FrenchConnection44

Of course we won. I knew we'd beat some good teams. And its time for another 3-5 game win streak (which has argably been this team's defining characteristic - losing streak, winning streak, losing streak, etc. )

I think it is that he is simply spending so much to go all in on the Bills in the Allen era, plus the stadium and the $560 million he has to pay on overruns (good grief!), he is just not going to spend any more than he needs to or be aggressive with the Sabres. He may not be able to afford to from a cash on hand perspective. So he’s going to cut corners there.

Well deserved for Allen. Total franchise player. Also interesting that he is only the fourth quarterback to win the MVP but not be named first team all pro. But I agree with that situation. I failed to pay attention when he won MVP. It’s an interesting category, but I get it and it made sense a couple of times in the past. Like in ‘87: Joe Montana was first team all pro and deservedly so. He was the best quarterback in football that year and the best quarterback in the game. But Elway was deserving of the MVP because of the fact that he carried the Broncos so far with lesser talent.

I want a top 3-4 pick so I want us to score some goals, make it competitive but not win 😬 At this point, if we got hot, went into the draft with the 8th pick, we might actually retain Adams and be in the same spot again next year. Which would result in further pain. So I can root for wins at this point. Just me. I know others differ.

The team never should’ve drafted Owen Power, number one. What they need to do now is trade him. And hope they can get a first or high 2nd for him. If we had a coach who came in and said to him, “look, you’re never gonna be a great hockey player until you get some toughness inside of you. I don’t know whether you have that or not but you better get it in a hurry. Hockey is not a game for 6’6 220 pound defenseman who won’t play tough, physical hockey,” maybe he could light a fire under him. But if he’s going to play like a girl then go play volleyball If you draft a guy number 1 over all who is a 6’6, 215 lb defensemen, you want him to aspire to be the next Chris Pronger or Victor Hedman. Just look at Pronger’s PIM

Dude has to go. Find a real GM this offseason. Find one that people have confidence in and who can sell some players on coming to Buffalo. We have had some not so great luck with getting a top pick in a not so great draft years. We need to lose when the draft is really strong. This would be a good year to get in the top 3 or 4 in the draft, where we can at least get a player who can get to the league next year. Especially great with a new GM. Of course Adams traded away a potentially strong pick in round 2, which hurts. We did get a steal in Peterka in round 2. But Quinn was kind of a meh pick given some of the picks around him. Good News: we do have a pretty tough schedule going the rest of the way which could help us secure a top 3-4 pick. Bad News: we often tend to play well when not expected against good teams and suck when expected to win. And we are also getting close to being due for one of our 4-5 game win streaks, having lost 6 in a row. I don’t see how season ticket holders and people who might be closer to the owner don’t raise hell about Adams and the franchise in general.

Agreed. It looked like UPL had devoted himself to getting better last year with working hard in the offseason before 2023-24 and was on the way up. He’s just completely regressed.

Even with that, even if he knew he was gone you still gotta go to war with your teammates! Especially your captain but all of them! That is exactly not the kind of player we need. It’s the quintessential example, of course, but imagine if that were Tkachuk on the ice in Cozens position! Mayhem. He seemed a couple of years ago like he was starting to be a little bit tougher and a standup guy. In his real good season for us when we scored a ton two years ago and he had 31. But I really think his career here at Buffalo changed after he got hammered in that fight last year. I think that had a huge negative psychological effect on him. He has never been the same since. He’s not really a fighter but he’s no McDavid or Kucherov either, so he has to be more in the mix physically.

This is a real positive. Got to hope he can stay healthy.

I like Zucker and Greenway. Glad to see this. I think they both are solid players and have a professionalism and decent toughness about them. We need that. We still need a real Man to take care of business when needed. But this is good.

A 4th round pick? I’m not a big Joki fan, but that’s ridiculous imo. Especially after we just gave away our 2nd. Id have wanted something else. He has played better this year and I would have liked him as bottom 3 pair or #7 which, imo, is worth more than a 4th round pick.

I’d have given a conditional 2027 2nd rounder for Marchand sight unseen. Just get him in the locker room and instill some fire and toughness. Actually, an unconditional one. My guess is he would not have come here and they did him a solid to put him on a contender to give him a chance at a Cup with Florida. If Tkachuk is back healthy for the playoffs, no one will want to play that team. Just nasty.

I don’t think Benson will ever be a scorer unless he adds 10-15 pounds of muscle - just gets a lot stronger to strengthen his shot. (This is doable; look at what Bryson Dechambeau did with adding muscle and power in a single off season; then even toned himself back some and still has great power). Right now he has to have one of the weakest shots in the league, doesn’t threaten anyone with his scoring ability, and he doesn’t have the strength for a quick flick of the wrist that has any velocity (a la someone like Tuch). In connection with that he needs to develop his legs and try to be a stronger and faster skater. His mind and instincts are there. But physically he is just lacking.

