Buffalo Sabres & NHL 2020-2021

[JohnC]

14 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

 

I get that, but this has to be less than fun.  It's been an embarrassing endeavor for 10 years.

 

There is a happy medium between feeling involved and choosing your nhl coaches over your gm's head and funding his wife's Senate campaign.

 

I remember he was in on bills stuff and the search for qbs.  Give him a stopwatch and throw him in a corner.  

I echo your sentiments. The Pegulas are presiding over a franchise that is in a disarray. It's not only the worst team in the league but it has become irrelevant to the  sport. It's bad enough that the Sabres are an irrelevant franchise but it has descended to the point of being an invisible NHL franchise that isn't even part of the hockey discussion other than about their dysfunction.  How's that for an accomplishment! Simply because they are the owners they have the right to run the operation they want to do. And because of the amateurish manner in which they have exercised their authority they can't hide from the carnage they created that is going to take years to resuscitate, assuming that the owners learn to reach a minimum level competency. This on them. 

 

 

[Rockpile233]

16 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

It's possible that it's just no fun for a self-made billionaire to be hands-off.   Not talking about a guy who inherited his money.       

 

I can appreciate that. I’d want to be involved too, why else buy the team? 
 

I would just channel that into surrounding myself with the best hockey people who I trust to make personnel decisions. I definitely wouldn’t be interjecting my unqualified gut feeling on Russian players or leading a coaching search. Then again, none of us need to be reminded that they own the team and can rightly do whatever they want. It’s just a shame this once great fanbase has to suffer through it. 
 

I’m so thankful for McD and Beane. 

[BillsFan4]

 

i’m shocked we got a 6th round pick for JJ. Actually I’m shocked any team gave up anything for him at all. 

[Jauronimo]

Skinner could have had a hat trick tonight.  Highway robbery on two of his chances but still buried one.  Beautiful goal by Cozens.  Baby steps to a win in regulation.

[Greg S]

On 3/19/2021 at 2:08 PM, BillsFan4 said:

Lots of good Sabres related talk here:

 

https://podcast.sportsnet.ca/31-thoughts/crossroads-with-kaleb-dahlgren/

 

Some interesting Bills/Sabres related info right around 13mins in.

 

Friedman says that it’s believed Beane & McDermott came to some sort of written agreement with the Pegulas on exactly what they’re allowed to do and it prohibits the Pegulas from interfering too much. But with the Sabres there’s never been that type of agreement.

 

worth a listen. 
 

some terrifying scouting talk info around 19mins.

 

They're saying the Sabres might be scouting 90% by video.

90%!! 😯
 

ans they’re not even scouting entire countries like Finland and Russia, or entire leagues in juniors. Crazy.

 

edit - here’s part of what I was talking about:

 

 

 

 

You would think the Pegula's would be smart enough to look at what the Bills and Sabres have done and realize its in their best interests to GTFO of the way.

[Beast]

On 3/19/2021 at 7:43 PM, May Day 10 said:

 

I get that, but this has to be less than fun.  It's been an embarrassing endeavor for 10 years.

 

There is a happy medium between feeling involved and choosing your nhl coaches over your gm's head and funding his wife's Senate campaign.

 

I remember he was in on bills stuff and the search for qbs.  Give him a stopwatch and throw him in a corner.  

 

Terry did fall in love with Mahommes. Maybe he should be a scout? LOL

[ChevyVanMiller]

**Breaking News**

 

The Sabres signed a new “goalie” to replace the injured Carter Hutton. They expect their goals against to improve significantly.

[4merper4mer]

9 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

Skinner could have had a hat trick tonight.  Highway robbery on two of his chances but still buried one.  Beautiful goal by Cozens.  Baby steps to a win in regulation.

And my aunt could be my uncle.  Krueger, Granato, Scotty Bowman......whoever the coach may be, Skinner is simply not good at hockey.  He had a +/- of 0 last night which, if I’m not mistaken, ties his best for the season.

[Bob in Mich]

We should be thankful that we don’t have a full 82 game season

[Jauronimo]

1 hour ago, 4merper4mer said:

And my aunt could be my uncle.  Krueger, Granato, Scotty Bowman......whoever the coach may be, Skinner is simply not good at hockey.  He had a +/- of 0 last night which, if I’m not mistaken, ties his best for the season.

Are you arguing he didn't almost net two more except for spectacular saves by the goalie?  Strange hill to die on but you do you.

