Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2022-2023

[May Day 10]

I don't think there is any chance the team relocates to Quebec City.  You would have to convince 2 guys named Gutierrez and Meruelo to move their team to a relatively small city with limited earning potential in French Canada.

Houston seems to be the city that makes the most sense as far as league aspirations, location, and potential for the owner to make money.  I guess the Rockets' arena is NHL-capable.  

 

Atlanta gets mentioned, but it makes me cringe thinking about that again.  But then, Winnipeg could move to Arizona in a few years and Atlanta could move to Winnipeg.  

 

Salt Lake City is also getting some mention as a possibility (as well as in a 'wheels are turning' type of way)

 

 

I guess a lot depends on what the current owners want to do.  Will they relocate the team?  Or will they sell the team.  In that case, you would need an owner to pay, probably over a half a billion dollars, then relocation fee, then arena costs/overhead.  

 

 

I also wonder if the current deal in Tempe could be greased a bit so it doesnt require a public referrendum.  I think it passed the city council unanimously.

Edited May 17, 2023 by May Day 10

[Jauronimo]

3 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

I don't think there is any chance the team relocates to Quebec City.  You would have to convince 2 guys named Gutierrez and Meruelo to move their team to a relatively small city with limited earning potential in French Canada.

Houston seems to be the city that makes the most sense as far as league aspirations, location, and potential for the owner to make money.  I guess the Rockets' arena is NHL-capable.  

 

Atlanta gets mentioned, but it makes me cringe thinking about that again.  But then, Winnipeg could move to Arizona in a few years and Atlanta could move to Winnipeg.  

 

Salt Lake City is also getting some mention as a possibility (as well as in a 'wheels are turning' type of way)

 

 

I guess a lot depends on what the current owners want to do.  Will they relocate the team?  Or will they sell the team.  In that case, you would need an owner to pay, probably over a half a billion dollars, then relocation fee, then arena costs/overhead.  

 

 

I also wonder if the current deal in Tempe could be greased a bit so it doesnt require a public referrendum.  I think it passed the city council unanimously.

That would be a disaster in my biased opinion.  Between insolvency, league conservatorship, and now a public referendum voting no on hockey in Arizona how many more signs does Bettman need that this isn't going to work?  

[Buffalo Super Fan]

I don’t see the Arizona Coyotes moving from Phoenix the area is too large to leave. I think that the Arizona Coyotes will join the Phoenix Suns in a joint new arena venture like Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. Quebec isn’t happening and neither is Salt Lake City both too small same deal with Kansas City. Houston is a maybe with Atlanta most likely getting the Atlanta Thrashers back with the Winnipeg Jets moving back to Atlanta that is coming because Winnipeg is just to small and they were hit hard attendance wise with Covid 19 the Jets are down 3,000 a game that is huge with the lower Canadian dollar. Television and streaming is the future which is good for growing US markets but isn’t good news for Canadian NHL teams for the money losing small market Winnipeg Jets with the Canadian dollar $1.00 is .74 cents US in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

[Gregg]

[Jrb1979]

8 hours ago, I am leaving for good said:

I don’t see the Arizona Coyotes moving from Phoenix the area is too large to leave. I think that the Arizona Coyotes will join the Phoenix Suns in a joint new arena venture like Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings. Quebec isn’t happening and neither is Salt Lake City both too small same deal with Kansas City. Houston is a maybe with Atlanta most likely getting the Atlanta Thrashers back with the Winnipeg Jets moving back to Atlanta that is coming because Winnipeg is just to small and they were hit hard attendance wise with Covid 19 the Jets are down 3,000 a game that is huge with the lower Canadian dollar. Television and streaming is the future which is good for growing US markets but isn’t good news for Canadian NHL teams for the money losing small market Winnipeg Jets with the Canadian dollar $1.00 is .74 cents US in my opinion. Go Sabres! Let’s Go Buffalo 

I just don't see them staying in Arizona. At this point it's pretty obvious that they aren't wanted there.  I'm tired of this league chasing the all mighty US fanbase. Its not happening and never will.  It's a shame too cause IMO hockey is the most exciting sport out of all the major ones.  It's down the final four and there is more talk sports media wise about the NFL new season coming up and the NBA. It's time they started going to markets that actually like the game instead of pushing it into markets where it will be an afterthought. IMO the only two markets that would work are KC and Cleveland. 

 

Personally I think they need to go Quebec City. Give them a team back. 

