JohnC

Appreciate the updates.

In reading this thread what becomes apparent is that there are so many options to pursue. I will be highly upset this off-season if it becomes mostly a status quo off-season. The GM has assets to parley including cap space to work with that other teams don’t have. It’s my belief that with a few judicious moves this flailing team can be stabilized and made to be relevant again.

The issue isn’t which player is better. I agree with you that Bryan is the greater talent. However, it is essential that the blue line needs to be reconstituted in order to play a tougher brand of defense.

If we start to think alike I will be troubled and have to reconsider. 😀 I strongly agree with you that the blue line needs to be reconstituted and the goalie position needs to be addressed this off-season. I still believe that the goalie position is the first priority. Counting on UPL to be the primary goalie is a loser’s bet.

Your son personifies what a hero is. It's a person who faces obstacles all through the journey of life without being deterred. Not only does he overcome those challenges, but he masters them. He's not afraid to get off the path he is comfortably on because he has the courage to pursue the challenges of the unknown. Nothing was handed to him. He worked hard and was persistent. A lot of people mistakenly view courage and bravery from a physical and combative standpoint. That's a shallow way to look at those admirable traits. Based on the thumb sketch of what your son had to deal with all his life it's obvious that he possesses internal strength and character at a level that sets him apart from most of us. I'm sure you are proud of your son and also am sure that your son is proud of his parents who set the example for him to shine in life. Congratulations.

What do you think of this proposed trade with the Rangers? Byram for K'Andre Miller and Will Borgen. If we have to include a draft pick, as long as it is not a first round pick, and/or a medium prospect such as Rosen to get this deal done, I would be receptive to it. What this trade will do for us is toughen up our blueline unit and make it more physical. I don't know who we should pursue for the goalie position but it is an imperative position to address. If KA goes into the season with UPL Ipenciled in as our #1 goalie, he should be arrested for felonious negligence. This position is the top issue for this franchise.

My impending fear is that the Sabres stay stuck on the road to mediocrity and a player like Tuch concludes that it is in his best interest to take an off-ramp to liberation. It's got to bother him that the team he was traded from wins the Cup and is a regular playoff participant while the team he goes to is plagued with organizational dysfunction that has perennially kept him on the couch watching playoff games of other teams. Careers are short and quickly pass by. It won't be surprising that when he has contract leverage to move on, that he will use it. And even a bigger fear is what happens when Dahlin gets fed up with his plight to the point where he says get me out of here! If Jack with a long-term contract could do it with wonderful results, then why can't I. Few people expect this perturbing owner to act out of desperation and order a flurry of action to demonstrate that he cares. What is the most bothersome is that there isn't even a demonstration of urgency to do what is required to do to become a relevant team. Cruising along when you are on the same road to failure is gesture to fans that I don't care. I just don't understand this owner.

In isolation, it would be difficult to sign Marner at his expected salary and then be able to address the RFAs. But that doesn't preclude the Sabres making transactions that subtract salary. Juggling contracts, such as bringing in and shipping out contracts, is what every GM is required to do the cap system.

The point I'm making and stressing is that just because you can't get the bonanza deal done doesn't mean that you can't make enough smart moves that will consequentially improve your roster. The model to follow are the Washington Capitals. Over the past two years, their GM made at least a half a dozen deals that weren't headline deals, yet dramatically remade the team. Including in those deals were the addition of their two goalies who were an excellent tandem. It can be done. If you have a GM who is creative and enterprising, there are good deals to be made. The Sabres are in a lot better position to participate in the market than most teams. We have a number of good prospects in the system, some players on their current roster that can be dangled (most notably Byram), some cap room and draft pick to parlay. It can be done!

You really believe that Marchand would be interested in coming here, even if he was offered more money at this stage of his career? The same thought applies to Bennett. Just stop with this fanciful thinking. It might be fun imagining these types of acquisitions, but they fall in the land of fantasy. I'm not arguing that we shouldn't be taking actions to reconstruct the roster but let's not get carried away with what is actually doable. If you look at some of the deals that KA has actually made, they involve players such as McCleod, Zucker and Greenway. If we can add a few more of this caliber of players, I would be pleasantly surprised. I just don't see any blockbuster deals materializing involving players like Marner. If that is the case, then go out and make a few meat and potato deals that help to toughen and reshape the roster. If you can't make a big splash, then make more little splashes that add up.

