JohnC

The primary reason why the scouting department wasn't quickly re-staffed is because the scouts are contractually obligated to the teams they are working for. You can't right now hire a scout away from another team because they have proprietary knowledge. It's my understanding that scouts are hired on a year to year basis.

What deepened not only the players' but also the fans' impression that the organization was spiraling towards a crash was playing for a stubborn coach who had a prehistoric notion of how to play a modern game in the NHL. Doubling down on an approach that didn't work instead of trying something else was an not only self-defeating but it was hideously stupid. The bottom line is that there were many reasons why the fans and players got disillusioned with the situation.

I disagree because from what the Peulas stated if Botts was willing to go along with the staff dismantlement he would have been able to keep his job. After a number of meetings with the owners he continued to decline to go along with the new business model. So he was dismissed. At the time of instituting the change the pandemic was ravaging their hospitality business along with their hockey business. The cash flow in those businesses was ravaged. And their thinking had to be since the team wasn't doing well while they were spending why not just spend less and weather the financial storm. Where is the organization right now? It is trying to reconstitute the scouting department that was torn down and steadily rebuild the staffing. It's not too difficult to understand their reasoning for doing what they did. But in the end it didn't work. It shouldn't be forgotten that the Sabres had the worst record in the NHL. A dubious distinction reflective of their mismanagement.

After reading the News story I thought how absurdly stupid the owners and the organization were in their austerity strategy. There were released staff members who had contracts that still had to be paid. If you add the Botterill and then Krueger contracts costs the owners didn't really save money. The end result of this so called reorganization is that it set the franchise back to the point where it is now scrambling to get back to where it started. Just senseless.

No one is expecting KA to make magical deals for Jack, Samson or Risto (if he is moved). But that is not to say that he can't come away after trading these players with a good return. Will the value coming in match the value going out? Not necessarily. But that is not to say that after the expected trades the end result is that the roster won't have more promising young players than it did before the trade process started.

We simply are going to disagree on what is the driving force to trade Jack if that comes to pass. As I stated on previous posts after listening to KA's interview to the press after the Jack "disconnect" post season interview I'm much more inclined to believe (to the point of confidence) that the GM wants the player out as much as the player wants out. And little of that has to do with Jack's health status as much as the GM wants to clear the deck of players who are not fully on board. And it appears (my belief) that Jack and his reps have made his feelings clear on this issue. As you state there's no need to go in circles on this issue. At this point if he gets dealt it really doesn't matter what the main reason is for the relocation as it does what the outcome turns out to be. And at this point a fresh start for Jack may be the best thing for him and a fresh start for the Sabres under the young GM may be the best thing for the organization.

You succinctly made Jack's case as to why he wants to be moved; and correspondingly made a case why he should be moved.

Then we go back to your original post. The driving issue for the GM wanting to move Jack has less to do with his health status (although it is a factor) than it does to to do with Jack wanting a change. From the young GM's perspective the issue then becomes whether the player's desire to move on is incompatible with the team attitude he is trying to create. It seems to me that both sides of the table have come to the same conclusion that a change is in the best interest for the parties involved.

If we can get something in the vicinity of what you are suggesting and if you combine it with a potential Jack haul then our roster will be thickened with a lot of good young players with plenty of upside. Will the team be better with the departure of our two prime players? Maybe not in the short run but in the not too distant future it would be a very competitive team. If handled smartly this offseason could result in a lot of positive feelings that originated from a lot of negative feelings about this franchise.

What do you think the return could be for a Samson and Risto tandem?

The plug on Krueger should have been pulled sooner. I don't know any other organization that would have tolerated such a disastrous situation as long as it did. It became even more evident when you compare how the level of play dramatically improved after the coaching change. It was a ridiculous situation.

I agree with everything you said. My ire is directed toward the organization and not the players wanting out. Ideally, Jack and Sam would be kept and be surrounded with more talent. The irony is that belatedly there is a growing young core that is ready to provide more support for Jack and Sam. However, when one side of the relationship doesn't want what the other side of the relationship wants then you have to adjust to the new reality. My sense is that the markers have been drawn and they can't be erased. So you have no choice other than to make the best of the situation that you can. Given what I have said I want to make it clear that if you can't get a reasonable deal for Jack then you keep him until you can get it. No more ROR fiasco deals that set you back! If a trade proposal is made by Anaheim that doesn't include Zegras and a top pick then the phone should be put down.

