Buffalo Sabres & NHL 2020-2021

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/rene-robert-sabres-french-connection-right-winger-dies-at-72/article_0f7ffcc2-ceff-11eb-9053-8f87e839b352.html

 

[BillsFan4]

18 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Would you take Seth Jones and 5th overall  pick from CBJ for eichel? Would be a bad situation for eichel, another bad, Rebuilding team 

No.

 

Seth Jones is 1 year away from UFA and already told Columbus he’s testing free agency. Why would Buffalo think they could sign him? CBUS has been a much better team than Buffalo and he won’t sign there.

 

and, without Jones, 5th overall just isn’t a good enough center piece for Eichel.

 

I just don’t see what Columbus even has to be the center piece of an Eichel trade. 
The value would have to be made up from the 1at round draft picks they hold in this draft. #5, mid 20’s and Tampa’s pick (last?). I’d rather gamble on an unprotected CBUS 1st next year vs. taking back later round picks this year, in a weak draft. 
 

Im really hoping Adams is just using Columbus to drive up the price with other teams. They just don’t have the high end prospects other teams do. And no interest in either of their goalies unless it’s just a throw in.

17 hours ago, TBBills said:

They need 2 first round picks.

No. 2 firsts isn’t nearly enough. They need high end prospects back. No interest in gambling on picks in an Eichel trade. They need as close to sure things as possible.
 

The only deals that even remotely interest me would be the Ducks for #3 + Zegras +. Or Chicago for Dach + 11 ++. Or LA for Byfield ++

 

They need the other teams top prospect, and that prospect has to be a top 5 in the NHL (IMO).

[The Jokeman]

2 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

No.

 

Seth Jones is 1 year away from UFA and already told Columbus he’s testing free agency. Why would Buffalo think they could sign him? CBUS has been a much better team than Buffalo and he won’t sign there.

 

and, without Jones, 5th overall just isn’t a good enough center piece for Eichel.

 

I just don’t see what Columbus even has to be the center piece of an Eichel trade. 
The value would have to be made up from the 1at round draft picks they hold in this draft. #5, mid 20’s and Tampa’s pick (last?). I’d rather gamble on an unprotected CBUS 1st next year vs. taking back later round picks this year, in a weak draft. 
 

Im really hoping Adams is just using Columbus to drive up the price with other teams. They just don’t have the high end prospects other teams do. And no interest in either of their goalies unless it’s just a throw in.

No. 2 firsts isn’t nearly enough. They need high end prospects back. No interest in gambling on picks in an Eichel trade. They need as close to sure things as possible.
 

The only deals that even remotely interest me would be the Ducks for #3 + Zegras +. Or Chicago for Dach + 11 ++. Or LA for Byfield ++

 

They need the other teams top prospect, and that prospect has to be a top 5 in the NHL (IMO).

Not necessarily as I would take Kevin Fiala, Joel Erickson-El, Matthew Boldy and a pick from Minnesota. 

[BillsFan4]

What a win by the Isles in OT! Especially after getting destroyed 8-0 last game.
Amazing they forced a game 7. I really want them to pull off the series win. 

[BringBackFergy]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

What a win by the Isles in OT! Especially after getting destroyed 8-0 last game.
Amazing they forced a game 7. I really want them to pull off the series win. 

Just wanted to say “Thanks”, for keeping us up to date on NHL and Sabes. 

[Bob in Mich]

5 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

What a win by the Isles in OT! Especially after getting destroyed 8-0 last game.
Amazing they forced a game 7. I really want them to pull off the series win. 

Did you ever record a game and hope to watch it later, without knowing the result?  Yeah, I’ve done that too

[BillsFan4]

4 hours ago, Bob in Mich said:

Did you ever record a game and hope to watch it later, without knowing the result?  Yeah, I’ve done that too

Sorry, I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to talk about a hockey game in the hockey thread. 

[Simon]

2 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

Sorry, I didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to talk about a hockey game in the hockey thread. 

 

Did you ever record a game and then voluntarily click on a thread that says "NHL" in the title and then blame your foolishness on somebody else ? - )

[Bob in Mich]

34 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

Did you ever record a game and then voluntarily click on a thread that says "NHL" in the title and then blame your foolishness on somebody else ? - )

Oh, certainly I take the blame. I was just a bit exasperated and poking a little fun at the spoiler.

