JohnC

A while back on WGR, Granato was talking about Skinner when he was virtually exiled as a player by Krueger. He said what impressed him about Skinner was that even though his role on the team was severely diminished, he was still one of the hardest workers in practice. The coach noted that he did more post practice individual skill training than any other player. The more that the former coached buried him, the harder that he worked on his game. He had an irrepressible spirit that couldn't be broken by a misguided coach.

I have never met him and don't know him. I have listened on WGR to maybe half a dozen people who do know him from his playing days and worked with him in other capacities who all virtually say the same things about him i.e. that he is intelligent, works well with people and listens to what others have to say before making a decision. Simply stated, his leadership/management style is more of a collaborator than autocratic, top/down approach. In addition, he has talked on multiple radio broadcasts (for me mostly on WGR) about his approach to rebuilding the franchise. Based on what he has frequently stated it's not difficult to decipher what his philosophy is as the head of this franchise. He often refers to the Carolina model of having a deep team and not being dependent on a few individual players. As you stated, the plan that he had and laid out when he took the GM position is the plan that he is executing.

Before you shut the door you need to go back into the room. You got it backwards. His talent to converse is far from being sterling, while his talent to listen is. He's a proponent that you learn more from listening to other people than you do talking to other people. That's why in his short tenure he has been successful. There's still a lot more to do but the course he has set is the right course. At least, that is how I see it.

You and I agree on Adams. As I said in a prior post, he is more of a collaborator than a driver of policy. He surrounded himself with people who were very experienced in the hockey business, even more so than he was. He would be the first to admit that. You have to be very secure to do that. KA is more of a listener than a talker. He assembled a first-class staff, gave them a wide berth, and empowered them. That's why as the head of the franchise he has been a sterling success.

On that issue we are in accord. One area where I have admiration for him is that he is more of a collaborator than a driver on issues. That approach works when you are secure enough to surround yourself with top notch people. His hiring of Karmonos, a more experienced front office executive, is an example of not only surrounding yourself with quality staff but also listening to them. His hiring of Granato made a profound difference on the roster and team.

It is hyperbole to say that the roster was completely dismantled because as you point out that wasn't the case. But it is not hyperbolic to say that there was a near total dismantling of the organization as it pertains to the front office and staff. The scouting department was not retained. The coaching staff, after Granato was named as the permanent replacement, was replaced. The Rochester staff was also let go. KA brought in Karmonos as his assistant GM and also gave him a lot of additional responsibilities, including designating him the Rochester GM. This franchise became more reliant on analytics after he became the GM. The ethos and culture of this organization was dramatically changed. What I want to emphasize here is don't discount the near total rebuilding of the organization in this franchise's progress. You are right that the Sabres still retained a number of former first round draft picks. But let's look at how they were handled after a new GM was installed. The former players who formed the previous core who were high first round picks such as Eichel, Reinhart and to a lesser extent Risto. They were all dealt. And the remaining high first round draft picks such as Skinner, Tage and Dahlin replaced the departed core. Prior to KA, those players in the Krueger era were inexplicably stifled by Krueger and his outdated hockey philosophy. Credit has to be given to KA for not only dispatching the old core but also getting a fair return on them. And credit has to be given to KA for being smart enough to replace Krueger with Granato on an interim basis, and then on a more permanent basis. You are correct that this roster wasn't totally dismantled but it went through a major reshuffling. There were a lot of good organizational decisions made in that reshuffling of the roster.

I'm not a prospect aficionado and won't pretend to be. But as you noted, most of the evaluations I have read about him place him as a third pairing caliber of prospect. I would love to get him in the system because of the dearth of defensemen in the system. But as you emphasized, third pairing players are more readily available on the market than top two pairing players. I really don't believe that getting Johnson to sign is something the GM is worried about. In contrast, I'm sure it was a priority for KA to get Levi signed as soon as possible. I remember last year when KA was on WGR and talked about not being able to sign Ullmark. He stated that the organization does its due diligence and places a value on a player and the cost/contract. He emphasized that you have to believe in your staff and their evaluations, and then have the fortitude and discipline to abide by them. The Ullmark situation was a difficult decision. On the other hand the Johnson situation is not something he is going to lose sleep over.

I understand what you are saying. However, I have a little different perspective on the Sabres rebuild than you do. There is no question that it isn't to the point of completion. We all agree on that. But my perspective/interpretation of success in Buffalo is that compared to where it started, and where it is now, this rebuilding process is a resounding success. No question there is more to do. But right now, I would deem it to be on course and a success. The organization was completely dismantled and rebuilt. The farm system that was considered to be shallow is now restocked to the point where it is rated one of the more talented systems. The old core has been dealt, and the return in assets was more than solid. There isn't one aspect on the ice or front office that has gone through a major overhaul isn't significantly upgraded. And I'm confident in saying that most outside observers would also acknowledge those improvements. The upgraded product on the ice underscores all those points.

