Kevyn Adams GM thread

[Willgamesh]

If Air Bud could play basketball and football, why can't dogs play hockey?

We use monkeys for that or for Russians bears.

 

[joshjull]

Not exactly. Mitts stepped up and gave the team a much needed boost at C when those two struggled. That helped keep them competitive. If they sink, the team dive bombs into the depths. With Mitts, they get a life preserver and stay afloat. Looks like they all need some wetsuits.

He did but we still weren’t close to making the playoffs. I get what you’re saying, that we would have bottomed out even further if he wasn’t here. You’re right about that. But for us to make the playoffs we need Tage/Cozens playing well no matter who our 3rd line center is.

When I said “This team is gonna sink or swim largely on how Tage/Cozens play. Thats the case with or without Mitts.” I’m talking about making the playoffs. If a team’s top 2 centers suck. It’s not realistic to expect any 3C to play well enough to overcome that and lead their team into the playoffs.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

He did but we still weren’t close to making the playoffs. I get what you’re saying, that we would have bottomed out even further if he wasn’t here. You’re right about that. But for us to make the playoffs we need Tage/Cozens playing well no matter who our 3rd line center is.

When I said “This team is gonna sink or swim largely on how Tage/Cozens play. Thats the case with or without Mitts.” I’m talking about making the playoffs. If a team’s top 2 centers suck. It’s not realistic to expect any 3C to play well enough to overcome that and lead their team into the playoffs.

I just don't know why you keep arguing a side point. Sinking/swimming with TT/Cozens is a scenario that's been unnecessarily forced upon the team by KA. You can be totally right about that all you want. My point is that Mitts ultimately woulda/shoulda put one of those guys down in the line-up, and if KA was not going to keep three top-6 Cs because "teams don't so that" (even though Buffalo had the cap space, and that it's a stretch to call both TT/Cozens top-6 Cs when really TT isn't a 1C and Cozens hasn't played like a top-6 C is 10 months), then he should've traded somebody else instead of defaulting to the simpleton logic of "well I already paid these guys so I have to keep them".

So yeah, probably the team doesn't make the playoffs with both TT/Cozens stinking. Same for Dahlin, Power, UPL, Tuch, etc. The team shouldn't be relying on those two as the top-6 Cs though. If you want to continue, debate that. Come up with a better alternative than trading the guy who was playing 1C. Come up with a better plan than going with two flawed guys as your only option. Otherwise, you're arguing just to argue (again).

 

[joshjull]

I just don't know why you keep arguing a side point. Sinking/swimming with TT/Cozens is a scenario that's been unnecessarily forced upon the team by KA. You can be totally right about that all you want. My point is that Mitts ultimately woulda/shoulda put one of those guys down in the line-up, and if KA was not going to keep three top-6 Cs because "teams don't so that" (even though Buffalo had the cap space, and that it's a stretch to call both TT/Cozens top-6 Cs when really TT isn't a 1C and Cozens hasn't played like a top-6 C is 10 months), then he should've traded somebody else instead of defaulting to the simpleton logic of "well I already paid these guys so I have to keep them"

A side point?

I’m addressing things YOU brought up in one of your posts.

The following is from that post I initially quoted ……..

If that doesn't get you excited though, let's talk about Mitts' replacement! When you fail to realize the value of C depth and over rate "your guys" that you just handed big contracts to, and trade the best two-way C on the roster that has better hands/vision/playmaking ability than any other FW, you go right out and replace that guy the only way possible...you get a guy with SPEED BURSTS. When defensive hustle, board work, TOs, and creating offense for your teammates isn't enough, you have to go big with SPEED BURSTS! That category is right next to W/L/PTS in the standings.

I’ve been addressing the bolded, your criticism of our center depth and your criticism of our current 3C (or more accurately mocking the 3C). You quite clearly were talking about both of these things in the bolded above. They weren’t some side topic I thought up. I also haven’t been talking about the underlined but you keep bringing it up as if I did.


Now to the 2nd half of your most recent post…….

So yeah, probably the team doesn't make the playoffs with both TT/Cozens stinking. Same for Dahlin, Power, UPL, Tuch, etc. The team shouldn't be relying on those two as the top-6 Cs though. If you want to continue, debate that. Come up with a better alternative than trading the guy who was playing 1C. Come up with a better plan than going with two flawed guys as your only option. Otherwise, you're arguing just to argue (again).

Don’t try making this about me when it isn’t.

Again, it was YOU, not me, who brought up the topics I’m discussing. You also keep trying to change the subject and not quite addressing what I post.

Prime example is when I talked about teams rarely having three top 6 centers and that its even rarer to have three paid like top 6 centers. The primary point being is you don’t need three top 6 centers to have proper center depth. The vast majority of teams have two top 6 centers or even just one with a 2/3 center behind him. So it’s not remotely true we needed to keep MItts to have good center depth. Which is its own topic, separate from whether or not we could or should have kept him.

Your counterpoint to that was essentially we could afford to keep Mitts. Which is an odd response because I didn’t say anything about not being able to afford him. Plus I have repeatedly argued that we could and should have kept Mitts. What I’m talking about is our current center depth and how it stacks up to the rest of the league.

If Tage/Cozens are what we need them to be. Then we have two top 6 centers, which is the norm around the league. Add in McLeod, who is a very good defensive 3C and we’re in good shape at center.

If Tage/Cozens aren’t what we need them to be. Then we’re in deep shit. But that isn’t a depth problem. It’s a roster construction problem, which is a much bigger issue and can’t be fixed in season in order to save that season. Which is why I said if they flame out we’re in deep shit. If it was a depth problem. That would imply NHL teams regularly carry a couple of spare depth top 6 centers in case the original 2 crap out. Or that teams can have a 3C that makes up for both flaming out as you keep trying to imply. Neither scenario is a realistic.

The entirety of your argument can essentially be boiled down to…….. The Sabres don’t value center depth and McLeod sucks because we traded Mitts.