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As Zucker has said, “hope” is not a plan. Kevyn hoped Norris would stay healthy. Kevyn hoped a goalie would emerge from the bowl of spaghetti. Kevyn hoped his defense would be better. Kevyn hoped his coaching staff would magically become effective. Kevyn hoped Quinn, Doan and others would replace JJP’s lost production. How has that worked out?

Buy the guy some vagicil.

You’re not wrong. Walking out of the arena, I said, “it was nice one team I root for understood the assignment on opening night.” If the Sabres ever get healthy, the spark plugs of Dunne & Kozak can make the Amerks elite.

At least we have one team that will be good.

So you've already moved on from the Sabres and your team is Florida? Smart move. It's kind of obvious his plan was more interested in getting rid of Cozens than adding. Norris was the best available likely and so he decided to gamble on him (and his health). Dumb plan.

I agree on Radim. He’s just so athletic that I think he can hang as a young guy. It’s only one night, but you can already see how the Amerks are built differently for 25-26. They’re bigger, heavier, and more built to play big boy hockey than last year. Not relying on young high draft picks to out score teams and prepared to answer any bell. If Levi can hold down the fort, they’ll be excellent this year. Östlund may be the real deal. He had two PP assists and was a driver on each. He was even on the scoresheet and noticeable with the puck on his stick. Rosen scored two laser bomb PP goals. A good sign. The kids are alright.

It is bizarre and unfortunate because he is a pretty damn good player. But the guy has played 5 full NHL seasons and is best known for being injury prone. On a team like this, that needs A LOT to go right to get over the playoff hump, counting on a guy like that is foolish at best and abjectly incompetent at worst. That trade should have never been made and I don't think a competent GM does it.

Gary knows he isn’t a “terrific” owner, he isn’t even close. Everyone knows Terry and Kevyn are miles over their heads in the NHL. Terry probably knows it too but for some unknown reason he isn’t taking action yet.

It’s very sad, and even surprising, that a finely tuned athlete in this modern sports era, with such knowledgeable training and dieting, can get this injury on a faceoff. It says something very concerning about his overall durability. He is a good player, he is skilled, and he doesn’t play a shy or timid game. I saw him run someone and I saw him retaliate on a hit. It’s just bizarre that he has these issues.

Frenetic finish but the Amerks hang on to win 4-3. I was surprised by the grit they showed tonight. Especially the young guys. If first impressions mean anything, Mrtka looks very much at home at this level.

Benson was to prove he is a legit Top 6 by scoring more points. Right now, this season, we need him to produce more than the 10 goals and 30 points that he has produced in the past two season. Sure, they brought him up very fast and he is young, I get that. Skinner is gone and they didn’t replace him. Peterka is gone and they didn’t replace him. Their goals have to be replaced and Benson, among others, has to contribute more on the scoresheet I hope he does. As for Zucker, I think he is really good player and I always have. But his career is winding down. He can score 20 again by playing on the top 2 lines and with power play time, but I just don’t think he would get that opportunity on a really strong team at this point in his career. Instead he would be a 3rd liner. I think he is extremely valuable to Buffalo because he still brings it on game day and he can help show the way.

Mrtka just killed a guy in front of Levi. Took a penalty, but it was worth it imo. Haven’t seen much of this period but what little I have seen the Marlies are getting the best of it.

FloHockey with their usual technical difficulties. They are no more reliable than last year.

I had a partial tear of an ab from sneezing too hard (yes, seriously, I know it sounds dumb). It was excruciatingly painful and took weeks to heal. I can’t imagine that as a professional athlete because it’s totally immobilizing for a while. Conditioning has to take a massive hit.

Go Amerks!

I'm a glutton for punishment so I'll still be watching when the drought hits 20 years. As I watch this current batch flail, the uniform still inspires memories of what made me fall in love with this broken, broken franchise...Mogilny, LaFontaine, Hasek, Hawerchuk, etc. I can't blame people for tapping out, it all feels so damn hopeless.

Like, at 11 PM last night if not before.

Norris has been a full-time NHL player for 5 seasons. He's played 236 games, or 47.2 per season. The guy is incredibly fragile. Yes, he has skill and is a responsible 2-way player when healthy, but that's not very often. Plus he's locked up for basically 5 more seasons at $8MM per. That was a reckless and irresponsible trade that no real GM would make and it should cost Kevyn his job...but it won't.

It’s more like the Owen Power Play. Weak as hell not an overly positive factor in a game.

Great head of hair, though...

Appert is an idiot. He claims to have spent the entire off-season studying effective PPs and working with the analytics department to really revamp things and make the PP more effective. The ONLY thing that was modified effectively from last year was Norris was brought in to take FOs on the PP so they didn't have to try that ridiculous entry right from the get go. But he's now broken again, so they're back where they started. Honestly can't recall disliking any coach on this team more than Appert (and Wilford is neck and neck with him). Krueger, Housley, Rolston, Goober; none of them were as infuriating as this idiot. And they all were really bad at their job. There are SOOOOOO many things this unit could be doing to actually be effective. Most all of them have been listed here myriad times. And that idiot is in line to be the next HC. Have no idea what this management team is attempting to accomplish.