JohnC

There is a faction of responders who reflexively respond to every topic that this franchise has made bad hockey decisions for a decade. That is not a revelation to anyone who knows what a hockey puck is. So their reasoning becomes that the hockey staff has failed in the past so it will fail in the present and future. The issue that is confronting this organization is how does it turn things around from that inglorious past? This current GM has made the decision to jettison the former core (for a variety of reasons) and rebuild from the bottom/up. Once that decision was made it was going to take time to rebuild a competitive roster. That's the real world that the howling backbenchers can't accept.

I don't know what your response relates to?

We really don't know what transpired with the LaFontaine situation. He ended up getting paid off with a non-disclosure clause. There seemed to be too many chiefs in the tribe. The situation was not sustainable.

Some quick thoughts on this game: Hauser was the first star by far. If he didn't make those superlative stops in the beginning of the game when he was being bombarded this game would have been over shortly after it started. I'm impressed with Samuelsson efficient and mature game. He plays like a seasoned veteran. He never seems to be rushed. Olofsson was more aggressive in taking shots. That's a good sign. I like the Skinner/Cozens/Tuch line. I'm glad that Tuch is on this team. He is a big player who is also skilled. The last penalty call on Krebs was ridiculous. Right now, he isn't much of a factor. As long as he gets playing time I prefer that he stays with the big club than play in Rochester. He can learn more here than down there. I was impressed with Stutzle. A win is a win. This staggering team needs some positive reinforcement.

I, like you, was impressed with Samuelsson. Although he is a big player he isn't a banger. The two characteristics that stick out is his intelligence reflected in his positioning (rarely caught out of position) and his efficiency (quickly and smartly moves the puck out of his zone). If Risto played with the intelligence that the young Samuelsson already possesses he would have been an all-star. I also agree with you that Krebs needs to get stronger. However, for a young player such as him that can be remedied in the offseason. As far as his poor decision making that is due to his inexperience. Just keep playing him and he will learn on the job. If there is a year where mistakes can be absorbed without meaningfully hurting the team, this is the year for it.

I don't subscribe to the belief that this organization has little chance to succeed. I have stated before that I'm cautiously optimistic about the near future. But I'm troubled that the psychology of persistent losing can be a negative influence on players. ROR was a good player who wanted out. Jack was one of the best players in the league who wanted out. Reinhart wanted out. Ullmark wanted out. Risto wanted out. Each of the listed players were tired of losing and lost confidence that the organization had the ability to turn things around in a reasonable period of time. Dahlin is arguably the most talented player on this team. And he is a young player. However, he has known nothing but team failure without a sniff of the playoffs. The same losing scenario applies to our other young players, players who are expected to be part of our long-term core. It has to factor in when their next contract comes up to be negotiated. Next year, it is expected that more young players will be funneled up from the lower ranks to the NHL club, and some of them will be moving up sooner, sometime this year. In the end the most determinative factor for success in a team sport is the amount of talent. But I wouldn't be dismissive about the culture issue and that success breeds confidence and success while failure breeds negativity and less success.

Let's assume that Quinn becomes the player that many expect him to become. What players in the NHL would you compare him to from a style and potential production standpoint?

That's a good reason why the Peguals will be reluctant to sell off any of their business. On the other hand I can see them selling off a slice of their franchise to finance an upgrade in the arena.

Investing in a sports franchise is different in a large corporation in the business world. In the sports industry there usually stock shares and board of directors. The sports industry is qualitatively different from the economic world and dynamics of the business world in general. It's a different entity altogether.

Investment firms often invest millions of $$$ into businesses without expecting to get involved in any aspect of the operation. Their focus in on return on investment, including appreciation of the business. What is appealing to large scale investors in the business of sports is legalized betting in sports. There is an expectation of generating greater revenues from sports gambling.

Was it a challenge to take a pee? 😃

How did you handle the cold? I'm not trying to be funny but did the mass of exuberant people generate its own heat? Or did many within the masses resort to going to the flask for medicinal warmth?

The majority owner of a sports franchise would never agree to such a condition unless he/she no longer had an interest in running the franchise. In that situation the owners would simply sell the business, or at least the majority stake. That's not the case with the Pegulas.

I'm mildly surprised that Cozens was taken off of the Skinner/Tuch line. I thought that line played well together.

