It’s just not the right way for us to be constructing trades now either though

Instead of moving out Montour for a 4th liner and a player who might be making a meaningful contribution years from now...
We should be ADDING to Montour (or Risto, or whoever) to be getting pieces that fill our obvious holes we have

I think we all agree here that it’s playoffs or bust for us, correct?
I’m thinking Jack is at that point too

It’s another reason that a getting a guy like Dudley in here could be huge
It’s a daunting task for any GM walking into this situation... let alone a guy with zero experience

We’re basically asking for Adams to come in and pinch hit a Home Run in his first career at bat in the bottom of the 9th
Yikes

*been watching some baseball movies lately, lol
- jdfitz77

Point taken

It’s just not the right way for us to be constructing trades now either though

Instead of moving out Montour for a 4th liner and a player who might be making a meaningful contribution years from now...
We should be ADDING to Montour (or Risto, or whoever) to be getting pieces that fill our obvious holes we have

I think we all agree here that it’s playoffs or bust for us, correct?
I’m thinking Jack is at that point too

It’s another reason that a getting a guy like Dudley in here could be huge
It’s a daunting task for any GM walking into this situation... let alone a guy with zero experience

We’re basically asking for Adams to come in and pinch hit a Home Run in his first career at bat in the bottom of the 9th
Yikes

*been watching some baseball movies lately, lol
- jdfitz77

So U do want there to be a PoHO

Well that's the bad thing, you just don't know and have to hope it works and goes in the right direction. They could use a little age to, like a Maroon or Smith if they would come here, show them what it takes.
- Buff36

I think theres a serious buffatax for free agents.

Maybe trades for players with out "no waive" contracts

Oh jeez. TL;dr for sure. Maybe a good thing.

https://profootballtalk.n...lls-owner-fmia-guest-nfl/

So U do want there to be a PoHO
- Hatboro_Swords

I have never NOT wanted a PoHO
You frequently misinterpret what i say dude

I don’t think Dudley would’ve had input on the roster with Botts or even your boy Murray here
So my point was that idk how much difference a PoHO would’ve mattered for this past season
My argument was not that i didn’t want one,
it was that i didn’t think that a PoHO would suddenly fix things for us

Get what i mean there??

I do think it would’ve been useful when Botts was first stepping into the job though...
so that he could’ve been a bridge to the Pegulas and told them it was a terrible idea to do that ROR trade... something a rookie GM just doesn’t have the clout to do when p!ssed off owners demand something like that


And NOW...
Adams has zero experience doing ANYTHING that’s related to the GM job
So obviously it would be wise to have someone with experience he can lean on & communicate with

I think theres a serious buffatax for free agents.

Maybe trades for players with out "no waive" contracts
- Boss34

We’re asking A LOT of Adams to come in & get things where they need to be in only one offseason

I dropped a baseball analogy last page towards the bottom that i kinda think fits

Offers are coming in for Montour.
- SABRES 89

Interesting ..... I don’t hate montour. He sucks on his off side. On the right side. He was good.

But hey. If the price is right

Interesting ..... I don’t hate montour. He sucks on his off side. On the right side. He was good.

But hey. If the price is right
- Sabretooth9

He fit Housley much better than Krueger. He should definitely have more value in a different system. Use him to get a 40-50 point forward.

Dillon Cousen's cousin, Dylan Cozens is ranked the #1 drafted prospect by Scott Wheeler.

https://theathletic.com/1...cts-ranking-2020-edition/

1. Dylan Cozens, C, 19 (Buffalo Sabres — 7th overall, 2019)
This one was agonizing because Cozens doesn’t have a star-level quality that some of the six players that follow him on this list do. I can see outcomes for each of the next half dozen names in my ranking where they go on to have a higher ceiling than Cozens. Other things, like that Cozens is going to have to play behind Jack Eichel (while Trevor Zegras and Cole Caufield have a more direct trajectory to the first line within their organizations) and may not reach his full ceiling as a result, can creep in and cloud your judgment if you let them, too. But I tried to remind myself that I’m less interested in what he isn’t than what he is — or that organizational circumstances shouldn’t play too pronounced a role in my evaluation of his skillset. With all of that in mind, I began to give Cozens the slight edge over his peers at the top because of his unique blend of straight line speed and puckhandling ability for his size, as well as his improved finishing touch. For every defining skill that some of the other players atop my ranking had, they often also had traits that could prevent them from maximizing those standout tools. Cozens had fewer holes, which made me ever so slightly more confident in his ability to reach the top of his projection.

