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Forums :: Blog World :: Hank Balling: Cozens Signs Extension, Top-6 Centers Set For Next 7 Years
Author Message
Lunaion
Joined: 05.23.2016

Feb 7 @ 5:23 PM ET
People make the mistake of expecting all development or rebuilding to be linear. They could run into injuries in the top 6 next year that they've avoided all year this year. Or a Dahlin/Power injury.

They should not assume that they are just going to take gradual steps to the cup. Take swings at players when the opportunity presents itself

- sbroads24


It's surprising how healthy they've been this year, after years of struggling with it.

If they stick to doing this internally, they might regret passing on the opportunities this year and next, with a world of cap room and assets.
Hank Balling
Buffalo Sabres
Joined: 05.18.2021

Feb 7 @ 5:28 PM ET
Side note - why are the Sabres idle for 5 more days than the rest of the league?
Lunaion
Joined: 05.23.2016

Feb 7 @ 5:33 PM ET
Side note - why are the Sabres idle for 5 more days than the rest of the league?
- Hank Balling


Is that accurate?

https://www.nhl.com/news/...tasy-schedule/c-340490210
Hank Balling
Buffalo Sabres
Joined: 05.18.2021

Feb 7 @ 5:36 PM ET
Is that accurate?

https://www.nhl.com/news/...tasy-schedule/c-340490210

- Lunaion


Oh OK, thanks. I hadn't looked it up so I assumed this was a weird extension of the all-star break.
Sabretooth9
Buffalo Sabres
Joined: 05.24.2019

Feb 7 @ 6:12 PM ET
last summer

hughes 8 mil
robertson 7.75 mil
kaprizov 9 mil
norris 7.95 mi
stutzle 8.35 mil
gaudreau 9.75 mil
huberdeau 10.5 mi
kyrou 8.125 mil
thomas 8.125 mil

- homiedclown


Yeah 7.14 is close to 8

So yeah same neighborhood cap hit wise
Lunaion
Joined: 05.23.2016

Feb 7 @ 6:15 PM ET
Yeah 7.14 is close to 8

So yeah same neighborhood cap hit wise

- Sabretooth9


Also only got him for 7 years. He left some $ on the table. Team friendly deal, but not too crazy.
lacaprup
Buffalo Sabres
Location: NY
Joined: 07.23.2006

Feb 7 @ 6:21 PM ET
huberdeau 10.5 mil
- homiedclown


🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑
lacaprup
Buffalo Sabres
Location: NY
Joined: 07.23.2006

Feb 7 @ 6:25 PM ET
Kim Pegula likely isn’t coming back to her role as president of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres.

So how has that changed who runs the business side for the two teams owned by Terry and Kim Pegula?

In the short-term, not much.

Jessica Pegula revealed in a Players Tribune story on Tuesday that her 53-year-old mother has been unable to return to work since suffering cardiac arrest in June and is now dealing with “significant expressive aphasia and significant memory issues,” making it at times difficult for her to communicate.

The teams have been able to cover for her with some slight maneuvering, some of which may even have been planned before Kim Pegula’s approximately eight-month absence from Pegula Sports & Entertainment, which handles the affairs of both professional organizations.

Despite that, Jessica Pegula said that her mother’s absence has left a “massive void in the organizations.”

A spokesperson for Pegula Sports & Entertainment did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

“She was the shift in culture, positivity, and the heartbeat of many of the employees,” Jessica Pegula wrote. “She gave everyone so much of her time and effort. … Now we come to the realization that all of that is most likely gone. That she won’t be able to be that person anymore.”

Before the start of the NFL season in September, Ron Raccuia went from executive vice president of Pegula Sports & Entertainment to COO and executive vice president of the Bills, focusing solely on the football team. But given the time and effort going into planning for and closing the deal on the new Bills stadium, it seemed a natural evolution of Raccuia’s position.


Raccuia has been the team executive by Terry Pegula’s side during owners meetings and the one speaking on behalf of the team on most stadium matters since Kim Pegula fell ill.

In January, John Roth, a longtime friend of Terry Pegula, was named COO for the Sabres and Pegula Sports & Entertainment, filling a key executive leadership role for the hockey team. He reports directly to ownership and has assumed day-to-day leadership of the PSE offices and business side of the Sabres.

