Doohicksie

Is Okie on a downward trend? 2020-21: 35 GP, 2G, 11A, 13P, .37 PPG 2021-22: 74 GP, 21G, 24A, 45P, .61 PPG We'll see what happens this year. If his production goes down, It's likely due to less PP time which means that a youngster is tearing it up on the PP.

Before opening the thread, my thought was almost exactly choice #3.

I'm a fan. I wanted to be an Eichel fan and I relished his successes but I never really liked him as a person. I think the team this team is growing into will be not only effective and will be increasingly successful on the ice, they are also players you can love based on their character and work ethic. When talking about about Kulich and why Adams wanted him so bad and yet he slipped to 28th, I think Adams is looking for those intangibles first and then after filtering for players who he perceives has those intangibles, ranks players. Adams put a value on that character evaluation that the teams drafting 17 through 27 either weren't aware of or didn't value like Kevyn does. Who knows, maybe there is a numerical indicator of character that the Sabres analytics department has devised and it's helping direct Kevyn's selections. Now not every successful NHL player on every successful NHL team is a Kevyn Adams Character Guy™ but I think Adams is stressing that aspect because he knows that players who have that will play hard for each other and will be able to reach down deep for that extra something when their backs are against a wall.

Yep. The doomsayers were overdooming it.

No one knows what PA is intending to say. It's like there's extra context in his head that no one else is privy to. I agree. But they'll make the playoffs this year.

The Forton quote at the end really says a lot about where the organization is headed imo.

A lot of people are responding along these lines. I disagree. I think they will be in it right until the end and then eek out a win in Florida on April 4th and run the table against DET, CAR, NYR, NJ & OTT to cement a playoff spot. They will play FLA in the first round, steal home ice advantage in Game 2 and win all their home games to advance. In the clinching game RJ joins Dunleavy in the booth and declare this edition of the Sabres to be "Scary Good" and ask, "NOW DO YOU BELIEVE?" That question will be specifically directed toward @Weave 😉

I think the rest of the league is like @Weave: Show me. I think for many of on the forum and who follow the Sabres as a primary team we understand the philosophy behind the Kevyn Adams rebuild and where he intends to take the team. Some of us are impatient and want it to be faster but most of us understand what he's doing and think it's a sound strategy. If we'd done this in 2013 instead of 2022 we'd be perennial playoff contenders now. I don't think we're "buying" what he's selling though. It's more of a long term investment than a simple purchase. And that's the part the rest of the league watchers don't get yet.

I disagree. It logically belongs in this thread. I don't care about the time involved. Besides: That's kind of cool. 😄

In the games vs. the Sabres last year, he was the only Leafs Dman who defended worth a damn. This. 123%.

A handful of those were "in the right place at the right time" goals- puck coming to him off mad scrambles and rebounds. I hope that translates into the NHL.

Just every other week?

That's a lotta Hopium coming from you sir. I like it.

Would I have taken that trade? Sure. But I'm not going to look at every transaction in the league and think Kevyn had a realistic shot at making the same deal. One team simply can't make all the moves. Kevyn has a plan and is sticking pretty close to it. After the last decade I'd much rather see a coordinated team build, even if it does take a while, than pulling the trigger willy-nilly to acquire a bunch of players that become dead ends (see also XGMTM, JBot).

Sure. Do you remember who called Tage scoring 30+ as 1C before last season started? 😉

Anderson will spend some time injured. Comrie will live up to starter aspirations. Dark horse Malcolm Subban will put up surprisingly good numbers. Sabres goaltending finishes #8 in the league and the Sabres have the 2nd best goal differential.

It suffered an upper body injury and retired.

I looked at my prediction for last year and I was pretty close: He scored 21 goals to beat my prediction of 20, but he didn't win the Masterson Trophy (he should have though). For this year, I'll say another 20 goal season.

I hate marketing with a passion, especially marketing for something I'll never buy.

Kahun?

So it must have been his fault!