I would be shocked if the Sabres are breaking even. Attendance is still not anywhere near it needs to be.
- buffalofan19

True

This is the Bruins and Kings model. It's been done before and it can be done again. They need to depend on an intelligent department instead of fall ass first into Matthew McBedard
- TheSabresTaco

And the Avs didn’t fall ass backwards into Makar and Mackinnon ?

So Kevyn Adams has to push all his chips in and make a playoff push this year because of a 10 year drought he had no part of ?

This is the first time since 2015 I am confident in the intermediate/long-term outlook of the franchise.

Only question I have is where the 1C is going to come from, however, 9/10 times that player is drafted and drafted high so trying to blow our wads to be this decades Minnesota doesn’t solve anything either
- Pegullaville

So what is the plan then for finding a true 1C, aside from hoping someone they already have in their system turns into that?

Praying for lottery luck for the next draft?

They're in the middle of a nebulous zone where they're not drafting highly enough to get that true cornerstone 1C unless this season completely falls off the rails, or they win one of the lotteries, and they're likely not good enough to be playoff contenders.

There has to be another solution aside from more losing and/or hoping to get lucky after losing.

Cozens bought a home down by the Waterfront

And the Avs didn’t fall ass backwards into Makar and Mackinnon ?
- Pegullaville

Is the above a plan or getting supremely lucky, not once but twice?

Cozens bought a home down by the Waterfront
- Buff36

Curious Canadian here. Where about a is the waterfront? We stayed at the adams mark for a one Buffalo weekend a few year back and a friend got lost and crossed the highway and went dow. By the lake near a ghetto or something. He was wasted.

What if the Sabres roll out 3 C that score atleast 60pts, does that take away the urgency for a 1C.

So what is the plan then for finding a true 1C, aside from hoping someone they already have in their system turns into that?

Praying for lottery luck for the next draft?

They're in the middle of a nebulous zone where they're not drafting highly enough to get that true cornerstone 1C unless this season completely falls off the rails, or they win one of the lotteries, and they're likely not good enough to be playoff contenders.

There has to be another solution aside from more losing and/or hoping to get lucky after losing.
- kingcong39

I think they are staring at another top 10 pick this year myself personally.

Will they draft top 5? Most likely not unless they win the lottery.

The 2023 draft class looks special though so they very well could find that guy where they will be picking.

We have a ton of trade chips and a ton of cap space. I’m thrilled with where things are headed even though this season may be another retool year

What if the Sabres roll out 3 C that score atleast 60pts, does that take away the urgency for a 1C.
- Buff36

Are all three getting at least decent power play time to put up those 60 points, or is at least one of them putting up the bulk (say 50) of the 60 points at even strength?

Not easy for a 3rd line Center to put up that kind of point total at even strength without getting top line or top 2 line even strength minutes.

I think they are staring at another top 10 pick this year myself personally.

Will they draft top 5? Most likely not unless they win the lottery.

The 2023 draft class looks special though so they very well could find that guy where they will be picking.

We have a ton of trade chips and a ton of cap space. I’m thrilled with where things are headed even though this season may be another retool year
- Pegullaville

Adams has yet to show he has the ability to use it, or the backbone to make a trade of significance.

I think they are staring at another top 10 pick this year myself personally.

Will they draft top 5? Most likely not unless they win the lottery.

The 2023 draft class looks special though so they very well could find that guy where they will be picking.

We have a ton of trade chips and a ton of cap space. I’m thrilled with where things are headed even though this season may be another retool year
- Pegullaville

I'm with you that they're in as good a position as they can be in without having a crystal ball when drafting, but the most difficult part of finding one or two top line players, one of which is a Center, is not going to be easy to accomplish.

They generally lost money season in season out. Probably breaking even now.
- IonSabres

I don't care about this at all. Printing a decent ticket is a friggen rounding error to them. They're rich enough to make other NHL owners look like paupers. Putting a competitive product on the ice and making the fan experience as good as it possibly can be is how you put butts in the seats. And, when they do that, they will profit again.

Use the $20 million you're not spending on talent and do something for the fans paying to see your team.

on Adams, good for him to get the extension

he clearly has changed the culture in the locker room and it seems he has drafted well

nice return on eichel and risto

ok return on reinhart

I thought he could have done better at the deadline last year


the real work starts now
he has a ton of prospects and young assets

he will have to make hard decisions starting this year regarding who to keep moving forward and who to let go

he has to lock up dahlin summer 23

johnson and portilla are TBD

So Kevyn Adams has to push all his chips in and make a playoff push this year because of a 10 year drought he had no part of ?
- Pegullaville

All he had to do was find a NHL goalie at some point between the '21 offseason and now. He's had about 8 come through and they all suck. (Hey, I wonder if the analytics department recommended any of them?) I said many times, all I needed to see was a goalie and I'm good. Nope, that was too much to ask for.

