BillsFan4 Posted January 17, 2020 Author Posted January 17, 2020 https://sports.yahoo.com/hurricanes-hamilton-suffers-broken-fibula-out-for-extended-period-172325246.html Dougie Hamilton broke a home in his leg last night. What a shame. He was having a Norris caliber season for Carolina. I wonder if they’ll be in the market for another defenseman now? Rumor was they were looking to add to their blue line before the Hamilton injury. Can we interest them in a slightly used Zach Bogosian? ?
JohnC Posted January 17, 2020 Posted January 17, 2020 26 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said: https://sports.yahoo.com/hurricanes-hamilton-suffers-broken-fibula-out-for-extended-period-172325246.html Dougie Hamilton broke a home in his leg last night. What a shame. He was having a Norris caliber season for Carolina. I wonder if they’ll be in the market for another defenseman now? Rumor was they were looking to add to their blue line before the Hamilton injury. Can we interest them in a slightly used Zach Bogosian? ? It's obvious that we have an excess in defensemen resulting in players having to sit out and understandably causing disgruntlement. But I don't see having an excess in a unit as a problem especially when considering that the excess players that many people would like to deal off would give us little in return. In hockey that excess on the unit can quickly vanish with the onslaught of injuries. Are the Sabres a playoff team? I don't know. What I do know is that there is a very good chance that this team will be in the playoff running up to the end of the season. So why deal a player or two on that unit and leave your team vulnerable to a lack of depth when you will not get much in return for them. Although Bogo is a diminished player due to his accumulated injuries he played well against the big and tough Dallas. So if he can contribute why get rid of him now when he will leave next season when his contract runs out? I'm not against trading any player other than the special core known to all. But if a player is still useful in a possible (maybe probable run?) then I would prefer to retain the player.
Augie Posted January 17, 2020 Posted January 17, 2020 I’ll be at the Sabres game in Nashville tomorrow night with the family. Walk to the Arena from our hotel. Love that city and looking forward to being there. The Predators seem to have a better following (historically and ignoring the Titans playoff run) than the NFL in Nashville. I’ve done several of both, and Pred’s games rock.....but GO SABRES! 1
CowgirlsFan Posted January 18, 2020 Posted January 18, 2020 I was in attendance last night. Sabres looked really good. Lots of Bills like chants post game while heading to the train and even on the train. 1
snafu Posted January 18, 2020 Posted January 18, 2020 2 hours ago, BillsFan4 said: https://sports.yahoo.com/hurricanes-hamilton-suffers-broken-fibula-out-for-extended-period-172325246.html Dougie Hamilton broke a home in his leg last night. What a shame. He was having a Norris caliber season for Carolina. I wonder if they’ll be in the market for another defenseman now? Rumor was they were looking to add to their blue line before the Hamilton injury. Can we interest them in a slightly used Zach Bogosian? ? Hamilton with a broken leg is more mobile than Bogosian. 1
BillsFan4 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Posted January 18, 2020 4 hours ago, JohnC said: It's obvious that we have an excess in defensemen resulting in players having to sit out and understandably causing disgruntlement. But I don't see having an excess in a unit as a problem especially when considering that the excess players that many people would like to deal off would give us little in return. In hockey that excess on the unit can quickly vanish with the onslaught of injuries. Are the Sabres a playoff team? I don't know. What I do know is that there is a very good chance that this team will be in the playoff running up to the end of the season. So why deal a player or two on that unit and leave your team vulnerable to a lack of depth when you will not get much in return for them. Although Bogo is a diminished player due to his accumulated injuries he played well against the big and tough Dallas. So if he can contribute why get rid of him now when he will leave next season when his contract runs out? I'm not against trading any player other than the special core known to all. But if a player is still useful in a possible (maybe probable run?) then I would prefer to retain the player. I want Bogo gone because he’s disgruntled, because he sucks ans because having 8 defenseman on the NHL roster is causing issues with multiple defenseman. So, if possible I’d like to get rid of our worst and most expensive defenseman. He’s keeping guys like Colin Miller out of the lineup (and I guess Miller’s not too happy either). I get the depth argument which is why I’m not looking to get rid of our good defenseman (unless it’s for a good top 6 F) because we will need that depth next year and beyond. But they don’t need Bogo and (as I already mentioned) having too many defenseman is causing issues. The Sabres have excellent defensive in Rochester to call up (Nelson, Gilmour, Borgen, Hickey, Bryson, Redmond, etc) if needed for a playoff run, and even without Bogo they’d still have to scratch a defenseman most nights. They have 8 defenseman on the roster right now. NHL teams don’t make a habit of carrying 8 defenseman for a reason. Same reason it’s rare to carry 3 goalies (though it does happen on occasion). 1
