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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.

Happy Birthday. We all appreciate your work in keeping this site going. 🍺

I don't understand the insistence of so many people for a player to play a game he is not suited for, and never will be. It's inarguable that Power needs to be more physical and responsible in the defensive zone. But he's not going to do that by knocking players on their derrieres. He's going to improve that aspect of his game with better positioning. Those who want to see him play like a gorilla and physically batter the players he is covering are going to be disappointed because it's not going to happen. That's not his makeup and that is not a style of play he is suited for. Assuming that Kesserling will be his partner (and maybe periodically Timmons) it should allow him to better accentuate his game which is skating and moving the puck out of the zone. There was a reason why he was the first pick in his draft year. That lofty draft position doesn't automatically make him a star but it is evident to me that he is going to be a very good player for us and eventually one of the better defensemen in the league. A side note: Dahlin, Byrum, Power, Kesserling, Timmons and Samuelsson seem to be a good group of talent. I expect a lot of our offense will be generated by the backside. The additions of Kesserling and Timmons should boost the unit.

I think this is correct, if I'm following you. I think Power will eventually be adequately physical as a d-man. But it's going to take some time (or has taken some time). I think he just needs to feel more like a man among men out there. Pronger was mean as hell.

Owen Power is a player the Sabres should watch very closely this year. Depending on how he plays, and I mean style of play, they should consider in June if they plan to move forward with him.

His physical contact has been mainly to turn his back on opponents near the boards and shield the puck, absorbing hits and shoves. A little more assertiveness will help him win more battles. His size and reach alone should mean he wins the majority of battles but wanting the puck more than your opponent is an intangible thing that can tilt a few battles. Once again, I am not asking for Pronger like snarl, just 10% more Power output.

I agree. Proof is in the pudding. But the news that he is working hard to get stronger is an indication that he is now taking his craft seriously. Hopefully that translates into being tougher to play against.

Happy Birthday

2 of which only want to play offense. By the way, I don’t want him to be Risto 2.0. I don’t need him running around hitting everyone, all I want is for him to be better defensively and incorporate some physicality into his game. I don’t think that is to much to ask.