Big Picture Decisions? - Sabres Semantics - The Armchair GM's Sports Network

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Time to sharpen those swords. You're listening to Saber Semantics,
a hard hitting interview and discussion show featuring players, alumni,
media and all others who covered the NHL's Buffalo Sabers.

(00:57):
With interesting stories from the past and current of analysis,
this show is sure to provide an entertaining and unique
perspective for both Sabers and hockey fans alike. Exclusively on
the Armchaired GM Sports Network.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
And welcome into another episode of Saber Semantics right here
on the Armchair GM Sports Network. Thank you those that
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Speaker 4 (01:34):
Whoever are short reels.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
And content that we post here on the network. Brandick
Puto in Austin broad of Elite Prospects back with you
on the show today to discuss the Buffalo Sabers most
recent stretch of games. But more importantly, the big picture
is what we're going to be talking about on today's show,
with Austin back with us for the first time since
the season preview show. Again, it's been a while since

(01:57):
we've been able to have Austin's analysis on the show,
but I's been dying and chopping at the bit to
give his opinion here. And you know, a lot of
things that have sort of gone on with the Sabers
first little bit of the season, and you know who
should be making the decisions for this team going forward,
a big picture, a lot of signings, a lot of
things that needed to happen, and the GM and the
head coach are both in the last year of their contracts.

(02:18):
So we're also going to talk about the fan pull
from what you guys thought about the goaltending situation, and
as well, Easak, Roseanne and no Oaceland will they stay
up with the Sabers or not going forward when they
start to get a little bit healthier. So, Austin, thanks
for being able to come back on the show today.
I know you probably have a lot of thoughts over
the last month and a half but you know, I

(02:40):
guess to open up general thoughts on what you've seen
so far from the start of the Sabers season.

Speaker 5 (02:46):
I mean, the first.

Speaker 6 (02:47):
Nineteen games in a yeah, nineteen games have been the
most Sabers nineteen games ever, right, like, oh and three
to start the season. Oh god, it's over to that
weird stretch where they were getting points in like nine
of ten, but like half those were just overtime losses,
literally being like tied for a playoff spot. To then

(03:08):
here's another five game, losing, streaking game, like it's just
the most savorous thing ever. And then of course, I mean,
don't you can't blame the team, but you also can
kind of blame the team, like just how do you
have so many injuries pop up? Like it feels like
a random injury happened almost after every game, and we
were just like, Okay, this is just the most savor
season you could possibly get. And then to literally up

(03:30):
until I mean, I'm gonna say, even when mccleoud tied
it Saturday night, I was still like, this team, they're
not winning this game. And then naturally they do, and
then they go and hammer Edmonton five to one, not
exaggerating when I say probably the best all round performance
by a Sabers team over the last two years. Like

(03:51):
that was just hands down domination of the Edmonton Oilers.
Like Conor McDavid, frustrated all night, really not dangerous at all,
So just extremely Sabers esque all in all, like a disaster,
i'd say, is a good way to describe how this
season has started, given the expectations that were there going

(04:11):
into it. But all in all, when you say a disaster,
you look up and they're six points out of first
place in the Atlantic.

Speaker 4 (04:16):
And they just got their first road win in Detroit
of the season.

Speaker 6 (04:19):
Yeah, that's hilarious. Yeah, one five and two, Like there again,
home and road Split's just insane. Like there's always something
that goes on with the Sabers, right Like the year
that they are one point out, it's, oh, their goaltending
was a disaster. The next year it's their five on
five offense and power play regressed. But Lucanan was really good.
And then last year it was Lucanan was really bad.
Their powerplay sucked. This year it's your power play stinks,

(04:42):
You're still scoring, you have the best penalty kill in
the NHL. Your goaltending has actually been decent. And but
by the way, anytime you're not playing at Key Bank Center,
you're going to look like a U eight team. It's
always something. It's always I'll tell you what you can't say.
The teams aren't The Sabers aren't an intro team. They
might not be a good team, but they're definitely an

(05:03):
interesting team. There's always something that'll make you happy or
angry with this god forsaken hockey team that we cheer for.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
And I know the Toronto Mapolice are playing at the
time or recording this, but when you look at the
standings right now, Austin, like, could you have imagined a
scenario where Boston, Detroit, Montreal are at the top of
the Atlantic and not necessarily Buffalo, but Toronto, Tampa Bay Florida.
Are those teams that aren't the top three teams in
the Atlantic?

Speaker 6 (05:29):
Yeah, Boston clearly a surprise, right Like, even when you
see them at twelve and nine, you look at their roster,
there's just no way, there's just no way they should
be this good. But they're they're playing well. If it lasts,
who knows. Montreal was a team that I was low
on they're kind of proving me wrong. Right now, They're
a lot of fun. But even then you still look
at look at that division. Every team in the Atlantic

(05:51):
Division has a zero or negative gold differential, Like the
East is drunk, and it's another year where the East
makes no sense. And then of course it's just aren't
finding a way to take advantage of it.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
Like of course, of course in a year where the
bottom teams somehow are in the top, the Sabers are
still the team that remains the same, right, Like, yeah,
it's just like and they they're still technically tied with them,
you know.

Speaker 6 (06:19):
Yeah, at the time of recording, they're going into the
third period with Saint Louis tied at two, So like
there is still a chance where with a game in hand,
you're tied with the lease goin to tomorrow depending on how
this third period goes tonight.

Speaker 3 (06:30):
Right, So again, when when you look at sort of
what the Sabers have done as of late, and I'll
pull up sort of their their last ten Austin before
we get into the real meat and potatoes of the episode,
Like you mentioned that Detroit game being able to come
back from down four to one. For your first road
win of the year, you beat an Edmonton Oilers team.
McDavid only comes here once a year, but you know

(06:52):
it's a big skeptical spectacle with you know, him potentially
being a Buffalo Saber in his draft year and losing
the lottery and everything like that. They had a dreadful
road trip, you know, out in Utah and Colorado. Like
when you look at sort of this last ten, to me,
that is sort of what the Savers have looked like
all year. Like they lose a couple, they win that
game against Washington in the shootout, and then they lose

(07:14):
six five straight and then they pull out two wins
out of a hat that you would have never expected
them to win. So it's like, how do you even
evaluate what this team is right now? Yeah, and the
injury status of guys too, obviously.

Speaker 6 (07:27):
If we want to throw that out there, right, Not
only do you have if you look at the preseason
projected top three lines for the Sabers team, right, you're
now down Benson, Norris, Kooleach Zucker, right, four of your
top nine forwards that you were projecting to be a
top like they're they're out and based off what Lindy

(07:47):
ruff Is saying, I mean, cooleach is a medical issue,
but we don't know when that's going to be resolved.
Doesn't sound like it's going to be anytime soon. Benson
was supposedly only supposed to be gone for a week.
Then he was in a walking boot, was in a
walking boat as early as or as recently as yesterday,
but now appears to be ready to join the team
for morning skate potentially you know, at the time of

(08:09):
recording this will be tomorrow. Zucker an illness who just
like like the poor like poor guy obviously not his fault,
but like of course an illness that knocks him out
for two weeks. Norris, you know, he looks like he's
gonna be ready in the next coming weeks here, but
like stuff you can overcome, right. And then Gallian, you know,
respect to him, glad he was able to, you know,

(08:32):
man like get the time off that he needed because
going through what he went through, clearly he needed that
time off. But on the ice, this team is just
not built to play without Rasmus Dahlid Nope, So like
unfortunately for him, the team was not able to rally
and steal a win. While he was gone, but the
second he came back, you could just see like the
difference that he makes and just how if you won't
watch his reaction at the end of that Detroit game,

(08:53):
like that was a massive win for the team, and
you could just see the relief on his face there.
So it's just just so many we like things have
gone wrong, which is why I called it a disaster,
But at the same time, as bad of a disaster
as it's been, as big of a disaster as it's been,
you're six.

