JohnC

If @Brawndo is your source, the information is credible. He’s our inside mole. He is sly and sneaky. His favorite word is “surreptitious”.

Leave this congenial fellow alone. He’s under a lot of stress. He knows the Sabrespace combatants are in hot pursuit and want to string him up. 🙂

The basis of my disagreement with the trade Quinn advocates is that I have a higher evaluation of him than this faction has. I believe that he will be a 30+ scorer. Quinn is not a rookie. He’s had a few rough and injury plagued years with the big club that has prepared him to make a qualitative leap. Clearly, a lot of people have a different assessment of him based on his past performances. I’m viewing this issue looking forward while others are looking back to make a judgment. Difference of perspectives leading to differences in opinion. That’s okay.

I agree with you to an extent. The boundaries are certainly a lot tighter for the hosts working for the station that broadcasts the home team. The point that I and others are making is that it is noticeably different when Marty is on TSN and when he is on WGR. On the outside outlet Marty is a superb analyst and candid, while on WGR he is restricted and bland. Being tepid on a media forum is not very appealing to the audience.

There is a bigger issue here that has plagued this dismal franchise that is reflected in the rumors, credible or not, about player dissatisfactions. It is absolutely real. It's a fact that Buffalo is very often, if not the most often, a team listed on many players NTCs. And it is true that our best players, such as Eichel, Reinhart and maybe to a lesser extent Ullmark wanted out. Don't be surprised if Tuch allows his contract to run out so that he can be sooner free from this sinkhole franchise. And don't be surprised when Dahlin, one of the best blueliner players in the league, says get me the fungo out of this Micky Mouse organization. I'm stuck in this losing factory and my career is fading away. So you may be tough minded on a player exercising a contract option to leave sooner but I realistically see it as a legitimate consideration when discussing trades. This situation is pathetic. This is what happens when you have a Pegula owned and operated hockey franchise.

The general point that the posters are making here is that Marty on WGR is more inclined to tip toe on issues as compared to when he is on TSN where he is more analytical and incisive when talking about players and other teams. The comparison between being bland on one stage and speaking critically, but fairly, on another stage is noticeable. One forum wants and allows forthrightness while the other stage doesn't encourage it. If you don't put some salt in your soup it turns out to be bland.

I’m more inclined to keep Quinn over JJP. The rumors that Peterka would like to be somewhere else makes me less committed to keeping him and more open to dangling him on the market to see what his value is.

I wouldn’t put it in those terms. It’s simply when you are near shark infested waters you are careful/mindful where you are at.

You are right that Marty on WGR is deliberately cautious when discussing the team and organization. Bread and butter considerations come into play. That’s disappointing because I consider him to be an excellent analyst.

I really like Kulich a lot and would hate to give him up. If you proposed JJP, our first pick and a B level prospect, I would say yes.

It's a mistake to get fixated on an outside player as if that one acquisition is going to be the answer to our roster problems. When you thin out your roster to harpoon the big what you end up putting yourself in a vulnerable situation in a business that injuries are an expected part of the landscape. What happens if the so-called star player is injured? Then what do you have to show for it? You end up thinning out your roster and have less of an ability to absorb the injuries that will likely happen. I'm not automatically against making a bonanza deal but you have to be smart about it. The proposed deal that included 9OA, Kulich and Östlund for Robertson is not necessarily a steadfast no for me but I am very hesitant to make that deal. Kulich is ready to play for us now. And our first pick and Östlund could be used to deal for another quality player. We need to thicken our roster, not thin it out.

Hell no! What you're offering is nothing but foolishness that sets this plagued franchise further back. My fear is that our Howdy Doody GM gets desperate just to show that he is doing something and makes a similar deal that thins out this already insufficient roster. If you want to make a big splash that will meaningfully upgrade this team, find a capable #1 goalie. That will do more than any of these imaginary fantasy hockey deals that one can concoct. An example to follow is Washington. They added Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren with medium deals that resulted in a top tier backstop for them. And it should be noted that they also made a series of medium deals that helped to infuse the roster with vigor for a fading SC team that was starting to age and fade. That's what happens when you have a smart front office that is creative and resourceful. Compare that to our rickety operation led by a dullard GM and an obtuse owner?

No.

Of course not. I said that if it was the deal, one for one, I would pounce on it. And what I also said is that if Byrum was thrown in the deal I would with no hesitation walk away.

I have no problem being laughed off. I would hang up and move on.

In a previous post you were willing to throw in Byrum into the deal. That would bring me to an absolute no because I would prefer using him in another deal.

A more proper evaluation is that the Sabres would have a better record if a more consistent goalie was in net.

My hairstylist asked me how would I like my hair cut. I told her to cut the gray off. I ended up leaving the establishment very bald. On the positive side I now where my Bills cap a lot.

You have a keen eye in recognizing that my position is grounded in my having more faith/expectations in our players than many here have. We shall see.

If the deal was straight up Peterka for Robertson, I would take the deal. In my opinion, some of your previous proposals were too generous for what we would give up .

Your response is well reasoned. However, don’t underestimate the challenge it will be to upgrade the goalie position and reconfiguring the blueline unit. And don’t underestimate how much it will improve this team. These are the priorities that need to be addressed. Where I diverge with a lot of the responders is that I strongly believe that young players such as Power, JJP and Kulich are ready to produce at a higher level a lot sooner than they think.

Why not have Tage and Tuch on the top line together? Tage can play either on the wing or center with Tuch on the other side. Norris can play center on the top line or second line. Where I separate myself with people taking the same position as you are regarding Quinn is that I see more upside from him than many others do. And I see that potential coming to fruition sooner than others see it. Again, with respect to this particular player I steadfastly say no. The priorities this offseason is in net and on the blueline. The blueline needs to be reconfigured with a better mix.

The Byrum issue relates to style of play within the current mix. And another consideration is the next contract cost. If he gets the gilded long term deal that I expect, there will be a poor cap distribution within the roster. I want to make it clear that I like him a lot.

Having depth and players competing for positions are not bad things. And having players such as Quinn, JJP and even Kulich who can move up to higher lines is what you want in an injury plagued crash sport. The priority is the goalie position. And the next priority is to bulk up the blueline with a couple more muscular defenders. We have the assets in Byrum, draft picks and prospects to accomplish those doable additions. Acting on frustration gives other more enlightened GMs opportunities to fleece us. Being smart is better than being dumb.

Our fundamental disagreement that can't be breached is in our views on Quinn as a player. I believe that his upside is higher than you do, thus his value. There is no circumstance that I see him as a lower line player or merely as a shootout specialist. If the issue is reduced between Marchment and Quinn, I'm still siding with keeping Quinn and eschewing Marchment. I'm not dispatching a player with more upside to tap. We disagree, that's okay.