JohnC

Why do you assume that Quinn is likely to walk once his contract is up?

Both players were high draft picks with Power as the first in the draft. So I'm not really factoring in their respective draft position. From a player standpoint, I prefer simply Power. In the not-too-distant future, I see him developing into an anchor Sabre defenseman. As have been mentioned by others, right now the Sabres have the luxury of staying the course with both players.

You are joining the minority club. There is plenty of room for others who are mostly seeking other accommodations. 🍺

If I had to make a choice between Power or Byram, I would definitely keep Power. There are interludes where Byram can be more dynamic offensively but there is an unevenness to his game that makes me prefer Power in the long run. In a few years, the Sabres may be facing cap tightness but with the cap going up I don't foresee it as a problem for the next few years. Dahlin is one of the best defensemen in the league. And it should be acknowledged that Samuelsson is playing as a good complementary partner in the first pairing. I'm happy with Power on the second pair and I'm more than pleased with the play of Timmons. When you add Byram and Kesserling to the mix it seems that a quality unit is emerging with even more upside expected from a relatively young unit. It's apparent that I'm more positive about Power than many here. The critics should be aware that many of them were adamant in their view that Samuelsson should be sent packing. Now I consider him to be one of our better and more consistent players on the blueline. My recommendation is to be patient and stay the course and let this unit grow together.

Players get singled out to become the symbols for the frustration (understandably) of this team. Samuelsson is a classic example of that where he became vilified and demonized. Now look at him! I would say he is playing very well and more importantly has become one of our consistent performers on the unit. I, like you, have been disappointed in Quinn relative to my expectations for him. But let's put things in context when evaluating any young Sabre. Usually, they are rushed in their roles. Instead of playing on a lower line and working their way up, they often are prematurely elevated for a higher line playing against the better players on other teams. That's a franchise failure in the handling of players. I do see Quinn getting better. It's not a grand leap but from what I have seen there is an incremental progression. I'll gladly accept that steady improvement which is more of the norm on how young players develop in comparison to the few who almost right from the start demonstrate that they are high-end players. I recommend more patience when evaluating him.

Beck Mylastyn gets the first unsung star in this game for me.

Ellis is playing well.

If your selection doesn’t work out then so be it. It happens. You move on and then do your best to make a better next selection. There’s no excuse to make a later KA selection. That hire made no sense to me. His retention made even less sense.

You are describing an owner who prefers to be surrounded by sycophants who will treat an unserious and unknowledgeable hockey owner as if he is a serious and knowledgeable hockey person.

Does anyone know what Benson’s timeline to return? Is there chance he will play tonight?

Choosing a new GM is a tough and challenging issue for every owner. Smart owners seek out advice from outside voices who are knowledgeable about the hockey business. On the other hand, a sure way to flub the critical decision is to act out whim and hire someone so patently unqualified that the no other owner would have even considered him for the job let alone selected him. And to compound this stupendously bad selection is to keep this person in his critical position after his failed extended service. It makes no freaking sense.

You are far more knowledgeable about the players in Rochester. So, I will defer in Rochester player rankings. But what I can say is that when he has played in Buffalo I didn't see him as a liability. I thought he was a good lower pairing puck moving defenseman who played within his talents.

I think you are expecting too much offensive production from Johnson. As you correctly describe, he is a good skater and can carry the puck out of the zone. But offensively he is not going to match Byram and Power from a point production standpoint. Johnson is who he is as a player. Expecting more beyond his boundary of talents is a recipe for having a negative view of his play. In my mind, I see him as a solid third or fourth pairing blueliner who is smart enough to play within his limitations. I like him.

We don't have elite goaltending. That's a fanciful aspiration that likely won't be met any time soon. That's not a surprise because 90% of the teams also don't have elite goaltending. What we need to get is consistently solid net play. Do any of our goaltenders on the team or in the system meet the elite standard? I would say no. But that doesn't mean that we can't get the caliber of goaltending that will allow this team to be competitive. Another way of getting more effective net play is improving the play around the goalie, as @PromoTheRobot noted.

My sense is that Lindy isn't enamored with Ryan Johnson. Why? I don't know. Maybe it is a style of play that doesn't fit with his concept how a defenseman should play. When I watch him play it seems that he's comfortable playing against NHL players and is more of a blend in player than a thumper at the position. (As you described.) It just seems to me that Ruff has an opinion of him and isn't receptive to changing it. Sometimes old-style coaches are not as adaptable as they need to be. It won't be surprising that there will soon be murmurs that he wants to be dealt to another organization.