I knew if it was critical, I shouldn’t go online at all. I record games all the time and try to get news without getting the wrong news.  I looked at this Sabres thread thinking there may have been some trade news, btw.  So, sure, I take blame.  Of course

On the other hand, with scores in a hundred places, why do people post spoiler ‘news’?  It is completely unnecessary here and , in a case like mine, completely unwanted.  Just my two cents. Not that the OP wanted to spoil, just that it may indeed be more thoughtful to not provide scores these days

[BillsFan4]

Spoiler:

 

 

what a game tonight!

 

[Bob in Mich]

3 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

Spoiler:

 

 

what a game tonight!

 

 

Agree 100%.  A monster win!

[BillsFan4]

Well, the Sabres curse continues.

 

Staal traded and will now play for the Cup. 

 

Hey, maybe we can use it as a selling point to free agents!

 

”Come sign in Buffalo. We’ll trade you to the eventual cup finalist at the trade deadline, guaranteed!” 
 

😂

[Nextmanup]

These idiots are actually going to trade Jack Eichel before bringing in a proven NHL-winning HC, and seeing if that can solve some of our problems.

 

I feared this approach several months ago, but at that time had hope they would not be *that* stupid.

 

Only Terry Pegula would conclude that our problems are somehow related to Jack Eichel--the guy who is, by far, the best player on the team and more than a point a game player when healthy.

 

I wonder if our garbage goaltending is related to our losing?  Our complete lack of talent and depth throughout the lineup?  Our garbage 3rd and 4th line forwards.  Our mediocre defensive corps?  The completely stalled and regressed development of Dahlin.  Our use of a soccer administrator has a hockey head coach.

 

Are any of those things related, Terry?  

 

I've said this for several years now: Terry Pegula is the least informed sports fan you've ever known.

He's "that guy".

 

Just our luck he ends up owning the team.  

 

He's a curse and I pray for the day he sells the team to focus on the Bills.

 

 

Edited June 25, 2021 by Nextmanup

[Greg S]

4 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

These idiots are actually going to trade Jack Eichel before bringing in a proven NHL-winning HC, and seeing if that can solve some of our problems.

 

I feared this approach several months ago, but at that time had hope they would not be *that* stupid.

 

Only Terry Pegula would conclude that our problems are somehow related to Jack Eichel--the guy who is, by far, the best player on the team and more than a point a game player when healthy.

 

I wonder if our garbage goaltending is related to our losing?  Our complete lack of talent and depth throughout the lineup?  Our garbage 3rd and 4th line forwards.  Our mediocre defensive corps?  The completely stalled and regressed development of Dahlin.  Our use of a soccer administrator has a hockey head coach.

 

Are any of those things related, Terry?  

 

I've said this for several years now: Terry Pegula is the least informed sports fan you've ever known.

He's "that guy".

 

Just our luck he ends up owning the team.  

 

He's a curse and I pray for the day he sells the team to focus on the Bills.

 

 

 

By focus on the Bills you mean...stay out of the way and let Beane and McDermott do their thing. 

[4merper4mer]

5 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

These idiots are actually going to trade Jack Eichel before bringing in a proven NHL-winning HC, and seeing if that can solve some of our problems.

 

I feared this approach several months ago, but at that time had hope they would not be *that* stupid.

 

Only Terry Pegula would conclude that our problems are somehow related to Jack Eichel--the guy who is, by far, the best player on the team and more than a point a game player when healthy.

 

I wonder if our garbage goaltending is related to our losing?  Our complete lack of talent and depth throughout the lineup?  Our garbage 3rd and 4th line forwards.  Our mediocre defensive corps?  The completely stalled and regressed development of Dahlin.  Our use of a soccer administrator has a hockey head coach.

 

Are any of those things related, Terry?  

 

I've said this for several years now: Terry Pegula is the least informed sports fan you've ever known.

He's "that guy".

 

Just our luck he ends up owning the team.  

 

He's a curse and I pray for the day he sells the team to focus on the Bills.