I wholeheartedly agree with that. Either you are committed to the team, or you are not. Because he talks so much about players wanting to be here, I have the impression that he is wary of players/prospects who even show some hesitancy about being a Sabre.

I'm not sure what you mean by jumping the gun with respect to my comments. The point I was attempting to make is that any GM candidate should know from a general standpoint what direction the owners want to take the team. Is it a full-blown rebuild, a partial rebuild or a status quo approach upon assuming the position? If it is a major rebuild, that would entail trading assets such as Crosby and Malkin for future assets. If it is a partial rebuild, it might be trading only Malkin and keeping Crosby. If the owners wanted to stay as competitive as possible, it would most likely mean keeping both players. When KA assumed the GM position, he had a rebuild blueprint in mind. He was determined to trade our old core for future assets and elevate a newer younger core already on the roster. There is no question that the owner was on board when he hired KA to lead the hockey operation. Pittsburgh has been a cup contender for quite a while. Most people would consider them approaching the down cycle from a competitive standpoint. Recognizing where your team is in that cycle is what I was referring to when I described the situation as an inflection point. When Karmonos joined the Sabre organization, he knew exactly what the GM's plans were for the rebuild. He also knew that owner was on board to the GM's plan. If Karmonos is a serious candidate for the Penguin job, his views should align with how the owners want to proceed. If they don't, there would be problems right from the start. I'm sure someone as smart as he is in the business is aware of that.

What the Johnson saga is demonstrating is that the Sabres are at a stage where it doesn't very much matter whether he signs or not. If he does, that would be great. It will add to the growing stable of prospects. It's more likely than not that if he signs, he will start off in Rochester. Johnson has to make a decision to what he believes is in his own best interest. I still think that if he reviews his options that Buffalo gives him the best opportunity to play in the NHL sooner rather than later. The GM has set his boundaries, and he is sticking to them. The organization is now run in an orderly way. The haphazard and undisciplined way of doing business is a thing of the past.

The issue regarding the lacking defensive play is also influenced by the defensive play of our forwards. In the last dozen to fifteen games, there was a noticeable recognition that the lines had to play a more responsible two-way style of hockey. And they did play that tighter brand of hockey. Again, what will be the driving force for improvement will be internal improvement. I'm counting on that more than outside help. Although, that doesn't mean that I don't want to see additions.

I'm more upbeat about next season if your projection materializes. The lineup that you posted is capable of making the next step. If a single defenseman is brought in who is a #4 caliber of player, that would have a positive cascading affect for the unit. If two #5s were brought in, it would also reinforce the unit. However, I strongly disagree with you that much is dependent on Levi is spectacular. I don't see that as a requirement for this team to move up the ranks. What I want is for Levi to be consistently good and the backups to be solid. In my view, if the Sabres would have that caliber of netminding all season long, the Sabres would have earned close to eight to ten more points in the standings. The Sabres were not that far off from being a playoff team this season. Next season, mostly due to internal improvement and some additions to the blueline, this team should have their playoff position secured sooner and not be in such a precariously playoff position that it was in this season. You need to be more upbeat. Your pessimism is self-generated. Based on what has already happened, it shouldn't be the case.

You make a good point that if the organization makes some visible moves this offseason, especially on the blueline, it will give more credence to the belief that next year's team will be a serious team. The end of the season crowds this past season were larger and more engaged. That's what happens when you have something to play for and cheer for. Starting the season off well will create an enthusiasm and demand for a product that should carry on throughout the season. If the team starts off slowly, the fan momentum will be stalled and the "wait until you show me" fan attitude will continue on.

When the room is dead the juices don't flow. 🏒

Mike Harrington wrote an article in the Buffalo News yesterday listing the Sabres record on the road and at home. The road record was 25-13-3 while the home record was17-20-4. What stood out was the team's record when there were 17000 plus people in the arena: It was 10-5-2. When the attendance was below 17000, the record was 7-15-2. Most of our dud games were in front of small crowds. As was evident at the end of the season when the team was making a playoff run, the fans filled the arena and the players played with a lot more energy. It's important that next season the team starts off. It needs to quickly show the fans that this team has turned the corner and is now a serious team in the league. How this team finished this season should augur well for even some of the skeptics next season.

Why wouldn't the GM want to get a deal sooner rather than later? (Rhetorical question.) The cost will go up the longer it takes to get a deal locked up. The issue isn't so much what the GM wants to do as it is what do the players want to do. Dahlin was smart when he took a bridge deal. Now as time passed from that signing, he has demonstrated that he is one of the top defenders in the league. What the elite players in the league are getting is the range in which he will be getting. And you don't have to be a hockey aficionado to recognize how good Power is now, and how much better he is going to get in the near future. Most organizations would be ecstatic to have one elite defenseman on their roster. We inarguably have two. And to top things off, both players are committed to their craft and are committed to their team. Both are players and people you are proud to have representing your franchise. These are two players that when they get the premium dollars they richly deserve, you are happy for them. They earned it.