Some people have the odd notion that to save a village you have to nuclear bomb it out of existence and then start anew. ☠️

Do you really believe that the Sabres are going to be able to hoodwink a trading partner over Jack's health status? Do you really believe that a team would give up a bounty of assets for a player who turns out to be damaged goods? I'm very confident that teams serious about trading for Jack will do their due diligence. Will there be risks on his future health status? There are always some risks that will be factored in the equation. Jack's attitude doesn't have to rise to the level of toxicity to reach a point where the GM feels that it is in the organization's best interest that he be moved, especially if he wants a fresh start. My opinion: I'm sure that the driving force here is that Jack (and even Samson and Risto) is frustrated with the situation here and don't want to be here any longer. There is no secret about their dissatisfaction with the situation and organization. And although KA is an inexperienced GM he isn't so clueless not to be able to recognize their unhappiness here. To me this is a case where the players are not the bad guys. This inevitable divorce of players wanting out happens in all sports. In badly run organizations this type of disgruntled situation happens more often than with well run franchises. Look at the Green Bay and Rogers bad blood saga. I'm not happy that the situation has devolved to this but it is time to move on. And that's the thinking I believe that KA has.

There has never been a hint from anyone inside or outside the organization questioning Reinhart's effort and desire. Throughout his time in Buffalo he has been our most consistent player while playing for an organization shrouded in the fog of mediocrity. Your negative opinion is your opinion, you are entitled to it. I strenuously disagree with it. Even with players on winning teams that doesn't guarantee warm relations with the press. That's the human element that you won't be able to eliminate. Whatever the relationship is between any particular player/s I simply don't care. That's for them to work out.

Granato may be a first time coach at the NHL level but he has had a myriad of experience at many other levels. It should be forgotten that he was a coach of the year in the AHL. And although it was for a short stint he did more than a commendable job last year taking over for Krueger. What Granato excels at his previous job is developing young talent. If he is selected that attribute is critically important with the young roster he will be working with. I can't criticize anyone who is wary of Adams because of his inexperience at the position he holds because it is true.

I discount Hamilton's comments on Reinhart. This friction has been going on for a while. Ullmark also has a very frayed relationship with Hamilton. No one can question the attitude of Reinhart. He is one of the most honest and consistent players on the roster. Reinhart has in a classy and dignified way expressed his frustration with the status quo situation with this team not playing end of the season meaningful games. When all is said and done Reinhart will express his intention not through words but through the way he negotiates a contract. If he is not willing to have more than a one year deal that will give him an out the following year. My expectation is that he is going to be moved.

I apologize for repeating what I said in a previous post. If you go back to the interview that KA gave to the press after the Jack interview it is clear that he is going to move on from Jack and other players because he emphasized that he only wants player who want to be here and are bought in. The assumption is that Jack and his reps have communicated to the GM and organization that he prefers to be somewhere else. And the GM had emphasized in that interview that he doesn't want any players on the team who feel that way. Based on the reports on the active marketing of Jack and Samson the GM is acting on his stance.

If you can get in return a young player such as Zegras who may be a #1C, a gritty second line player in Comtois plus a high first round pick I would be willing to make the deal if VO needs to be added for the deal to get it done. The other side also has a say in a proposed deal. If this is the best deal you can get on the market then you take the plunge.

I would take that trade in a nanosecond. Why be concerned about giving up a fourth round pick when under the trade scenario we would have two high first round and 2 second round picks? In fact if Jack is traded to Anaheim I would hold out to retain Olofsson. If that was a deal killer I would then include him.

You are missing the point. Ullmark is relatively young and with a longer lifespan than exists for other positions. There is no need to belabor the point. We just disagree. No big deal.

Ullmark has steadily moved up the ranks from a developmental standpoint. I have never categorized him as a player with magical unforeseen ability (your words). What he has done is work his way up the system from the bottom to a credible starting goaltender. He's not elite and will never be. But it is not unreasonable to believe that he is a credible starting NHL net minder. I agree with you that this is a make or break year for Thompson to show what his talent level is.

When discussing goaltenders in contrast to forwards they have a much longer lifespan from productive standpoint. And with respect to Tage tall and long lean players take much longer than normal because it takes longer to physically fill out.

You are being overly punctilious.🤡

So what? Developing goaltenders usually take more time. He has gone through the system and worked his way up.