Taro T

Your observation about the PK is spot on . On PP1, there are options. On PP2 it is pretty much exclusively that Power recovers the puck (typically directly, but even if not, it almost always is on his stick at his own blue line) and somewhere between there and the red line, it gets dropped back behind him for the trailing F to pick up. Cannot recall a single time that was not the PP2's transition/entry. One of these times and opponent is going to fake the engagement with Power and just pick up the loose puck sitting 10' behind him and will either have a full breakaway or a partial depending upon how unaware he caught the F that was expecting to pick up the loose puck. Now that Tuch &/or Dahlin are primarily carrying the puck into the zone on PP1, the entries are getting more effective than last year and the 1st 4 or so games. And they are trying to move the puck around more physically (rather than simply passing from stationary spots hoping to somehow use Levi's Jedi Mind Tricks to move the D from the passing lanes) before passing which should begin to open up passing and shooting lanes and sometimes they do - in the Moe-ray-all game they generated at least 4 scoring chances on one PP in the 2nd but couldn't convert any of them. But, until the puck starts going into the net, it will remain an extremely frustrating thing to watch; and as the game goes on they tend to have the PP slide back to their old tendencies - stand around, pass around, hope to get Thompson a 1 timer attempt.

Officially, most likely. This puts them with a more standard 14-7-2. Probably a combination of reward to Rousek and also insurance if Tuch can't go tomorrow night. Doubt they'd call him up just to sit him, so am expecting that if Tuch can go tomorrow that Jost is out of the lineup and if he can't then Olofsson is the only odd man out. Wonder if Olofsson gets any more games as a Sabre? Umm, probably because he didn't.

On PK, Greenway said the plan is "patience." They don't chase guys to the boards nor behind the net. But with the long reach of everybody on that primary unit, they still generate pressure even though they aren't chasing. Am totally with you on being fine with Dahlin not getting any PK time. Even if they get a rush on the PK, he likely isn't joining it; so give him a breather and let him come back fresh to help generate offense and keep things settled at 5v5. Still would like to see them alter the personnel on the PP, but just don't see it happening due to internal politics. (Granato ISN'T pulling Skinner off the top unit (and yes, he's actually scored on the PP which very few other Sabres can claim; but how many could claim they've scored on the PP if it was more efficient?) nor is he taking Okposo off the 2nd unit.) Also, am very surprised that no opponent has picked off Power's drop pass as he uses that play, literally, every single time he brings the puck up the ice. Somebody is going to jump it and hopefully that will spur the coaches to have him do something, ANYTHING, else. Though the PP was ranked in the top 10 last year, it was a steaming pile for almost the entire season minus a roughly 6 week span when it was pretty much unstoppable. So, really not surprising that it's a steaming pile again even though the players are skilled enough that it SHOULD be very good, if not excellent.

ENGs and SHGA are the only reason Dahlin is a minus. Personally, really don't get too concerned about that stat unless it is freakishly high or horrendously low.

110V 60Hz. Somebody needs to remember to bring a REALLY long extension cord and to not forget the GFCI.

Can't see him demanding that. He's an RFA w/ arbitration rights but doesn't become a UFA for another 2 years after this one. Really expect them to agree to a LT deal in the neighborhood of, but very slightly lower than, those signed by Cozens and Thompson. If they can't get a LT deal, he likely plays here next year and then could see him getting traded with 1 year left on that next deal.

Johnson and Thompson too. Johnson on the PK right before drawing a penalty himself and Tommer with the quick stick to get a piece of the shooter's w/ about 2 minutes left in the game. (Pretty sure it was Tommer, might've been Tuch.) PS - hope your wife is ok. Prayers to you and yours.

Yep. 50% of the remaining 50% is 25% of the original contract. Another 50% of the original 100% would have the guy playing for the other team for free. Which, as @LGR4GM points out, is not allowed per the CBA. The CBA also wouldn't allow another 50% of the remaining 25% to be retained in a 3rd trade.

No. The thread title refers to the "92 point graph." The graph on the front page, which actually is useful, as opposed to a 92 point graph, happens to be a "98 point graph."

Especially when only 5 points separate 2nd from 8th. 😉

Minor nitpick. The chart is for a 98 point pace, not a 92 point pace. (98 would be just a smidge under a 0.600 pace. And 0.600 has been in the playoffs every time but one which was in a season when all the established teams were in 1 division and all the expansion teams were in the other division.)

