GDT: Sabres vs Canucks Black Friday 3:00 PM EST MSG-B, SN-Pac, WGR550, SN650

[Thorner]

7 hours ago, Kristian said:

Yeah, we’ll offer Quinn for a big time scorer, that’ll work.

I dislike KA as much as the next guy, but those players do not come cheap, if at all.

We’ve been saying “where is he going to get these guys?” for 5 literal years.

its the job. That is the job of the GM. To field the requisite talent

he’s had enough “well, you have to wait for the next transaction period”s

Edited November 30 by Thorner

[Kristian]

24 minutes ago, Thorner said:

We’ve been saying “where is he going to get these guys?” for 5 literal years.

its the job. That is the job of the GM. To field the requisite talent

he’s had enough “well, you have to wait for the next transaction period”s

I’m not talking about transaction periods, I’m talking about teams not moving big time scorers, because they’re… well…. Big time scorers!

And forget free agency, nobody wants to come here.

Established scorers are off the table for club like this, and it’s our own fault.

[Second Line Center]

JJ has 3 goals since the 2nd round of the MLB playoffs.  He vanished when Tage was out.  Speaking of Vanish….
 

Lindy would never have kept Vanek on the top line with production like that.  He should put Benson there.  Put JJ back with Quinn and Cozens.    
 

It’s amazing how coddled these kids are. 
 

[Thorner]

55 minutes ago, Kristian said:

I’m not talking about transaction periods, I’m talking about teams not moving big time scorers, because they’re… well…. Big time scorers!

And forget free agency, nobody wants to come here.

Established scorers are off the table for club like this, and it’s our own fault.

But not being able to trade for presumably Connor McDavid (jk) is a strawman. “Established” scorers can certainly be had, regardless of one’s definition of “big time.” We, just this offseason, signed a guy who’s immediately 4th on the team in scoring for forwards. He cost no assets. He’s a better forward than almost all of the forwards we had assembled over the last 5 years. 80% of the league is sans no movement clause. When the time period is 5 years, these items amount to excuse making 

We don’t need “big time” anything. We just need to be 16th/32, once 

Edited November 30 by Thorner

[Kristian]

2 hours ago, Thorner said:

But not being able to trade for presumably Connor McDavid (jk) is a strawman. “Established” scorers can certainly be had, regardless of one’s definition of “big time.” We, just this offseason, signed a guy who’s immediately 4th on the team in scoring for forwards. He cost no assets. He’s a better forward than almost all of the forwards we had assembled over the last 5 years. 80% of the league is sans no movement clause. When the time period is 5 years, these items amount to excuse making 

We don’t need “big time” anything. We just need to be 16th/32, once 

Agree, but no stars are coming here. That was my point. Can we do with less? Certainly.

[sabremike]

I for one am shocked that a team that does nothing but take perimeter shots with nobody anywhere near the net has trouble scoring. You would hope they learn from how they came back that the only way you succeed in this league is to get to the net.

[Carmel Corn]

1 hour ago, sabremike said:

I for one am shocked that a team that does nothing but take perimeter shots with nobody anywhere near the net has trouble scoring. You would hope they learn from how they came back that the only way you succeed in this league is to get to the net.

Agree…..especially on the PP as well.  Wash, rinse, repeat……year after year

[Scottysabres]

Reading the insight of many on here, speaking with Sabres fans in person, both at games as well as out and about in town, one theme keeps coming to the front, the Sabres need to bring in a couple of established scoring forwards.

I don't hear the "no one wants to come here" stance outside of venues such as this. Not to say it isn't a thing, but almost every fan I speak with wants Adams to flip assets for the "now is the time" moment.

[Wyldnwoody44]

35 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Reading the insight of many on here, speaking with Sabres fans in person, both at games as well as out and about in town, one theme keeps coming to the front, the Sabres need to bring in a couple of established scoring forwards.

I don't hear the "no one wants to come here" stance outside of venues such as this. Not to say it isn't a thing, but almost every fan I speak with wants Adams to flip assets for the "now is the time" moment.

I feel that if we had an adequate GM, we would be a playoff team. 

But we have a literal, no experience owners pet at the helm and a cheap owner that is out of touch. 

Around 10 million in cap space that is just wasting away as we watch Tage float out there and our team of 12 year olds. 

I wouldn't hold my breath on anything happening or changing. 

[Archie Lee]

22 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

Reading the insight of many on here, speaking with Sabres fans in person, both at games as well as out and about in town, one theme keeps coming to the front, the Sabres need to bring in a couple of established scoring forwards.

I don't hear the "no one wants to come here" stance outside of venues such as this. Not to say it isn't a thing, but almost every fan I speak with wants Adams to flip assets for the "now is the time" moment.

While Sabre fans are by no means monolithic in their view on paying the necessary acquisition cost to acquire such established forwards, I think it can be generally said that fans are not keen on giving up Quinn or Kulich (forget Benson or Peterka). All indications are that Adams feels the same way. Not that he wouldn’t trade them (in the right deal), but I doubt he is willing to deal them for what they would return. Neither would fetch a legit top 6 forward, under 30, with term. 

