JohnC

The questions you are asking are the right questions. The answer to them is no. I don't see KA deviating from his mostly build from within plan with his young players. And because of that I just don't see KA considering moving Cozens, Mitts or Krebs for a player such as Dubois. The one mantra that KA has robotically repeated is that he wants players who want to be here and who are invested in the enterprise of building a winner. Dubois doesn't fit within that construct. Next season, Quinn and JJ are most likely going to move up the ranks. That's following the blueprint of building from within. I do see KA scouring the market for a goalie and a defenseman or two. He's been open about addressing those needs this offseason. With the forward lines I don't see him going outside their own system.

After looking at the list of young players you cited my takeaway is more positive than your takeaway. Because of that rookie list (some of whom have had a taste of NHL play) added to the young players that are already on the team makes me more optimistic than ever. All these young players are going to get better. The hope is that players such as Cozens, Mitts and Samuelsson who already demonstrated that they can play in this league have also shown enough potential to become quality established players. I strongly believe that next season is going to be a leap year for Cozens and Mitts. According to the head coach Mitts was the best player in last year's training camp. That has to be encouraging. The smart thing that this organization has done this past offseason is give players such as Power. Quinn and Krebs a taste of NHL play. It should serve them well for next season. The end of the season games that Power played demonstrated to me that not only does he have the talent to be a top pair caliber of player but he also has the potential to be an upper echelon player in this league for a long time. After being subjected to a brutal number of injuries that depleted their ranks the roster finally got healthy for the last third of the season. The play qualitatively got better and the record quantitatively got better. I don't think it is unfair that this franchise is at the point where there is a critical mass of talent that enables this team to compete with everyone. We certainly are not an upper echelon team but we are moving up the ranks and becoming a serious team. The need for a goalie upgrade has been rehashed to the point of exhaustion. However, if the GM can adequately address that position and with a few additional tweaks, which should include bringing in a solid to good defenseman, then I consider it realistic that this team can be competing for a lower rung playoff spot throughout the season. That in itself would be a dramatic change for the better.

I'm not adverse to an upgrade at any position. However, after hearing a number of comments about Joki from the HC, I think that he holds him in higher esteem than many here do. He also has pointed out that there is still more upside potential in his game. It's apparent that I'm more positive about his game than most residents here are.

I'm with you on the goaltending issue, as is everyone else. I thought that Joki was a good partner for Power. It seems to me that he is a good supporting partner for him. That is not to say that the front office doesn't need to add a rugged and more defensive-minded player to the unit. I simply don't understand the disparagement of this efficient player who still has room to get better.

As time goes by I have become more impressed with how KA has strategically made decisions. It's my understanding that he didn't take the GM job offered by the owner as a fully empowered GM. It was reported that Krueger had the most hockey authority after Botterill left. My sense is that KA let he situation play out knowing that on its current Krueger course it was designed to fail. Krueger was aware that Chris Taylor was not a true believer in what he was espousing. So Krueger required that Taylor be dispatched. (WGR's Paul Hamilton has reported on this scenario on more than a few occasions.) Looking back KA was smart in not using his limited amount of capital on this issue where he was in a weak position to get entangled in an internal dispute. There were reports that during the season when the Sabres were on an unparallel descent it was the GM who went to the owners and told him that waiting to fire Krueger would further damage and set back this flailing franchise. According to the reports, the Pegulas were hesitant to fire Krueger during the season because they were tired of paying contracts for staff (such as Botts) who were no longer working for them. The GM prevailed on this issue. The end result is that after Krueger left, the GM elevated Granato. And from that demarcation point this team has steadily moved in the right direction. After the season Granato was selected to be the permanent HC who has done an admirable job. And if you examine the Eichel trade situation you can see that by being patient KA was able to get a fair return on his injured player. In general, the overall return for the traded old core (Risto, Reinhart and Jack) was a reasonable return that has helped to reset/rebuild this roster. When you look at these collective transactions you see a GM who doesn't act impulsively but rather acts in a calculating fashion waiting for the better opportunities. He has a vision about how to build a roster. He's strategically and patiently acting on his plan.

In your opinion is Chris Taylor a better coach than Appert? There were reports that it was Krueger who was the person who forced him out of the organization because the AHL coach didn't believe that what he was espousing would work in the NHL. The Krueger tenure was such a disaster. I don't know who in the NHL would hire him even for an assistant job.

If Skinner can be a 30 plus goal scorer for the next few years, then considering our cap situation he is not only not an albatross but a more reasonably overpriced player. What's a fair valued contract for Skinner? Assuming he stays in the 30 goal range I would say $6-7 M. He is currently getting paid at a $9 M rate. That's an overpayment that this franchise can easily absorb for the next few years.

