For the record, I’m fine with it. May as well do something! Overpay or not. I just like feeding into the nonsense.
- Gr8daygo

it was a good trade.

I hate the logic that it's a free pick, so giving it away is fine. It wasn't a free pick and giving it away isn't fine.
- Lunaion

I also hate the term "house money", but there is more to the story.

It is value that Adams created with the other trade. He had to have had the bigger picture in mind when he made the trade. We had 4 or 5 forward spots to fill in, and we filled 3 of them via free agency. So our cupboard is overflowing with assets, and here we are criticizing him for spending a 2nd rounder instead of a 3rd? I am sure that Adams agrees with you that the price was too high. And he probably slept fine that night.

I hate the logic that it's a free pick, so giving it away is fine. It wasn't a free pick and giving it away isn't fine.
- Lunaion

I agree.

This place is quite a bit jaded by Skinner's recent stay. While they both absolutely refuse to play defense, Zegras is quite a different player. Honestly he'd be incredibly fascinating to watch play with Cozens and Quinn. He would match up quite well with their play styles.

He also has a bad rap league wide with his attitude. Not that I know personally.

I believe it was made known he's going to be traded. Correct me if I'm wrong. But isn't it when, not if.
- TheSabresTaco

I do hope Verbeek reconsiders… but yeah, he seems hell bent on trading him…

I hate the logic that it's a free pick, so giving it away is fine. It wasn't a free pick and giving it away isn't fine.
- Lunaion

You do know I was kidding about it being Free

This cost us a trade with Philly. So Malenstyn cost us a piece on the top six. If we are looking at it this way.
- Mentalorgasm5

Is this true or whining

Is this true or whining
- Shadman306

I think people connected the dots with the various conversations that were going on at that time, and the lost look that Briere had after the picks were made.

Is this true or whining
- Shadman306

The trade back from 11 might have

I also hate the term "house money", but there is more to the story.

It is value that Adams created with the other trade. He had to have had the bigger picture in mind when he made the trade. We had 4 or 5 forward spots to fill in, and we filled 3 of them via free agency. So our cupboard is overflowing with assets, and here we are criticizing him for spending a 2nd rounder instead of a 3rd? I am sure that Adams agrees with you that the price was too high. And he probably slept fine that night.
- Slump Buster

I think it's becoming clear that this cupboard isn't nearly as good as we'd like to think. Will be pretty bare if Gerbe is right on this one.

The sustainable long term future KA has been preaching about for years is going out the window, now that his job is on the line.

I do hope Verbeek reconsiders… but yeah, he seems hell bent on trading him…
- dozerD10[/Thank you for the outside perspective. It’s great when it is further validated Im not always right but ain’t never been wrong.

I think it's becoming clear that this cupboard isn't nearly as good as we'd like to think. Will be pretty bare if Gerbe is right on this one.

The sustainable long term future KA has been preaching about for years is going out the window, now that his job is on the line.
- Lunaion

Good Post! Sucks were finding out a lot of this in there D2 or 3 seasons. Should have started the process earlier

I like how you think
- DirtyDan

Don’t laugh, but Quinn could score 50 on this line if he could ever stay healthy. Zegras is an elite playmaker who never has played with really good linemates.

Arguably the worst program in professional sports. The rest of the NHL should be required to pay them $3M annually to draft and develop their future core players. Rationalization on all their moves, but team is no better. Just a bit different, because they replaced the stiffs on fourth line with some new stiffs.

Ultimately can't get anyone to come play here, even our hometown boy Patty would rather live/play in the festering wound of a city they call Detroit. With the offseason they had in Detroit, likelihood is high they are worse than Sabres this year. There is no player that has any options in the league that will come to play for Buffalo. Even then they have to overpay ($5M for washed player that has never been in a winning culture in his entire NHL career) to get them to come here.

Good teams do not give 2nd round draft picks for fourth line pugs. Don't want to hear about how it was a free pick. Still a 2nd rounder for a guy nobody has heard of. Not a good use of resources. Have no problem seeing Savoie go, but still a top prospect for a 3rd/4th line player. ""But he can fly, and if we just give him more opportunity he will suddenly become a good hockey player."

