JohnC

The both of us agree that Skinner does not fit the profile of a player that Lindy prefers. However, I'm confident in saying that no coach inherits a team in which all the players are the players the coach would want if starting from scratch. Is Skinner in Ruff's or the organization's long-term plans? It' safe to say no. But even if that's the case that doesn't mean that for the short-term (this season) keeping him in an altered role isn't the best option for now. It seems to me that I value his primary talent of scoring goals relative to his liabilities more than most people here do. My sense (opinion) is that the GM will soon be making a number of moves. Will they be blockbuster type moves? I don't think so, but they probably will go beyond tinkering. As a hockey fan this is a period of time where there is a lot of speculation before transactions take place. We shall see.

There is no need to apologize for one's assessment. The point I was making that especially with young players such as Mitts, Tage and UPL very often patience is the right course of action. I realize that the Skinner scenario is an altogether different situation.

The GM has repeatedly stated that his focus is primarily going to be on the lower half of the roster. My reading of his many comments since the season ended is that he is more than satisfied with the upper half of the roster. There will be deals but odds are it won't involve a blockbuster deal. However, he needs to bring in a 2/3 C player to replace Mitts.

The majority of people want to see me impeached. And there is a radical faction that would love to see me hung upside down with a noose around my balls. 😆 A large faction of the same rowdy crowd a few years ago wanted to see Mitts and UPL gone because they fervently believed that they were a lost cause and a drag on the roster. They were wrong. What the both of us are saying is that until there is a better option he adds value to this roster. Right now, flaws and all, he is still one of our best goal scorers.

I agree with you that Benson is the type of player who can play on any of the top three lines. Mitts was a similar player that he could fit in at C or W on any of the top three lines. That's an invaluable attribute to have. It's going to be intriguing to see if Benson can make a quantum leap in his second year. He's a youngster who has a mature game. How can anyone not like him?

The comparison between Skinner and Satan don't resonate with me. A couple of years ago, Granato spoke on WGR about Skinner handling his demotion when Krueger was the coach. Clearly, Skinner didn't fit the model of a player he preferred. His minutes and role were severely diminished. The former HC said that after being demoted, Skinner was one of the hardest practice players on the team. The point I'm making is that he's not the type of person who will become a negative influence on the team even when as a player his role is diminished.

One of the perceptive points you make that I agree with is that when talking about any player movement from this roster requires answering the question of who is going to be brought in. Right now, we don't know. We should know fairly soon. Also, our positions coincide on whether the 2/3C position is going to be addressed. That is going to be a critical issue. You make another interesting observation as to whether Skinner is a type of Lindy player. Probably not. But that doesn't mean that if he is kept that he can't find a way to maximize his asset (goal scoring) and put him in a position to minimize his liabilities. Transactions are starting to happen around the league. TBD.

I still believe that Skinner is capable of scoring 25 goals on a third line if the other parts of the line are solid players. If you add Benson and bring in a credible 2/3 C for the third line, it's not out of the real of reality that he can score at least 25 goals. If you play him on the second PP unit, I'm comfortable in projecting that he can score 25-30 or maybe 35 goals. My preference would be to play him on the top line with Tage and Tuch. (Obviously, this is a minority view here.) That would move JJ down to a line with Cozens and Quinn. I find that configuration very attractive. As you adroitly put out our roster right now is incomplete. That's the issue. What players is the GM going to bring in? That's the most consequential issue that we are facing this offseason. It's more likely than not that Skinner will not finish out the rest of his extended contract in Buffalo. That doesn't mean that he can't be a positive contributor this upcoming season.

Why would it be so catastrophic if he ended up being the 4C? If he ends up as a 3C, then I will be troubled. Right now, my attitude towards Krebs is that he shouldn't be handed any role, including the 4C role. He needs to earn it. That means bringing in players where he has to compete for his assignment.

If we are not bringing in a top 6 higher salaried player (that's an unknown right now), then why would you have to shed Skinner and his contract this year? Skinner on a higher line (top 2 lines) is capable of scoring 30-35 goals. He certainly is not a complete player but he's not a bum. On a third line he's still has the ability to score 25 plus goals. If most of the GM's attention is to the lower lines, there is plenty of cap room to work them in, especially after shedding Okposo, Olofsson, maybe Girgs and other contracts. It seems that Skinner has been the target for scorn from many people here. I still believe that he has enough utility to keep him on the roster this year.

