JohnC

It's the same story that every GM tells. They all must be reading from the same script. 🏒

Of the three people you just mentioned the one person that I have little regard for is Mike Schopp. He's been on WGR, a sports talk station for a long time. I don't even think that he likes or cares about sports. His longevity on the station has me perplexed.

I'm a Marty Biron fan. He has a lively personality but also knows hockey. He's very clued into the league and has a lot of inside information. He's enjoyable to listen to and is also very informative.

Shayna Goldman made the point that the free agent market isn't as rich as many believe it to be. That is due as much to expected contracts and terms for those players who will be in the market-place. She singled out Compher whom she liked a lot. She felt that a lot of teams would benefit with him on their roster. The issue that makes him a tough sell is the money he will want. She also pointed out as many have that a priority for KA has to be the blueline. It's more likely that priority will be addressed via a trade. Shayna Goldman's perspective on hockey is very much undergirded by analytics. She appears on Sabres LIve. She has an engaging and lively personality and is able to support her views through data. She and Marty Biron are an enjoyable duo to listen to. Marty Biron has a very bubbly enthusiastic personality. However, don't let his ebullient style of presentation override the fact that he is knowledgeable, knows the players and the teams in the league. He's very clued in. Needless, to say I am a Marty B fan. (Sometimes using a Google Chrome browser will allow you to bring up a WGR link. And sometimes it doesn't work. It seems that I'm only able to copy the link off of Google Chrome.)

On WGR's Sabre Live show Shana Goldman talks about the free agency market. She offers some interesting suggestions at the end of the interview. This is a 14 minute interview. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/hosts/sabres-live

Within this WGR link is a segment with Mitchel Brown who has a twitter account that focuses on hockey. In this 13 minute segment he discusses the Benson pick. Also, within this link there were other hockey segments. After listening to the Mitchell Brown segment I'm so excited! There is also a Paul Hamilton segment where he discusses the Quinn injury. (If you can't bring up this link try using a Google Chrome browser.) https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy-show

Post first round draft you have proven to be astute and perspicacious. 🍺

I agree with your comment about the GM's conservative trait. As @Doohickie stated this GM is very deliberative, detailed and thoughtful before making decisions. He's not the type of GM searching for blockbuster deals that make a big splash. He's more inclined to steadily make incremental improvements than big roster moves. In my view, that is why he has been so successful. He's not looking for a short cut in the rebuild process. He has a blue-collar mentality where you chip away every day.

Most people agree with you that it would be advantageous to bring in another player to pair with Power. The issue then becomes who is available and what is the price? KA is very conscious of the contracts (price and term) that he brings in. So far, he hasn't found a good match yet. There's still more time to work out what he considers to be good value deals. We shall see.

How do you know that he hasn't done what you suggested? Just because deals aren't completed don't mean he hasn't tried to make them.

Are you suggesting that just because a good player is on a less than fully successful team, that the player's performance is diminished? There are a lot of reasons why teams are not successful that have little to do with how an individual performs. A better way of framing this issue is: does the play of a particular player make a team better than if he weren't on the team? With respect to the players you listed the answer is yes.

It's more likely that this fixation on acquiring a player such as Pesce at any cost is a Sabrespace reaction. The GM has worked hard to re- stock the depleted talent pool in the system. He's not now going to go against everything he has done since taking over. One undercutting problem with Pesce is if he is acquired, it would make no sense to do so if an expensive contract wasn't in place or planned to be offered. Dahlin will soon sign a rich contract and Power will be in the short line waiting for a deal. Don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I would love to acquire Pesce. But I don't see KA acquiring him for what @sweetlousuggests (Ostulund/Rosen and 24 1st). It goes against how the GM has operated during his tenure. I wouldn't be surprised if KA makes a deal for a defenseman or two during this draft or before camp begins. But I'm more inclined to think that if he brings in blueline help, it won't be through a blockbuster deal where he has to give up major assets to do so. As I see it, it's more likely that the GM adds 4/5 caliber bluelines rather than a 3/4 blueliners to this unit that clearly needs a boost. A good topic of debate would be: Is it better to add two 4/5 blueliners or one high cost 3/4 blueliner to the roster? Which approach strengthens the team more?

There may be more action on the second day of the draft.

Do you have an idea of what the asking price is for Saros, assuming he is being shopped?

https://www.frootbat.com/product/4818200/Johnnie-Walker-The-Jane-Walker-Edition-Black-Label-12-Year-Old-Blended-Scotch-Whisky-750ml-Bottle/United-States?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs8q5z4Xn_wIVjc7ICh37XwHLEAYYAyABEgK0d_D_BwE Sip it slowly. This is expensive stuff. He can have a medicinal effect and also give you a nice glow. 🍷 How about Krebs centering with Mitts and Greenway on the wings? Or how about Mitts/Krebs/Kulich?

You intentionally or not bring up an intriguing issue relating to Mitts: Who are going to be his linemates? And you also make a good point that this team has accumulated enough talent to construct a good third line. This roster has gone from a thin to a deeper roster.

However you want to characterize those moves, collectively those moves were significantly positive. The GM has made a large number of personnel decisions. For the most part, they have worked out. So what's there to complain about?

The approach that the GM has taken has been consistent in adhering to his strategy of mostly building from within. In three years, he has taken a mocked franchise noted for its systemic incompetence and turned it around. The Sabres are now considered one of the emerging teams in the league. In this case being steadfast in adhering to his rebuilding strategy has been a success. KA is a prudent and judicious manager. He has steered this woebegone franchise in the right direction. The notion that he has been unwilling to make significant moves belies what he has actually done. He dealt the old core and got back a good return on players who were going to be UFA's in a year. The Jack trade helped Vegas win the Cup and also accelerated our rebuild. He had young players on the roster who successfully ended up playing higher roles. Those were significant moves that transformed this flailing team.

What do you base your judgment on? At the end of the season playoff run when Casey played on the top line, he played well The line not only didn't miss a beat without Tage but it excelled. With respect to Krebs, his solid play on the fourth line had no drop-off during that end of season pressurized run.

Thanks for the response. Even if the Hannifan report was from a parody source you did answer the question.

If you get neither player then you go down the list and add the next best defenders you can get. Not that complicated. Where you can get better, you get better.

There are too many pleasurable things to think about before hitting the sack. Ruminating over one of my hockey questions shouldn't be one of them. Sleep well and refresh yourself for tomorrow. It is going to be an exciting day for Sabre fans. 🍷

If you had a choice between Pesce or Hannifan, which would you choose, assuming the price was similar?

I don't think that not getting Blackwood is a missed opportunity. My sense is that the GM believes that the majority of goalies in the mid-tier, other than the costly few elite goalies, are not measurable upgrades with what he already has on the roster. What Vegas demonstrated is that team defense is a big factor in how the goalie performs. What Levi showed by his play in the end of the season playoff run is that the stage is not too big for him.

Kris Baker gushed over Pellikka when he was recently on WGR. He also touted Oliver Moore, whom he considered to be one of the fastest players in the draft. He felt that Moore was an excellent fit for how this roster is being built. The bottom line is the Sabres should come away with a talented prospect if the pick is kept, as I expect.