https://sabrenoise.com/2023/04/13/craig-anderson-return-buffalo-sabres/
Oh My!! Had a little puke burb after reading this. But then after I got that burb back down and actually thought about it. Would anyone put this past the Sabres Organization.
- Buff36

If they do that I wouldn’t even know what to say. They already have UPL and comrie that shouldn’t be in the nhl. What do we have a need for a senior citizen (he is younger than me 😞).

If they want to bring him back make him the goalie coach can’t be worse than what they have

Really don't get bringing up former players in some ways, atleast they made the show. The future looks bright for the Sabres, and the growth and Development has been outstanding. But we are still looking in, and I know it's only been a few years for Adams and Company. But as a Organization we have failed for 12yrs, nothing will take that away until we make the show.
This was a very good year in the Organization, a lot of players took huge steps. But this Organization also failed this year not adjusting there plan a bit and getting a damn Goalie. And it looks to be a huge reason this team didn't take that next phase in there growth and make the playoffs.
You are allowed to be Happy and Pissed about things that happened this year. Nothing is Guaranteed they still have a lot of work to do. Sorry for the Rant!!

as Eddie says,
Don’t waste your time...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij99dud8-0A

A little surprised you're on the Weegar trade idea.

No issue or concern with paying him until he's 37?

https://www.capfriendly.c.../players/mackenzie-weegar
- kingcong39

Interesting.
What will Severson get, $ and term ?

Interesting.
What will Severson get, $ and term ?
- IonSabres

What are they like 7 months apart in age. Think Severson gets a 6yr deal, I could be wrong. But they also play different styles, Weegar is a very Physical player so how is his body gonna do going into his 30's.

Has the Samuelsson extension worked so far?

He's been hurt multiple times and had bouts of inconsistent play.

I think it will work out, but it's early to say it has, especially at $4M+ per for the next 7 seasons.
- kingcong39

Right, too early to tell now if it has worked out as it hasn't started yet, but will next season.
This time next season is a better time e to discuss.

Thought 39 brought up a guy that the Sabres should really look at Connor Clifton. Never really thought of him,
thought Boston would resign him but it's looking like he might just go to FA. He would be a very good partner for Power.

Right, too early to tell now if it has worked out as it hasn't started yet, but will next season.
This time next season is a better time e to discuss.
- IonSabres

Gotta prove he can stay healthy. That's the biggest issue right now.

https://sabrenoise.com/2023/04/13/craig-anderson-return-buffalo-sabres/
Oh My!! Had a little puke burb after reading this. But then after I got that burb back down and actually thought about it. Would anyone put this past the Sabres Organization.
- Buff36

As a goalie coach/ebug/Zamboni driver/ nacho salesman… sure! That’s economical and efficient!

https://sabrenoise.com/2023/04/13/craig-anderson-return-buffalo-sabres/
Oh My!! Had a little puke burb after reading this. But then after I got that burb back down and actually thought about it. Would anyone put this past the Sabres Organization.
- Buff36

This would be the most buffalo thing we could do. I would literally lose my MF mind. Andy can stay as the goalie coach. Sign MAF, Varlamov etc... no need to Kepp Andy at 41 years old.

What are they like 7 months apart in age. Think Severson gets a 6yr deal, I could be wrong. But they also play different styles, Weegar is a very Physical player so how is his body gonna do going into his 30's.
- Buff36

I'd be surprised if Severson got a 6 year term.

I'm thinking 5 or less.

No idea on the AAV.

This would be the most buffalo thing we could do. I would literally lose my MF mind. Andy can stay as the goalie coach. Sign MAF, Varlamov etc... no need to Kepp Andy at 41 years old.
- hehateme

There's a interview with Tomas Vokun about Anderson and about retirement. They were former Teammates with Florida and are good friends. They asked him about it and Vokun only answered with that Anderson cherishes his roll with UPL and even more with Levi here now.

I'd be surprised if Severson got a 6 year term.

I'm thinking 5 or less.

No idea on the AAV.
- kingcong39

Could see that also, they play different styles. I would worry about Weegar and his body breaking down.

There's a interview with Tomas Vokun about Anderson and about retirement. They were former Teammates with Florida and are good friends. They asked him about it and Vokun only answered with that Anderson cherishes his roll with UPL and even more with Levi here now.
- Buff36

Great, be the goalie coach or part of the coaching staff.

Great, be the goalie coach or part of the coaching staff.
- hehateme

I'd be quite surprised if Craig wanted to be a development coach in Buffalo. I mean, great, I love the guy and I think he provides real value. Also, Bales and Kotyk are here. And from the outside I've lost faith in Bales. Wonder what the org thinks.

