GDT: Free Agent Frenzy!

[Fezzy126]

Facts, although I will say goaltending has a much greater impact than any single skater (particularly bad goaltending).

 

[DapperCam]

I actually really like getting a legit backup NHL goalie. If Levi forces their hand by playing lights out, then Reimer can always be waived. It’s called depth, and it’s actually a good thing.

 

[Jim Bob]

Facts, although I will say goaltending has a much greater impact than any single skater (particularly bad goaltending).

Ottawa and Detroit the last two seasons are examples of how it is not just about making moves that look good on paper to jump up into the playoffs.

They have to be the right moves.

 

[SundherDome]

Um, ok

Hey, James, go take a walk over the falls.

 

[Fezzy126]

I'm not excusing Kevyn because we have so much ammo and cap space and we NEED a big move. But after hearing about how horrible GMKA's press conference was today and then seeing it the PC was not that bad.

I didn't get all the vitriol either. KA did exactly what he (repeatedly) said he was going to do, since the season ended he's been saying:

1. Going into the trade deadline He liked 3 out of their top 4 dmen (Dahlin, Power, Sammy), Byram filled out their top 4. If anything he was looking for some additional toughness on the 3rd pair.
2. He was looking at a tandem of UPL and Levi in net next year
3. He liked their top 6 skill, wanted to add toughness and sandpaper to their bottom 6.
4. He likes Tage and Cozens as their 1/2 centers down the middle.
5. He's mentioned Krebs as a player that they liked, again he said this repeatedly.

Despite what he's said, both bloggers and fans have continually added top 4 dmen in their offseason, top 6 wingers, top 6 centers (to bump down Cozens to the middle 6), a 3C to bump Krebs to the 4th line. I don't think any of that was ever going to happen.

He's literally done exactly what he said. He built a real grinder line, Added a vet 3rd line scorer that can fill in up the lineup when there are injuries, and added a 3rd pairing dman.

 

[OkimLom]

The problem is that for all the rumors that teams were open to trade top 15 picks in this draft for NHLers, none of those trades happened. I think GMs that were looking to sell NHLers were not placing a ton of value in top 15 picks in this draft.

Ottawa giving up the 25th pick in the Ullmark deal was the highest pick that moved.

NJ was rumored to have their 1st on the table and it was their 2025 1st that moved in the Markstrom trade.

And all the top 6 forwards like Marner, Laine, Necas, Zegras, and Ehlers that were in the rumor mill have yet to move in trade.

That doesn't change my opinion of trading your 1st rounder of being a splash, which is what the question that was asked.

It is quite interesting see the fallout after hearing about how we have a surplus of prospects, which should've been attractive pieces, as well as the 1st rounder. The belief was those pieces would be enough to entice teams to go through with a trade, but something happened where a trade didn't happen. Was that because Adams didn't want to trade any of those prospects? Was it because, as much as Sabres fans want to think it, that maybe those prospects weren't attractive enough for teams?

But as I've said before, end of the day, the results are all that matter, and Kevyn hasn't been able to improve the team enough for me, so far.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Facts, although I will say goaltending has a much greater impact than any single skater (particularly bad goaltending).

The real question is what will Ullmark look like in that lineup?

 

[Diaspora]

So no Levi?

They're going to want him to get everyday action through at least the first half of the season. He may be up for a couple of games here and there, or to cover in case of an injury. If the Sabres are on the bubble after that, he may get more time here. In fact, either way, I expect him to see plenty of action in the second half of the season.

That's what I expect anyway.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

That doesn't change my opinion of trading your 1st rounder of being a splash, which is what the question that was asked.

It is quite interesting see the fallout after hearing about how we have a surplus of prospects, which should've been attractive pieces, as well as the 1st rounder. The belief was those pieces would be enough to entice teams to go through with a trade, but something happened where a trade didn't happen. Was that because Adams didn't want to trade any of those prospects? Was it because, as much as Sabres fans want to think it, that maybe those prospects weren't attractive enough for teams?

But as I've said before, end of the day, the results are all that matter, and Kevyn hasn't been able to improve the team enough for me, so far.

It's because those prospects are scoring wingers. Which do have value, but typically not much until they break into the league.

Matthew Savoie on stilts would have a ton of value

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807940549594567099

Did McCrimmon get his MBA from the University of Phoenix, too?

He's dead right

 

[Jim Bob]

That doesn't change my opinion of trading your 1st rounder of being a splash, which is what the question that was asked.

It is quite interesting see the fallout after hearing about how we have a surplus of prospects, which should've been attractive pieces, as well as the 1st rounder. The belief was those pieces would be enough to entice teams to go through with a trade, but something happened where a trade didn't happen. Was that because Adams didn't want to trade any of those prospects? Was it because, as much as Sabres fans want to think it, that maybe those prospects weren't attractive enough for teams?

