Free Agent Frenzy! Oct 9, 2020

[Andrew Amerk]

12 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I gotta give Webster some support here.

We aren’t good, but we are only a few players from being competitive.

And some of those players - Staal, Joki, Cozens, Thompson, and especially Dahlin -  May already be here.

An above-average goalie would have meant 5-10 more points on his own.

The problem is, as of this posting, they still don’t have the goaltending solved, and they are still missing those “2-3” players (Staal may count as one, so let’s say 2).

I understand there’s still players left to be signed - but are they realistically coming here? 
 

Get me a Toffoli or equivalent for the 2nd line, and a Kahun for the 3rd line, and a decent G to split the net with Linus - then I’ll be more optimistic. 

Edited October 10, 2020 by Andrew Amerk

[Wyldnwoody44]

6 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

was going to ask the same thing. Unless you are in the hospital getting scanned as it happens. 

Depends on the dissection, if it's not all the way through the aortic lumen, you have some time. 

[Thorner]

30 minutes ago, Curt said:

The 2019-20 Sabres were the best Sabres team since the tank.  That’s pretty sad, but I think it’s true.

16-17 I think was better, imo. Close in points pace but did it without Jack for 25% of the season. Were the closest to the playoffs the latest. But we are splitting hairs of mediocrity anyways, the 15-16 team had 81 points, right in the same range too. 

Bylsma was frustrating but he was a way better coach than Housley, his system worked to an extent. And remember he did it with a Jack not resembling the Jack we see today. 

Edited October 10, 2020 by Thorny

[Curt]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

16-17 I think was better, imo. Close in points pace but did it without Jack for 25% of the season. Were the closest to the playoffs the latest. But we are splitting hairs of mediocrity anyways, the 15-16 team had 81 points, right in the same range too. 

I’m not using just points as a gauge in that determination.

Those Bylsma teams were close I guess, but they felt consistently dull AF and like there wasn’t much more to give.  I thought last years team played better in general, but obviously had a bad collapse at the end (a bad habit over the past couple seasons).

[Thorner]

7 minutes ago, Curt said:

I’m not using just points as a gauge in that determination.

Those Bylsma teams were close I guess, but they felt consistently dull AF and like there wasn’t much more to give.  I thought last years team played better in general, but obviously had a bad collapse at the end (a bad habit over the past couple seasons).

Ya, this year's team has more upside I'd say. I just think 16-17 would beat them head-to-head.

If memory serves, they were at one point sitting in February with well above a playoff-pace in the games Eichel hadn't missed. 

Edited October 10, 2020 by Thorny

[Brawndo]

 

 

[Brawndo]

 

[Brawndo]

 

[LabattBlue]

Hutton's eye doctor as good as a FA signing?  

[sabremike]

The fact that getting a goalie is clearly not the priority is all the proof anyone should need to know Adams has absolutely no idea what he is doing (same applies to Ralph as well). It is the one thing that can cover up a badly flawed roster like ours and if you throw out the tandem of Ulmark (below average) and Hutton (Doesn't belong in the NHL at this point) the only thing we are winning is another lottery pick.

[dudacek]

47 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Canuck fans will be pissed at that one.

Benning didn't even start talks until this morning, told the fans Tanev would be sleeping on things tonight. And it didn't sound like they were going to talk to Toffoli until they knew what Tanev was doing.

Three key free agents who were all interested in coming back and they are in  danger of going 0-for-3 because they made everybody wait while they chased OEL.

***

In another observation, it seems like Boston has to be in on someone; they have more space than many and they lost Krug.

Wonder if they are chasing to the two big fish: Hall and Pietrangelo.

[dudacek]

4 minutes ago, sabremike said:

The fact that getting a goalie is clearly not the priority is all the proof anyone should need to know Adams has absolutely no idea what he is doing (same applies to Ralph as well). It is the one thing that can cover up a badly flawed roster like ours and if you throw out the tandem of Ulmark (below average) and Hutton (Doesn't belong in the NHL at this point) the only thing we are winning is another lottery pick.

Best ones appear gone from the UFA market; Griess, Anderson and Mike Smith the best of what's left? Griess isn't bad, I guess.

