Sabres Embedded: 2024 Draft and UFA Ed.

[LGR4GM]

 

 

 

Good watch if you wanna glean some insights. 

Edited July 31 by LGR4GM

[LGR4GM]

Aube-Kubel mentioned accountability and conditioning as two things of importance. Lafferty also brought up accountability. 

Lindy specifically talked about bumping players. That's a good segment, he wants everyone bumping and blocking. 

[triumph_communes]

Bensen wasn’t their target, just next up on their list

 

Our fourth line is making Lindy happy. They’re going to get second line minutes 

[Brawndo]

Interesting that they offered 14th to Washington in exchange for 17th and Malenstyn. 
 

 

[phil_soisson]

Really enjoyed this! I have a positive feeling about this team, and this season, coming from a mindset of abundance. In the words of Gord Downie, "it's been a long time running".

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

Interesting that they offered 14th to Washington in exchange for 17th and Malenstyn. 
 

 

It's not clear to me if that was the trade straight up.  Almost sounded like part of something slightly larger but maybe not. Glad that trade didn't happen though.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I've raised this issue before, but why has it taken so long for this organization to talk about and demand accountability?

[RochesterExpat]

8 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I've raised this issue before, but why has it taken so long for this organization to talk about and demand accountability?

It starts from the top.

[dudacek]

9 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I've raised this issue before, but why has it taken so long for this organization to talk about and demand accountability?

Because last season was the first time in a decade they were in a position for it to matter?

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I've raised this issue before, but why has it taken so long for this organization to talk about and demand accountability?

That's a good question. many of us have certainly been talking about it for quite a while. 

Now this might be wish fulfillment but I firmly believe that Pegula has in a way finally given up on some of his ideas and has relented into turning the key decisions over to the people actually hired to make them. I think Ruff is in charge. 

[Huckleberry]

5 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Interesting that they offered 14th to Washington in exchange for 17th and Malenstyn. 
 

 

I think it was 43rd and Malenstyn seperated in the end , but there was a bigger trade with the caps going on and the malenstyn trade is what was left.

Edited July 31 by Huckleberry

[Huckleberry]

There are a lot of rumours that Briere was pissed with adams about a trade not happening, but this video proves that wrong too when he comes talking about trading down the 42/43 picks.

[phil_soisson]

What really stood out to me was the "open mic" style committee of assertion, or affirmation. That said, there wasn't any dissent in evidence. Two possibilities: finding broad consensus among truly "think for yourself" individuals, or, a "get with the program" window-dressing (either conscious or sub conscious) of yes men going along.

[triumph_communes]

They had some pleading their case in opposite to something prior. Letting everything get their ‘one last’ opinion out I think is the opposite of a shake down. Way better than just taking all the rankings then going into a room with 3 people to make all the decisions blindly

[French Collection]

23 minutes ago, phil_soisson said:

What really stood out to me was the "open mic" style committee of assertion, or affirmation. That said, there wasn't any dissent in evidence. Two possibilities: finding broad consensus among truly "think for yourself" individuals, or, a "get with the program" window-dressing (either conscious or sub conscious) of yes men going along.

I would hope there was some debate over the list. Editing this out to show unity and KA’s leadership was the goal imo.

[#freejame]

9 hours ago, dudacek said:

Because last season was the first time in a decade they were in a position for it to matter?

It needs to always matter

[phil_soisson]

47 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I would hope there was some debate over the list. Editing this out to show unity and KA’s leadership was the goal imo.

Valid point, which comes across in the conversations with the free agents they signed; they uniformly seemed to recognize a vision, and the prospective roles and contributions they can add.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, French Collection said:

I would hope there was some debate over the list. Editing this out to show unity and KA’s leadership was the goal imo.

There's clearly debates over the list. Honestly to suggest they all just agree seems bonkers. 

[LGR4GM]

I don't see them as having unity. That is why they talked about Ziemer the way they did. He was on a tier and there was a big drop down to the next guy on the list. Kinda like how Benson was on a tier and they seemed surprised to get him but it worked out. In fact the Benson comment makes me think they were very aware of the size issue and had debates about him but Forton or whoever said "it worked out" was referring to how setting the list and following it does work out in the end. 