[Greg S]

1 hour ago, Bob in Mich said:

We should be thankful that we don’t have a full 82 game season

 

They Sabres are a bad team but this division only schedule is making it worse. This division is stacked with good teams.

[BillsFan4]

3 hours ago, Greg S said:

 

You would think the Pegula's would be smart enough to look at what the Bills and Sabres have done and realize its in their best interests to GTFO of the way.

Apparently, according to what a couple posters here have said, Paul Hamilton said a couple weeks ago that the Pegulas actually regret giving up so much power to Beane & McDermott.

 

terrifying, if true.

[Greg S]

Just now, BillsFan4 said:

Apparently, according to what a couple posters here have said, Paul Hamilton said a couple weeks ago that the Pegulas actually regret giving up so much power to Beane & McDermott.

 

terrifying, if true.

 

They are the owners. At the end of the day they could fire Beane and McDermott if they wanted to so they will always have control. Obviously that is not going to happen since the team is doing very well. They should be happy with Beane and McDermott and try to find the right people to do the same for the Sabres. If I were the owner I would want to win. I would want qualified people making decisions who could help the teams win. Winning sells tickets and winning helps the Pegula's make money with their teams. Seems like an easy decision to me.

[BillsFan4]

Id be a lot more excited about this if it were the 2022 or 2023 draft classes.

This draft looks terrible. I’m not even sure there’s really even a defined #1 pick or even top 3 in this draft (so watch the Sabres win the #1 pick), but at least it increases the Sabres odds at winning #1 overall when they inevitably suck again in the future (especially if they trade Eichel). 
 

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by BillsFan4

[Jauronimo]

9 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Id be a lot more excited about this if it were the 2022 or 2023 draft classes.

This draft looks terrible. I’m not even sure there’s really even a defined #1 pick or even top 3 in this draft (so watch the Sabres win the #1 pick), but at least it increases the Sabres odds at winning #1 overall when they inevitably suck again in the future (especially if they trade Eichel). 
 

 

Luckily who ever we draft this year likely won't even make an impact until 2024 giving us two or three more drafts in prime bottom feeding lottery position.  

[Buftex]

44 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Apparently, according to what a couple posters here have said, Paul Hamilton said a couple weeks ago that the Pegulas actually regret giving up so much power to Beane & McDermott.

 

terrifying, if true.

I generally like Paul Hamilton...but I just have to ask, how would he know this?  How would anyone know this, unless one of the owners was going around saying this.  

 

I am not going to defend the Pegulas handling of the two teams, they have made plenty of errors...but I think sometimes people read a lot into things, trying to make sense of things, and then run with them as fact.  Unless the Bills were hemorrhaging money (like the Sabres most likely are) why would they regret giving so much power to Beane and McDermott?   

[ChevyVanMiller]

30 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Id be a lot more excited about this if it were the 2022 or 2023 draft classes.

This draft looks terrible. I’m not even sure there’s really even a defined #1 pick or even top 3 in this draft (so watch the Sabres win the #1 pick), but at least it increases the Sabres odds at winning #1 overall when they inevitably suck again in the future (especially if they trade Eichel). 
 

 

Yes, I looked at the list of top prospects and most of them are defenseman. Might be a great year to flip that pick for a proven NHL player.

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, Jauronimo said:

Are you arguing he didn't almost net two more except for spectacular saves by the goalie?  Strange hill to die on but you do you.

I’m arguing that he is a bad hockey player who cares only about scoring goals.  And that is exactly what he is.  He has exactly zero net positive +/- ratios in his entire career and he is not going to be part of turning the organization around in a positive way.  Krueger certainly had faults, but he had the right idea with Skinner.  

[Jauronimo]

12 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

I’m arguing that he is a bad hockey player who cares only about scoring goals.  And that is exactly what he is.  He has exactly zero net positive +/- ratios in his entire career and he is not going to be part of turning the organization around in a positive way.  Krueger certainly had faults, but he had the right idea with Skinner.  

I don't see why any mention of Skinner necessitates this crusade.

 

Skinner has just as many positive +/- seasons as Eichel for whatever that's worth.  

[BillsFan4]

 

Great to see. They need him back so very badly. Good timing too with Hutton hurt. The Sabres would’ve had to sign another goalie because of the new rules about having to have 3 goalies at all times this season.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, Buftex said:

I generally like Paul Hamilton...but I just have to ask, how would he know this?  How would anyone know this, unless one of the owners was going around saying this.  

