JohnC

I'm not a bettor. Betting never appealed to me. However, if a person wants to bet or not, it is an individual choice. In my view, it has no bearing on whether one is a fan or not. I have a diametrically different view on Levi than you do. With Levi as our primary goalie I'm more optimistic about this upcoming season. Our competing world views (about hockey) simply don't mesh. That's okay. Some people like mustard on their hot dogs while others like ketchup. If I had it my way, anyone who puts ketchup on their hot dog should be charged with a misdemeanor violation.

I know this thread is about Benson but related to the issue of earning a roster spot is whether Biro has also earned a spot? From what I have observed (not seen all the games) he has made a good impression.

Betting on games after they have been played is a sure way to always win. It's a full-proof system to always be right. 😀

If you have trust in KA's judgment on assessing players and putting together a roster, then why are you so resistant over anyone, young or old, earning a roster spot? You are like a student who when asked if the answer is A or B, your response is both. I'm not saying this in a mean-spirited way but you have been a caricature of yourself. It gets weirder by the day. What's next? If this team has a successful season are you going to say: I told you so!

He went to camp and competed and outperformed the competition for a roster spot. And based on his play he earned a spot, or at a minimum an introductory stint. Why would you have a problem with that?

When one files for bankruptcy the business goes through the bankruptcy court system. The owner would have no interest in that unless it was a last option. It would tie him up longer with the final disposition becoming more of a question. I just don't see it.

I agree with the highlighted first sentence. That's what I have been saying all along. I don't know why you think I'm saying otherwise. We have gotten to the point of talking past one another. We agree on this issue, not disagree.

When Golisano sold the team to Pegula he noted in the news conference that the no-move clause existed. It certainly applies while Pegula is the owner. If Terry P. sells the team (don't see that happening any time soon) that is another matter. The issue here is not what the league will allow or not; the issue is what does the contract stipulation state. The matter revolves around the contract and law.

No. Rochester will be a grooming situation for him.

Kane has been in the league for a long time. Without question, he has been a marquee player for a long time. He's simply not that caliber of player any longer. I'm not dismissing him as a player or having a contributing role for certain teams. However, I doubt it will be here. The best way to increase attendance is to start off well. It isn't a surprise to people in the hockey business why the Sabres will be one of the most showcased teams on national TV on this season. The increase in interest happened in our arena at the end of last season. I'm confident that same momentum will carry over this year. If you are looking for players to help the cause. I recommend that you look inside the organization instead of outside of it.

The source of our disagreement is over the definition of what a lower pairing is. I consider the fourth pairing as a lower pairing. As it stands, if he made the roster, he would be on the fourth pairing, which as you point out is a utility pairing. So far, Ryan Johnson has really made a positive impression on me. He's the embodiment of substance over style. In the not-too-distant future I can envision him playing on any of the top three pairings. A while back, a few astute posters predicted that he had the potential to be on the first or second pairing. I was skeptical. After seeing him the short time he has played, I have changed my view. Looking back, the ROR trade brought us Tage and RJ. Great deal for us.

If Tage doesn't have good wingers is he going to play as well? My underlining point about Mitts is that he has matured and stepped up and shown that he is a good player. And as demonstrated last year, he has added value related to his versatility because he can play different positions and on different lines. In my view, the contract that was indicated on this board is a fair-value contract. If you believe otherwise, that's okay.

If he plays like he did when he was moved to the top line, it will be a bargain.

I don't see how adding Kane is going to be a factor to increasing attendance. It might take close to a third to half a season before he finishes with his rehab. Kane is a shadow of what he once was as a player. We have young prospects who are not far from moving up to the big club who will be more of a factor in play. What is going to be the most influential factor in bringing fans to the arena is winning. (As many others are saying.) What will give this franchise a quick boost in attendance is starting off well and demonstrating to the fans that this is a serious team that will be a factor in the league. Expecting gimmicks such as marketing a hometown player who is on the downside of his career to stimulate interest is a futile and embarrassing approach to try to create interest in this team. The owner has tried this non-productive and self-defeating approach before when he hired Rex Ryan to coach the Bills. It was a disaster. When asked why he hired the bombastic Rex, the owner said he did it to make the team relevant. How did that work out? Winning is the solution. Everything else is BS that will frustrate the fans even more and keep them home.

At this time of year, I'm not sure he has much value on the market. There will be a lot of teams having to decide who will be their backup goalies and who to let go. My feeling if he doesn't make the roster and is picked up before being assigned to Rochester, then so be it.

The highlighted segment is exactly what I said in my post.

Your question is perplexing? According to coach Appert he won't be getting much PP time because when he is brought up the Sabres already have enough players to fill the PP units. What he would be getting in Rochester is a lot of playing time that will better prepare him for the next level.

Good observations and fair representations of the preseason so far. As you noted, Benson has not only exhibited a lot of skill, but he also has demonstrated a makeup that indicates that he is not overwhelmed and belongs. That's the trait that has impressed me the most. And as you also noted, Ryan Johnson is very impressive. He's a very mature player. His style of game is predicated on substance over flash. His efficiency masks how good he is. He will be called up this season. I thought Comrie looked good last night. However, don't assume that the UPL/Comrie duel is over yet. Right now, I would lean towards Comrie but KA acts like he has an investment in UPL. Competition is good.

It makes a lot of sense to start off Johnson in Rochester. If he made the big club roster, he would be a lower pairing player who got a limited number of minutes. In Rochester, he would get a heavy workload. Which would benefit his development more? Definitely, Rochester. He's in a much different situation than Benson and Savoie (if healthy) are in. The choice for those two players is juniors or the Sabre roster. Even if he gets a call-up this season, as many of us believe will happen, would the heavy workload stint in Rochester enhance his game in Buffalo? I would say yes. Rochester has a good coach and player development process. Starting off in Rochester will not make him a lesser player, it will make him a better player.

Thanks for the info. 🍺

I don't think anyone else in this long thread has cited the Skinner example. It's a good comparable example. A very young player on a good roster is in a much better situation than a young player playing on a less talented roster. If Benson does make the final cut, he will be on a good team where he will have less pressure.

I couldn't get the game on TV so I'm listening to Ray and Dunleavy on WGR. They are much better to listen to compared to the out-of-town broadcasts that I have listened/watched so far.

Your last sentence resonated with me. There was a time when young players who were not ready were rushed before they came close to demonstrating that they were ready for NHL play. Mitts is a classic example of that. And Tage also was rushed before he was physically ready for the NHL. One of the reasons was that there was a dearth of talent on the team. That's not what the situation is now. The Benson situation is significantly different from those examples. His play, not his draft status, is the primary reason why there is a discussion about keeping him up with the big club, at least for an introductory stint, if not longer. It's taken awhile to get to the point where there is enough talent in camp where there is internal competition for a roster spot. As you and others have noted, if he earns a roster spot, as he seems to be doing, it will be because his play has warranted him being given a longer look. This is a situation that shouldn't be feared----it is a situation that should be celebrated.

The one thing I'm not going to worry about is another player, based on performance, earning the right to supplant another player. Internal competition is a good thing for a team, and is often stated by the GM. If Krebs is beaten out as a third center, there is still a potential role for him as a fourth center. I agree with you that this is an important year for Krebs to solidify a position on this team, even if it means a different role next year.

You are allowing a preseason game with a mish mash roster to be too influential in your assessments. The best way to approach this game is to simply put it aside. You are giving too much credence to an insubstantial outing. This game was a reflection of the bumpy process of a preseason camp.