Saw a quote on Sportsnet the other day that our GM makes Milbury look like Sam Pollack. Funny stuff, but sadly true. Best we can hope for is that the days of the mandatory fly-by's from our forwards on the forecheck are gone forever. I think this year's playoffs once again proved that winning hockey is not played that way.

This team will never win. Rely on a bunch of infants as your core and watch them lose because there is nobody on the roster to teach them, protect them and lead the way. Instead we get Z who may have experienced more losing than any player in recent history, Sinner who has never played in a playoff game, and Okposo who before this year played in a couple playoff series his whole career. Burn that young core out, watch them leave and thrive elsewhere (Do we really have to even list the players?) and bring in another generation of highly skilled infants as your next core and repeat the cycle.

How do you break the cycle? Current regime hasn't a clue. Granted they brought in different players, but either somewhat washed like Zucker (Nice player that has had a decent career, but see above.) or still fairly young like the rest of the guys they signed. No Goodrow's, Coleman's, or the like. Look at Chicago. First thing they do to help Bedard is bring in Nick Foligno and Corey Perry (Forget the off ice stuff which is not good, but don't think for a second that he isn't in your face when someone breathes on Bedard). Experienced, even over the hill guys, that are tough and been through the ringer. Who does that for our guys? Cozens got his face punched in last year and spent the rest of the year with his raisins in a sack tucked neatly up his rectum. Not looking for a goon. Looking for tough, experienced people that have won to show the young guys what it takes to do so.

Mock guys like Ian Cole, Corey Perry, Pat Maroon but they are sniffing around the SC Finals every year for the last ten for a reason. It isn't purely their skill, as they are all as slow as you'll find. Somehow, the winning teams always seem to want them. We're left with Sam Lafferty, who was scratched in this year's playoffs and Beck Malstyn (?).

Sabres answer to toughen up two years ago was to bring in Greenway. Anyone paying attention would know that he is not bringing that. Just not in his nature. Shows every fifteen games and you go "Wow". Then goes dormant for the next fifteen. NHL scouting staff may be the worst in history. Then look what we pay to get guys to play here, approximately three time the going rate.

Would argue that the amateur scouting department is the best in the league. Piling up talent that can help build the team via trades or internal promotion. Unfortunately, the pipeline is just the next generation of young, future stars of other teams as they will be asked to carry a franchise once the current group depart via trade and free agency. Fully support giving up good young prospects, but not for 25 YO 3rd/4th liners that won't make a big impact.

All goes back to nobody wanting to play here. Would venture to guess that Buffalo on every No Trade clause in the NHL. Any big trade is going to have to be for guy with out NM/NT clause. Usually not top player, so how do we get out of the cycle?

I think it's becoming clear that this cupboard isn't nearly as good as we'd like to think. Will be pretty bare if Gerbe is right on this one.

The sustainable long term future KA has been preaching about for years is going out the window, now that his job is on the line.
- Lunaion

Are you serious? This board has collectively (and often correctly) screamed for him to do something, and when he does (assuming this trade or one like it happens), the narrative changes to him selling everything to save his job?

Lets say the trade does go through. He has his top 6 locked up for at least 2 years, and some of them much longer. The bottom 6 now has a purpose, and has a good mix of speed, youth, experience and grit. The cupboard would still have all of these assets:

- All future picks with the exception of next year's first
- Helenius - top 6 upside, and quite possibly very special
- Ostlund - middle 6 upside
- Rosen - middle 6 upside
- A host of other prospect that we don't talk enough about because we had 4 of 5 top prospects. Neuchev, Komarov, and many others. Some of these guys will pan out.

That's still better than half the league.

I think it's becoming clear that this cupboard isn't nearly as good as we'd like to think. Will be pretty bare if Gerbe is right on this one.

The sustainable long term future KA has been preaching about for years is going out the window, now that his job is on the line.
- Lunaion

One thing that kinda helps that is we have a pretty young Team though to.

