JustOneParade

I think he was a key figure in the emergence of the LIV Tour. Not as a player.

Agree with all of this. And it is what I find particularly frustrating. We need to, and have needed to, shore up the bottom 6 with players of the type that are absent in the organization at the present. Especially with CM gone. KA, with the assets / cap space available to him, can’t seem to upgrade the bottom 6? (Or doesn’t see the need to). It’s not like the Sabres are trying to find a 1C.

.979? That’s ridiculous. And clutch.

It should also be noted that the staff now has over 12 years of unsuccessful NHL coaching experience. How much more do we need to see? A Peca would be (would have been) a good add if joined by a couple seasoned and capable assistant coaches. Didn’t realize that about Cooper. Must be an outlier, no?

Didn’t see it upthread so I looked it up. The Sabres three assistant coaches (ex-Bales) had a combined 3 years of coaching experience at the NHL level prior to joining the Sabres staff. All by Wilford as an assistant w/Anaheim. Two never played in the NHL. No one should be surprised by the on-ice results.

Yep. Tuesday though.

I think replacing his entire staff (other than Bales, as you say) should be a condition of Granato’s employment.

https://www.sabrespace.com/community/topic/27744-is-there-a-rasmus-dahlin-blockbuster-trade-to-be-had/?do=findComment&comment=1243619 Again, thanks. For anyone who may be interested in the similarities. Not intended to throw anyone under the bus. Just suggesting not to judge Power prematurely. And I, too, am frustrated with his current deficiencies

Thanks. Looks like I can link an individual post but not the thread.

Last night I went back to a topic from January 2020 discussing the merits of trading Rasmus Dahlin - then in his second season. As I expected there were very fascinating parallels to the Owen Power discussions. Worth a look if you have some time to kill. And my apologies if there is a way to insert a link directly to it - I just don’t know how to do it. What’s also crazy are the comments about deficiencies in roster construction that still exist four years later.

It was an interesting combination of Sabres on the ice at the time. Dahlin with Cliffy? Tage and Greenway plus whoever the 5th skater was? Maybe a bit premeditated on someone's part? May just have been the usual 6 on 5 defense. Had to laugh about OV just milling around by himself 10 or 12 feet from the scrums. No interest in being involved. I suppose with the numbers he had no dance partner, though. Did I just talk myself out of a good conspiracy theory?

Lastly, all routes north (and subsequently south) from MA were severely clogged with traffic. Made me wonder what the GI bridges were like if 1M people descended upon the Falls for this thing. Any updates from back home?

We had a mostly clear afternoon here in Western MA. Enjoyed having the kids over to join my wife and I for the event. A couple things really jumped out at me. With only a very tiny sliver of the sun exposed at the peak (7:30 to 10:30 as a clock face) the sky got grayish in color but there were still shadows. And the temperature dropped noticeably. The sun is an awful long way away but puts into perspective how bright it is and just how much heat that sucker generates. BTW, any else listen to Pink Floyd’s DSOTM while all this was happening?

Honestly I’ve been conflicted for a while about the possibility of the Sabres making the playoffs. On one hand it would be important for the players and coaching staff to experience playoff hockey for their continued growth. On the other hand, after watching playoff hockey for the last few years, the Sabres as presently constructed would get physically abused. It would be really hard to see.

I completely agree with you Punch. But I feel like any competent, demanding coach will want to turn over a chunk of this roster. And we now know that isn’t in KA’s plan. So the interviews will end quickly. Thus I think your process would need to be under the oversight of a new GM.

Game recap: Sabres win the last 53 minutes! 🙄

It seems any good player that comes to the Sabres becomes bad. Conversely, any Sabre that leaves become good (or very good) elsewhere. Isn’t that the ultimate indictment of this organization?

She’s simply a phenomenal player.

Those Bills teams were horribly undisciplined also. Apt comparison.

What I find somewhat amusing is that some are saying/writing that Diggs will do for CJ Stroud what he did for Josh. Houston ain't getting 26 year old Steph.

Good stuff. I just think the Miller signing, keeping the safeties, etc., was the Bills 'all in' approach to a championship. And honestly, if the defense had been even relatively healthy last season, the Bills might have won it all. But it didn't happen. So the reset - absolutely not a full rebuild - has begun. And I expect the Bills will be criminally underrated going into next season, which is fine by me.

One last thought (until the next one 😃). There's been speculation about BB moving up a bit to take a WR he likes. I think one of two things will happen. He stays where he is, or even moves down a bit, because there's a guy he knows he can get that they really like. Or he goes big game hunting and moves way up to get a guy they absolutely love. Assuming three QB's go really high as expected I won't be surprised if BB calls his buddy in East Rutherford about pick #6. I just think if he moves up, it won't be a small move up.

What I find it curious by their absence is any commentary from McDermott or Brady on this matter. I believe they were integral in this whole thing. Diggs wanted out and McD didn't want him on the team any longer IMPO). I can't shake the image from a couple seasons ago of Brady and Josh on the bench during a game looking at the pad together deciphering what the opponent's defense was doing. And Diggs is standing over them flapping his gums at them. Brady must have been thinking, or saying, 'Dude, STFU and go sit down. We're working here.' Brady was the QB coach then. He's the OC now. The org made a value judgement. And as @That Aud Smell points out that's a hell of a wallop they just took. Hence we now know what the team's value, in totality, on Diggs was.

Beane will be like a kid in the candy store next offseason. Diggs completely off the books ($27M as @Night Train notes), another $8M when Miller's contract is dumped, and a slew of draft capital. Will be fun to see. As for this year, he'll add at least one more WR. And above all else we still have Josh.

So, the Bills just ate a massive salary/bonus payout to get a guy off the team. Does the same guy own the Bills and Sabres? (And, yes, I understand the economics or the two leagues).