Adams needs to go!

[Porous Five Hole]

8 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Absolutely and I will continue to do so as long as it’s deserved. 

Want to know another way to help a rebuild? Using your cap space to acquire more assets by taking salary cap dumps, rather than allowing the space to go completely unused. When Calgary was looking to move Monahan’s Contract, Adams was offered him and a first round pick, guess who squashed the deal. Montreal gladly accepted and ended up with two first round picks for their trouble. The only cap dumps they have taken is to get to the cap floor. What does not change is the fact the team has consciously stayed in the bottom tier of spending despite overwhelming evidence that the teams who do so rarely make the playoffs.

 

Imagine being an owner of a franchise that has had to perform cap gymnastics over the past few seasons while Sabres have ample unused cap space which the owner won’t even allow to be used as a third team in a trade. The one of thing that Pegula will gladly accept is a yearly revenue sharing check from the league. No wonder Pegula is considered an outsider by other owners as was mentioned on WGR550 a few weeks ago.  His reputation in league circles is not very good to put it mildly. Empty seats on broadcasts is not going unnoticed. 
 

This owner has gone from I’ll drill another well to economic, efficient and effective. He has continued operate in the latter for all of Adams Tenure, even when the team finished one point out of the playoffs.  
 

Also I have it on pretty good authority the lower cap hit for this season was the cherry on top for the deal. 
 

Personally I would love for Byram to sign a 7 million dollar AAV contract extension, as that could be a sign Pegula is finally spending to the cap. 
 

Until that happens critiquing, criticizing or sh!ting on Pegula is fair game 
 

 

 

I agree with you that the owner deserves criticism, but inventing circumstances like this to support your narrative is below you. 

Edited November 10 by Porous Five Hole

[JohnC]

13 minutes ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I agree with you that the owner deserves criticism, but inventing circumstances like this to support your narrative is below you. 

All the transactions that included financial aspects that @Brawndo listed are factual. If you don't want to believe that the owner was the main driver in the subtraction of salary, that's okay. Hopefully, the Sabres are at a different stage of the rebuild where $$$ isn't such an influential factor in personnel decisions. But what is indisputable is that the Sabres over the past few years have been a low cap team.

[LTS]

The problem with the triple E strategy is that it's really only a double E strategy..

Unless effective was not meant to reflect the success of the team.

 

[Sidc3000]

1 hour ago, JohnC said:

All the transactions that included financial aspects that @Brawndo listed are factual. If you don't want to believe that the owner was the main driver in the subtraction of salary, that's okay. Hopefully, the Sabres are at a different stage of the rebuild where $$$ isn't such an influential factor in personnel decisions. But what is indisputable is that the Sabres over the past few years have been a low cap team.

Mind boggling that some people can’t see what’s right in front of them. It’s be very obvious that just about everything that has been done since Adams became GM has been cost cutting. I honestly don’t see them spending anytime soon 

[JohnC]

7 minutes ago, Sidc3000 said:

Mind boggling that some people can’t see what’s right in front of them. It’s be very obvious that just about everything that has been done since Adams became GM has been cost cutting. I honestly don’t see them spending anytime soon 

I don't see profligate spending in the Pegula era. However, I'm not out of hand dismissing the possibility that there will be an uptick in spending as this team becomes  more competitive. Will the money more likely be directed toward our young players as their contracts come due rather than outside players? Probably so. What this organization desperately needs is more success on the ice so that there will be more people in the stands $$$ so the balance sheet becomes more balanced.  If that materializes, I do so the owner more willing to open the wallet. 

[nfreeman]

On 11/9/2024 at 11:57 AM, Brawndo said:

There has been an underlying pattern with the Eichel, Reinhart and Mittelstadt Trade, in every instance the players/assets coming to the Sabres in return had a smaller cap hit. 

I agree with the broader point about not spending to the cap, but not with these examples.  As noted upthread, Byram was more expensive than Mitts when acquired and almost certainly on his next contract as well (and I expect the Sabres to keep him).  And neither Vegas nor Florida was going to give up one of their expensive stars in the Eichel/Reino trades. 

 

14 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Absolutely and I will continue to do so as long as it’s deserved. 