I think it's becoming clear that this cupboard isn't nearly as good as we'd like to think. Will be pretty bare if Gerbe is right on this one.

The sustainable long term future KA has been preaching about for years is going out the window, now that his job is on the line.
- Lunaion

Still would have a couple of stud RHD in system along with Helenius, ostlund, Rosen, that 3rd round pick this year that I feel great about.

Arguably the worst program in professional sports. The rest of the NHL should be required to pay them $3M annually to draft and develop their future core players. Rationalization on all their moves, but team is no better. Just a bit different, because they replaced the stiffs on fourth line with some new stiffs.

Ultimately can't get anyone to come play here, even our hometown boy Patty would rather live/play in the festering wound of a city they call Detroit. With the offseason they had in Detroit, likelihood is high they are worse than Sabres this year. There is no player that has any options in the league that will come to play for Buffalo. Even then they have to overpay ($5M for washed player that has never been in a winning culture in his entire NHL career) to get them to come here.

Good teams do not give 2nd round draft picks for fourth line pugs. Don't want to hear about how it was a free pick. Still a 2nd rounder for a guy nobody has heard of. Not a good use of resources. Have no problem seeing Savoie go, but still a top prospect for a 3rd/4th line player. ""But he can fly, and if we just give him more opportunity he will suddenly become a good hockey player."

Saw a quote on Sportsnet the other day that our GM makes Milbury look like Sam Pollack. Funny stuff, but sadly true. Best we can hope for is that the days of the mandatory fly-by's from our forwards on the forecheck are gone forever. I think this year's playoffs once again proved that winning hockey is not played that way.

This team will never win. Rely on a bunch of infants as your core and watch them lose because there is nobody on the roster to teach them, protect them and lead the way. Instead we get Z who may have experienced more losing than any player in recent history, Sinner who has never played in a playoff game, and Okposo who before this year played in a couple playoff series his whole career. Burn that young core out, watch them leave and thrive elsewhere (Do we really have to even list the players?) and bring in another generation of highly skilled infants as your next core and repeat the cycle.

How do you break the cycle? Current regime hasn't a clue. Granted they brought in different players, but either somewhat washed like Zucker (Nice player that has had a decent career, but see above.) or still fairly young like the rest of the guys they signed. No Goodrow's, Coleman's, or the like. Look at Chicago. First thing they do to help Bedard is bring in Nick Foligno and Corey Perry (Forget the off ice stuff which is not good, but don't think for a second that he isn't in your face when someone breathes on Bedard). Experienced, even over the hill guys, that are tough and been through the ringer. Who does that for our guys? Cozens got his face punched in last year and spent the rest of the year with his raisins in a sack tucked neatly up his rectum. Not looking for a goon. Looking for tough, experienced people that have won to show the young guys what it takes to do so.

Mock guys like Ian Cole, Corey Perry, Pat Maroon but they are sniffing around the SC Finals every year for the last ten for a reason. It isn't purely their skill, as they are all as slow as you'll find. Somehow, the winning teams always seem to want them. We're left with Sam Lafferty, who was scratched in this year's playoffs and Beck Malstyn (?).

Sabres answer to toughen up two years ago was to bring in Greenway. Anyone paying attention would know that he is not bringing that. Just not in his nature. Shows every fifteen games and you go "Wow". Then goes dormant for the next fifteen. NHL scouting staff may be the worst in history. Then look what we pay to get guys to play here, approximately three time the going rate.

Would argue that the amateur scouting department is the best in the league. Piling up talent that can help build the team via trades or internal promotion. Unfortunately, the pipeline is just the next generation of young, future stars of other teams as they will be asked to carry a franchise once the current group depart via trade and free agency. Fully support giving up good young prospects, but not for 25 YO 3rd/4th liners that won't make a big impact.

