Some quick thoughts regarding trades and free agency so far

[jahnyc]

Some quick thoughts below:

1.  It must be very demoralizing for the current players for the Sabres to see Ullmark sign with the Bruins and have Sam and Risto traded with no assets coming back that will contribute to the team in the near term.  Layer on top of that the captain of the team (Jack) is desperate to get out (others as well) and the Sabres lack of any significant participation in free agency make for a situation that can only result in even young players questioning whether there is commitment to winning in Buffalo (or even a plan).  This will have an impact in their desire to stay with the team over the longer term.

2.  It will be a long time before the Sabres will be an attractive option to free agents.  Winning will be the only thing that will help with this.  A new arena wouldn't hurt either.

3. What kind of support will be there for the team after this kind of an offseason, which follows years of poor teams and records?  At what point does attendance to games completely crater?  Realistically, how do you ask for patience at this point, particularly with no current commitment to field a competitive team?

4. I am very surprised that we have traded two significant assets and not received a quality prospect in return ready to play or close to playing for the team.

5. I think it is gross mismanagement to leave this kind of a rebuild and this specific situation in the hands of a GM who has no prior experience.  GMTM and JBot had more experience coming in a first time GMs, and they failed miserably.  Lessons should have been learned.

6. I never thought that the Pegulas wanted to sell the team, but I am now having my doubts.  I am not sure anything else can explain the hiring of a rookie GM, cost cutting with scouts, lack of meaningful participation in free agency, and trading away salary.  

7. Our drafting has been awful.  I still don't understand the Quinn pick when there were better players available.  I hope we will have better luck with this draft class.

 

 

[I-90 W]

I’m actually glad that KA hasn’t took on any big name vets that in all likelihood, wouldn’t want to be here. That hasn’t worked in the past for us. Whether that’s restraint, them not taking his money, or maybe a bit of both, it is refreshing in a way. Boring, but refreshing.

I really just want a legit 1a goalie and some protection for our younger guys. Protection as in guys who will shield them and retaliate if teams take liberties on them.

[Cascade Youth]

Notice all the cheap one-year contracts.  This is a financial plan not a hockey plan.

[7+6=13]

Every one of the points numbered are coming from a lack of understanding on what has to happen here and should have been fully expected.  

[7+6=13]

4 minutes ago, Cascade Youth said:

Notice all the cheap one-year contracts.  This is a financial plan not a hockey plan.

That's just not accurate.  It's emotional.

It's the exact discipline that KA should have enacted this off season.  I'm glad he did because the enticement had to be there.  There's going to be a ton of pressure on him as he has to do the worst of the worst, in order for us to get better.  

Edit: in order to have a chance to get better

Edited July 29, 2021 by 7+6=13

[Gatorman0519]

I believe we are witnessing the most entrenched dysfunctional sports franchise of all time. And I’m not overreacting. Tanking for a core and jettisoning them after 5 years than tanking again is unprecedented in modern hockey. 

[Mustache of God]

Just a lil' bit more suffering is all. 

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, YouDigg said:

It’s time for all of you to step away from the constant negativity of the Sabres and embrace the Bills instead.  Sabres are an absolute mess of an organization, but the Bills are the opposite.  Go Bills!

Yea, as long as you completely ignore Cole Beasley's bullcrap

[klos1963]

The last week couldn't have gone much worse for the franchise and the fans.  There really is no light at the end of the tunnel right now, it's a train coming at us.

[Drag0nDan]

3 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

I believe we are witnessing the most entrenched dysfunctional sports franchise of all time. And I’m not overreacting. Tanking for a core and jettisoning them after 5 years than tanking again is unprecedented in modern hockey. 

I mean... Detroit sucks.  Ottawa sucks.  Anaheim sucks.  New jersey sucks.  San Jose sucks.  Phoenix sucks.  There's plenty of dysfunctional teams at the moment.

