@Mono

Jack Capuano is not a great coach maybe Okposo just didn't like him?
- Mordecai

Supposedly Isles offered more money for Nielsen and he still walked, so Okposo may not be alone on that.

good to see we did not splurge on aging bloated contracts, hexy stayed the course.

I just want to know what the Isles did. They're a good team and the only teams he's ever known. They have a relatively bright future. Then they sign an older, starting to break down Ladd to a 7 year, 5.5 mil contract when they could have paid 500k more to keep their homegrown guy. Absolutely feels like something behind the scenes. If he signed for 7x7 or something sure. But his contract really seemed....fair?
- Mononoke

i bet it was the city tax rate that money is worth more in buffalo

Very happy with the AHL signings in particular. Provides more insulation for Morin, Sanheim, Leier, Aube-Kubel, etc. Add in our fully stocked stable of goalie prospects and we, in theory, should have a pretty competitive farm team next year as well as lots of options for call ups.

Yeah i was asking myself the same thing; it doesn't make sense. Snow said they couldn't afford Okposo looking down the road, yet he pays 500,000 less for Ladd. Just odd. A move that is more likely to hurt your team down the road compared to Okposo.
- arichardson22

Didn't Okposo just come out and say he felt he had a better chance of winning w the Sabres? Maybe the player just ddidn't want to stay in Brooklyn.

Supposedly Isles offered more money for Nielsen and he still walked, so Okposo may not be alone on that.
- arichardson22

Good point I forgot about that. Neilson was quoted as saying, "it was just time for something different"

Didn't Okposo just come out and say he felt he had a better chance of winning w the Sabres? Maybe the player just ddidn't want to stay in Brooklyn.
- Tomahawk

I did not get to listen to/read his comments on the signing yet so did not know that

Very happy with what Hexy did yesterday. He subtly improved the bottom 6, and the PK and, perhaps most importantly, he eliminated the need for the teams best offensive center to have to take so many D zone faceoffs.

And he also took the necessary steps to upgrade the Phantoms so that our prospects can develop in a winning atmosphere.

Finally, he resisted the stupidity to overpay for aging, declining talent. This is how you patiently build a winning team.
- BiggE

Starting to get used to the "boring" Flyers... And your right "boring" ie patient is the current path...... Other then Stamkos or Okposo who would have been a long term solution?

easiest way to explain my thoughts on the Gordon signing is like this:

It feels like we signed the C/RW version of Nick Schultz. schultz has obviously shown some value to the team, although it's debatable what that value is. I think Gordon can help out Giroux in the same way Schultz can help out Ghost. Either way I have doubts as to how much better it makes the team and really it just doesn't fit with what I would like the team to look like

Didn't Okposo just come out and say he felt he had a better chance of winning w the Sabres? Maybe the player just ddidn't want to stay in Brooklyn.
- Tomahawk

You think he would say he felt like the isles were better after signing with the Sabres?

I say this with 100% sincerity....knowing where we are in the process, what do you folks think about the Okposo signing? I honestly think $6 mil a year is a perfect price for him. I don't hear much criticism of him. If he can pot ~30 playing with either Eichel or O'Reilly and first unit power play, that's a reasonable addition. Term doesn't bother me. We finally have an owner with unlimited money,

I think we are finally ready to make our move.

First unit PP ..COULD be....

Oreilly, Eichel, Reinhart, Okposo, and Ristolenin.

That aint shabby
- Ripped Fuel

A team on the rise for sure..... Okposo signing was both good term and money for a player of his age and ability.

Starting to get used to the "boring" Flyers... And your right "boring" ie patient is the current path...... Other then Stamkos or Okposo who would have been a long term solution?
- landros 2

If we moved Matt Read's or Streit's contract, I thought Boedker at 4 x 4 could have been a nice plug in for the top 6. I expected he'd sign for more with the rumored reports of what he and his agent were seeking during last season.

If we moved Matt Read's or Streit's contract
- arichardson22

Hopefully the rumors are true and something happens when the dust settles.

The okposo deal is a fine one. Like the player
- Just5

For a guy drafted as a speedy pure scorer, he has never scored 30 even with Tavares around. When not scoring, is limited in other ways.

Don't get me wrong. He is a good player. But not $6M a year, 7 year contract level.

If we moved Matt Read's or Streit's contract, I thought Boedker at 4 x 4 could have been a nice plug in for the top 6. I expected he'd sign for more with the rumored reports of what he and his agent were seeking during last season.
- arichardson22

Soft, one dimensional. Was drafted with vision he would be a 30-35 goal scorer in NHL. Has the size and hands to do it. Yet he has never had as much as a 20-goal season yet. And that is not only because of team/linemates. He plays too much on the perimeter. When he gets to the scoring areas, he scores. Not a two-way player.

