They would move him in a second if they could. Nobody wants a soft winger that doesn't play defense. He is a glorified power play specialist with a big contract. You don't win with guys like that.
- Slump Buster

And this team isn't going to be winning the cup in the next 2 or 3 years anyway. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens, but I really don't see Murray buying him out.

And this team isn't going to be winning the cup in the next 2 or 3 years anyway. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens, but I really don't see Murray buying him out.
- HonkFortheGoose

If it weren't for the discounted buyout I might agree with you. He isn't a top 6 winger on a good team and he shows that he disappears without playing with top-end talent. Same as Luke Adam. If you can buy him out for pennies on the dollar you have to move him.

If it weren't for the discounted buyout I might agree with you. He isn't a top 6 winger on a good team and he shows that he disappears without playing with top-end talent. Same as Luke Adam. If you can buy him out for pennies on the dollar you have to move him.
- Slump Buster

So because he couldn't produce playing with guys like Matt Ellis and Pat Kaleta he's trash? I'm sorry, but you can't put a top 6 guy with bottom 6 guys like that and expect them to be successful. That would be like me coming into work and being told to do my job, but not being given a computer to do so. That's just silly.

while listening to the Eichel love fest on WGR this am- i began thinking to myself- when was the last time anyone round these parts mentioned McDavid???

funny how quickly we got over that. Babcock too.

Soooo excited for the next few months!!
- battelmt

That's why our TANK-A-Thon was so damn Riviting! I was on pins and needles after we beat Boston and the Islanders and took the lead on Foligno's late Goal in the Hawks game, things looked "Buffalo-esque" and I was more afraid of the Grief and Whinning that would ensue leading up to the draft and then the season. Things would be Gloomy for 6 Months.

Now we can enjoy the lead up to the Draft, relax and get pumped about rooting for our SABERS with a REAL coach and some amazing Talent. Entertaining games where we will be underdogs! Can't wait to see KANE Rush the Net after getting a Pass from Eichel surrounded by two defenders, Risto Chillin on the back end letting BIG-Z put someone through the Glass, and having the "Latvian Beast" come on the ice with Reinhart!

So because he couldn't produce playing with guys like Matt Ellis and Pat Kaleta he's trash? I'm sorry, but you can't put a top 6 guy with bottom 6 guys like that and expect them to be successful. That would be like me coming into work and being told to do my job, but not being given a computer to do so. That's just silly.
- HonkFortheGoose

Not only could he not produce, he was mailing it in every night. You seem to forget that he wore out his welcome on the top lines with multiple coaches (lack of effort, no defence, soft, etc). First he was moved off of center and then to other lines. If the sun, moon and stars align could he be useful? Sure, "useful". We've seen enough to know better. He is what he is.

Not only could he not produce, he was mailing it in every night. You seem to forget that he wore out his welcome on the top lines with multiple coaches (lack of effort, no defence, soft, etc). First he was moved off of center and then to other lines. If the sun, moon and stars align could he be useful? Sure, "useful". We've seen enough to know better. He is what he is.
- Slump Buster

I'm sorry, but Rolston and Nolan are hardly competent coaches in the first place. Murray called Nolan out for not utilizing Cody properly. If I were Cody, I would have mailed it in nightly too. Nothing he did was going to get him off the 4th line. Nolan didn't like him, he made sure Cody knew it, and it wasn't going to change.

He's been useful before. More than once. This season was the anomaly for him, not the other way around.

Not only could he not produce, he was mailing it in every night. You seem to forget that he wore out his welcome on the top lines with multiple coaches (lack of effort, no defence, soft, etc). First he was moved off of center and then to other lines. If the sun, moon and stars align could he be useful? Sure, "useful". We've seen enough to know better. He is what he is.
- Slump Buster

Those multiple coaches could have been the problem. For many of the players.

Not only could he not produce, he was mailing it in every night. You seem to forget that he wore out his welcome on the top lines with multiple coaches (lack of effort, no defence, soft, etc). First he was moved off of center and then to other lines. If the sun, moon and stars align could he be useful? Sure, "useful". We've seen enough to know better. He is what he is.
- Slump Buster

Tell us how you really feel about him

I read yesterday that the Sabres and Coyotes discussed a Mike Smith (G) for Cody Hodgson trade. Smith has a $1.4M higher cap hit, are we interested in that?

Mike Smith ($5.66M/year til 2018-19)
Cody Hodgson($4.25M/ year til 2018-19)

Not only could he not produce, he was mailing it in every night. You seem to forget that he wore out his welcome on the top lines with multiple coaches (lack of effort, no defence, soft, etc). First he was moved off of center and then to other lines. If the sun, moon and stars align could he be useful? Sure, "useful". We've seen enough to know better. He is what he is.
- Slump Buster

I don't think a proper verdict can be issued yet. He led the Sabres offense 2 years ago and last year was around last in forward offense. He played on lines 2-4, making scant appearances on the first line to begin the year. Yes, he's one dimensional, yes, he dogged it sometimes/usually. But that said I don't think it's fair to offer a final verdict on him yet. He's the age where he can still overcome an atrocious season and hopefully get back up to 50 points. Then, he will be "useful."

I read yesterday that the Sabres and Coyotes discussed a Mike Smith (G) for Cody Hodgson trade. Smith has a $1.4M higher cap hit, are we interested in that?

Mike Smith ($5.66M/year til 2018-19)
Cody Hodgson($4.25M/ year til 2018-19)
- Lilroot9

The fourth period are a bunch of hacks. Would I do the trade though? Meh. Sure.

Not to mention that the Coyotes are intent on being competitive "like a Calgary or an Ottawa"

Losing their starting goalie negates that.