 

 

I’m not here to defend the Pegulas or anything about the recent history of the Sabres but perhaps we shouldn’t be looking at Eichel as if he were some sort of deity.  He is a good hockey player and fun to watch but…..

 

A number of players have come into Buffalo stating how much they look forward to playing with him.  When they were gone I can’t recall one saying they’d miss playing with him.  Hall, Staal, and ROR are just a few.

 

The surgery he is seeking is either simply a ploy to get out of town or he is an absolute moron.  Not one major athlete has ever undergone this treatment and his doctor is most likely a quack.  If the Sabres doctors course of action proves fruitless surgery would still be an option.  My guess is that if he is traded the new team will be no more enthusiastic about the surgery than Buffalo.  It’s probably a ploy.

 

Eichel is from Boston, a town filled with self aggrandizing, arrogant, immature people.  You can take the kid out of Boston but maybe you can’t take the Boston out of the kid.

[BillsFan4]

I understand why Eichel wants the surgery he does. But I also understand why the Sabres are hesitant.

 

This article describes the exact procedure he wants, the benefits + risks, looks at the athletes who’ve had it done. Very fair assessment of the situation.

 

worth a read for Sabres fans.
 

https://www.diebytheblade.com/platform/amp/2021/5/19/22443208/buffalo-sabres-jack-eichels-artificial-disc-conundrum?__twitter_impression=true

 

[TBBills]

12 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

These idiots are actually going to trade Jack Eichel before bringing in a proven NHL-winning HC, and seeing if that can solve some of our problems.

 

I feared this approach several months ago, but at that time had hope they would not be *that* stupid.

 

Only Terry Pegula would conclude that our problems are somehow related to Jack Eichel--the guy who is, by far, the best player on the team and more than a point a game player when healthy.

 

I wonder if our garbage goaltending is related to our losing?  Our complete lack of talent and depth throughout the lineup?  Our garbage 3rd and 4th line forwards.  Our mediocre defensive corps?  The completely stalled and regressed development of Dahlin.  Our use of a soccer administrator has a hockey head coach.

 

Are any of those things related, Terry?  

 

I've said this for several years now: Terry Pegula is the least informed sports fan you've ever known.

He's "that guy".

 

Just our luck he ends up owning the team.  

 

He's a curse and I pray for the day he sells the team to focus on the Bills.

 

 

Jack doesn't want to be here anymore... Pegula didn't conclude anything.

[PromoTheRobot]

Donnie Meatballs will be named head coach of the Sabres today.

On 6/25/2021 at 6:10 PM, 4merper4mer said:

I’m not here to defend the Pegulas or anything about the recent history of the Sabres but perhaps we shouldn’t be looking at Eichel as if he were some sort of deity.  He is a good hockey player and fun to watch but…..

 

A number of players have come into Buffalo stating how much they look forward to playing with him.  When they were gone I can’t recall one saying they’d miss playing with him.  Hall, Staal, and ROR are just a few.

 

The surgery he is seeking is either simply a ploy to get out of town or he is an absolute moron.  Not one major athlete has ever undergone this treatment and his doctor is most likely a quack.  If the Sabres doctors course of action proves fruitless surgery would still be an option.  My guess is that if he is traded the new team will be no more enthusiastic about the surgery than Buffalo.  It’s probably a ploy.

 

Eichel is from Boston, a town filled with self aggrandizing, arrogant, immature people.  You can take the kid out of Boston but maybe you can’t take the Boston out of the kid.

 

There's a lot of excuse-making for Jack being unable to succeed with the players he's surrounded by. I think there was always some talent on the Sabres and I blame the parade of bad coaches for misapplying it. But to me Jack never exuded leadership like Josh Allen does. Grant it Josh is in one of the best situations a young QB can be in. But I always got a woe-is-me vibe from Eichel. He expected others to help him succeed, not the other way around.

Edited June 29, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[Draconator]

 

[BillsFan4]

 

The article doesn’t mention it but he’s only had 3 losing seasons in total over his 16 years as a head coach at various levels.

 

If it was down to Tocchet or Granato (as reported yesterday) I am very glad it’s Granato.

