If Jason Nightengale is smarter than Don Jr, he'll heavily favor trading him. And it sounds like Adams will value his opinion.
- TheSabresTaco

I would hope that Adam's realizes that his Analytics Dept of 1 is probably a high priority need for investment with additional analysts, to not only catch-up to other teams, but to become a key advantage. Someone like A Dom Luszczyszyn for the Pro Player scouting staff to work with. He is very, very opinionated, but his work is pretty, pretty good, so I could see that fitting in well with the mantra of Effective and Efficient for those scouts.
Amateur scouting is different due to lack of advanced data available...much if that would need to be generated in-house using video.

They do have some reasonable points, will be interesting if those were just words thought up on Monday evening, or if they truly believe they can enhance to performance overall with less Scouts by investing in other areas.

Not directed at you, but people can't say that we were a 2c away from contending for the playoffs, but also say the roster is terrible.

Again, not directed at you but I have seen multiple people say similar
- sbroads24

The playoffs? 24 team manufactured COVID-19 playoffs? If it was a normal year they wouldn't be sniffing the 16 team playoffs. I can't fall for the almost made the 24 team playoffs as progress.

I disagree on the cap situation. The Sabres are not in all that great shape at all. The cap is stagnant they will have about 33 mil
They have an abysmal roster. Have 10 guys total signed.
They need Reinhart. So that’s min 7.
Montour is another 5.
Ullmark is 3.
Kahun is 3
VO is 4



I’ve used 75% of cap space available in 5 guys
- ImThatGuy

This roster was always in need of upgrade via trade. The Free Agent market isn't good enough to get this team to the playoffs, even if the Sabres had first dibs on anyone they wanted. They have more than enough cap space to make trades, and are nowhere near the point where they are strapped by "money in, money out". That's the exact type of cap situation you want.

2C and either Hutton figuring his poop out or finding a goalie that can split 50/50 with Ullmark that doesn’t cost us a playoff spot.

We missed out on 8-10 points alone due to Hutton/Johansen not being able to stop a beachball
- Pegullaville

Sabres were on track to finish with 81 points. 96-98 points are usually needed to qualify.
Given the above, they are 15 - 17 points away.
With your 8 - 10 points estimate, they are still 5 - 9 points away.

They need better goaltending for sure.
They also need 2 - 3 forwards and 1 - 2 Dmen IMO.

Sabres were on track to finish with 81 points. 96-98 points are usually needed to qualify.
Given the above, they are 15 - 17 points away.
With your 8 - 10 points estimate, they are still 5 - 9 points away.

They need better goaltending for sure.
They also need 2 - 3 forwards and 1 - 2 Dmen IMO.
- IonSabres

I think having a 2C that got better production out of Skinner, while allowing Mojo to increase the scoring on the 3rd line, would have given us that 5-9 point bump.

They finished 25th.

A 2C is not the difference between 25 and 12.


The roster is bad, it needs a lot of work, sadly.
- ImThatGuy

our new GM isn’t wasting any time here.

Boss
- Slapjackzack

Speak for yourself (frank)o

Sure but any hockey trades we’d make would consider money going out also.

Money may be tight but Adams has flexibility if he chooses to use it. We have an abundance of RHD that can be moved to find help up front.

It’s ultimately up to him to make the right trades.
- Pegullaville

If the only ideology change is a shift from holding onto assets past their expiration date, so to speak, and instead they learn to identify and act quickly when they see an asset has begun depreciating, rather than holding that asset for years in hopes of marginal improvements, that alone will have a massive positive effect on the team.

They finished 25th.

A 2C is not the difference between 25 and 12.


The roster is bad, it needs a lot of work, sadly.
- ImThatGuy

The difference isn't that big. The issue is that our holes weren't filled with 'okay' solutions, like other NHL teams. Our holes are massive gaping blackholes.

It's not like we had a 40 point 2C and need an upgrade. We had a third line wing at 2C.

It's not like our 2RW was meh. It was Vladamir Freaking Sobotka.

It's not like our starting goalie was average. It's that we had two below average backups.

Botteril didn't just provide imperfect solutions, he provided no solutions at all.

Other teams look for upgrades to weaknesses, we need to plug sinkholes. But its still only 2-3 players.

Ryan Wilson's article on the Sabres is pretty good

They finished 25th.

A 2C is not the difference between 25 and 12.


The roster is bad, it needs a lot of work, sadly.
- ImThatGuy

They finished 13 points away from 12th overall.

A LEGIT 2C makes up a bunch of that. That's 6 wins.

