BUFFALO MAKES 4 MOVES AT THE TRADE DEADLINE – Sabres Semantics

BUFFALO MAKES 4 MOVES AT THE TRADE DEADLINE – Sabres Semantics

you’re listening to the armchair GM Sports [Music] [Music] Network [Music] time to sharpen those swords you’re listening to saber semantics a hard-hitting just destroyed interview and discussion Show featuring players alumni media and all others who have or still cover the NHL’s Buffalo Sabers to sh from with interesting stories from the past and current objective analysis this show is sure to provide an entertaining and unique perspective for both sabes and hockey fans alike brother we are not worthy exclusively on the armchair GM Sports Network now here’s your host of saber semantics Brandon Caputo welcome in another episode of saber semantics right here on the armchair GM Sports Network proudly brought you by JNL floooring Brandon Caputo and Austin Brer with you to break down the Sabers trade deadline moves as you see on the video version of the thumbnail speaking of that if you’re enjoying the video version of the podcast and the content make sure to hit like hit subscribe and smash that Bell for all updates on video versions of our podcast and our small clips from our shows that do get released here on the network and if you’re listening to us today on your favorite audio platform on demand thank you very much for doing that make sure to give us a follow @ saers semantics for all of our Sabers content as well you can find us on Facebook Instagram t Tik Tok we’re posting reals and little short clips from all of our episodes on there as well uh about the couple of key conversations that we have during the show if you’re into that sort of thing as well so uh like I said we’re going to discuss the Sabers trade deadline moves we’re also going to look at the upcoming schedule for the sabes as it is a very pivotal one if they do want to save their season here um that we’ll get into in the second part of today’s show we’ll also get our fan polls from what you guys thought of the last week or so and some things that have gone on not just trade deadline but maybe some coaching news as well um if you’re maybe thinking if the Sabres are going to make a change in that department but with that said Austin let’s kind of start off here with what everybody’s probably here to talk about by seeing the thumbnail is our trade deadline thoughts for the Buffalo Sabers and uh what what happened this past Friday guess Thursday uh for the significant move but um obviously the big piece of news and the big talking point here is that the Sabers did move on from Casey midat as we discussed on our trade deadline preview show as what the type of conversation that they would need to get and Casey midad being their best asset as you mentioned on last uh last week’s show they end up being able to move him and they got a significant piece back in bowl and bym a defenseman that was a former fourth overall pick in this league yeah I mean I think I ended the last episode by saying I don’t expect him to get traded so naturally he got traded um that is the type of trade that Adam said he was looking for if it was going to be a significant move for Middle stat and it’s a top four defenseman nice hockey trade talent for talent swap um I did when the trade first was originally announced I was excited I like Bowen Byrum he’s a very good player I did think it was a little bit redundant given the style of Defender that he is and that Buffalo has you know two of those style players in their top four but the more I thought about it it’s clear this is how Kevin Adams wants to construct his blue line he you know he went out he says he wasn’t chopping middle stat but clearly like when you have those conversations it’s not like sure you’re not actively shopping it but like you know this type of player that you’re looking for so clearly Byron was someone that he identified um and I think you saw it in his first two games he’s a really good fit uh there’s you know a little bit of risk in that middle stat has been playing really well for Buffalo he was your lead scorer um Byrum was having I guess quote unquote a little bit of a Down year in terms of his production and things like that but you know he’s come in um maybe injuries were part of it but he’s come in he’s been on the penalty kill the number one power play unit he’s playing on the top pair with Rasmus Dalene which it seems like that’s where they wanted him to play the second they acquired him right like that’s the trade Adam said he was gonna made he made it I don’t really UND like I can see why maybe some people were a little bit upset if they really wanted to keep middle staff but my whole thing and thinking was the whole time is people who wanted to change on this team the only way to get that change was to move middle stat and now you see that we have the top four defenseman that they were lacking and now there’s an opening for a key contributing forward whether that’s Payton Krab stepping up or whether Kevin Adams goes out and gets that forward is what remains to be seen and as you mentioned he was really the only significant player that they could move or you know had the ability to move with his contract situation obviously being an RFA this upcoming uh summer and would would I guess in his age range there’s a lot of players that they have locked up to long-term deals in that sense and we mentioned that Buffalo’s Prospect pool is obviously very good as well and they’ve got some guys in Rochester that we mentioned and even in in junior that are are chomping at the bit to get up here on this team so you’re going to need to make room for some of those guys as well if Adams doesn’t want to move on from prospects something had to give here and although you’re without Jack Quinn for the rest of the year you know you’re going to insert him back in there as well um although middle stat has moved up and down the lineup been a versatile guy as you mentioned Led Led the team in points no matter where he was slotted in the lineup so he is it is going to be a hole and a void that they’re going to have to address and fill but um I mean if you’re technically not looking at the rest of this year even though they’re still kind of in it at this point I think it’s a long-term move they had to had to make and if if a guy like bow and Byron was available because we know how a highly toted defenseman are in this league especially ones that are drafted so high like Byam was and he still only 22 years old and they’ve locked up this very young decor for a long period of time you know so you have to give up stuff to get you have to give up something to get something and I think that’s exactly what happened for both teams in this trade I think it’s a great trade for the Colorado Avalanche as well getting middle stat to come in there and really solidify that second line Center that they’ve lost uh since trading away or since losing nazim cadri and Ryan Johansson didn’t work out there so I think this is one of those hockey trades that I think as you mentioned before is is something that’s going to work out for both both sides and saber got a top four D which they wanted maybe not exactly the the right shot that they wanted but he he fills that top four void if you don’t know really know where Yoki Haru is going to sit on this but I think it was a great trade for both sides and it was probably the most significant trade of the whole trade deadline week other than you know Jake gensel going for a couple of minor prospects but to me that was a a really solid hockey trade on both ends yeah absolutely