A spokesperson for the Sabres said after the announcement that the hire of Roth had “nothing to do” with Kim Pegula's health or her absence from PSE affairs.

Then there’s the expanded role that Terry Pegula has taken on.

According to his daughter Jessica Pegula’s piece, titled “I want to talk to you about my mom,” her father has assumed many of his wife’s responsibilities with the teams. There were “employees, fans, responsibilities, and many other details that needed to be dealt with” in the aftermath of Kim Pegula’s health scare, she said.

In a news release about Roth’s hire, Terry Pegula said he has been working with Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams leading the hockey side of the organization.

Terry Pegula, 71, also has been pushing to broaden their family's investments and diversify their assets through his investment company East Resources Acquisition Co. Pegula, who’s made much of his multibillion-dollar fortune in oil and natural gas exploration and production, sold many of his assets in that space and turned his attention to entering other business ventures.

“Our family is involved in a lot – the sports teams, businesses, investments – and my mom liked to be very hands on with it all,” Jessica Pegula, 28, wrote. “Of course, what came first was that it was a family tragedy. Now add on top of that all her responsibilities and it became extremely overwhelming for everyone involved.”

What’s happened has even had Jessica Pegula, a professional tennis star who’s now ranked fourth in the world, thinking about her future and when and how she can be more involved with PSE and the sports organizations. She wrote that her mother always wanted her to learn and eventually take on her role with the teams.

“I would always press her to give me more responsibility, to let me be more involved, because I wanted to help,” Jessica Pegula said. “So now here I am, with my family, trapped in discussions about her care, caretakers, doctors, therapy and that which seemed like the least important, my tennis career.”

Kim Pegula continues to improve every day and can read, write and understand most of what is said to her, but she has trouble finding the words to respond and communicating with her can be difficult, Jessica Pegula wrote.

“My mom is working hard in her recovery, she is improving, but where she ends up is still unknown,” she said.
lacaprup
Buffalo Sabres
Location: NY
Joined: 07.23.2006

Feb 7 @ 6:30 PM ET
Colorado v Pittsburgh 7:00pm. Must see TV
K-man25
Calgary Flames
Location: K Town
Joined: 09.02.2014

Feb 7 @ 6:36 PM ET
7 and a half year window is officially open

go get cozens a winger now with term

- homiedclown

Mangiapani for a 1st!
You’re welcome.
Hank Balling
Buffalo Sabres
Joined: 05.18.2021

Feb 7 @ 6:53 PM ET
Kim Pegula likely isn’t coming back to her role as president of the Buffalo Bills and Sabres.

So how has that changed who runs the business side for the two teams owned by Terry and Kim Pegula?

In the short-term, not much.

Jessica Pegula revealed in a Players Tribune story on Tuesday that her 53-year-old mother has been unable to return to work since suffering cardiac arrest in June and is now dealing with “significant expressive aphasia and significant memory issues,” making it at times difficult for her to communicate.

The teams have been able to cover for her with some slight maneuvering, some of which may even have been planned before Kim Pegula’s approximately eight-month absence from Pegula Sports & Entertainment, which handles the affairs of both professional organizations.

Despite that, Jessica Pegula said that her mother’s absence has left a “massive void in the organizations.”

A spokesperson for Pegula Sports & Entertainment did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

“She was the shift in culture, positivity, and the heartbeat of many of the employees,” Jessica Pegula wrote. “She gave everyone so much of her time and effort. … Now we come to the realization that all of that is most likely gone. That she won’t be able to be that person anymore.”

Before the start of the NFL season in September, Ron Raccuia went from executive vice president of Pegula Sports & Entertainment to COO and executive vice president of the Bills, focusing solely on the football team. But given the time and effort going into planning for and closing the deal on the new Bills stadium, it seemed a natural evolution of Raccuia’s position.


Raccuia has been the team executive by Terry Pegula’s side during owners meetings and the one speaking on behalf of the team on most stadium matters since Kim Pegula fell ill.

In January, John Roth, a longtime friend of Terry Pegula, was named COO for the Sabres and Pegula Sports & Entertainment, filling a key executive leadership role for the hockey team. He reports directly to ownership and has assumed day-to-day leadership of the PSE offices and business side of the Sabres.

A spokesperson for the Sabres said after the announcement that the hire of Roth had “nothing to do” with Kim Pegula's health or her absence from PSE affairs.

Then there’s the expanded role that Terry Pegula has taken on.