Skinner wasn't signed on KA's watch but he certainly is a core player on the team that KA currently oversees. As others have stated due to his contract it is unlikely that he will be moved in the foreseeable future. As it stands, he is a first line player and one of our top goal scorers. Hopefully, he will continue to maintain that level of productivity for the next few years. Especially because of his sizeable contract Skinner will be expected to be a core player for this GM.

No single transaction is going to put butts in the seats. That's not what you should be striving for. The issue is how do you make your team better so that it becomes a contending team. That's how you increase attendance. As I have stated before I would be willing to expend some of our draft and cap capital to get a Tuch like player, such as the Capitals' Tom Wilson (currently injured). If you look at our abundant draft capital the reality is that not all of them will turn into productive NHL players down the line. Why not judiciously use some of it to get immediate and future help? I don't want to belabor my point because I don't believe that our views are in conflict. I'm just more willing to expend some resources to sooner bolster the roster than many others are. And make no mistake what my priority is. If a team offered a deal for very good to high end goalie who has plenty of game left, I would definitely utilize my assets to consummate that deal. Solidifying that critical position will do more than other transaction to make this team better.

You seem to understand the gist of what I have been advocated for. With respect to your last group starting with Levi there are players such as Johnson and Portillo I wouldn't be reluctant to include in a deal. I consider Levi a keeper (a no touch player), Portillo not so. If I could get a second-line power forward who plays a muscular game like Tuch, I would be willing to use our large cap space and maybe the lowest first round or second round pick to get a player who offers immediate help and also is young enough to play for a number of years. Let's not forget that the Sabres played in an arena that was usually 2/3 empty for most of its games. It would be beneficial from a competitive and business standpoint that the front office/owners demonstrate to the fanbase (and @Thorny) some urgency to become a relevant team in this league. Anyone who interprets what I am advocating for as mortgaging the future doesn't understand what I have said in my many posts on this topic.

That's exactly what those two defenders are. What's starting to happen as this roster steadily gets built up is that players are not assigned roles beyond their talent level. Third line players are now less likely to be second-line players. It seems that our top two pairings are filled with players who although are young are top two caliber players.

We are basically going in the same direction. It's just my bus is a little faster than yours. This organization's biggest asset entering the offseason is its cap space. There are a number of teams that will be cap squeezed. There are potential good bargain deals to be had. 🍺

Bryson and Fitz are also part of the young core. They are lower pairing players and will never be primary players (top two p). But they are young players who are filling out this roster and still have room to get better. Without a doubt the depth of this roster is increasing, and it is being done by players within the system.

You missed the point that I was advocating for. How about a Tuck caliber player? You don't think that caliber of a player within a 24-26 age range wouldn't benefit this roster? It's adding players who fit within the same plan that has been established by the KA regime. It has absolutely nothing to do with a Hall and Staal like players.

I'm a little more positive in where this team is at the compete level than you seem to believe. Our young core is already in place with players such as Dahlin, Samuelsson, Power, Joki, Cozens and Mitts. Next year, it is likely that Quinn and Peterka will be added to that expanding young core. With veterans such as Skinner, Okposo and Tuch this roster is filling up. Is this a playoff roster? I can't say for sure. What I can comfortably say is if the Sabres can add a Tuch caliber player and a good goalie to this roster this offseason, this team should be able to contend for a lower rung playoff spot up to the end of the season. There is no question that the Sabres have accumulated enough draft assets and cap capacity to accomplish such an attainable upgrade this offseason without jeopardizing the long-term plan to restock the system. A half generation of mediocrity and irrelevance is enough. The fans deserve a greater display of urgency from this too flaccid franchise. It's time.

I agree with@SwampD and @Thorny that the future is now. This isn't a mutually exclusive issue. By being a little more flexible the organization can still be on the path of long-term success and also on the same path of being a serious team sooner rather than later. The Sabres can unquestionably accelerate the rebuild and still stay on the more strategic longer path of restocking the pipeline. If there isn't a greater sense of urgency coming out of this franchise and ownership when on most game- nights the building was 2/3 empty and eerily quiet, then when are you going to get it?! This franchise has a stock of extra high draft picks and a capacious amount of cap space. How about using some of that abundance to bring in an outside talent or two in order to win now and create a better environment for the young players who are the foundation for the present and future? Sustaining mediocrity doesn't have much appeal to the customers. If you don't believe then count all the empty seats in the building. Enough is enough!