He fit Housley much better than Krueger. He should definitely have more value in a different system. Use him to get a 40-50 point forward.
- TheSabresTaco

But he's only worth Sam Bennett and a 2021 2nd round pick...

Also, should Ralph really be employing the same system next season? I'm not sure that's a good idea.

Dillon Cousen's cousin, Dylan Cozens is ranked the #1 drafted prospect by Scott Wheeler.

https://theathletic.com/1...cts-ranking-2020-edition/

1. Dylan Cozens, C, 19 (Buffalo Sabres — 7th overall, 2019)
This one was agonizing because Cozens doesn’t have a star-level quality that some of the six players that follow him on this list do. I can see outcomes for each of the next half dozen names in my ranking where they go on to have a higher ceiling than Cozens. Other things, like that Cozens is going to have to play behind Jack Eichel (while Trevor Zegras and Cole Caufield have a more direct trajectory to the first line within their organizations) and may not reach his full ceiling as a result, can creep in and cloud your judgment if you let them, too. But I tried to remind myself that I’m less interested in what he isn’t than what he is — or that organizational circumstances shouldn’t play too pronounced a role in my evaluation of his skillset. With all of that in mind, I began to give Cozens the slight edge over his peers at the top because of his unique blend of straight line speed and puckhandling ability for his size, as well as his improved finishing touch. For every defining skill that some of the other players atop my ranking had, they often also had traits that could prevent them from maximizing those standout tools. Cozens had fewer holes, which made me ever so slightly more confident in his ability to reach the top of his projection.
- TheSabresTaco

Came here to post just this

The one thing that stands out the most to me " For every defining skill that some of the other players atop my ranking had, they often also had traits that could prevent them from maximizing those standout tools. Cozens had fewer holes"

Fewer holes.

It is time, he should be in Buffalo, but make sure they shelter him

Dillon Cousen's cousin, Dylan Cozens is ranked the #1 drafted prospect by Scott Wheeler.

https://theathletic.com/1...cts-ranking-2020-edition/

1. Dylan Cozens, C, 19 (Buffalo Sabres — 7th overall, 2019)
This one was agonizing because Cozens doesn’t have a star-level quality that some of the six players that follow him on this list do. I can see outcomes for each of the next half dozen names in my ranking where they go on to have a higher ceiling than Cozens. Other things, like that Cozens is going to have to play behind Jack Eichel (while Trevor Zegras and Cole Caufield have a more direct trajectory to the first line within their organizations) and may not reach his full ceiling as a result, can creep in and cloud your judgment if you let them, too. But I tried to remind myself that I’m less interested in what he isn’t than what he is — or that organizational circumstances shouldn’t play too pronounced a role in my evaluation of his skillset. With all of that in mind, I began to give Cozens the slight edge over his peers at the top because of his unique blend of straight line speed and puckhandling ability for his size, as well as his improved finishing touch. For every defining skill that some of the other players atop my ranking had, they often also had traits that could prevent them from maximizing those standout tools. Cozens had fewer holes, which made me ever so slightly more confident in his ability to reach the top of his projection.
- TheSabresTaco

Should have docked him a few points for being born in the Yukon

But he's only worth Sam Bennett and a 2021 2nd round pick...

Also, should Ralph really be employing the same system next season? I'm not sure that's a good idea.
- kingcong39

Well sometimes fan trades are poopty.

Ralph's gonna employ what works for his players. He'll adapt if he feels he needs to. And that's an ongoing conversation with the rest of the flat organization. So if you trade him, you know that you're not interested in his high flying skill set.

Came here to post just this

The one thing that stands out the most to me " For every defining skill that some of the other players atop my ranking had, they often also had traits that could prevent them from maximizing those standout tools. Cozens had fewer holes"

Fewer holes.

It is time, he should be in Buffalo, but make sure they shelter him
- Stripes77

Yeah, he could have really made a case to be here last year, and quite possibly been better than CM. But who knows. He looked unspectacular but solid in training camp. Last year I wrote VO's name in sharpie on the opening roster. I'm doing the same with Cozens.

Should have docked him a few points for being born in the Yukon
- jcragcrumple

A few? Should have had him in the honorable mentions. "Would have been number 1, but being born in the Yukon guarantees 0% success, therefore I have no faith that he will ever leave the WHL."

I dropped a baseball analogy last page towards the bottom that i kinda think fits
- jdfitz77

But he's only worth Sam Bennett and a 2021 2nd round pick...

