JohnC

Let me add a couple of points to your fine capsulation of why most prognosticators are shortchanging their previews of this team. The big "what if" for this team is the caliber of goaltending it will get this season. I don't think that it is unreasonable to say that if our goaltending last year would have been at an average to above average level this team would have accumulated 8-10 more points. And if you factor in the number of injuries to a thin roster last year it shouldn't be surprising that it took a toll on this team. What happened when this less than complete roster got healthy over the last third of the season? This team played at a playoff pace. I'm not suggesting that even when mostly healthy that last year's team was a playoff caliber team because it wasn't. But if one can believe that last year's team was an 80-84 point team,then it isn't a great stretch to believe that this year's team will be in the 90 point range, and capable of vying for a lower playoff spot up to the end of the season. There is no question that this year's team has more depth on its Buffalo and Rochester rosters. That means when the inevitable injuries occur there is a reservoir a talent to draw from so this team will be better situated to absorb the loss of players and still remain competitive. And if you factor in that the biggest boost this team will get is from internal improvement from the players who were on last year's roster then that is an added reason for optimism. I'm not going to declare that the Sabres are going to make the playoffs this year. Because I just don't know. What I can say is that I will be disappointed if this team isn't in the playoff race up until the end of the season. I'm stoked about the upcoming season.

I have little concern over the issue of captaincy. There are a number of instrumental and high character players on this roster that will exhibit leadership regardless of official designation or not. Most people favor Okposso, as I do, to be the captain. If someone else was selected to be the captain it would have no effect on his play and how he would conduct himself on the ice and in the locker room. What's even more important than making the right selection is having enough of the right kind of people on your roster so that there is enough internal leadership in the room that can properly deal with any issues within the group.

Tage, Quinn and Olofsson are our snipers. It's going to be fun watching these marksmen getting the red light turned on. This team has started to accumulate a number of goal scorers so that the scoring will be more spread out compared to previous years where the lower lines contributed little offense. There is now enough talent where players are not slotted higher than where their talent would indicate.

UPL might be a goalie who plays better in the NHL than the AHL because there is more defensive structure in the major league and less scrambling play than in the minor league. I thought that UPL looked very composed and played with an economy of movement even when he was under duress. As you indicate it might be best for him to get a lot of playing time in Rochester before moving up to the big club.

As you indicate it isn't wise to make quick judgments on young players. However, although Krebs has shown talent on the power play where there is a lot more open space, on 5 on 5 he isn't very effective. It's still early so I'm certainly not going to write him off. But that issue is a concern for me. It might be wise to start him off in Rochester and let him get a lot of playing time before moving him up to the big club.

It's difficult to evaluate players in training camp and preseason because there are so many players to work in. But what I can say from what I have seen so far is that Savoie looks like a better prospect than Krebs, much of that favorable view based on Savoie's ability to shoot and Krebs reluctance to. It's likely that Savoie will be sent back to the juniors for developmental reasons. There is no question that Krebs is talented. However, he has not translated that talent to the NHL game yet. Maybe more extensive playing time in Rochester will better prepare him for the NHL? Shoot more please!

Whenever I read these potential line and d-pairings I come away saying that they make sense or are interesting. What's apparent is that this roster is made up with a number of players who can play a variety of positions or roles. I still favor the first line being the same productive first line from last year : Skinner/Tage/Tuch. However, if you ask me how the second/third and fourth line are going to be constructed, I just don't know. What I can say is that this coach who has a tendency to jumble the lines going into games and within games has a lot of options to work with. It's also apparent that the depth has thickened to the point when injuries happen there will be NHL ready players to draw from in Rochester. That claim couldn't be made last year.

I'm not going to describe their play as being at a shutdown level. It's difficult to make that leap in assessment so early. But from what I have seen so far is that two mature defensemen were added to the blue line mix that helps to balance out the unit. I would say that with this pair's addition they help to solidify this young defense corps. As like you, I am pleasantly surprised with Pilut's early play. Whether he starts with the big club or not I'm sure he will be getting playing with Buffalo this season. Last year, when the Sabres incurred some injuries this thin team was severely depleted. It now appears that there is a reservoir of depth to draw from when the inevitable injuries happen. KA didn't make a lot of moves this offseason to get outside help. But his few judicious additions have helped to solidify this young and evolving roster. The big question mark is going to be the play of Comri. If the goalie plays well, KA will have had a productive and smart offseason.

He provides an element of rugged defensive play that this unit needed. I consider him more of a third pairing player who isn't going to dazzle anyone but whose brutish defensive style of play was lacking on this team. He was a solid addition who makes this team better.

The deciding factor for the Sabres between sticking with a vet or playing an inexperienced youngster is that for this team young players such as Quinn and Peterka are patently better than the jags they are replacing. I would rather play a younger player than an unproductive experienced such as Eakin.

