JohnC

Let's assume that he wants out? What does that mean? Does it mean the organization should deal him if it they can't get a fair return in a trade? I would say no to that scenario. If the organization believes that he will have more trade value when he is in better health and his play has returned to an elite level, then the Sabres should keep him until a more favorable time to make a trade. Do you think that Reinhart was happy last year? He wasn't. He publicly expressed his displeasure being out of playoff contention again. Yet he still played at high level. Risto was certainly not satisfied being in the situation he was in again. He didn't mask his feelings. Yet he played with his standard effort. There is no team in the league that doesn't have some players who are disgruntled in some form because of a variety of reasons. It could be for contract reasons, playing time or bad relationships with the coaching staff or other players. Being unhappy doesn't automatically mean that a player won't play well. In the Jack situation it is more likely to have an opposite effect because he would have an incentive to showcase his talents in order to make him a more tradeable commodity for the Sabres I believe that if a reasonable deal can be made a trade will happen. But if a deal can't be worked out that satisfies the organization it should bide its time until a deal can be made that makes sense for them. No more ROR trade boondoggles!

Linus has steadily gotten better during his development time. Getting his level of play for a full season puts us in contention for the lower rung playoff qualifiers (assuming a fair return on the traded players). That would be a significant jump up. However, as you well know there are legitimate concerns about his durability. If the Sabres and he don't come to terms this offseason it will most likely be because he doesn't want to be here. The GM needs to bring in another goaltender, or maybe two, this offseason.

Some people like chocolate while others like vanilla. I liked the "doink". Personal preferences usually can't be explained. I have nothing but admiration for @SDS because on his own time he provides a service that will never satisfy everyone. I thank him and salute him for his efforts. 🍺

As you suggest too many of the angry crowd are too willing to stoke themselves into a self-induced frenzy. An interview that was simply a hometown puff piece has turned into act of disloyalty to the team he plays for. What's next? Because he has an irritating New England accent it is a sign that he hates Buffalo? The interpretations coming from that interview are silly.

You sir are a provocateur. When you see a bear walking down the street do you go up to it and poke it? 🤡

Don't fret. One of the benefits of being the 31st ranked team is that it has little to offer and little to lose.

I used to hear a sound when someone responded to my post. I don't hear it now. Am I going deaf? Or is it an individual setting issue or a general change in settings?

I'm open to trading Jack to any team if the return is fair value. But make no mistake about it that if Jack is traded to an already Cup contending team such as Vegas it will elevate a team that is already at a high elevation. The Rangers over the past few years in their rebuild have assembled a talented young roster and a deep prospect pool in their system. If you add Jack to their lineup, even with some talented young players coming back to Buffalo in the trade, they will become a serious cup contender.

When you say something is possible you are also implying that it may not be possible. Again, you are making an assumption on what you believe something to be without a factual basis to it.

It isn't too difficult for Granato to have more confidence in him that Ralph had. Ralph put in extra effort to bury him. I agree with you that Granato has to find the right spot for Skinner but the onus is on the player to adjust his game and play within the unit. The Lone Ranger style of play might working playing Cowboy and Indians but it doesn't work in the NHL. To Skinner's credit he did play with effort but to his discredit he didn't always play with smarts. That's where the alteration needs to be.

I hope you are right. If he can get to scoring in the 25 goal range it would be like adding a free agent to the roster. I'm sure that he will be motivated to come into the camp ready to restore his reputation as a player. And I'm sure Granato has been working this offseason trying to figure out what is the best way to maximize his talents. Internal improvement is just as important as adding outside talent to this roster.

As you astutely noted if the GM is able to upgrade our goaltending that in itself will be a major factor in improving this team. Whether Jack returns or he is dealt for an equitable return stabilizing that position will make this team competitive. If you watched the games last year when a soft goal was given up it was evident that it had a deflating effect on this team that struggled to score goals. If you want to accelerate the timeline for a rebuild the organization has to do whatever it needs to do to address that position.

