Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power named to Athletic u25 team.

[LGR4GM]

Power was listed as the 7th/ extra defender. 

 

Edited Tuesday at 01:11 PM by LGR4GM

[Pimlach]

The expectation was that Cozens and Quinn be on there too. 

[mjd1001]

50 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Power was listed as the 7th/ extra defender. 

 

I'm assuming those are in order (first line on the top, 2nd below, etc.)

The only thing I would change is I would swap Stutzle for Jack Hughes.  Hughes has terrible luck with injuries, but when he is healthy, and I know that hasn't been a lot recently, he is a superstar-level player.

[Archie Lee]

53 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

The expectation was that Cozens and Quinn be on there too. 

I was thinking about this when it comes to Cozens. It might well be that Norris is the all around better player than Cozens. What is almost certain though, is that Norris is not better than what Cozens was projected to be. When he signed his big contract, I think it is fair to say that we fans generally thought Cozens was the long-term, 30 goal, 70 point, two-way, big, hard to play against, 2nd line centre, that cup-contending NHL teams dream of. That was probably too much to expect. Norris isn’t that. 

Add in that we no longer are sure that Thompson is a centre, let alone a 1st line centre, and it’s pretty sobering. 

My point?  Adams, or whoever the GM next year might be, can’t hide behind “building for long-term success” any longer. A big piece of the foundation, is gone. It is (past)time to pivot to primarily serving the now and not the future. I’m not talking about recklessly throwing away assets. But, in my view, Dahlin, Byram, Power, Clifton, Thompson, Norris, Tuch, McLeod, Zucker, Greenway, Peterka, Benson, Luukkonen, are more than a good enough starting point (give or take a trade or two), for a playoff team. We should have been there this year. There are no excuses except for ineptitude. 

Edited Tuesday at 02:11 PM by Archie Lee

[shrader]

57 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

The expectation was that Cozens and Quinn be on there too. 

Peterka

[Pimlach]

1 minute ago, Archie Lee said:

I was thinking about this when it comes to Cozens. It might well be that Norris is the all around better player than Cozens. What is almost certain though, is that Norris is not better than what Cozens was projected to be. When he signed his big contract, I think it is fair to say that we fans generally thought Cozens was the long-term, 30 goal, 70 point, two-way, big, hard to play against, 2nd line centre, that cup-contending NHL teams dream of. That was probably too much to expect. Norris isn’t that. 

Add in that we no longer are sure that Thompson is a centre, let alone a 1st line centre, and it’s pretty sobering. 

My point?  Adams, or whoever the GM next year might be, can’t hide behind “building for long-term success” any longer. A big piece of the foundation, is gone. It is (past)time to pivot to primarily serving the now and not the future. I’m not talking about recklessly throwing away assets. But, in my view, Dahlin, Byram, Power, Clifton, Thompson, Norris, Tuch, McLeod, Zucker, Greenway, Peterka, Benson, Luukkonen, are more than a good enough starting point (give or take a trade or two), for a playoff team. We should have been there this year. There are no excuses except for ineptitude. 

100 % agree 

Cozens was my dream of a 30 goal, 70 point, big tough Canadian SOB that was hard to play against.  

Looking at how bad the Sabres have been for 14 years, all the picks and prospects (many have come and gone) , and we have one player on this list with a second as an alternate - that is sobering.  

But going forward, it seems just a few key moves and we should be emerging again.  A studly stay at home RHD, impactful veteran help in the top 6, a few glue pieces, and we should be ok.  

 

[Jorcus]

I don't know what they based this on. But since Aliaksei Protus is not on this list I don't agree with it. I could Argue Connor McMichael should be on the list as well but left wings are always deeper than right wings so could let that slide.

[inkman]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

The expectation was that Cozens and Quinn be on there too. 

 

17 minutes ago, shrader said:

Peterka

If even one of the 3 played well enough to make this list, the Sabres would be pushing for the playoffs. If 2 or 3 are on it, the Sabres are challenging for the division.  Depressing.  

[inkman]

2 minutes ago, Jorcus said:

I don't know what they based this on. But since Aliaksei Protus is not on this list I don't agree with it. I could Argue Connor McMichael should be on the list as well but left wings are always deeper than right wings so could let that slide.

[Drag0nDan]

52 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

I was thinking about this when it comes to Cozens. It might well be that Norris is the all around better player than Cozens. What is almost certain though, is that Norris is not better than what Cozens was projected to be. When he signed his big contract, I think it is fair to say that we fans generally thought Cozens was the long-term, 30 goal, 70 point, two-way, big, hard to play against, 2nd line centre, that cup-contending NHL teams dream of. That was probably too much to expect. Norris isn’t that. 

Add in that we no longer are sure that Thompson is a centre, let alone a 1st line centre, and it’s pretty sobering. 

My point?  Adams, or whoever the GM next year might be, can’t hide behind “building for long-term success” any longer. A big piece of the foundation, is gone. It is (past)time to pivot to primarily serving the now and not the future. I’m not talking about recklessly throwing away assets. But, in my view, Dahlin, Byram, Power, Clifton, Thompson, Norris, Tuch, McLeod, Zucker, Greenway, Peterka, Benson, Luukkonen, are more than a good enough starting point (give or take a trade or two), for a playoff team. We should have been there this year. There are no excuses except for ineptitude. 

Going from 11-9-1 (1.1 points per game and an 89-90 points season) to 11-19-4 (.76 points per game and a 62-63 point season) ended the season before Christmas.  It's hard to judge progress of players on a team that lost their season so early, you want to stay professional and show drive and initiative, but there's always going to be dips in player quality when you have to play ~50 games with no shot at playoffs.  

They are not quite a top 10 scoring team, but they are a bottom 5 team when it comes to allowing goals.  The defensemen have been poor, the goaltending has been among the worst in the league, and the forwards haven't done enough in their roles from top to bottom.  This is a football team that doesn't block and tackle, and it shows in the types of goals they give up.  

UPL is 3rd in the league in goalie starts, and i cannot for the life of me understand why.  15 starts with a SV% under 85.  That's a level of inconsistency that you can't win with.  I already believe his extension is bad, but he's looking like a backup goalie to me.  I'm not sure if Levi is the answer but if he's not given every chance in the offseason to earn this spot I just see the same stuff happening.  

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

The expectation was that Cozens and Quinn be on there too. 

Who expected that?

[xzy89c1]

4 hours ago, Pimlach said:

The expectation was that Cozens and Quinn be on there too. 

who expected that? Neither has performed at a level to deserve it

[Jorcus]

1 hour ago, Doohicksie said:

Who expected that?

The Ottawa Senators.

[Southern Sabres Fan]

Power is there because he was a first overall pick. He hasn't played his way on.

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, Doohicksie said:

Who expected that?

I did, three seasons ago it looked possible.