Michael Pachla: Evander Kane and Jimmy Vesey, the best laid plans...

Good blog.

Only disagreement is Bailey. I think he's ready now, and was even ready in his 8 game stint for a limited role.

I think his development will make decisions like Kane tougher

Whos James Vessey never heard of him

I think Bailey can contribute now.

While the tanking was completely disgusting the overall effort to improve the club has been of epic. There is a lot of talent in Buffalo and good times are ahead. Exactly how good is yet to be seen....

Evander Kane looks like a bad move, but it was an understandable gamble. Just like trading for Vesey rights doesn't look like it's working out but was a smart effort. We'll see what happens.

Every league has teams that aren't good enough and they need to rebuild, disgusted by the tank is hilarious.

Nice blog Michael.

I think Ennis takes one spot and they make a trade for another

Yaay , a Kane and vesey blog !!!!

Good blog.

Only disagreement is Bailey. I think he's ready now, and was even ready in his 8 game stint for a limited role.

I think his development will make decisions like Kane tougher
- sbroads24

I think he's ready to be an NHLer but I just dont see him being good enough to have an impact on what happens with Kane.

Was it the tank it self or the level of dignity associated with said tank that you are opposed to?

The "K B Center " ?

Michael, I have greatly enjoyed your blogs posts. Always a cool head with a lot of "chicken littles" commenting on this site. I can see a role for each of the the three you mentioned, Z, Ennis, and Foligno. Although, I would still like to see Murray work some magic with a late summer trade for another D-man. Or perhaps even pick up someone like Kris Russell. For a one to two-year fill in, he would probably be available at a reasonable contract. Also, Hudler is still available as a 2, 3-line winger for a 1 - 2 year deal. Again, because of the availability close to the season, GMTM may be able to get him at a reasonable cap hit.

Our young guys are developing nicely, but I don't want them rushed. Bailey could be a great call-up half way through the season and our defensive prospects should probably have another full-year in Roch.

Still see us as a playoff potential team this year. Especially with the most of the rest of the division taking a step back...Montreal, Boston, Detroit, and of course Toronto hasn't started as early as we have on the rebuild. I see us as a year or two ahead of them.

Michael, I have greatly enjoyed your blogs posts. Always a cool head with a lot of "chicken littles" commenting on this site. I can see a role for each of the the three you mentioned, Z, Ennis, and Foligno. Although, I would still like to see Murray work some magic with a late summer trade for another D-man. Or perhaps even pick up someone like Kris Russell. For a one to two-year fill in, he would probably be available at a reasonable contract. Also, Hudler is still available as a 2, 3-line winger for a 1 - 2 year deal. Again, because of the availability close to the season, GMTM may be able to get him at a reasonable cap hit.

Our young guys are developing nicely, but I don't want them rushed. Bailey could be a great call-up half way through the season and our defensive prospects should probably have another full-year in Roch.

Still see us as a playoff potential team this year. Especially with the most of the rest of the division taking a step back...Montreal, Boston, Detroit, and of course Toronto hasn't started as early as we have on the rebuild. I see us as a year or two ahead of them.
- ChicmjBuffalo

Good post.

Stuff

Stuff
- jochfr

..it.

Solid reid!

..it.
- cabin

hard....

Michael, another very solid blog as usual. It is great to see that you don't appear to have any Donald Trump in you because your not temperamental. Or just mental in Trump's case.

Back to the blog. While less than ideal, I think the bodies you have thrown out there are adequate as a short-term measure. However, they likely are not good enough to get us into the playoffs - if they are playing in top 6 roles. I still have hope that Ennis can come back from his concussion and be the 20+ scorer that he has been in the past. Also, hopefully Moulson's and Girgenson's pride were hurt last year and they earn their respective paydays. More likely that is wishful thinking.

In terms of Bailey, I am in the "season in Rochester camp" versus rushing him to the Sabres. This is the Red Wings model and they have been successful over the years.

Lastly, I still have faith that Murray is going to have a "come to Jesus" meeting with E Kane and his agent. This meeting will result in him stop playing the goofball/party role and turn him into a professional athlete. I think Kane is good for 25 - 30 goals this year and he stays out of jail.

Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray probably thought he had most of it all figured out when it came to his forwards. He made the trades for young vets with a solid on-ice history who still had up-side.
- Michael Pachla

Young vets?

Young vets?
- Atomic Wedgie

ROR

Young (24 at the time) and had 400+ gp

While the tanking was completely disgusting the overall effort to improve the club has been of epic. There is a lot of talent in Buffalo and good times are ahead. Exactly how good is yet to be seen....

Evander Kane looks like a bad move, but it was an understandable gamble. Just like trading for Vesey rights doesn't look like it's working out but was a smart effort. We'll see what happens.
- Queenie_5_hole

Exactly. It helped secure Eichel or McDavid. And I'll take that over anything else we could've gotten out of that trade. Myers and Stafford were just good enough to maybe keep us in 3rd or 4th. So it really should be Myers, Stafford, Lemieux, 1st for Eichel, Kane, Bogosian, Kasdorf. I do that deal everyday of the week. Even with Kane's pain in the ass bullpoop.

The goal was always Jack or Connor. Everything else was secondary, including value.

Good blog.

Only disagreement is Bailey. I think he's ready now, and was even ready in his 8 game stint for a limited role.

I think his development will make decisions like Kane tougher
- sbroads24

Bailey could probably play now,
But he'd benefit from at least starting the year in the AHL
Just look at how he progressed from beginning to end of season last year
No need to rush him IMO

Exactly. It helped secure Eichel or McDavid. And I'll take that over anything else we could've gotten out of that trade. Myers and Stafford were just good enough to maybe keep us in 3rd or 4th. So it really should be Myers, Stafford, Lemieux, 1st for Eichel, Kane, Bogosian, Kasdorf. I do that deal everyday of the week. Even with Kane's pain in the ass bullpoop.

The goal was always Jack or Connor. Everything else was secondary, including value.
- Wetbandit1

To be fair,
If you're gonna do that...
You'd also have to add whoever we'd have gotten 3rd or forth in with what we gave up in the trade

To be fair,
If you're gonna do that...
You'd also have to add whoever we'd have gotten 3rd or forth in with what we gave up in the trade
- jdfitz77

Not really, because that's all we would have gotten besides Kane (who was hurt for the rest of the year) and Bogosian.

If they finished 2nd last we would be talking about Dylan Strome instead of Jack Eichel.

Exactly. It helped secure Eichel or McDavid. And I'll take that over anything else we could've gotten out of that trade. Myers and Stafford were just good enough to maybe keep us in 3rd or 4th. So it really should be Myers, Stafford, Lemieux, 1st for Eichel, Kane, Bogosian, Kasdorf. I do that deal everyday of the week. Even with Kane's pain in the ass bullpoop.

The goal was always Jack or Connor. Everything else was secondary, including value.
- Wetbandit1

Maybe after they were moved but c'mon that team was going to 30th with or without that trade. And its not like they made that deal with the intention of securing Eichel, they did it because they thought they were getting two young players with nhl experience that still had a lot of upside. I agree it's an understandable gamble but this wasn't Myers+ for Eichel+. They could've just dealt Myers and Stafford separately for nothing but draft picks with the sole intention of getting one of McDavid or Eichel.

Not really, because that's all we would have gotten besides Kane (who was hurt for the rest of the year) and Bogosian.

If they finished 2nd last we would be talking about Dylan Strome instead of Jack Eichel.
- Stripes77

Right.....
So we "traded"
Strome, Myers, Satfford, etc
For
Eichel, Kane, Bogo, etc