A minority owner in a sports franchise has little say in the franchise operation because the majority owner has nearly complete control on how it is run unless the majority owner wants to yield that authority. (I don't see that happening under the Pegulas. My opinion.) A good example of that is that the two minority owners of the Redskins sold their shares to Dan Snyder, the majority owner, because they had no influence in how the franchise was to be run. This is an example where the majority owner had the authority and the minority owners had little to none. The league made an exception with Dan Snyder's buyout by allowing him to borrow beyond the limit allowed in the league so he could buy the minority shares with borrowed money. The league made an exception in this case because it wanted the conflict between the minority share majority owners to end. However, I wouldn't be surprised if there would be some sell-off of the franchise in order to finance the upgrading of the arena which the Pegulas control. With respect to a future purchase clause to buy it all depends on what the contract states. (As you noted.)

At the draft a couple of years ago when Yzerman returned to Detroit to take over their hockey operation he was asked by a reporter how was he going to get the Red Wings back to the level of the glory days. He succinctly said: Draft and develop. He then walked away.

The Sabres are a thin team with a full complement of players when healthy. The margin between being presentable to being marginally competitive is small. The addition of Okposo, Tuck and Hagg made a big difference in this game.

Just some impressions on the game: Dahlin was the best player on the ice. Tuch is not a flashy player but he is a good and tough player. His quick pass to Skinner for his spin-around breakaway was nifty. As mentioned by others the Tuch, Cozens and Skinner line is a well assembled line. Skinner is playing with joy and effort. He should be given more credit for his passing. The Sabres gave their goalie exceptional defensive support throughout the game. There were few lapses that left the goalie exposed. What impressed me about Dell's play is that there were few juicy rebounds. When he made a stop, he made a stop. He played a composed game with few frantic moments. The Sabres played the proverbial visiting team style of conservative game that makes defense the first priority. They played it hard and tight from the first drop of the puck to the concluding sounding horn. Nashville was the frustrated team on the ice. That's a refreshing change. Once Tage, Krebs and later Mitts get back into the lineup you can see a fuller team developing. And then if you add Quinn, Power, JJ and Samulesson to that mix your attitude about this franchise should dramatically change for the good. Stay the course!

There is no doubt that Adams wanted to rebuild. I'm not arguing otherwise. The core players that were there when he took over were all dealt for a variety of reasons, mostly revolving around the issue of players who had little desire be part of another torturous rebuild. Was the return for them adequate? It was a reasonable return considering the situation. The pathway the GM want to be on is the pathway we are on. Now it is all about the execution of the plan.

Jack made it clear that he wanted out. On top of that there was an irreconcilable issue over what surgery he should have. Reinhart made it clear that once his contract ran out he was going to be a free agent that he was going to bolt. Risto publicly stated that he wasn't going to sign an extension. I'm not debating what should have or could have been done differently. Those are issues dealing with the past, and not the present. No one disagrees with you that the past rebuilding efforts were repeatedly botched. There comes a point where you have to move on from the inglorious past and deal with the present situation. And in my opinion the front office is handling this current version of a rebuild in a more intelligent and coherent manner. Will it work any better than the previous futile versions? I believe so.

If Johnson desires going to a team where he will get an opportunity to play as soon as possible in the NHL it will be with Buffalo. I can't say for sure that if he came out this year that he will make the NHL roster next year. But without a doubt he will be given an opportunity in training camp to make the roster.

It's easy to understand why individuals are so frustrated with this franchise. You have every right to be frustrated with how this archaic franchise has functioned during the decade's long Pegula ownership. The issue now is how do we get out of this seemingly entrenched mess and have a glimmer of hope that the franchise is moving in the right direction? What they are doing is the standard formula for a bottom feeding team to retool and get back to the competitive level i.e. mostly rely on a draft and develop approach to restock the empty cupboard. The futile quick-fix or patchwork solution doesn't work. The Sabres are a testament to that failed strategy. It's simply a recipe for long-term mediocrity that gets you nowhere. As @LGR4GMhas repeatedly stated this NHL home team lacks the talent to compete with the big boys in the league. The best way to address that disparity is for the Sabres to continue to do what they are doing under Granato/KA stewardship. If anyone has a better way than what is already being done, I would like to know what it is. It's going to take time.

I don't believe that is going to happen. VO has been playing hurt. He hasn't been the same player since his injury.

Before I comment which player is he considering?

Do you know which of our best players the Sabres will get rid of this offseason? None. You are right that the organization did get rid of its best players this offseason. Both Reinhart and Risto were dealt this past offseason because both players made it clear that once they reached their URFA year they were going to leave. So they were traded and got reasonable returns under the circumstances. And Jack made it clear that he not only desperately wanted out but that he wasn't going to submit to the surgery recommendations that the organization wanted. The return for him was reasonable. I want to make it clear that I have no criticism of any of these core players wanting to get out. They understandably wanted to be free of this franchise's disfunction. This was a situation where the organization and the players needed a reset. And that's exactly what happened.