[Fleezoid]

9 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I just don't see them staying in Arizona. At this point it's pretty obvious that they aren't wanted there.  I'm tired of this league chasing the all mighty US fanbase. Its not happening and never will.  It's a shame too cause IMO hockey is the most exciting sport out of all the major ones.  It's down the final four and there is more talk sports media wise about the NFL new season coming up and the NBA. It's time they started going to markets that actually like the game instead of pushing it into markets where it will be an afterthought. IMO the only two markets that would work are KC and Cleveland. 

 

Personally I think they need to go Quebec City. Give them a team back. 

 

Agree on all these points. It's a little like when FOX put that stupid puck tracer on TV. It was an effort to get the fans from the southern states to be able to follow the game better. If folks can't follow the game on TV the way it is, they're not interested. I used to watch hockey on a 13" black and white. You could barely see the puck most of the time. 

 

I completely agree with The Quebec option. It would be cool to see a team back there. Sabres and Nordiques had some heated battles way back when. 

 

And while Arizona hasn't had the strongest following, I almost don't blame them for the "no" votes. I didn't know it was such a big issue, so I looked it up. There's a "grassroots" webpage that points out some of the glaring issues with the proposals. A tax burden and some sort of stipulation that puts $ in the owner's pocket. I get the tax issue, that's always a thing. But if there's enough people that say no, so be it. 

[BillsFan4]

 

the young prospects are really having a coming out party this year in the AHL playoffs. Future looks bright in Buffalo!

[Gregg]

Did anyone stay up and watch the Panthers 3-2 win over the Canes in 4 OT's last night. I watched till the end of the 1st OT. Getting up early and going to work prevented me from staying up later.

[Draconator]

 

[coloradobillsfan]

4 hours ago, Gregg said:

Did anyone stay up and watch the Panthers 3-2 win over the Canes in 4 OT's last night. I watched till the end of the 1st OT. Getting up early and going to work prevented me from staying up later.

It helps being 2 time zones back, but yeah I saw every minute and thought for sure we were going to a 5th OT.  I have absolutely zero compassion for the Canes fans who lost 'twice' (the first FLA goal in OT1 was overturned).  

[May Day 10]

On 5/18/2023 at 8:22 AM, Jrb1979 said:

I just don't see them staying in Arizona. At this point it's pretty obvious that they aren't wanted there.  I'm tired of this league chasing the all mighty US fanbase. Its not happening and never will.  It's a shame too cause IMO hockey is the most exciting sport out of all the major ones.  It's down the final four and there is more talk sports media wise about the NFL new season coming up and the NBA. It's time they started going to markets that actually like the game instead of pushing it into markets where it will be an afterthought. IMO the only two markets that would work are KC and Cleveland. 

 

Personally I think they need to go Quebec City. Give them a team back. 

 

Its tough.  Former Sabres business legend Doug Moss doomed that franchise putting the arena on the west side of the city.  The team needs an arena in the East side of the city where all the people with money and transplants live and dont have to travel 45 minutes to hockey games on Tuesday nights.  That team  has also been poorly run, winning 1 playoff series since the move in 1996 and 2 playoff series since Winnipeg started in '79.   Give people a few playoff runs and hockey can get its talons into people anywhere.  I used to hate southern markets, but I have seen it work in Tampa, Vegas, and Nashville, and to some extent Dallas and Raleigh.

 

It seems like this proposal was upended by political hysteria and getting all sorts of older people frothing at the mouth about public handouts.  The deal wasnt 100% free, nothing is, but it seems like it was almost as good a stadium financing deal as any.  They were turning a dump into a state of the art arena and shopping/entertainment.  

I really believe if the Bills stadium went to a referendum vote, the Paladinos, McMurrays, and Bauerles would have compelled people to chase the Pegulas right out of town.

 

I think the Coyotes are staying.  There is no realistic turnkey option out there.  If they can push a similar proposal through without a referendum, the owners and the NHL have a lot to gain.  

[Mr. WEO]

8 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

 

Its tough.  Former Sabres business legend Doug Moss doomed that franchise putting the arena on the west side of the city.  The team needs an arena in the East side of the city where all the people with money and transplants live and dont have to travel 45 minutes to hockey games on Tuesday nights.  That team  has also been poorly run, winning 1 playoff series since the move in 1996 and 2 playoff series since Winnipeg started in '79.   Give people a few playoff runs and hockey can get its talons into people anywhere.  I used to hate southern markets, but I have seen it work in Tampa, Vegas, and Nashville, and to some extent Dallas and Raleigh.

 

It seems like this proposal was upended by political hysteria and getting all sorts of older people frothing at the mouth about public handouts.  The deal wasnt 100% free, nothing is, but it seems like it was almost as good a stadium financing deal as any.  They were turning a dump into a state of the art arena and shopping/entertainment.  

