Taro T

Not sure who the announcers were, they didn't sound like Beninati and Laughlin. They WERE quite annoying. But the replays and ads complaints are simply because they were using the in arena video board feed. (Basically the Caps did the AHL.tv style thing.) When they are actually running a full broadcast crew their broadcast will be back up to NHL standards.

Good. Let 'em get the scoring out of their system this week. Next week they get to see how it feels to be the former WTFs.

Yeah, there was a bit of forethought in putting this game on directly opposite the Bills game. Due to the lineups people probably would've been madder had they been able to get to both games than they are that they can't.

That's cool and really glad your boy was able to get Thompson's JH. Our kids are old enough that it wasn't an issue for the one that came with us to not wait around in the autograph line. He was as good with getting to the bar and grabbing an early dinner as the rest of us were.

He's always signing autographs at those style events. So cool that he still enjoys doing that. We didn't go for any of the autographs that day as the line was seriously LONG. But did go to a couple of the STH events.

Yeah, Luce shows up at a lot of the events like the Draft Party and the Blue and Gold Insights. (Just meeting people at the bar for the B&GI. He hasn't been an active participant. But it is cool to say 'hi' to him.

So, maybe the teams knew what they were doing scheduling this one opposite the Bills game. No need to have fans in attendance or even paying attention to watch the (mainly) AHLers duke it out.

If there is, haven't found it. 😥

Considering Rousek (and Murray too) is being given a chance to see how he plays with Krebs, am actually now expecting he's getting pencilled into what was Okposo's spot and Okposo is pencilled in as Cozens' 2nd winger unless the kid playing with him right now absolutely forces his way onto the team. (In which case Okposo goes back to his normal role next to Krebs.) Really expect Jost is the 13 unless he forces his way higher into the lineup. But do agree, his role is not that which Kulich or Rosen would fill should they win a roster spot.

Not that it matters, but it does appear Granato considers Cozens the 2C and Mittelstadt the 3C as Mitts is on Thompson's squad and Dylan is on the other. Also, appears that Comrie and UPL are essentially considered to be equivalent (as they probably should) as they both are on the same team. No surprise that Tokarksi is the 4.

Not disagreeing that Adams saw a need to bring in some physical players as he obviously did. But, bringing in physical guys via small trade / FA has been Adams plan / modus operandi since he got an opportunity to begin to implement it. He's been adding skill through 2 routes: the draft and the big moves of top end players that weren't bought in. That's where Cozens, Quinn, Peterka, Power, Tuch, Krebs, and Levi all came from. (Plus Savoie, Kulich, Rosen, Östlund, Benson, the huge 2nd round C drafted this year.) Every team is going to have turnover and has a need to upgrade and replace guys at the top and bottom of the roster. It's pretty clear that Adams and his crew have a methodology to obtain the replacements and upgrades. Skill players get brought in via the draft and major trades. Expecting we'll be seeing much less of the latter for the short term, but when the glut of kids are ready to contribute we'll start to see those coming around again (whether it be established vets on the team or some of that raw young talent; there won't be room for it all). And the "grinders" that every team needs will be brought in through minor trades and FA. On paper, it makes a lot of sense. Especially for a young team that can afford to let the draft picks percolate for a while in Junior and the A (or college). And when a core piece needs to be replaced (say, by Skinner losing a step as he heads to and past the wrong side of 30), well there's a well stocked cupboard ready to step up (should the plan continue to play out as it seems it will). And when they decide to move on from a Lyubushkin (a move that still seems premature from this vantage point, but again, the management has earned the benefit of the doubt IMHO), then there's FA (Johnson) or trades (Stillman) to allow that to happen.

The bolded is the biggest reason why it could work bringing him in. The team's culture has definitely been established. One guy won't destroy it; especially when the GM is as cognizant about recognizing and building the culture. If he were brought in sometime between January and the trade deadline; if he were creating issues, he wouldn't be here long. Personally, don't expect he brings more to the table than others do at this point in his career. But if they were to sign him, wouldn't be opposed; as this FO has earned a benefit of the doubt IMHO. (Know that isn't a sentiment that's univeral here.)