it’s a it’s a really nice hockey trade it’s the the type of trade that you don’t necessarily see all the time come trade deadline it you know it’s talent for talent yeah it’s the talent for talent swap like I said I think the unfortunate thing is uh like you said mentioning Jack Quinn being out I think Jack Quinn being out really does stink because then at least you could see what the top nine would look like with kreb subbed in for Middle stat because the top nine would be healthy unfortunately the saers don’t get to see that but that’s not an excuse for the team’s performance it’s more an excuse for like I wish we could see that just to get a proper evaluation of what this top nine that they have in house kind of looks like here that’s beside the point but yeah it’s like I said Adams was pretty transparent that if the right trade was there talent for talent you know now for now he was going to make the Swap and he did I I will give Adams credit for that he does seem to stick to his guns and at least do what he says whether it’s exactly how you wanted it or not you know the year that they signed conry and labush and he’s like we’re gonna get a goalie we’re gonna get a a a rugged defensive defenseman they did now did those work out no last offseason he said he’s going to sh up the def the the defense he signed Clifton and Eric Johnson did it work out not necessarily but he’s kind of stuck to his guns which I guess he deserves some credit for that but now it’s on him he did say you know at his trade deadline press conference he tried to add a veteran Center and it didn’t happen and I kind of said I was like that’s good I’m glad he did identify that as a need but the second you admit that you tried to get it and it didn’t happen that means there’s no excuse to not get it done in the off season so like I said he he opened up that spot in their forward group it’s now on him to go out and get it or hope that over these next you know the rest of the seasons Payton Krebs really shows what he can do I I do think that Krebs is a third line Center I think he can flourish in that role I know you know people don’t necessarily agree um I think most people are happy to see him hopefully that he gets another chance I know on paper he’s on the third line Grado is not really playing him as a third line Center he’s still playing a very minimal amount but that’s beside the point um so it’s evaluation time for that role but as we’re going to talk about later in the show like it’s not really evaluation point for the season because somehow Some Way the season could be very very interesting if the results go of the Sabers way this week and as you mentioned like with that hole with middle stat there and and you mentioned Krebs wanting to take a bigger step there and we’ve seen flashes that he could if if Granado gave him the adequate playing time and like you mentioned that’s another discussion for another day but when you have a hole like that in the the forward group obviously the defense looks a lot better like do you see how that how it makes them better for the short term I know it’s more of a long-term play makes them better on the back end but if you’re trying to really make a playoff push as they’re trying to say that they’re still doing at the moment when you take out a guy like Casey midat and you don’t bring in another forward you lose kyopo as well which we’ll get into like your forward group got worse so unless there was a shining star in Rochester that you were going to come up and you knew that was going to make an impact right away why wouldn’t they at least try to go out and get a veteran guy to kind of fill that spot for the rest of the year even if it was a rental where they gave up a late round pick or something like that or I know Adams also said that there were some options about bringing in veterans but then you move ooso so what was the sense in that and didn’t want to kind of ruin the the team Dynamic and the the leadership I guess structure within that room so I don’t even know where he he wanted to they go with that yeah so I’ll answer your question in two different parts I think one how do they get better now will you get better now by your defense is now very stacked you can now play your top four even top six really because like Jacob Bryson is playing really well in his minutes that he’s playing Clifton is a little bit still inconsistent but I think he’s a lot better than he was earlier in the year Yoki Haru is still playing well you now have taken a lot of the load off Doan and power shoulders giving them another guy to run with in the top four with that run where Dalene was playing 29 plus minutes doesn’t need to happen anymore because you can throw bym out there on the power play which we’ve seen him and doing together you could throw byot there on the penalty kill which we have seen so far the other part is yeah Adams did make the forward group weaker but I will say he did mention that he wanted to acquire a veteran Center it just didn’t happen so at least he recognizes that it happened I think short term you’re better because now and we’ve seen it your def your offense is going to start to become from your defense and then in hopes that throughout the rest of the year your big guys start scoring somewhat close to what we’ve expected to we’ve seen Bryson Byrum Dalene power those guys have been scoring and driving offense the last little while cage finally got on the board with a power play goal if those big guys continue to they’re not going to get back to the level that they were at last year I just don’t think that’s possible I think there’s some health things that are going on that we don’t necessarily know about but if they can kind of get back to a somewhat respectable level with the defense still producing in their mind that will make the team better in the short term and then you still have Lucin who’s playing extremely well so I think that is their plan for the short term long term let’s see what Krebs can do in this third line role if he’s the real guy that’s good if not we know we have to go out and still acquire that Veteran Center so I think I don’t mind the long-term and short-term you know outlooks there but yeah there was no doubt trading Mill stat was going to make your forward group weaker I mean unfortunately Byron’s debut that Nashville game the second Tage was out of that game everyone kind of knew okay this is going to be a disaster because this team is not built to be without their top Center and middle stat who is their third line Center so at least when Krebs is in the lineup they can go Tage cousins Krebs is their top three when Tage is in an option you’re kind of screwed and before we get into the other trades a couple of other transactions that have happened uh Ryan Johnson was sent back to Rochester and we heard Kevin Adams talk about he wants to give him big time minutes in Rochester as they’re still kind of you know trying battle down there um you know he’s going to play top top pair down there in Rochester I know you’ve really liked what we’ve seen from Ryan Johnson so far this year and The Limited role that he’s been given as the kind of the extra defenseman that gets into the lineup here and there but I think we’ve got a good you know Showcase of what Ryan Johnson’s going to be in the future and hopefully he’s a part of this long-term plan on this Decor although when you acquire a guy like Bowen Byrum and you don’t know what their deal is with Henry okaru yet you wonder if Ryan Johnson might be a piece to you know unfortunately that they might try to you know dangle