I really believe if the Bills stadium went to a referendum vote, the Paladinos, McMurrays, and Bauerles would have compelled people to chase the Pegulas right out of town.

 

I think the Coyotes are staying.  There is no realistic turnkey option out there.  If they can push a similar proposal through without a referendum, the owners and the NHL have a lot to gain.  

 

 

Wouldn't have needed them for that.  Where was the popular support for this stadium deal? It was unpopular across regions and political spectra.

[Mike in Horseheads]

On 5/18/2023 at 8:22 AM, Jrb1979 said:

I just don't see them staying in Arizona. At this point it's pretty obvious that they aren't wanted there.  I'm tired of this league chasing the all mighty US fanbase. Its not happening and never will.  It's a shame too cause IMO hockey is the most exciting sport out of all the major ones.  It's down the final four and there is more talk sports media wise about the NFL new season coming up and the NBA. It's time they started going to markets that actually like the game instead of pushing it into markets where it will be an afterthought. IMO the only two markets that would work are KC and Cleveland. 

 

Personally I think they need to go Quebec City. Give them a team back. 

Bring back the Nords! Habs and Nords was a fierce rivalry in the day.  I saw today that the Gov of Connecticut was also after the team. The Whalers would also be a better place than Zona. I think Bettman will push them to Houston the moron

[PromoTheRobot]

Top Sabres prospect Matt Savoie ended his Junior season and is now with the Amerks, who if you haven't been following, are on a tear in the AHL playoffs and are one of the Final Four teams for the Calder Cup. Jiri Kulich is on a 6-game goal streak, and now you're adding Savoie to that roster?

[Gregg]

On 5/20/2023 at 12:14 AM, Mike in Horseheads said:

Bring back the Nords! Habs and Nords was a fierce rivalry in the day.  I saw today that the Gov of Connecticut was also after the team. The Whalers would also be a better place than Zona. I think Bettman will push them to Houston the moron

 

The problem the Whalers had is they were a small market team that was sandwiched between two original 6 teams in the Rangers and Bruins. Also didn't they play their home games in a mall. I would love to see the Whalers, Nordiques back but I think if any market gets a team, it will be Houston or KC.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Top Sabres prospect Matt Savoie ended his Junior season and is now with the Amerks, who if you haven't been following, are on a tear in the AHL playoffs and are one of the Final Four teams for the Calder Cup. Jiri Kulich is on a 6-game goal streak, and now you're adding Savoie to that roster?

This is wild.  I was reading that he’d only be practicing with the team, and my cousin and I were texting about it this morning and he said the coaching staff is saying that there is a chance he could play if he gets up to speed. 

[Jauronimo]

25 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

This is wild.  I was reading that he’d only be practicing with the team, and my cousin and I were texting about it this morning and he said the coaching staff is saying that there is a chance he could play if he gets up to speed. 

I think if its even remotely close that he looks prepared to play that they get him in the lineup.  I do believe that the organization will do everything they can to have Savoie playing in Buffalo next year rather than spend another year putting up video game stats in Winnipeg even if its a little premature.  Its a shame that the CHL rules prevent him from playing in a league where his game can actually grow.  He has nothing left to do in Winnipeg.

[Gregg]

RMNB on Twitter: "NHLPA reportedly willing to talk about an expanded 84-game schedule if league agrees to higher than expected salary cap next season https://t.co/DuB9d2v1Gp" / Twitter

[PromoTheRobot]

7 hours ago, Gregg said:

RMNB on Twitter: "NHLPA reportedly willing to talk about an expanded 84-game schedule if league agrees to higher than expected salary cap next season https://t.co/DuB9d2v1Gp" / Twitter

 

I'd rather they have a play-in round like the NBA. Make those extra games mean something.

[BillsFan4]

MSG is going to be airing the Rochester Americans conference final against Hershey.

 

Game 1 is tonight at 7pm EST on MSG.

[ChevyVanMiller]

5 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

MSG is going to be airing the Rochester Americans conference final against Hershey.

 

Game 1 is tonight at 7pm EST on MSG.

Great news. Should have been doing it since the playoffs began.

[PromoTheRobot]

13 minutes ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

Great news. Should have been doing it since the playoffs began.

 

One bit of bad news. MSG is picking up the Hershey feed. Only AHLTV gets you the Amerks feed (Don Stevens & Duffer.)

[Mike in Horseheads]

4 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

One bit of bad news. MSG is picking up the Hershey feed. Only AHLTV gets you the Amerks feed (Don Stevens & Duffer.)

How can they have Duffer without Marty!?

