complied - "wants only players that want to be here". He has and internal cap (or he did). He has problems getting the needed veteran help - he likely knew about this ahead of time. Gretzky and the TNT crew talked about the NHL and the current trend for rebuilding teams to develop prospects in the NHL, rather than in the minors. Adams misjudged his prospects talent and the real timeline to develop it. Clearly this team is hurt by their own past (and by the decisions made by the current ownership) as impactful vets in their prime will not come here if they can avoid it. Soon the next batch of emerging stars will want out too. Some of the young players on your list will be good players in this league, and we will be pissed to see them thriving elsewhere in the league. Drafting is not the root cause of the problem. The team has not been run by a capable NHL GM since Regier was fired long ago. The front office is considered a joke. The problem is that the owner is the POHO.

Terry does not need to sell. He needs to do what he said on DAY ONE. Which is to provide RESOURCES. If he can just hire an experienced POHO and get out of his way, really get out of the way, and that means his family too, things would eventually improve.

Making up robot accounts to improve how fans feel?

I agree that he would never play for Buffalo again, but you will never hear anyone from the Blues organization say this. You will hear "First guy at the rink for practice, last guy off the ice at practice, great teammate, great all around player, clutch performer, dedicated ... "

We didn't even get a SOG on that first PP. Could have taken a early lead but instead they show no urgency.

My Summary: Both Goalies were very sharp. The Sabres snoozed through the first 2 periods, they got out shot and out chanced, and UPL kept it close. Sabre played the 3rd period the way they should have played the whole game, but too little and too late. At least it quieted the restless and upset fans. Lindy was pissed all game and it showed, and he didn't hold back to the TNT reporter about the teams effort in the first period. Power was benched for a portion of the first. Peterka benched for a portion of the 2nd. It was a physical game at times and some, but not many, players showed up for the game - Benson, Greenway, NAK, Byram and UPL. Power finished with 1G and 1A but was miserable for 2 periods. His soft defensive play was covered by TNT, and it must be something talked about around the league. Gretzky mentioned it twice. Lindy's decision to give them the afternoon off did not work. Most of the players that were good in the last 10 minutes were not very good in the first 50 minutes - and that is THE PROBLEM. Where were they all game? Could it be that some of these players want out? Overall it was another embarrassment and another loss on National TV. To hear Gretzky say that they aren't working hard enough to win says it all. Playoffs? No need to concern myself with the mathematic possibilities. The product on the ice screams "no way" right now.

Nope. Maybe 12.

Took way to long to show any life. Not there. With 7 of them at home.

TNT

Fox picks tonight to get his first.

Blaming Power for the second goal is not fair. The puck was bouncing crazily. Carrick out worked and over powered two players.

Power needed that