Still the Arizona pair and the Columbus pair on the trade market, although neither has to go anywhere. And of, course, Fleury.

I'm still all over taking him for Hutton and a sweetener. I wonder who would be in that market? Detroit is the obvious one.

Maybe Carolina as a dark horse? Chicago? Colorado? Edmonton?

Pretty limited market.

[sabremike]

16 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Best ones appear gone from the UFA market; Griess, Anderson and Mike Smith the best of what's left? Griess isn't bad, I guess.

Still the Arizona pair and the Columbus pair on the trade market, although neither has to go anywhere. And of, course, Fleury.

I'm still all over taking him for Hutton and a sweetener. I wonder who would be in that market? Detroit is the obvious one.

Maybe Carolina as a dark horse? Chicago? Colorado? Edmonton?

Pretty limited market.

If we got Griess I'd be doing summersaults but I'd be stunned if he doesn't end up in Carolina or the Isles keep him and trade Varlamov.

[Brawndo]

42 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Canuck fans will be pissed at that one.

Benning didn't even start talks until this morning, told the fans Tanev would be sleeping on things tonight. And it didn't sound like they were going to talk to Toffoli until they knew what Tanev was doing.

Three key free agents who were all interested in coming back and they are in  danger of going 0-for-3 because they made everybody wait while they chased OEL.

***

In another observation, it seems like Boston has to be in on someone; they have more space than many and they lost Krug.

Wonder if they are chasing to the two big fish: Hall and Pietrangelo.

They’ve been rumored on Craig Smith as well. Maybe Fast? 
 

I would love if Buffalo got someone like Dandonov or Toffoli. 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, tom webster said:

OK, six wins and they would have been even with the Islanders who rode their goaltending to the conference finals. My point continues to be that they are very close and their nucleus is mostly under 25.

This narrative of being very close has  been going on for quite a while and yet they don't ever make that leap. Remember when the prospect cupboard was supposedly stocked full? They add and subtract but don't get better. 

[Radar]

8 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

The problem is, as of this posting, they still don’t have the goaltending solved, and they are still missing those “2-3” players (Staal may count as one, so let’s say 2).

I understand there’s still players left to be signed - but are they realistically coming here? 
 

Get me a Toffoli or equivalent for the 2nd line, and a Kahun for the 3rd line, and a decent G to split the net with Linus - then I’ll be more optimistic. 

Exactly where I am. My major problem is ownership. Chaos. They don't seem to be able to put together a stable organization. We seem totally without a set plan only swinging doors of bad hires. Now he's signed a very nice and, I believe , intelligent guy with no real experience to run his team with a coach who I like a lot but also no real proven record in the NHL. This leads me to think the real decision makers are the Pegulas in whom my trust hahas pretty much evaporated.

[tom webster]

1 hour ago, Radar said:

Exactly where I am. My major problem is ownership. Chaos. They don't seem to be able to put together a stable organization. We seem totally without a set plan only swinging doors of bad hires. Now he's signed a very nice and, I believe , intelligent guy with no real experience to run his team with a coach who I like a lot but also no real proven record in the NHL. This leads me to think the real decision makers are the Pegulas in whom my trust hahas pretty much evaporated.

OMG, twelve hours into free agency and the start of the NHL year and they haven’t solved their goaltending woes?

Seriiusly, though, if you think Ralph Krueger left his job as Chairman of Southampton FC, to be TPEGS yes man, then you really don’t know how the world works. While his record is still to be determined in the NHL, he is almost universally respected not only in the world of sports but in business and the field of conflict resolution as well. 
 

I understand that both he and Adams still need to produce results but don’t for a minute think Ralph does not have a major say in what they are doing here.

[SDS]

5 minutes ago, tom webster said:

OMG, twelve hours into free agency and the start of the NHL year and they haven’t solved their goaltending woes?

Seriiusly, though, if you think Ralph Krueger left his job as Chairman of Southampton FC, to be TPEGS yes man, then you really don’t know how the world works. While his record is still to be determined in the NHL, he is almost universally respected not only in the world of sports but in business and the field of conflict resolution as well. 
 