Want to know another way to help a rebuild? Using your cap space to acquire more assets by taking salary cap dumps, rather than allowing the space to go completely unused. When Calgary was looking to move Monahan’s Contract, Adams was offered him and a first round pick, guess who squashed the deal. Montreal gladly accepted and ended up with two first round picks for their trouble. The only cap dumps they have taken is to get to the cap floor. What does not change is the fact the team has consciously stayed in the bottom tier of spending despite overwhelming evidence that the teams who do so rarely make the playoffs.

Imagine being an owner of a franchise that has had to perform cap gymnastics over the past few seasons while Sabres have ample unused cap space which the owner won’t even allow to be used as a third team in a trade. The one of thing that Pegula will gladly accept is a yearly revenue sharing check from the league. No wonder Pegula is considered an outsider by other owners as was mentioned on WGR550 a few weeks ago.  His reputation in league circles is not very good to put it mildly. Empty seats on broadcasts is not going unnoticed.

This owner has gone from I’ll drill another well to economic, efficient and effective. He has continued operate in the latter for all of Adams Tenure, even when the team finished one point out of the playoffs.  

Also I have it on pretty good authority the lower cap hit for this season was the cherry on top for the deal. 

Personally I would love for Byram to sign a 7 million dollar AAV contract extension, as that could be a sign Pegula is finally spending to the cap. 

Until that happens critiquing, criticizing or sh!ting on Pegula is fair game

OTOH, all of this is fair.

Still, if Lindy gets them into the playoffs this year, I expect them to give fat extensions to JJP and Byram, and possibly Quinn if he removes head from rectum, and perhaps sign a solid FA, and overall get much closer to the cap.

 

 

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I agree with the broader point about not spending to the cap, but not with these examples.  As noted upthread, Byram was more expensive than Mitts when acquired and almost certainly on his next contract as well (and I expect the Sabres to keep him).  And neither Vegas nor Florida was going to give up one of their expensive stars in the Eichel/Reino trades. 

 

OTOH, all of this is fair.

 

 

 

When discussing the cap one can get sidetracked/misled when comparing one contract to another. The Mitts for Byram contract comparisons really don't get to the core of the cap issue. The critical issue when discussing the cap under the recent Pegula tenure is about the aggregate expenditure. And on that issue as stressed by @Brawndo the organization has for the past number of years been demonstrably under the cap max limit and bordering on the cap minimum requirement. 

Hopefully, as you also point out, the cap expenditure will go up as some of our younger players' contracts come into play. In general, our GM has done a good job in adding medium level role players to strengthen the bottom of our roster. However, that is not to say that this underachieving organization didn't have the wherewithal (cap space) to bring in a second-line player to bolster another line. Even with the additions of Lafferty and Zucker, another second line talent could have been added if the desire was there to do so. That desire didn't exist. 

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

Still, if Lindy gets them into the playoffs this year, I expect them to give fat extensions to JJP and Byram, and possibly Quinn if he removes head from rectum, and perhaps sign a solid FA, and overall get much closer to the cap.

 

 

Except, they could have spent that money this year in order to get into the playoffs and not worried about it. 

For example, if you trade away Samuelsson you have tons of cap room on D. Then Byram can get 6 or 7 easily with  no impact. (I don't think he's worth that, but if they want to they can). You let Jokiharju walk if you haven't traded him that's 3 million to give to Gilbert and whoever. So, no need to hold cap space there at all.

Peterka, sure, he gets a big raise. he gets Zucker's money plus his own. Zucker is replaced by Kulich on an entry level deal. Quinn? He's earned nothing so he gets a lowball offer like Krebs or a bridge at best. Either way little effect. Then you need to re-sign or replace Greenway and his 3 million plus Aube-Kubel who is easily replaced by any bottom 6er. So you don't need that money for these contracts at all. Remember also, cap likely to go up annually. 

There's plenty of room to add a top 6 winger and keep everything relatively intact. It's a choice that isn't committed to winning. 

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, PerreaultForever said:

Except, they could have spent that money this year in order to get into the playoffs and not worried about it. 

For example, if you trade away Samuelsson you have tons of cap room on D. Then Byram can get 6 or 7 easily with  no impact. (I don't think he's worth that, but if they want to they can). You let Jokiharju walk if you haven't traded him that's 3 million to give to Gilbert and whoever. So, no need to hold cap space there at all.