out there if it is able to get them a forward but we we can get into that later um and then the other thing was Victor olon getting in the line up on a full-time basis we heard Adams say that he tried to move olivon but it just didn’t work and they put him out there and and he scored so I mean he got that goal against the leaf so uh he got in the lineup and we know that Victor Olson’s a goal scorer and you know that’s basically the only thing that he does to I guess contribute to the off to the to the team and we know that he’s kind of been a good soldier in that sense of just showing up and we know he kind of wanted out and they were going to try to move him it never really happened and he’s been the extra forward all year so he’s got into the lineup on a full-time basis as well so I guess quick thoughts on Ryan Johnson being sent down and Victor olison now being a a full-time forward on this team yeah so Johnson I think it’s right like it makes sense now right I still think he is a top six I again we’ll get into that in future episodes I think Yoki Haru is actually the odd man out in the defense not Ryan John but again that’s for a future discussion um right now Yoki hard’s playing extremely well Jacob Bryson has really stepped up and that is kind of made in the short term Ryan Johnson not Expendable but that’s why he’s gonna go down to Rochester now because that’s where he’s going to play Rochester is in a playoff push they can use some help you know they got the Callie I don’t know how to pronounce his last name but Shin Jin whatever his name is in the poost over return he’s down in Rochester now so I think realistically the play of Jacob Bryson made it so that Johnson can go down and be the number one one perhaps number two in Rochester instead of the number seven up here which is fine olison it is what it is they’ve been trying to move him for a while I think that’s been pretty much out there if if you followed along any reports whatsoever uh couldn’t get done it is what it is we still know he’s got a nice shot this is his chance to showcase for the rest of the league hey like his contract he’s do up a contract in the summer use these next 18 games to show that you’re worth it so hopefully he’s a motivated player who at least produces some results for the better of the team and for honestly his long-term future because we know he’s not playing in Buffalo anymore so it’s his job on the line now and I mean you look at the cat friendly situation now and they bring in a guy like Byrum and he’s got one more year left before he becomes an RFA so maybe that takes a little bit of pressure off them this Summer to be able to make those other decisions with the other key players that they have coming off the books and maybe they ex extend bym this summer instead of letting that drag out kind of like the middle stat situation going into to his RFA contract coming to an end you know then then the trade speculation starts to happen if the Sabres move on from from him if they don’t get him resigned so maybe that’s uh like you said something we can talk about in the summertime if they plan on reuping boow and Byrum which I assume that’s what the plan is here uh if you trade away a guy like Casey midat but um we’ll move into the other trades here Austin real quick and I we’ll get into the poll I guess later but as far as the other trades they made four four trades total toal so going off our last poll it was three three plus two or three zero or one so I guess they technically went over the fourth Trade four trades even though the one was a Rochester player so I don’t even know if you want to count that one or not but it was a trade so the Sabers obviously as we mentioned moved Casey midat to Colorado for a bow Byrum which was the the most significant trade of the week for Kevin Adams then they went out and traded their Captain Kyle aoso to the Florida panther obviously a pending UFA and a guy that they really just wanted to do a solid in and letting him choose the team that he wanted to go to to really try to make a a cup push and maybe his final season in in the National Hockey League and finally getting in the playoffs for the first time in seven years uh as you mentioned they got a minor league Prospect back and a seventh round pick for aoso that could become a fifth if the Florida Panthers do win the Stanley Cup Austin we talked about this on our trade deadline preview were they going to move on from the captain Kap poso if it made sense for him and obviously he must have wanted to go to a contender to really have a shot here and Kevin Adams was able to make that happen for him yeah I mean I think as the last couple games started to approach the deadline you kind of heard some reports come out goosa kind of said like oh like Adams knows where I stand I feel like it got to the point where if he was gonna stay he kind of would have just outright said he doesn’t want to leave again whether people agree or not I think ooso is the type of guy where if he wanted to stay you do bite right by him and let him stay like they could have moved garson’s instead of AOS who wanted to stay which obviously actually I don’t think they would have because I don’t think there’s anything in this world that’ll make Terry pugula move zus gearson but like I said he aoso was the guy that he was gonna go to a legitimate cup Contender like Florida right like they’re firmly in the playoff race one of the best teams in the league they were in the Cup last year like makes sense reunites with Sam Reinhardt former teammate even Evan Rodriguez a former teammate so I think it’s a really good spot for him not exactly sure what his role is going to be you know if that fifth round pick does come to for wish because they hit the cup that’s a great bonus but if not I think that was just more or less Kevin Adams doing right by a veteran and whether people still you know think that’s a crazy opinion or something that the GM shouldn’t do look at the reaction when that trade happened most Buffalo media and buffalo fans had you know good on good on Adams for doing right by his captain and letting him go Chas cup like it’s silly but that stuff does matter so the return was never going to be big I was actually a little bit surprised they got an AEL body out of it plus the seventh round pick so you know Rochester needed help Adams got Rochester some help plus a potential fifth round pick at worst you have a seventh round pick and this is the stuff that matters that people don’t really talk about as far as uh good culture and treating your players right I mean all this stuff matters when these players hit free agency or when no move Clauses come kick in like they they players respect what other players opinions are of places that they’ve been at and whether we like to hear it or not they do talk about uh places and ask other former players that have played in certain areas you know how did they treat you there and it does matter to people so if people want to just kind of shove that under the rug and think that it doesn’t matter then you don’t understand that these are people at the same time and they want to be treated with respect although you know they are you know assets at the end of the day as as um you know dark as that might seem there are people as well and I think doing right by your captain that’s been through so much as you mentioned on our uh trade deadline preview show all the things that he’s done here with Buffalo and all the the the trials and tribulations he’s gone through with this team being able to help him out at on on the way out and and