According to his daughter Jessica Pegula’s piece, titled “I want to talk to you about my mom,” her father has assumed many of his wife’s responsibilities with the teams. There were “employees, fans, responsibilities, and many other details that needed to be dealt with” in the aftermath of Kim Pegula’s health scare, she said.

In a news release about Roth’s hire, Terry Pegula said he has been working with Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams leading the hockey side of the organization.

Terry Pegula, 71, also has been pushing to broaden their family's investments and diversify their assets through his investment company East Resources Acquisition Co. Pegula, who’s made much of his multibillion-dollar fortune in oil and natural gas exploration and production, sold many of his assets in that space and turned his attention to entering other business ventures.

“Our family is involved in a lot – the sports teams, businesses, investments – and my mom liked to be very hands on with it all,” Jessica Pegula, 28, wrote. “Of course, what came first was that it was a family tragedy. Now add on top of that all her responsibilities and it became extremely overwhelming for everyone involved.”

What’s happened has even had Jessica Pegula, a professional tennis star who’s now ranked fourth in the world, thinking about her future and when and how she can be more involved with PSE and the sports organizations. She wrote that her mother always wanted her to learn and eventually take on her role with the teams.

“I would always press her to give me more responsibility, to let me be more involved, because I wanted to help,” Jessica Pegula said. “So now here I am, with my family, trapped in discussions about her care, caretakers, doctors, therapy and that which seemed like the least important, my tennis career.”

Kim Pegula continues to improve every day and can read, write and understand most of what is said to her, but she has trouble finding the words to respond and communicating with her can be difficult, Jessica Pegula wrote.

“My mom is working hard in her recovery, she is improving, but where she ends up is still unknown,” she said.

- lacaprup



I was going to write about how powerful Jessie's piece was before the Cozens news broke.

As someone who is going through this right now, and having spent the night in the hospital last night with a loved one, this line was especially poignant:

"When they say one day in the hospital equals a week to recover, that is no joke. We were all mentally and physically exhausted."

It's (frank)ing rough. My best to the Pegula family
Buff36
Buffalo Sabres
Joined: 10.13.2019

Feb 7 @ 6:56 PM ET
I was going to write about how powerful Jessie's piece was before the Cozens news broke.

As someone who is going through this right now, and having spent the night in the hospital last night with a loved one, this line was especially poignant:

"When they say one day in the hospital equals a week to recover, that is no joke. We were all mentally and physically exhausted."

It's (frank)ing rough. My best to the Pegula family

- Hank Balling

Sending Thought's and Prayers Hank!!!
lacaprup
Buffalo Sabres
Location: NY
Joined: 07.23.2006

Feb 7 @ 7:03 PM ET
I was going to write about how powerful Jessie's piece was before the Cozens news broke.

As someone who is going through this right now, and having spent the night in the hospital last night with a loved one, this line was especially poignant:

"When they say one day in the hospital equals a week to recover, that is no joke. We were all mentally and physically exhausted."

It's (frank)ing rough. My best to the Pegula family

- Hank Balling


Sorry to hear the bad news, Hank. My best to you and yours.
The_Inkwell
Buffalo Sabres
Location: Buffalo, NY
Joined: 06.29.2006

Feb 7 @ 7:04 PM ET
I was going to write about how powerful Jessie's piece was before the Cozens news broke.

As someone who is going through this right now, and having spent the night in the hospital last night with a loved one, this line was especially poignant:

"When they say one day in the hospital equals a week to recover, that is no joke. We were all mentally and physically exhausted."

It's (frank)ing rough. My best to the Pegula family

- Hank Balling


Sorry to hear that Hank. Thanks for taking the time to write another blog for us considering what you and your family are going through right now. We certainly appreciate you man. Hoping for a speedy recovery for your loved one.
Hank Balling
Buffalo Sabres
Joined: 05.18.2021

Feb 7 @ 7:05 PM ET
Sending Thought's and Prayers Hank!!!
- Buff36


Appreciate that.
kingcong39
Buffalo Sabres
Location: albany, NY
Joined: 02.21.2007

Feb 7 @ 7:06 PM ET
I was going to write about how powerful Jessie's piece was before the Cozens news broke.

As someone who is going through this right now, and having spent the night in the hospital last night with a loved one, this line was especially poignant:

"When they say one day in the hospital equals a week to recover, that is no joke. We were all mentally and physically exhausted."