The thing I'd look to is Colorado, and how they turned around quickly from a terrible young team into a perennial contender.  They bottomed out, picked 4 and got Makar.  They didn't get a ton for O'reilly, but they did hit on the duchene trade with byram/girard.  And they've been bold in acquiring goalies from varlamov, to grubauer, to kuemper this year.  Other than that its been the same 3 fwd core.  

[bunomatic]

40 minutes ago, Gatorman0519 said:

I believe we are witnessing the most entrenched dysfunctional sports franchise of all time. And I’m not overreacting. Tanking for a core and jettisoning them after 5 years than tanking again is unprecedented in modern hockey. 

In modern sports ?

[Mustache of God]

11 minutes ago, Drag0nDan said:

I mean... Detroit sucks.  Ottawa sucks.  Anaheim sucks.  New jersey sucks.  San Jose sucks.  Phoenix sucks.  There's plenty of dysfunctional teams at the moment.

The thing I'd look to is Colorado, and how they turned around quickly from a terrible young team into a perennial contender.  They bottomed out, picked 4 and got Makar.  They didn't get a ton for O'reilly, but they did hit on the duchene trade with byram/girard.  And they've been bold in acquiring goalies from varlamov, to grubauer, to kuemper this year.  Other than that its been the same 3 fwd core.  

All of the teams you mentioned have made the playoffs in the last decade. The Sabres play in a league where 1/2 of the teams qualify for the post season. It takes a special kind of idiocy at the upper levels to be this bad. 

[LabattBlue]

29 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

The Sabres play in a league where 1/2 of the teams qualify for the post season. It takes a special kind of idiocy at the upper levels to be this bad. 

I’ve said this repeatedly, and look no further than ownership when looking to place blame on what has happened to this franchise. 😞

[jahnyc]

I don't think all of this had to happen.  Some of it became expected.  No way is KA smarter than all of the other GMs, particularly with no prior experience.  A plan that will turn around the team quickly having as its primary attribute a focus on players that want to be here does not sound like a plan to me at all.

I don't think our young core is that good, at least not good enough that we should expect that they will have success this year or next without adding significant pieces.  Other than Cozens, Dahlin and Powers, what do we really have?

[Radar]

2 hours ago, jahnyc said:

Some quick thoughts below:

1.  It must be very demoralizing for the current players for the Sabres to see Ullmark sign with the Bruins and have Sam and Risto traded with no assets coming back that will contribute to the team in the near term.  Layer on top of that the captain of the team (Jack) is desperate to get out (others as well) and the Sabres lack of any significant participation in free agency make for a situation that can only result in even young players questioning whether there is commitment to winning in Buffalo (or even a plan).  This will have an impact in their desire to stay with the team over the longer term.

2.  It will be a long time before the Sabres will be an attractive option to free agents.  Winning will be the only thing that will help with this.  A new arena wouldn't hurt either.

3. What kind of support will be there for the team after this kind of an offseason, which follows years of poor teams and records?  At what point does attendance to games completely crater?  Realistically, how do you ask for patience at this point, particularly with no current commitment to field a competitive team?

4. I am very surprised that we have traded two significant assets and not received a quality prospect in return ready to play or close to playing for the team.

5. I think it is gross mismanagement to leave this kind of a rebuild and this specific situation in the hands of a GM who has no prior experience.  GMTM and JBot had more experience coming in a first time GMs, and they failed miserably.  Lessons should have been learned.

6. I never thought that the Pegulas wanted to sell the team, but I am now having my doubts.  I am not sure anything else can explain the hiring of a rookie GM, cost cutting with scouts, lack of meaningful participation in free agency, and trading away salary.  

7. Our drafting has been awful.  I still don't understand the Quinn pick when there were better players available.  I hope we will have better luck with this draft class.

 

 

I wish I could argue one of these points.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Cascade Youth said:

Notice all the cheap one-year contracts.  This is a financial plan not a hockey plan.

Or...he's not making long term commitments to players that will hopefully be replaced by prospects in the pipeline or future trades.