 

[PromoTheRobot]

9 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

How can they have Duffer without Marty!?

 

 

I think Marty doesn't want to do Amerk games. Don Stevens usually calls games solo, but he's getting older and you can tell his brain isn't as sharp, the way he gets stuck on what to say sometimes. So someone decided to pair Brian Duff with him, though the production value is pretty rough.

[BillsFan4]

Amerks win game one 5-1!

 

They looked great!

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

Amerks win game one 5-1!

 

They looked great!

 

Scored 14 seconds into the game. Up 4-0 after 27 minutes. Hershey tried to intimidate Rochester by being physical. Unfortunately the Amerks can skate twice as fast and shoot better.

[Jauronimo]

 

[GETTOTHE50]

KO is a good dude, but damn did we overpay for his mediocre talent.

 

was hoping he would retire and we would not have to put up with anymore of the players from the tim murray era.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, Jauronimo said:

 

Wrong one?

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, GETTOTHE50 said:

KO is a good dude, but damn did we overpay for his mediocre talent.

 

was hoping he would retire and we would not have to put up with anymore of the players from the tim murray era.

His captaincy has been important and one more year makes a ton of sense to me.

[Jauronimo]

1 hour ago, GETTOTHE50 said:

KO is a good dude, but damn did we overpay for his mediocre talent.

 

was hoping he would retire and we would not have to put up with anymore of the players from the tim murray era.

We did overpay for what we got on his original contract but that is a sunk cost. I don't think one more year of KO at $2.5MM is overpaying.  This team needs an adult in the room and someone who can stand up to physical play.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, GETTOTHE50 said:

KO is a good dude, but damn did we overpay for his mediocre talent.

 

was hoping he would retire and we would not have to put up with anymore of the players from the tim murray era.

Sorry, but in today’s age, $2.5m is not an overpay for anyone. KO’s intangibles like leadership on youngest team in the league is worth that alone. 

[GETTOTHE50]

28 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Sorry, but in today’s age, $2.5m is not an overpay for anyone. KO’s intangibles like leadership on youngest team in the league is worth that alone. 

i was referring to the contract murray signed him to

[K-9]

7 minutes ago, GETTOTHE50 said:

i was referring to the contract murray signed him to

Thanks for the clarification. 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, GETTOTHE50 said:

KO is a good dude, but damn did we overpay for his mediocre talent.

 

was hoping he would retire and we would not have to put up with anymore of the players from the tim murray era.

 

Overpaid when he and most of the team was suffering from coaching malpractice, or the last two years?  If you are referring to his last two Sabres seasons I don't think you fully recognize his contributions. He's the leader of this team.

[PromoTheRobot]

If you want to see a future Sabres stud make his pro debut tonight at 7pm make sure you're watching MSG. Amerks at Hershey Bears Game 2. Amerks up 1-0 in the series.

 

 

[ChevyVanMiller]

23 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Scored 14 seconds into the game. Up 4-0 after 27 minutes. Hershey tried to intimidate Rochester by being physical. Unfortunately the Amerks can skate twice as fast and shoot better.

Defenseman Joe Cecconi, of Lewiston, NY and a former Jr. Sabre, scored that goal. Nice to see a local boy doing well.

[BillsFan4]

well, I wasn’t expecting that. I figured since it’s been so long that he was going the free agent route. Glad to have him signed!

[BillsFan4]

That’s it for the Amerks. They were eliminated tonight.

 

Hershey is the more experienced team and it showed. That and goaltending were the difference IMO. Hershey doesn’t have a lot of young prospects with high NHL potential but they have a lot of good veteran AHL players and they sure gooned it up. So much clutching/grabbing/hacking and the refs just seem to let it all go come playoff time. That’s one thing I don’t like about the AHL. It happened to Rochester last year in the playoffs too.

 

Oh well. It was still a good season for them.

[Jauronimo]

On 6/2/2023 at 8:56 PM, BillsFan4 said:

That’s it for the Amerks. They were eliminated tonight.

 

Hershey is the more experienced team and it showed. That and goaltending were the difference IMO. Hershey doesn’t have a lot of young prospects with high NHL potential but they have a lot of good veteran AHL players and they sure gooned it up. So much clutching/grabbing/hacking and the refs just seem to let it all go come playoff time. That’s one thing I don’t like about the AHL. It happened to Rochester last year in the playoffs too.

 

Oh well. It was still a good season for them.

Quinn and Peterka got their asses kicked all over the ice last year in the AHL playoff run.  I get the need for veterans in the AHL locker room but I am amazed that some guys carve out careers in the A.  The pay is not very attractive.