That is why the market for him was what it was.

You think he would say he felt like the isles were better after signing with the Sabres?
- YuenglingJagr

Nope, but you don't usually hear something like this:

"...I think we can get there quicker than I can with the Islanders"

For a guy drafted as a speedy pure scorer, he has never scored 30 even with Tavares around. When not scoring, is limited in other ways.

Don't get me wrong. He is a good player. But not $6M a year, 7 year contract level.
- bmeltzer

I agree.

Poor Red Wings. Thought they were getting Stamkos. Got Ott instead.

Poor Red Wings. Thought they were getting Stamkos. Got Ott instead.
- hereticpride

Don't forget Vanek

Soft, one dimensional. Was drafted with vision he would be a 30-35 goal scorer in NHL. Has the size and hands to do it. Yet he has never had as much as a 20-goal season yet. And that is not only because of team/linemates. He plays too much on the perimeter. When he gets to the scoring areas, he scores. Not a two-way player.

That is why the market for him was what it was.
- bmeltzer

what about McGinn for 3 yrs @ $10MM? I thought was a realistic range for the Flyers to wade into.

When Yuengling says....

"The Sabres have made worse signings"...I consider that a pretty high compliment. I can only imagine how difficult that was to write considering he's answering me.

Some quick thoughts on this and then Ill let you folks enjoy Independence Day in one of the cities this great country started in.

1. When people say "he was playing with Tavares", do they realize hes playing with Eichel now? The two (Eichel and Tavares) had almost identical rookie years and I fully expect Eichel to be as good as Tavares in his career.

2. Ive heard all the pro athletes HATE the Brooklyn set up. I can so see that being a major factor.

3. I'm sure Ill get some blowback for this but.....this city really is turning around. I'm 47 and grew up 10 minutes from "the waterfront". For 40 years I heard what a waste it was..and in the last 3 years its A WORLD OF DIFFERENT. Our downtown (around the arena) is SOOOOOO damn nice now. Some quick info: the city had a deal with BassPro to build where the old Memorial Aud was. The backed out and that became the best thing to ever happen to this city. We hired a planner that took the approach of "baby step, baby step, baby step, baby step."...you CANNOT believe how nice it is around the arena. Condos, apartments, restaurants, water taxis, grain elevator tours, kayaking, concerts....and BEER EVERYWHERE. (yay)


How you folks think of Mr. Snider...is how we will think of Pegula. Hes a saint in this town.


Now make a few deals and get GOOD....I cant think of ANY better banter than the Sabres, the Flyers, and the LEAFS all being good at the same time.

Bill Meltzer,

Were you at the draft?

While not signings of the "this'll get us over the hump" variety, Weise and Gordon solidify the bottom 6. I like that Hextall is looking to ease some of the d-zone burden that Giroux has been carrying.
- tangent_man

it should also help coots not being asked to do always take on teams top lines while being asked to put up better offensive numbers.

Mmmmm bloody Mary's, the breakfast of champions

When Yuengling says....

"The Sabres have made worse signings"...I consider that a pretty high compliment. I can only imagine how difficult that was to write considering he's answering me.

Some quick thoughts on this and then Ill let you folks enjoy Independence Day in one of the cities this great country started in.

1. When people say "he was playing with Tavares", do they realize hes playing with Eichel now? The two (Eichel and Tavares) had almost identical rookie years and I fully expect Eichel to be as good as Tavares in his career.

2. Ive heard all the pro athletes HATE the Brooklyn set up. I can so see that being a major factor.

3. I'm sure Ill get some blowback for this but.....this city really is turning around. I'm 47 and grew up 10 minutes from "the waterfront". For 40 years I heard what a waste it was..and in the last 3 years its A WORLD OF DIFFERENT. Our downtown (around the arena) is SOOOOOO damn nice now. Some quick info: the city had a deal with BassPro to build where the old Memorial Aud was. The backed out and that became the best thing to ever happen to this city. We hired a planner that took the approach of "baby step, baby step, baby step, baby step."...you CANNOT believe how nice it is around the arena. Condos, apartments, restaurants, water taxis, grain elevator tours, kayaking, concerts....and BEER EVERYWHERE. (yay)


How you folks think of Mr. Snider...is how we will think of Pegula. Hes a saint in this town.


Now make a few deals and get GOOD....I cant think of ANY better banter than the Sabres, the Flyers, and the LEAFS all being good at the same time.


- Ripped Fuel