Speaker 5 (09:06):
Points out of first place in the Atlantic, So like
I had no clue what to make of this team,
still no clue.

Speaker 3 (09:11):
About the Dalline point while he was out of the lineup,
Like were you really expecting either Boween Byram or Owen
Power to really, you know, showcase what they can do
without twenty six in the lineup? And how do you
think both those guys performed in those bigger spots.

Speaker 6 (09:26):
I mean as a staunch Owen Power defender, Like clearly
he played Power was solid in that Carolina game. He's
had some bad moments here and there, still has some
moments of you know, frustration, but also some moments of brilliance,
which is the thing about powers. The moments of brilliance
don't really ever get talked about. It's the moments of frustration,
which is fair. When your first overall pick, you're gonna
get criticized harshly. The thing about Biram played really well

(09:50):
against Edmonton, but I think everyone played really well against Edmonton.
The thing about Biram that you know when you noticed,
and it's it's whether you want to look at the
analytics or whether you just straight up watch the games.
Whatever pair bowhen Byron is on has more often than
not been their worst pair. I don't know, like he
he's fine. Like they they didn't step up and phil

(10:10):
Rasmusdallien's shoes because no one can, obviously, but like don't think.

Speaker 5 (10:14):
They did a good enough job.

Speaker 6 (10:16):
But at the same time, like maybe it's not fair
to expect them to fill Rasmus dallions shoes because that's
how good Rasmus Dallien is. Like I said, it's just
you can talk about it any which way. Like their
best players, I mean Cage since and this is I
guess something we can talk about later because it's in
a big picture. But Lindy was forced to put Tage
back to center, thankfully, because that's the best thing that's

(10:37):
ever happened to Cage. He's clearly better as a center,
even though Lindy Rough for whatever reason, does not want
him as a center. I don't I can't think of
a bigger disconnect between a head coach and the team's
best player.

Speaker 4 (10:48):
Does Lindy still think his wrist is hurting?

Speaker 5 (10:50):
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (10:50):
But like there's even when Norris comes back, watch Tage
the last three games, there's no way you can move
that dude back to wing, go with a top three
center spine.

Speaker 5 (10:58):
Of Tage Norris mcleach.

Speaker 6 (11:00):
But just like I said, just random things like that,
Like it's been such a weird, disastrous start to the season,
but they're they're alive.

Speaker 3 (11:08):
They are and again they're gonna start to get some
of these bodies back. I know, kessel Ring is sort
of up in the air right now. Week to week
for him, Yeah, Like Dolean coming back obviously was the
main thing, because you could clearly see without your best
player in your organization, and even with bo Byram supposedly
being able to step up, you know, he's played his

(11:30):
best hockey with Rasmus Dallin right, like how many how
long have we said that? Yeah, probably since he got
here to Buffalo from Colorado.

Speaker 6 (11:36):
We assumed that was a pair that was just gonna
work this year because it's worked in the past, and
it was not working. Now, you know, people could say
what they want what Doling went through this summer with
his fiance, Like, yeah, don't blame the dude for not
being one hundred percent bo. You've got to try and
pick your teammate up and you weren't able to. And
that's again good or bad, like Bo is just not
Byron is a fine player, but he's not good enough

(11:57):
to carry a pair. He needs a part or that
will carry him. And unfortunately, you know, it just it
wasn't working. But like I said, every pair of Rus
has been on this year has been their worst pair.
So like I it's it's tough. Like if you would
have told me, you know, nineteen games in Mattia Samuelson
is their second best defense man here. That's not true

(12:19):
at all, but it's tell aside from Dolly and tell
me a player who's been on the back end who's
been better than Matias Samuelson. Can't name one, like he's
been awesome, which isn't crazy because that's a victory left
Kevin Adams can.

Speaker 5 (12:31):
Take, which I don't want to give him any credit
for that.

Speaker 6 (12:34):
But like it's just like I said, and we talked about,
you know in our off season or season preview episode,
are young guys going to get a chance to step up?
These young guys have gotten a chance to step up
because of injuries, and you know, Rosen and Oceland are
making the best of it.

Speaker 5 (12:48):
But like same thing.

Speaker 6 (12:50):
You would have told me that Isaac Rosen and Noah
Oaceland were key members of this, this group of twelve
this early in the season, I would have told you, Okay,
that's a season from hell. And in many ways, it
has been a season from hell to start. But it's
like I said, it's been it's been an utter disaster,
but in pure Sabers fashion, the utter disaster.

Speaker 5 (13:10):
It's got life.

Speaker 6 (13:11):
Like I don't know a single team that is built
to withstand more than one injury to their top six forwards.
The Sabers have three. I don't know one team that's
built to have you know, kessel Ring was not here
last year, but he was penciled into their top four.
He has been hurt to start the year, Dolly had

(13:31):
to take a leave of absence, like missing so many
key players. Whatever you think of Lukenan or not, he
was penciled in as the sabers number one goalie was
not healthy to start the year.

Speaker 5 (13:42):
Like it's been so.

Speaker 6 (13:43):
Many injuries, so many illnesses, so many, so much inconsistency
on who's on the ice, who's not on the so
much inconsistent from the players who are on the ice
except for a handful of players. In some way, it's
it should have been expected because you know, if you
talk to most people, Kevin Adams built this team to
contend for the wild card, not to be a true

(14:04):
contender in the East. And when you're building your team
to be a contender for the wild card, you're not
built to withstand this stuff. No, no one is to
be fair, but it feels like for the Sabers, you
you should have had some contingency plans in place, and
thankfully rosen Oasland. I'll give Kozaks some call here. I'll

(14:28):
give Josh Done a lot of credit. That dude has
been awesome since he's been back up and always a
fourth liner. And people can say what you want about him.
He's been awesome in his role. Zach, Yeah, Zach, Zach
Metza had a couple of good games. What we're gonna
talk about later, which is, you know, the goaltending situation,
like Colton Ellis was a waiverclaim three and one. Is

(14:49):
he the Sabers number one goalie now? It appears to be.
I guess we'll see going forward. It's just Josh do
Josh don. I mean, yeah, he's just awesome.

Speaker 3 (14:58):
He like yeah, like I said, just people really didn't
know what to expect from him, right, Like they thought
he was just going to be like a typical third liner,
but they've needed him on the top of our plays,
moved up to the top line. Like, he's been a
very useful guy for them up and down the lineup
so far with these injuries.

Speaker 5 (15:12):
Yeah, he's been. He's been fantastic.

Speaker 6 (15:14):
Like I said, like when we when we've talked, you know,
I don't know if it was Saturday before the Red
Wings game, if it was Friday night, We're like, what
are we going to talk about on Tuesday? I told you,
like I had some thoughts, big picture stuff, and then
in pure Sabers fashion, they win the next two, which
will not take away from the big picture stuff. But
like I was ready to come on here and just
torch this team, torchs this organization. And then of course

(15:34):
they went too And like I said, they're only six
back of first in the Atlantic, so they're not letting.
They're not dying easy, which I guess is a good thing.
You gotta give him credit for that.

Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yeah, and you mentioned like how many key games they've
missed from you know, your your top line center and
Norris if you want to call him that, if Tages
on the wing, with DLin, with kessel Ring, like all
these guys. When you look at any other team and
you do the comparison of where those guys are in
their lineup, I don't see many teams being able to
overcome that either. We see what the least are going
through right now as well, like they've got a ton

(16:05):
of key injuries and look what's happening to them right So,
and no offense.

Speaker 6 (16:09):
To the Sabers, but like on paper the Sabers were
a fine team, they weren't a good team, right Like
good good teams aren't built to last with like with
stand this, so like a team with the Sabers clearly isn't.
But like I said, it's I'm conflicted because it's probably
gonna the rug is gonna get ripped from under their
feet again, probably more than likely.

Speaker 5 (16:31):
But it's shaping up to be.

Speaker 6 (16:34):
They just hammered Edmonton, they got Calgary, who's the worst
team in the NHL coming into town Chicago on Friday,
But looking at the schedule, Chicago's on the back half
of them back to back there, Like if this is
one of those chances where the Sabers teams of the past,
they've gotten this close to the hump, have just never
been able to get over it. Can they finally get
over the hump now we we don't know. We'll see

(16:57):
And this this this not gonna call an easy schedule
because there's no easy moments for the Sabers, we know that.
But getting you know, you've been really good at home
this year, getting the Flames and the Blackhawks and then
Carolina on Sunday, which we know the Sabers just don't
beat the Hurricane, so it's probably a loss there. But
having this these next two games at a come at
a time where it appears they're getting healthy, Like I

(17:21):
like Benson, Norris, Zucker, they're not playing. We're gonna assume
they're not playing against the Flames. Like we know, Zucker
isn't until the weekend. Norris is probably still a week
or two away. Benson, who the hell knows, Like I
don't know if he joins the team for a morning skate.
I'm gonna guess he needs a couple more skates before
they can even consider putting him back in. But coming
off that Edmonton game, you need and having this Flames

(17:43):
Blackhawks hurricane stretch where it appears you're getting healthy, feels
like if this was if you were ever gonna get
over to hump, this.

Speaker 4 (17:49):
Is the time and you're at home, which you've played
your best hockey.

Speaker 6 (17:52):
Yeah like this you can't yeah yeah.

Speaker 3 (17:56):
Like again one win on the road, So like if
they were on a four game road trip right now,
you'd be like, oh, boy, like this is but again
they they have shown that they play their best hockey
in front of their fans, which can get on them
more than anybody. But it's you know, as you see
up on the screen to the injury report there, you know,
as you mentioned, might still be a while for these guys.
Kessel rings extended period of time going to be out.

(18:17):
As Lindy Ruff said, Zucker and Norris participated in the
morning skate, but again we don't know that necessarily mean
that they're going to be Pennsylvan in the lineup tonight
or you know, Friday or Sunday. And then Benson is
expected at today's morning skate as well, So it's you know,
but right now they're relying on the Roseans and Ocelands

(18:38):
to be those guys. And I mean, you know, all
the credit to them, we didn't expect them up this
early in the season. You know that we expected those
guys to be full time Rochester Americans, and you know
that they've been able to come up, and you know,
maybe it's better that they're together. Maybe that helps the
familiarity there. There's two of them, there's that connection. We
saw that really nice goal that they they set up
against Detroit. So it's you know, but it's not something

(19:01):
that I think is sustainable. So they got to get
healthy here because I don't think you can rely on
those two guys to produce that at what at the
rate they've been going at in the top six for
the next twenty games to come.

Speaker 5 (19:14):
Yeah, when we get.

Speaker 6 (19:14):
Into big picture stuff, I might have a little bit
of a contradicting opinion on that because I do think
they probably maybe not at that rate. Like Isaac Rotz
is producing at a fifty seven point pace. I don't
know if he I don't think he can keep it.

Speaker 5 (19:26):
But I do think that these two can give you
what they've been given you and you won't miss a step.

Speaker 6 (19:33):
Now, granted, it's a different story when you're talking about
getting a guy like Zach Benson, you know, Josh Morris,
Jason Zucker back, But if you look at the way
the team's played since these two young kids have been up,
they're not the problem up until that, I'll say the
Colorado game because Page started to kind of bring it
in that Colorado game. Up until that game, the issue

(19:56):
with the Sabers was eighty nine and seventy two. They
were not playing well at all. They were sinking this
team because they're your two best players and they were
not playing like your two best players. In a contract
year for Tuck and an Olympic year for Tuck, in
an Olympic year for Tage, they have been way too inconsistent.
Now they're starting to bring it on, I said, I
think I think a big part of Tage not playing

(20:16):
well was that he's playing wing, which might again could
be a whole nother problem. Like if you're sad because
you're not at center, one, use your big boy words.
You're you're an adult making a lot of money, go
to your coach and say I want to play center
or two, you're talented enough just take over the game
as a winger. But the noticeable jump in his place
since he went back to center, it's clear that that's
where he belongs. Tuck has been really good, really bad,

(20:40):
really good, really bad. I think it's fair to say
the contract situation might be wearing on him, or at
least in the back of his mind. But you can
see it when Tuck's at his best. Like the Edmonton
game was a perfect Everyone was playing at their best
and that team without all those guys steamrolled the oilers. So,
like I said, big picture stuff, I'm you got some

(21:00):
tough choices to make, Kevin Adams and Lenny rough because
your two three. If you want, you can. You can
throw Kozak in there if you want. These guys are saying, hey,
I don't know, I don't know if I want to
go back to Rochester.

Speaker 5 (21:14):
I don't.

Speaker 6 (21:14):
I don't know if I deserve to go back to
Rochester because, like I said, when we talk about the
big picture stuff in the back half, I mean, is
Tyson Kozak a lot? Is that a huge drop off
from a Peyton Krebs coming from Peytonkrebs's biggest supporter, you know,
is Rosen and Oaceland. You're really worse off having them
in the lineup than you are. Again, no offense to

(21:35):
Suckersucker's been a great veteran for this team. But I
haven't missed Sucker. I can tell you that glad. I'm
glad he's coming back, but production wise, you haven't missed him.

Speaker 4 (21:43):
Yeah. And the penalty kill penalty kill.

Speaker 6 (21:46):
Like when we talk big pictures stuff, there's three sabers
that I want to talk about, Okay, Greenway Crabs, And
I mean, let's be honest. Jack Quinn has been really
up and down, but when is he looked at his best?
Soon when his Rosen and Osla got here, Quinn started
to feel comfortable and take over again, you know what
I mean? Like, Yeah, got some tough, tough decisions to

(22:08):
make with your roster.

Speaker 5 (22:09):
And that's before we even talk about the goalie situation.

Speaker 3 (22:12):
Like, yeah, there's a lot to go over. And again,
Lindy Ruff and Kevin Adams both one or none of
neither of them could be here next year for those
decisions to come down, but we're.

Speaker 5 (22:22):
Gonna make it should be neither of them.

Speaker 4 (22:24):
Sure that you're not the only one with with the
hot take of that.

Speaker 5 (22:27):
I don't even think that's a hot take.

Speaker 4 (22:29):
No it's not, that's it was a sarcastic hot take.