Dong Granato is now the longest serving Sabres head coach since Lindy

Dong Granato is now the longest serving Sabres head coach since Lindy
- TheSabresTaco

Pervert

Pervert
- Buff36

- TheSabresTaco

Fully Loaded Meatballs

I'd be quite surprised if Craig wanted to be a development coach in Buffalo. I mean, great, I love the guy and I think he provides real value. Also, Bales and Kotyk are here. And from the outside I've lost faith in Bales. Wonder what the org thinks.
- TheSabresTaco

Craig can’t be worse than the current goalie coach. Give it a shot

Fully Loaded Meatballs
- Buff36

Does that mean with jalapeños

Craig can’t be worse than the current goalie coach. Give it a shot
- IndianaSabresFan

tough to imagine he'd choose a hockey job outside of Florida.

Guys like Peca, Weber, Mair, Girardi, Kennedy... they all pretty much live here.

Fully Loaded Meathead
- Buff36

- homiedclown

Show would never last right know

Sabres bold predictions revisited: What we got right and wrong about Buffalo’s season

Apr 6, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Jack Quinn (22) during the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
By Matthew Fairburn
5h ago
13
Save Article
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres’ season is winding down, as they were eliminated from playoff contention with their loss against the Devils on Tuesday. That means it’s time to revisit our preseason predictions and figure out what we messed up.

On Sunday, I took a big-picture look at something I got wrong, reflecting on the job Kevyn Adams has done relative to the expectations when he took over. Now, we’ll get more granular and see what I got wrong (and right) from the preseason bold predictions story that ran in October.

Jack Quinn will score 20 goals: Wrong

Unless Jack Quinn manages to score six goals in the Sabres’ final two games, he’s going to miss the mark on my preseason forecast. Quinn’s rookie season has been productive, though. He has 14 goals and 22 assists. Among Sabres with at least 600 minutes of ice time, he leads the team with a 52-percent on-ice expected goal share, according to Natural Stat Trick. Quinn has shown off his ability to score, and that should come out more often as he continues to get stronger and gain confidence. Quinn’s season only further solidifies the high expectations I have for him going forward.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen plays at least 10 games: Right

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started the season in Rochester, but I still expected him to get significant time in the NHL. He blew through this number, playing 33 games and starting 32, as of this writing. The Sabres have a 17-11-4 record in his starts, and Luukkonen has a 3.61 goals-against average to go with an .892 save percentage. Luukkonen has shown promise in his first full NHL season. During Buffalo’s hot streak in January, Luukkonen went seven straight games allowing three or fewer goals. He had a stretch of five such games in December, too. Luukkonen has struggled to find the same level of consistency later in the season, but for a goalie who just turned 24 and got his first extended NHL action, Luukkonen equipped himself well. He has plenty of upside as he enters the second year of a two-year deal. With Devon Levi under contract, the Sabres have two promising young goalies who can push one another.

Eric Comrie cements himself as a starter: Wrong

Eric Comrie has had an unfortunate season. He played well in October before injuries decimated Buffalo’s lineup and caused Comrie’s numbers to take a hit. Then Comrie got hurt and went almost two months without playing a game. When he came back, Comrie didn’t get consistent playing time and ended up getting hurt for a second time. This season was supposed to be a chance for Comrie to show he could be a full-time NHL starter, but he didn’t get the chance due to some factors outside of his control. When he was on the ice, Comrie’s play was uneven and so was the defensive support he got. The future for Comrie is now murky because both Levi and Luukkonen have shown promise in the NHL. This season was a big opportunity for Comrie, and he caught some bad breaks along the way.


Tage Thompson will score 40 goals: Right

Don Granato was correct when he said Sabres star forward Tage Thompson was just getting started with his 38-goal season in 2021-22. Thompson has 46 goals and 93 points in 75 games so far this season. He’s only the third Sabres skater to ever have at least 46 goals and 47 assists in a single season. The contract he signed before the season already looks like a bargain for the team.

Dylan Cozens gets 60 points and the next big money deal: Right

With 31 goals and 36 assists, Dylan Cozens has a shot to get 70 points before the season is over and he only recently turned 22. At the All-Star break, the Sabres signed Cozens to a seven-year contract extension worth just over $7 million per season, so both of these predictions came true. Cozens has another level to his game, too. He spent a lot of the season playing with rookies on both wings in Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka. As they develop, Cozens could become an even more productive player.

Alex Tuch sets a career-high in points: Right

Alex Tuch had another significant injury to overcome this season, but he still set a career-high in points with 35 goals and 39 assists. That’s 22 more points than his previous career high, and Tuch missed a few weeks with a lower-body injury. Granato put Tuch on the top line with Thompson and got exactly what he expected.

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“There was no choice he was going to seize it because we were going to keep giving him opportunity and pushing him,” Granato said. “We push him hard. I talk to him a lot about, ‘As good as you think you are, you’re wrong, you’re better. We need to get you there and it’s time.’”

Owen Power wins the Calder Trophy: To be determined

Voting for the Calder Trophy hasn’t happened yet, but Owen Power should be in the mix. Granto recently laid out the case for why Power is the best rookie in hockey.

“In my view he is,” Granato said. “I think if you had an NHL Draft right now and you could only draft rookies, you could probably poll the general managers and I think they would pick Owen Power based on his season and what he’s done. So many of those awards you look right at the easy stat sheet goals and assists. The minutes he plays against top players, both defending and his offense, is just spectacular. It would be an easy one for me. If I was drafting right now rookie players, it would be an easy pick for one overall.”