 

Still would have preferred Boudreau, but if they’re trading away a bunch of veteran players and re-re-rebuilding I’m not sure Boudreau made as much sense. A big reason I wanted Boudreau was to have 1 more kick at the can with an actual proven winner veteran coach w/Eichel still on the roster. I figured this was the last chance for Buffalo to hire a head coach while they still had Eichel and I didn’t think we should gamble on another inexperienced coach. But it seems like Eichel being traded is a foregone conclusion at this point. Same with Reinhart, Risto, etc. 

 

 

I wonder if Tocchet could end up being hired as an associate coach?

It’ll also be interesting to see if Matt Ellis and/or Dan Girardi end up on Granato’s staff.

[Jauronimo]

I am concerned about Granato's lack of experience in managing a soccer club.  If my research is correct, Don has zero EPL experience.  He can't even play FIFA 2020!!

[BillsFan4]

Side note - this makes the 7th different head coach since the Pegulas bought the Sabres in 2011.

 

😬

[TBBills]

I guess he will be replaced soon enough anyway. Saw this coming b.c no one wants to coach the Sabres TBH.

Edited June 29, 2021 by TBBills

[The Jokeman]

59 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

Side note - this makes the 7th different head coach since the Pegulas bought the Sabres in 2011.

 

😬

Although he struggled I felt Bylsma was our best HC during the Pegula era and he and GMTM were let go way too early. 

[4merper4mer]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Donnie Meatballs will be named head coach of the Sabres today.

 

There's a lot of excuse-making for Jack being unable to succeed with the players he's surrounded by. I think there was always some talent on the Sabres and I blame the parade of bad coaches for misapplying it. But to me Jack never exuded leadership like Josh Allen does. Grant it Josh is in one of the best situations a young QB can be in. But I always got a woe-is-me vibe from Eichel. He expected others to help him succeed, not the other way around.

I agree in general and there are a few things I find weird.  They had that little web series going with Eichel and Allen called captain to captain or some such but then it disappeared,  Josh seemed much more comfortable on that thing than Jack as well as in interviews in general.  None of this stuff is stand out obvious to me but there are a lot of missing pieces.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

I am concerned about Granato's lack of experience in managing a soccer club.  If my research is correct, Don has zero EPL experience.  He can't even play FIFA 2020!!

Tears, Jauronimo. Tears, I tell ya. Comedy gold!

As for the hire, congrats to Granato. He has certainly paid his dues and deserves the shot. Something tells me he just might be the right coach for this team at this particular time in the team’s development curve. 

Edited June 29, 2021 by K-9

[QCity]

If you want more insight to the type of coach Granato is and have some free time...

 

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

On 6/25/2021 at 6:10 PM, 4merper4mer said:

 

Eichel is from Boston, a town filled with self aggrandizing, arrogant, immature people.  You can take the kid out of Boston but maybe you can’t take the Boston out of the kid.

[Beast]

18 hours ago, Jauronimo said:

I am concerned about Granato's lack of experience in managing a soccer club.  If my research is correct, Don has zero EPL experience.  He can't even play FIFA 2020!!

 

I wonder if he put on his Groucho Marx glasses and went into bars in Buffalo to get the feel of what the fans think about the team.

[4merper4mer]

18 hours ago, The Jokeman said:

Although he struggled I felt Bylsma was our best HC during the Pegula era and he and GMTM were let go way too early. 

GMTM was let go too early?  Shirley you can’t be serious.  He was given a pile of assets to build a team and turned that into a pile of crap all the while talking down to anyone and everyone within earshot.  He was quite possibly the worst GM in the history of professional sports.

[Greg S]

I still find it strange that the Pegula's can hit a HR with the Bills but strike out constantly with the Sabres. I get that they are different sports but finding the right people to run your franchise is the same no matter what sport. The Pegula's are lucky the Bills are doing very well otherwise the pitchforks and knives would be out to run them out of town.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

55 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

GMTM was let go too early?  Shirley you can’t be serious.  He was given a pile of assets to build a team and turned that into a pile of crap all the while talking down to anyone and everyone within earshot.  He was quite possibly the worst GM in the history of professional sports.