I'd rather keep Skinner this year because I think it is wrong to assume that KA can swing a deal for a top 6 forward. It's not that he isn't willing to pursue a deal for such a player as it is the cost it would require to consummate such a deal. My sense (opinion) is that our GM is not inclined to make a blockbuster type deal because it would take too many assets to get it done. That doesn't mean that he can't bulk up the lower lines and add a credible 3C. We shall se.

The Sabres were better than the Caps. They making the playoffs and we not is an indictment on our coaching staff. Both teams were not complete teams. They simply did more with less.

We reside in different planets. That's okay.

I say this respectfully that you and I are residing in two separate worlds. There is nothing unusual for people to have different perspectives and interpretations from a set of facts. The problem is that a large faction of people is unwilling or are incapable of acknowledging some things that are true. People are now gravitating to their own information silos. I have no problem with that other than some silos are more polluted with bad information than in prior times. The covid period was a challenging time because a significant segment of the population was unwilling to accept the recommendations of medical experts resulting in more deaths than necessary. It got to the point where a segment of the population was more receptive to crazy ideas such as the use of animal medicines as a treatment for infections. That's not only crazy but also sad because there were a lot of unnecessary deaths.

If you had a choice to draft Catton or Igla, which player would you take?

Some people have a locked in narrative that regardless of the insurmountable number of facts indicating otherwise They end up clinging even harder to their fantasy truth. We now live in the world of conspiracies and cult-like behavior. The problem is not that people have different perspectives on issues as it is they have a different set of facts to base their claims. It's really scary.

Why do you think he is a cancer in the locker room? It's the opposite. He is one of the more popular and engaging personalities on the team. If you want to criticize his play, that's fair game. However, speculating that he is a bad dude behind closed doors when there is not a scintilla of evidence of any disruptive behavior is patently unfair. For what it is worth, I have a minority view on Skinner. There is no question that his more freewheeling style of play can be problematic. But his biggest asset as a goal scorer can still be utilized. At least for this upcoming season, I would keep him.

How long have your neighbors been teaching?

You sucked him dry. Is that why they droop so much? 😁

Hustling and hitting are not gone in the games I watch. In the playoffs, that rough and tough aspect of the game are even more pronounced. One of the reasons why the Sabres have been an inconsequential team is because they lack the physicality that good teams have. Playing tough hockey is not about fighting; it's about playing harder and tougher. Fighting is irrelevant to that aspect of the game. In reality, most fights are contrived where the combatants agree in advance to drop their glovers. It's so stupid and idiotic.

I listened to Douglas Jemal when he decided to take on the Statler project after the death of Croce, who bought the building but ended up dying in a plane accident. As with the Seneca One project it was fascinating and impressive to listen to him talk about his vision for each project. The Seneca One project was a multi-phased project that encompassed not only the big building but also the surrounding area. A number of people got a lot of attention when they tried to resurrect the Statler. That all failed for a variety of reasons, one foreign investor was a fraud. The developing business is a very complicated and challenging endeavor. Douglas Jemal knows what he is doing. And he does it. A lot of developers talk big but end up being overwhelmed by the finances and complexity of these projects. Not Jemal. He's a doer and a finisher. This outsider is one of the biggest assets in the local community.

I agree with you that the coaching search was a charade. There was even talk that he wanted to replace Granato with Ruff at the Iend of the season, prior to it being concluded. I have no problem with the hire. His selection made a lot of sense for a variety of reasons. However, spouting BS doesn't appeal to me. What this team is needs is evident to everyone. There's no mystery there. Whether he gets it done is another matter. I do believe that he is going to be more aggressive this offseason than usual. (My opinion.)

Olympic and college hockey don't allow fighting. Both games are entertaining hockey to watch. Anyone who has watched top tier college hockey recognizes that it doesn't lack for physicality. Last year, Cozens instigated a fight to stir up his own players. He got his face smashed in, and he wasn't the same player for quite a while. It seems that most hockey fans enjoy it. I do not. It should be banned. My recommendation for hockey fans who like fighting is that they should go to boxing and MMA matches. Hockey hooliganism is outdated. I will say it again that tough and hard play have nothing to do with fighting!

The biggest challenge for the GM to accomplish his offseason to do list is adding a 2/3 C to the roster. The issue is what is he willing to give up and who is available. If he gets a good 2/3 C, it will create a lot of line flexibility. Interesting offseason for this GM. Action should be happening soon as the draft approaches.

I'm not into fighting. In fact, I believe it should be banned because of the player safety issue. (I usually get booed when I say that.) 😀 As you smartly point out, there is a big distinction between playing grittier/tougher and fighting. It's indisputable that this team needs to get grittier. You accomplish that by bringing in some players who add that element to the roster.