There were multiple rumours about the Jets’ demands for Ehlers in the off-season; one reported was a young NHL player and 1st rd pick. Had we made that trade in June, the cost was likely Quinn and Helenius. That’s steep for a pending UFA who would not commit to an extension. At what point though do you go all in on making the playoffs?  Obviously there is no guarantee that Ehlers would have been the player who  gets us over the playoff goal-line, but had we made such a trade we would still have Benson, Kulich, Rosen, Östlund, Neuchev, Wahlberg, our 1st in 2025, and a bevy of less-renowned forward prospects who shouldn’t be outright disregarded. The futures cupboard would still have been pretty well stocked.

[Stoner]

9 hours ago, SwampD said:

I know what the rule is. Do you? The puck still has to go past the goal line for it to be icing. Until then, it’s just two guys chasing the puck.

The linesman ***** up. There is no defending it.

No it doesn't. The linesman has to predict that it will. The league wanted to take away two guys chasing the puck that close to the end boards.

[JohnC]

19 minutes ago, Stoner said:

No it doesn't. The linesman has to predict that it will. The league wanted to take away two guys chasing the puck that close to the end boards.

That was an atrocious call!  Quinn was in front of the guy and ready to play the puck. You are right that both players were chasing the puck and heading to the boards. But it was clear that Quinn was in front of the opposing player and was ready to get the puck or may have even had the puck. You are right that linesman very often predict the play and out of caution rule icing. But that wasn't the case here. There was nothing to predict because Quinn was in front of the other player. 

The Sabres didn't lose the game because of this bad call. Sometimes the call goes in your favor and sometimes not. That's part of the game you can't control. We lost the game because we didn't score when the opportunities were there to do so. The Tage down low at the end of the game is an example of that. 

Tage is one of our main scorers. He needs to vary his game and move around more because the opposition is ready for him when he is stationed on his spots. The penalty that Cozens took was very questionable. Vancouver scored on the PP. Cozens additional penalty due to his response at the call was reckless and irresponsible considering the time and situation of the game. Vancouver didn't score on the second penalty but it took time away from our offense.

[ska-T Palmtown]

Just now, JohnC said:

The penalty that Cozens took was very questionable. Vancouver scored on the PP. Cozens additional penalty due to his response at the call was reckless and irresponsible considering the time and situation of the game. Vancouver didn't score on the second penalty but it took time away from our offense.

Yeah, the call on Cozens was borderline horseshite. Way worse (for the game and in terms of blown calls) than the "icing".

[SwampD]

38 minutes ago, Stoner said:

No it doesn't. The linesman has to predict that it will. The league wanted to take away two guys chasing the puck that close to the end boards.

There are two determinations the linesmen has to make. Is it going to cross the goal line, who will get there first.

He was wrong on both.

[SwampD]

And I’m still more angry that Tage took that shot with the defender sliding in front of him. So dumb.

[JohnC]

5 minutes ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Yeah, the call on Cozens was borderline horseshite. Way worse (for the game and in terms of blown calls) than the "icing".

The call on Cozens was certainly a borderline call. It was a questionable judgment call that both sides have to contend with all the time. That's part of the game. In an overview, we lost this game because we couldn't convert enough when the opportunities presented itself. We lost because we lost. 

[Pimlach]

8 hours ago, Second Line Center said:

JJ has 3 goals since the 2nd round of the MLB playoffs.  He vanished when Tage was out.  Speaking of Vanish….
 

Lindy would never have kept Vanek on the top line with production like that.  He should put Benson there.  Put JJ back with Quinn and Cozens.    
 

It’s amazing how coddled these kids are. 
 

He tried JJ  with Cozens and Quinn already, and with Cozens and Benson. 

We just don’t have enough good top 6 players to be a top tier team.  We are a middling team that will contend for a wildcard with lots of other middling teams.  That is the Sabres next step, right now.  
 

Cozens, Peterka, Quinn, Benson are still not consistent enough.  Benson is the best two way player of the bunch but lacks the NHL shot and finish.  

Quinn is barely contributing and I don’t agree with the notion that he is getting better, all players should be rounding into mid season form now.  He may be getting better from the level he started the season at, which was a level so poor that he should have been sent down or benched.   Injuries prevented him from the benching he deserved and still does.  When Greenway comes back I would sit Quinn.  

Cozens, even with his 2 goals yesterday is inconsistent.  He hurts PP1, and he is not a 2C yet.  He should not wear an “A” either.  That is a joke, he is simply not respected in the league.   The ref gave him an extra 2 for mouthing off, that tells me the respect level that “A” gets him.  Too much, too soon.  

JJP is better suited for the second line, but on this team he is 1st line.   He is slumping and all the line juggling isn’t working for him.  