This is an excellent post! It is insightful and a fair characterization of the situation. As you point out it is in everyone's interest for him to play well even if he is destined to be moved at a later time. As I have stated in other posts I just think that too many people are falsely making character judgments on him. Those smearing judgments seem to me are not so much based on substance than they are on what people think it to be. That is not right.

The organization and staff should have a better understanding (although not fully) of who Jack is as a person. And I assume the organization understands that the extended turbulent situation in Buffalo is the cause of much of the dissatisfaction not only by him but also other players. And if you factor in the unknown career repercussions related to his sidelining injury it shouldn't be surprising that about his level of anxiety. That shouldn't be difficult to understand. What I find grossly unfair is that there is an assumption that he is going to be disruptive if he doesn't get his way in this situation. I just can't make the same scathing assumption about Jack that others are making. Make no mistake about my position. It might be best for the player and the organization to divorce and get a fresh start. That doesn't mean that it is right to smear a player's character over this conflict. The issue comes down to is how much are the negative assumptions based on fact? Not enough to satisfy me.

In this new reality of crazed critics Jack's new moniker is Jack the Ripper.

You are contradicting yourself. It is an assumption when you state it is possible.

The best thing that could happen with Buffalo becoming a serious team is the emergence of a rabid rivalry between the two cities. Toronto has gotten on track while Buffalo has been stuck in the mud for half a generation. Currently, it's insulting to see Buffalo's home arena filled with Toronto fans. That doesn't happen with the contending Bills in their own stadium. This franchise needs to get back on track, and then a lot of positive things will flow from that.

Jack has never been disruptive. Where are those assumptions coming from? No one is challenging the fact that he isn't happy with the course of this franchise but so are other players. He's a fierce competitor who wants to win. That's an attitude that you want your players to have. The point that I'm stressing here is that if the Sabres decide to trade him they should get back a fair return. The deal doesn't necessarily have to be in our favor but it has to be a fair value for an elite talent. No more ROR type deals. That was an act of foolishness that set this franchise back.

I agree with you that if one of the proposed offers from Anaheim is Zegras plus secondary players or 3OA and other secondary players then I would prefer the Zegras trade. In this scenario I would be ecstatic to get Zegras and maybe Comtois for Jack. It would be a good situation for Jack to get a fresh start and the Sabres would add to their roster contributing young players with upside.

I understand your position but don't fully agree with it. If the Sabres decide to keep Jack for now because a reasonable deal can't currently be arranged then whether his NMC kicks in at a later date that doesn't mean that the Sabres are required to trade him. If the Sabres are open to trading him at a later date when his clause kicks they still are not required to trade him to teams on his preferred list if the trade offers are inadequate. The option for the Sabres then is the same as it is now: don't trade him unless it is in the team's best interest.

Didn't he have a sunken career?

Granato has been at many places and levels. Wherever he has been he has been a success. His biggest virtue is his ability to adapt and develop what he has to work with. Ultimately the attributes he possesses that allowed him to succeed wherever he has been are the same attributes needed to be successful in the NHL. Good coaching is good coaching; and bad coaching is bad coaching. It's not about where you are as it is about what you are as a coach. The GM has done a good job in assembling a staff. Granato's one of the staffing selections I'm happy with.

I'm sure you are aware of it that nearly a generation of fans have not been exposed to quality and entertaining hockey. And that is sad. I'm not sure that group can be easily retrieved.

As far as I'm concerned anyone who has an affinity for spaghetti and meatballs is either an Italian or an honorary member of the Club de la Italiano. 🙂

You need to clean your ears out. The Italian coach speaks in a simpler and more direct manner. The former erudite coach used a lot of words to make a simple point. If the spaghetti coach talks to a player he will convey his message with clarity. If the pontificating coach was giving the same message to the player it would be an extended conversation with the player walking away confused.