JohnC

Horvat may or not be a decisive factor for a playoff spot. But my main point is that their goalie is such an exceptional goalie that he will be the main reason why they could be a playoff team. Could you imagine if we had a Sorokin caliber of netminding this season? In my estimation we would have at least an additional 10 pts. That would be the difference of us being chased instead of us having to chase other teams for a playoff position.

The Sabres have faced a number of good goalies this season. The Island goalie, Sorokin, was as good as any of them. As you point out he is capable of compensating for some of their deficiencies. The Islanders may not be a serious Cup contending team but the addition of Horvat could be a factor in solidifying a playoff spot for them.

If a better player can be brought in to move him down a pairing, that would be fine. Certainly, no one would be against that. That's not the case now, or probably the near future. If you want the organization to be aggressive to add to the second pairing, then it is going to be costly. From what I have seen from KA and how he handles contracts, I just don't see him paying the price $$$ to the position you find troubling.

I'm sure, much to your displeasure, that Granato's assessment of Joki is much higher than your assessment of him. Every time I hear him talk about Joki it is to praise his play with the added comment that there is more upside to him. Power is becoming an important backstop for the defense. He credits Joki's supportive play for his quick adaptation and advancement.

I understand your position but it is not going to happen. The demand for tickets will go up as the team becomes a more serious team. And it is moving in that direction right now. And not surprisingly, steadily the attendance numbers are going up.

Is variable pricing (hate it) factored into season ticket prices? In my view if variable pricing is a fact of life, it should be for week day games at a discounted price.

Tage-Samuelsson-Cozens. All signed to new deals before the organization was required to. Collectively, these are not only good deals for the organization but also demonstrates a smart long-term view when making decisions. From an overview standpoint, this is smart cap management. If KA would have delayed in getting these players in the fold, the cost would have been greater. Signing upcoming young players to a lengthy contract is not as risky as signing more veteran players to a lengthy contract. Many lengthy contracts become diminishing returns. These players are entering their prime and will very likely give value returns on the backside of their respective contracts. This is good GM work.

I've said this before that even if Johnson considers all his options when he finishes his college career, Buffalo would be one of his best options. Not only would he be joining an upswing team, there is also an obvious need to add a defenseman to the NHL roster, especially in a system where there is a dearth of quality prospects. He would be joining a team with a need that would offer him an opportunity to play sooner rather than later.

The owner of the board has a right to voice his opinion, as does everyone else.

Stop with this reflexive "cancel culture" response. The criticisms for this particular Skoopy response were not only warranted but should also have been expected. It was a classless and gauche comment to make. No one is silencing the poster. That doesn't mean that he can't be criticized for it.

What you are saying makes a lot of sense. Where I disagree with you is your judgment on Joki. I consider him a good #2 on the second pairing. Of course, I wouldn't be against moving Joki down to the third pairing if a better option arises. I have listened to Don G a number of times on WGR. He is not only satisfied with his play but repeatedly said that he has more upside to offer. I lean more toward his view than your view on this particular player. (I'm also aware that I represent a minority view on this player.)

I said this before but the Reinhart trade that resulted in acquiring Levi might in the long run become the most consequential of the three old core players dealt by KA. It took a few years to determine the value on Tage Thompson but the ROR deal ended up being a corner stone deal for this franchise. I can envision an even bigger impact if in a couple to few years he becomes our #1 goalie.

Odds are more likely that KA won't make any moves than he would do so. Although I'm confident you would be disappointed in a status-quo approach, it might be the best course of action for this team. I would like to see a defenseman added for the sake of having depth in case of any injury.

You bring up an interesting question regarding Okposo? Is he going to retire or not? I think he is so respected by the organization that whatever he wants to do the organization will do its best to accommodate him.

How good is Johnson? If he signs, would he likely have to play a full year in Rochester? Is he at best a third pairing player? Not that there is anything wrong with that.

One of the reasons why I don't see Mitts as expendable is that he is versatile enough to play wing and center. I can see the GM adding another defenseman but I don't see it happening at forward spot. We shall see??

Every once in a while, he will make a nifty move in tight quarters and get off a sniper shot. Whether the puck goes in or not you get tantalized by the talent. There has been a pattern in Quinn's development. At whatever level he has been in after a first year adjustment period, he takes off in his second year. He acclimates and then thrives. I expect him to make progress in the second half of this season. Next year, I expect him, and also JJ, to become not only better players but also mainstay players for us.

I understand why you would believe that Mitts would be an odd man out if a forward addition was made. But I don't see Mitts falling out of the picture even with another forward added, at least right now. After hearing Don G talk positively about Mitts on a number of occasions I think that he values him and his versatility more than others. I, like you, have a high regard for Kevin Weekes's knowledge about hockey and the league. He seems to be knowledgeable and insightful about our roster and needs.

Attached is a link of an article from the Buff News by Ryan O'Halloran. The article dealt with the opinion of Kevin Weekes about the Sabres. He talks about players such as Dahlin, Tuch, Cozens and our veteran group. Much of this article deals with what is discussed here. Nothing really new but insightful about how this team is being reconstructed and its upward trajectory. https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/sabres-commitment-to-doing-unsavory-things-to-win-stands-out-to-analyst-kevin-weekes/article_9c99ce6c-a3fb-11ed-b4fc-3b12b6260c27.html#tracking-source=home-sports

Why don't you take a nice and leisurely hike up Mt. Washington? ☠️ https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/02/04/mount-washington-wind-chill-record/

I'm confident in saying that although Jack had better numbers with Krueger that he would have had even better numbers under Granato. Granato's more offensive scheme would have resulted in Jack not only getting better stats under him but also under his tutelage he would have been a better developed player. If you consider how many current players now thrive under DG compared when they played for the prior coach that supposition would have likely turn out to be true. I understand that both of us are in general accord on this topic with a slight variation. As you stated with no equivocation: Krueger was an absolute f***** disaster for this organization.

It's not surprising that anything that goes against your narrative means little to you. If you can recall, you made a statement that there was a 1% chance that he would be a NHLer. He was a first round pick whose chances of making it into the league were much higher than what you claimed.

Where did you come up with the 1% chance of Tage being a NHL player? He was a first round draft pick, the 26th player taken in the draft and was one of the key pieces that the Sabres's sought in the ROR deal. Of course, I didn't know that he would become the caliber of player that he now is. No one did! But I absolutely knew that he was going to be a NHL player.

Every player coached by Krueger became a diminished player, including Dahlin who was in the all-star game the past couple of years. Ask Skinner what Krueger almost did to his career.

That's probably not the case. He is serious about his studies and the computer field. He and Portillo are serious students who also play hockey at a high level. Both of these young men are interested in their careers post their relatively short hockey lifespan. They should be saluted for taking their studies seriously while engaged in high level college hockey .