Plus, he had that strange 'Dwight Schrute' vibe about him...🤔

[Ted Striker]

1 hour ago, 4merper4mer said:

Shirley you can’t be serious.

 

[BillsFan4]

https://theathletic.com/2680565/2021/06/30/live-qa-john-vogl-answers-your-buffalo-sabres-don-granato-and-jack-eichel-questions/
 

Quote

John, any sense on who the Sabres might covet at #1 overall?

John Vogl: Terry Pegula is a fan of Owen Power, I've been told. The scouting staff likes all the guys from Michigan. So Power will go first, and the Sabres will try to get another pick to take Matt Beniers or Kent Johnson

 

[BillsFan4]

 

[TBBills]

19 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

https://theathletic.com/2680565/2021/06/30/live-qa-john-vogl-answers-your-buffalo-sabres-don-granato-and-jack-eichel-questions/
 

 

Tell Terry to stay silent.

[The Jokeman]

On 6/30/2021 at 9:40 AM, 4merper4mer said:

GMTM was let go too early?  Shirley you can’t be serious.  He was given a pile of assets to build a team and turned that into a pile of crap all the while talking down to anyone and everyone within earshot.  He was quite possibly the worst GM in the history of professional sports.

Marv Levy was a far worse GM than GMTM. While I think GMTM gave too much in some of his trades but at least guys he got produced like Adams thus far.

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, The Jokeman said:

Marv Levy was a far worse GM than GMTM. While I think GMTM gave too much in some of his trades but at least guys he got produced like Adams thus far.

Shirley. Produced losses maybe.

[BADOLBILZ]

On 6/30/2021 at 9:58 AM, Greg S said:

I still find it strange that the Pegula's can hit a HR with the Bills but strike out constantly with the Sabres. I get that they are different sports but finding the right people to run your franchise is the same no matter what sport. The Pegula's are lucky the Bills are doing very well otherwise the pitchforks and knives would be out to run them out of town.

 

 

It's not strange.

 

Ralph Wilson was a terrible football team owner..........he didn't know how to build a winner......he was meddlesome, mercurial and prone to decisions made in anger.........but he still ran into a few good decisions.     The best bold decision he ever made in the post merger era was actually paying the going rate for Chuck Knox.........then he stupidly ran Chuck Knox out of town......but was too cheap to fire all the former LA Rams personnel people in the front office that Knox had brought with him and they ended up scouting and drafting the foundation of those SB teams and developing a young Bill Polian etc..   A decision to save money accidentally lead to about 12 years of good football.......the only sustained stretch where it looked like Ralph had a clue.

 

The Pegula's had no idea how to build winning organizations in pro sports either.....which was predictable.......they were entirely new to it.   The problem with the hockey end is that they haven't accepted that they are clueless there yet.    The Bills were different........they hadn't ever attended a Bills game in OP in person until they bought the team........and they lived in OP!.......they clearly were very casual fans.    They were desperate to hand the reigns to the Bills off to someone when they hired McDermott because they knew they didn't know sh*t about football and it was pretty clear that when you fail at football you become a national laughingstock.   They wanted to avoid that kind of scrutiny.

 

With hockey, Terry Pegula grew up a big hockey fan and thinks he knows a lot about the sport........and when you lose in the NHL nobody from outta' town really notices........so the chaos will likely continue until the family either accepts their limitations as hockey ops decision makers........or runs into good fortune.  

[BillsVet]

The Sabres right now are essentially where the Bills were circa 2006-2010: stuck in a never-ending cycle of stupid.  Ralph hiring/promoting people he knew as GM  who wouldn't work in the same role for 31 other teams.  And that only happened when he saw an outside the organization hire fail.  

 

And now with the HC, hire, it's clear the Sabres went down the path of least resistance and hired someone no one else considered.  Similar to Chan Gailey in 2010.

 

Now they're trading/letting your best players hit UFA only to talk about draft picks under team control for a few years.  Not to mention, the late Wilson years of cutting costs, albeit for different reasons.  

 

At this point, as @BADOLBILZ notes, they either give up control or luck into success.  I have a hard time seeing the former happen with the meddling that happens in that front office.  And I don't see Kevyn Adams being the type to tell ownership to stay out of his way.