But as I've said before, end of the day, the results are all that matter, and Kevyn hasn't been able to improve the team enough for me, so far.

The rumors out there are that Adams was close to a trade with Winnipeg and he wouldn't do it because Ehlers was unwilling to agree to a contract extension and Adams was not willing to pay the cost in the trade if Ehlers was merely a rental.

And that sounds a lot like what happened a year ago with Winnipeg and their pending UFAs like Helly. They ask for a lot and are comfortable trying to convince them to stay if they can't get a trade done.

It's hard to have an opinion on if Adams should have made the trade anyway without knowing who was going the other way.

And there is arguing between Andrew Peters and Chad D about the BUF-NJ trade rumors. Peters has heard that it was about Necas and it fell apart because Necas wouldn't sign in Buffalo. Chad is saying the talks with NJ were not about Necas. Given what Marino went for, I wonder who the conversations were about.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I didn't get all the vitriol either. KA did exactly what he (repeatedly) said he was going to do, since the season ended he's been saying:

1. Going into the trade deadline He liked 3 out of their top 4 dmen (Dahlin, Power, Sammy), Byram filled out their top 4. If anything he was looking for some additional toughness on the 3rd pair.
2. He was looking at a tandem of UPL and Levi in net next year
3. He liked their top 6 skill, wanted to add toughness and sandpaper to their bottom 6.
4. He likes Tage and Cozens as their 1/2 centers down the middle.
5. He's mentioned Krebs as a player that they liked, again he said this repeatedly.

Despite what he's said, both bloggers and fans have continually added top 4 dmen in their offseason, top 6 wingers, top 6 centers (to bump down Cozens to the middle 6), a 3C to bump Krebs to the 4th line. I don't think any of that was ever going to happen.

He's literally done exactly what he said. He built a real grinder line, Added a vet 3rd line scorer that can fill in up the lineup when there are injuries, and added a 3rd pairing dman.

I don't have any vitriol about his presser. He's always been full of hot air in those things.

As for what he said he would do, it amounts to saying "I'm going to leave the team mediocre and hope young players make it better". Following through on that lame plan isn't supposed to make the fan base happy or confident.

 

[Jim Bob]

He's dead right

It doesn't matter if he's right if he pisses off a bunch of fans in the process.

He could have answered the question in a way that was not a direct attack on their fans who care about the team.

 

[DapperCam]

I didn't get all the vitriol either. KA did exactly what he (repeatedly) said he was going to do, since the season ended he's been saying:

1. Going into the trade deadline He liked 3 out of their top 4 dmen (Dahlin, Power, Sammy), Byram filled out their top 4. If anything he was looking for some additional toughness on the 3rd pair.
2. He was looking at a tandem of UPL and Levi in net next year
3. He liked their top 6 skill, wanted to add toughness and sandpaper to their bottom 6.
4. He likes Tage and Cozens as their 1/2 centers down the middle.
5. He's mentioned Krebs as a player that they liked, again he said this repeatedly.

Despite what he's said, both bloggers and fans have continually added top 4 dmen in their offseason, top 6 wingers, top 6 centers (to bump down Cozens to the middle 6), a 3C to bump Krebs to the 4th line. I don't think any of that was ever going to happen.

He's literally done exactly what he said. He built a real grinder line, Added a vet 3rd line scorer that can fill in up the lineup when there are injuries, and added a 3rd pairing dman.

Maybe he’s done what he said, but that doesn’t jive with him also saying our goal is to make the playoffs next year. Krebs as 3C is a risk, and we’re missing a top 6 forward.

 

[Jim Bob]

I didn't get all the vitriol either. KA did exactly what he (repeatedly) said he was going to do, since the season ended he's been saying:

1. Going into the trade deadline He liked 3 out of their top 4 dmen (Dahlin, Power, Sammy), Byram filled out their top 4. If anything he was looking for some additional toughness on the 3rd pair.
2. He was looking at a tandem of UPL and Levi in net next year
3. He liked their top 6 skill, wanted to add toughness and sandpaper to their bottom 6.
4. He likes Tage and Cozens as their 1/2 centers down the middle.
5. He's mentioned Krebs as a player that they liked, again he said this repeatedly.

Despite what he's said, both bloggers and fans have continually added top 4 dmen in their offseason, top 6 wingers, top 6 centers (to bump down Cozens to the middle 6), a 3C to bump Krebs to the 4th line. I don't think any of that was ever going to happen.