[Stoner]

21 minutes ago, SwampD said:

There are two determinations the linesmen has to make. Is it going to cross the goal line, who will get there first.

He was wrong on both.

Agreed. I wouldn't want that job.

[SwampD]

3 minutes ago, Stoner said:

Agreed. I wouldn't want that job.

I would. You can be wrong all the time and there are no consequences.

[JohnC]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

He tried JJ  with Cozens and Quinn already, and with Cozens and Benson. 

We just don’t have enough good top 6 players to be a top tier team.  We are a middling team that will contend for a wildcard with lots of other middling teams.  That is the Sabres next step, right now.  
 

Cozens, Peterka, Quinn, Benson are still not consistent enough.  Benson is the best two way player of the bunch but lacks the NHL shot and finish.  

Quinn is barely contributing and I don’t agree with the notion that he is getting better, all players should be rounding into mid season form now.  He may be getting better from the level he started the season at, which was a level so poor that he should have been sent down or benched.   Injuries prevented him from the benching he deserved and still does.  When Greenway comes back I would sit Quinn.  

Cozens, even with his 2 goals yesterday is inconsistent.  He hurts PP1, and he is not a 2C yet.  He should not wear an “A” either.  That is a joke, he is simply not respected in the league.   The ref gave him an extra 2 for mouthing off, that tells me the respect level that “A” gets him.  Too much, too soon.  

JJP is better suited for the second line, but on this team he is 1st line.   He is slumping and all the line juggling isn’t working for him.  

The offseason was the time to have acquired a top six forward. Our lackluster GM didn't address that obvious need. What's frustrating with such organizational passivity is that often when you make an impact move it positively reverberates to other players and lines. It has a multiplier effect. 

On the other hand, I am more positive about Quinn and Cozens's recent play. I do see an uptick in it. 

The extra two minutes added to Cozens's original penalty were deserved. The linesman allowed him to vent after the original call, but he wouldn't stop. He has to have better situational awareness. His immaturity and discipline were costly. It's on him!

[Scottysabres]

1 hour ago, Archie Lee said:

While Sabre fans are by no means monolithic in their view on paying the necessary acquisition cost to acquire such established forwards, I think it can be generally said that fans are not keen on giving up Quinn or Kulich (forget Benson or Peterka). All indications are that Adams feels the same way. Not that he wouldn’t trade them (in the right deal), but I doubt he is willing to deal them for what they would return. Neither would fetch a legit top 6 forward, under 30, with term. 

There were multiple rumours about the Jets’ demands for Ehlers in the off-season; one reported was a young NHL player and 1st rd pick. Had we made that trade in June, the cost was likely Quinn and Helenius. That’s steep for a pending UFA who would not commit to an extension. At what point though do you go all in on making the playoffs?  Obviously there is no guarantee that Ehlers would have been the player who  gets us over the playoff goal-line, but had we made such a trade we would still have Benson, Kulich, Rosen, Östlund, Neuchev, Wahlberg, our 1st in 2025, and a bevy of less-renowned forward prospects who shouldn’t be outright disregarded. The futures cupboard would still have been pretty well stocked.

I can't say whether the faithful are willing to part with particular players, just that an overwhelming number of them want to see it happen. At least, the ones I casually chat with.

[Believer]

16 hours ago, Stoner said:

I'm not a fan of Tage. I think he's a paper tiger and a one trick pony and we'll never win anything with him as our #1 C.

If he doesn't learn from this game, we're screwed. It's the NHL, you can't do the same thing over an over and expect a different result,… you can't even expect the same result, ffs. Defenders learn. They know you are taking the slapper.

Couldn’t agree more. The league is onto his slapper act. 

Thompson needs to get to the slot to unleash his shot at the top of the circles or take it in close with deft moves to deke the goalie with a backhand or tap in.

He needs to use his size, reach and stick more creatively.

 

Edited November 30 by Believer

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, Stoner said:

Agreed. I wouldn't want that job.

You would be a great lines man.  (see what I did?)

[Doohicksie]

Sorry for the lack of goal memes last night.  I'm doing some work in my family room and when I moved my computer desk the computer fell off and hit the floor pretty hard, and wouldn't boot up.  In house tech support (my son) figured it out and got it going again.

[Crusader1969]

14 hours ago, Thorner said:

We’ve been saying “where is he going to get these guys?” for 5 literal years.

its the job. That is the job of the GM. To field the requisite talent

he’s had enough “well, you have to wait for the next transaction period”s

Here's the thing you fail to accept .  2 things need to be true in order for a team to give up a top 6 scorer 

1) has to be a free agent at  the end of the current season;

2) the team needs to be out of playoff contention 

This is true of every goal scorer traded since at least 2019-20 

On top of that, most of the upcoming Free Agents have NMCs in their contracts, which Buffalo is always on 

You are asking Adams to do the impossible with few teams are out of contention right now.  Not only that,if you look at the upcoming UFA list, I ask you, who exactly is top 6 forward you would target?  
Hockey trades just don't happen anymore