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UPL, Power, Norris Better goaltending is needed. Power needs to step it up. A former #1 pick needs to be better than inconsistently solid. All about health with Norris. He’s likely produce if he’s on the ice.

I mean, i liked Nazar as a prospect and can't say I've watched much of him since, but this interests me: Nazar C 5'10" 190, picked 13 2022 NHL Draft Östlund C 5'11" 175, picked 16 2022 NHL Draft Nazar 2024 WJC GP: 7, 0/8/8 Östlund 2024 WJC GP: 7, 3/7/10 Nazar called up this year after a 21-game 11/13/24 run as an AHL rookie Östlund called up this year after a 32-game 17/17/34 run as an AHL rookie And that's where they diverged: Nazar had 26 points in 53 games, Östlund had none in 8. Nazar played PP, with 16 minutes a night on the 2nd line at 43% SAT% and 43.2% xGF% Östlund played 10 minutes a night with Malenstyn and Lafferty at 55% SAT% and 46% xGF% One guy gets millions and is pencilled in for an important NHL role and has his fan base excited, the other guy is expected to spend the entire year in the minors again. There's sometimes a very fine line.

I agree with the last line. The best of them are already on the roster. We no longer have any rebuild advantages from those trades. I didn't count Mrtka yet as he's new and very raw. Remains to be seen what he becomes. Likely plays but really unknown at this point. Levi idk. Can he become the guy here like Wolf has. Maybe. I certainly hope they give him this year in the AHL though. Then we shall see. I have no faith in Östlund making it at this point.

Which, provided they don't drive the good guys away frittering away the present, will be good enough to keep the team in the mix. And once it IS back in the mix, THEN you can actually start getting FAs that other teams also want and who don't necessarily have ties WNY/the NP to want to come here. Heck, wasn't a big part of pushing for getting the combine in Buffalo to give the young players a chance to experience Buffalo when the weather is actually good and they can see there's way more to it than the seeming dystopia a 20 minute ride from the airport on the Kensington provides. Get relevant and that strategy MIGHT be able to be somewhat successful. (It's pretty much pointless when you're the NHL's version of the NY Jest.)

Yep, if a Tuch level core player emerges from the system it will be a surprise: a Brodie Zeimer goes Brandon Hagel kinda thing. He’s got a lot of upside but I generally think a positive result for Mrtka is Myers, Östlund is McLeod. Maybe Helenius can be Derek Roy, but I think that’s probably stretching it.

Would add Novikov to that list. And do expect Johnson to be an NHLer as well, but could see him being a 7/tweener just as easily as seeing him be a 4/5. The rest, yeah some will make it, but likely not in a particularly meaningful way. (Maybe Wahlberg figures it out, and as he has tools not many of the prospects have, he'll get a shot at some point.)

I think that's a fair if pessimistic take. Helenius, Mrtka, Levi and Östlund for me. I think there are another 10ish that could and the odds say a few of those will. Point is though, they've shot their shot in terms of their post-Eichel rebuild through the kids. The best of the bunch is already on the roster.

You shouldn’t hang me on a hook, Johnny. My grandmother hung me on a hook once. Once!

Well if you are going to look at it that way you have to factor in the bonus this group got from trading Eichel, Reinhart and Risto. Extra picks. Should be better as a result. I don't over analyze it and simply look at how many potential NHLers they have not currently in the NHL? I see Helenius as one more than likely. Nobody else moves the needle for me. That doesn't mean we won't see some of them in the NHL and maybe even as good players but right now, at this moment, Helenius and that's it.

Athletic supporter

But not for the reasons either of you are laying out the Dallas cowboys don’t have “supporters”. It’s cultural, not a commentary on severity This discussion involves telling people the correct way to follow a team and applying definitions to it. was joking at first now I’ll just double down: nadir

Words matter, guvnah.

Dipping the bread is a union position.

Well, disagree, but you're being a fan. 😉

Wife ordered French Toast from Alton’s(2 Buffalo locations)…$10.50. 😱 For 2 pieces of bread dipped in egg? Really? Some restaurants are just raising prices for no reason at all. 🖕🏻

Fan or supporter? Tomato or tomato? We’ve found the nadir

"The Bills only have 10 men on the field!" Post-snap: "Well, I've never seen that Bob, that ball just dropped to the ground like someone swatted it."

As fans of both the Sabres and Pirates it is apparent that you have masochistic tendencies. 😀 Or maybe you are just frugal and seek cheap tickets in an arena and stadium where you have plenty of room to stretch out because the seats around you are vacant?

By these metrics, I'd posit that being a supporter is far more irrational than being a fan. Supporters stick with their club even when all competitive inputs and outputs associated with that club are complete and utter sh1te. That's not a rational response to your favourite team sucking. Fans can be fickle or even fair weather when the club runs aground and takes up residency in the league's basement. That's a rational response to your favourite team sucking. Supporters involve their hearts and souls and will stick with a club no matter what. Fans are more transactional and may jump ship if the team doesn't give them what they want.

As a Canadian, I’d be pretty nervous about border patrol checking my phone—mostly because they’d discover that I’m still a die-hard Sabres fan after all these years, and probably question my sanity. 😂 A few years ago, I actually decided not to spend another penny on the Sabres until they prove they’re no longer a Mickey Mouse franchise. As for crossing the border, my son and I are also Pirates fans (yes, we cheer for both the Sabres and the Pirates 🤦‍♂️). We thought about catching a game or two this year, but coordinating the trip would’ve been a headache. Add in the possibility of hassles at the border, and we figured it just wasn’t worth it.

I am not opposed to crossing the border for work or entertainment. My reasons not to are rooted in your points 1 & 2. I also do not want to spend my money on TP’s Sabres until they show real improvement with a competent FO and smartly spend to the upper end of the cap. My last border crossing was a bit uncomfortable due to the questioning. My passport has multiple work visas in a calendar year because of my work during power emergencies. I have been up and down the eastern seaboard for hurricanes, ice and snow storms multiple times in the last few years. I believe the border agent was just curious but kept asking me why I had so many visas and what they cost. I had no idea of the cost since National Grid, Eversource, Duke Energy and other utilities pay for us. The visas are issued for a year but we only work for days and maybe a few weeks max. The agent couldn’t get why I didn’t know the cost, didn’t have receipts for the visas and why I didn’t stay longer when I had a year to do so.