JohnC

The one thing I like about Linus is that he has gotten better each step of the way in his developmental process. As you point out he played very well for us under very challenging circumstances playing behind an incomplete team and a poorly coached team. The expectation is that he still has some upside to his game. It's imperative that this regime works hard and with urgency to put a good support system (more talent) in front of him.

With the gaping space in the cap if not willing to take back some salary in a player exchange prevents this team from making a deal then shame on this organization.

Getting 4 pieces for an injured Jack might be unrealistic. But getting 3 pieces should be doable. If you examine Minnesota's roster and within their system that includes some attractive prospects (Rossi most appealing) a fair value Jack deal can be envisioned. And if you examine the Anaheim and LA systems there is enough young talent within them that something can be worked out that is fair to both sides of the negotiation. I just think that a priority has to be a high end prospect who is projected to be a near future 1C or 2C. If you asked me to bet money on which team will come to the forefront and make a deal my guess would be Minnesota. But that is not to exclude other teams who have the assets to get a deal done.

If this place is so stressful that you are on the ledge then it's time to take a pause.

Haven't you already said that five hundred times? What's one more goodbye thrown into the mountainous pile.

The difference between our views is that I am less willing to be fleeced than you are. I'm confident that eventually a fair-value deal will get done. If it takes a little longer to get that accomplished then so be it. In poker when you have the upper hand you don't throw your cards on the table because the other player at the table unnerved you with an inauthentic twitch.

In your metric does it matter who dumps who?

Louis C.K. is steadily working his way back from being ostracized to being back in front of the mike. https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/03/11/louis-ck-new-standup/

Is an increase in ex girlfriends a positive or negative metric?

That's my point. What metrics will you use to measure crazy?

You don't need to do any experiments to determine if our fan base is more rational than the NY fan base. Just read some of the posts on this site and you will realize that some of our crowd are just as untethered as their crowd. Fans are fans. It doesn't matter where the location is or even what the sports are because a significant proportion of fans everywhere are out of this world bat shiiit crazy. Try listening to some call-in sports shows. A lot of time it seems that more space invaders are calling in than earthlings.

Do you think Sabre fans are any less unreasonable as Ranger fans? Being unrealistic is the standard no matter what location you are at.

Attached is a 10 min link of Steve Kournianos from TheDraftAnalysis.com on WGR. He gives a very positive summary of the Sabre draft. At the end of the draft he talks well of the goalie pickup in the Reinhart trade. Included in the same line is a 13 min link with the Sabre Director of Amateur Scouting . https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy

I just don't know. The Sabres have been bad for so long. Not doing something that is reasonable to make your term better for the near future is aggravating. On the other hand as you point out we don't know if the report is true or not.

If what is reported is true and the Sabres are unwilling to take back some money then the owner is undercutting his own franchise. It's short-sighted and maddening.

I would be happy with a Minnesota deal, especially if it included Rossi. And if it were required I would want the Sabres to take back money in order to get this deal done. But my sense (my opinion) is that financial considerations are being required by the ownership when these deals are made. I'm hoping that a reasonable deal for Jack can get done and everyone can move on.

For where this team is and where it is going in the near future the financial strategy that @Pimlach gave is relevant to the Sabre situation.

I highly doubt that the Sabres will take back any of Jack's salary if/when dealt. The appeal of Jack for teams interested in him is that he still has plenty of term left. So there will be little worry about keeping him in the fold for the near future. My understanding of what is happening in the Pegula owned team that money considerations are very much being factored in hockey decisions, at least for right now.

There is another way of looking at the Jack value chart. The multiple reports are that other teams haven't as yet increased their price offer to fall within the Sabres' acceptable range. That is the right strategy to take when you have the player in question under contract. I have no problem with the way Adams is handling this issue.

Excellent job. The return on Jack seems to be declining. There are a lot of realistic trade possibilities that you listed. The absolute minimum return needs to include a potential 1C player such as Rossi from Minn. and Turcotte from LA. I would love to have Anaheim's Zegras but not sure he is attainable. That is the floor that needs to be met.

There are many reasons why over the years the Sabres have fallen by the wayside. The organization has displayed many facets to the concept of incompetence. The soul-crushing that happened last year had a lot to do with Krueger and his anachronistic approach to the game. Shortly after he was dispatched there was a stunning display in the difference of what he had done and how the team transitioned out of its collective depression after the coaching change was made.

I'm sure Ullmark and his agent have the outline of a deal with the Sabres. It is a contract that he can compare to other offers. If another team is willing to go much beyond it he might consider the outside offer. But I lean towards what @tom websterstated in his post.

The situation in Buffalo from a hockey perspective is a good situation for him. If he signs it is likely that he will be our #1 goalie. Will he get the same opportunities to burnish his stats with another team? I'm not sure that is the case. Will he be offered more money than what Buffalo is willing to pay him? That's what he and his agent will soon find out. I'm also sure that although he is not going to garner a very long term contract I don't think he is willing to settle for a one year deal. As I said in a prior post if Ullmark wants to remain in Buffalo he will get paid a fair market contract for the caliber that he is. If he would rather be someplace else then so be it. I'll wish him the best and the organization will proceed to pursue other options. That's how the business works.

Assuming Jack is healthy he is not going to sit under any circumstances. It wouldn't be in his best interest. KA has a value range for Jack. If a deal can be made within the range he will make a deal. If not he will hold on until the range is met.

Maybe he will eventually be a second pairing defenseman but if he makes the roster next year it will be as a third or fourth pairing player. That in itself would give him a great opportunity to show what he is capable of. If he doesn't make the big club roster at the start of the season he will be getting a lot of playing time in the AHL and be better prepared when he gets an opportunity.