There is also a comment by Adams about Helenius being a center and they clearly bumped him above someone else due to that. My guess, it was Nygard. 

[thewookie1]

27 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't see them as having unity. That is why they talked about Ziemer the way they did. He was on a tier and there was a big drop down to the next guy on the list. Kinda like how Benson was on a tier and they seemed surprised to get him but it worked out. In fact the Benson comment makes me think they were very aware of the size issue and had debates about him but Forton or whoever said "it worked out" was referring to how setting the list and following it does work out in the end. 

There is also a comment by Adams about Helenius being a center and they clearly bumped him above someone else due to that. My guess, it was Nygard. 

Devine was the one who said Benson worked out well. Struck me as if there were two factions last year and the Benson side won by either default, the other guy being selected prior, or outright.

While I question their pro scouting staff; I do think their youth scouting system seems very effective.

[Doohicksie]

8 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I hope Ruff is in charge.

fify  😉

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

While I question their pro scouting staff; I do think their youth scouting system seems very effective.

Almost fully agree with this except a couple notable exceptions such as Leinonen and Rosen.  On the amateur side they almost always go for value such as Kulich, JJP, Benson, Zeimer, Leenders etc…but those 2 picks stand out the other way.

Back to accountability for a second.  The lack of accountability for the players has been a cultural issue for years.  It seems to me that long-term deals after one good season, the lack of competition for jobs and Adams refusal to “block” prospects have all contributed to player complacency and in turn a lack of success on the ice.  After all winning doesn’t matter if you are guaranteed your job and that job comes with a lifetime of wealth.  

 It still annoys me the Adams even offered Girgensons a new deal.  As much as I like Z the person, he is kind of a symbol of the problems of this franchise.  

[JustOneParade]

Thanks for posting the video @LGR4GM. A couple observations.

First, the meetings of the 'hockey operations staff' (seemingly two separate venues) did not include Lindy Ruff. Thought that was notable.

The second is a little more subtle. Helenius, Kleber and Ziemer all posted self-videos and all three said 'Let's get to work'. The first two came off sounding a bit perfunctory. Ziemer? That boy is ready to lace them up and get to work. I think we're really going to like this kid.

[thewookie1]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Almost fully agree with this except a couple notable exceptions such as Leinonen and Rosen.  On the amateur side they almost always go for value such as Kulich, JJP, Benson, Zeimer, Leenders etc…but those 2 picks stand out the other way.

Back to accountability for a second.  The lack of accountability for the players has been a cultural issue for years.  It seems to me that long-term deals after one good season, the lack of competition for jobs and Adams refusal to “block” prospects have all contributed to player complacency and in turn a lack of success on the ice.  After all winning doesn’t matter if you are guaranteed your job and that job comes with a lifetime of wealth.  

 It still annoys me the Adams even offered Girgensons a new deal.  As much as I like Z the person, he is kind of a symbol of the problems of this franchise.  

Rosen to me was the fallback when they didn't get Eklund; he was far rawer as a prospect but had many similarities in traits etc. 

Leinonen was a position pick; they felt they needed a new goalie prospect; weren't overly impressed with the cupboard's offerings. So they jumped the gun to give them a goalie prospect they liked. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

42 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Rosen to me was the fallback when they didn't get Eklund; he was far rawer as a prospect but had many similarities in traits etc. 

Leinonen was a position pick; they felt they needed a new goalie prospect; weren't overly impressed with the cupboard's offerings. So they jumped the gun to give them a goalie prospect they liked. 

I generally don’t have an issue with need being part of a draft board, but reaching for a player a few rounds early simply because he plays a certain position makes little sense, especially a goaltender in a weak goaltender draft.   Not surprisingly, they drafted goalies in the next 2 drafts and both are probably better prospects than Leinonen.  What makes the pick even more shocking, was the very next pick was a huge value pick in Neuchev.