He's literally done exactly what he said. He built a real grinder line, Added a vet 3rd line scorer that can fill in up the lineup when there are injuries, and added a 3rd pairing dman.

I both get the vitriol and understand that Adams has been implementing his plan.

The vitriol is because fans do not believe that Adams' plan is good enough to elevate the team into the playoffs in 2024-25. I think a bit of it is over the top. But, I also understand it given the length of the drought and the fact that Lindy and Adams said this was a "Win Now" offseason.

To date, they have not done enough if this truly is a "Win Now" offseason like they said it was.

Adams talked the talk. Fans are mad because they do not believe that he has walked the walk.

 

[SundherDome]

I didn't get all the vitriol either. KA did exactly what he (repeatedly) said he was going to do, since the season ended he's been saying:

1. Going into the trade deadline He liked 3 out of their top 4 dmen (Dahlin, Power, Sammy), Byram filled out their top 4. If anything he was looking for some additional toughness on the 3rd pair.
2. He was looking at a tandem of UPL and Levi in net next year
3. He liked their top 6 skill, wanted to add toughness and sandpaper to their bottom 6.
4. He likes Tage and Cozens as their 1/2 centers down the middle.
5. He's mentioned Krebs as a player that they liked, again he said this repeatedly.

Despite what he's said, both bloggers and fans have continually added top 4 dmen in their offseason, top 6 wingers, top 6 centers (to bump down Cozens to the middle 6), a 3C to bump Krebs to the 4th line. I don't think any of that was ever going to happen.

He's literally done exactly what he said. He built a real grinder line, Added a vet 3rd line scorer that can fill in up the lineup when there are injuries, and added a 3rd pairing dman.

It's narrative building against Adams under the guise of the drought. People constantly bring up the 13 year drought. When Adams took over, it was a rebuild. We are in off-season 5 of his and off-season 2 of taking that leap from hopeful to contender. It flopped last year and there were certainly things he could have done better. Obviously this year he learned from his mistakes. Hired a respected and successful coach, addressed the bottom six, picking up depth. The fact he said his pick was on the table and they were open for business, people took that as he IS moving the pick and we ARE getting an impact player. The reality is other teams with higher picks said the same thing. There just wasn't a market for roster players and pick moves. Even with that public knowledge, people then built narratives that Kevyn was asleep, over values his guys, etc. If they traded 11, Savoie and Krebs for a year away from UFA player, the city may have burned.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807930451761180878

How is Carolina S? They lost Pesce, Skjei, Teravainen and didn't (couldn't) want to resign Guentzel / Necas. That's half their top 4 and 2 top 6 F.

Ghost and Walker are a downgrade. Carrier and Robertson aren't close to replacements for forwards

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I didn't get all the vitriol either. KA did exactly what he (repeatedly) said he was going to do, since the season ended he's been saying:

1. Going into the trade deadline He liked 3 out of their top 4 dmen (Dahlin, Power, Sammy), Byram filled out their top 4. If anything he was looking for some additional toughness on the 3rd pair.
2. He was looking at a tandem of UPL and Levi in net next year
3. He liked their top 6 skill, wanted to add toughness and sandpaper to their bottom 6.
4. He likes Tage and Cozens as their 1/2 centers down the middle.
5. He's mentioned Krebs as a player that they liked, again he said this repeatedly.

Despite what he's said, both bloggers and fans have continually added top 4 dmen in their offseason, top 6 wingers, top 6 centers (to bump down Cozens to the middle 6), a 3C to bump Krebs to the 4th line. I don't think any of that was ever going to happen.

He's literally done exactly what he said. He built a real grinder line, Added a vet 3rd line scorer that can fill in up the lineup when there are injuries, and added a 3rd pairing dman.

The vitriol comes from the fact that this is clearly another lottery team, plain and simple. Not one person in Buffalo media, or nationwide, thinks this team will make the playoffs as constructed in the 24-25 season, and that's not a reasonable way to start the season again.

Not one person who is paid to be involved in hockey thinks this team can win. Only a few hardcore fans on here think they can win, but it's the same folks who I see are happy and optimistic with the team every offseason.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

It doesn't matter if he's right if he pisses off a bunch of fans in the process.

He could have answered the question in a way that was not a direct attack on their fans who care about the team.

From casually browsing this forum I've come to the conclusion that whatever noise happens is going to come from people pissed about something.

 

[Chainshot]

I didn't get all the vitriol either. KA did exactly what he (repeatedly) said he was going to do, since the season ended he's been saying:

1. Going into the trade deadline He liked 3 out of their top 4 dmen (Dahlin, Power, Sammy), Byram filled out their top 4. If anything he was looking for some additional toughness on the 3rd pair.
2. He was looking at a tandem of UPL and Levi in net next year
3. He liked their top 6 skill, wanted to add toughness and sandpaper to their bottom 6.
4. He likes Tage and Cozens as their 1/2 centers down the middle.
5. He's mentioned Krebs as a player that they liked, again he said this repeatedly.

