The Instigator Podcast

The days of trades and free agency are almost upon us so Tyler and Chris decided to try their hands at some GM work. In this episode, Tyler offers up his approach to Buffalo's offseason and the way he'd reshape the roster if he occupied Kevyn Adams' office. Next week, Chris tries his hand at the practice.

One of the best fan resources in hockey, CapFriendly, has been purchased by the Washington Capitals and will close down in July. We talk about the best aspects of CapFriendly and why it's such a huge loss in the world of hockey as the Capitals prepare to take it over. We also discuss how the NHL is missing a golden opportunity to remain engaged with their most passionate fans by developing their own version of the cap management tool. 

Along the way we offer up a roundup of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the Sabres promotion of Jerry Forton and the report that some consideration could be given to shortening the NHL Draft.

There's been a lot of smoke surrounding Brady Tkachuk over the last few weeks. We dig into Tkachuk as a trade target and compare the public's percieved value of Tkachuk versus what he should probably be traded for, if he's traded at all. We also touch on the Sabres decision to not tender entry level contracts to three prospects, including Mats Lindgren and offer up a preview of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between Florida and Edmonton.

Jeff Skinner's contract makes him a popular target for roster speculation. We use this episode to discuss what Skinner's future in Buffalo entails. We talk about where he fits on the roster, what the outlook is for a buyout and just what the best solution for the Sabres is when it comes to Skinner and the 2024-25 NHL season.

Seth Appert was named to Lindy Ruff's coaching staff this week, rounding out who will join Ruff behind the bench this year. We talk about Appert's promotion and what it means for the team as a whole and Appert himself. We also touch on Matt Ellis' move upstairs and the debate that has stirred throughout the fanbase. 

The second half of the show focuses on a few listener questions, where we hit on Kyle Okposo's comments to the media about this season's struggles, our belief on what sort of roster turnover there will be and what would qualify as a true shake up when it comes to offseason moves for the Sabres.

The first round of the playoffs is behind us and that means it's time to identify which teams may be feeling desperate after an early playoff exit. We touch on some of our favorite targets from the eight eliminated clubs, highlighting players who could help put the Sabres over the top. We also dissect the Maple Leafs latest first round exit and the drama surrounding them after the loss. We kick off the show with a brief conversation about the NHL Draft Lottery and why we think the Sabres ought to move their pick.

The first round of the playoffs are chugging along and we are here to catch up with what we've missed. We touch on the few series that have impressed us and the ones that haven't. We look ahead to what could be a very impressive slate of second round series while we wait to see if any of the trailing teams catch up in their respective series. 

We also spend some time breaking down the league's move from Arizona to Utah. We discuss some of the biggest pitfalls of the Coyotes' time in Phoenix while sharing our optimism of what's to come for the NHL in Salt Lake City.

Kevyn Adams landed on his head coaching hire and it's a familiar face. Lindy Ruff will be back behind the Buffalo Sabres bench for the 2024-25 season and we dig into the decision to bring Ruff into the fold after moving on from Don Granato. We touch on his tenure in Dallas and New Jersey and attempt to translate which traits and aspects of those seasons may serve the Sabres in trying to snap their playoff drought.

Don Granato was relieved of his duties by the Buffalo Sabres. We break down the firing and begin to discuss who might come in to replace him as Buffalo's bench boss. We spend some time on the likes of Lindy Ruff, David Carle, Bruce Boudreau and many others.

The Sabres were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and, like last season, there isn't one single reason they will miss out on the postseason. But that didn't keep us from trying to pin it down. We spend this week's episode running through the myriad reasons the Sabres couldn't keep pace in the Eastern Conference and will be watching the playoffs for the 13th straight season.