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Remember when Tyler Myers became a dominant physical? Neither does anyone else.

One additional point, if the play was SO close to being legitimately onsides that ALL of that went wrong in the evaluation of it; then the offensive team did NOT gain the type of advantage from having had the puckcarrier over the line early that the offside rule was put in place to eliminate. Again, personally am ok with carrying the puck into the zone after you have already entered the zone presuming the puck carrier is in control of the puck.

Again, you are looking to take away a rarely seen play because of the POSSIBILITY of questions POTENTIALLY arising from a significantly even rarer play. That doesn't make sense IMHO. Clearly YMVs. As to your 1st group of Qs. No, the play is not onsides because the puck was NOT carried into the zone by a player in possession of it before at least 1 offensive player was inside the zone. It's pretty clear / cut and dried. And then to your 2nd group of Qs. No, it is not ruled a good goal should the linesman have missed the offside and there is a challenge of the goal. In order to get to the point of the Sabres (per your example) getting screwed by that goal being deemed to have been legit, you need the linesman to miss the offside and you need those reviewing the play to miss the offside as well. Considering how rare that play is when it's cleanly played in a game, am ok with the risk that not only the puckcarrier will lose the puck before it fully crosses the blue line, the linesman is so mesmerized by the move that he doesn't realize the puckcarrier lost the puck, a goal is scored before the defending team has gotten the puck out of the zone or there was a stoppage in play, the coach and his team don't recognize that the puck was lost before it crossed into their zone OR they do recognize it but somehow none of the 4 officials nor anyone in TO reviewing the play manage to notice that it was offside. That is a LOT of things to go wrong in the evaluation of a single very unique play, any single ONE of which going RIGHT will result in no goal being scored. Am ok with those odds. My 2 cents.

This would be an interesting strategy for two bubble guys.

Can I get an, "A men!!" The needs have been pretty easy to see for all, except for the ones who can actually do something about it

Here I sit watching Jameson Williams rack up points knowing I dropped him weeks ago... Went against my gut

I don't know. Say you have a player skating backwards across the blue line with the puck. The player is in the zone but the puck is not. But before the puck crosses the player loses contact with the puck and the puck's momentum takes it over the blue line? Is that still onside? What if a goal was scored and a review was called for? Is it ruled a good goal? (We all know if the goal was scored on us, of course it would count.)

How many empty netters did they give up to this point last year? They've given up 9 so far this year. Almost an extra 0.4 GA/game to this point. How many OTL's last year? 4 this year. Not nearly bumping up the GAA like the ENs are, but still, they didn't lose many in OT the past few seasons.

If you told Mule was playing at this level, coupled with trading Kesselring and Timmons for Joki and Clifton and the goals against would be worse than last year through 23, I would be like…. Keep making me look foolish Glass.

It's not a problem, that's just the normal developmental path for NHL defenseman. The actual problem here is expectations. First, he was drafted #1 overall so everyone expects him to be a difference maker at 20 years old. Matty Beniers who went #2 overall has 3 goals this season. Power was the unanimous #1... that said, maybe he goes 4 or 5 in a better draft year, that's just how it is some years. Power was the right pick. Second, he's big... therefore everyone expects him to be physical. I, for one, believe he'll get there (with the right coaching). But it takes time, Tage is finally figuring out at 28. Part of that is physically developing, man strength, and part of it is confidence. Power will get there, he's a hockey nerd, he knows the knocks on hom and he'll figure it out.

He's definitely the Sabres best D this year and last night (and some other games) he was their best player on the ice.

I won't disagree on Byram's lame effort but you have to consider Tage's reach and strength. He has the size and ability to go right to the guy and muscle him out or interfere with his stick. He's definitely in position, but he's passive, and that's the problem. It's not just him, it's Sabres in general. They are fast enough to get back in position or they are in position but they are passive or just try to use their sticks. Strong players just walk around or through them. In this case it was Tage.

The problem is, when will that be? And what is he doing now to play better and elevate this team? 3 or 4 years to go before we see him figure it out? That hurts. I put some of it on coaching, but most of it on Power. What do you think would happen if Torts was suddenly named head coach? Could Power survive that?

Swayman was very good but shots were mostly from far out, sight lines were open, net front was largely controlled, most plays were one and done. Team D is very good on the Bruins. If they find more scoring they could surprise. As is I doubt they are a playoff team either. The biggest contrast for me with the Sabres would be to watch a guy like Zadorov in front of their net and compare it with Power. Power will skate towards a player and maybe put his stick out to try to get the puck. Zadorov has his body right on the guy, he's muscling him out or tying him up and if he can't he will lift the guys stick off the ice to neutralize him. Watching him battle a strong guy like Anders Lee was a beautiful lesson on defense.

Seattle played Dallas dead even last night. Just lost on a late goal. They're good though. Basically the same as they were. Only one gets out of the division.

You're right, he's always been a finesse player.. in the USHL and at Michigan. He has the size, but he doesn't have man strength yet... for most that comes in your mid-late 20s. I believe he'll be a dominant physical player when he reaches his prime, combined with his offensive instincts the sky is the limit for him.

He IS figuring it out. But whether he fully gets it remains to be seen. And whether he does or doesn't will make his contract either be a slight overpay or a huge bargain. And don't expect he'll ever ragdoll people. That was beaten out of him at a very young age.

I do wonder if both are trying to stay healthy to be available. Leaders don't always have to be "high skill" but otherwise I agree.

Not completely, you can't. But, they could get him to be effective in his own end. He will, at times, use his body to keep players from getting past him along the boards. This is something he pretty much didn't do at all in prior years. He isn't looking as lost in front of the net as he has in the past. How much better he can get at these is the critical question? When he came into the league, he would only shoot if he got the puck in the slot; now he will actually shoot from the point when there is a screen. He still looks to pass 1st, but he doesn't automatically pass. Expect that is a function of him finally feeling "storng." Expect the improvements in the D-zone are also because he's more comfortable that he won't bounce off the opponent should he decide to engage. At his age, he'll still get stronger. In theory, he'll be more comfortable using his body for positioning. He's never going to be a hitter. But, if he gets in people's way AND he continues to get better with his stick, he can be effective without adding that other tool, which isn't in his nature, into his tool box.

At 28, Tage has only very recently begun to us his size and strength to his advantage. He's driving the net, finishing checks, literally throwing dudes around the rink like they're ragdolls. At 23 he was strictly a finesse player. Power will figure it out.

Idk, let's say he develops another 15%, how good would that make him.

Are players that weren't invited to their camp even eligible?

Thompson played about 160 games b4 his breakout season. Power is already at 250+ games. He's never in college or the NHL used his body. He's not skinny and he's plenty strong. You can't train away the issues Power has.

He just turned 23 a few days ago. Do you believe he's still developing? Or has he plateaued and this is who he is?

IMHO - it's not about strength and pounds for Power, but rather how he's wired inside his head. If Power played with half the aggression and tenacity as say Z. Benson does, we would not be having this conversation. Size does not matter for Power, which is a shame in that he'll never take advantage of it. If he was only 6-0 tall (vs. 6-5), I don't think he would have been drafted in the top 5, let alone first overall. I hope I'm wrong, but for now I don't expect to see much improvement vs. what we have already seen. I was WRONG about Muel, so maybe I'll be wrong about Power 😉