JohnC

I don't know anyone who is categorizing Clifton as an all-star. That is one of your standard bogeyman arguments. What's clear is that his addition to the blueline unit improves it. And if you combine the other blueline acquisition, Johnson, to the Clifton addition, the unit becomes even better. It's not a stretch to believe that Power, who had an impressive rookie year, will be a more impactful player in his second year. And the hope is that Samuelsson will be less plagued by injuries this upcoming season. When everything is tabulated there is little doubt that the blueline is going to be better this season.

Dahlin and Skinner can attest to that incalculable increase in value under Donnie G.'s coaching approach compared to being subjected to the Krueger talent suppression approach. It reminds me when coach Roach was brought in when O.J. played with the Bills, and then used him mostly as a decoy and receiver. Coach Saban took over and OJ had a 2000 yard season. Some coaches are so wedded to their system to the detriment of maximizing the talent they have on hand. It's simply stupid.

The player has a say in contract talks. Just as Dahlin was smart in preferring a bridge deal that would give him more time to develop his talents and increase his value, that is probably what Power is going to do. There is no question that it is better for the organization to get a deal done sooner rather than later with its best players, but that isn't always in the best interest of the player. Tage and Cozens could have gotten a more lucrative deal if they would have waited but they didn't. They acted in their perceived best interests as is Dahlin and will Power.

Are you accusing @mjd1001 of being an equivocator? How dare you!😖

I'm not worried about JJ eventually being moved to a lower line. What I expect from him and the team in general is to play better on the defensive side of the game. If they do, this team is going to be good. And our goalie play will be the beneficiaries of that more two-way mind-set.

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/hosts/sabres-live The attached link is a 12 minute segment on WGR, Sabre LIve, discussing JJ Peterka and what he has to do to get more playing time. The gist of the commentary was that JJ had to improve on his defense and puck retrieval. His play on defense and puck retrieval was compared to Quinn who had good stats in this category, and so did Mitts. Skinner's stats in this category were not so good. There was a comment made by Marty B that struck me when he pointed out that if the Sabres even incrementally improve on their defensive and retrieval stat numbers this team should be better.

I think most of the hockey analysts recognize that right now Dahlin is one of the better players in the league. He was added as a replacement player for last year's all-star game. So there is a league recognition of his talents One of the reasons that a lot of fans are not aware of him is that the team he has played on has been non-descript for a long time. Hopefully, that will soon change.

Olofsson is a shooter and Krebs is a passer. That's a good fit. The issue is whether Olofsson can uphold his defensive responsibilities on that line.

The one area where I would like to see him improve is the accuracy of his shot. There were a number of occasions where he missed on glorious opportunities. That failed chin-up picture you alluded to did a lot to give a false picture of him as a hockey player. He was simply a kid who wasn't prepared for the less than relevant test.

On large bidded defense contracts and computer updating in agencies usually go over budget. It is the norm and not the exception. The stunning surprise is not when they go over budget but when they stick to it. (I'm referring to large contracts and not small contracts.)

The hope is that better overall team defense and PK play will put him in a position to succeed, even as a rookie. If he can duplicate the play of Edmonton's rookie, Stuart Skinner, I would be happy. And it is not unreasonable to believe that Levi was even a better prospect.

https://buffalonews.com/business/local/bills-stadium-ralph-wilson-park-amazon-impact-construction/article_4a2b4fa4-4287-11ee-9e09-cbd2f0fc549e.html Due to the post covid and associated supply change challenges and the delays in other projects there is now a pent-up demand for supplies and workers. That's a reality. If there was a mistake that was made by the Pegulas it is that they should have had their plans ready sooner, even before the negotiations were done with the government entities. As I said in the prior post, rising costs can directly be attributable to issues related to the supply and demand of raw products and labor. (The Buffalo News article highlights that point.)

The poster is basically pointing out that the perception of Mitts has dramatically changed over the past couple of years. He took a previous "quote" to illustrate his point. That's not an unreasonable take.

Why would the supplier lock in his prices for an extended period of time when his costs are going up? That would make no sense for the supplier. The same dynamic applies to labor. If you are a plumbing company and your labor costs are steadily rising, why would you lock in your estimate at the present time when you know it will be an outdated (underestimated) job? In most simple small construction jobs that will be done right away you can get a locked in estimate. But in a major long term and complicated project where you are dealing with a job that will take years it is a different situation. The bottom-line is that you can't run away from basic economic and market forces i.e. the concept of supply and demand.

