Porous Five Hole

Boston and Buffalo are not going to make a trade with each other. The only time they traded with each other is when Boston traded for Dan Paille. Competing divisional rivals are just not a match to make a deal.

If you want my candy, you need to say “trick or treat.”

Krebs is getting his cookie @xzy89c1 you gave me a thumbs down, but this is exactly what happened.

One of the important things for Buffalo to make the playoffs was for a perennial team to fall back. Boston is falling back. You cannot bury them until April, but they look bad and I’m here for it.

If this is true, then why did KA give UPL a five year extension?

You’re right, but no one was saying this after Dylan’s 31 goal, 68 point season. It has gone poorly since then, but he was 22 at the time he signed his extension and his current putrid play was not the expected growth model. The plan was for him to grow into a bonafide 2C. So, time to pivot like you’re suggesting. No doubt he has been bad the last 1.25 years and it is on Ruff/Dylan to figure it out, but the plan was for Dylan to continue to ascend. That hasn’t happened. However, I don’t blame the Sabres for not seeing this coming. No one hated the Cozens extension at the time. This is an opportunity for GMKA to make his mark or deservingly get fired…and he has the cap space to make it happen. He probably needs time for a seller to identify they’re a seller and make a hockey trade. His job probably depend on it.

I don’t think you’re wrong. Hindsight is huge here. The concept of having another top four D (with four overall pedigree) for a guy who was expected to be a 3C after the long term extensions to Tage and Cozens made sense at the time. But it turns out that Mitts would have solved our top six problem we have right now. And that’s your point. There’s certainly a drop off between Byram and whomever would have been in the lineup without him here (Bryson or Gilbert—yikes), but Byram has not proven to be enough to justify the trade so far. With that said, Byram has played 28 games so far in his Sabres career. He can flip the script. I might be alone, but I’m still optimistic that the Byram trade won’t be something we regret when this team is fully formed.

You’re doing the Lord’s work. He will thank you. Go Sabres ⚔️

I’m less than 100% this morning 😳

Dysfunction Conjunction shaped my creepy internet life beyond repair.

Wanted to give more than a “like” to your post. Diggs was an integral part of the Bills success while Josh progressed. The offensive design moved away from him as he was declining, but that doesn’t change the fact that ”he was him” during his Bills years. We got his best while he was at his best. The end of our relationship with him sucked and the Texans are worse for it, but I’ll remember Diggs fondly.

Normally I agree. I was feeling vodka tonight and went with it lol

The top six is not good enough as constructed. SDS shield your eyes cuz Krebs is not your boy. Here comes an idea to shake things up. It is time to move Krebs (the plugger we wish Cozens would be) to 3C. His play deserves it. Push McLeod to 2C for the time being. Push Cozens to wing on the top six (there’s a thread about this). Repurposing our 7MM man to figure his stuff out could save our season. Continuing to roll out Cozens on PP1 and C2 is not working. Let Krebs (whose play as a guy who gives a crap) get promoted and promoting McLeod to 2C is the better path forward then rolling out the ghost of “Cozens past” eating minutes where he’s not an offensive threat. The Sabres have be bold here. No fan base has been as patient as this fan base. It is time to not be patient and reward the players like Krebs who show their willingness to win despite the fact that they are not a first line player. I’m drunk and Cozens is not a top six center. Fix it!!

I am about to make a post that I might regret in the morning. Thanks Tito’s 🥃

I’m just saying that three guys with a draft pedigree of these guys could use the coaching of Lindy v Meatballs. Lindy was an edgy defensemen in his playing career who coached some good teams over the last 25 years. With his pedigree, it’s incumbent on Lindy to get the best out of 1OA, 1OA, 4OA. It is supposed to be the Sabres path forward given GMKA’s build of defense first.

I hesitated on this until now due to the contract that Cozens got, but it’s time to try this. Dylan needs to understand that we don’t need him to be a goal scorer…we need him to be Captain Canada. Do the little things that it takes to win (finish every check hard, kill penalties, be nasty after the whistle). He can earn his paycheck and earn a letter in more ways than scoring goals. Putting him on the wing to figure this out may be the way for Dylan to figure his crap out.

This is where I am with the exception with that I was open to the trade. I won’t rehash that part. But I will say that the concept of a one overall, one overall, and fourth overall as your defensive backbone should be elite. And the Sabres D is not elite. This is where the Lindy effect will be real or not. And like you said, Byram being special (or not) is huge part of that.

The Sabres might be in trouble here. They banked too much of their offseason on Quinn progressing to be a bonafide top six forward and he’s not close right now. They need to make a hockey trade for a top six forward. Using Kulich as a “threat” to play better or get scratched is not a viable option for a team who is “on notice” to make the playoffs. GMKA’s job may depend on this player. If that’s true, he needs to make a move for a top six forward and overpay if he has to. I don’t think Quinn gets traded, but this team may need to make a trade RE: this post

lol it is important to vote. Glad Election Day will be quicker.

4-5-1 my friend

No, you didn’t imagine it. I heard the same. He was drafted as a skinny 181 pound guy and he’s now 207 pounds. Given his frame hasn’t changed much, you have to assume it is all muscle. Hockey players have transitioned to lean and quick body types. It’s more about core work than muscle mass today. I don’t understand the hand-wringing about this with players today.

Come on man. These guys have the same “good” access as any other media member. Terry and the News have a history and I don’t think he would ever be anywhere near their outlet.

The last 13 years has nothing to do with the third period this afternoon.

This is what he’s talking about. People with this perspective. Everything sucks because the team has sucked for so long. It doesn’t mean everything is going to suck forever.

Even Tage’s tap in goals are like 100 MPH haha