2021 Roster Discussion - 2

[WeDislikeEich]

I’d be happy with Rutherford. I think it would be a big hire & something that’s desperately needed.

We need someone who knows what a competent, functioning hockey ops is supposed to look like. Someone with connections, who knows the talented front office personnel & scouts around the league.

This front office has been torn down to the damn studs, and asking a rookie GM with no front office experience to rebuild it on his own seems like a big ask.

The biggest part of adding Rutherford would be the agreement he requires for the Pegulas to step back and let actual hockey people run the hockey ops.

If this actually happens, I just hope the Pegulas actually stick with the plan for once. This changing their mind every couple years thing is killing us.

 

[explore]

on his podcast he says Karmanos is coming but Rutherford is in negotiations to come in in a senior advisor role. The negotiations are about the Pegulas stepping aside and letting Rutherford and Adams run the hockey dept. Also said he heard apparently that there are more people joining the front office but he didn’t have names yet. He said Adams would still be GM and make the hockey decisions.

I think Rutherford, Karmanos+ would be a home run. They desperately need vet. Experience and respectability around Adams. He mentioned that he heard it from one source then an NHL scout he speaks to said the rumour around the NHL is that it is a Rutherford-Karmanos package to Buffalo. He said Rutherford doesn’t want to commit to multiple years until he sees ho the relationship with the Pegulas goes. Probably got burned by Penguins ownership which led him to quitting there.

stated that Rutherford has contacts with everyone from League officials to agents, to players to coaches and would be huge for helping with the coaching search.

To summarize: Karmanos is a go, Rutherford is negotiating, put it at about 80%, and that other people will be joining as well.

This didn't jive with the rumors/story that Rutherford not only rage-fired Karmanos from Pittsburgh, but Karmanos immediately interviewed to be Rutherford's replacement there.

This sounds like bs

 

[Fezzy126]

People don’t love Rutherford because of a couple signings he made. Put in context he was trying to go for it with the Crosby-Malkin era. He is a decorated hockey man.

Show me a builder that has helped to win Cups with multiple teams that is walking through the door?

As a senior advisor I think he would be great. Brings instant credibility and knowledge and connections around the league. This front office needs stability and respectability.

It was noted that Adams will still be GM and make the hockey decisions. Karmanos brings a lot of experience and those Cups as well.

A couple of signings?

In just the last 3 years alone, the guy has actively targeted:

• Jack Johnson
• Ceci
• Matheson
• Sheary
• Galchenyuk
• A completely washed Marleau
• Gudbranson
• Bjugstad

It's like a who's who list of boat anchors.

He chose Murray over Fleury and then completely bailed on Murray a few years later for a 2nd round pick.

He gave Brandon Tanev, a 27 year old power forward/grinder, a 6-year contract.

He's traded away his 1st round pick in 5 of the last 6 drafts.

You say he was going for it, I say they won because of Crosby & Malkin and despite his best efforts to sabotage their team. Drafts, signings, and trades, there is nothing impressive in his body of work. Now if we do hire him in some kind of special advisor role, one where we strictly leverage him for his league connections, then sure. But as @ForsbergMoDo21 said, keep him the hell away from the on ice product.

For the record, when I hold out hope that we might be able to pawn off Eakin on a dumb GM at the trade deadline, Rutherford is the type of guy I'm thinking of.

 

[joshjull]

This didn't jive with the rumors/story that Rutherford not only rage-fired Karmanos from Pittsburgh, but Karmanos immediately interviewed to be Rutherford's replacement there.

This sounds like bs

You’re ruining the fun speculation with logic and facts.

 

[GellMann]

You’re ruining the fun speculation with logic and facts.

So if we wind up with Jim and Karmanos, it will defy logic and facts?

 

[joshjull]

So if we wind up with Jim and Karmanos, it will defy logic and facts?

Yes. 100%

It would be the craziest thing to happen ever .....


I was just joking about us having some interesting speculation about the new front office going and he was ruining it with logic and facts

 

[joshjull]

On a non joking note.....