 

I am not going to defend the Pegulas handling of the two teams, they have made plenty of errors...but I think sometimes people read a lot into things, trying to make sense of things, and then run with them as fact.  Unless the Bills were hemorrhaging money (like the Sabres most likely are) why would they regret giving so much power to Beane and McDermott?   

It’s all conjecture on Hamilton’s part, as is most of what he says. Listen carefully to his questions at the pressers and his conjecture comes flying through in the form of the questions he asked. In a courtroom it’s called a leading question, in a sports interview it’s called a predetermined point of view. There’s a reason why players can’t stand him. He’s just not an honest broker in their eyes. 

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, Jauronimo said:

I don't see why any mention of Skinner necessitates this crusade.

 

Skinner has just as many positive +/- seasons as Eichel for whatever that's worth.  

If you’re looking for a Skinner crusade, a mirror would be a good start.

[Jauronimo]

Just now, 4merper4mer said:

If you’re looking for a Skinner crusade, a mirror would be a good start.

Go find all my Skinner posts and count them.  I would be shocked if I have 1/10th as many as you.

[4merper4mer]

1 minute ago, Jauronimo said:

Go find all my Skinner posts and count them.  I would be shocked if I have 1/10th as many as you.

Then you’d be shocked.  A high percentage of my Skinner posts are replies to you.

[TBBills]

2 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

Id be a lot more excited about this if it were the 2022 or 2023 draft classes.

This draft looks terrible. I’m not even sure there’s really even a defined #1 pick or even top 3 in this draft (so watch the Sabres win the #1 pick), but at least it increases the Sabres odds at winning #1 overall when they inevitably suck again in the future (especially if they trade Eichel). 
 

 

I am willing to bet the Sabres have a few more #1 pick years coming up.

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

Great to see. They need him back so very badly. Good timing too with Hutton hurt. The Sabres would’ve had to sign another goalie because of the new rules about having to have 3 goalies at all times this season.

Why do they need him back? They need the #1 pick.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, Jauronimo said:

I don't see why any mention of Skinner necessitates this crusade.

 

Skinner has just as many positive +/- seasons as Eichel for whatever that's worth.  

With the advent of more advanced analytic tools to measure a player’s productivity in the ice, +/- has become an archaic stat that nobody puts much stock into nowadays. 

[4merper4mer]

4 minutes ago, K-9 said:

With the advent of more advanced analytic tools to measure a player’s productivity in the ice, +/- has become an archaic stat that nobody puts much stock into nowadays. 

Agreed, but I’d be surprised if a single advanced analytic was any kinder to Skinner than +/-.  They are all designed to dig deeper, and the deeper you dig with him, the uglier it gets.

7 minutes ago, TBBills said:

I am willing to bet the Sabres have a few more #1 pick years coming up.

Why do they need him back? They need the #1 pick.

Where does Seattle figure in?

[BillsFan4]

3 minutes ago, TBBills said:

I am willing to bet the Sabres have a few more #1 pick years coming up.

Why do they need him back? They need the #1 pick.

The draft rules are changing to limit the number of #1 picks allowed to 2 times in a 5 year span. Thankfully it doesn’t kick in until next year though, because this year would be a horrible year to waste one of the 2 allowed #1 overall picks. 

 

This year the #1 pick is meaningless. It’s about the weakest draft I can remember. There’s not really even a defined #1 guy, or even top 3. There’s 1/2 a dozen+ guys that you could make an argument for and not be wrong.

 

Owen Power (defenseman) is probably the most commonly listed player in the #1 spot but I don’t really think he’s anything special. The whole top of the draft is pretty much defenseman and none look like anything all that special.

 

Next year and the year after the top of the draft looks amazing.

 

 

[Jauronimo]

3 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Then you’d be shocked.  A high percentage of my Skinner posts are replies to you.

Start here. From page 36 to current you have at least 10:1 posts about Skinner.  On page 41, I actually agreed with you that hes dogging it on defense and ineffective.  In zero of my posts have I argued that Skinner is some savior who belongs on top line.  

 

Go back to page 33 and you'll most of my posts on the topic have been critical of Jeff. My participation in this thread mainly starts around page 25 when the season started.  

 

You don't know what you're talking about.  

 

[snafu]

39 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Owen Power (defenseman) is probably the most commonly listed player in the #1 spot but I don’t really think he’s anything special. The whole top of the draft is pretty much defenseman and none look like anything all that special.

 

Not a generational talent like Dahlin? (end sarcasm)

The guy who intrigues me is the forward from Michigan, Beniers. He may not be classic #1 pick talent, but "you get what you get, and you don't get upset" is what we say in our house.