Sorry, brain fart. Ra-cha-cha was IN MARKET for ESPN+ last season. Hope you caught that from the 3rd sentence, but pretty sure said the exact opposite in the 1st sentence. Again, apologies for the confusion created.

Betcha Thompson thinks he's set too. The audacity of these guys! 😵‍💫

For ESPN+ it was IN MARKET last year. Expecting that'll be the same. And considering regular DTv had all the MSG Sabres pre-games and the Instigators (or whatever they call it now w/ Duff and Biron) and One Bills Live; they seem to consider Ra-cha-cha local too. (Too bad the NFL doesn't and doesn't let Channel 8 or 13 show the Amazon Prime Bills games like Channel 4 or 7 get to in Buffalo.)

Too bad you didn't snip last year's.

Expect the internal expectation is 107+ in the regular season (1 additional L every 10 game segment converted into a W relative to last season) and personally am expecting 103 which is still 12 points over last year and a single W shy of a 30 point improvement from the 1st year of putting the plan in motion.

Until Quinn is healthy, should Granato keep his "pairs" together would expect Greenway to literally watch Thompson's back; Olofsson to be back with Mittelstadt (until last year when it was a disaster, it ususally worked ok when attempted); and then probably Rousek or Rosen flanking Cozens but Kulich or Benson could flat out earn it in camp. Peterka being able to play either side leaves all 4 in the mix for that spot. Personally am pencilling in Jost as the 13F until he proves otherwise.

Welcome back. You were a good poster back in this place's infancy. But wtf, you really bailed right before the Presidents Trophy season?

Considering he's done everything possible to downplay even getting to the playoffs as the goal in the past 2 seasons, this is a fairly major shift. And, it's a shift he made towards the end of last season regarding THIS season.

Your takes all seem well thought out and reasonable. Did not see Clifton getting a real shot with Dahlin, but here we are. From all reports, he held his own on the B's top pairing waiting for McAvoy to be healthy. He does bring significantly more offensive upside than Samuelsson does and at this point in both their respective careers is a better overall player. Will be interesting to see how his chemistry and Ras' gel. Have said my peace on the Power-Jokiharju pairing. Will simply add for old times sake that Granato loves him some Jokiharju. That and, IF Clifton and Ras work as a pairing, that is likely the best 2nd pairing they can come up with. (Though would rather see Muel and Owen given a shot as he covers more of Power's weaknesses than Henri does IMHO.) Muel and Johnson is an interesting pairing. Find it interesting that UPL would appear to have the upper hand in the competition to be Levi's backup. (Presuming they're going with traditional 1, 3, 5 and 2, 4, 6 split of goalies in camp.) Just hoping they keep an open mind and truly let the one that is performing better over the next 3 weeks win the competition. They'll need that guy to be good for 30-35 games so they have to get it right (if there IS an actual right answer there to that particular framing of the question). REALLY like that the 3 kids who've shown the most offensive upside are each apparently going to be given a chance to earn a spot. Wonder which one was the odd man out were Savoie not injured. Also find it interesting that Murray and Rousek (the 2 most likely of the Amerks to show they've earned a spot in the bottom 6 (read 4th line)) are getting to flank the likely 4C. Which gives them the fairest opportunity to show what they have. Might have to see when they'll be practicing again during camp and see if they're open to the public. Could be a lof of fun to attend in person again after a few years off. (Krueger closed the TC practices to the general public and didn't fit it into the schedule under Granato to even bother seeing if the public was allowed back again.)

Which is disappointing, as it is Qui Gon that he emulates at TV timeouts.

Almost expected Qui Gon to end up on the mask somewhere. Maybe he's the one (off screen, so to speak) weilding one or both of the light sabres?

Agree with the bolded, but also agree that has been a fairly contrarian take even though the statements and actions from One Seymour H. Knox III Plaza have been in line with the bolded.

And that should be the goal. Interesting that he actually said that, because he's said often the goal (publicly) is to be competitive for the Stanley Cup (because there are too many variables that come down to luck (injuries, hot goalie, cold goalie, a couple of bounces in OT, etc)). And that goal (to be legitimately competitive for the SC) this season and moving forward IS the typically stated goal.