Marvin

They had better be. Their daughter is playing. Having said that, it's not like he doesn't have the money to fly back and forth.

Maybe Robin Lehner's comments about players needing to respect Gionta was a shot at Jack and Sam. As he said at the time, Gionta has a ring; who else could claim that?

Welcome to the board.

Welcome back to the board.

Yes. The performance for the last 22 games is the only thing which stopped it. We have a ways to go before this team's line-up approaches Tank levels. For1 one, Dahlin, Jokiharu, Bryson, and Miller already make for a better defence. Asplund-Mittlestadt-Thompson, Skinner-Cozens-Olofsson, Bjork-Girgensons-Okposo is already a line better. We can actually go up with competent signings.

Welcome back to the board.

No. We had 3 capable NHL-quality defencemen in 2014-5. When healthy, we had 2 lines of NHL-quality forwards. That line-up was designed to regress and fall apart. The fact that it took a herculean effort by XGMTM to sink them is a testimony to the players and coaches for working as hard as they did. This time, with only mediocre signings, we can ice 6 capable NHL-quality defencemen and 4 lines of NHL-quality forwards. That is a huge step up. The 2013-4 team had about 2/3 of the line-up before the trade deadline being capable, NHL-quality players. This year, the Sabres can ice a team which is clearly superior to that one and be more like the 2012-3 team. Still not playoff calibre, but competent.

A few things. 1. I have said before that Terry always looks for up-and-comers. He does not like to hire previously experienced people unless he knows they got hosed. He seems to view them as retreads. He will not hire experienced hockey people to be at the top of organisation. 2. His success with Beane and McDermott probably encourages him to do the same with the Sabres. 3. His hires for the Sabres included input from top hockey people around the league. XGMTM and XGMJB were the among the most highly-regarded guys to take the next step. This time, he hired GMKA like he did with the Bills -- with his criteria.

Correct. The Tank is the Pegulas' original sin with the Sabres.

This is not a full-on tank, luckily. The holes on the team can be filled in with competent NHLers so that we finally have a complete, competent, albeit low-end NHL line-up. I expect that they won't embarrass themselves by trading off good players to keep the team at the bottom of the standings.

Merely getting dumb?

Maybe there is a veteran player whose phone is off?

What is WRONG with you?

Welcome back.

I gotta ask all of you who are impugning GMKA's character: WHY? It is one thing to question his hockey management acumen, for which you have plenty to question. But why demean yourselves with ad hominem attacks?

Let's see. Perreault retired before New Year's 1987. The only other one who pops to mind is Bill Hajt.

I think other GMs thought that GMKA was desperate to trade Eichel and Reinhart before the draft and would crack by the time the draft started, whence their teams could get Eichel and Reinhart with a discount. Kudos to GMKA for holding firm so far.

Welcome back. Let us hope you are a harbinger of better days for the franchise.

Looking back at that signing -- that hurt Buffalo far more than it helped the Strangers.

I am hoping that #13 makes #3 and Zegras+ palatable for Anaheim for Eichel and that LA responds with a good offer for Reinhart.

Never underestimate the stupidity or desperation of NHL GMs.

Everyone got cabin fever from the pandemic and itching to trade?

I'll admit it -- I was completely wrong about Ristolainen's value.

I hate being near the start of the draft.

And the entire league is waiting for the first three dominoes to fall -- Eichel, Reinhart, and Ristolainen.