get him somewhere that he has a chance like I I was completely okay with that move I I was like youo I didn’t even care what the compensation was just get him a chance and maybe give an opportunity to somebody in Rochester to be able to come up and take his spot but more importantly have somebody in that room step up as hopefully the next Captain of this team whether that’s going to be tuck Thompson uh Ras stalen we’re not really sure yet but somebody’s going to step up in that room and aoso even said that the guys are ready in there to to take over the sea from him on his way out yeah like that’s basically all this was about it was about opening up a spot moving on from a guy who you know whatever your opinion of him was sure he did not live up to the hype of the contract that he signed back you know when he became a free agent and signed with Buffalo but over the last couple years he stepped up was a nice veteran leader um really good guy it genuinely seems like he’s honestly a really good person which makes it a lot easier for him and a lot easier to do right by him um and now you know Tyson joose Lucas rusek are up here maybe one of them can you know have a nice little again little 15 game audition 1520 game audition whatever they’re going to get out of this and it is what it is but at the end of the day you cleared out a spot you did right by your former captain and again I I just that’s it was an inconsequential move in my mind but it also was such an easy good PR move for Kevin Adams to do right by one of the popular teammates on in the organization absolutely so we’ll move on from that trade to a trade that I was kind of shocked by not for the fact that the player was traded but for the fact that the sabes were able to get a fourth round pick for Eric Johnson from the Philadelphia Flyers and it’s kind of been like a a a triangle there of Trades with Colorado Philadelphia and buffalo if you really think about it they kind of made some swaps there on on the defensive side and the Flyers moved out Shawn Walker uh to the Colorado Avalanche for a first round pick and then they decided to bring in a veteran right shot defenseman like Eric Johnson that should fit John tortorella’s system uh quite well there even though he isn’t quite the same player that we definitely saw here in Buffalo this year that he maybe he was uh previously with the Colorado Avalanche but the fact that the Sabres were able to get a fourth round pick I think it’s Good Housekeeping by Kevin Adams get rid of an a pending UFA that really didn’t have a long-term plan here just didn’t work out for Eric Johnson this year in Buffalo signing that one one-year deal see you later get a fourth round pick and give somebody else an opportunity here like Jacob Bryson or whoever else to to Really step into a top six role yeah absolutely it’s again a fourth round pick is pretty pretty solid considering you know Johnson didn’t have the greatest performance this year and I think Johnson would be the first one to admit that obviously had different intentions when he signed with Buffalo um but yeah right shot defenseman are still valued heavily in this league especially ones with Stanley Cup pedigree which Johnson has nice little bit of Tidy work there by Adams you know maybe they could have got a little bit more if they retained but at the end of the day I don’t know who cares that’s my opinion um you said open up a spot which wasn’t didn’t really I guess need opening because Johnson hasn’t really played in a while but yeah that was it was pretty much what the worst kept secret that Johnson was getting moved like the second the Sabers were kind of not guaranteed to be in this playoff race it seemed pretty obvious that he would be the first one to go I think if you ask anyone the two guys that they thought would go would be ooso and Johnson and that’s that’s exactly what we saw yeah I mean Johnson was held out of the last two games before the deadline so if that doesn’t tell you that the guy’s getting traded then I don’t know what uh what you’re going to think with that but yeah just solid move there uh which Johnson the best with with torella there and Philly and maybe he can get another playoff run there if they are able to keep it up there but yeah just solid housekeeping by Kevin Adams and I’m a static with the fourth round pick return for Eric Johnson and the last move which we don’t even really have to discuss much because it was really an AHL move was Devin getting moved to the San Jose Sharks for a 2025 sth round pick sharks needed some depth at their goal tending position with acquiring vanich who is injured for the rest of the season and moving out kok kakenan so they just needed a guy to fill out their uh the barracudas goal tending situation so again gives them uh another guy and Devon kolie you know all the power to him but he was going to be at most a Rochester backup so I’m okay with them just kind of moving that contract out and you know just a seventh round pick for a depth goenda wasn’t down on Rochester there might be argument that coie could be an AHL starter but again anything to kind of clear the way and let Devon Levi be the deao guaranteed number one down there which he was going to be no matter what kie is down in Rochester or not it was always going to be Levi’s job so I think it’s just they had a lot of goalie depth in the organization and by depth I just mean they had a sheer like number of bodies in terms of goalie so uh moving out and now you have tarski and uh Levi as your tandem down there nice not tiny bit of housekeeping but it’s just it’s it’s good now that you have two goalies in the AHL two goalies in the NHL there’s no three goalie rotation that on any of the two pro teams in the organization the asset at the end of the day doesn’t really mean anything and good on kie who probably gets a chance to go play a little bit more and he’s already backed up in the NHL maybe San Jose gives him an NHL start and the kid gets to you know live out a dream being you know local local guy down there and getting to play for the Sharks somebody who follows the sharks they could use any help they can get so um all the power to Devin kolie down there uh in San Jose see if he gets an opportunity lastly before we hit the break Austin two moves that I guess didn’t happen that we discussed on our trade deadline preview one was getting that veteran backup goalen that I had kind of hinted at maybe they were looking at they ended up sticking with Eric comry as the backup they don’t make a move for a veteran goenda mentioned there uh during our kind of trade recap is zus Genson remains a buffalo saber and continues to uh gain the hearts of the Pula family and even Kevin Adams they say that they were happy that they didn’t move on from zamis Garson that he’s still here so he was the lasting pending UFA that uh didn’t get moved and he’s the last man standing still the longest tenard Buffalo saber so I’ll kind of give you uh final thoughts on you know not getting a veteran golender and zus gurgenson continuing his Iron Man streak here with the Sabres yeah veteran golender I would really even considering that necessarily I think they were they are happy with the schedule not a lot of back-to-backs I think they’re happy to just run out ukup pekala and he’s playing well there’s no reason to not do that um garson’s I I honestly yeah like I think there was a market for him obviously I had no idea but he’s the type of player that just seems like the the trade deadline bottom six rental forward that teams acquire I mean look at it Patrick maroon was