Speaker 5 (22:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (22:31):
Yeah, But again.

Speaker 3 (22:33):
We're gonna get into the big picture stuffer and take
a break. We're gonna come back. We're gonna talk about
the fan pole, We're and talk about the goaltending and
as Austin mentioned, uh, you know who should be making
these big decisions for the Sabers in some important contract years.
So stay at here, right back on Saber Semantics, right
here on the armchair GM Sports Network.

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Speaker 9 (24:24):
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(24:46):
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Speaker 2 (25:06):
This Employment Ontario program is funded by the Government of Ontario.

Speaker 5 (25:17):
Hey, here we call it's talking Died and Block.

Speaker 7 (25:21):
Okay, Here we call.

Speaker 6 (25:23):
The Boys and Blue Wine.

Speaker 7 (25:26):
Here we call some.

Speaker 1 (25:29):
On Let's hear you from your ons.

Speaker 3 (25:37):
Same Welcome back to part two of today Saber Semantics episode.
Brendancouto and Austin brought of Elite prospects back with you
right here on the Armchair GM Sports Network. Thank you
those that are tuned in on the video version on YouTube.
Make sure to hit like, hit subscribe, and smash that
bells the updated with all of our video coverage here
on the network. And thank you those that are loyal

(25:58):
audio listeners and your favorite on demand podcast platforms. You
also give us a follow on ex at Saber Semantics
as well as on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by searching
the arm Share GM Sports Network for our short reels
and content. So, Austin, let's let's start things off here
in segment two. We're gonna talk big picture here. I
know it's something that you really want to discuss here.
Who should be making these decisions for the Sabers. What

(26:19):
decision should they be making? And as the team gets healthy,
what are the roster decisions with some of these guys.

Speaker 4 (26:25):
You know, what do you do with Rosane? What do
you do with Austlind.

Speaker 3 (26:27):
We're gonna get into all that in part two today,
but we're gonna start things off here with our fan
poll and again at Saber Smantics on X to get
in on our fan polls for all of our episodes
that we record here on Saber Semantics. And the poll
today was which of the three goaltenders has earned the
bulk of the starts for the Sabers going forward. If
you guys watching on YouTube, you can see the results,
but for you listening in audio, colt Ellis was the

(26:50):
you know, landslide winner here at seventy one percent, Alex
Lyon was second at twenty nine and Ukobecca Lucanan zero percent.
Austin does the first of all, do the results of
this poll surprise you?

Speaker 4 (27:03):
A and B? What are your thoughts on it?

Speaker 6 (27:06):
A little surprise in terms of just Ellis getting seventy
one percent, Probably a little recency biased, but that's fine.
I mean, Lion Theres there's so much credit for how
he was able to kind of stabilize things early on
when it was going bad. I know people are saying
he pumpkined a little bit. I'm not gonna say he
turned back into a pumpkin like he's just he's an
older guy. Who you know, has been about as He's

(27:29):
been as good as you can ask for the Sabers, right.
Has he had a couple of rough games, Yeah, but
he's a goalie. That's what happens. Ellis, I think, aside
from don't even know how much blame you can really
put on them, but aside from that final period in
the road Utah game, has been very good in all
of his starts, I think, yeah, after last night, it's
fair to say he's he's earned the net here a

(27:51):
little bit. And from what we know about Lindy, Lindy
likes to ride the hot hand. Ellis is the hot hand,
so I could see it there. I don't disagree with
Lucannan getting zero percent of the vote, but that kind
of speaks to a bigger issue here is why the
heck do we still have three goalies?

Speaker 5 (28:08):
Right?

Speaker 6 (28:08):
Like earlier in the year, I think we were like, Okay,
Colt Malice, don't know what you have here, but you
kind of have to let lucan In work his way
back from the injury.

Speaker 5 (28:19):
And I'm not going to say he's been.

Speaker 6 (28:22):
Terrible since health, but in his limited starts to Lucanen
has been what We've known Lucan in to be right, inconsistent,
make some big saves here and there, but at the
end of the day.

Speaker 5 (28:33):
Just leaves you.

Speaker 6 (28:36):
Thinking like I just needed one timely save in this
game and it could have made a difference. That leaves
game that.

Speaker 5 (28:41):
They lost in overtime.

Speaker 6 (28:42):
Was that that was the best encapsulation of Ukapeca.

Speaker 5 (28:46):
Lucan's career when one on the season. Yeah, I know,
financially he's the one you're being committed to, but.

Speaker 4 (28:53):
Yeah, if he goes on waivers, do you think he
would get claimed?

Speaker 6 (28:56):
No, not with that, not with that contract. But I
also think with that, with that contract, he's not totally
untradeable either.

Speaker 5 (29:03):
I don't know what his value.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
Is, but live for the next three years after but.

Speaker 5 (29:09):
Like I don't know.

Speaker 6 (29:10):
Again, obviously it's limited, no trade clause kicking in next year,
but like this is the year you can move on
from him and send him anywhere you want, without even
talking about Devin Levi, who also factors into this, because
next year he's gonna need waivers, right yep. So like
you kept three goalies because you wanted to have an
insurance policy in case Lucanan got hurt or whatever. Lucanan

(29:33):
has not been playing well, Lion has needed a little
bit of a break, Elis has stepped up. This herein
lies the problem with three goalies is all three of
these guys need the net. You're not in a position
as an organization to try and share up the net.
It's I gotta let my best goalie play, and right
now my best goalie is Colton Ellis. Is he gonna
be the best goal for the Stabers for the rest

(29:54):
of the year. Nobody knows, but right now he is.
Four games is a small sample size. But like, when
you really think about it, what's the worst case for
Colton Ellis He gives you Ucopeca Lucan in level of play, Well,
I already have that Nuko Peca Luca in it, but it's
cost to be four million dollars more than Colton Nellie does.
So I think that's you know, back to the Rosen
and Oasland thing we were talking about earlier. These guys

(30:18):
are kind of forcing your hand here, forcing some tough
decisions on you. If you're a real organization, you have
to ice your best roster and you need to have
those conversations on what is my best roster, and right
now it appears that Colt Elice needs to be on
this If this is your best roster, you can make
the case for both Rosen and Oasland, but guaranteed one

(30:39):
of them needs to be on this roster if it's
your best roster. So what tough decisions need to be made?
How do you make them? Like you said, considering waving Lucanan,
no one's claiming him. But guess what if you wave Lucanan,
who's down in Rochester right now, Devin Levi, who's Rochester

(31:00):
leaned on for the last two plus.

Speaker 3 (31:01):
Years, Devin le Levi, You're gonna take starts away from
him to start Lucan in.

Speaker 5 (31:06):
For Lukenid Like you kind of already did that up
here in Buffalo, like you know what.

Speaker 3 (31:10):
Like and we know for a fact Colton Nellis would
probably get claimed by Saint Louis or reclaimed because they
they hated losing him.

Speaker 6 (31:17):
Not only that Colt Nellis has played good enough someone
else besides Saint Louis. Saint Louis, I think it was
like third on the waiver order, so he probably would
end up back there. But like someone else would put
in a claim on holt Nell's right, if not Saint Louis.

Speaker 5 (31:27):
You know how it is with goalies.

Speaker 6 (31:29):
It's the goaltending situation has now come to a head
where they could get away with three goalies earlier in
the year. With all these injuries and stuff. We just said,
people are starting to get healthy. You can't afford to
waste one roster spot on a third goalie who's not
really playing very often.