The main reason I have been harking on this goalie issue is that I strongly believe that the Sabres are in a position to move up the ranks while some higher rung teams may be soon at their down cycle. (As you noted.) The last third of the season demonstrated that this team can be a competitive and entertaining team. I don't want to over exaggerate their good play during that interlude because it was done in a less stressful environment of playing games with no playoff implications. However, for anyone who watched most of those games, it was evident that when the players who were hurt returned to play, this was a qualitatively better team. I expect that with internal improvement and with the addition of some of our AHL prospects this roster should be even better. As you stated, the Ullmark issue is behind us. When the milk is spilled you can't put it back in the container. You just clean up the mess and move on. This roster is starting to organically take shape with the prospects moving up the ranks. It's imperative that the GM do what he has to do to upgrade the goalie position and give this team a chance to succeed in a meaningful way. If the GM does that I expect many of the 2/3 empty seats in the dormant arena will be filled with an aroused audience. It's time.

Did he draw a penalty for not wearing a helmet?

The repercussion for not signing Ullmark or signing another capable goalie last year is that the Sabres are in the same precarious netminding situation entering the next season. The argument that many here are making is that if Ullmark would have been signed at the price that he wanted it would have straightjacketed this organization from a cap standpoint in a few years. Their cap arithmetic doesn't add up. The signing of Ullmark or any other reasonable option at position would have no negative influence on the cap last year, this year or the foreseeable future. What the money Cassandras fail to mention is the difference in pay between signing Ullmark and an Ullmark caliber of goalie would be negligible. As you point out the youngsters are showing that they are ready to compete in this league. Having capable goaltending is a necessity to be at that competitive level. The GM undercut their efforts by not adequately addressing the most important position in the game. The GM has stated that this offseason it is a priority to address the position. And it will also be priority for half of the teams in the league. It won't be surprising that the difference in paying an Ullmark sized contract for him or another option will not be much different. Considering what our cap situation is It makes no sense to quibble over pennies when you have many dollars in your wallet!

Does that mean that you want to pinch his cheeks and mess up his hair?

With respect to the goaltending position what about next season? It's universally understood that last season had little to do with contending. The primary consideration was player development. The staff was candid about what their priority was. From that standpoint the season was a resounding success. Next year, this team will be at a different stage, a higher level. It's not inconceivable that this team could be competing for a lower rung playoff spot. That's not going to happen if the goalie position isn't solidified. Last year, the Sabres played in an arena that was usually 2/3 empty. This franchise has to soon demonstrate to this much diminished and apathetic fan base that the owner and organization are serious in competing to assemble a serious team. I don't know what goalies the staff is going to bring in this offseason. What is very likely is that the goalie/s that they do bring in (if that is the case) will not have contracts that are substantially less than if they kept Ullmark or brought in a goalie in his strata. I'm not suggesting that the organization should act out of desperation. What I can say for sure is that if the position isn't seriously addressed the fan base will continue to fade. Ask yourself: What would @Thornybe advocating for regarding the goalie position? I'm confident his position would lean toward being aggressive rather than being passive. He's a voice that needs to be listened to.

Krebs wants you to vote for him.

No it is not! It is only one additional year on the term and I believe $1 M per year more in salary. The Sabres had to essentially purchase a contract to meet the cap floor this past season. So if you factor in that contract and salary for Anderson, the Ullmark contract would have not been a financial factor this year or later years. For the sake of argument if the Sabres eventually get a better option in net than Ullmark, there is the option of trading him. Assuming he plays at a decent level there is a market for goalies. So you are not stuck for the full term if you decide to move on from the player. For those who consider the prospective Ullmark Buffalo contract so onerous, what do you think the cost will be for a solid goalie this offseason? In my opinion the Ullmark situation was handled with little foresight.

The criticism I have of the organization is not that it didn't re-sign him. It is that this organization didn't have an adequate fallback position for this UFA player if a deal couldn't be worked out. When you are dealing with the most important position on the ice you have to protect yourself just in case the player decides to move on. I'm confident that if the Bills had a qb who was in an UFA year, they would have made moves in advance to give them the best option that could get if the player decided to bolt. With respect to the Ullmark situation there is a context here that needs to be considered. Even if Ullmark required a premium in another year in term and more money compared to what Boston offered, considering our floor cap situation the Ullmark contract would have had no impingement on our current cap situation or future cap situation.

I consider you a realist with respect to how the Sabres are managing the franchise. I agree with you that a strong argument can be made justifying spending to the cap (as you noted). Based on how this franchise has recently been run there is not a scintilla of a chance that the Sabres will come close to the cap. The greater challenge is going to be meeting the cap floor than it will be to spend money beyond anywhere near the cap ceiling. The below link shows that the Sabres had an operating income at minus $40 M. You have to consider the covid situation when factoring in the financial picture. The primary point that I'm making and sticking with is that money considerations are a major factor in how this team operates for the next couple of years. I agree with you that by judiciously increasing spending it will bring back greater return on investment by increasing attendance revenue but I'm skeptical that for the near future that it will happen. https://www.statista.com/statistics/374838/buffalo-sabres-operating-income/