old kummelweck
Registered User
- Nov 10, 2003
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I give him a C since these changes should have been done last year and so he's getting docked a letter grade for turning in his assignment late.
CookMcLeod was, again, scratched exactly one time in the playoffs. A game they lost. He scored the next game and helped them shut down the Stars the rest of the way. That was the *checks notes* conference finals. He then played all seven games of the *checks notes* Stanley Cup finals, scoring three goals.
If you don’t like 24 year olds for getting scratched once in the playoffs. I can’t imagine why you’d be upset about a 9th overall pick who wasn’t going to make the NHL here in his draft plus three season. Where he was drafted stopped mattering a long time ago. When he got passed by guys. When he got hurt twice. When he bombed at WJC. When he wasn’t as good as Benson or Firkus on his juniors teams. If none of that matters he was scratched in the ahl playoffs once. That I know you must care about.
The other thing to consider is the second round pick was a free asset and the prospect was dealt from a surplus. Arguably both future assets improved the team right nowC
He did a decent job for the bottom 6.
But it cost a high prospect and a early second.
I don't think you give up those kind of assets for bottom 6 players.
He missed already more than one off season, he did everything late, its a pattern.The best time to improve the team was in the past. The second best time is now. And they are making steps to do that
The other thing to consider is the second round pick was a free asset and the prospect was dealt from a surplus. Arguably both future assets improved the team right now
Remember...they opened up 7.5 million in cap when they let Skinner go, they will pay a penalty the first several years for that, and so far, they spend that on nothing.
Factoring in UPL/Malenstyn/Krebs deals, they'll still be 7-8 million under.
Terry Cheapgula.
Scottie Bowman was a black mark on the Sabres, a disaster that tore down the franchise and led to a decade of mediocrityIm a lindy fan and think he is the best coach we've had since...him but it perplexes me how so many people are tying their hopes to him dramatically improving this team when he's never won anything. Like yes it will be better but we didn't just get prime Scott bowman lol.
Not really the point I was going for but okay lolScottie Bowman was a black mark on the Sabres, a disaster that tore down the franchise and led to a decade of mediocrity
Red wings coach and all...Not really the point I was going for but okay lol
That was the difference, the Knox brothers gave him the keys to do as he liked. Illitch kept his ass behind the bench. The proverbial know your limitationsNot really the point I was going for but okay lol
Red wings coach and all...
that relates to your first comment how?That was the difference, the Knox brothers gave him the keys to do as he liked. Illitch kept his ass behind the bench. The proverbial know your limitations
Bowman came in as the post-Punch savior and turned a perennial contender into playoff cannon fodder. His coaching had little impact but his GM actions were highly detrimental.that relates to your first comment how?
My point was Ruff is a decent coach for the time being but not the Lombardi some people attribute his potential success to...
My point was Ruff is a decent coach for the time being but not the Lombardi some people attribute his potential success to...
What a bizarre way to frame Ruff’s tenure as a NHL coach. Talk about being miserable just to be miserable.Im a lindy fan and think he is the best coach we've had since...him but it perplexes me how so many people are tying their hopes to him dramatically improving this team when he's never won anything. Like yes it will be better but we didn't just get prime Scott bowman lol.
I agree that these are problems but they are in the past. Right now Buffalo is tied with last year’s Stanley Cup winning Panthers at 0-0. Not saying they are comparable as teams of course. But Okposo, Granato, 3 goalies etc are last years problems and shouldn’t affect the grade for this off season’s movesHe missed already more than one off season, he did everything late, its a pattern.
From keeping the coach, not moving on from Okposo last off season, 3 goalie syndrome, not having enough vets, keeping Krebs in the NHL, logjam in the AHL, not dealing the prospects while he has too many (probably overvalueing them) etc.
Adams did pretty well if we look at it holistically.
Two years ago, the Sabres lived and died on run and gun hockey and the power play. Last season they tried a more responsible system but the power play dried up. And the bottom six were not real bottom 6 players.
Now the team has a legit head coach, a legit coach running the power play, and a real bottom 6. If the Sabres do what they did last season, with the bottom 6 driving the responsible play, and the Sabres return to a respectable level of a power play, they’ll get into the playoffs as a wild card.
I think I give it a slightly higher grade, with good RFA contracts included. More like a B- if Adams can sign the three RFAs to good deals in both term and money.They do now have the personnel to have a stylistic shift in the bottom six. That misfit toy line that sometimes worked (Mitts with Olofsson in January of 2023 for example) and so often didn't (Skinner with Krebs most recently in a list of fails) is no longer a bad emulation of the top two lines. They are looking more like a group that can shift possession up the ice, end shifts in the offensive zone, play the rest of the ice if these players play to their abilities just last year.
I still rate that as average (which is a C) and still need to see the resolution of the Krebs, Malenstyn and Luukkonen contracts before giving a final grade. Doing well there might bump it up to a C+. Doing poorly could knock it down a letter grade or two.