[aristocrat]

winning teams are worth more and make more money

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Gatorman0519 said:

I believe we are witnessing the most entrenched dysfunctional sports franchise of all time. And I’m not overreacting. Tanking for a core and jettisoning them after 5 years than tanking again is unprecedented in modern hockey. 

I would counter you're seeing a team that has bottomed out and is taking the first steps to crawl out of the hole. What would you suggest Kevyn Adams do here? Sign free agents? Big names? No one wants to play here. He has to build from within. I think they have the right coaching staff.  We have some talented players here in Dahlin and Mittelstadt. Others will hopefully come into their own. (R2, Tage, Asplund)  We have a few bedrock veterans. (Girgenson & Okposo)  We saw the change in attitrude last year. Now they have to fight on. Not finishing last is the goal.  This is not a tank.

I'm upset Ullmark walked away for nothing. But thinking about last year's deadline, I think Adams did not want to pull the rug out from the Sabres by moving Ullmark right when they were shaking the losers attitude. Of course Ullmark injured himself soon after so the point was moot. But at the time, I understand why he didn't do it.

Edited July 29, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[SabresVet]

2 hours ago, Cascade Youth said:

Notice all the cheap one-year contracts.  This is a financial plan not a hockey plan.

Or, they had serious depth concerns with the Amerks.  Issue I have with that is, the AHL team seemed to be more of a priority than building the parent club.  Signings like Malone, Davidson, Schuldt, Prow, Dell, and perhaps Hayden. 

Problem with this is KA and team haven't sold fans on this need.  All they've got is this "players who want to be mantra."  Sure, the maligning of Eichel is happening, but I don't think it's having the desired effect.  The Sabres aren't good at PR.  Moves these past few season in hockey and business ops indicate they just eliminate people without much cause aside from cost-cutting.   

Edited July 29, 2021 by SabresVet

[Drag0nDan]

8 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I would counter you're seeing a team that has bottomed out and is taking the first steps to crawl out of the hole. What would you suggest Kevyn Adams do here? Sign free agents? Big names? No one wants to play here. He has to build from within. I think they have the right coaching staff.  We have some talented players here in Dahlin and Mittelstadt. Others will hopefully come into their own. (R2, Tage, Asplund)  We have a few bedrock veterans. (Girgenson & Okposo)  We saw the change in attitrude last year. Now they have to fight on. Not finishing last is the goal.  This is not a tank.

I'm upset Ullmark walked away for nothing. But thinking about last year's deadline, I think Adams did not want to pull the rug out from the Sabres by moving Ullmark right when they were shaking the losers attitude. Of course Ullmark injured himself soon after so the point was moot. But at the time, I understand why he didn't do it.

The ullmark one... i don't know who was interested or for how much pick-wise.  If we lost a 3rd rounder or something for not trading him... who really cares?

[dudacek]

Am I correct in the perception that most (all?) of our cheap acquisitions have some analytics to support them as potentially useful pickups?

https://www.expectedbuffalo.com/will-butcher-mark-pysyk-acquisitions-fortify-buffalo-sabres-blue-line/

 

[triumph_communes]

Pysyk and Burcher have always been analytic darlings, though they’re both coming off of poor years. 

[I-90 W]

3 hours ago, YouDigg said:

It’s time for all of you to step away from the constant negativity of the Sabres and embrace the Bills instead.  Sabres are an absolute mess of an organization, but the Bills are the opposite.  Go Bills!

We’re not all Bills fans though. Go Cuse!

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, I-90 W said:

We’re not all Bills fans though. Go Cuse!

#UBHornsUp

[Norcal]

4 hours ago, dudacek said:

Am I correct in the perception that most (all?) of our cheap acquisitions have some analytics to support them as potentially useful pickups?

https://www.expectedbuffalo.com/will-butcher-mark-pysyk-acquisitions-fortify-buffalo-sabres-blue-line/

 

Mentioned this a few days ago. Pleasantly surprised they are finding + analytics matchups.