All goes back to nobody wanting to play here. Would venture to guess that Buffalo on every No Trade clause in the NHL. Any big trade is going to have to be for guy with out NM/NT clause. Usually not top player, so how do we get out of the cycle?
- 33eagle

Start winning with what you have, start playing a system to your strengths. Sabres are gonna have a very fast Team. Puck Pressure in your Face Hockey and the turn overs created of that will allow you to play a aggressive Offensive System

Are you serious? This board has collectively (and often correctly) screamed for him to do something, and when he does (assuming this trade or one like it happens), the narrative changes to him selling everything to save his job?

Lets say the trade does go through. He has his top 6 locked up for at least 2 years, and some of them much longer. The bottom 6 now has a purpose, and has a good mix of speed, youth, experience and grit. The cupboard would still have all of these assets:

- All future picks with the exception of next year's first
- Helenius - top 6 upside, and quite possibly very special
- Ostlund - middle 6 upside
- Rosen - middle 6 upside
- A host of other prospect that we don't talk enough about because we had 4 of 5 top prospects. Neuchev, Komarov, and many others. Some of these guys will pan out.

That's still better than half the league.
- Slump Buster

That's a weak pipeline, for a non-playoff team. 2 guys in the top 100.

Zegras had 2 65 point seasons and then played hurt all year. I think?

Are you serious? This board has collectively (and often correctly) screamed for him to do something, and when he does (assuming this trade or one like it happens), the narrative changes to him selling everything to save his job?

Lets say the trade does go through. He has his top 6 locked up for at least 2 years, and some of them much longer. The bottom 6 now has a purpose, and has a good mix of speed, youth, experience and grit. The cupboard would still have all of these assets:

- All future picks with the exception of next year's first
- Helenius - top 6 upside, and quite possibly very special
- Ostlund - middle 6 upside
- Rosen - middle 6 upside
- A host of other prospect that we don't talk enough about because we had 4 of 5 top prospects. Neuchev, Komarov, and many others. Some of these guys will pan out.

That's still better than half the league.
- Slump Buster

Couple injuries away from not having anyone ready to fill

That's a weak pipeline, for a non-playoff team. 2 guys in the top 100.
- Lunaion

You can't have it both ways. The pipeline wouldn't be halved to make last year's roster, it is to make this year's roster. If we make this move and maybe another for 4-5 D, you are loaded for bear. That's a really, really nice roster. At that point, you are only looking to tweak at the deadline and those assets are more than enough to do that. And then going forward, you are only looking to tweak.

Zegras had 2 65 point seasons and then played hurt all year. I think?
- Sabretooth9

Fact.

Couple injuries away from not having anyone ready to fill
- Buff36

If an injury happens in the top 6, we have guys that slide up and then you have a roch guy play in the bottom 6. If it something significant, I trust Adams to go out and get a guy now that he has apparently seen the light.

If Kulich and Wallberg are traded, I would anticipate that we'd see more vets brought in to take their place in Roch.

Good Post! Sucks were finding out a lot of this in there D2 or 3 seasons. Should have started the process earlier
- Buff36

Don't agree re: the cupboard. Every team in league would love to have this cadre of players. I will agree that it is always a crap shoot when you are drafting 17-18 YO kids. None of the top guys in the group could be categorized as foundering. Rosen, Ostland, Kulich, even Savoie (Current agreement with CHL screwed his development path. Lit it up and probably bored as hell playing in CHL this year. Could adversely effect how people view him.) all playing very well at their current levels. Later round guys developing well. Sabres do a real good job here. But you can't play all of them. Need to figure who stays and who goes and get good return on your investment. Not 3rd/4th line guy that isn't going to move the needle. Kind of harkens back to the trader Tim years where he carelessly traded away number one pick because he had a lot of them. Didn't trade for quality and set the franchise back for years.

Over-valued prospects is not the achilles heel of this organization.

If an injury happens in the top 6, we have guys that slide up and then you have a roch guy play in the bottom 6. If it something significant, I trust Adams to go out and get a guy now that he has apparently seen the light.

If Kulich and Wallberg are traded, I would anticipate that we'd see more vets brought in to take their place in Roch.
- Slump Buster

If the Top 6 takes a hit, and it's very possible with the History of these players we would be in trouble. Especially after that trade, don't get me wrong I think he would fit nicely. But injuries would hurt us