Also, should Ralph really be employing the same system next season? I'm not sure that's a good idea.
- kingcong39

i'll own it...

whatcha got in a trade with calgary?

A few? Should have had him in the honorable mentions. "Would have been number 1, but being born in the Yukon guarantees 0% success, therefore I have no faith that he will ever leave the WHL."
- TheSabresTaco

i'll own it...

whatcha got in a trade with calgary?
- Michael Pachla

Montour or Ristolainen (Calgary fan wants Ristolainen to QB the Power Play as that's a need) plus for Mikael Backlund (Homie's idea).

But he's only worth Sam Bennett and a 2021 2nd round pick...

Also, should Ralph really be employing the same system next season? I'm not sure that's a good idea.
- kingcong39

Bingo!
Jack had his best season, but I attribute that to him taking it up a notch or two rather than the system. That is about it as far as players who improved rather significantly.

Skinner regressed significantly, pretty much cancelling Jack's improvement. Montour and Dahlin were much less impactful due to a system that virtually forbids the D to carry the puck into the O-zone.
The rest were pretty much meh IMO.

Krueger and staff need to re-evaluate the system to maximize the talent that will be here long-term I. Jack, Skinner, Olofsson, Dahlin, Joker, Cozens, etc.

Bingo!
Jack had his best season, but I attribute that to him taking it up a notch or two rather than the system. That is about it as far as players who improved rather significantly.

Skinner regressed significantly, pretty much cancelling Jack's improvement. Montour and Dahlin were much less impactful due to a system that virtually forbids the D to carry the puck into the O-zone.
The rest were pretty much meh IMO.

Krueger and staff need to re-evaluate the system to maximize the talent that will be here long-term I. Jack, Skinner, Olofsson, Dahlin, Joker, Cozens, etc.
- IonSabres

The above is what our intrepid blogger has been saying for a while now as well.

The above is what our intrepid blogger has been saying for a while now as well.
- kingcong39

I’ll agree that Ralph either needs to step back from the special teams or put guys in place that can figure out the dreadful PK and PP units.

However our 5v5 games and systems I didn’t have a problem with at all. We defended very well as a 5 man unit and were a strong defensive hockey team for a majority of the season.

If our goalies don’t give up 20 more goals than expected I’m sure most are singing a different tune right now. Ralph can’t stop the pucks our goalies should save.

Hopefully Adams can give Ralph some more toys to work with up front as well.

Dillon Cousen's cousin, Dylan Cozens is ranked the #1 drafted prospect by Scott Wheeler.

https://theathletic.com/1...cts-ranking-2020-edition/

1. Dylan Cozens, C, 19 (Buffalo Sabres — 7th overall, 2019)
This one was agonizing because Cozens doesn’t have a star-level quality that some of the six players that follow him on this list do. I can see outcomes for each of the next half dozen names in my ranking where they go on to have a higher ceiling than Cozens. Other things, like that Cozens is going to have to play behind Jack Eichel (while Trevor Zegras and Cole Caufield have a more direct trajectory to the first line within their organizations) and may not reach his full ceiling as a result, can creep in and cloud your judgment if you let them, too. But I tried to remind myself that I’m less interested in what he isn’t than what he is — or that organizational circumstances shouldn’t play too pronounced a role in my evaluation of his skillset. With all of that in mind, I began to give Cozens the slight edge over his peers at the top because of his unique blend of straight line speed and puckhandling ability for his size, as well as his improved finishing touch. For every defining skill that some of the other players atop my ranking had, they often also had traits that could prevent them from maximizing those standout tools. Cozens had fewer holes, which made me ever so slightly more confident in his ability to reach the top of his projection.
- TheSabresTaco

The putz should have traded the pick to “win now”

Don’t you know playing an extra week of hockey is better then building the best roster possible to win a cup ?

I’m a crappy fan for cheering for the Sabres to lose for a player some consider to be the best prospect outside of the NHL instead of clamouring about putting lip stick on a pig.

Should have docked him a few points for being born in the Yukon
- jcragcrumple

Cornelious will be in Buffalo next season. Can't wait to see his celebration after scoring his first NHL goal.
https://youtu.be/tFxzohbXLSo

The putz should have traded the pick to “win now”

Don’t you know playing an extra week of hockey is better then building the best roster possible to win a cup ?

I’m a crappy fan for cheering for the Sabres to lose for a player some consider to be the best prospect outside of the NHL instead of clamouring about putting lip stick on a pig.
- Pegullaville

You were a crappier fan when you cheered for losses, and we ended up with nylander and casey middle fat 🙂