Peterka, sure, he gets a big raise. he gets Zucker's money plus his own. Zucker is replaced by Kulich on an entry level deal. Quinn? He's earned nothing so he gets a lowball offer like Krebs or a bridge at best. Either way little effect. Then you need to re-sign or replace Greenway and his 3 million plus Aube-Kubel who is easily replaced by any bottom 6er. So you don't need that money for these contracts at all. Remember also, cap likely to go up annually. 

There's plenty of room to add a top 6 winger and keep everything relatively intact. It's a choice that isn't committed to winning. 

I think there were very few FAs last summer who both were good enough to be difference-makers in a playoff quest and were willing to come here.  So I think it's pretty uncertain whether just spending more last summer would've given them a better chance at making the playoffs.

If Lindy is able to fully right the ship, get them into the playoffs and get them to play a smart, tough, professional game, then the home games will be fun and raucous and next summer they'll be a much more desirable destination and have many more options in FA and trade.  We'll have to see, if that happens, whether TP is willing to spend on a pricey acquisition. 

I also think it's at least 50/50 that Quinn turns things around in the next month or so, has a really strong 2nd half and makes it clear that he's good enough for a big contract.

I could also see them keeping one or both of Greenway and Zucker next year at more or less their current salaries.

[Brawndo]

5 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I agree with the broader point about not spending to the cap, but not with these examples.  As noted upthread, Byram was more expensive than Mitts when acquired and almost certainly on his next contract as well (and I expect the Sabres to keep him).  And neither Vegas nor Florida was going to give up one of their expensive stars in the Eichel/Reino trades. 

 

OTOH, all of this is fair.

Still, if Lindy gets them into the playoffs this year, I expect them to give fat extensions to JJP and Byram, and possibly Quinn if he removes head from rectum, and perhaps sign a solid FA, and overall get much closer to the cap.

 

 

When the trade was completed, Colorado had already paid 3.2 of 3.85 the Million Byram was owed last season and the Sabres had paid 2.08 of 2.5 Million owed to Mitts. This is based on their daily cap hit. 

Which means the Sabres paid the remaining 650k, while the Avs paid the remaining 420k meaning the Sabres paid a whopping 230k more last season. As everyone knows at the time of the trade Casey was a pending RFA while Byram was cost controlled with another The difference between the contracts this year is 1.9. Million, the team knew Byram would have a lower cap hit for this season. 
 

It is a fact that their payroll dropped with each asset that came back in trade. This is a symptom of the bigger issue.

There is a rumor that Pegula will not authorize spending to the cap until they make the playoffs. It has been mentioned that he should be taking the opposite approach as spending increases a team’s playoff chances. 

 

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Except, they could have spent that money this year in order to get into the playoffs and not worried about it. 

For example, if you trade away Samuelsson you have tons of cap room on D. Then Byram can get 6 or 7 easily with  no impact. (I don't think he's worth that, but if they want to they can). You let Jokiharju walk if you haven't traded him that's 3 million to give to Gilbert and whoever. So, no need to hold cap space there at all.

Peterka, sure, he gets a big raise. he gets Zucker's money plus his own. Zucker is replaced by Kulich on an entry level deal. Quinn? He's earned nothing so he gets a lowball offer like Krebs or a bridge at best. Either way little effect. Then you need to re-sign or replace Greenway and his 3 million plus Aube-Kubel who is easily replaced by any bottom 6er. So you don't need that money for these contracts at all. Remember also, cap likely to go up annually. 

There's plenty of room to add a top 6 winger and keep everything relatively intact. It's a choice The Pegula Ownership of the Sabres has been a cluster to put things mildly.  Terry used to have company in the worst owners in the NHL Club with Eugene Melnyk and Alex Meruelo, now Terry is the last man standing.   

Worse case scenario-Samuelsson’s Buyout is 714k, although it’s for ten years if done this Summer. A trade should be possible 

The Pegula Ownership of the Sabres has been a cluster to put things mildly.  Terry used to have company in the worst owners in the NHL Club with Eugene Melnyk and Alex Meruelo, now Terry is the last man standing.   

