GDT : Sabres at Islanders 3-25-2023 5 PM - ESPN+/Hulu, WGR

[Pimlach]

25 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The notion that the GM might not be serious about his responsibilities is off-the-wall odd. And the notion that there is a force (the owner) who behind the scenes will restrict him from doing his job is even more odd. How do you come up with these peculiar thoughts? 

Really John?  This is a business.   The owner is always a force on how the business is run.  

We know you’re all in and have full trust in Adams, but Pegula said there were restrictions when he unveiled his “Effective, Efficient, and Economic”  platform.  We have been a cap floor team since that day.   They gutted and rebuilt the FO staff, the coaching staff, the scouting staff, and much of the roster.  COST CUTTING on the hockey side was a real goal of PSE and was the reason Boterill was fired just shorty after getting a public vote of confidence.   Do you remember that?  

I get the concept of saving cap space to sign our home grown prospects.  That is their plan, great, but it’s not the only way either.     At some point the new core will need more help if they are going to continue to grow.   Surely you see how many other teams, such as NJD, took a different rebuild path and so have Ottawa and Detroit, just as LAK and Colorado already did.  

We won’t know until the summer if Adams is going to get off the cap floor and bring in a goalie and some better veteran help.  If he does increase the players payroll he will have to discuss it with the big boss, Mr. Pegula.   If they stay at or close to the cap floor again, then this summer will be like last summer and we will depend heavily on the growth of our youth.  

No doubt Pegula is involved in the decision.  Hopefully, he sees the progress and trusts Adams enough to allow an increase in the players payroll.   It’s time to make winning a priority.  It’s past due.  The fan base is has been through enough.  

[Believer]

18 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

It’s time to make winning a priority.  It’s past due.  The fan base is has been through enough.  

On Pegula’s watch… way past due… 

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

Sorokin played last night vs Columbus, good chance the Sabres face Varlamov.

However, is it Comrie for the Sabres?

This is my concern, too.  It almost has to be Comrie, right?

[Pimlach]

Just now, Eleven said:

This is my concern, too.  It almost has to be Comrie, right?

Yup.  Can’t be UPL, and Andy has looked spent the past few starts.  
 

 

[JohnC]

8 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Really John?  This is a business.   The owner is always a force on how the business is run.  

We know you’re all in and have full trust in Adams, but Pegula said there were restrictions when he unveiled his “Effective, Efficient, and Economic”  platform.  We have been a cap floor team since that day.   They gutted and rebuilt the FO staff, the coaching staff, the scouting staff, and much of the roster.  COST CUTTING on the hockey side was a real goal of PSE and was the reason Boterill was fired just shorty after getting a public vote of confidence.   Do you remember that?  

I get the concept of saving cap space to sign our home grown prospects.  That is their plan, great, but it’s not the only way either.     At some point the new core will need more help if they are going to continue to grow.   Surely you see how many other teams, such as NJD, took a different rebuild path and so have Ottawa and Detroit, just as LAK and Colorado already did.  

We won’t know until the summer if Adams is going to get off the cap floor and bring in a goalie and some better veteran help.  If he does increase the players payroll he will have to discuss it with the big boss, Mr. Pegula.   If they stay at or close to the cap floor again, then this summer will be like last summer and we will depend heavily on the growth of our youth.  

No doubt Pegula is involved in the decision.  Hopefully, he sees the progress and trusts Adams enough to allow an increase in the players payroll.   It’s time to make winning a priority.  It’s past due.  The fan base is has been through enough.  

Of course, the owner is involved in how the organization is run. That's why the franchise was in a constant state of chaos and turmoil for most of his ownership. However, that has changed. There is no question that the owner selected KA because he agreed to his rebuild plan that not only included the roster but also the structure of the organization and the investment in it. And make no mistake about it, much more is invested in the operation than previously. 

My response to the stubborn poster I was responding to was his suggestion that the owner could be resistant to what the GM's plan to restore this franchise back to respectability. I strenuously disagree with notion. The GM is executing his rebuild plan. The owner is allowing him to follow through on it. Too many people make the claim that the severe cutting of the payroll is an indication of the lack of seriousness on the part of the owner to compete in this league. That's ridiculous, especially when you consider that he recklessly and foolishly spent money on players when he first bought the team. What isn't mentioned when these false claims are made is that when you deal off your high-cost core players and replace them with younger players, your cap expenditures are going to dramatically decline. That's simply part of the rebuild and cap/cost cycle.

Again, I say that the insinuation (not by you) that the owner is a restraining factor in making this franchise a serious factor in this league doesn't resonate with me at all. It's the opposite of that. The owner has learned what to do and not do. And that is for the good. 

 

[Believer]

Team recalled Rousek from Rochester… 

“Rousek, 23, ranks second on the Amerks with 48 points (15+33) in 61 games this season. He tallied four goals and five assists during a five-game point streak earlier this month.”

 

[Pimlach]

11 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Of course, the owner is involved in how the organization is run. That's why the franchise was in a constant state of chaos and turmoil for most of his ownership. However, that has changed. There is no question that the owner selected KA because he agreed to his rebuild plan that not only included the roster but also the structure of the organization and the investment in it. And make no mistake about it, much more is invested in the operation than previously. 