traded like jurgenson can skate better than Patrick maroon I think he actually I think jurgenson would have fit really well in the bottom six of a bonified playoff Contender but as reports have been out there the ownership loves him um Adams said he’s noty he he even has had conversations about potentially bringing him back um if he does come back will I be upset not necessarily no he’s a fourth line player he is what he is but to me that was just that was one that I was like okay if the trade was there why didn’t you make it but there’s always one guy that the ownership just loves and doesn’t want to get rid of I think you know I heard Jeff Merck on 32 thoughts saying like that’s how Columbus feels about Boon Jenner it’s how Pula feels about zeni Genson those are the guys that just ownership just loves and they don’t necessarily want to get rid of and I think that’s what happened here and you know he’s a fourth liner he’s been the longest tenur saber um he is a pending UFA so like if there is interest in a reunion you know Genson has to actually want to stay here as well which maybe he does he’s been here since you know he was an 18-year-old kid so we’ll see like I said that was a guy that I kind of wish would have gotten moved just for the sheer change of a name but it is what it is at the end of the day I’m not livid that he’s here so trade deadline recap for the Sabers A B C or D Austin where are you with uh your I guess grade for what Kevin Adams was able to do on this deadline uh I would say a solid B you know I love the middle stat trade it’s a big swing uh but much needed swing and then the rentals I think he did a relatively good job like there’s no reason to complain about any of the returns that you got there um only reason I can’t give it any higher is because like I again I just don’t I don’t think the pieces that middle stat aside I don’t think the pieces that we had were all that appealing so it’s kind of hard for him to to hit a home run but I think he did pretty well uh obviously the swing for bow and Byrum is is the big piece here and the reason why I think he had a pretty solid trade deadline because I don’t maybe people did expect the move again I I was of the opinion that middle stat was going to be moved I just didn’t expect to happen at the deadline because it just doesn’t usually happen so that was a nice pleasant surprise for me yeah I’m GNA go with a b as well just for the fact that um they didn’t move out zus Genson which I’m with you I think they should have just done it to to do him a solid as well and just to get a new fresh face in here and as well just not being able to to fill that forward spot with moving out Casey midad I know we talked about Adams wanting to make a move and it just wasn’t possible so I’m with you I think they had a solid deadline that that big home run deal with with middle stat for Byrum was good and they did Good by Eric Johnson and and kyopo being able to move them out for any assets to to give more opportunity to some of the other players on the roster and for them to get another playoff run so I’m with you on you know they did a solid job I can’t really be too upset with what they were able to do yeah no there’s no reason to be mad with what they did if you wanted a little bit more that’s cool it’s fine like I think we all maybe wanted a little bit more but at the end of the day you made a nice hockey trade you moved out two ufas really like I think that’s kind of what everyone’s expectation was right so we’re going to take a break on today’s show we’re gonna get more in our second segment today uh going over the fan polls as well as looking ahead to a very important schedule for the Sabers this next week or so if they want to remain in the playoff hunt here in the middle of March so stay right here be right back on saber semantics right here on the armchair GM Sports Network proud you brought to you by JN o floring last year more homes cancel cable TV than ever before why it’s just too expensive for half the price of cable you can get fubo TV and watch the live sports and TV you love try free at fubo tv.com JL flooring is niagara’s Specialty Flooring and Design Company they take great ride and provide Elite customer service and support with a beautiful showroom great pricing and a wide variety of truly unique products J&L floring is your Specialty Flooring and Decor Boutique shop all of their products are environmentally 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where pets are undeniably part of the family proud show sponsor the dog pound podcast the official podcast of the ice dogs are you looking to hire let the employment help center save you valuable time and money by making your hiring process easier their services include free job postings in-house and on their website fill job vacancies quickly and efficiently access to a bank of potential employees reduce employment costs and financial incentives may be available to offset the cost of new hire training check out the website at eh. n.ca or call 905 35821 for more information the nigar employment Heth Center helping people find work since 1983 you’re listening to the armchair GM Sports Network the Niger Region’s best local source for North American Sports podcasting coverage by sports fans for sports fans [Music] hey hey here we go with talking night in Buffalo hey hey here we go the boys in blue white and gold hey hey here we go make some noise get in theone for one and one for all let he you from your heart and soul and we will stand raising our hand say let’s go Buffalo let’s go Buffalo will [Music] bealo welcome back to part two of today’s saber semantics episode Brandon Caputo and Austin Brer back with you basically going over the Sabers trade deadline moves in our first segment today and in the second part of today’s episode we’re going to go over the Twitter polls real quick uh from what you fans thought out there of the Sabers uh deadline and about a possible coaching change as well will preview the upcoming games for the Sabres including tonight against the Detroit Red Wings because it is a very important stretch to save their season if they really want to get back in this thing and they have a possibility in doing so so guys uh before we get going here our one of our great sponsors the Niger employment help center is hosting a job fair on Tuesday April 9th at the Americana Water Park and Resort on Lundy’s Lane in Niger Falls it’s from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. so it’s visual uh casual business attire so if you’re looking for uh all different types of work in the niaga region make sure to go and check out that job fair on the job interviews drop off your resume all that good stuff uh from our friends over at the Niagara employment help center hosting the job fair again Tuesday April 9th at the Americana Water Park Resort and Spa so Austin let’s look at the Twitter polls out there and guys make sure if you want to get in on the on the polls for our shows every single week here follow us at saber semantics and we post polls for all of our shows if you want to have your opinion heard on the show so our first poll today and this was posted a couple days before the trade deadline because it was significant enough news that I said you know what let me throw a poll up here and we’ll kind of discuss this real quick I knew it would get some hits and it uh it definitely did uh because it’s a it’s talking about an old face so after Lindy Ruff was fired as the New Jersey Devils head coach would you want the Buffalo Sabers to entertain the idea of bringing Lindy