He purchased the team for 189 million in 2011 and the most recent valuation in 2024 is 1.13 billion. That’s a pretty damn good ROI, maybe let your GM spend to the cap as a sign of good faith to your fanbase. 
 

Also as part of the push to get a new CBA in place by June 2025 NHL might dangle voiding the final year of current agreement and letting the cap increase by much more than the planned 4 million dollar increase to 92 million for 2025-26. 

 

13 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I agree with you that the owner deserves criticism, but inventing circumstances like this to support your narrative is below you. 

Which circumstances did I invent to support my narrative? 

[Porous Five Hole]

9 hours ago, Brawndo said:

Which circumstances did I invent to support my narrative? 

You invented the fact that these rebuild trades were executed as cost cutting measures. They weren’t. The trades did shed cap in the trades, but that wasn’t the whole point of the trade. I’m all set with this conversation and I’m sure you are too.

[JohnC]

9 hours ago, Brawndo said:

When the trade was completed, Colorado had already paid 3.2 of 3.85 the Million Byram was owed last season and the Sabres had paid 2.08 of 2.5 Million owed to Mitts. This is based on their daily cap hit. 

Which means the Sabres paid the remaining 650k, while the Avs paid the remaining 420k meaning the Sabres paid a whopping 230k more last season. As everyone knows at the time of the trade Casey was a pending RFA while Byram was cost controlled with another The difference between the contracts this year is 1.9. Million, the team knew Byram would have a lower cap hit for this season. 
 

It is a fact that their payroll dropped with each asset that came back in trade. This is a symptom of the bigger issue.

There is a rumor that Pegula will not authorize spending to the cap until they make the playoffs. It has been mentioned that he should be taking the opposite approach as spending increases a team’s playoff chances. 

 

Worse case scenario-Samuelsson’s Buyout is 714k, although it’s for ten years if done this Summer. A trade should be possible 

The Pegula Ownership of the Sabres has been a cluster to put things mildly.  Terry used to have company in the worst owners in the NHL Club with Eugene Melnyk and Alex Meruelo, now Terry is the last man standing.   

He purchased the team for 189 million in 2011 and the most recent valuation in 2024 is 1.13 billion. That’s a pretty damn good ROI, maybe let your GM spend to the cap as a sign of good faith to your fanbase. 
 

Also as part of the push to get a new CBA in place by June 2025 NHL might dangle voiding the final year of current agreement and letting the cap increase by much more than the planned 4 million dollar increase to 92 million for 2025-26. 

 

Which circumstances did I invent to support my narrative? 

What's perplexing to me is that when he bought the team the new owner let it be known that hockey was his favorite sport. He loudly declared that his goal was to win the Cup. When he first took over, he recklessly spent gobs of money on overrated talent. Especially during the covid era and afterwards, he seemed to be more attuned to the balance sheet. (I have no criticism of the owner's spartan operation during the covid era with empty arenas. Surviving was a challenge for most businesses.) After that tough business environment he became more interested in the balance sheet than the team stat sheet. What happened? Did he become more interested in his higher profiled football team? Did his wife's devastating illness alter his interest in his sports businesses? I don't know. What's bothersome is that I don't recall him making many (if any) public comments about the hockey team and what he expected of it. Has he lost his desire and interest in the team? 

 As an owner, he's mostly silent and incommunicado. So what do we have to go on about judging his commitment. Based on how the team has operated it's basically a low budget operation. That is indisputable. My hope is that under Lindy, this team gains enough success to the point where the team becomes a factor in the league and the fans come back to fill the many available seats in the arena. Just maybe that might be the impetus for him to take this franchise more seriously and demonstrate a greater commitment by increasing his support $$$.

@Brawndo your posts on this topic have been exemplary. In detail, you documented the facts. They are indisputable. Some people get bothered by having to face a reality that is an uncomfortable reality. 

[ska-T Chitown]

13 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

Peterka, sure, he gets a big raise. he gets Zucker's money plus his own. Zucker is replaced by Kulich on an entry level deal. Quinn? He's earned nothing so he gets a lowball offer like Krebs or a bridge at best. Either way little effect. Then you need to re-sign or replace Greenway and his 3 million plus Aube-Kubel who is easily replaced by any bottom 6er. So you don't need that money for these contracts at all. Remember also, cap likely to go up annually. 