If Buffalo had a better reputation as a well functioning organization and a seriously competitive team, western NY would be an appealing location for many players on the market due to its proximity to southern Ontario and Toronto. That area is where a lot of players grew up and where a lot of players reside in the offseason. However, based on the history of the Pegula era of ownership it's sad to acknowledge that Buffalo is one of the top locations listed on "No Trade Clauses NTC" for many of the upper tier players. And that shouldn't be a surprise It would be difficult to fit in a potential Mariner contract. But that's not to say that it couldn't be done with some creative maneuvering by a capable GM, something that all franchises do. This franchise created a big hole for itself. It needs to be more intelligently run for an extended period of time to climb out of it. I don't realisticallt see Marner coming here. But wouldn't it be exciting to see Marner on a top line with Tage and Tuch.

https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/hosts/sabres-live The Darren Dreger segment on WGR's Sabre Live Show discusses the possibility of Marner and Byram trades. This is a 15 minute segment. Dreger noted that Marner has some police protection at his house because of some idiot fan harassment. So a family security consideration might be a factor for playing somewhere else. My sense of the Byram scenario is that he will dealt. If Byram is resistant to signing because it might not be in his long term contract interest, then he will be moved. Dreger pointed out that KA would prefer to sign him, but it comes down to what does the player want to do. If Buffalo was a credible organization and not known for its generational dysfunction, it would make sense for Marner to come here because of its location close to Toronto, his hometown. It's apparent that our rancid reputation (well deserved) is a significant handicap in attracting talent.

I don't disagree with you that you need to be cautious about giving up high future picks. You make calculated judgments balancing the present with the future. It's a case by case situation. Would I give up a future first for a young player such as a Kulich type talent who could play for you right away? Yes. And I would be less reluctant to do so if I had depth in my prospect pool. Do I trust KA to make a good judgment? No.

I understand your point but still don't accept it. The main reason is that all franchises in all sports contend with unexpected challenges. It's an inescapable part of sports and life. Over time, things should level out. Good organizations overcome unexpected adversities (what you call bad luck) while mediocre organizations succumb to them. Needless to say, I don't have much confidence in KA. But the person who should be the most scorned here is the obtuse owner who not only stunningly installed this ill-equipped congenial fellow into a position he was not prepared to handle but weirdly has kept him in the position after inadequately doing the job for half a decade. No other organization and owner would have kept a GM on the job so long except for the Sabre owner. Again, it's not a question of luck. It's an issue of pervasive incompetency. Not only am I sad to say that but also, I'm no longer tolerant of this ever-present foolishness.

As a whole our organization has been inept. The caliber of ownership a franchise has permeates throughout the organization. When you live by excuses you fail by them. A generation of failure is a generation of failure. The record can’t be explained away by making lame excuses.

It would take a creative and bold GM to accomplish your wish list. KA is our GM. He is cautious and not very imaginative with how he operates. What you are expecting is beyond his capacity. That's how I see it.

That's like asking someone if they like their mother and apple pie. Simple answer is yes. If you ask me, do I think that there is going to be dramatic change, my answer would be not likely. However, that doesn't mean that there can't be consequential changes if wisely done. I strongly believe that the most impactful move would be solidifying the goalie position. The next priority would be to rework the blueline, adding a couple of defensive players who better round out that imbalanced unit.

No. I’m not taking the fanciful route you are on. I strongly believe that Quinn shouldn’t be moved right now. Don’t misinterpret what I’m advocating for. There is no question that moves have to be made to reconfigure this roster. But it has to be done thoughtfully and judiciously, and not out of frustration. The most impactful move the GM has to make is add a credible goalie. If that is not done then everything else done will be undercut.

It would be a big mistake to trade away Quinn for even a more rugged replacement. His offensive skills that revolve around his shooting are too good to deal off. It would be so exasperating to see him scoring a lot of goals for another team. Grinders are more easily acquired than skilled offensive players like him. If the GM is going to error on this particular player, it should done after more patience is exhibited.

For those of you who are more familiar with Norris than I am, how good is he? Can he be a legitimate #1 C or is he more suited to be a #2 C? As a center is he more inclined to shoot or pass? If he works out as either a 1 or 2 C it would be such a positive compared to when Cozens struggled along as a 2C. From the previous post where @dudacek posted some proposed lines, you can see the roster building out with some reserve when Benson and Kulich are considered to be in the roster mix. As has been frequently stated, the defense and goaltending need to be addressed this offseason. If that can happen (big challenge) then this should be a playoff team, in my opinion.

https://www.aol.com/george-wendts-family-cheers-stars-213636914.html I was surprised to learn that his nephew was Jason Sudekis, the son of his sister.

The real issue is will they be vying for the top 6. I like Benson a lot. However, if he is on the top line again, then I'm worried.

Responding to the highlighted question, I would say the current roster balance is still problematic . A couple more rugged and defense-minded players need to be added to the blueline mix, and another Zucker-like (younger) player brought in. As @GASabresIUFAN has repeatedly pointed out, the goalie position needs to be addressed. If that doesn't happen, the positives will be neutralized. This offseason shouldn't be about dramatically remaking the roster as it should be about making a few judicious moves that better balance the roster mix. Also, to state the obvious, a lot is going to be riding on the young players getting better. If the development in our young players doesn't rise to a sufficient level, this franchise will again be rowing a boat against a strong current i.e. not moving forward.

Not being sober is one way to deal with a gut wrenching sight. The problem is the residual throbbing headache.

Most people agree that altering the mix on the blueline is a priority. In my view, the most impactful thing our GM should do this off-season is bring in a solid goaltender. (As you noted.) If that issue isn’t adequately addressed, little will have changed.