Ruff back as their head coach heck yes heck no indifferent and GR a till a season’s end were the four options heck yes won this poll with 56.1% heck no was second at 19.5 and again Don Granado is still the head coach of this team so I’m not trying to uh put any motives uh or push any motives in that sense but if they were to make a coaching change Austin uh and decided that dong Granado’s voice needed to be something different and they needed a fresh look come the offseason would you entertain the reunion of Lindy Ruff coming back to theam team that he coached for so long and took uh the last team that the Sabres went to the playoffs with Lindy Ruff was the head coach would I entertain it yeah I mean I would be up for any candidate that would uh come in and like it’s very hard to talk about because like Lindy Ruff is nostalgic so obviously trying to remove that part of it if Lindy Ruff has quality goal tending this year in New Jersey is he fired probably not yeah right I think that’s kind of where I fall in here so like I still think he is a good coach I still think [Music] maybe his style he’s shown that he can evolve a little bit right he’s had success in Dallas he’s had success in New Jersey so it seems like he can evolve his coaching Style with the times um so yeah I wouldn’t be against it would he be in the top of my list not even close but would I totally be like what the heck why are they bring him back Lindy Ruff no I would definitely entertain the idea of him potentially being a head coach absolutely I’m in I’m in that boat too I think that maybe like you said if New Jersey would have got average goal tending this year he would still be the coach of that team because we saw what they did last year and we saw that they were really a team that everybody was high on going into the season of a of a team that was going to be uh a real Contender and it just didn’t work out Jack Hugh started off hot then got hurt team oire really you know had a disappointing second year with the New Jersey Devils kind of picking it up since the coaching change oddly enough but a lot of their big guys just underperformed and I think like like most coaching changes uh you can’t change all the players and it’s just the easiest thing to just change the the coach and I think that’s kind of what happened with Lindy Ruff in New Jersey and I wish him all the best and if they’re able to bring him on maybe as an assistant coach I don’t know if that’s kind of his cup of tea at this point in his uh coaching career I know he’s done it with the New York Rangers but um you know I’d be okay with seeing Lindy Ru back and and if they were to move on from Don Granado i’ I’d be okay with it I’m sure there’s other candidates like you said are out there that are better but the nostalgic factor for Sabers fans is that uh Lindy Ruff means a lot to everybody uh within the organization and and people who have grown up following this team so I’d be okay with it as well as long as he can continue to evolve his coaching style in 2024 so our second poll is other than Bowen Byrum for Casey midat which move at the trade deadline did you like best for the Sabres we talked about the four trades uh there in the end of our first segment today Eric Johnson for a fourth to no surprise in my opinion took this poll with 76.2% and actually none of the above was second with 19 um some people just uh just felt indifferent about the three minor trades that the Sabres were able to make other than the bow and bym Casey middle stat trade Austin uh you know not much to say there yeah no I mean pretty self-explanatory I think none of the above is kind of wild because like I don’t know it’s kind of hard to hate the Eric Johnson Trad you got a fourth round pick for a guy who wasn’t going to play all that much for the rest of the year anyway but yeah there not a whole lot to get into there clearly to me that was the other best quote unquote move and then lastly thoughts on the Sabers acquisition of defens and bowl and bu exchange for forward Casey middle stat I posted this right as the trade happened so it got a a lot of hits on on this poll and a lot of people uh were engaging on it so it was either love it hate it good for both sides or indifferent and good for both sides won with 40.5% and then you know it was love it was 31% so it seems like the consensus from the poll is that people thought it was a really good trade on both both ends and I don’t think you can argue any part of that yeah no I mean honestly my timeline was a little bit different my timeline was a little bit more skeptical of the trade so it’s kind of nice to hear that most people weren’t super emotional about it which yeah I mean what’s that saying if you know if if everyone’s happy but other but both sides are also a little bit skeptical it usually means it’s a pretty D pretty Dam good trade and I think at the end of the day this is a pretty good trade both teams got a good young player that filled the position need um Botham gave up a good young player at a position of need as well so like again classic hockey trade I think long term both teams are going to be relatively happy with how this one works out lastly before we move on uh from that Casey middlest stats kind of comments coming to Colorado did you have any problems with what he said about uh you know the types of practices they’ve had and seeing a building full something along those lines do you think that those were were Jabs or you think that he really just you know was speaking his mind and wasn’t really trying to take shots at Buffalo or I don’t know how did you kind of feel about what he said there practice yeah I don’t think he was taking any shots at Buffalo at least I definitely don’t think he was taking shots at the fans um whether it was a shot at the former coaching like his the Sab coaching staff or not the the moring skate comment was interesting and stood out to me because again I don’t think there was any malicious intent behind it at all uh I don’t think if you shot Casey midat with TR serum he would have anything bad to say about Buffalo like he grew up here he’s been you know got a shot here he’s played really well here for the last couple years and now he gets to go to a good team but yeah the the skate one was interesting um saw a lot of traction behind that which I agree with like not the best look obviously especially in a year where people maybe have questioned the coaching staff obviously not a great look but at the same time like he’s now in a Stanley Cup pedigree organization um maybe a little bit tangent here but I I had more of an issue with boow and Byrum’s first power play here in Buffalo where he was trying to get communicate and move people around and no one was doing it he looked utterly confused I have like again it just kind of all goes in together where like the coaching staff yeah the coaching staff should be under serious evaluation and I don’t think any one of them should be safe including the head coach yeah it’s funny when you go from a team like Colorado that’s a a cup Contender and you go to Buffalo is a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in 13 years just a little bit different Dynamic on how both organizations operate in that sense I guess is kind of what both players going into their new scenarios kind of took on in their first kind of reactions to to being there yeah like I said like if you’re someone like me who’s had questions about the coaching staff the comments either one fueled fueled the fire even more or they kind of just reassured you on like yeah like I think that this