Speaker 5 (31:42):
You've got to make a choice here.

Speaker 4 (31:44):
You think they're like if a trade.

Speaker 3 (31:46):
It's like hypothetical if somebody came to Adams right now
and said I'll trade you anything for uco Peka Lucan
and you think he's taken it, draft pick anything, just
to get that contract and figure out all right, we
got Ellison lyon for the rest of the.

Speaker 5 (31:59):
Well, here's here's a problem.

Speaker 6 (32:01):
I don't want you to make a dumb trade for
Kapeka luken In, but you should absolutely be shopping him
trying to get value for him. Whether it's you know,
again later after we talk about or we can get
into it now either if you want.

Speaker 5 (32:12):
I don't care either.

Speaker 6 (32:13):
Is Kevin Adams the one I want making that trade?
I don't know. But guess what he's the GM, so
you got to let him do his job. Unfortunately, if
you don't remove him from his job, part of his
job is to make these roster decisions. This is This
is whether people like every we all know what as fans,
we all notice people who anyone who covers his Sabers
three goalies is fine when you have the roster flexibility.

(32:33):
You don't have the roster flexibility coming up. Norris is
gonna be healthy, Benson's gonna be healthy, Zuka is gonna
get healthy. Oceland and Rosen are playing well. You can't
like you're wasting two roster spots right now at the
Sabers on a third goalie in Mason Gearton. You don't
have that luxury anymore now that people are starting to
get healthy and your HL guys are playing good and
colt Ellis is playing good. Colt Ellis was fine when
you didn't know what you had, But guess what right

(32:55):
now you're about to lean on him as your.

Speaker 5 (32:56):
Number one for a little bit here. Yeah, So, like
a decision needs to be made.

Speaker 4 (33:01):
And in your opinion, Adam isn't the guy to make
the decision.

Speaker 6 (33:04):
Well no, but unfortunately he's the one in charge right now,
So he's got to be the one to make it,
whether I want him to or not.

Speaker 5 (33:09):
He's the one who's got to make this decision.

Speaker 4 (33:11):
Is Itmo, that'd be?

Speaker 5 (33:12):
Whether it could be, there's an argument that it could be.

Speaker 3 (33:15):
You did bring up a good point before we started
about where Yarma was and where Kevin Adams was this weekend.

Speaker 6 (33:20):
If you listen to Matthew Fairburn, he's like Yarmo Is
is around the arena in Buffalo all the time. He's
at practices, he's at games. He was scouting a Columbus
game with Jason Carmano's a couple weeks ago. He was
the one on the road in Utah where apparently Kevin
Adams was in Rochester at the Amricks game. But then
Kevin Adams was also scouting the Leafs Kings the other week. Like,
I don't know what's going on. I don't know who's

(33:41):
in charge, but someone is in charge, and someone has
to make these decisions. You know, when the Sabers were
losing to Detroit, I was fully on board to lose
this game and let's hope it forces a change. Probably
a little bit of wishful thinking, because thirteen losses in
a row last year wasn't enough for them to force
a change. But it comes down to the dude is here.
You have to let him do his job. You as

(34:02):
a real, as a real if you want to be
considered a real, respectful organization, you cannot waste a roster
spot on the third goalie who's not playing. I know
you financially committed to Ucopeca Lucan in tough you financially
committed to Dylan Cousins, and you shipped him out. Make
them make the move here.

Speaker 4 (34:17):
They were like smitting that Colton.

Speaker 3 (34:19):
When Colton else became available on the waiver wire, it
was yeah, and.

Speaker 6 (34:22):
To their credit, nice waiver pickup. Whether he pans out
or not, you saw something in your scouting department saw
something in this kid. He's been very solid for four games.
Not a bad waiver pickup. He's clearly not up great
over over Georgiev, who's our third goalie in training camp.

Speaker 4 (34:40):
Right so in Lin's on a two year deal.

Speaker 6 (34:42):
Lin's on a two year deal. If we're talking this season,
it's not smart to have three goalies. If we're talking
big picture, you have to decide between Lucan and Levi Anyway,
if Ellis is good, you then have to decide between Ellis,
Lucanan and Levi and Lion. The easiest way is to
one of them out right now, and not in terms

(35:02):
of like today, but like soon this year, right because
the ross, like I said, the roster crunch is coming.
You have some tough decisions to make, and as terrifying
as it is right now, Kevin Adams and or Yarmo,
if it's Yarmo, I feel less terrified about it. But like,
as far as I know, Kevin Adams is still the
gym of this team, so he's gonna be the one
making him.

Speaker 3 (35:22):
If they could get out from under that luken In contract.
You look at Lyon and Ellis, that's just over two
million dollars for your two goalies.

Speaker 4 (35:31):
Like that's a bargain, right, Yeah, it's a bargain.

Speaker 5 (35:35):
That's the problem.

Speaker 6 (35:35):
But on the flip side, like I just said, what's
the worst case for Colton Ellis? You get Uko Pekka
Lubinin level consistency for four million dollars less than what
Lukenan is making.

Speaker 3 (35:46):
Right right, Like you have to, but do you think
they might have to retain some of that salary from somebody, I.

Speaker 5 (35:52):
Don't think so.

Speaker 6 (35:53):
Four point seventy five for a guy who could be
you know, look at some of these goalie contracts out there.

Speaker 5 (35:57):
I don't think so like joy to chords making a
ton of money.

Speaker 4 (36:00):
So is Grubauer.

Speaker 5 (36:02):
Yeah, I think the contract is fine. Right.

Speaker 6 (36:06):
I'm not saying like I'm not here to crap on
Lucanan or anything, but when you factor in the near
immediate goaltending situation with the levi of at all for
the future, feels like if you're ever going to move Lucanan,
now is the time. Or you have to say lucans
are number one and we have to give him a
shot here. But what you as a serious hockey team
cannot do that. He has not shown anything for the

(36:27):
last year plus. He had the one year two years
ago where he caught lightning in a bottle, played really
well and the team in front of him failed. But
in the other years of his NHL career he's been
what he is. I'd rather see Colt Nellie at seven
hundred and seventy five thousand dollars get a shot here
and Lion because Lion's been also. I know he's had
his ups and downs, But Lyon has been very good.

Speaker 3 (36:48):
For the Saver so far this year, and Levi is
on an extension as well right now, right.

Speaker 6 (36:54):
Like yeah, like I said, Levi ol factor into this
next year because he needs waivers. So like, you have
to make a choice on what you have, what you
actually think Devin Levi is. But it's a lot easier
to pick between three goalies than it is four. And
if you don't move lucan and you carry three goalies
for the rest of the year, you then not only
have to find the net for all three of them,
you have to factor in that you have four goalies
under contract who will all need waivers and all need

(37:16):
to have a yeah, And then that's like the goalie
situation is big. And like I hinted at before the
roster crunch, up front, we can we can ignore the
defense for a bit because it feels like kes Ring
is gonna be out for a while and there's not
really a decision to make. We know who their top
six defense are, but with their forwards.

Speaker 3 (37:32):
Coming, I was just gonna say point of order. If
you wanted to quickly touch on the Levi thing with
Mike Leone, Yeah.