JohnC Posted January 18, 2020 Posted January 18, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, BillsFan4 said: I want Bogo gone because he’s disgruntled, because he sucks ans because having 8 defenseman on the NHL roster is causing issues with multiple defenseman. So, if possible I’d like to get rid of our worst and most expensive defenseman. He’s keeping guys like Colin Miller out of the lineup (and I guess Miller’s not too happy either). I get the depth argument which is why I’m not looking to get rid of our good defenseman (unless it’s for a good top 6 F) because we will need that depth next year and beyond. But they don’t need Bogo and (as I already mentioned) having too many defenseman is causing issues. The Sabres have excellent defensive in Rochester to call up (Nelson, Gilmour, Borgen, Hickey, Bryson, Redmond, etc) if needed for a playoff run, and even without Bogo they’d still have to scratch a defenseman most nights. They have 8 defenseman on the roster right now. NHL teams don’t make a habit of carrying 8 defenseman for a reason. Same reason it’s rare to carry 3 goalies (though it does happen on occasion). How do you get rid of Bogo? Who is going to take him at his salary and performance level? When your GM has a history of not eating contracts then what do you do? As far as the issue of disgruntlement, so what? Rodrigues is also disgruntled. And it has been reported (Dreger et al) that the GM is actively trying to trade him for peanuts. He can't get a penny on a dollar deal because his contract even at the halfway mark of the season is overvalued. Bogo clearly isn't what he was prior to his accumulation of injuries. However, he was good enough for the calculating coach to insert him back into the lineup against a big and rugged team. Why did the coach play Bogo instead of Miller? Because he felt that he would be better in that situation. This is a long and grinding season. In the second-half of it the schedule gets more compressed and punishing. What you now consider an excess in players can quickly turn to a dire shortage. Krueger has been adept at juggling his roster. I have no problem with how he has handled the players he has to work with. As far as the issue of a player being disgruntled over the lack of playing time or how he is being used I'm not bothered by it. It is an inescapable aspect of any team sport where the coaches make decisions on playing time and usage. How did we end up acquiring Frolik? He complained about his limited playing time and how he was used. So he was dealt. The difference between the Frolik and Bogo situation is that there was a trading partner for Frolik and so far one hasn't been found for Bogo, Edited January 18, 2020 by JohnC
JohnC Posted January 18, 2020 Posted January 18, 2020 The attached link is a Paul Hamilton WGR column on the Dad trip. It focuses on Jack and Reinhart's fathers. https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-fathers-enjoying-their-time-with-their-sons
BillsFan4 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Posted January 18, 2020 4 hours ago, JohnC said: How do you get rid of Bogo? Who is going to take him at his salary and performance level? When your GM has a history of not eating contracts then what do you do? As far as the issue of disgruntlement, so what? Rodrigues is also disgruntled. And it has been reported (Dreger et al) that the GM is actively trying to trade him for peanuts. He can't get a penny on a dollar deal because his contract even at the halfway mark of the season is overvalued. Bogo clearly isn't what he was prior to his accumulation of injuries. However, he was good enough for the calculating coach to insert him back into the lineup against a big and rugged team. Why did the coach play Bogo instead of Miller? Because he felt that he would be better in that situation. This is a long and grinding season. In the second-half of it the schedule gets more compressed and punishing. What you now consider an excess in players can quickly turn to a dire shortage. Krueger has been adept at juggling his roster. I have no problem with how he has handled the players he has to work with. As far as the issue of a player being disgruntled over the lack of playing time or how he is being used I'm not bothered by it. It is an inescapable aspect of any team sport where the coaches make decisions on playing time and usage. How did we end up acquiring Frolik? He complained about his limited playing time and how he was used. So he was dealt. The difference between the Frolik and Bogo situation is that there was a trading partner for Frolik and so far one hasn't been found for Bogo, Thats the real issue right there. I am not at all worried about how Bogosian factors in to defensive depth. As I said we have plenty without him. I don’t know if you can actually move that contract though (Bogosian’s agent is reportedly working hard behind the scenes to find a trade partner). But if you can move it, then you absolutely do it, as long as you’re not taking back worse contract. If you can flip Bogo (even with 50% retained) for a 7th or something, I’d definitely do it. Or for a forward with a similar expiring contract. I’m obviously not willing to take drastic measures to move Bogo. But if you can actually move him in a Frolik style trade, or even for a bag of pucks, I wouldn’t think twice. I would do it in a heart beat. It would solve a bunch of problems if they could actually move Bogosian. (Btw, I was just joking around in the post that started this conversation. That’s why I put “slightly used” in italics. I doubt anyone actually wants Bogosian).