I'm sorry, but Rolston and Nolan are hardly competent coaches in the first place. Murray called Nolan out for not utilizing Cody properly. If I were Cody, I would have mailed it in nightly too. Nothing he did was going to get him off the 4th line. Nolan didn't like him, he made sure Cody knew it, and it wasn't going to change.

He's been useful before. More than once. This season was the anomaly for him, not the other way around.
- HonkFortheGoose

An anomaly? He was regularly moved down by all of his coacheshere. He actually did fairly well in garbage time two years ago under Nolan. Also, other players really did flourish and had no problems moving up the lines on a talentless team. Geez, even guys that had previously complained about ice time moved up by the end of the year (freakarenko, Larrson). So it is up to the coach to know how to press all of the right buttons to get him to play d or go near the front of the net? Hardly.

An anomaly? He was regularly moved down by all of his coacheshere. He actually did fairly well in garbage time two years ago under Nolan. Also, other players really did flourish and had no problems moving up the lines on a talentless team. Geez, even guys that had previously complained about ice time moved up by the end of the year (freakarenko, Larrson). So it is up to the coach to know how to press all of the right buttons to get him to play d or go near the front of the net? Hardly.
- Slump Buster

He didn't have a coach the past season!

I don't think a proper verdict can be issued yet. He led the Sabres offense 2 years ago and last year was around last in forward offense. He played on lines 2-4, making scant appearances on the first line to begin the year. Yes, he's one dimensional, yes, he dogged it sometimes/usually. But that said I don't think it's fair to offer a final verdict on him yet. He's the age where he can still overcome an atrocious season and hopefully get back up to 50 points. Then, he will be "useful."
- TheSabresTaco

Exactly. I don't expect him to be a 90 point guy or anything, but he has enough skill/talent to be effective in the right situation. What Nolan did to him last year was beyond putrid. There were games he busted ass and produced with the crappy 4th liners he was given as linemates and still couldn't get off the 4th line.

He didn't have a coach the past season!
- MEBSabresFAN

Nolan coached the 13-14 and 14-15 Sabres. Don't forget that. Hodgson did well in one year and awful the other.

An anomaly? He was regularly moved down by all of his coacheshere. He actually did fairly well in garbage time two years ago under Nolan. Also, other players really did flourish and had no problems moving up the lines on a talentless team. Geez, even guys that had previously complained about ice time moved up by the end of the year (freakarenko, Larrson). So it is up to the coach to know how to press all of the right buttons to get him to play d or go near the front of the net? Hardly.
- Slump Buster

He got moved down 1 year. This year. That's what an anomaly is. He produced just fine every year prior to that on teams that had nothing to offer.

You must have missed where I said that nothing he did was going to get Nolan to move him off the 4th line. Larsson couldn't produce down there either. Go figure he manages to look like a decent player with Ennis.

Yes, he's one dimensional, yes, he dogged it sometimes/usually. But that said I don't think it's fair to offer a final verdict on him yet.
- TheSabresTaco

Bingo. That's all you need to know. We are trying to win a championship, not get a soft winger to score 50 by any means possible.

Nolan coached the 13-14 and 14-15 Sabres. Don't forget that. Hodgson did well in one year and awful the other.
- TheSabresTaco

What's with the FACTS Taco????

He got moved down 1 year. This year. That's what an anomaly is. He produced just fine every year prior to that on teams that had nothing to offer.
- HonkFortheGoose

He was regularly moved down. Lindy (rightfully) couldn't stand the fact that he couldn't play defense. Sure, he put up points with Vanek and Pommer (several others did as well) but he was killing us in the defensive zone.

Exactly. I don't expect him to be a 90 point guy or anything, but he has enough skill/talent to be effective in the right situation. What Nolan did to him last year was beyond putrid. There were games he busted ass and produced with the crappy 4th liners he was given as linemates and still couldn't get off the 4th line.
- HonkFortheGoose

What really chapped my ass was that he was being left off the pp for Brian (frank)ing Flynn and Josh Gorges. There's no reason Cody shouldn't have been used in strong OZ starts. It would have doubled as a confident booster as well as a stat booster.

What's with the FACTS Taco????
- MEBSabresFAN

Forgot, this is fairytalebuzz. My bad.

Nolan coached the 13-14 and 14-15 Sabres. Don't forget that. Hodgson did well in one year and awful the other.
- TheSabresTaco

I get the feeling that Nolan and Hodgson had some sort of falling out in training camp this year. When the GM comes out and says that players were not being utilized properly and then said coach gets fired at the end of the year, it's pretty obvious that the coach was a large part of the problem.

That's not to say Hodgson doesn't have his warts. Because he does. He's not perfect by any means, but he can still be an effective player.

He didn't have a coach the past season!
- MEBSabresFAN

The other guys that moved up had the same putrid coach. If memory serves me he has the worst ppg of anyone that played even a few games last year. That is inexcusable.

The other guys that moved up had the same putrid coach. If memory serves me he has the worst ppg of anyone that played even a few games last year. That is inexcusable.
- Slump Buster

Those other guys were AHLers trying to prove they deserved to stay beyond this year. You see that with younger guys in comparison to vets all the time. It's not a rare occurrence.

I get the feeling that Nolan and Hodgson had some sort of falling out in training camp this year. When the GM comes out and says that players were not being utilized properly and then said coach gets fired at the end of the year, it's pretty obvious that the coach was a large part of the problem.

That's not to say Hodgson doesn't have his warts. Because he does. He's not perfect by any means, but he can still be an effective player.
- HonkFortheGoose

So what is the best case? I think we can all agree that he isn't a top 6 winger on a championship team. I don't see him cracking the top 4 power play wingers. And we've seen that he is completely ineffective in the bottom 6.