Jacob Bryson doesn't really have the size, but his positioning is top-notch and he has a tenacity which doesn't allow for losing many battles...the big question for him is whether or not he'll be able to continue to do what he's always done, which is overcome that lack of size, at the highest level...

I have no problems with pilut or his progression and I wouldn't have had a problem with him making the team whenever this season starts...I get the fight on social media as to whether or not he should have been in buffalo all season or a good part of the season after he had time to get up to game-speed in Rochester...but i'm not going to get into a tizzy over losing a probable third-pairing, maybe #4 d-man...

and even so, we're not even sure what the structure of his contract with the KHL is and whether or not there's an out clause...if someone does know, please pass it on
- Michael Pachla

I think the frustration with the Pilut situation comes from asset management side. I think we all can acknowledge he had flaws in his game. It's that despite those flaws, there was absolutely no reason he should have been below guys like Zach Bogosian on the depth chart. Regardless of how much Botterill loaded up on defensemen, you need to find a way to get your best players in the lineup. That didn't happen.

Did the Simulated Lottery twice...I'm going to buy a Lotto Ticket today.
1st - 7th Pick, Holtz
2nd - 2nd, Byfield

I hope the Sabres manage to sneak into the Top 5 ... select Rossi or Holtz.

Jacob Bryson doesn't really have the size, but his positioning is top-notch and he has a tenacity which doesn't allow for losing many battles...the big question for him is whether or not he'll be able to continue to do what he's always done, which is overcome that lack of size, at the highest level...

I have no problems with pilut or his progression and I wouldn't have had a problem with him making the team whenever this season starts...I get the fight on social media as to whether or not he should have been in buffalo all season or a good part of the season after he had time to get up to game-speed in Rochester...but i'm not going to get into a tizzy over losing a probable third-pairing, maybe #4 d-man...

and even so, we're not even sure what the structure of his contract with the KHL is and whether or not there's an out clause...if someone does know, please pass it on
- Michael Pachla

i never realized how small he was till i read this and went and looked it up.. hopefully he can over come that.

Did the Simulated Lottery twice...I'm going to buy a Lotto Ticket today.
1st - 7th Pick, Holtz
2nd - 2nd, Byfield

I hope the Sabres manage to sneak into the Top 5 ... select Rossi or Holtz.
- IonSabres

is the lotto for just the top three again or what is this years gimmick

I think the frustration with the Pilut situation comes not from asset management side. I think we all can acknowledge he had flaws in his game. It's that despite those flaws, there was absolutely no reason he should have been below guys like Zach Bogosian on the depth chart. Regardless of how much Botterill loaded up on defensemen, you need to find a way to get your best players in the lineup. That didn't happen.
- buffalofan19

My main frustration is quite simply the Asset Management side.
To lose a non-UFA player for nothing is really inexcusable to me.
I'm not saying he was a 1st pairing, but he was much better that Bogo for sure
Oh well, what is done is done.

I think the frustration with the Pilut situation comes not from asset management side. I think we all can acknowledge he had flaws in his game. It's that despite those flaws, there was absolutely no reason he should have been below guys like Zach Bogosian on the depth chart. Regardless of how much Botterill loaded up on defensemen, you need to find a way to get your best players in the lineup. That didn't happen.
- buffalofan19

in looking at it, when should he have been recalled?

My main frustration is quite simply the Asset Management side.
To lose a non-UFA player for nothing is really inexcusable to me.
I'm not saying he was a 1st pairing, but he was much better that Bogo for sure
Oh well, what is done is done.
- IonSabres

honest question, does anyone know the terms of his khl contract?

is the lotto for just the top three again or what is this years gimmick
- SabresFaninIndiana

Same as it has been for last several years....1-3.
Only thing different is who the 8-15 Lottery Teams will be, referred to as "Teams A - H"...if a team from those slots wins any of the 1-3 positions, then they have a 2nd Lottery from among the 8 teams who lost the Play-in Round to fill those slots.

in looking at it, when should he have been recalled?
- Michael Pachla

As soon as he was healthy. He was one of the seven best defensemen on this team.

in looking at it, when should he have been recalled?
- Michael Pachla

Dec 12th, the night Bogo asked to be traded.
Then he should have played when called up, not sitting in the Press Box...that should have been reserved for Bogo.

As soon as he was healthy. He was one of the seven best defensemen on this team.
- buffalofan19

let's figure he needed to get into game-shape and a month might be construed as a safe bet...that would have taken him to post-Sweden...

on 11-14, buffalo's first game back at home against Carolina, the lineup was:

McCabe - risto
dahlin - Montour
Scandella - joker

with miller and Gilmour as scratches...

who you taking out to make room for him?

Dec 12th, the night Bogo asked to be traded.
Then he should have played when called up, not sitting in the Press Box...that should have been reserved for Bogo.
- IonSabres

dec. 12 at home vs. Nashville...the starting six were:

Montour - risto
McCabe - miller
Scandella - joker

bogo was scratched...

who ya taking out of the lineup?

So I have read a couple of articles in which the upcoming AHL season was referred to as being in jeoprady... but no explanation or reasoning provided to substantiate that thought.

Does anybody have any info on that?
I suspect it is the expected losses based on limited attendance.

let's figure he needed to get into game-shape and a month might be construed as a safe bet...that would have taken him to post-Sweden...

on 11-14, buffalo's first game back at home against Carolina, the lineup was:

McCabe - risto
dahlin - Montour
Scandella - joker

with miller and Gilmour as scratches...

who you taking out to make room for him?
- Michael Pachla

Scandella. No question.

So I have read a couple of articles in which the upcoming AHL season was referred to as being in jeoprady... but no explanation or reasoning provided to substantiate that thought.