Yes. I would love to see Novákov move up and add a vet Dman. Should have included him in my post because I think he could could really be a strong player for us in the future. Hopefully next year. Don’t know a lot about Dobson (I avoid Islander games like the plague as I have hated them since the late 70s early 80s).

Very happy with this signing for what it is. He’s not going to transform the organization but we need a player like him. He’s had some really good runs on penalty kill and has good games when healthy. I’d like to get Zucker on a deal as well. But I’d also be good with trading Cozens at some point — maybe not til after the season — as well as an few others (Samuelsson, Power) and try to find a tough guy at fwd and a defensive oriented rugged defenseman. IMO

The discussion that makes the best sense is to forego making trades at the deadline, especially by Adams, as what we will get back won’t help us in the near future. I also would like Greenway and Zuckerberg back. I would be happy to trade Cozens or Samuelsson in the offseason, as well as some prospects, and even the likes of Power if the offer is right. And try to get back some glue players who play a more physical game. if somehow we could procure a defensive defenseman who plays a physical game and a more intimidating forward who plays with physicality and can stand up to the most rugged players on other teams, those two steps alone would be a big boost to this team, imo.

Such a good point. And we’ve already been down this road multiple times in the past few seasons. On the other hand, if a couple of players, like Cozens, play well before the deadline we might be able to get some assets if the GM would pull the trigger. Really, the two things I wanted was 1) to trade a Cozens and even Power or Samuelsson for a stronger, more physical and more defensive defensemen. Who still has some tread left. And 2) make it to the top 4 in the draft (who knows with this team?). I think any of the top 4 could start for this team next year. I would rather trade away some soft players who are young than some of the guys that are constantly mentioned. We need grit and we are talking about trading some who have added some of that. I just don’t think the team culture is going to change with the way any of those 3 play. Maybe Power needs to be sent out in the ice in a tense situation to be forced into a fight - let Lindy tell him, “go kick that guy’s butt and stop asking ppl half your size, like Krebs here, to do your dirty work!” And get his ass kicked and it would light a fire under him to become physically tougher in the off season. 😉 Of course it won’t happen.

Now watch us continue on a big win streak and move out of a shot at one of the top 4. But then we will lose several and probably draft 8-10. Get some guy who will sit in the minors for the next 3 years. We While the Penguins will get a top 4 guy who comes in and plays well and becomes a star. Smh. This team can’t win and they can’t even lose when they need to! Lol. It’s the worst kind of failure 😂

Wow. That’s strange. He was 95 so he was not unexpected. But the wife and dog? Fishy I remember going to see The French Connection as a kid. I was 10 My mom took me and got some looks about taking me to an R rated film. But man, I loved it and it was one of the movies that launched my love of film—which remains to this day. He had some great roles. Always liked his on screen persona. RIP

Yeah! Misa is top class. I’d love him. Could be a great player. Would be awesome. If not him then Martone. Hope we can land one or the other. We should offer Cozens & Power for one of the top 3 picks and draft both Misa and Martone. 😉 Even throw in Samuelsson! No seriously. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Both are just so impressive. Both are first line players in the waiting imo Our luck, we will get hot and not get either. We need to make do everything at this point to ensure we are in the top 4. But this is a good draft. I would trade those 3 to get more picks.

Let’s make it happen. Frees up cap space and might get a player in return.

I’d like to keep Greenway and Zucker and all the NHL RFAS. I am done with Power, Samuelsson, and Cozens. The workhorse from Whitehorse has turned into a pommel horse or a kiddie ride horse. Seems especially so since he got hammered in that fight last year. Maybe we can throw in Ryan Johnson as well. About to be 24 and he’s on his way to another 0 goal 10 assist season in the AHL.

Well, if we keep our spot, Tankathon has us taking Porter Martone 4th who is 6’3, 207 at age 18. Maybe you’ll get your wish. We need some players with size and power. And have a bit of a nasty streak. Hopefully he does.

Czechs. Slovaks. But the Czechs did win Olympic gold in 1998. Of course, Hasek, Jagr & Lang

We haven’t seen the two countries together since 1991. Both countries still produce quality hockey players. I used to go to games there in the early 90s. Saw Jagr’s home town team—Kladno—play a few times. Quality hockey to watch. Always root for Czech players since I lived there for 2 years; have a soft spot in my heart for Kulich. (less a fan of the name Czechia than Czech Republic 😉 )