Doohicksie

Doesn't matter. Eichel was a disaster. But if Tim Murray had picked Marner, Barzal, or Connor instead, Marner, Barzal, or Connor would have been the disaster. It's as much about Murray's crap team building as anything else. But that's exactly what redrafts are.

I looked and the Amerks were losing 4-2 so I thought that was it. I checked again and holy chit! 5-4.... Hold on, Roc! Hold on!

I'd find some local groups on Facebook that have names like, "[Locality] Garage Sale". Also, if you are on Nextdoor, post there. I've head decent luck posting/selling stuff there.

No, that's pretty much what I read too.

I would say among Dmen, Power and Dahlin are core. Muel and Joki may also be but... maybe not. Among forwards I think the first line is (Skinner-Tage-Tuch), and probably Cozens, maybe Mitts, Krebs, Olofsson.... in decreasing order.... The "veteran core" (i.e., they've been here a long time but probably not much longer) are Okposo and Girgs.

That's really all I'm hoping for next year. Unless we see TO in the first round, then a first round win is a must. 😈

You don't think I know this? I live in Texas. I believe I also read that something like 90% of Americans *don't* own a gun (might be a different number; going of my increasingly leaky memory here). The point is that the people who own guns own a LOT of them, and the vast majority of people don't own guns.

I've read the claim the cops on the scene made that the Uvalde shooter was wearing body armor is now in dispute.

I know, right? Although the soccer moms in Texas already support him for the most part.

I have this irrational hope that those two will coordinate a response to the effect of, "The party's over, NRA, and we want your help in getting a lid on this thing." But logically I know that ain't happening. It would be one way Abbott in particular could boost his re-election campaign considering the hits he's taken about the February Freeze last year.

Agree with all that, with the possible exception of also wanting to fill the *right* hole in the lineup. That's why I think Kevyn will wait a bit before making any trade to try to improve the team. Maybe he has already identified that hole (goalie being the obvious one) and is working on a trade. But this build is so much about chemistry and development I kind of see him wanting to see where the Sabres stand and how they are progressing before hitting the trade market.

Yep. And responding in kind is jerky.

I think this is the spot: That's kind of jerky.

Oh I don't disagree. I think easy access to guns, esp. assault rifles, is a big problem too. For gun control solutions I'd be interested in studying Australia and Switzerland. Australia is similar in many ways to the U.S.; probably the only other country of any size with a similar rugged individualism ethos, and with a long history of personal gun ownership. After Port Arthur there was a national will to prevent recurrence and they've been by and large successful. I just don't see that happening in the U.S. but I'd be interested in trying. Switzerland is the other extreme with a very high rate of gun ownership, but also most adult males serve in the militia and have training. While many people own guns in Switzerland, ammo is fairly tightly controlled, as is the carrying/transport of guns. I think either way would be successful if implemented in the U.S. but trying to pass *any* gun control legislation is supremely difficult here.

Honestly? Awful wealth distribution I think is a significant pressure on a lot of Americans right now. There is, overall, plenty of wealth to go around. The problem is it doesn't go around and is too concentrated in too few hands. Often people who are struggling financially are working full time jobs yet they can't support themselves and their families. In this nation that's just flat out wrong. If people didn't face the financial pressures they do, the uncertainties they do, they wouldn't have the type of pressure on them that pushes them past the brink. Other countries have much more extensive social safety nets. Yes that includes better mental health care, but also better, more accessible health care in general, better unemployment benefits, better leave benefits, better transit options. I think toxic masculinity is also an issue. The thing that makes it unique is that rather than a sense of community the U.S. ethos is one of rugged individualism. There isn't the right kind of help available to people who need it, and if there was, that cultural ethos makes it harder to ask for it. I think there's a reason why most of these shooters are men. Any attempt to address these issues is attacked by politicians and pundits as socialism and a threat to freedom. But really, if you don't have financial and health care pressures to worry about, doesn't that make you more free?

In response to your first sentence, I think most people on the forum were buoyed by the potential of every GM and coaching hire of the Pegula era.... at the time. I think their approach since Adams was hired is basically they've delegated authority to him in a position of mutual trust. He keeps them informed and gets their buy-in on major decisions, but I truly get the sense that they're letting Kevyn drive the bus. I don't think they placed that level of trust in any of the previous GMs.

I just hope they're not paying any players on dead contracts (Boychuk).

I won't fight you, but I trust that if Kevyn pulls the trigger on a deal to bring in a new piece, it will be the *right* trade, not a trade just for the sake of making a trade. I could see him waiting until the right player is available for the right price. The Sabres aren't in "win the Cup now" mode yet, and I hope Kevyn deploys his patience in much the same way he did with the Eichel trade. If the Sabres look good out of the gate but there is a glaring need, I could see him pulling the trigger on a trade before Christmas. But I think he may want to see how things work with the current cast before doing that. Adding a key piece around mid-season could give the Sabres a big boost to make a run to the playoffs.

I see those two more as depth than core. I think we saw at the end of the season they can't hold down a defensive pairing between them, but they have value as complementary D to a more prominent player. I love Muel and Dahlin together, but I think overall if Granato is going to be playing the same 6 D he played at the end of the season, you put Bryson with Dahlin and Muel with Fitz. Ideally though I think Bryson and Fitz should be viewed as 6/7 Dmen, one plays while the other rides the pine and you have Dahls-Muel, Joki-Power, and VeternD-Bryson or Fitz. (depending on the VeteranD, he might be a Top 4 piece and Muel or Joki moves down to third pairing)

Naw, I got your point, just being cynical. I tend to fall into the camp of waiting a bit until we really know where the holes are that need to be filled (aside from goalie). At some point the development of the young core will level off; that might be a good time to bring in that piece. (Mind you, that might even be later this season or next off season.)

...not to mention Tage.

I'm willing to call it Year Three. In Year 1 Adams took action to begin the pivot including signing Reinhart to only a one year deal and drafting JJ and Quinn. They on-ice product that first year was driven by Krueger but Adams was already laying groundwork for a change in direction.

Yeah, that worked so well with Hall and Staal...

I think we both now recognize that was fool's gold. When Darcy said, "There will be pain" I think he was saying that until they focused on the future and not the present, they would never get out of the 9th place rut. Kevyn is showing the truth of that.