Speaker 6 (37:40):
I mean we could do that if you want. I
know Michael Leon was hot in the streets for a
little bit. I also firmly not saying he should be
the head coach of the Buffalo Sabers, but factors into
the to the Rosen and Oceland. Is it really a
surprise that the two guys who were coming up from
Rochester look the most competent on the power play when
you know the current Sabers power plays being run by

(38:02):
the old Rochester head coach. That leads into Leone just
being what seems like a very competent and good head coach.

Speaker 5 (38:08):
If you want to play the Levi clip.

Speaker 3 (38:10):
Yeah, uh, I want to play this because obviously Devin Levi,
as you mentioned earlier in the show, you know, he's
been Rochester's guy last year.

Speaker 4 (38:17):
This year, they rely on them a lot.

Speaker 3 (38:19):
But over this last weekend, you know, his head coach
definitely you know, held him accountable. And here's a Mike
Leone postgame, uh, following his second straight pulling of Devin Levi.

Speaker 1 (38:30):
The decision just, I guess thoughts on the dead name
only second.

Speaker 5 (38:35):
Time he's ever got to be better?

Speaker 10 (38:38):
Like, I mean, I don't know what you want going
to say, like, hey, I know he's a really good goalie,
but it's not about him, It's about the team. You
don't play good enough, you're just like a player. I'm
I'm just being honest, Like I understand, but that's a
lot of goals in the three game stretch, you know
what I'm saying.

Speaker 5 (38:54):
And we believe in him.

Speaker 10 (38:55):
He's but at the same time, part of your development
is we need we need to say, like the fifth
one can't go in. You know what I'm saying, Like
it just can't. Like I I understand, I was the
one that pulled him twice, like I anyone who knows me,
if you play well, you're gonna play. So it's the
same thing for a goalie. Just because it's because his

(39:17):
name's Devin Levi doesn't mean he can't get pulled or
not play good, like it's a team effort, like where
I'm not here to like it's part of his development,
like you just at the same time, we believe in him.
I believe in him. He's been really good for us.
But if someone plays bad, like you gotta.

Speaker 3 (39:36):
Play better, Austin, what are your reaction to that? And
do you think that's just a sort of a small
sample sized thing, or do you think that's a bigger issue.

Speaker 6 (39:44):
No, I don't think it's a bigger issue. I think
it's a small sample size. You look at Levi's a
HL career, He's he's been great. But I mean every
goalie gets pulled at one point career, So I have
no problem with that. I have no problem with leone
I saying it either. I think you take that message
and you echo it and reply directly to what's going
on here with the Sabers too, right right, like you're
in rough rough to Russ credit. He he does that.

(40:05):
He rides the hot hand. When you're a goalie, if
you're playing good, you play. And to be fair, I
know Lucan got a couple starts in a short stretch here,
but who have been the goalies that have had multiple
starts in a row. It's been lying and now it's
Ellis's turn. Levi hasn't had that this year, which reflects
on the fact that he has not played well enough
this year. He lost the net to James Rymer at

(40:27):
the end of last year in a season that was lost.

Speaker 4 (40:30):
Right.

Speaker 6 (40:30):
If you want to take what Leone said and apply
it to the Sabers. You play well, you're gonna play Lukenen.
You gotta play well to play. He hasn't played well. Like,
it's kind of where I'm at with the three goalie situation,
where yeah, someone's the.

Speaker 5 (40:46):
Odd man out.

Speaker 6 (40:48):
He's consistently been the odd man even back to Comrie Levi,
Comriy Levi and Lucanan. When Levi first got here, when
the Sabers were pushing for that playoff spot and missed
it by a point, they rode Devin Levi for the
last ten games of the year because that's who they trusted,
the Sabers, and that was before rough. The Savers have
shown over years that they will give Levi the net,

(41:11):
but he has not been able to keep it, aside
from that one year where he was hot.

Speaker 5 (41:15):
It's time to make the choice on the kid.

Speaker 6 (41:17):
If you're gonna if he's gonna be here, he's your
most expensive goal, you've got to play him.

Speaker 4 (41:22):
Yeah, Like, how long?

Speaker 3 (41:24):
How much longer you think this can drag on before
we get to the forward side.

Speaker 6 (41:28):
Not long, because getting straight to the forward side, that's
gonna put a crunch on your numbers.

Speaker 4 (41:33):
Yeah, we just we just talked about it.

Speaker 6 (41:35):
Zucker and Benson look like they're coming back in the
next couple of days. They're both currently on IR. To
get them activated, you've got to send two guys down.
Who's going down when they come out, who's coming who's
going down when Norris comes back? We're not even talking
about you know who else is on IR? Justin Danforth.
I haven't even mentioned his name. I don't really care
to mention his name. But that's another guy that will

(41:56):
have to be activated at some point.

Speaker 4 (41:58):
And you could use that extra rock your spot if
you didn't have three goalies.

Speaker 6 (42:02):
You know, you can use that actual roster spot if
you didn't have three goalies, if you didn't have Matsing
Geertsen right here, I mean you said that, you know,
you don't know if you can if you don't know
if you personally can trust Rosen and Iceland here have
in your opinion, have they played good enough to be
Buffalo Sabers right now?

Speaker 3 (42:18):
I think they've played better than some of the people
on this roster for sure so far this year. Yeah,
if I just I'm just looking at like throughout a.

Speaker 6 (42:27):
Yeah, totally totally fair, totally fair. But what I'm saying
this comes into big picture. Who should be making these decisions?
What are these decisions? Real serious hockey team. You need
to ice your best roster. Yeah, the current state of
the Buffalo Sabers, their best roster includes at least one
of Oceland or Rosen, maybe not both of them, because

(42:48):
I understand, you know, like we can't have Oceland and
Rosen here and have them, you know, them on the
fourth line because that's just not realistic and all that stuff.

Speaker 4 (42:57):
You'd rather than in Rochester on the top line at
that point.

Speaker 6 (42:59):
So maybe, I mean, realistically, I wouldn't prefer that, but
I get the roster makeup.

Speaker 5 (43:05):
You have roles for people, blah blah blah.

Speaker 6 (43:07):
But what I'm saying is I'd much rather have those
two than Greenway crabs. I mean nothing against Nallenstein. He's
a great four f liner, so I'll keep him. I
guess Dun's played well, keep him too. Kozak's and Kozak
Krebs Greenway are the three. You know, if we take

(43:27):
what we know about Lindy Rough Greenway and Kevin Adams.
Greenway is not going anywhere like we had Greenway start
the other night, like the Detroit game, Greenway was supposed
to be on the ice and McLoud waved him off
so he could go score the game tying goal. Like
this is what I'm talking about. The coach trust Greenway.
So my opinion doesn't matter there. He's clearly being here.
But what I'm saying is, if you're a true team

(43:49):
who wants to be the best, you have to ice
your best roster. And I see at least four or
five guys on this roster that should be snipped, sent down,
traded anything for those two go down.

Speaker 3 (44:01):
So you'd say green like guys on like odd men
note Greenway, Geartson, Oh Gearson.

Speaker 5 (44:08):
Should be gone. I think Geartson should be gone.

Speaker 4 (44:10):
I don't know if they will work when he comes
off ir again.

Speaker 6 (44:15):
Why is Justin dan Forth signed here? If Peyton Krebs
and Tyson Kozak are going to be here, Nothing against
Justin dan Forth, but like we had a guy for
his role and.

Speaker 5 (44:22):
They decided to sign him anyway.