My response to the stubborn poster I was responding to was his suggestion that the owner could be resistant to what the GM's plan to restore this franchise back to respectability. I strenuously disagree with notion. The GM is executing his rebuild plan. The owner is allowing him to follow through on it. Too many people make the claim that the severe cutting of the payroll is an indication of the lack of seriousness on the part of the owner to compete in this league. That's ridiculous, especially when you consider that he recklessly and foolishly spent money on players when he first bought the team. What isn't mentioned when these false claims are made is that when you deal off your high-cost core players and replace them with younger players, your cap expenditures are going to dramatically decline. That's simply part of the rebuild and cap/cost cycle.

Again, I say that the insinuation (not by you) that the owner is a restraining factor in making this franchise a serious factor in this league doesn't resonate with me at all. It's the opposite of that. The owner has learned what to do and not do. And that is for the good. 

 

Well, we shall see what happens soon enough.  My point is that Pegula still oversees things.  Yes, I think he wants to win at some point.  
 

I don’t know this for a fact of course, but I do think Adams can convince him to spend more on players. I think there had  been enough improvement to judiciously add some vets.  The Devils did a nice job adding vets last year, hopefully Adams can do the same.  

Edited March 25, 2023 by Pimlach

[triumph_communes]

Where’s Levi 

[Pimlach]

10 minutes ago, Believer said:

Team recalled Rousek from Rochester… 

“Rousek, 23, ranks second on the Amerks with 48 points (15+33) in 61 games this season. He tallied four goals and five assists during a five-game point streak earlier this month.”

 

Does he have grit?   😂 

[Believer]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

Does he have grit?   😂 

We’ ll soon find out if he plays a game… Window of opportunity

[pi2000]

13 minutes ago, triumph_communes said:

Where’s Levi 

waiting for pants

[kas23]

4 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

waiting for pants

Don’t forget, size 40

[SwampD]

So, I really don’t think the intention is a playoff push. If it happens, sure, they’ll take it, but I don’t believe it is the focus.

With that said, are we going to start seeing some call ups to see what guys are capable of? I’m not sure of the call up rules so I don’t know if that is even an option.

[Crusader1969]

Man this would be a good night to unleash Levi!  

What do they have to lose?. I don't believe the kid is fragile mentally in anyway, so there is no downside, even if things dont go smoothly for him tonight.

[thewookie1]

3 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

Man this would be a good night to unleash Levi!  

What do they have to lose?. I don't believe the kid is fragile mentally in anyway, so there is no downside, even if things dont go smoothly for him tonight.

Levi's 1st start is likely to be against MTL akin to how Power's 1st was against Toronto.

[Crusader1969]

7 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Levi's 1st start is likely to be against MTL akin to how Power's 1st was against Toronto.

if they didnt NEED to win tonight, I would completely agree thats the way to go.

[thewookie1]

Just now, Crusader1969 said:

if they didnt NEED to win tonight, I would completely agree thats the way to go.

Oh I understand but the team is looking for long term vs short term in regards to Levi especially

[JohnC]

38 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Well, we shall see what happens soon enough.  My point is that Pegula still oversees things.  Yes, I think he wants to win at some point.  
 

I don’t know this for a fact of course, but I do think Adams can convince him to spend more on players. I think there had  been enough improvement to judiciously add some vets.  The Devils did a nice job adding vets last year, hopefully Adams can do the same.  

Let's look at how this GM, working for this owner, has spent money during his short tenure. Tage got paid. Samuelsson got paid. Cozens got paid. When Dahlin's contract comes up he will get paid. And so will Power and Quinn when their deals come due. The critical issue isn't so much how much you are spending but rather is it being spent wisely. The organization is relying very much on analytics for player evaluations and also using it for contract evaluations. Of course, the owner signs off for big money payoffs. And that is how it is for every franchise. I simply don't see the owner being a hinderance on this issue. 

With respect to the highlighted section we shall see how judicious he is adding the right players like Jersey did this offseason. I think that KA will make some moves because of the glaring needs. In my view a few good moves can prove to be very consequential for next season. The priority is evident for everyone to see: Get a freaking quality goalie!

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

You're holding other teams to their season pace but sending the Sabres on a fantastic run. I don't see any way that 90ish points gets them in.

All he's saying is if the WC teams play to their point percentage, the Sabres would have to win 9 to get to the same point. What is so hard? It's not a prediction.

[Eleven]

55 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

My point is that Pegula still oversees things.  

Of course he oversees things.  He's an owner.  That should be without question.

Whether he meddles in things, to use PA's word, is a different question, and I have seen no evidence at all to support that theory.  It's like it originated on 4chan or something.

[Buffalonill]

Usually when the game is important  for playoffs they let down the Fanbase.

 

[Mustache of God]

Start Levi you cowards.

[Buffalonill]

18 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

Start Levi you cowards.

He doesn't have the right pads i thought 

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, Ross Rhea said:

Just looking at stats and curious at how many past Sabres have.

Eichel has 59gm / 26g / 29a/ 55pt

Reinhart has 72gm /27g /27a /54pt

That would currently be good for 5th and 6th in goals, 7th and 8th in assists, and 6th and 7th in points this season on the current Sabres. 

Not missing those guys one bit, were they holding the current group back? Their stats might suggest 2nd or 3rd liners on this team, that were playing 1st line minutes, hmmm...... lol.

Lol

[Thorner]

42 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Usually when the game is important  for playoffs they let down the Fanbase.

 

So a big W today I’m thinking