 

 

[K-9]

4 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

Agreed, but I’d be surprised if a single advanced analytic was any kinder to Skinner than +/-.  They are all designed to dig deeper, and the deeper you dig with him, the uglier it gets.

That’s a fair point, but every player on the team with enough ice time to fairly analyze is screwing the pooch this season. There are several players who deserve to be scratched more than Skinner. 

[4merper4mer]

8 minutes ago, K-9 said:

That’s a fair point, but every player on the team with enough ice time to fairly analyze is screwing the pooch this season. There are several players who deserve to be scratched more than Skinner. 

Skinner is not the entire problem.  Far from it.  I’ve never claimed that.  I’m sure there are other players with horrible metrics.  Many of them are young.  Few if any have careers as long and counterproductive as Skinner.  Okposo may be one but you can see the effort in his game.  Skinner’s effort needs improvement.

[BillsFan4]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/31-thoughts-nashville-move-ryan-ellis-instead-mattias-ekholm/
 

Quote

22. It sounds like the Sabres are making some scouting changes. At the very least a shuffling, and then we see about external additions. Could be news on the assistant-GM front (Jason Karmanos very much a contender) this week.

Hopefully it includes changes to the pro scouting staff this time!

Outside of a handful of acquisitions our pro scouting has been atrocious. I was shocked no changes were made to the pro side when they fired 1/2 the scouting staff.

 

Looks like Adams is still evaluating everything/everyone in the organization.

[BillsFan4]

Tim Peel (the ref) was just fired by the NHL for this.

 

 

 

problem isn’t what he said, it’s that he said it on a hot mic.

every ref in the NHL calls makeup calls and the NHL knows it (and has even encouraged it).

Edited March 24, 2021 by BillsFan4

[K-9]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

Tim Peel (the ref) was just fired by the NHL for this.

 

 

 

problem isn’t what he said, it’s that he said it on a hot mic.

every ref in the NHL calls makeup calls and the NHL knows it (and has even encouraged it).

Every ref indeed. Firing a ref for doing what fans have witnessed forever won’t change a thing. The NHL is a joke in so many ways. 

[Nextmanup]

Excellent piece from Five Thirty Eight today.

 

The author suggests the Sabres have been below league average since early 2013.

 

Ever since, over a span of 632 games (or eight years, one month and 23 days), the Sabres have been solidly below average at best.

 

Worst losing skid in N. American men's pro sports--all of them!   LOL  

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/everything-that-could-go-wrong-for-the-buffalo-sabres-has-gone-wrong/

[BillsFan4]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/bettman-nhl-salary-cap-will-remain-flat-near-flat-immediate-future/
 

Quote

During a press conference Wednesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was asked when the league's new media rights deal with ESPN would have an impact on the NHL's salary cap. In response, Bettman said the salary cap will likely remain stagnant as part of the four-year collective bargaining agreement extension with the NHLPA.

 

"As part of that, the salary cap is basically going to be flat until we recover the overpayments through the escrow that we've built up both in the return to play from last season, which obviously had to be concluded under different circumstances, and this season we're obviously... there's a major escrow building up because of the fact that there's no attendance," Bettman said.

sounds like the salary cap may stay flat for potentially the next (up to) 4 years, even with the new mega TV deal.

 

Salary cap space is going to be The premium asset in the NHL the next few years.

[T&C]

Peel looks a lot older than 54 imo...

 

https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/sports/2021/03/24/nhl-ref-s-career-over-after-he-s-heard-on-hot-mic-saying-he-wanted-to-give-predators-a-penalty

[Beast]

2 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

Excellent piece from Five Thirty Eight today.

 

The author suggests the Sabres have been below league average since early 2013.

 

Ever since, over a span of 632 games (or eight years, one month and 23 days), the Sabres have been solidly below average at best.

 

Worst losing skid in N. American men's pro sports--all of them!   LOL  

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/everything-that-could-go-wrong-for-the-buffalo-sabres-has-gone-wrong/

 

When you factor in playing in a league with 30 or more teams, I believe the last 10 years of Buffalo Sabres hockey has to be the worst, or very close to the worst, franchise in any North American major sport in history.

[TBBills]

19 minutes ago, Beast said:

 

When you factor in playing in a league with 30 or more teams, I believe the last 10 years of Buffalo Sabres hockey has to be the worst, or very close to the worst, franchise in any North American major sport in history.

Wonder if we can get a banner hung for that.