Speaker 6 (44:24):
They they've done moves that don't make any sense and
are restricting their ability to ice their best roster. But
I look at as good as Jack Quinn has been playing,
you're telling me, if you replace Jack Quinn, this lineup
with Isaac Rosen.

Speaker 5 (44:40):
Is it that big of a drop off?

Speaker 4 (44:41):
Probably not. And it's cheaper, probably not. Greenway is making
four million this year and next year.

Speaker 6 (44:46):
That's what I'm saying, Like, we're now coming down to
crunch time where these two are forcing your hand and
it's time to look at your roster and make some
real tough decisions. I'm not saying you need to trade
Quinn for Rosen, but I think he's played well enough
for it to least be a conversation, whether it's Qui,
whether it's Oaceland over Krebs, you know what I mean.
Like there's a couple of these roster battles where it's,
like we said it before with Rosen, if not this year,

(45:07):
when well, it looks like he is ready this year.

Speaker 4 (45:11):
Now.

Speaker 3 (45:11):
Does this tie back into the summer discussion that we,
you know, beat a dead horse to about Kevin Adams
not going out and getting an established veteran top six forward.

Speaker 6 (45:20):
Yeah, of course it does, because what did Kevin Adams do?
He got a bunch of guys to fill the bottom
six again when the bottom six options could have just
been filled in house. Hand up. You can say Josh
Don has been a top six acquisition. It's a semantics.
He was not a top six acquisition when you traded
for him. Sure, Like I said, it all begs comes
down to. I guess what I'm trying to say is

(45:42):
there's these tough roster decisions coming up. They're real like,
these are not easy decisions to make. They're ones that
need to be made the guy who's in charge of
this team right now, again, because he's the GM, so
I'm gonna assume he's in charge. I don't know if
I want this guy making these tough choices. Unfortunately, this
is the situation that they're in. I don't know if
I trust him to make the right one. I think
he's gonna lean on the fact that Rosen and Oslunder

(46:04):
both waiver exempt. They can be sent down no problem,
and that's what they'll.

Speaker 4 (46:11):
Do, even if the team looks worse without them there, Even.

Speaker 6 (46:14):
If the team looks worse. I think that is what's
gonna happen. I think that is wrong. I think these
two have played well enough to earn an extended look.
I also know it could be wrong if Yarmo was
the GM here. I don't necessarily know he's not doing
the same exact thing. But I do know Kevin adams
track record, Kevin Adams being potentially a lame duck GM
being in charge here, I don't know if I want

(46:36):
him even exploring the trade market for a guy like
He should have explored the trade market for a guy
like Jack Quinn in the offseason, and he didn't. He
just signed him to a two year extension. That kind
of is foreshadowing to where I don't think he's gonna
make these tough choices because he's committed to these guys.

Speaker 5 (46:48):
He's just gonna stay committed to them.

Speaker 6 (46:51):
Means again, I don't know if Yarmo makes the hard
choice either. Obviously this is just any free world here.
But between the goalie situation and these young Rochester guys
pushing for roster spots, like time to grow up and
be a real team here, be a real organization. Make
a tough choice. Hey, I know, Jordan Greenway, I gave
you a two year, four million dollar contract. You're not
playing good, I'm sending you out, or you're I'm doing

(47:15):
something with you. Hey, Peyton Krebs, giving you ample opportunity
to prove you're more than a fourth liner, you're not.

Speaker 5 (47:23):
I gotta do something with you.

Speaker 6 (47:24):
Hey, Jack Quinn, I know I gave you a bridge deal,
but I can get similar production from Osland Rosen here.

Speaker 5 (47:29):
I'm gonna look to see what I can get for you.

Speaker 6 (47:32):
These are conversations that need to be had, and I
just don't trust the guy in charge to be having them.
And I don't trust the guy in charge to make
the right decisions to ice the best roster. I'm not
saying I know what the best roster is, but I
watched the team. I see these young kids, I see Colton.

Speaker 5 (47:48):
That is playing.

Speaker 6 (47:49):
I know there's real, real debates on who's better for
this team or not, and I just I don't think
it's gonna matter. I think, like I said, I think
he's gonna take the easy way out. He's gonna wave
oseln and oast Lynn Rosen. I don't think he's gonna
trade Lucanan. I think they're just gonna run three goalies.
And I just don't think these decisions are one best
for the team. But at this yeah, like it all

(48:10):
leads back to it all leads to the guy up top,
Terry po Adam shouldn't be the GM. Adam shouldn't even
be in position to have these decisions fall into his lap,
but here he is. And of course, now I don't
trust him to make the right choice. And you know
at a supposed playoffs or bust.

Speaker 3 (48:24):
Here right, And you've also got another major decision in
an Alex Tuck contract, right like come trade deadline? Are
you moving Alex Tuck if you're not in it? And
that's the other thing is Adam's the right guy to make,
you know, a massive roster decision like that of Alex
Tuck at age twenty nine, re sign them, trade them?

Speaker 5 (48:44):
What do you do?

Speaker 3 (48:45):
Like again that that's a major decision that Kevin Adams
has to do within the next twelve months if he's
still on the job.

Speaker 6 (48:52):
Yeah, the talk one is a little bit more nuanced
because I I'll give him some credit here, not credit
if you're signing Alex. I don't think it tastes like
if you're saying, hey, you have the okay to sign Tuck.

Speaker 5 (49:05):
Adams can do that. That's fine.

Speaker 6 (49:07):
Now when it comes to if they don't sign Tuck
and they want to trade him, no, I don't want
Adams making that trade. I don't want Kevin Adams deciding
what player, prospect or pick he wants for Alex Tuck.
Hell no, because if you're trading Tuck and you're getting futures, Adams,
I don't You're not part of the future. You don't
get to decide what comes in in that return. The
signing of Tuck, I guess it is what it is, right,

(49:27):
Like the market kind of sets itself, Terry Paula. I
don't know how the hell this deal hasn't been signed yet.
That's a whole another story here. But yeah, no, for
in terms of trading Tuck. Absolutely not. There's no way
Adams should be involved in trading a guy like that.
But again, maybe maybe we're all wrong, and maybe he's
GM and title only and y're most the one running

(49:48):
the team. But until I'm told that, I have to
act like this dude's the GM because they let him
stick around.

Speaker 5 (49:55):
We know his relationship with.

Speaker 6 (49:56):
Terry, we know how much Pogola trusts him. So how
so how am I How can I believe that he's
not the one in charge?

Speaker 4 (50:04):
Right?

Speaker 3 (50:05):
And I mean, Alex Tuck got off to a slow
start this year, Like, again, what's the market value for him?

Speaker 4 (50:10):
Right?

Speaker 5 (50:11):
Like?

Speaker 4 (50:11):
Does that?

Speaker 6 (50:12):
I mean Kempey just signed for ten point what ten
point six two five or whatever?

Speaker 5 (50:15):
It was.

Speaker 6 (50:16):
Yeah, pretty good comparable. I know campe is younger, but
production wise, winger wise, everything wise. That seemed to be
the one that everyone said, this is a pretty good
comparable for Tuck. Guess what they're all at. He's he signed,
Connor signed, who else signed? Michael was always going to
be above him, Kapersov is always going to be above him.
Mac David was always gonna be about But all these
guys signed the free agent classes looking real slim next year.

(50:39):
You don't think Tuck's agents are like, hey man, maybe
hold off. We can go to market. If you really
want to stay in Buffalo, we can go to market
and get more leverage.

