Taro T

Dahlin had the mean in him at the WJCs that were in Buffalo. He liked playing physical in his own end. Has Power ever demonstrated a physicality to his game? (Honestly asking.) If he has, there's a decent chance he'll develop that. If not, wouldn't expect that tool to get added to the box. But, he can use his size better than he currently does even if he doesn't draw on an inner Jay McKee/Rhett Warrener. And expect he will do so as he seemed to use his size well to take away lanes and take away pucks at Michigan.

And to further that thought, didn't Shane Wright stay in Seattle until the WJC's and then go back to Juniors after they were over? It's not like keeping a kid past the ELC year burning game automatically means he must be up the entire year. Benson being in the lineup now with Thompson and Quinn out does not guarantee he'll be in the lineup when they come back.

Doubtful. More likely this one will be about 70-30 Sabres fans (maybe even 80-20). This one could actually be a success for the "enemy zip codes can't buy tix until the last minute" policy. Looking at the website, there's only ~1000 seats available. Could be a lot of Sabres fans wanted to go with family as they're back for the holidays. IF this one is majority Pens fans, then that ticketing policy is an even bigger failure than it was expected to be.

They run the PP they are coached to run. Even lacking Thompson and Quinn (who didn't get PP1 usage last year) they could run a PP1 with Dahlin, Peterka, Tuch, Mittelstadt, & Cozens or Benson. With a 2nd unit with Power, Benson or Cozens, Skinner, Olofsson, & Greenway in front of the net. If they didn't want to use Greenway there, they could use 2 D adding RJ2 to that mix. It's not the talent, it's the scheme (or lack thereof).

Honestly don't know if it will or won't. But him not going back today doesn't mean it won't happen come January.

🍺 He'd been skating well the 2 games since coming back from injury. That'll really stink if he retweaked his earlier injury. They need to get him healthy.

You are missing the bigger point. He can be sent back to WA at any point this season. He CAN NOT be recalled from there (except on an emergency basis) after he goes back. Game 10 has NOTHING TO DO with him accruing a season of service in the WHL nor with him accruing a season of service in the NHL. He can go back later in the year and still get his 40 or 50 games (whatever the threshold is to count a season of service in Juniors).

Burning a year of the ELC doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. That doesn't affect his becoming a UFA down the road. Keeping him on the roster beyond 40 games is a far more critical decision as that DOES effect the timing of his potentially becoming a UFA.

Any idea who the injured guy is?

Good. Right now he is playing better than several of the F's. (A case could be made that he's their 4th best F at this moment based on play of the ones that are currently healthy.) Really hope (for several reasons) that Quinn and Thompson are back sooner than later as the big decision point comes when he's about to be on the roster for a 40th game this year. That accrues a season. And, if Quinn and Thompson aren't back in December (doubt either will be) would not be remotely surprised to see Benson not be allowed to play for Canada at the WJCs. They have no top 6 scoring depth and he's playing well there, which is the reason he'll be playing tonight. Don't see that changing without having some bodies coming back to the lineup. (Shades of Derek Plante and the '94 Olympics.)

Umm, he had a stable line most all of last year and it was really effective when treated as the 3rd line and still was effective for a month or so after it became the 2nd line. Yes, it had the 2 rookies on it, and everybody loved that line. Didn't hear any complaints about Cozens getting stuck with rookies last year. Cozens has a stable line now. Until Thompson comes back he likely stays between Skinner and Tuch. Expect he would've had a stable line prior to that had Quinn been healthy, but that ship sailed months ago. Granato has been trying to find lines that work with less success than he had last year. But Cozens hasn't been the guy skating with the rookie on a regular basis this year - that's been Thompson and Mittelstadt. Personally, expect Cozens cares too much and ends up gripping the stick a little too tight at times. Expect that having the players think a bit more about D has him thinking a bit more on the ice as well this year. Hoping getting that goal in DC and getting rid of the fishbowl lets him finally get his mojo back. He's been playing between Skinner and Tuch since Tommer went out. Can't really ask for much of a better opportunity to succeed than that; expecially now that Tuch seems to have his stride back. (Hopefully that isn't short lived and he doesn't end up retweaking whatever it was that was messing with his skating.)

Likewise.

IF waiving Bryson and bringing somebody else up would get them out of the 7-11 roster building, yes, it is time. If they're willing to run with the 12 F's they have on the roster, then there's no pressing need to waive him. But either way, they need to find a way to get back to 12-6.

Can't see riding UPL & Comrie being good enough to get them where they need to be. Keeping Levi in the mix might not get them there as well, but if he can get beyond giving up the late goal, it very well could be good enough. Expect that Cozens is hurt and it's impacting his game. But don't see anyone else being able to step up to fill in his role better than he currently is with Thompson on the shelf. Especially with playing 7 D, they have to find a way to not have to play Dahlin 28 minutes - agree with that. And yes, agree with your 1st and last points.

Still don't see burning a year of the ELC as being a big deal. Letting him stay on the roster long enough to accrue a season is a far bigger deal. And right now they'd be hard pressed to not let him do that.

Yes, happy Thanksgiving to all. (Even you Canadians and those that may be reading this from other places; hope you all have a great day.)

Oh, wait, that DOESN'T guarantee playoffs? But we were told it should.

Even better, it was ABOVE A DELUCA 0.500!!!! THEY MADE THE PLAYOFFS too, because it's GUARANTEED to be there if you hit that MAJOR MILESTONE!!!!!

Whatevs. 😉

BS. UPL looked GREAT against Chicago. Um, yeah, THAT Chicago. How did he look against the Phlyers? How'd he look against the Pens, Carolina? Levi gets teams like the Rags, TO, Boston, and the Caps on an 8-1-1 run. Yeah, he absolutely needs to find a way to stop giving up a goal in the last 2 minutes. Of course, if the Sabres could find a way to actually play in their own zone in the last 2 minutes, it would help him to pull that off.

Cool, send him down. The fact that he's the best of the 3 be damned and the fact that many of us realized they needed to get him an actual NHL top liner as a partner be damned too. Sending him down so they can bring up Kulich will clarly get them into the playoffs. 😒

Yeah, he never makes the key save. He didn't win against the Lightnihg, Loafs, nor Wild. He loses every game he plays. And he gets all the EASY games, like the Rags, the B's, the Loafs, the Caps on an 8-1-1 run. Fack, those goals against were ones that @PromoTheRobot would've saved. He never gets the tough games like Moe-ray-all or Chicago. He should be the Amerks goalie. And Benson should be back in WA. Neither get help the team get any points whatsoever. This team is toast right now if these two kids aren't here.

Yeah, Comrie or UPL get 2 points tonight. Heck, they probably only give up 1 or 0 respectively. Which goal in regulation was the one you expected UPL or Comrie to stop? And, which save that Levi made do you acknowlege that Comrie or UPL would've given up. (Oops, sorry, forgot, they'd NEVER give up a goal that Levi didn't.)

You win the internet today. 🍺

Sabres STH gifts have arrived. They went outside the box this year. A Sabres USB charger, a Sabres lapel pin, and a Sabres themed jigsaw puzzle.