JohnC Posted January 18, 2020 Posted January 18, 2020 21 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said: Thats the real issue right there. I am not at all worried about how Bogosian factors in to defensive depth. As I said we have plenty without him. I don’t know if you can actually move that contract though (Bogosian’s agent is reportedly working hard behind the scenes to find a trade partner). But if you can move it, then you absolutely do it, as long as you’re not taking back worse contract. If you can flip Bogo (even with 50% retained) for a 7th or something, I’d definitely do it. Or for a forward with a similar expiring contract. I’m obviously not willing to take drastic measures to move Bogo. But if you can actually move him in a Frolik style trade, or even for a bag of pucks, I wouldn’t think twice. I would do it in a heart beat. It would solve a bunch of problems if they could actually move Bogosian. (Btw, I was just joking around in the post that started this conversation. That’s why I put “slightly used” in italics. I doubt anyone actually wants Bogosian). Bogo is aggressively being shopped by the GM. The player's rep and the organization are both working to accommodate his trade request. Nothing has gotten done. From what I have heard about our GM he is not willing to eat any portion of traded players/contracts. I'm not sure that he is willing to go against his rigid history on that issue. With respect to he highlighted area that's the point! If you have a chip that apparently no one wants then you have a chip that no one wants. You then have no choice but to bide your time hoping that the situation will change and the log jam will be broken. On this issue of having excess players on a unit I'm not bothered by it as some are . It will work itself out one way or the other. 1 1
Taro T Posted January 18, 2020 Posted January 18, 2020 19 hours ago, BillsFan4 said: I want Bogo gone because he’s disgruntled, because he sucks ans because having 8 defenseman on the NHL roster is causing issues with multiple defenseman. So, if possible I’d like to get rid of our worst and most expensive defenseman. He’s keeping guys like Colin Miller out of the lineup (and I guess Miller’s not too happy either). I get the depth argument which is why I’m not looking to get rid of our good defenseman (unless it’s for a good top 6 F) because we will need that depth next year and beyond. But they don’t need Bogo and (as I already mentioned) having too many defenseman is causing issues. The Sabres have excellent defensive in Rochester to call up (Nelson, Gilmour, Borgen, Hickey, Bryson, Redmond, etc) if needed for a playoff run, and even without Bogo they’d still have to scratch a defenseman most nights. They have 8 defenseman on the roster right now. NHL teams don’t make a habit of carrying 8 defenseman for a reason. Same reason it’s rare to carry 3 goalies (though it does happen on occasion). Actually, though teams traditionally have chosen to keep 14F and 7D on their roster, a lot of teams have been switching to 13/8 because it makes it a lot more sense to run 8 D in practice (having a pair running through drills and another ready to run at each end and only having to roll 1 spare F through the lines) than to only have 7 and either mix & match pairs w/ 2 Fs to roll through the 4 lines or slide a F back onto a pairing. It is unusual though to have the 7 & 8 NHL caliber D men in/ close to their prime rather than guys that are either tweeners or long in the tooth on the back side of their career. (Yeah, Bogo kind of fits that latter description but he is still on his 1st non-ELC/bridge contract.) 1
JohnC Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 The below link is Krueger's post-game response after yesterday's game. It's disappointing that the Sabres lost but you can't criticize the effort. Although the Predators have been underachieving they are a more talented team. Both teams seemed to play with desperation and both teams had exceptional goaltending. Hopefully, we will get Skinner and Olofsson back for the last stage of the season. To be candid I don't see the Sabres making the playoffs but I do see them in the running up to the end. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/1-18-ralph-krueger-post-game