Speaker 5 (50:46):
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (50:46):
I don't know what these conversations are having. I'm not obviously,
I know nothing about it. But like I do know,
Kevin Adams let this Tuck, and Tuck deserves some some
blame in this too. Like Tuck didn't sign with the Sabers.
I'm sure there was negotiations involved, but given what we
know about Adams and the Sabers and their whole situation here,
we knew Tuck had all the leverage, so I don't

(51:06):
blame Tuk for using his leverage.

Speaker 5 (51:08):
Adams, you let this linger.

Speaker 6 (51:10):
Now, Tuck, you're letting it, you know, at times, letting
it potentially affect your play. But for the most part,
Tuck is you know, he's producing at nearly a point
per game pace. He's still playing well. Is he perfect
all the time?

Speaker 2 (51:20):
No?

Speaker 6 (51:21):
But he's a human, So I'm sure the contracts weghing
on his mind. But it's another same thing here. It's
like you let Kevin Adams.

Speaker 5 (51:27):
Be in charge.

Speaker 6 (51:29):
He traded JJ peterca right, not a core piece, but
a top six piece. You let him bring in kessel
Ring and Doan who or Doan's been really good? Kessel
Ring remains to be seen, He's been hurt, all that,
things like that, But you let him make an altering
trade there. You let him try to sign Tuck.

Speaker 5 (51:45):
He never did.

Speaker 6 (51:45):
It's like it's like it's just the whole cycle of
this guy should not be the one in charge, but
you keep letting him be in charge, and these big
decisions keep coming and he either keeps making the wrong
one or is not you know, competent enough to make
the right one, or like I said, Now he's like,
the Jordan Greenway deal is just such a disaster and

(52:05):
now it's severely limiting your ability to build a competent
roster because not only is he signed for two years,
but your coach loves him and I don't know why.

Speaker 4 (52:15):
It's not even Don Grnado anymore.

Speaker 5 (52:17):
No, that's what I mean.

Speaker 4 (52:18):
Like, it's just I'll leave you on this.

Speaker 3 (52:21):
This question often to wrap up, like if let's say
the team continues to flounder, you know, and then you've
got the Tage Thompson Rasmus DLin go to the front
office again and say, you know, we're not sticking around
for this, Like at what point does it does a
change have to be made, whether the players ask for it,
whether the standings dictate it. Like you know, if we're

(52:42):
sitting here talking in February and they're in the same spot,
you know, what do you do well with Dolleen?

Speaker 6 (52:47):
You tell them tough, like sorry, buddy, not trading you nothing,
like you know what I mean, Like, yeah, you hope
Yarmo has enough command and respect around the league and
with these players to be like because again, naturally just
assume assuming he is the one that takes over because
we know the Sabers don't like to run searches and
things like that. He's done it before, been good at

(53:07):
it before. He is he the perfect option. No, But
you know, if the Sabers said, hey, we're conducting the
search and we landed on Yarmo, I wouldn't be upset,
wouldn't be thrilled.

Speaker 5 (53:17):
But he's fine.

Speaker 6 (53:20):
Maybe you tell Tage and Dahlien Dahlian absolutely not.

Speaker 5 (53:22):
You're not going anywhere.

Speaker 6 (53:24):
You tell Tage if I don't get the right offer
for you, sorry, but you're staying. And then you let
Yarmou retool. This thing on the fly. Doesn't have to
be a blow it up, tear it down situation. But
I will say, as far as we know, the coach,
the GM, as far as I know, the rest of
the coaching staff is all in the last year of

(53:44):
their contract. Right coaching staff aside Kevin Adams track record
is so bad that it shouldn't even be saved by
a playoff here. So if this thing goes south, if
this thing goes south, it was going south. That's what
I said when I texted you over the weekend. I
was ready to talk about firing Adams and letting Yarmo
take the reins for the rest of the year and

(54:05):
start retooling on the fly. Of course, they won two
in a row, so now it's kind of changed up,
but the grand scheme of things, it still matters. It's
still the same thing. It's Kevin Adams should not be
in charge of this team. The only reason he's still
here is because he trusts the owner, or the owner
trusts him. I should say, yeah.

Speaker 4 (54:21):
At least point at least so, like I.

Speaker 6 (54:24):
Said, like you're your six points out, you have a
lot of things going on here. But I wanted to
really talk about the big picture stuff because I truly
do think, in my opinion, if not enough to make
the team permanently, Oakland and Rosen have played well enough
to force some conversations. And unfortunately, the guy who needs
to have those conversations is someone I don't want anywhere

(54:45):
near making roster decisions on this team.

Speaker 3 (54:47):
It just makes the easy decision because their waiver exempt, right,
and instead.

Speaker 6 (54:53):
I have to assume I would assume that's what's going
to happen. I mean, can you can you see a
world where no and dan Forth you're getting justin Danefort
doesn't even factoring because he's on IR. So can you
see a world where they wave Peyton Krebs. No, No,
maybe maybe they would choose Rosen or Oceland over Kozak
because Kozak doesn't need waivers. But he's not been here.

(55:13):
But tell me that's a consequential move.

Speaker 5 (55:15):
Not really.

Speaker 6 (55:16):
I like Tyson Kozak as like Tyson Kozak is someone
I've been high on for a long time as a
seventh round pick. He's a borderline that he's decent fourth
line center.

Speaker 5 (55:25):
But like I said, it's just yep.

Speaker 6 (55:29):
The future the roster is about to take shape because
these guys are coming healthy and now two new guys
have entered the equation. Real conversations need to be had.
And of course the guy who's in charge of this
team is a guy that no one wants making a
trade that has any consequence on this team.

Speaker 3 (55:46):
Honest evaluations is always from Austin Broad when he comes
on the show. But uh, Austin always appreciate talking savers
with you. And you know, hopefully when you come on
again in a hopefully shorter time than the last time, yeah, locked,
you know, oh yeah, Ibey Oastland and Roseanne will still
be up here maybe.

Speaker 5 (56:04):
Yeah, at least Leafs just picked up a second point.

Speaker 4 (56:06):
So there you go. Sabers are Yes.

Speaker 6 (56:10):
Definitely definitely need to come on more frequently. I'd like
to not be as rusty as I was tonight, So
definitely need to come on a little bit more. But yeah,
like I said, we'll see what happens here. Pure Sabers fashion,
pure chaos. I would wouldn't be surprised if they've found
a way to win the next two and be a
couple of points out again.

Speaker 4 (56:28):
And they really right back in.

Speaker 3 (56:29):
But that's gonna wrap it up for another entertaining episode
of Saber Semantics right here on the arm here GM
Sports Network. Thanking those that tuned in on our video
version on YouTube. Make sure to hit like a subscribe
to smash that bell. As always, stay update with all
of our video coverage, and thank you to those that
chose to listen to us today on your favorite on
demand audio platform for all of our Kevin Adams talk.

Speaker 4 (56:47):
As always on this show, make.

Speaker 3 (56:49):
Sure you give us a follow on excess Saber Semantics.
Stay up todate with our Sabers coverage and on all
social media platforms. So for US and broad of Elite Prospects,
my name is Brandon Kbuto. That's gonna be it for
another episode Saber Smantics on the Armchair GM Sports Network.

Speaker 4 (57:02):
We'll talk to you guys again very soon.

Speaker 1 (57:03):

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