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I mean, other than Norris and Greenway instead of Cozens and Benson it's basically a proven 80-point team, right? So with 72 games of Hasek-level goaltending, sure. 😄 Wait, it's still not official?

Josh Norris is a good player, but that comes with 2 caveats: 1) Kevyn Adams was stretching things considerably when he said Norris can be a first-line centre. 2) @Thorny was not stretching things at all when he consistently points out that questions about Norris' ability have to be leavened with questions about his availability. In 5 NHL seasons he has been health exactly once: his rookie year when he played all 56 games in the bubble. Since then he has missed: 16, 74, 32 and 29 games — or about 46% of his potential starts. Prior to this year, a vast majority of those missed games were due to a chronically bad shoulder, something that did not trouble him this year and the Sabres doctors assure us should not trouble him again. Technically, Norris is capable of centring a 1st line; he has high-end speed, a diligent approach to positioning, makes good and quick decisions with the puck, and has a deadly shot. But he is a 1st-line centre only in the sense that he can keep up with two high-end wingers, as opposed to drive a line in the manner we traditionally think of when we talk about 1C. You may not remember this as well as folks out here on the West Coast, but I think a good comparable is Brendan Morrison when he skated for the Canucks 20 years ago between Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi. And understand he is a finisher, not a playmaker. His career numbers put him at around 30 goals and 22 assists over 80 games. I think your expectations would be best centred at a Derek Roy to Derek Plante level 2C, who can win face-offs and help both special teams. Or maybe this: The Ottawa Senators most certainly watched Dylan Cozens play this year and decided they preferred Cozens to Norris.

That's the era I became a fan and silly me, I thought I'd picked one of the best teams in the league. How little of what it was like then remains that it makes me sad to think about. They were talented but also tough and had character and compete. Perfectly constructed team just missing a star goalie and ultimately that was the difference. If Sabres had had their goalie I think they'd have won that cup. (not blaming our goalie to be clear, he was fine, just that for all the Broad Street Bully bs they wouldn't have won their cups without theirs) You know, that roster and how it was constructed is what Adams should be trying to build. Why they don't look at that as the blueprint is beyond me.

Zach Benson is better defensively than every single forward listed here. If the Sabres run that, Lindy Ruff is officially an old washed up hack.

Actually Marner had 13 points in 13 playoff games this year. (2G 11A) https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/player/mitch-marner-8267

If you are even considering unprotected firsts to maybe get McKenna you've already lost and you might as well gut the roster again and tank fully. It's a loser mentality. I want a team that will bump a Marnerless Toronto out of the standings and make a late 2026 1st irrelevant. We have scorers. We have a top line. Peterka Thompson Tuch is a top line. Peterka Kulich Thompson maybe even. That's a scoring line either way. Marchand Bennett Cuylle would be a killer 2nd line right up there with what Florida does now. Able to both shut down another team's high end line and score. Nasty and hard to play against. Then you've got a 3rd line with Benson and McLeod and Zucker or Kulich or Tuch or whoever wins the job that is good enough to compete at that level. Greenway becomes 4th line dominant. We would score more top to bottom but most of all also stop some scoring against. The D would have solid pairs that let Power and Dahlin drive the play and Clifton/Samuelsson would be reduced minutes bottom pairing at best. Add a decent NHL goalie. It's a fantasy, but it would be a very good hockey team.

Just sayin

Hope I’m recalling this correctly…I’m not sure how many games the Sabres did this for, (I only did it once) but they let fans who wanted to buy standing room tickets for at least 1 of the games in the finals, stay in the lobby overnight before the tickets went on sale in the morning.

Agree on the goalie but while it was a pipe dream it wasn't "fanciful". It's a possible (with the assumption you could get the free agents to sign) way to reshape the team dynamic and fill the holes on the roster. We don't just need a player or two, we need better leadership, compete, and team dynamic. We need guys who drag other guys into the fight and as they put it on Shoresy we need a team that "hates to lose"

Well from a purely objective point of view this is what fascinates me about it and why I pay a little attention to them to see what happens. Ideally I think both teams need a little of what the other has/does and a mix is the way to go but we have one extreme and they have the other. So far neither has worked. I'm still interested to see if one "wins" over the other.

You seriously think it could? Seriously?

I may need to unplug the message board and then plug it back in.

Even if the money somehow magically worked that wouldn’t exactly be a good roster. You’d be able to grind with the best of em but you’d lack scoring depth and very easily could fall into the NY Isles mold. I love Bennett and wanted him both in CGY and in Florida but I wouldn’t dare signing him this offseason. He’s going to capture a haul due to the limited UFA pool and likely be a train wreck contract within 3 years based on his play style. Id take Marchand however and put him opposite Benson. Those two would be chaos. You don’t trade roster skaters for goalies Cuylle isn’t worth our unprotected 2026 1st. He has 1 20 goal season and I need a 1st to win McKenna if need be. Get me another unprotected 1st from a Byram/Peterka offersheet and I’d trade a conditional 2026 1st (lower of the two) for him however.

Lmao I grabbed two tix from ticket master secondary market. Legit forgot they were playing Laval, had no idea it was tonight and had no idea Laval is just outside Montreal until about an hour ago. The stars aligned for this one. We will be there rocking our bills and Sabres gear cheering on the boys! Go Amerks!!

Republicans don’t give two craps about children once they exit the womb. It’s gonna bite them in the a$$ when they examine the demographics of the majority of SNAP benefit recipients.

No. I’m not taking the fanciful route you are on. I strongly believe that Quinn shouldn’t be moved right now. Don’t misinterpret what I’m advocating for. There is no question that moves have to be made to reconfigure this roster. But it has to be done thoughtfully and judiciously, and not out of frustration. The most impactful move the GM has to make is add a credible goalie. If that is not done then everything else done will be undercut.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/new-york-islanders-express-interest-in-speaking-with-toronto-maple-leafs-president-brendan-shanahan-1.2309770

I heard a stat that Marner in games 5-7 over the past few years has just 7 points (0G, 7A) in 20 games. That is almost unplayable in those situations. Maybe it's a function of the synergy between the rest of their "core 4", but that is a big, big red flag. He's a terrific regular season player, but he totally disappears when the pressure gets ratcheted up.

Fair, but I'd say just on talent alone, the Sabres have a leg up on them. We have quite a few young guys who have been productive in the NHL, they're just not a cohesive unit. There's plenty to work with here to reshape the roster to make it fit together better. Not sure I can say that about the Flyers.

How many shots of Niagara Falls and wings being sauced can they add into the show?

No, not really. Hard Knocks offers zero upside for the team’s football operations. The best we can hope for is that the project isn’t a distraction and competitive detriment. I’ll catch clips on Twitter/Instagram. But I don’t give a hoot about the show as a whole.

Or see if you can score a wheelchair from a local store.

Shocking that you would say that. 😉

Zero chance that line up would get in the playoffs. Zero.

Disagree. We have snipers and goal scorers. We need rugged and D. Even if you think Quinn can be very good you are allowed to trade quality for different quality. The make up of the whole roster is what matters. Dream scenario that completely changes the team: You sign Bennett and Marchand in free agency. You then trade Norris for a top 4 D man. You trade Byram for a goalie. You offer sheet and get Cuylle. You trade Quinn for another D man. (Maybe Toronto loses Marner and they give up Carlo as an example) You pick up a lower level grit guy or two in free agency or via lower level trades. Gadjovich Greer types. Bottom end depth guys who can scrap. You make the playoffs and maybe more. Nothing here impossible. None of it actually going to happen with this GM and owner.