I understand that both he and Adams still need to produce results but don’t for a minute think Ralph does not have a major say in what they are doing here.

I would say it is lazy for “incompetence“ to be the default go to whenever something happens or doesn’t happen that doesn’t suit their desires.

[French Collection]

KA can make a big splash and many enemies by sending an offer sheet to Cirelli and Sergachev.

 

[SwampD]

25 minutes ago, SDS said:

I would say it is lazy for “incompetence“ to be the default go to whenever something happens or doesn’t happen that doesn’t suit their desires.

Doesn’t mean they are wrong, though.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Crawford gone to NJ.  2 years a 3.9 per season.

[Radar]

31 minutes ago, tom webster said:

OMG, twelve hours into free agency and the start of the NHL year and they haven’t solved their goaltending woes?

Seriiusly, though, if you think Ralph Krueger left his job as Chairman of Southampton FC, to be TPEGS yes man, then you really don’t know how the world works. While his record is still to be determined in the NHL, he is almost universally respected not only in the world of sports but in business and the field of conflict resolution as well. 
 

I understand that both he and Adams still need to produce results but don’t for a minute think Ralph does not have a major say in what they are doing here.

Not to drag on but I hope Adams and Krueger work out, I really do. Seems like the Bills have a mtg.  and coach team now. I also think football and hockey are much different animals when it comes to building a team. I don't have confidence in the owners making hockey or football decisions. They are fans who were fortunate enough to be i n a position to purchase the team. I have nothing personal against them. I'm simply looking at results. The buck stops at the owners.

[SDS]

Just now, Radar said:

Not to drag on but I hope Adams and Krueger work out, I really do. Seems like the Bills have a mtg.  and coach team now. I also think football and hockey are much different animals when it comes to building a team. I don't have confidence in the owners making hockey or football decisions. They are fans who were fortunate enough to be i n a position to purchase the team. I have nothing personal against them. I'm simply looking at results. The buck stops at the owners.

So the owners are smart making the football decisions and not smart making the hockey decisions? Because if they’re making the hockey decisions, it only makes sense that they are also making the football decisions.

[Radar]

2 minutes ago, SDS said:

So the owners are smart making the football decisions and not smart making the hockey decisions? Because if they’re making the hockey decisions, it only makes sense that they are also making the football decisions.

Maybe they just got lucky.

[LTS]

15 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

If you say so.  I will patiently wait for a goalie, 3C, a top 6 wing, etc...

Patiently?

15 hours ago, apuszczalowski said:

But with that logic you could argue that all of FA is just teams plugging holes......

yes the couple of Big Fish are taking their time deciding what to do like every year, but most teams can also multi task and make other moves to fill other holes too

Its about 6 hours in and the goalie pile has already been picked through while buffalo has dumpster dived to make sure they obtained 2 bottom of the pile players spending just $1.4 mil. The Sabres will have alot of cap space to overpay some nice lower/mid tier guys to fill out the roster.

Which goalie did you want the Sabres to sink $6M into?  I didn't see any goaltender deals yesterday that would have been good. The belief is the Sabres are talking to CBJ about one of their goaltenders... so that's something.

15 hours ago, Trettioåtta said:

Wennberg. Merril. Kahun. Those moves address holes in the line up.

Rather than a #8 D and #13/14 F

Wennberg wanted to play for Bill Zito

Merrill took a 1 year deal to play in Detroit, where he played 3 seasons in Michigan in college.

Kahun was covered in the Kahun thread.  The risk of his arbitration award pushed him to UFA.  He's not signed yet, so the league clearly didn't bust his door down with a deal.

13 hours ago, dudacek said:

Cousins to Nashville, 2 years, 1.5 AAV. Another Girgensons comparable gone.

What do you guys think this has Larsson thinking? Maybe circling back?

***

Also, Nashville has been announcing multiple depth signings but Fast isn't one of them. Is that a done deal?

And what happened to the Kahun to LA report?

I never saw any Fast to Nashville report.  The only Kahun reference was some fan or something posting a Kings sweater with his name on it.