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That was the best part about trading Eichel- you don’t trade playmaking, just “goals” What did Eichel have his last year? 2 goals? 2 goals out I get math.

Preventing 10 goals is just as good.

Databases are weird. I just ordered something from a company that I made another purchase from ten years ago, when I lived at another address. I forgot I ever worked with them before. I filled out my billing address and delivery address and when they shipped the item, instead of using what was newly entered in my profile, they sent it to my old address. Interestingly the person who lives at my old address had enough initiative to return the item to sender. It arrived there (Orchard Park, btw, four miles from my mom's house) Monday. I sent them emails and called them and hopefully they'll send it to the right address now.

Happy reading. The most painful is the drafting, I’d add the 2nd rd picks are even worse than the failed 1st rounders. 15 2nd rd picks and only 2 good players in JJP and Compher and both were traded away. UPL and Samuelsson have been more bad than good by a wide margin and the rest from Hurley to Leinonen are busts or soon will be. Hard to build a team this way.

Well yes, and I've certainly never relied on "numbers". I've always argued about line chemistry and roster make up and imo it's still inherently flawed. I like Kesselring and am hopeful for him. Timmins idk. I'm not so sure he's better than Clifton was. We shall see. There is hope for a Power/Kesselring pairing however. The top 6 is problematic to me though. It's fully reliant on Quinn bouncing back and more and on 2 kids emerging and I think it's too soon for them to do that. Kulich and Benson should be third line players right now not top line, but that's what the Sabres keep doing. Thompson can and likely will score a bunch of goals anytime anywhere, but aside from the relative consistency of Tuch, the rest of the top 6 is a big question mark.

Well that's certainly what Ottawa was thinking. I stand by my prediction that this year's excuse is going to be injuries and a lot of "if only..........hadn't missed those games" and then they stay the course yet again. A self fulfilling prophecy.

He joined Black Sabbath in 1968 and must of only been like 16, they were pretty popular shortly after so he has been a celebrity his entire adult life. So no need to drive himself I guess

On paper the Sabres are the worst goaltending group in the East and probably the NHL. Lyon is a career journeyman who has played for 5 teams and never established himself as a starter in the NHL. The last two years in Det were his best opportunity and he gave them Reimer level goaltending. Levi, besides his first games after college, has shown very little that he’s ready to be a full time NHL goalie. UPL has had one good season in 5 pro seasons and 3 of the other 4 seasons were lousy at best. It’s possible one of the 3 steps up and gives the Sabres NHL average goaltending. If that happens, the Sabres will be improved, but I’m not optimistic.

Id have more hope. In particular I think Wilford being allowed to continue on is shocking neglect. He's managed 1 good defensive year in the last 4 but other than that has been terrible and I think he contributes to both the defense and the forwards supporting them being bad. Sabres have been in the bottom 3rd of the league in goals against in 3 of his 4 years and yet here we go, year 5.

I caved and called back. Fighting all my biggest urges, I politely asked her to lose my number. So the harassment angle is the next approach if I get even one more call. I love how they can get my number but not his. It always amazes me how these contact databases get all messed up. I routinely get mail from infiniti (or one of the car companies, forget which one) at my home address for my other brother. He never lived in this state, yet they somehow put his name on my address.

George Kooymans - Golden earring died as well today at 77. Apparently had ALS since 2020.

It is, and the Sabres retained all the coaches that have a devil of a time figuring out how to use the ingredients they've been given. We'd better hope they do, because the coaches can't be expected to put them in position to do so. How much different this off-season would feel if Wilford, Appert, Ellis, and possibly Bales were gone.

Sabres goaltending probably has the lowest floor. Probably not the lowest ceiling.

Pull some random overseas phone # out of your head and tell them you expect that's likely the best way to reach him? When they call back again, give them a different random overseas phone # and tell them that THAT's what you expect is likely the best way to reach him. After 2 or 3 go arounds, they should leave you alone.