Despite what he's said, both bloggers and fans have continually added top 4 dmen in their offseason, top 6 wingers, top 6 centers (to bump down Cozens to the middle 6), a 3C to bump Krebs to the 4th line. I don't think any of that was ever going to happen.

He's literally done exactly what he said. He built a real grinder line, Added a vet 3rd line scorer that can fill in up the lineup when there are injuries, and added a 3rd pairing dman.

I didn't get all the vitriol either. KA did exactly what he (repeatedly) said he was going to do, since the season ended he's been saying:

1. Going into the trade deadline He liked 3 out of their top 4 dmen (Dahlin, Power, Sammy), Byram filled out their top 4. If anything he was looking for some additional toughness on the 3rd pair.
2. He was looking at a tandem of UPL and Levi in net next year
3. He liked their top 6 skill, wanted to add toughness and sandpaper to their bottom 6.
4. He likes Tage and Cozens as their 1/2 centers down the middle.
5. He's mentioned Krebs as a player that they liked, again he said this repeatedly.

Despite what he's said, both bloggers and fans have continually added top 4 dmen in their offseason, top 6 wingers, top 6 centers (to bump down Cozens to the middle 6), a 3C to bump Krebs to the 4th line. I don't think any of that was ever going to happen.

He's literally done exactly what he said. He built a real grinder line, Added a vet 3rd line scorer that can fill in up the lineup when there are injuries, and added a 3rd pairing dman.

Yes. And there is still the possibility of doing more, particularly in trade. Granted with how he has gone about his job, he’ll be trying to make trades next summer and finally succeeding after spending a year where he should’ve been adding sand to his lineup last summer and doing nothing, or adding a legit three both of the last two summers. And I don’t even know if the guy that he just signed is a legit three.

Full marks to him for going out and doing what he said that he would do. I think people have just lost patience with the idea that their content to think internal improvement is going to solve all of their problems. That’s the kernel at the heart of this. He’s trying very hard to sell the guys that he’s assembled as his top six forwards and top four defenseman are good enough without changing coaching voices around them or the personnel around them.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

From casually browsing this forum I've come to the conclusion that whatever noise happens is going to come from people pissed about something.

I've noticed that all of the positivity comes from people who support Adams and the team no matter what, and have been happy with the team going into literally every season for the past 13 years. I hope they never change because positivity is good -- but they're always wrong, so they shouldn't be treated as soothsayers.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I've noticed that all of the positivity comes from people who support Adams and the team no matter what, and have been happy with the team going into literally every season for the past 13 years. I hope they never change because positivity is good -- but they're always wrong, so they shouldn't be treated as soothsayers.

This is all a weighted number generator generating weighted numbers. We're along for the ride and exactly nothing more. I make my prognostications and like to see how they line up against actual outcomes.

The only year I thought they had a good chance to make the playoffs in the last 13 was after they signed Hall and Staal. And I was probably deluded in 2017/18.

 

[Mattilaus]

Levi is on his ELC. He cannot have a NMC this early in his career.

And he does not need to clear waivers to go to Rochester, either.

RyJo and Levi are waivers exempt. That is why I would prefer that they start the season in Rochester. It gives them playing time and the Sabres have waiver exempt depth guys that should be able to be relied upon if they need them.

I was talking about Reimer having a nmc. If he doesn't then we can still send him down with full nhl salary. But we have insurance if Levi isn't ready.

 

[Jim Bob]

I was talking about Reimer having a nmc. If he doesn't then we can still send him down with full nhl salary. But we have insurance if Levi isn't ready.

I would be shocked if they gave Reimer a NMC.

 

[Mattilaus]

I would be shocked if they gave Reimer a NMC.

Same, I just felt the need to add that as a possible stipulation, just in case. In my eyes this is getting an AHL goaltender who, in the worse case, can come up if Levi struggles. It being a 1 way contract is IMO just a way of ensuring Reimer gets paid so he would come here to Likely play in the AHL. He probably wouldn't sign if it was a 2 way deal.

 

[Chainshot]

I've noticed that all of the positivity comes from people who support Adams and the team no matter what, and have been happy with the team going into literally every season for the past 13 years. I hope they never change because positivity is good -- but they're always wrong, so they shouldn't be treated as soothsayers.

Come on now. There is differentiation between being happy with the players that they’ve acquired because they fill a need and a role versus being co that it totally fixes things or makes this lineup playoff worthy. It’s not an either or.