Around the League - 2023/24

[Chiarelli]

That Jessica Campbell is just hot enough to become a real problem in this league

 

[henchman21]

That Jessica Campbell is just hot enough to become a real problem in this league

Nuke?

 

[Chiarelli]

Nuke?

He likes his ladies and we knows he’s got a guy in Seattle

 

[Mighty Makar]

 

[henchman21]

Ovi stealing my Teams response to every direct question.

 

[Murzu]

Ovi stealing my Teams response to every direct question.

The trick is to be "busy" 90% of the time.

 

[UncleRisto]

The trick is to be "busy" 90% of the time.

I thought it was being "away" whenever.

 

[avalanche_country]

I thought it was being "away" whenever.

As soon as you get a message you flip away on.

 

[McMetal]

I thought it was being "away" whenever.

Nah, then it looks like you're avoiding people. The real trick is to find a work buddy, and then you can both be "In a Call" for 90% of the work day.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Nah, then it looks like you're avoiding people. The real trick is to find a work buddy, and then you can both be "In a Call" for 90% of the work day.

Well played

 

[UncleRisto]

Nah, then it looks like you're avoiding people.

"Looks like".

 

[Pokecheque]

So…maybe Kevyn Adams is just a bad GM.

I get trading for a decent 3C with speed but why give up a good prospect taken 9th overall to get him…?

 

[dahrougem2]

So…maybe Kevyn Adams is just a bad GM.

I get trading for a decent 3C with speed but why give up a good prospect taken 9th overall to get him…?

And I would hesitate to call McLeod a decent 3C just yet.

Could he become one? Maybe. The production is on the low end IMO and his defensive game isn't exactly his calling card.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

And I would hesitate to call McLeod a decent 3C just yet.

Could he become one? Maybe. The production is on the low end IMO and his defensive game isn't exactly his calling card.

He's a 3C on a bad team

 

[McMetal]

He's a 3C on a bad team

He'll do great in Buffalo, then.

 

[Pokecheque]

I’ll give Adams credit at least for pursuing “toughness” without sacrificing speed. In fact the Sabres are likely faster overall now than they were before.

My concern if I’m the Sabres is whether or not the improvements defensively are enough (losing Olofsson, Skinner, Okposo, and Girgenssons should help just by subtraction) and whether Adams made the right move in not pursuing any real scoring depth even after booting Skinner and Olofsson.

 

[dahrougem2]

I’ll give Adams credit at least for pursuing “toughness” without sacrificing speed. In fact the Sabres are likely faster overall now than they were before.

My concern if I’m the Sabres is whether or not the improvements defensively are enough (losing Olofsson, Skinner, Okposo, and Girgenssons should help just by subtraction) and whether Adams made the right move in not pursuing any real scoring depth even after booting Skinner and Olofsson.

They better hope like hell Tage Thompson can revert to being a 40 goal man instead of what we saw last year. Ditto Cozens.

Otherwise, any move is futile.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

They better hope like hell Tage Thompson can revert to being a 40 goal man instead of what we saw last year. Ditto Cozens.

Otherwise, any move is futile.

I'm afraid that Lindy Ruff is the wrong man for the job of getting the players back on track and the team anywhere near contention. Since 1995 they've gone Nolan, Ruff, Rolston, Nolan (again), Bylsma, Housley, Krueger, Granato, Ruff (again). Not exactly a list of folks you normally think of when the words "good coaches" come up in a conversation.

At some point you need to stop the bleeding and hire someone competent.

 

[dahrougem2]

I'm afraid that Lindy Ruff is the wrong man for the job of getting the players back on track and the team anywhere near contention. Since 1995 they've gone Nolan, Ruff, Rolston, Nolan (again), Bylsma, Housley, Krueger, Granato, Ruff (again). Not exactly a list of folks you normally think of when the words "good coaches" come up in a conversation.

At some point you need to stop the bleeding and hire someone competent.

Idk what Buffalo can do. They've tried old and tested, they've tried young and upcoming-ish, they've tried inexperienced.

I agree Ruff ain't the guy.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Idk what Buffalo can do. They've tried old and tested, they've tried young and upcoming-ish, they've tried inexperienced.

I agree Ruff ain't the guy.

I'd actually take a two step approach at this point.

1. Get Torts to sign a 2-3 year deal with the plan to move on from him afterwards. He's a guy that can come in, straighten out any player issues and get a team to play well but he burns players out quickly. So use him to turn things around and then move on before any damage occurs.
2. Final year of Torts contract start interviews early, and maybe let coaches that get fired during the season know there will be an opening during the summer in Buffalo. Not sure how legal that would be, but considering the number of deals announced the moment free agency opened, I'd hazard a guess that the league gives approximately zero f's about tampering.

You have to actually be willing to spend the money it takes to get a good coach though. While the Sabres fans want a good coach, I'm not sure the Pegula's have reached that level of desperation.

 

[dahrougem2]

I'd actually take a two step approach at this point.

1. Get Torts to sign a 2-3 year deal with the plan to move on from him afterwards. He's a guy that can come in, straighten out any player issues and get a team to play well but he burns players out quickly. So use him to turn things around and then move on before any damage occurs.
2. Final year of Torts contract start interviews early, and maybe let coaches that get fired during the season know there will be an opening during the summer in Buffalo. Not sure how legal that would be, but considering the number of deals announced the moment free agency opened, I'd hazard a guess that the league gives approximately zero f's about tampering.

You have to actually be willing to spend the money it takes to get a good coach though. While the Sabres fans want a good coach, I'm not sure the Pegula's have reached that level of desperation.

But Torts is in Philadelphia, and there's really nobody like him. I mean if Babcock was willing to come back, sure maybe but I doubt players would want him and they might stage a revolt if he got hired.

I have no clue how to fix Buffalo. Everyone they trade seemingly turns to gold whether it be O'Reilly, Reinhart, Eichel, Ullmark, etc. Like I'm expecting Jeff Skinner to score 50 next season lol.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

But Torts is in Philadelphia, and there's really nobody like him. I mean if Babcock was willing to come back, sure maybe but I doubt players would want him and they might stage a revolt if he got hired.

I have no clue how to fix Buffalo. Everyone they trade seemingly turns to gold whether it be O'Reilly, Reinhart, Eichel, Ullmark, etc. Like I'm expecting Jeff Skinner to score 50 next season lol.

Holy crap, chemo brain at work here. I knew Torts was in Philly, I even made a joke about his reaction upon hearing Briere traded for RyJo. I've got no idea why I was thinking he was unemployed this summer.

As for all their players turning to gold after leaving, I am inclined to believe it's a coaching and culture thing in Buffalo that's holding them back. I don't know how you can change that if you keep rehiring coaches you've already fired. You got to get some new blood in there.

 

[Pokecheque]

I'm afraid that Lindy Ruff is the wrong man for the job of getting the players back on track and the team anywhere near contention. Since 1995 they've gone Nolan, Ruff, Rolston, Nolan (again), Bylsma, Housley, Krueger, Granato, Ruff (again). Not exactly a list of folks you normally think of when the words "good coaches" come up in a conversation.

At some point you need to stop the bleeding and hire someone competent.

I’ll disagree here. I think Lindy has proven plenty of times that he knows how to get young scorers on track. And unlike his predecessor, he knows how to teach a sound defensive system.

Maybe he fails, I don’t know, but I certainly don’t think he was the worst choice available.

Of course if the goaltending doesn’t hold up it don’t matter who the coach is.