Does anybody have any info on that?
I suspect it is the expected losses based on limited attendance.
- IonSabres

It has to be based on limited attendance. The league's TV deals are worth next to nothing. It doesn't really drive revenue from anywhere else other than attendance. If we're not allowed to be in a 12,000 seat venue without restrictions, leagues like that cannot function unless it gets major bailout type support from the major league. The NHL can't afford that.

Fortunately, I do believe we will be without restrictions by October/November.

So I have read a couple of articles in which the upcoming AHL season was referred to as being in jeoprady... but no explanation or reasoning provided to substantiate that thought.

Does anybody have any info on that?
I suspect it is the expected losses based on limited attendance.
- IonSabres

The AHL and ECHL are both in jeopardy for a few reasons

1.) Who knows what the capacity will be, these leagues rely on ticket sales. If they can't sell tickets or only have a 25%-50% capacity these teams can't afford to have games

2.) The AHL and their rosters rely heavily on what the NHL teams do as far as who stays and goes. How can a AHL team sign players to AHL deals not knowing what spots they will have and when. For example Mitts. He would start the year in Rochester and hopefully be good enough to play in the NHL when that starts back up in December. What happens in December is a player that would be signed to a AHL deal won't be there because they'll probably sign over in Europe for a guaranteed spot. This will also trickle down to the ECHL.

3.) For the thought about delaying the start of the AHL and ECHL, the next issue is venue dates. Most of those teams aren't the main tenant in the buildings they play in, so they would be the second or in some instances third in line to pick dates. Trying to build a schedule around that is almost impossible given how teams travel.

4.) Travel, these teams drive most of their road trips. With the above issues there is a good chance that a team could play at home then have to drive 6 hours for a game the next day and then another 6 hours back. Lots of 3 games in 4 nights with lots of travel time.

Scandella. No question.
- buffalofan19

really...

the Scandella/joker pairing was the best/most consistent pairing on the sabres until he was traded...not only did Scandella find his spot in the d-corps (3rd-pairing,) I'd go as far to say that he was as important to joker's development as Tallinder was to myers' rookie year

Scandella. No question.
- buffalofan19

Scandella and Joker when paired together was our best pairing for a long stretch of time were they not?

Scandella and Joker when paired together was our best pairing for a long stretch of time were they not?
- Stripes77

Not enough to move the needle.

you know, and have known my train of thought...

no need to get all defensive...the author posted video from four games--blues, knights, red wings, stars...all came at the beginning of his call up before his playing time began to go down...his first three games he didn't log under 17 minutes, his last 10 games he didn't log over 16:54 save for one game where he played 22:20...

I'm not sure what the point of all this is, but I will say that I believe he was handled properly, especially coming off of shoulder surgery where he seemed to be slipping as the season wore on
- Michael Pachla

He was not handled properly in the context of being told he would be getting full playing time at the NHL level. He was promised that not once, but twice.

That is the core of the problem.

They had an asset for 2 years, never played him enough to know what they fully had, good or bad, and had him buried behind players like Bogosian.

Bad handling all around.

dec. 12 at home vs. Nashville...the starting six were:

Montour - risto
McCabe - miller
Scandella - joker

bogo was scratched...

who ya taking out of the lineup?
- Michael Pachla

Interesting question.
Rather than answer it directly, because that misses the mark on poor Asset Management.

I'll say that having 5 RhD on the roster (with Bogo scratched for that night) was the crux of my issue. One or two of Risto, Montour, Miller should have been moved, it was obvious to all when Miller was traded for back in July.
With that, Pilut comes in and plays his left side.

Upon the Trade Request by Bogo, it was very obvious that Bogo's trade value was zero. Keeping him also impacted the Cap negatively, was further exacerbated when he traded for Frolik ... all of which resulted in an unnecessary Cap hit rollover of Bonuses to this year.

That is text book piss poir Asset and Cap Management from the Miss-Mgmt 2020 winner

Not enough to move the needle.
- buffalofan19

Pilut didn't move any needles while he was here

Not enough to move the needle.
- buffalofan19

and Pilut moves the needle for you?

Honest question

There was some good to his game in my eyes, but there was a lot lacking.

Having Joker with a veteran is more important than any fancy number can say

Here is how i took the Sabres Pegula article

The Pegulas thought the Sabres would be a money making machine.
Its not. They are having to invest more in it than they initially thought.
They for some reason think they are not getting the return they thought they would and they are feeling "poor" because of it.

If they dont start turning things around (profit wise) they would consider moving the team out of buffalo.
- ImThatGuy

my gut says when terry dies, kim and and the kids will move both the sabres and the bills

The AHL and ECHL are both in jeopardy for a few reasons

1.) Who knows what the capacity will be, these leagues rely on ticket sales. If they can't sell tickets or only have a 25%-50% capacity these teams can't afford to have games

2.) The AHL and their rosters rely heavily on what the NHL teams do as far as who stays and goes. How can a AHL team sign players to AHL deals not knowing what spots they will have and when. For example Mitts. He would start the year in Rochester and hopefully be good enough to play in the NHL when that starts back up in December. What happens in December is a player that would be signed to a AHL deal won't be there because they'll probably sign over in Europe for a guaranteed spot. This will also trickle down to the ECHL.

3.) For the thought about delaying the start of the AHL and ECHL, the next issue is venue dates. Most of those teams aren't the main tenant in the buildings they play in, so they would be the second or in some instances third in line to pick dates. Trying to build a schedule around that is almost impossible given how teams travel.

4.) Travel, these teams drive most of their road trips. With the above issues there is a good chance that a team could play at home then have to drive 6 hours for a game the next day and then another 6 hours back. Lots of 3 games in 4 nights with lots of travel time.
- Stripes77

Great post Stripes!
Thank you for the response.