Adams has yet to show he has the ability to use it, or the backbone to make a trade of significance.
- buffalofan19

Yeah the time hasn’t been right to do either of those things either.

Time will tell I guess

Can't use a banana tho... score one for the apple
- DirtyDan

shots fired

I'm with you that they're in as good a position as they can be in without having a crystal ball when drafting, but the most difficult part of finding one or two top line players, one of which is a Center, is not going to be easy to accomplish.
- kingcong39

In all likelihood, you're not going to find a "top line" center. You can get someone of equal caliber as, or maybe even slightly better than Tage Thompson if you have the guts to make that trade. You can go the mid-2000s Sabres route and just make your center positions as deep as possible and compete. Assuming Thompson continues to trend upwards, or even plateau's slightly, you probably can get away with having Thompson-Cozens-Player not on this roster. Hoping Savoie can turn into that in a couple of years is another option, but if it is, be ready for another 3 years without the postseason because Mittlestadt isn't going to cut it.

What if the Sabres roll out 3 C that score atleast 60pts, does that take away the urgency for a 1C.
- Buff36

tage was 8th in goal scoring for centers and 19th overall in goals scored

So Kevyn Adams has to push all his chips in and make a playoff push this year because of a 10 year drought he had no part of ?

This is the first time since 2015 I am confident in the intermediate/long-term outlook of the franchise.

Only question I have is where the 1C is going to come from, however, 9/10 times that player is drafted and drafted high so trying to blow our wads to be this decades Minnesota doesn’t solve anything either
- Pegullaville

Bingo.
Emotional fans like La and others hold Adams accountable for the sins of others like Kim/Terry, GMTM and Botts.
I find it hard to believe the GM is responsible for the condition of the KBC, rather than the President of the org. I'm equally doubtful that KA gave the order to print Tickets on an office printer rather than outsourcing to a print shop using a digital color press. Maybe he dud while negotiating the Eichel trade..seems he had some critical cycles he could have burned on such a high-stakes decision.
Oh boy, this blog is setting records today.

BTW, their 1C is in house already.
Evaluate the roster, then make a bold move to secure a stud finisher if they dont believe a future 45g scorer can emerge from their prospect pool

All he had to do was find a NHL goalie at some point between the '21 offseason and now. He's had about 8 come through and they all suck. I said many times, all I needed to see was a goalie and I'm good. Nope, that was too much to ask for.
- lacaprup

How do we know Eric Comrie isn’t that guy ?

Who the Frank was Jack Campbell prior to getting the opportunity in Toronto ?

Comrie has good numbers, small sample size. Decent bet by the analytics staff.

In a league where 7-8 goalies actually matter and aren’t a product off the team in front of them, I’m not worried

In all likelihood, you're not going to find a "top line" center. You can get someone of equal caliber as, or maybe even slightly better than Tage Thompson if you have the guts to make that trade. You can go the mid-2000s Sabres route and just make your center positions as deep as possible and compete. Assuming Thompson continues to trend upwards, or even plateau's slightly, you probably can get away with having Thompson-Cozens-Player not on this roster. Hoping Savoie can turn into that in a couple of years is another option, but if it is, be ready for another 3 years without the postseason because Mittlestadt isn't going to cut it.
- buffalofan19

If Cozens and Thompson both end up as consistent 70 point Centers, that will go a long way, but I'm not sure it will be enough.

How do we know Eric Comrie isn’t that guy ?

Who the Frank was Jack Campbell prior to getting the opportunity in Toronto ?

Comrie has good numbers, small sample size. Decent bet by the analytics staff.

In a league where 7-8 goalies actually matter and aren’t a product off the team in front of them, I’m not worried
- Pegullaville

Maybe he is. I certainly hope so, and I will give an appropriate mea culpa if so. However, it ranks as the single most important thing he could have done for the on ice Buffalo Sabres, and he has attempted and failed to do that job over a half dozen times in a year and a half. Bravo!

All he had to do was find a NHL goalie at some point between the '21 offseason and now. He's had about 8 come through and they all suck. (Hey, I wonder if the analytics department recommended any of them?) I said many times, all I needed to see was a goalie and I'm good. Nope, that was too much to ask for.
- lacaprup

Why do you think they signed Comrie?

Yeah the time hasn’t been right to do either of those things either.

Time will tell I guess
- Pegullaville

Darcy Regier made savvy trades for both Briere and Drury well before the Sabres were "ready to compete", and he could be as passive as they come. I don't need a playoff spot this year. I do need something that shows the standard is higher. At least create some competition for meaningful roster spots. They're essentially handing Quinn and Peterka spots instead of making them earn it.

If Cozens and Thompson both end up as consistent 70 point Centers, that will go a long way, but I'm not sure it will be enough.
- kingcong39

That's what I'm saying. If you want to go that route, you need to find another center at least of equal caliber of those two.