If the only ideology change is a shift from holding onto assets past their expiration date, so to speak, and instead they learn to identify and act quickly when they see an asset has begun depreciating, rather than holding that asset for years in hopes of marginal improvements, that alone will have a massive positive effect on the team.
- kingcong39

I agree

The difference isn't that big. The issue is that our holes weren't filled with 'okay' solutions, like other NHL teams. Our holes are massive gaping blackholes.

It's not like we had a 40 point 2C and need an upgrade. We had a third line wing at 2C.

It's not like our 2RW was meh. It was Vladamir Freaking Sobotka.

It's not like our starting goalie was average. It's that we had two below average backups.

Botteril didn't just provide imperfect solutions, he provided no solutions at all.

Other teams look for upgrades to weaknesses, we need to plug sinkholes. But its still only 2-3 players.
- matty12345

Reverse filter or pressure grouting near buildings are the best solutions in my experience.

They finished 13 points away from 12th overall.

A LEGIT 2C makes up a bunch of that. That's 6 wins.
- Powerslave

IF, and admittedly it is a B I G IF, WAR models are more correct than not, 6 wins is roughly 2 Elite players above replacement, or ~3 Top 6 players away.

WAR models have issues no doubt, but it also some level of value in quantifying a individual player's impact on wins.

I continue to maintain the 2C is the biggest need, specifically due to their impact on linemates...so I agree a solid 2C helps significantly. That said, I'm not there with the argument that is all they need.
2RW, 3C, 1RhD and 2LhD are needs in addition to a better G to compliment Ullmark.
That's 6 players IMO

Am seeing a lot on botts and long-term contracts...am sure we all agree that Jack should have received a max-length deal as he's one of the few players trully worthy of a deal like that....

That said, the Buffalo Sabres, unlike Tampa, Boston, Washington or Chicago at the height of their run, are not in a position to dictate terms like that no matter how much Botts was against it....

The Sabres need to add talent, and talent is costly both in $$$ and term for them...plain and simple

Am seeing a lot on botts and long-term contracts...am sure we all agree that Jack should have received a max-length deal as he's one of the few players trully worthy of a deal like that....

That said, the Buffalo Sabres, unlike Tampa, Boston, Washington or Chicago at the height of their run, are not in a position to dictate terms like that no matter how much Botts was against it....

The Sabres need to add talent, and talent is costly both in $$$ and term for them...plain and simple
- Michael Pachla

They also built their talent from within through the draft, which allows them to do that. Acquiring talent via free agency, and the long term contracts they require, get you to max out at mediocrity, which is a hard state to get out of.

I drank one too many IPAs last night
- chilliard77

One IPA is one too many.

#IPAsucks
#hipsterbeer
#beerisn'tsupposedtobebitter

One IPA is one too many.

#IPAsucks
#hipsterbeer
#beerisn'tsupposedtobebitter


- Wetbandit1

I'm sorry your taste buds aren't sophisticated enough to appreciate heaven in a bottle

They also built their talent from within through the draft, which allows them to do that. Acquiring talent via free agency, and the long term contracts they require, get you to max out at mediocrity, which is a hard state to get out of.
- buffalofan19

Agreed...and as we look back to last year and what Buffalo had in the pipeline, they almost had to sign Skinner to that deal...and he knew it

One IPA is one too many.

#IPAsucks
#hipsterbeer
#beerisn'tsupposedtobebitter


- Wetbandit1

Classic commercial for a bad beer

Am seeing a lot on botts and long-term contracts...am sure we all agree that Jack should have received a max-length deal as he's one of the few players trully worthy of a deal like that....

That said, the Buffalo Sabres, unlike Tampa, Boston, Washington or Chicago at the height of their run, are not in a position to dictate terms like that no matter how much Botts was against it....

The Sabres need to add talent, and talent is costly both in $$$ and term for them...plain and simple
- Michael Pachla

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Everyone hated the fact we had Moulson and now Okposo taking up space on our cap and being useless but want to overpay in AAV and term to make guys come here ?

I get that people are impatient however.

Agreed...and as we look back to last year and what Buffalo had in the pipeline, they almost had to sign Skinner to that deal...and he knew it
- Michael Pachla

It’s been stated that he wanted to go high AAV and less term which really would have been the right move.

However Pegula signs the cheque I guess right.

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Everyone hated the fact we had Moulson and now Okposo taking up space on our cap and being useless but want to overpay in AAV and term to make guys come here ?

I get that people are impatient however.
- Pegullaville

Who worth their weight is gonna sign in Buffalo for less $$$ and/or term

It’s been stated that he wanted to go high AAV and less term which really would have been the right move.

However Pegula signs the cheque I guess right.
- Pegullaville

The question is, would Skinner, or any other valued FA take that offer?

Imo, odds are against