coaching staff is questionable and should be under heavy scrutiny if you’re someone that thinks it was a shot at the fans then that’s probably just the way that you view the organization right where everyone just thinks any former player takes a shot at them yeah and and I wish Casey midad all the best I think he grew up here in Buffalo um you know played the world juniors here then was drafted by the sabes and uh he became quite the quite the player here in Buffalo and really developed in the last couple years and I’m glad they gave him a solid tribute video as well and I’m sure next year when he comes back with Colorado that’ll be a nice night for Casey midat and wish him all the best with Colorado definitely got a good shot there to win the Stanley Cup so Austin before we get uh out of here we’re going to talk about this upcoming stretch for the Sabres beginning tonight against the Detroit Red Wings we look at the NHL standings right now and maybe a couple episodes ago we may have laughed at this idea that why are we even still looking at the standings but as it stands right now at the time of recording this the Sabers are nine points or sorry they are seven points back of the New York Islanders for that final playoff spot this game against Detroit tonight is pivotal it could be a four-point swing because Detroit’s one of the teams they’re trying to chase down right now who has kind of been struggling and they’re without their Captain Dylan Lin so with this upcoming stretch of games and with the way the Sabres have played as of late that stinker against Nashville like you mentioned with Eric Comer and net and then with Tage Thompson and Casey midat both obviously out of the lineup that really was just a trap game for the Sabres and then the big win against Edmonton in the shootout where they won twice so just general thoughts on what you’re thinking here going into this key stretch starting tonight against Detroit and then they’ve got the Islanders Detroit again on Saturday and then a couple of key games against uh some Western Conference opponents as they go on that Western Canadian plus Seattle road trip yeah so Road like before they even get on the road here um like you just said the two teams that they’re chasing right now Detroit and the Islanders who are your next three games two against Detroit one against the Islanders you find a way to win these three maybe we’re back again I don’t think that’s gonna happen but man if you ever had a shot to save your season it’s the next three games I think five out of six points minim minimum but realistically you need to win all three uh especially Detroit you have a potential you know you beat Detroit twice they’re at 72 points you beat Detroit twice you can get to 69 you’re within three points right like this if you can turn the season around it’s this three- game stretch where losses can’t happen so if you if this organization thinks they can take a run this week before they even get to the Western road trip this week is makeer break so it’ll be interesting right these I mean this games of the season I guess biggest games of the season I don’t think is an understatement again I’m very skeptical I’ve been skeptical all year but at the same time like they’re six three and one in their last 10 Detroit’s struggling like you said the Islanders I know they’re a playoff team they’re hot lately but not necessarily the best team either so to me it’s three winnable games and if you win all three maybe you can suck these suck us back in and maybe potentially have us believeing in a late season playoff push and with with trading one of their best forwards in Casey midat but like you mentioned uh making the decor a lot better with a guy like Bowen Byrum and and you also look at it like they have to lead frog four teams in order to get into a playoff spot here I mean Washington the Devils who we mentioned earlier made just made a coaching change there Detroit and the Islanders are technically tied with 72 but the Islanders have that extra game in hand so you look at it and you say if they lose all three of these games in regulation you can basically put the nail in the coffin here of if there was any chance that they could sneak back into this thing this late into the season those three head-to-head matchups against two of the teams you’re trying to catch right now like they need these games and like you said like five or six points at the minimum to get them back in this CU those aren’t the only teams they’re chasing they have to also Leap Frog those other teams as well so like you men mentioned I think we we’ll know where the Sabres are at if they’re really going to have a chance here down the stretch before they they hit that Western Canadian road trip in Seattle or if it’s uh you know basically just look ahead to next season yeah to me it’s they can’t lose any of these games in regulation and you can only lose one an overtime period like you have to win two and get a point in the third otherwise the season’s over because if you get five points at least you’re at 70 and then you’re probably you know three four maybe five points Max back so like you still have a shot here but yeah it starts with you have to beat Detroit twice and steal a point minimum against Islanders but realistically you have to win all three um you win all three you get to 71 points right now Detroit and the Islanders are at 72 so yeah it’s it’s pretty easy math you have to win these games if you want it the season to still be alive I think the second you lose one game in regulation season’s over and like then you you have to think about it too because then you go out west and then You’ think that even if they win these three games against the Islanders and Detroit twice they’ve got four Western Conference opponents coming up here on the road and it’s one of those long road trips here that they’re not even out of the woods yet if they win those two or three games against these teams cuz if you can easily go out out west and lay an egg and not win any of the four games and then you’re really out of it at that point so like where are you as far as the balance goes of out of these next seven games that they’re going to play which ones are the most significant I know the ones against the East are the most significant but you also don’t want them to go out west and take one of the four games because then they’re just going to be right back to square one where we started before this conversation oh to me it’s no question it’s the next three because the next three are the teams that you’re chasing um so the Western Road Trip yeah it’s important you can’t lay an egg out there but if the Western Road Trip means nothing if you don’t get results in these next three so to me it’s not even close it’s the next three games starting tonight and then look at the lines real quick as far as What’s Going On You’ mentioned pton Krebs gets the jump up to the third line there and I mean Eric Robinson has been getting a jump then gurgenson get to jump whether uh they’re going to stick by the time uh the game rules around we’ll see but I mean Jeff Skinner is on the third line right now they got Victor olison as the fourth line right winger like things are kind of all over the place right now with with Casey middl stad Kyle aoso moved out so realistically like what are you hoping that they kind of go with here moving forward knowing that they kind of need to stack these lines the next three games the two against Detroit and the one against the Islanders like do you like the strategy by Granado the fact that you got Skinner on the