There's plenty of room to add a top 6 winger and keep everything relatively intact. It's a choice that isn't committed to winning. 

Can the Sabres please stop doing this? I don't want to over-state his impact, but right Zucker appears to be a huge positive influence on the group. An actual veteran who has played on successful teams before. As long as his good play is not a repeat of Early Season Pomminstein 2.0 - it does make a certain degree of sense to try to retain him at least one more year. Or, at the very least, not write him off, yet.

[DarthEbriate]

Another under-the-radar EEE move of this franchise is the decision to waive Reimer rather than to send Levi to Rochester to get the bulk of the starts and keep Reimer as the veteran 20-25 games backup until Levi kicked him to the curb. It's only $1M, but there were known backup/starting goaltender gaps in the league at the beginning of the season -- several teams were happy for a cheap backup on the wire.

[Night Train]

Costs cutting? By handing out multiple long term deals to underperforming players ?  ( Cozens, Muel etc. ). Bridge deals should have been offered.

Now Sabres have a guy in the press box making 4 Mil + annually eating popcorn. 

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Can the Sabres please stop doing this? I don't want to over-state his impact, but right Zucker appears to be a huge positive influence on the group. An actual veteran who has played on successful teams before. As long as his good play is not a repeat of Early Season Pomminstein 2.0 - it does make a certain degree of sense to try to retain him at least one more year. Or, at the very least, not write him off, yet.

They might, but he might not want to stay and he is getting older. I think he was brought in as a place holder while young guys develop but they might decide to keep him. You never know. 

[Brawndo]

12 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

You invented the fact that these rebuild trades were executed as cost cutting measures. They weren’t. The trades did shed cap in the trades, but that wasn’t the whole point of the trade. I’m all set with this conversation and I’m sure you are too.

 

I never said that the trades were executed as cost cutting measures, those were your words.  
 

I said there was a pattern with every one of these trades that the team payroll decreased, which has been proven.
 

If you want to jump to conclusions about my posts, fine, but do not insinuate that I am inventing facts because that is straight up BS. 
 

 

13 hours ago, JohnC said:

What's perplexing to me is that when he bought the team the new owner let it be known that hockey was his favorite sport. He loudly declared that his goal was to win the Cup. When he first took over, he recklessly spent gobs of money on overrated talent. Especially during the covid era and afterwards, he seemed to be more attuned to the balance sheet. (I have no criticism of the owner's spartan operation during the covid era with empty arenas. Surviving was a challenge for most businesses.) After that tough business environment he became more interested in the balance sheet than the team stat sheet. What happened? Did he become more interested in his higher profiled football team? Did his wife's devastating illness alter his interest in his sports businesses? I don't know. What's bothersome is that I don't recall him making many (if any) public comments about the hockey team and what he expected of it. Has he lost his desire and interest in the team? 

 As an owner, he's mostly silent and incommunicado. So what do we have to go on about judging his commitment. Based on how the team has operated it's basically a low budget operation. That is indisputable. My hope is that under Lindy, this team gains enough success to the point where the team becomes a factor in the league and the fans come back to fill the many available seats in the arena. Just maybe that might be the impetus for him to take this franchise more seriously and demonstrate a greater commitment by increasing his support $$$.

@Brawndo your posts on this topic have been exemplary. In detail, you documented the facts. They are indisputable. Some people get bothered by having to face a reality that is an uncomfortable reality. 

Thanks 

 

 

[Brawndo]

1 hour ago, Porous Five Hole said:

You also wrongly criticized the Amerks operating budget (you didn’t respond to me when I questioned you back) and said the Knighthawks were sold. Neither are true, so talk about straight up BS. 

I know someone who does side work for the Knighthawks, they told me the team had been sold, I did a quick search saw an article about the sale of the Knighthawks but I did realize it was referencing an older sale.  I trusted but did not verify properly, so will take the L on that one. 

After the EEE Announcement the number of practices had per week the Amerks had were cut to save money. In addition there was a pregame buffet for family and friends of the Amerks Players attending home games, this was run by Kim Pegula’s Aunt, it was also eliminated. 
 

This comes directly from a former Amerks Player, so I am going to lean towards this one being true.

