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If the Sabres had a guy like that there would be an immediate decrease in goals against due to way fewer high danger chances. The biggest danger would be standing in front of the net.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/leone-after-practice-6379066697112

Mrtka boring, Rosen notably thicker and feeling the pressure, Helenius notably cocky in a good way and Leone continues to be one of the most impressive Sabres staffers. All videos from Day 1 https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/mrtka-after-practice-6379065045112 https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/rosen-after-practice-6379071644112 https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/helnius-after-practice-6379073446112

Given the guy plays at arms length and rarely seems to lean in or box out, I never considered that comment worth noting. They say a leopard doesnt change his spots. He would need to dramatically change his spots.

I’m never going to find the reference but Owen did mention in an interview that he played physical when he was younger and got called for too many penalties due to his size. Not sure how true that is or if it’s worth noting.

This is the hopium thread. Are you lost?

If they had a combined 1500 games more experience, I'd be inclined to agree. They don't though. They are 1,000 games less experienced than the 31st place team.

They changed half of their defense with solid players in their prime. Not players who need to be exceptional, just solid. and they added defensive minded forwards to replace the hoop suckers that will enable the goalies to have an ounce of confidence. And the goalie problem will be resolved that will enable the offense defenseman we already have to actually step up playoffs, beat Toronto, win cup

The lesson of the day is that no matter how many times you check to make sure the nails you're putting in the wall are level, it doesn't matter when the hooks on the back of the picture frame aren't level. I'd say that hopefully the wife won't notice, but she always does. It reminds me of a few years back when I put a big picture of our son up on the wall. I went all out, as scientific as humanly possible, to get that thing level. But as it turned out, no matter how perfectly level it is, it still looks off thanks to the light switch below it that was mounted poorly.

Another big betting site has the over/under at 80.5. Then again they have the rangers at 95.5. Of course these lines are being driven by early season betting odds and could change quickly. I don't think they reflect realistic chances at this point.

The 2 split screen makes almost no sense. Just do a single extra picture in the upper right... For racing, everyone is in fire suits and helmets, or worse -- in a helmet and moving 200 mph. The only people they can show with emotion and faces are the team chief and the wife. It's a tricky broadcast to show the humanity. They're better now with the mic'd up style radio and tons of onboard cameras. But back in the day, filling a 2-hour race was a challenge beyond the cool nyeeooommm sounds. Edit: Off Topic, but on the topic of nyeeooommm sounds... Our GM had to go and ruin everything with his talk of palm trees, but I still have the Sabres cars built and ready for action.

I don't gamble -- I'm not scum and I don't like being told the odds. But if the Sabres over is 82.5, I'm taking the over immediately.

Like I said initially, my initial amusement was "whoa Liger sorta be Inking." I don't do a good job - at all - of tracking regular posters' big picture views on the Sabres, hockey. I can recall bits and pieces, here and there. But I almost never have a complete picture of any regular poster at any given time. I gather that your crease-clearing-gorilla take on Power (my words, not yours) was in-line with things you've said in the past. It just struck me as a departure (in tone). classic joke

More Hopium in terms of this team outperforming projections, from Dom, the numbers guy at the Athletic. Context is betting odds. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6616541/2025/09/11/nhl-futures-best-bets-win-totals-why-the-sabres-deserve-more-love/ Point Totals and Playoffs Buffalo Sabres OVER 82.5 Points YES Playoffs (+300) There’s no team I like more in this market than Buffalo. While I completely understand the capitulation around the Sabres going into the year, there’s no way I can even get close to these numbers. After 15 years of stink, it may be hard to see, but I think the Sabres will be closer to the playoff race than the bottom five. I have them around 90 points, which puts their odds of hitting the over at 75 percent. It also makes that +300 to make the playoffs extremely juicy. Buffalo isn’t likely to be the Atlantic’s sixth-best team, but I have them closer to 45 percent. ADVERTISEMENT There are two things that the Sabres have going for them this season compared to last year: youth and improved depth. There should be a fair bit of internal improvement forecasted, given how many players are in their prime or entering it, with Zach Benson being especially intriguing going into the year. On the depth front, the loss of JJ Peterka hurts, but his role can be filled internally via growth and is made up for by the holes that Josh Doan and especially Michael Kesselring fill. On the latter front, it feels like the Sabres’ defensive unit — led by a top-five guy in Rasmus Dahlin — is severely underrated. Ideally, Owen Power takes a big step to become a no-doubt No. 2, but beyond him, Kesselring is a huge improvement over what the team was getting out of Connor Clifton and Jacob Bryson. Combine that with an offense that’s first in goals-per-60 at five-on-five over the last three years, and the Sabres could be legit. If they ever figure out how to turn all of that into a decent power play, look out. Just when everyone has given up on Buffalo, it feels like the team has what it takes to really surprise this year. It’s the classic post-hype breakthrough

What part of my tone? There's a myth around here that I just want analytics darling who figure skate and its never been accurate.

Finally watched this... when Benson jumps with all that weight, my word his legs are trees. Glad he said he needs more burst. Fun video, really cool look into his life and seeing him with his family was great. Offered Grandma, mom, grandpa donuts in that order, he gets it.

https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/south-koreans-are-freed-in-georgia-after-hyundai-immigration-raid-6da45736

lol - ahhite. it's more the tone than the substance that i was talking about. but maybe i'm just refamiliarizing myself with the board.

I think Power can be a good defender in the NHL, but I'm not convinced plays the game the way I want. Not sure if that distinction makes sense but I'm not saying he needs to run ppl or hit everything. He plays passive, which was my initial impression of Mrtka until I got to see more of him. Power let's players come into his orbit, he doesn't manipulate much defensively. There's no, "attack on defense" and he's basically the opposite of Benson who very much attacks opposing players. On Mrtka, I've seen more and more of him attacking in the D zone. He shuts plays down by his own will as opposite which is sitting in your lane waiting for the forward to come into the space you want to defend.

Ask my girlfriend... She happy 😘

I didn't even put power top 5 in my 2021 rankings.

He was a worthy first person pick in that class. That's not to say that another player wouldn't have been a worthy pick for another team if they were making the pick. There is a difference between a tall player who can skate moving up the draft boards and a tall player who can skate being the first pick. With any player with that type of physical stature it normally takes more time to physically mature and reach a higher level. Tage is an example of that. Others can have their opinion on how Power ends up as a player. I'm in the column that very soon he will be an anchor defenseman for us.

has someone hacked this account? the vibe seems different.

He was the first pick in the draft because covid, awful draft, and nhl teams are stupid. Anyone tall who can skates jumps up draft boards.