GM for a day

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

You and others act as if the GM has been afraid to act outside of drafting and developing players. That's not the case. He traded his old core and got back a reasonable return. He has made small deals such as signing Stillman and Greenway and acquired Jost. This offseason, he added Clifton and Johnson from the free agency market. The Sabres improved by 16 points from the previous season. The GM took over a ramshackle and irrelevant team and organization and in a short period of time put it on a pathway to success. Yes, I strongly agree with the approach that the GM is taking. Again, stay the course. 

Ok.  But you didn’t answer the question.  If the GM does not make the playoffs this year, should he “stray” from the said plan?  What is your answer? 
 

[Doohicksie]

If I was GM for a day I would make every player reverse their numbers.  So Cozens would become 42, Skinner 35, Tage 27, etc.  For players with repeated numbers or single digit numbers I would make the digits in their numbers 11 minus (the current number).

 

 

 

 

Fight me.

Edited August 23, 2023 by Doohickie

[Broken Ankles]

On 8/17/2023 at 1:42 PM, sweetlou said:

What would you do?

I miss Monty.

[JohnC]

9 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Ok.  But you didn’t answer the question.  If the GM does not make the playoffs this year, should he “stray” from the said plan?  What is your answer? 
 

I did answer your question. You didn't pay attention to what was actually said. You and some others are too stuck are your false narrative that the GM is not willing to pursue a variety of avenues to improve the team. That's not the case. There is no doubt that the GM's central rebuilding strategy revolves around the "standard" draft and develop approach. That part of the rebuild has been a success, at least it is to me. 

You don't think that the return on our old core was respectable? The young goalie we got in the Reinhart trade is going to be our present and future #1 goalie. Are you going to complain about that? Are you going to complain about the Eichel return that resulted in getting Tuch, Krebs and a #1 pick? Are you going to complain about getting a #1 pick for Risto? Our GM could be charged with felonious theft in that deal. Those were trade deals. Clifton and Johnson were offseason free agent pickups. Are you going to complain about that? There have also been smaller deals. So the notion that the GM is not actively trying to upgrade the roster is not factual. Yet you and others continue with this falsehood. It's simply not true. 

Your question over "what if" the GM doesn't make the playoffs is an absurd question. If Dahlin, Tage, Power and anyone else get season ending injuries should the GM be blamed for that? Of course not. You want a guarantee---you are not going to get a guarantee. That's sports and life!

I challenge you to compare the roster that the GM inherited a few years ago and compare it to what it is now. It's certainly not a complete roster but it is an immensely better than what he inherited. Rebuilding a roster is an on-going process. It is continuing and will continue. 

There are too many people who expect a "blockbuster deal" that will magically turn this team into a cup winner. It doesn't work that way. The process is working. Stay the course. 

[Pimlach]

5 hours ago, JohnC said:

I did answer your question. You didn't pay attention to what was actually said. You and some others are too stuck are your false narrative that the GM is not willing to pursue a variety of avenues to improve the team. That's not the case. There is no doubt that the GM's central rebuilding strategy revolves around the "standard" draft and develop approach. That part of the rebuild has been a success, at least it is to me. 

You don't think that the return on our old core was respectable? The young goalie we got in the Reinhart trade is going to be our present and future #1 goalie. Are you going to complain about that? Are you going to complain about the Eichel return that resulted in getting Tuch, Krebs and a #1 pick? Are you going to complain about getting a #1 pick for Risto? Our GM could be charged with felonious theft in that deal. Those were trade deals. Clifton and Johnson were offseason free agent pickups. Are you going to complain about that? There have also been smaller deals. So the notion that the GM is not actively trying to upgrade the roster is not factual. Yet you and others continue with this falsehood. It's simply not true. 

Your question over "what if" the GM doesn't make the playoffs is an absurd question. If Dahlin, Tage, Power and anyone else get season ending injuries should the GM be blamed for that? Of course not. You want a guarantee---you are not going to get a guarantee. That's sports and life!

I challenge you to compare the roster that the GM inherited a few years ago and compare it to what it is now. It's certainly not a complete roster but it is an immensely better than what he inherited. Rebuilding a roster is an on-going process. It is continuing and will continue. 

There are too many people who expect a "blockbuster deal" that will magically turn this team into a cup winner. It doesn't work that way. The process is working. Stay the course. 

Stop lumping me in with others.  I am not starting or part of a “false narrative”, you sound like CNN versus Fox News with those words.  

What we know is that Adams is willing to make trades, but not willing to give up the pieces other teams ask for.  He has said that himself.  

My opinion is that Adams is taking a big risk by not addressing goaltending beyond the rookie Levi.   Let’s see how it plays out.   Maybe UPL or Comrie will give us 35 good games and Levi can go 55.  Maybe.  