You and your cohorts in the medical profession put in exhausting hours in during the pandemic period. You exposed yourselves to health risks and had to deal with a lot of anger caused by a lot of misconceptions. Public health was politicized and has had a lingering negative effect. Thank you for your service.

The goalie that I hope he can come close to emulating this season is Edmonton's Stuart Skinner. In his first full season, (He played a limited # of games in the prior two seasons.) his record last year was 29-14-5, 2.75 GA and a .913 save %. Skinner was a highly touted prospect but most evaluators would consider Levi an even better prospect. With Levi as our primary goalie I am less worried about the position than most. What would put him in a better position to succeed is better team defense and an improved PK unit.

You are a man of many talents. 🍺

Just curious. Is the skiing season still pretty good in your area or has it been recently affected by the lack of snow in the winter season? I'm aware that there are snow machines to compensate but I'm not sure that manufacturing snow can compensate enough for a low snowfall.

He got dramatically better at the end of the season because his line mates were more talented and more capable goal scorers. It's going to be interesting to see how he performs on a line with Cozens and JJ, assuming that is where he is moved to. Maybe it would be better if he centered his own line? What adds to his value is that he is a player who can be moved up to a higher line and still be productive. On one of the broadcasts, Rob Ray was asked why it took so long for Mitts to start play up to the level of his draft status. He pointed out that it took a few years for him to physically mature and be able to physically handle the rigors of this tough man league. I believe his analysis was correct. The Sabres have so many intriguing player story-lines this upcoming season. Mitts is one of them. Quinn would have been another one if he didn't get hurt.

I'm just curious. When Toronto fans come to the game in Buffalo do most of them just go to the games and then drive home. Or do they come in early and fill up the local restaurants before the game and then drive home after the game? Do some of them stay the night and then go home the next day?

I agree with everything you said about how entertaining and productive (goal scoring) Tage and that line are. I don't think it is an exaggeration to make the claim that they are one of the better first lines in the league. The issue I will be watching for is whether this prolific line can modify their style of play a little where it plays a tighter game in their defensive zone. The same adjustment in style also applies to the other lines. In my view, that is the issue that is going to determine a greater level of team success. We will soon get a better notion when camp begins whether the coaching staff is going to make playing a two-way game a point of emphasis.

Skinner is a player who was previously categorized mostly as a goal scorer who was a floater. He was the stereotypical one-dimensional player. As @dudacekpoints out with his stats on him is that he has worked hard to become more rounded as a player. He clearly made strides in passing and being more focused as a checker. Last year, there might not have been a player who made more nice passes for scores than he did. He also is our feistiest player who irritates the opposition. He's the player that most teams target because his style of play and mouth annoy the opposition. It's not at the Matthew Thackuk level but it is evident by the responses he draws from the opposing players that the other team is aware of his presence. What Skinner represents is the hope that other players such as Tage, JJ etc. can also adjust their games a little more and round it out with a little more focus on the defensive side of the game. This particular spirited player is fun to watch and without question is one of the best "chirpers" in the league. The best thing that happened to him is that Granato took over as the coach. Good coaching and a receptive player.

I understand what you are saying but I believe that there has been a shift to emphasizing winning over player development. For the most part, the organization is staying within the system for player staffing. But as was exhibited in the last number of games the playing time for players such as JJ, Lyubushkin and others were severely reduced in the playoff push. This team is at a more advanced stage compared to the past couple of years. There will certainly still be player development for the younger players but the emphasis will be on winning.

You are not listening to my responses! What I'm not saying is revisionist at all. I agree that his stance has been iron-clad consistent. That's my criticism of it. It doesn't acknowledge the positive changes that have occurred under KA. What he has done is place the failures of this GM's predecessors onto him. Of course, we are all disappointed that the Sabres barely missed out on the playoffs last season. But that doesn't mean the season was an abject failure. The team earned 16 more points from the prior season, and accomplished that with a youthful roster. You don't have to wear rosy colored classes to consider that a major step forward. There is no question that more has to be done to get to a more meaningful echelon in the league. But you don't automatically move up the ranks. You do it in steps and stages. And that's exactly what is happening with this franchise. I know where the dour poster is coming from. His position is I will accept good results when they have already happened. It's like going to the track and going to the betting window to place a bet on a horse that just won. And then make the claim that I astutely predicted the winner. That's not how sports and life work.

Of course it remains to be seen. The upcoming season hasn't been played yet. It's like saying water is wet. You are stating the obvious. There are no guarantees how any team is going to perform in any sport. It's the reality of sports and life. You are not going to get a guarantee no matter how strongly you demand it. That has nothing to do with the real world.