JohnC

VO doesn't have a long-term future here. That's easy to recognize. But that doesn't mean that for the short-term he can't be used to fill the void left by the injury of Quinn. I'm not suggesting that he will take Quinn's spot on the second line. But the roster spot made available can be filled by VO and utilized on a lower line. The bottom line is that VO will have to compete for a roster spot and role this year. He will need to upgrade and round his game for him to earn playing time.

I understand your position about "not blocking" young players when a more experience player could play the position more proficiently. It goes against the concept of competing to earn a spot and role. But the GM has made it clear what his rebuilding plan was. He was going to play younger players in order to accelerate their development. For the most part, I would say that the strategy worked. It was recognizable to all that JJP and in intervals Quinn struggled during the season. But the extended playing time they got should benefit the team in the near term because they will be better players sooner rather than later. I think the Sabres are now at a different competitive standpoint. As was demonstrated at the end of the season in the playoff race the coaches relied heavily on the players who gave the team a better chance to win at the expense of some other players who were relegated to the bench.

Most people would agree with that assessment. It shouldn't be a surprise that as the talent base increases he will drop down in the line assignment. I just think that because of Quinn's injury he will have some utility this season. Maybe he will or not? We shall see how this plays out.

You may be right that in a year or so other players will be ready to replace him. But that doesn't mean that in this upcoming season he can't be a contributor. I simply don't understand why you and others are so adamant that he can't be a contributor this season. When training camp begins he will have an opportunity to compete for a roster spot and role. I just don't understand this automatic dismissal of a player who has shown an ability to score goals.

VO is going to compete for a job like many of the other players. As you well know most of the positions are already filled. If he doesn't elevate his game, he won't get much playing time, let alone earn a roster spot. If he does, and surprises us, he will help the team. If Quinn wasn't hurt I could understand why there would be a lack of tolerance/patience for him taking a roster spot. Why not wait to see what he does in camp before closing the proverbial door on him? And as you well know, the majority here were adamant that Mitts would never succeed here. They were wrong.

That's what lawyers are trained to do. The prosecutor one day becomes the defending attorney on another day. The chair and table you sit on in court one day can end up with you sitting at the other chair and table the next day. It's the nature of the beast. 🍺

Are you completely dismissing the possibility of VO of shoring up his game and becoming a contributor, even if it is for a lower line? I'm not suggesting that he should he be the replacement player for Quinn. But because of his injury it does give VO an opportunity to play. Hopefully he can expand his game beyond being just a shooter. Right now, I'm not ruling him out as many are doing.

I'm not in the pro-Kane crowd. However, you still rile me up and get me energized when you make some of your goalie proposals. It should be acknowledged that you do have a natural talent for agitating. It shouldn't be surprising because lawyers are predisposed in possessing that provoking talent. 😄

A lot of cities tore down their vacant buildings that were architecturally gems for the sake of urban renewal. Western NY also did that but not to such an extent. Without a doubt it's easier to tear down a vacant building than restore it. The old buildings are a challenge to restore and modernize. You have to know what you are doing and understand the complexities involved in revitalizing those historical buildings. Douglas Jemal and his company have that special expertise for such a challenging endeavor. He's stated on many occasions that it is his passion to bring back to life those historical buildings. Douglas Jemal is not originally from the area. However, he is one of the most active developers in the region. The projects he starts get finished. Not always as fast as people would like but they move forward and get done. To his credit, because of his sterling reputation and record, the city planning board usually goes along with his project proposals because he follows through on what he says he is going to do.

One of the major developers in the MD/DC/VA area, Douglas Jemal, identified Buffalo and western NY as a marvelous place to invest and work in. He's often stated that Buffalo with its rich history and architecture were enticing inducements for him to take advantage of. The Seneca One project and the Statler Hilton are two of the many projects he has gotten involved in. Just as with the hockey team, outsiders are taking notice of the turnaround that has been going on. The outside perception of the area has dramatically changed to the positive.

Big Ben did lose a lot of support in Pittsburgh and with his teammates. His reputation of being a jerk and bad behavior was not a secret in that town. There were bars where he was not allowed in because of his prior inappropriate (understated) conduct towards women. Even his own family let him know how disappointed they were in him as a family member. To his credit, during his suspension he seemed to take the time to self-reflect on the destructive course he was taking. He then manned and took responsibility for his actions and put in the effort to what it took to become a better person. How he changed as a person is a good example of redemption.