With what @explore brought up about the breakdown of their relationship in Pittsburg. How realistic would it be for Rutherford/Karmanos to be working together so soon after. Unless those reports were exaggerated.

 

[Deleted member 331730]

Need to keep Eichel

He is the ONLY player who moves the needle for this team. With him, we are fighting for a .500 record. Without him, we are a BAD beer league team.

Reinhart, Dahlin, Hall, Risto all do not move the needle in terms of making the team better. If we can get legit pieces for them to build around Eichel properly, move them! Especially, if we can get an above average NHL goalie in return

Don't be angry with me, but I think that an eichel should also be traded, just like a reinhart, ristolainen and olofsson. we have tried it with these leaders for more than 6 years now, but it didn't work.
As long as the core remains, nothing changes. We play too softly, too imprecisely, without ideas and without a system. Of course, an experienced coach is needed.

 

[Fjordy]

On a non joking note.....


With what @explore brought up about the breakdown of their relationship in Pittsburg. How realistic would it be for Rutherford/Karmanos to be working together so soon after. Unless those reports were exaggerated.

Maybe they have already made up or even not quarreled. Or maybe this was their plan? Rutherford fires Karmanos and tells him, well, I'll see you in Buffalo in the spring.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

Being optimistic with this team has shot me in the foot every single year.

Ha! I was always pessimistic and my feet are intact. I...win..?

 

[tsujimoto74]

Don't be angry with me, but I think that an eichel should also be traded, just like a reinhart, ristolainen and olofsson. we have tried it with these leaders for more than 6 years now, but it didn't work.
As long as the core remains, nothing changes. We play too softly, too imprecisely, without ideas and without a system. Of course, an experienced coach is needed.

Eichel is exactly 0% of what's wrong with this team, and the second we move him, we set ourselves up for another decade of praying we luck into a player that's anything like him.

You don't trade franchise centers.

 

[Deleted member 331730]

Eichel is exactly 0% of what's wrong with this team, and the second we move him, we set ourselves up for another decade of praying we luck into a player that's anything like him.

You don't trade franchise centers.

his performances fluctuate too much and i am not talking about this season. he is a diva and as a captain, in my opinion, of no use. The threats after a trade or the problem with Bylsma at the time do not speak for him. something like that is clarified internally and not made public.
his listless interviews, even after victories, leave plenty of room for speculation. a satisfied player looks different

 

[Der Jaeger]

This didn't jive with the rumors/story that Rutherford not only rage-fired Karmanos from Pittsburgh, but Karmanos immediately interviewed to be Rutherford's replacement there.

This sounds like bs

this was addressed on another board. A series of stories that showed that Rutherford was being pressed in a direction he didn’t want to go, which is why he resigned. Firing Karmanos was one of those steps.

 

[Fezzy126]

Eichel is exactly 0% of what's wrong with this team, and the second we move him, we set ourselves up for another decade of praying we luck into a player that's anything like him.

You don't trade franchise centers.

Completely agree.

Sabres record with Eichel is 6-13-2
Sabres Record without Eichel is 0-10-2

Sabres Power play with Eichel was 29.7% (that would be good for 2nd in the league right now)
Sabres Power Play without Eichel is 4.6% (1 for their last 22)

How anyone can look at this team and think Eichel is the problem is beyond my comprehension.

 

[Jim Bob]

Completely agree.

Sabres record with Eichel is 6-13-2
Sabres Record without Eichel is 0-10-2

Sabres Power play with Eichel was 29.7% (that would be good for 2nd in the league right now)
Sabres Power Play without Eichel is 4.6% (1 for their last 22)

How anyone can look at this team and think Eichel is the problem is beyond my comprehension.

I think the biggest issue with Eichel is that he shouldn't have the C on his sweater.

The Captain Class: The Hidden Force that Creates the World's Greatest Teams by Sam Walker

The men and women who make up the Captain Class were never the most skilled athletes, nor were they gifted orators or paragons of sportsmanship. They were often role players who were allergic to the spotlight. In short, the seven attributes they shared challenge your assumptions of what inspired leadership looks like.