It's (frank)ing rough. My best to the Pegula family

- Hank Balling


Ditto Hank.

I lost my mother to cancer twenty years ago, and watching her wither away to nothing, in and out of the hospital, while fighting to stay alive for every inch she could, was horrendous to watch.

Even after she beat it the first time, it was a very long road to recovery, only for it to come back when hope had finally shown promise.

I truly hope nobody has to live that experience.

It's a piece of you that is taken that never returns.

It is a hurt that never heals.

Every day is different, but no day is ever the same again.
lacaprup
Buffalo Sabres
Location: NY
Joined: 07.23.2006

Feb 7 @ 7:06 PM ET
Sorry to hear that Hank. Thanks for taking the time to write another blog for us considering what you and your family are going through right now. We certainly appreciate you man. Hoping for a speedy recovery for your loved one.
- The_Inkwell


Yeah no doubt. Hank, if ya want a break, I'd be happy to write a game preview for the Calgary game. I've plenty of time.
lacaprup
Buffalo Sabres
Location: NY
Joined: 07.23.2006

Feb 7 @ 7:20 PM ET
DeSmith really keeping Pittsburgh afloat right now. Pittsburgh looks so slow.
Shots 7 - 0 Colorado. 0 - 0 on the scoreboard
IonSabres
Buffalo Sabres
Location: I said that months ago, keep up!, FL
Joined: 03.10.2013

Feb 7 @ 7:33 PM ET
I was going to write about how powerful Jessie's piece was before the Cozens news broke.

As someone who is going through this right now, and having spent the night in the hospital last night with a loved one, this line was especially poignant:

"When they say one day in the hospital equals a week to recover, that is no joke. We were all mentally and physically exhausted."

It's (frank)ing rough. My best to the Pegula family

- Hank Balling


Sorry Hank, I do hope everything turns out OK and a full recovery.

We just buried my wife's father last Friday after a 2 year battle with Cancer. It was absolutely horrible watching him suffer more and more every day, not knowing when he would take his last breath. The end was ugly.
The family is very, very tight thankfully...yet it has had a devastating impact on them all. My wife is still in Rochester comforting her Mom who has taken it very hard.
No one should have to endure watching their loved one wither away to nothing.

God Bless your family.
lacaprup
Buffalo Sabres
Location: NY
Joined: 07.23.2006

Feb 7 @ 7:44 PM ET
Dominant 1st period for Colorado and nothing to show for it. Hate those. Somehow the Pens are going to find their way to a point.
Slump Buster
Buffalo Sabres
Location: I root for draft picks but not the team, apparently, NY
Joined: 10.24.2006

Feb 7 @ 8:00 PM ET
DeSmith really keeping Pittsburgh afloat right now. Pittsburgh looks so slow.
Shots 7 - 0 Colorado. 0 - 0 on the scoreboard

- lacaprup


You can't win in this league with a core way over 30. They should have blown it up.
Slump Buster
Buffalo Sabres
Location: I root for draft picks but not the team, apparently, NY
Joined: 10.24.2006

Feb 7 @ 8:01 PM ET
Also only got him for 7 years. He left some $ on the table. Team friendly deal, but not too crazy.
- Lunaion


It wouldn't surprise me if he wanted 5 or 6 years and the team wanted 8. Either way, it is a great deal for both sides. I got a kick out of the Islander fans coming back at us after we said they were going to regret the Horvat deal (which Lou himself pretty much said).
Anderdog
Buffalo Sabres
Joined: 03.17.2021

Feb 7 @ 8:05 PM ET
Hopefully everything works out Hank for the better
God bless you and your family 🙏
lacaprup
Buffalo Sabres
Location: NY
Joined: 07.23.2006

Feb 7 @ 8:07 PM ET
You can't win in this league with a core way over 30. They should have blown it up.
- Slump Buster


They have another (weird good) factor to weigh few other teams do: what % of their fan base want to watch Sid, Geno and Letang ride it out until retirement as Pens? 3 cups is 3 cups. There's a level of good will there we just know nothing about .
Anderdog
Buffalo Sabres
Joined: 03.17.2021

Feb 7 @ 8:18 PM ET
Man this city feel in love overnight with tuch
Meir is a better clone
If you could get him signed before trade
I am paying cost
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