Power hasn’t disappointed in his first full season in the NHL. He hasn’t been mistake-free, but Power plays a mature game for a 20-year-old. In a league geared toward speed and offense, making the jump from college hockey to the NHL as a defenseman isn’t easy. But Power has set a solid foundation for himself this year. It seems inevitable he will become a star for Buffalo.

Lawrence Pilut plays at least 20 NHL games: Wrong

The Sabres had plenty of injuries on defense and had to call on their depth defensemen to play a lot. Still, Lawrence Pilut will likely fall just short on this prediction. He has 17 games played but none of those have come since December. Once the Sabres got healthier on defense and then added Riley Stillman to the mix, there wasn’t much room for Pilut to come up and play. He was passed by Kale Clague on the organizational depth chart, as Clague has played 32 games this season.

Rasmus Asplund sets a career-high in goals: Wrong

When the season started, I envisioned Rasmus Asplund being a fixture in Buffalo’s bottom six and showing off some of the offense he had at the World Championships. That never materialized, as Asplund took a step back and was scratched from the lineup for long stretches of games. The addition of Tyson Jost made Asplund expendable. The Sabres traded him to the Predators at the deadline for a future seventh-round pick.

The Sabres get 85 points: Right

With two games to play, the Sabres are sitting at 87 points, so they’ve matched and exceeded this prediction. The over/under was 78.5 points before the season at most sports books. As disappointing as the month of March was for the Sabres, this team still performed above expectations when you look at the entire season. They had a real chance to grab a playoff spot down the stretch and made it interesting with a recent 7-2-1 run. Despite missing the playoffs for a 12th straight season, the Sabres took a step forward this season and should be better equipped to handle the pressure of a playoff race a year from now.

(Photo: Tim Fuller / USA TODAY Sports)

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Matthew Fairburn is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Buffalo Sabres. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he previously covered the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills for The Athletic. Prior to The Athletic, he also covered the Bills for Syracuse.com. Follow Matthew on Twitter @MatthewFairburn
13 COMMENTS
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Gary M.
· 4h 27m ago
For Bold Predictions, that's a lot of Rights.

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Jeff G.
· 1h 11m ago
5-4 with 1 TBD that will likely be wrong. Pretty good!

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Ralph S.
· 4h 35m ago
The team definitely exceeded my expectations. They were in the playoff race until the end of Game 80. The young core was managed very well; Granato gave them the opportunity to play important minutes and they are much better for that. I think we have a solid young goaltending duo in Levi and UPL. I’m excited for the next few seasons…this might be the group to bring us our first Cup.

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Mark T.
· 3h 33m ago
Under Krueger NO ONE was getting better.
Props to DG. He's got all sorts of players getting better.
Props to KA for signing core players to contracts that will look like steals if they don't already.
That being said, the REALLY CRUCIAL DECISIONS will be made this offseason.
Here's hoping.

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Christopher P.
· 26m ago
@Mark T. It's crazy how much of a difference coaching made. I don't know if I've ever seen such a leap from players underachieving under one coach to overachieving under another. Really happy to have Granato.

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Jack S.
· 3h 59m ago
Huge step forward this year. If Levi continues to show promise, add someone on D and tweak the forwards and they look pretty solid !

Very enjoyable season other than an early 8 game slide that doomed them.

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Lee M.
· 3h 10m ago
Thanks Matthew for all your great stories all year! I am glad you have a positive view on UPL. And hopefully all management does as well. I’ve been very pleased with his play most of this year, still as a YOUNG goalie. After reading so many fans have be so hard on him, I am really hoping next year both Levi and UPL have a strong season as a 1A/1B goalies and that is just what Buffalo needs for the next decade! Have a wonderful summer & looking forward to Prospect Challenge late this summer!!

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Benjamin E.
· 2h 56m ago
I hope they can break 90 points and close out strong. Sabres scheduled for warpath next season.

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Aaron V.
· 1h 46m ago
The Sabres are becoming set up for long term success; it’s crazy to think how far the organization has come in just the past two years. I think that’s important for fans to keep in mind. The prospect pool is deep, we have a good cap situation, and the on ice talent is exciting. This will certainly be an interesting off season for the Sabres. With consistent defense and average goaltending they would have been a sure fire playoff team this year, heck they almost made it even with an 8 game pointless streak and a few other losing bouts mixed in. Put on your sunglasses, the future is bright in Buffalo

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Michael C.
· 1h 1m ago
Take a bow, Matt.

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Mark W.
· 21m ago
Was curious what asplunds goal total was with Nashville. He had 2 goals when he left here, plus the zero he scored in 17 games with the preds, leaves him at 2 goals for the season.

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Ronald A.
· 2h 15m ago
Excited for next season and now they know what positions to fix. Plus some draft capital of 3 picks im top 45 of deeper than usual draft class and some cap space so perhaps a trade as