Let Jack worry more on playing his game and leave the other stuff to someone else.

I think Jack is more like PKane than Toews, for instance.

 

[Jim Bob]

Taylor Hall only being #3 on his list is interesting.

 

[jc17]

his listless interviews, even after victories, leave plenty of room for speculation. a satisfied player looks different

And he'd also get criticized if he was ecstatic after every win while on a team that is the league joke.

Montour was here for 5 minutes before guys on other teams were chirping at him for being on a sh** team.

I don't really blame him for not wanting to appear happy about losses or meaningless wins

 

[joshjull]

If only he knew how to build a team like that instead of the dysfunctional mess he left us with.

 

[joshjull]

this was addressed on another board. A series of stories that showed that Rutherford was being pressed in a direction he didn’t want to go, which is why he resigned. Firing Karmanos was one of those steps.

If this is the case, it puts the rumors in a more plausible light.

 

[Jim Bob]

Sabres Goaltending Pipeline Needs a Boost

Adam Scheel at eliteprospects.com

Dryden McKay at eliteprospects.com

Strauss Mann at eliteprospects.com

At 6'3", Scheel fits that prototypical height for a pro goalie versus McKay & Mann who are both sub-6'2".

But, I'd be fine if the Sabres were able to land any of these goalies. With the Sabres goaltending depth being so shallow, Buffalo might be attractive to a goalie that wants to leave college.

 

[flashsabre]

The biggest takeaway is that even if Rutherford doesn’t make a deal to come is the realization that this lean front office structure has been an utter failure and that they are now looking for extra help to support Adams moving forward. Building up the FO, scouting and probably the Analytics Dept. are musts.

 

[TehDoak]

I'm very curious how "open to business" the Sabres will be. At this point, I think a Hall and maybe Montour trade will be it. But, I guess we will see?

 

[flashsabre]

Sabres Goaltending Pipeline Needs a Boost

Adam Scheel at eliteprospects.com

Dryden McKay at eliteprospects.com

Strauss Mann at eliteprospects.com

At 6'3", Scheel fits that prototypical height for a pro goalie versus McKay & Mann who are both sub-6'2".

But, I'd be fine if the Sabres were able to land any of these goalies. With the Sabres goaltending depth being so shallow, Buffalo might be attractive to a goalie that wants to leave college.

The height of goalies has become a silly thing to me. If a 6 foot goalie is dominant in college or in a European pro league then he can succeed in the NHL. The Sabres need to be active adding to the goaltending depth. McKay is still playing, really well actually. Signing Mann would remove him from Michigan and open the crease to Portillo as the starter there.

 

[Jim Bob]

The height of goalies has become a silly thing to me. If a 6 foot goalie is dominant in college or in a European pro league then he can succeed in the NHL. The Sabres need to be active adding to the goaltending depth. McKay is still playing, really well actually. Signing Mann would remove him from Michigan and open the crease to Portillo as the starter there.

Height, like many of other physical attributes, needs to be a factor when scouting a goalie.

The one thing that some teams are missing is that once you get over 6'4", a goalie may be too tall, especially as the game demands more laterally from a goalie.

6'2"-6'4" seems to be the sweet spot when it comes to goalie height. There are outliers both on the shorter and taller side of things. And shorter goalies do get undervalued.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Height, like many of other physical attributes, needs to be a factor when scouting a goalie.

The one thing that some teams are missing is that once you get over 6'4", a goalie may be too tall, especially as the game demands more laterally from a goalie.

6'2"-6'4" seems to be the sweet spot when it comes to goalie height. There are outliers both on the shorter and taller side of things. And shorter goalies do get undervalued.

So I take it you wouldn't be a fan of using a late 1st / early 2nd of Cossa? He's putting up good stats, has looked impressive every time I've seen him play and will probably be Canada's WJC goalie this year