My opinion is that he has added some help to the defense in Clifton and E Johnson, but he also added Lyubushkin and Stillman last season and neither has panned out. 

As for all of his trades of our past core, that looks like good work so far.  Vegas has a Cup, Florida a Presidents trophy and a Cup final appearance, and Buffalo has an improving team with lots of prospects.  

Sure, in 3+ years he has improved the roster, not like that is a huge accomplishment in the hockey world, it’s not.  New Jersey did it.   Florida did it.  Avalanche did it before them.  Ottawa and Detroit are right there with Buffalo in their rebuilds.  Improving from last place is expected, and not a miracle accomplishment.   Being a playoff team is the next step for this team and I fully expect him to make the correct moves to get us there this year.  It is time.  

You don’t know that staying the course is the correct move for this season and you don’t know what trades were on the table and passed on.  If staying the course is the correct move for right now we will soon find out.   
 

I do know with absolutely certainty that the core we have now needs to be supported, and that this team does not have roster spots for all of the high level prospects should a reasonable number of them pan out.  At some point trades will happen. 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Pimlach

[Pimlach]

10 hours ago, Doohickie said:

If I was GM for a day I would make every player reverse their numbers.  So Cozens would become 42, Skinner 35, Tage 27, etc.  For players with repeated numbers or single digit numbers I would make the digits in their numbers 11 minus (the current number).

 

 

 

 

Fight me.

??

[Eleven]

14 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

??

Some Texas Shoreline sativa is my guess.

[sweetlou]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Stop lumping me in with others.  I am not starting or part of a “false narrative”, you sound like CNN versus Fox News with those words.  

What we know is that Adams is willing to make trades, but not willing to give up the pieces other teams ask for.  He has said that himself.  

My opinion is that Adams is taking a big risk by not addressing goaltending beyond the rookie Levi.   Let’s see how it this plays out.   Maybe UPL or Comrie will give us 35 good games and Levi can go 55.  Maybe.  

My opinion is that he has added some help to the defense in Clifton and E Johnson, but he also added Lyubushkin and Stillman last season and neither has panned out. 

As for all of his trades of our past core, that looks like good work so far.  Vegas has a Cup, Florida a Presidents trophy and a Cup final appearance, and Buffalo has an improving team with lots of prospects.  

Sure, in 3+ years he has improved the roster, not like that is a huge accomplishment in the hockey world, it’s not.  New Jersey did it.   Florida did it.  Avalanche did it before them.  Ottawa and Detroit are right there with Buffalo in their rebuilds.  Improving from last place is expected, and not a miracle accomplishment.   Being a playoff team is the next step for this team and I fully expect him to make the correct moves to get us there this year.  It is time.  

You don’t know that staying the course is the correct move for this season and you don’t know what trades were on the table and passed on.  If staying the course is the correct move for right now we will soon find out.   
 

I do know with absolutely certainty that the core we have now needs to be supported, and that this team does not have roster spots for all of the high level prospects should a reasonable number of them pan out.  At some point trades will happen. 

Exactly...in order to improve your team you have to take risks.  If you are hoping to have 5-7 prospects turn into stars so you want to hold onto them, then you end up losing some anyway because you can't afford them all.  You trade your star for prospects or picks so that doesn't end up helping your current team.  Most successful teams are trading picks and prospects to fill out and balance their current roster.  This is where Buffalo is currently at.  Sabres need to be getting the complimentary pieces to support Dahlin, Power, Thompson, Tuch, Cozens, Skinner, and even Mitts.  Too many young players learning and making mistakes only hurts the current core from getting over the hump.

Looking back on the Reinhart deal so many people were upset until it turned into Levi and Kulich!!!

KA needs to look at Kulich, Savoi, Benson, Rosen, Paltopv, Neuchev and Östlund and realize they will not all be Sabres.  Move one or two along with futre picks and improve your team now.  You don't have to wait until the trade deadline and overpay.  

[Quint]

Nothing specific, just incremental improvements. Keep improving the D and address the goalie situation by maybe getting a veteran 3rd goalie. I'm not big on home runs, which are low percentage. Singles and doubles. Remember Rene Robert for Eddie Shack.

Edited August 23, 2023 by Quint

[Marvin]

6 minutes ago, Quint said:

Nothing specific, just incremental improvements. Keep improving the D and address the goalie situation by maybe getting a veteran 3rd goalie. I'm not big on home runs, which are low percentage. Singles and doubles. Remember Rene Robert for Eddie Shack.

Rhett Warrener for Mike Wilson for you youngsters.  Similar lower-key acquisitions like Jochen Hecht and Mike Grier would apply here too.

[Eleven]

2 hours ago, Marvin said:

Similar lower-key acquisitions like Jochen Hecht

Probably unpopular opinion:  The Sabres wouldn't have won the division in 2010 and wouldn't have made the playoffs in 2011 without Hecht.