The biggest issue UPL has, and on many levels it's not a good one to have, is between the ears. He seems to need outside reinforcement to believe in his own abilities. And, when things start going ferkakta he isn't going to get positive outside reinforcement. Is it something he can't/ won't be able to overcome; not necessarily. He did an admirable job of getting beyond the mental reluctance to push his hips to their limit after surgery that season that they just missed the playoffs by 1/2 points. During that stretch and 1 or 2 others, he's shown an ability to truly believe in himself. Maybe he can do it again. For our sakes and the Sabres sake, we really need him to do that again. When he's been focused, he's shown an ability to move post to post that few men that big can do. But he's too easily taken off his game and then he overplays pucks and he gets too low in his stance and suddenly the glove misses things it should catch and the area above his shoulder and below the crossbar (which should NEVER be open when he's square due to his size) open up. The level that having his issues lie in his head is good (possibly great) is that if he can ever consistently get out of his own head, he has the physical tools to be one of the best in the entire league. And, the switch from subpar to superb can LITERALLY be like a light switch going on. If he were on my payroll, would insist he see a sports psychologist (maybe Ryan Miller's is taking new clients) because whatever money that costs would be 100% worth it should the lightbulb not only go on, but stay on. IF all 3 guys they have bring their A games, the Sabres could have one of the 5 best goaltending situations in the entire league. But, as of now, we should expect about the 22nd or so best goaltending situations because that's a smidge better than the 3 they have have been when looking at their entire bodies of work and 2 of the 3 are getting closer to / into their primes.

We all don’t know what the full story is about his disgruntlement because we are not insiders. What we do know is that he was determined to get out and had a contract status where he was going to be a UFA in another season. So he was dealt. I thought the return was fair and the added players should be contributors. It’s not a surprise that even well run franchises have some players who prefer a change of workplaces for a variety of reasons. It’s part of the work landscape. I have no ill-will towards him. I preferred to keep him but it didn’t work out that way. So be it. My attention is now on Kesserling and Doan.

I don't think it's hope in this case. I'd classify it as "expectation", not hope. In the case of older players repeating career years, yeah that's hope. You hope they can reach that level again. But for younger players, it's just expectation and the reality of how players progress. They usually don't peak with less than two seasons total played. I don't take issue with Adams expecting ("hoping") that these young players will improve.... because they should improve. You expect them to; they don't come in as a finished product. Where I do take issues with Adams and his attitude towards the younger players is him continuing to have such a large young core AND not sufficiently supplementing it with enough of the right veterans to show the kids how it's done. It's semantics, but I think it's an important distinction to make. Also, I'd prefer to never be put in a position of defending KA ever again 🤢

Threaten them with a harassment lawsuit?

Frankly I'd guess NHL players would be more predominantly in line with a more "old-fashioned" line of thinking. For players not looking to live fast and loose and have a long time girlfriend; locking them up isn't exactly inconceivable. Players in hockey, do tend to be of Christian origin and will use the motifs and typical behaviors in everything from interviews to what charity work they do. You also have the interesting circumstance of Europeans tending to be more secular however the ones that aren't tending to be more outwardly religious. To sum it up, I don't really see Power or Thompson's marriages and religious overtones being an issue as I wouldn't be surprised if many of the players are at very least passively religious.

GMKA seems to think the goaltending metrics will improve if they play better team defense. Is there any evidence to support this?

The interesting complement to my post above, is that Lyon is kinda the opposite of UPL. Hes a guy who can get leaky when the team is playing solid hockey, then stand on his head when things break down. The key to making the playoffs might be having the right goalie in to match whatever Sabre defence decides to show up.

I think one thing that got overlooked in the big losing streak last season was how it effectively broke UPL. After a slowish start, he had an excellent November with a .926 SP and a GAA under 2. To my eyes, he reacted to the losses piling up in December by trying to do too much, overextending and getting caught out of position and his mechanics reverted to the AHL UPL. I think he’s an average goalie who can win a lot of games behind a structured defence. At least that’s what he showed 2 years ago. But he can get inside his own head and he’s out of his element when things break down. I think his success or lack thereof will hinge on the predictability of the play in front of him.

I have a collection agency or something calling me 3 times a month to get my brother's contact info. How do I stop them? ...without giving them that information, obviously

Well that is certainly high on the reasoning for sure

Truer words LOL....