 

 

 

[GASabresIUFAN]

The Sabres are still terrible defensively.  This is completely on Adams.  The team 20% of the way through the season are 27th in GA.  They are on pace to allow 272 goals.  Only one team in the last 5 full NHL seasons made the playoffs allowing more than 270 goals and that was the Fla Panthers (273 GA), but they scored 290.  

As others have pointed out, Dahlin is our best defensive D.  Power and Byram, our other alleged “top” D, are terrible in our zone.  Power has zero physicality to his game.  He literally won’t even try to knock someone off the puck.  Byram has no idea how to cover forwards while playing defense and is KA’s big acquisition on defense.  The rest are replacement level players.  We can’t win this way.  

I understand that Ruff, Adams, and Pegula want to play an uptempo style, but we don’t have the horses to play this way.  At some point the Sabres are actually going to have to stop teams from scoring.

 

[Carmel Corn]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The Sabres are still terrible defensively.  This is completely on Adams.  The team 20% of the way through the season are 27th in GA.  They are on pace to allow 272 goals.  Only one team in the last 5 full NHL seasons made the playoffs allowing more than 270 goals and that was the Fla Panthers (273 GA), but they scored 290.  

As others have pointed out, Dahlin is our best defensive D.  Power and Byram, our other alleged “top” D, are terrible in our zone.  Power has zero physicality to his game.  He literally won’t even try to knock someone off the puck.  Byram has no idea how to cover forwards while playing defense and is KA’s big acquisition on defense.  The rest are replacement level players.  We can’t win this way.  

I understand that Ruff, Adams, and Pegula want to play an uptempo style, but we don’t have the horses to play this way.  At some point the Sabres are actually going to have to stop teams from scoring.

 

Playing an uptempo style?  Is that really the case?  If so, is it because that is what they really want to do or is it because they are forced to do so because of their personnel (badly constructed team)?  I thought Ruff would prefer a defensive oriented team, but they lack the right personnel to do so very well.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The Sabres are still terrible defensively.  This is completely on Adams.  The team 20% of the way through the season are 27th in GA.  They are on pace to allow 272 goals.  Only one team in the last 5 full NHL seasons made the playoffs allowing more than 270 goals and that was the Fla Panthers (273 GA), but they scored 290.  

As others have pointed out, Dahlin is our best defensive D.  Power and Byram, our other alleged “top” D, are terrible in our zone.  Power has zero physicality to his game.  He literally won’t even try to knock someone off the puck.  Byram has no idea how to cover forwards while playing defense and is KA’s big acquisition on defense.  The rest are replacement level players.  We can’t win this way.  

I understand that Ruff, Adams, and Pegula want to play an uptempo style, but we don’t have the horses to play this way.  At some point the Sabres are actually going to have to stop teams from scoring.

 

Totally agree with this! Our defenseman are lacking the defensive skill. KA needed to get a hard nosed physical defensive dman (or 2) and cleared out some of the lightweight stick checkers. 

Ever noticed how hard it is for us to get into the offensive zone and how easy it is to get in ours? The Habs made us their bitch yesterday as we just let them walk in our zone with a passive stick check. 

[Mango]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The Sabres are still terrible defensively.  This is completely on Adams.  The team 20% of the way through the season are 27th in GA.  They are on pace to allow 272 goals.  Only one team in the last 5 full NHL seasons made the playoffs allowing more than 270 goals and that was the Fla Panthers (273 GA), but they scored 290.  

As others have pointed out, Dahlin is our best defensive D.  Power and Byram, our other alleged “top” D, are terrible in our zone.  Power has zero physicality to his game.  He literally won’t even try to knock someone off the puck.  Byram has no idea how to cover forwards while playing defense and is KA’s big acquisition on defense.  The rest are replacement level players.  We can’t win this way.  

I understand that Ruff, Adams, and Pegula want to play an uptempo style, but we don’t have the horses to play this way.  At some point the Sabres are actually going to have to stop teams from scoring.

 

We are at or near the top of the league in defensive spending and we absolutely suck at the blue line.

If Byram, Power, and Dalhin could add a little Brian Campbell to their game and play with a little bit of physicality the entire group would be better. These guys don't need to be Chara. But they do need to at least resemble defensemen rather than soccer midfielders. 

Edited November 12 by Mango