4merper4mer Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 On January 17, 2020 at 6:19 PM, JohnC said: It's obvious that we have an excess in defensemen resulting in players having to sit out and understandably causing disgruntlement. But I don't see having an excess in a unit as a problem especially when considering that the excess players that many people would like to deal off would give us little in return. In hockey that excess on the unit can quickly vanish with the onslaught of injuries. Are the Sabres a playoff team? I don't know. What I do know is that there is a very good chance that this team will be in the playoff running up to the end of the season. Dude do a little math. Although they can play well in brief stretches, the playoff ship has sailed already. They will not be in the playoff running until the end of the season any more than the Detroit Lions were. How many teams would they have to pass to get to 8? They are way, way, out of it. Saying that they can contend until the end, given the numbers, explains the spin you put on other aspects of the team's status. You should just wait the sevens years for Cozens and the goalie with all the k's and hope every viable free agent is signed via text from the 4th green because that is the best that'll happen with Botts. The coaching, effort level in many games....not all, and development of some of the guys are the positives this year, and they are big and important. That is offset by the grind against the backdrop of substandard talent assembled and tolerated by a GM that is in way over his head. Those two factors are opposed. If the former wins out we can be good soon. Unfortunately that is probably not 20-21 without miracles because the GM has been asleep at the switch and we need about 6 new impact guys....too many to be realistic in one offseason. If it is the latter, it will get very ugly within two years and make the tank look like the good old days. From everything I've seen Krueger is the right guy for a turnaround and beyond, but he can't work miracles and paint the Sistine Chapel when Botts keeps giving him .99 c styrofoam brushes and low end paint. We are likely in a period similar to the McDermott/Whaley era. Hopefully Krueger knows someone like Beane. And yes I realize Whaley and Botts are different. Whaley overpaid some actual talents like Dareus who underachieved and held us back whereas Botts thinks Vesey and Sheary and Thompson and Hutton and others are sufficient talent. It's the same end result.
GG Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 1 hour ago, JohnC said: The below link is Krueger's post-game response after yesterday's game. It's disappointing that the Sabres lost but you can't criticize the effort. Although the Predators have been underachieving they are a more talented team. Both teams seemed to play with desperation and both teams had exceptional goaltending. Hopefully, we will get Skinner and Olofsson back for the last stage of the season. To be candid I don't see the Sabres making the playoffs but I do see them in the running up to the end. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/1-18-ralph-krueger-post-game By my count, they were outshot 11-0 in the last 12 minutes of the game. I can critique that effort. 1
snafu Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, 4merper4mer said: From everything I've seen Krueger is the right guy for a turnaround and beyond, but he can't work miracles and paint the Sistine Chapel when Botts keeps giving him .99 c styrofoam brushes and low end paint. Maybe he can make the Last Supper from dryer lint? Edited January 19, 2020 by snafu
JohnC Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 3 hours ago, GG said: By my count, they were outshot 11-0 in the last 12 minutes of the game. I can critique that effort. You can critique whatever you want to. Overall, both teams played hard.
4merper4mer Posted January 19, 2020 Posted January 19, 2020 33 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said: Another year, same result. Just wait for Cozens to mature in three years. Then we'll only need five more players to secure the 8.
bbb Posted January 20, 2020 Posted January 20, 2020 14 hours ago, GG said: By my count, they were outshot 11-0 in the last 12 minutes of the game. I can critique that effort. I turned it on just in time to see the last 7 minutes or so. I really wish I didn't.
Recommended Posts