Nothing worth mentioning.

At present, yes. And down the stretch last year as well. Greenway is the best defensive forward on the team. Thompson the best offensive forward on the team. Will be interesting to see if those evolve as the team learns the more "defensively responsible" system we keep hearing about them wanting to implement.

Expect they will come back with UPL on Friday and Levi on Saturday on the "run the hot hand" principle. Personally, would run it the other way - Levi on Friday and UPL against the Loafs. The tougher game is Saturday's game. UPL is on his game, Levi was not in his last game (though he likely played the entire game battling whatever kept him out of action since that game) and is more of a wildcard coming off the injury. They'll be wearing the Goatheads on Friday. That SHOULD be enough extra oomph to get them another win against the Phlyers, should they need any. Give the guy that's less a sure thing (at the moment) that game and give the tougher game to the guy that's played his best hockey since Juniors for the last 120 minutes. And make sure they explain the reason for going with that deployment to UPL so he doesn't worry about it not being "his team."

And with the W tonight, the Sabres are officially NOT in last place in their division. Courtesy of having played more games than the Swamp Cats and the Otters and picking up 4 points in those 2 games, the Sabres 10 points is good for 6th in the division. Baby steps.

He did catch himself to a degree, but the leg still twisted when Okposo was on top of it.

Which is why, though some expect he'll become a good to very goalie at some point, he is a very poor fit for THIS team this season. He has great difficulty with odd man rushes (breakaways in particular) and is slow to anticipate the need to move across the crease. 2 places the Sabres tend to give up several high danger chances from each game. But, put him in Boston and he'd likely be the next steal in net.

Said the exact same thing to the wife after that sequence.

They aren't the only ones. He started having visible difficulties with the leg on the next shot he faced after that incident.

Movember.

@GASabresIUFAN, saddened for your loss. Bobby Knight passed away today.

Don't believe the bolded is quite accurate. The team will spend close to the cap when the bulk of the roster is off their ELCs and they've demonstrated to be players management wants to keep long term. Expect that will coincide with playoffs as still expect they make playoffs this year and the spending on internal talent is already 4 key players deep. But how quickly they reach a point the cap constrains them will be dependent upon how much guys like Levi, Quinn, Peterka, Kulich, Rosen, Savoie, & Benson show they can come close to where their ceilings still are. Do believe that of your 3 bullets, the 1st 2 are the reason that Olofsson is still a Sabre. Really believe, based upon everything that has happened across the 3 primary franchises that ownership will let the GMs spend provided spending is justified as to make the teams better.

Had he been a top 3 pick, people would barely bat an eye at his still being in Buffalo. But, he fell to 13 and everybody "knows" that 13th overall picks pretty much never play in the NHL in their D+1 season and also that 18 yo's nearly as often don't play in the NHL in their D+1 season. Yes, he's small (for an NHLer) but he isn't tiny. He's listed at 5'9" 163# on the Sabres website, but seeing him in person really expect he's actually 5'10" and close to 170#, probably ~168. He's been on the small side his entire life and has gotten used to keeping himself in the mix of the play but not in a spot to get lined up for the monster hit. He's had a tendency to roll off the hits and not take the full brunt of shots since he's been in Buffalo. No idea what the injury is, but as Lysowski has said it's been bothering him for weeks would expect it's a groin. That might or might not be from a hit. But the team hasn't seemed overly concerned about it as he was playing through the injury for the most part. Really good Q as to whether he stays up or not after his 9th game has been played. Especially if Biro looks good, could see them leaving Benson on IR for 3-4 more weeks to let the injury get fully healed. And then see if he looks like he did the 1st 3 games he played for the Sabres and how he looked in the preseason. He was very good in those games. If he can get back to that form, would expect he stays beyond his 9th game. If he can't, he won't. Wouldn't bet against him if he gets back to fully healthy (or as fully healthy as he was when the season started).

Dumb, yes. Dumbest? Hardly. Heck, it probably isn't even the dumbest thing said on just this board today.

Interesting, going with Olofsson over Jost. Presumably UPL gets the start tonight, Levi the start on Friday, and then most likely UPL the start in TO. (Hoping if that's the case, UPL is WAY more dialed in than his last start against TO. That one was a disaster of epic proportions.)