Overall, I'm more than pleased with how KA has managed the operation. Of all the personnel decisions he has made there is one decision that I strenuously disagreed with: That is how he handled the Ullmark issue. I felt at the time, and still do, that he should have gone outside the contract parameters he set for this goalie to get a deal done. I thought he should have exhibited more flexibility in his effort to sign him. In my opinion, if Ullmark were on the roster last ylear, the Sabres would have been a playoff team. And this year, if Ullmark and Levi were the tandem goalies, the Sabres would be a formidable team. The past is the past, and you move on.

I have no problem with him in the starting lineup. When training camp starts (assuming he isn't dealt), he will be competing for a position on one of the lines. He'll either earn a position or will not. That's how it works. Because of Quinn's injury his chances of being on the roster and playing has increased.

The GM is responsible for assembling the roster. Ultimately, he will be held accountable for the success of the team. Success is not predicated on one position, but the goalie position is a factor in success or failure more than any other position. Most people would agree on that. And so would he. Is the GM taking a risk by maintaining the status quo in the staffing of the position? Of course he is. At least for now, he has made a judgment that he prefers the status quo over giving up assets to bring in another goalie. If the stance he has taken doesn't work out and is a main factor in the failure of the team, he would be held accountable. It doesn't matter if there are apologists for him or not. That's the reality he works in. And he knows that.

I'm sure you will agree that I got my robotic response down pat.

I am fine with Joki as Power's partner. And have said so many times. However, I have also said (many times) that if a better partner could be acquired to partner with Power, I would be fine with that. Why would I be against a better partner or even a forward replacing a lesser player? That's a sign that the roster is getting deeper and internal competition is ratcheting up. If Joki is moved down to the third pairing, then that pairing should be better than before. A roster with more talent is what every front office strives for. That's not only a good thing but also a situation that I'm not going to complain about. Is Joki a better partner for Power than Clifton is? I don't know. Players compete and determine where they should be slotted. And when the inevitable injuries occur the team with more depth handles the setbacks better.

I would still like to add a 4/5 defenseman to the blueline unit. As you well know, I'm not bothered by our current staffing in net. Add another good third pairing player to the unit and upgrade the lower pairings. In my opinion, Dahlin and Power are playing too many minutes. There is a need to better distribute the minutes within all the pairings.

Very often a decision not to do anything is the something that the GM decided to make. You and the majority don't agree with the status quo situation that the GM, so far, has taken. It appears that Levi is going to be our primary goalie with UPL and Comrie competing for the backup role. I'm not worried about the current goalie staffing. Instead of getting another goalie I would rather the GM bring in another 4/5 defenseman and put the goalies, whoever they are, in a better position to succeed.

That's the primary reason why that it is unlikely that he will take a leave of absence to play in a tournament.

I suspect that a poster here works for the contractor. You were ratted out. ☠️

Adamant no, unless there is an extension. Even if it were for two years. If the Sabres were looking to make another deal I would prefer it would be for another 4/5 defenseman.

Wait it out. I had a contractor do a complete remodel on my kitchen and bathroom. I mistakenly paid in full before the job was complete. After he was paid he refused numerous requests to do some minor calk work to completely finish the job. After a number of futile calls I got madder and madder. So I wrote a letter to the state consumer agency in the state that dealt with contractors. The person in the state office called him and told him that if he didn't finish the job by the next day, he was going to pull his bond, which would have prevented him from doing any work. He sent someone to complete the caulking job the next day. It took less than 15 minutes. Again, I recommend that you not complete the payment until the job is complete. If it doesn't get completed, you saved some money off of their unprofessionalism.

I would do the bridge deal. He should follow the Dahlin model of a bridge deal and then follow it up with a deal that falls in line with the market rate for a player of his caliber. The bottom line is he should do whatever he believes is in his best interest.

Vegas got Eichel in a trade. I consider him to be an elite player. In my view, the return on Eichel was more than fair. What it did for the Sabres is add two players, one of which (Tuch) turned out to be a high-end player. The dealing of Eichel also internally reconfigured the roster in that it elevated Tage's role, and with the addition of Tuch contributed to building a quality first line. I'm not fully disputing your premise about the difficulty in acquiring an elite player. But in the Buffalo/Vegas trade there was a multiplier effect for Buffalo that balanced out the trade of our star player.

I'm not suggesting that our blueline staffing is at a premier level. But compared to last year this unit is much more presentable. And if Ryan Johnson is able to move up after a stint in Rochester it will look even better. A far cry from last year!