As I stated in a prior post his game is predicated on passing. He has exceptional vision and is more of a passer than shooter. (He still needs to shoot more.) Krebs needs space to utilize his ability to make the read and distribute the puck. That ability would be severely crimped if he played on the wing. I'm certainly not comparing Krebs to Tage but when Tage was moved to the center position his game flourished. He ended up having more room to work to get his shot off. For Krebs it would result in more room to pass the puck to the wingers. I'm a believer in getting your best players on the ice regardless of position. If playing the wing is what it will take to get him more ice time, then so be it. But in the long run he is most suitable position at center. As @dudacek or someone else pointed out when he played with Rochester after the Sabre season was concluded he was arguably the best player on the ice for the AHL team. And unsurprisingly that was at the center position

I only watched a small portion of this game. The one takeaway that I had that makes me very happy is that it seems that Cozens is determined to be more offensive minded and willing to shoot than he did last year. That is a good sign. I'm hoping that Mitts will follow the example set by Cozens.

I just believe that his game is more predicated on finesse and setting up wingers. His lack of physicality will not serve him well playing along the boards and in tighter spaces compared to being in the center of the ice. He has excellent vision. His first instinct is to set up and pass. I do consider Mitts and Cozens more centers than wingers but if required can play the wing position and still play that position well.

No one is disputing your point that Krebs still has a way to go before being slotted as a center. He's a very young player who although he struggled last year in the NHL, when assigned to Rochester after the season was concluded, proved to be their best center and one of their best players on that AHL team. I see the progression with still plenty of room to grow. In contrast to Mitts and Cozens, who are capable of playing both on the wing and center, I don't see that position versatility with Krebs. In my mind he is suited to play center and not on the wing.

I agree with you that if it comes down to either Cozens or Mitts playing the wing that it is more likely that Mitts will be playing on the outside.

Let me start of by saying that the both of us have been critical regarding how he has handled the goaltending position. Just maybe with the addition of Comrie and Levi in the pipeline that issue won't linger too long as a problem. As I stated in my response to @Thornyhe didn't simply undo the work of the prior GMs. He made some alterations where he kept the right assets that they acquired and dealt and got a reasonable return from other assets that needed to be moved in order to reconstitute the roster. Overall, if you include his remaking of the organization you have to acknowledge that he has done a tremendous job in a short period of time.

The best feature of KA as a GM is that he didn't allow his ego to dominate his personnel decisions. He didn't demolish everything associated with the prior regimes for the reason of establishing his own footprint. He dealt the old core and got back assets. He kept the right assets that were acquired by the prior GMs and started adding to them. And for his deftness in player and organizational decisions I give him a lot of credit.

The context is different with Adams compared to the other GMs you cited. KA essentially rebuilt the roster by jettisoning the old core and replacing it with a new core and futures. Not only did he reconstitute the roster in relatively short order, he also dramatically overhauled the organization by bringing in a new staff. Adams has done a marvelous job in remaking the roster in short order. But in my view his biggest accomplishment is rebuilding the organization so that this franchise is now coherently and smartly being run.

I believe that both Mitts and Cozens can play a wing position if called on. I don't see that position flexibility with Krebs. Krebs will secure a position on this roster as a center. It just seems that his style of play doesn't transfer to the wing position while Mitts and Cozens do.

I don't see Cozens and Mitts vying for a 2C position because looking at the forward list I see Granato putting together a 2A and 2B lines with Cozens and Mitts centering one of those lines. If Krebs demonstrates that he is ready to assume a full time center role then I can foresee either Cozens or Mitts moving to the wing. What's exciting about the players you list is that there is some quantity and flexibility with this lineup. And Granato is not afraid to put players in various roles not only throughout the season but also within the games. Starting off I see Jokiharju paired with Power. In my view Joki is a good subordinate player who will allow Power more space to flourish.

Are the current border crossings near back to the pre-covid normal? Do Canadians or Americans have to show vaccination documentation to cross the borders?

I've also read some reports coming from the organization that sales are dramatically up from last year. On the other hand it may just be a positive spin because the baseline for comparison was last year when the ticket base was low. What would be the best-selling point for buying tickets is a good start to the season. That would increase sales more than any PR campaign. As I and others have stated the Sabres are an entertaining team to watch. Their style of play is fast-paced and leans more toward offensive than defensive hockey. Without question there is an entertainment value for the fans.

I didn't watch the game so I can't comment on it. However, I'm hoping that a full house in this facility is a sign that the fans are interested in this team and are willing to attend the games in greater numbers when the real season starts. Although I can't say for sure that the Sabres will be a playoff team this year, what I can say for sure is that this Granato coached team will be entertaining to watch.

I don't like losing any drafted players just as I don't like losing players who are entering their free agent year and refuse to sign. Under the current system you can end up losing players while on the other hand you can also be a beneficiary of signing a free agent college player who doesn't want to remain with the team that originally signed him. Player movement is part of all pro sports. You may not like it but it's part of the system that you have to deal with and adjust to.

Portillo is going to survey the teams and make a decision after the college season that he feels is in his best interest. He's abiding by the system that is in place and making it work for him. I have no problem with whatever decision he decides to make.