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Hmmm

Hear, hear. I was just confused over Liger's call for Power to be "mean." I've used the metaphor of a crease-clearing gorilla before. I've stuck with it because I just dig it. I think it's the combination of crease clearing (alliteration) and an inherently fun word gorilla. Anyhoo. Power's never gonna be mean. Maybe in flashes, here or there. But he's not gonna become a mean, nasty mofo. Set aside the example of an all-world player like Lidstrom. Can Power just be stout and tough in his own end like Billy Hajt was?

From memory, the priority is reverse draft order and it is tumbling waivers from there.

The Sabres goaltending hurt them so much last year. Take a look at UPL the year before. For the season he had a .910 save percentage. From Jan 1 though the end of that season, over 3+ months he had a .919. However, last season it dropped to .887. I know some on this board will say the defense in front of him was terrible last season. My personal opinion is the defense was not that much better or worse last year than the year before. Shots allowed, high danger shots, and other advance stats were similar both years. Not the same, but in the same ballpark. My eyes tell me he let in a lot of soft goals last year that he was not allowing in the previous year. Conclusions from those numbers: Had he played last year like he did the entire year before, the Sabres would have allowed about 30-35 goals less, making them well into the positive goal differential as a team. The vast majority of positive goal differential teams, especially once you hit +10 or more in goal differential, make the playoffs. Had he played last year like he did only in the 2nd half of the previous year, things would be even better by 5 or 10 more goals. If nothing else changes from last year about this team except UPL stepped up to be an average level goaltender, this team at least competes for the playoffs. If nothng else changed except UPL started to play like he did the year before, a much better than average goaltender, then this team makes the playoffs.

I think Luukkonen is the most important piece in terms of stepping up, but Power and Quinn are neck-and-neck for number 2

I've seen a lot of articles/talk about who needs to step up this year to turn things around and I've noticed Powers has been absent from most of those lists. If he can't get it together in the defensive zone we're going to have problems. I've been patient with him since he came into the league at such a young age, but now's the time for him to take a leap.

Are waivers not in reverse standing order?

Lidstrom was an elite defensive and offensive player almost from moment he came into league. Would love Power to play the positionally genius way Nick did. He does not, and appears lost at times.

I understand not being interested in the promo videos. I will say these hokey videos help my wife become more interested and invested in the players & the team. She didn’t grow up a hockey fan.

When did the Inkification of Liger occur? I don't think of Lidström as "mean" - by way of example. I'll settle for Power being heavy and physical in his own end. I don't think there's much, if any, "mean" to tap into with him.

That the people you post and seem to trust lie to you and its easily proven every time.

I think it's about 50/50 that every single one of @dudacek's hopes comes true. For example, to quantify a few: Norris outscores Cozens' 2024-25 and is also a + player. Quinn stays healthy and hits 69 points. Older & Stronger Power-Kesselring eliminate more rebound goals than Power-Jokiharju were able to. The team save percentage leaps from 31st in the league to... 22nd. I think at least 7 of the hopes happen. My worryum is that even if all the hopium hits, there's a distinct possibility that the team misses the playoffs because the division rivals finally have to play their starter against the Sabres, or in the case of the Panthers: they have to show up for 20 minutes instead of 5 over the course of the game. This season's Sabres should see a step in the right direction (just in time to name Appert the next HC and solidify Sheevyn as GM for the next few years).

You're unwittingly prodding me to share a story from my own life that illustrates this principle in (what I think is) striking fashion. I'll refrain, if you do the same.

So some super hero origin story? Superbowl's bigger.

And like most yachts-owning billionaires, it will be listed and used as a private charter for rent, thus allowing a generous business tax write off. Much like billionaires do with land by growing a small crop or having a few barn animals allows them to write their properties off as “ranches” to, again, enjoy a nice business tax write off. East Aurora’s own Jeremy Jacobs enjoys being a “rancher” and all the tax benefits that provides.

It appears I've made 14k posts... and in fewer years than since the Sabres last made the playoffs. They're a really bad habit.

I don't watch Sabres promo videos, so I'm just going to make up an angle that this clearly means he isn't serious about hockey because he wasn't on the ice 24/7 during the summer and that he was busy eating cotton candy and operating the Scrambler instead of hitting the gym and working on his burst.

Power reaching a new level and getting 40+ points again, that would be great. If he was above even in his own end and then good to elite offensively in the offensive zone, he'd turn the tables because Buffalo could spend 50 minutes a night with 2 defense pairs that are nightmares. He better work hard and mean.

A lot has to go right for the Sabres to make the playoffs. If a majority of these hopium infused ideas come true, there is a chance. Healthy seasons for Dahlin are TNT are key, extended periods of time without them can sink the season. Benson will improve, the percentage of this jump could make a big difference. This guy should get an “A” on his sweater in a few more years. More heart than Power and Mule combined. I will keep harping on Power getting 10% more grit, baby steps, but strength and confidence can increase. 10% is not a big number but would be noticeable on someone starting at 0%. Quinn can be a 55-65 point player, it’s up to him to play like it. Lindy needs to up his game, demand more from his staff and push the right buttons on the players. I hope Appert has studied advanced PP theories all summer like his future depends on it. Kesselring and Doan will have more impact than many expect. I think Doan is a 3rd liner, but a good one. Kesselring will help Power find a bit of grit and back him up when other players test him. I agree that goaltending can’t be worse. Goalies are weird and mostly up and down so UPL should be better. If not, Levi should be given his games after another good start in Rochester to pump his tires.

Nah. Much bigger. I mean like those instances when you leave the house to go somewhere in your car, but then are just slightly delayed because your wife wants to make sure she locked the back door, and you thereby avoid a likely fatal t-bone accident caused by a speeding car thief who's about to run a red light 1/2 mile from your home. Dumb luck.

Montreal has a good team forming. Have they vaulted past Buffalo? We'll see.

I think this is going to be a very interesting year in the Eastern Division of the NHL. There seems to be a lot of parity in the teams. It could be a year where 3 points in the standings might be the difference between 2nd and out of the playoffs. This is a good thing/ bad thing for the Sabres. The bad thing is they are facing tough teams almost every night when playing in the East. The good thing is that these teams are going to beat on each other so it's not likely anyone is going to run off and hide a top the standings. The current betting lines have the Sabres near the bottom only ahead of Boston and Pittsburgh. There is enough talent on the Sabres to be much better. In the 2021-2022 season no team in the East finished with 90-99 points. Either you had 100 or more, (in the playoffs) or you were out with less than 90. Last year 5 teams were in the 90's and it looks to be even tighter this year. I think the Sabres can get in with what they have. They are getting little older a little tougher and would seem to have some AHL depth to plug holes as long as the injuries don't get out of hand. A lot will depend on how good the competition has become.

You mean like how the entire identity of the Buffalo sports fan would have changed with a probably microscopic difference in how one football was kicked?

I can get immobilized with cosmic anxiety when I stop to really consider how good fortune, luck play massive, determining roles in our lives themselves as we trod around on this big blue ball that's spinning through our solar system.

If this guy does not show he has an ounce of piss and vinegar in him this year, he is dead to me.