I agree with everything you said. We are in accord that on this team Krebs projects to be a #4 &3C. (As you stated.) But if injuries happened and he is called upon to move up to a #2C slot on a temporary basis, he should be able to handle that role on a short-term basis without a major diminishment of the line he has moved up to. At the time when Granato moved Krebs to the Okposo/Girgs line I thought it was an odd move. It turned out to be a brilliant move. It transformed his floating junior hockey style game to a NHL style of play that required more discipline and a tighter style of play. As with Mitts and Tage, I see Krebs getting better as he physically matures. There is much discussion here about internal improvement being the engine that will move this team up the ranks. It's going to be fun following players like Krebs, Power, Quinn, JJ etc and watching their growth as NHL players.

As our talent base increases, you can see the value of players having an ability to play a variety of roles. He, like Mitts, has the versatility to move up and down the lines, and play center and forward when needed. Injuries happen. But as demonstrated by Mitts moving up from a third line wing to the first line as a center, there wasn't much of a drop off, if any, of the production on our #1 line. As you point out, Krebs played center on a mostly defensive line, but he also has the ability to play on our specialty units and move up to higher lines if the need arises. Compared to previous years, where the dearth of talent on the roster had players placed on higher lines or pairings than their talent level would indicate. That's less true now.

The grittier style that he was required to play was the reason why he was so much better as a player. To his credit, he seemed to embrace that adjustment to his prior style of play. There is still more growth potential to his game on both sides of the ice. That's a credit to him and the coaching staff.

The 50% that you label as inadequate is the lower half of the unit. You don't think that the GM is aware that the blueline unit needs to be strengthened? If the GM is not aware of that particular deficiency, then why did he pursue Chycrun just prior to the trade deadline? I'm confident that this offseason the GM is going to add to the group. Will a top two pairing caliber player be brought in? I believe so. But if that type of transaction can't be added, I'm confident that at the minimum maybe two 4/5 caliber of players will be added to the mix. It will not only strengthen the unit but will provide depth that is also needed. As far as the goalie situation, there is no question that the play was uneven. (Trying to be kind.) But even if Comrie and UPL are still on the roster, that position will be strengthen with the addition of Levi. I don't know how anyone can't be excited about him in net next year? I don't disagree with your identification of where this roster's main deficiencies are. It's not a secret because it's evident to everyone. However, I do have some criticism of your perspective in that you get too fixated with the current deficiencies without balancing out the strengths of the roster. This team improved by 16 points from the previous year. That's not trivial. The Sabres beat a lot of top tier teams. And when you watched them against the best teams, even when they lost, it was rare where you can say that they were overmatched. Usually, the sensation was that we were just as good as the quality opposition when both teams were playing well. As others have said, the major reason why this roster will continue to get better will be through internal improvement. That's the exciting part of this roster. Young players such Quinn, JJ and Power still have a lot of potential to draw from. I agree with much of the particulars that you have said. On the other hand, I disagree with how you don't look at the roster from a broader perspective. It's a step-by- step approach. It doesn't come all at once.

Very often, taking over a program that is at an inflection point as whether to rebuild or continue to hang on a as a marginal playoff team is a good situation to take over. If a decision is made by the owners to bring in a new staff to reconstruct the program, then that would be a good situation for a new staff because it would need a number of years to execute such a plan. If the owners wanted to retain its core in Crosby and Maulkin and build around the fading group, then that would be an almost possible situation to throw yourself into. When Karmonos joined the KA staff he knew that the strategy was to dramatically rebuild the organization, top to bottom. The advantage that KA had was that he had a core that was still relatively young that would have value when dealt. KA was masterful in maximizing their value and receiving multiple assets back to help restore the talent base in the system. He was also fortunate to have a young core in players such as Tage, Cozens and Dahlin that was able to step up and fill the void left by the departures. You are absolutely right that anyone taking on the Pittsburgh job should not expect a quick fix. When Karmonos joined the Sabres I'm sure he had an idea of how long it would take to restore this dilapidated franchise into a successful operation. The big issue is more about what the owners expect and would be willing to allow the new management group to do. Will they give the new crew the resources, authority and time to do what needs to be done? What's interesting about the Karmonos consideration for a GM position is that it says a lot about the franchise that he would be coming from. It says that the operation is a success and that the people working there are appealing candidates for other jobs.

Attached is a link from WGR where Paul Hamilton talks about the locker cleanout. It is a 20 min segment. In the beginning of the segment, he talks about the injuries. It was very extensive. Samuelsson and Tage were playing with a number of injuries. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/authors/howard-and-jeremy-show

Now I got it. As you are well aware I can be thick at times. 🍺

Having coaching changes certainly wouldn't be much of a surprise. The PK was less than mediocre. I'm not suggesting that the Sabres won't consider options in net. They should. But when all is said and done, I'm comfortable with the stance I have taken. However, if an upgrade is brought in, I would be all for it. I just don't see it happening. I want you to know that I am an empathetic person. I will with warmth, gentleness and grace be consoling you when we enter the next season with the goalie staffing that we currently have. 🍷