third line and petka on the third line gurgenson just playing top line or just practicing with the top line and Robinson second line so do you hope that things change by the time we hit game time tonight I don’t know I I don’t mind the gearson tuck Thompson line you give a you know defensive responsible Winger with those two and you can kind of match them up which I think is what they did against McDavid in the Oilers game right they matched up the geon’s line it’s a way to match your lines with the defensive three responsible forward but also get two of your better offensive players out there Skinner deserves the demotion in my opinion he’s obviously banged up a little bit but he’s not playing well um but also at the flip side putting him with KBS and petka nice little showcase for Krebs there two guys who can finish uh which is what a playmaking center needs Robinson was Robinson with cousins and Benson yes okay nice you got two three aggressive four cheers Robinson speed guy can’t really bring you that much but he’s really good on the four check Benson’s Elite below the goal line good against the boards cousins is that speed transition guy so that could work there ex strange when things have happened and then you know uh I’m guessing the fourth line is Jo olon Greenway Rusk Jo Greenway still out which makes sense right but I do think he was back at practice today so I’m not sure so greenway’s playing if Greenway is practicing yesterday and if he’s playing tonight I’m guessing he’ll probably slot in for rusek because I think I’m not sure what I’m not sure what rusk’s recall was if it was a standard recall emergency I don’t know that for sure but I would imagine it would be Jose Greenway and olison which again two good two-way players in Greenway and Jose and then you give him a finisher like olison like it’s throwing stuff at the wall but at least I can kind of get behind the the thinking on each line and as far as the D pairs Dalene with Byrum power with Yoki Haru and Bryson with Clifton we talked about both Johnson’s not being there anymore it brings a different Dynamic Matia amerson’s out for the season as well so do you like Byrum on his offand with Dalene on that first pair with Yoki Haru and Power on the second yeah I think that’s a really good top four um Byrum and Dalene have played really well together in their limited uh sample size so far bym has been really good you can see he’s just taken some pressure off Dalene um now hopefully the coach just lets that pair Run and Gun because that’s what that pair is good for power Dalene have you know power looks like Owen power again you know everyone was complaining about him earlier in the year but he looks very good uh unfortunately got a go taken away from him off a really bad call in Ed the Edmonton game but he’s playing well uh Bryson’s playing really well so I don’t mind him and Clifton I think the D pairs are as close to perfect as they can get given what’s uh those six are and then the power play as well you got Dalene and Byron playing together with cousins Thompson and Tuck up front your three best forwards in that sense how do you like the fact that they’re actually using two defenseman on on the first Power Play unit which we haven’t really seen all year and although you know they’ve kind of had to do some switching there with with Dalene and and uh Byrum with one of them being offhand in that sense and both of them can’t take one one timers on that uh that power play uh do you like that Dynamic with those two and just keeping them together from their D pair and on the power play yeah absolutely love it um I know people complain with the 2D but realistically the 2D are rallan and bow and Byam who are made for positionist hockey so yeah I think it’s when you have power Doan and Byam those three are too good to not have all three on the power play so whether Byam and power was power play two or by and do is power play one I think it’s a great move power play is producing a little bit better lately um I think’s just going to add a nice little Dynamic to that top pair or top unit and make it a lot more dangerous because if the power play gets going down the stretch maybe this team can get hot again I’m not optimistic but you got to throw those out there because don’t want to call them you know like extra forwards out there but their play style is built for offensive hockey so I have no issue with the two of them being out there together at the same time especially with the man advantage and it was nice to see bym get that goal and then get some production from the back end uh that other than Dalene they haven’t uh been able to get on a consistent basis so you’re hoping Byrum kind of gives them an injection of that as well and brings a little bit more offensive game that he wasn’t really able to show in Colorado playing behind a guy like K Mar and obviously when you’re playing behind uh a generational type defenseman it’s hard to to kind of showcase the kind of offensive ability that you have but this guy was a fourth o former fourth overall pick in this league so I think uh he’s very held in high regard and I’m looking forward to seeing where he develops here with such young Decor uh for this sabes team that are all around the same age group and they’re all signed uh for many many years here so it’ll be interesting to see how they do moving forward Austin final thoughts here we talked about it they’re going to need to pick up a lot of points here from these Eastern Conference games upcoming this week but what are you hoping for by the time we record in a couple of weeks well I hope they go out there starting tonight and they win the next three games to at least make the season interesting and then you know maybe we’re talking about three and four Canadian road trip after that and maybe The Season’s Not Dead uh but realistic scenario season’s going to end very shortly and then we’ll be talking about some long-term conversations like if the coaching staff is right for this team if the Phil philosophy of the GM matches the style of the coaching staff things like that Etc so I would imagine the latter is probably what’s going to be happening but much like the middle stat trade usually what I predict the opposite happens yeah may maybe we’ll we’ll be pleasantly surprised in that sense and they’re able to get themselves right back in it or kind of next episode we’ll be talking about outlook for the off season which we’ve talked about for the last 12 years for the Buffalo Sabers but a good trade deadline for them could have done more could have done a lot worse so uh okay with what they were able to do there and just kind of recapping what they did at the trade deadline and looking ahead to their upcoming games it’s a very important stretch here for the Buffalo Sabers so thank you to everybody tuning in to another episode of saber semantics right here on the armchair GM spores Network proudy brought to you by JNL flooring make sure to hit like hit subscribe and smash that Bell on the video version and thank you to those listening today in on demand audio so for Austin broad my name is Brandon Caputo gohost Sabers and we’ll talk again very soon you’re listening to the armchair GM Sports Network

In this episode Brandon Caputo and Austin Broad recap the Trade Deadline for the Buffalo Sabres who made four moves, thoughts on the updated lineup, overall grade for their transactions, fan poll reaction, and a look ahead to a stretch in their season that could be make or break for their slim playoff hopes.

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