Taro T

Ukka Pukka Dukka.

Short for a firewagon.

Some may have him written off. Personally, doubt it's anywhere close to a majority that have, and just want him to get adjusted to the new system (or lack thereof) without being expected to be the #2 D-man on the team eating up necessarily tough minutes when he's in. Putting him on a lower pairing until he's adjusted would seem to allow him to do that.

Have bemoaned giving Lyubushkin away enough that didn't need to rebring it up in that response. Frustrating when they say the goal is competing in the playoffs and then they make moves that weaken this season's team. And have griped about the 3 headed monster enough to not bring that up in the reply again either. (Still expect them to make the playoffs, but moves like those reduce the margin for error to make it happen.)

Because Stillman is a better player and MIGHT get claimed off waivers. With his contract there was absolutely no way Bryson was getting claimed.

The policy is strictly enforced. With ONE exception. If you buy something in the Sabres store and go directly from there to the security/entry point, they will let you through security with the bag you get with your purchase.

He'll almost definitely start the game against the Aisles as Dahlin's partner. Not convinced he'll still be there when they host the Rags.

Which is fine. Provided the floor is NHL caliber production. Progressing towards that is not what the NHL is for; it is what Ra-cha-cha is for.

Agreed w/ all the above. But, IF that comes to fruition, will be extremely frustrating because there should've been adjustment to the bench coaches THIS offseason.

Fortunately, it's regarding a fringe player and not the starting netminder. But watching them decide that Bryson & UPL have to be keepers is like watching Muckler decide that Hasek wasn't a starting caliber goalie. They've made up their minds and no amount of on ice results will alter their view. Fortunately, after a couple of years Muckler was forced to accept reality. Would be nice if management could get to that point before losing any more reasonable players for nada.

Will be very unhappy if Stillman gets claimed. They could've had 8 strong of NHL caliber D w/ Lyubushkin and Stillman as the 2 spares. And then still have had Johnson, Clague, and Bryson in Ra-cha-cha. That could've survived the D attrition they suffered last November should similar happen again. But instead, they're going to have 6 NHL D w/ Bryson, Johnson, Clague, and Davies or Cecconi the injury replacements. Not seeing the logic at this point.

Realize somebody loves Bryson and UPL almost as much as Granato loves him some Jokiharju (who is likely going to have a very good season admittedly), but for the love of all that is holy: WHY??????

Thing is, if they bump Clifton down off the top pairing and reduce his PK usage until he gets things figured out, that alone will go a long way towards making the GTing and the defense look reasonable/good. Both PK goals he was too high in the zone. The Geno goal, just a bit; the 7th goal, he was on the Sabres' F's back pocket while the puck was below the goal line on his side of the ice. He is still pretty much lost in the new team's system. He was a good pick up and he'll figure it out. But letting him play lower in the lineup until he does will go a long way towards facilitating that. And if it results in them winning a few more games than they're going to letting him learn on the top pairing, well, so be it. 😉 In no way am saying Clifton is the only issue. But address that and pretty sure the others are manageable.

A lot of times, D-men have difficulties in their 1st season with a new team. But once they're finally used to the new system and their new partner, they're fine. Hoped it wouldn't be the case with Clifton because of his time with Granato on the NTDP, but right now it looks like it will take him some time to get used to the differences from being on a very solid team defensively to being on one that is offense first. IF that is the case, really hope that Granato recognizes it quickly and adjusts his plans until Connor is up to speed.

He vetoed a trade to the Sabres or just a trade elsewhere? Bummer if it was the Sabres he wouldn't come to. Pretty sure Clifton was on the ice for 5 of them. Same as Dahlin. Clifton was out for 4 of the 1st 5 and the 7th. And he was an instrumental piece of 4 of the 1st 5 and the 7th.

Hopefully the biggest take away for Granato tonight is that until Clifton is comfortable in this system, he should not be the #2. Whether he plays with Power or Johnson, would really like to see him down the depth chart some. Totally understand why Don is trying him with Dahlin, if they both play the way they can it could be a very good pairing. But it is clear, from Granato's comments earlier about why Clifton didn't play until the final 2 PS games and watching Clifton in these 2 games, that Connor is not up to speed yet. And they really shouldn't be playing him on the top pairing until he is. MHO. Granato's MMV and likely will. Liked the movement on the 1st PP; both units. But the 2 late PPs didn't have nearly as much movement and didn't do nearly as well. Still hate the entries on the PP. Amazing how bad they still are at that aspect of it. Levi had a stinker early in the year last year and it didn't phase his play at all. Expecting this one will roll off his back too. Sure that he wants the 1st 2 back, nothing he could do on the net off the pegs goal nor the Geno goal. The one where Jost got caught trying to cover for the D change it looked like Levi made the 1st save but the rebound went right back to the Pen. Considering Dahlin was still high, not sure that one is on Levi but he likely wants that back too. The last goal, pretty sure he'd like back but he realized it was Crosby that was coming out above the goal line. Can't cheat to cover the pass because Crosby will bury it if you go off your line early. Won't put that one on him either. Don't recall the particulars of the go behind goal, so no opinion on it. They had good moments. Just not enough of them. Glad that they'll be opening against an offensively challenged squad as it might help to settle them down a bit. And still say 103 this year. Donnie G will figure out the pairings.

Had Clifton not been trying to join the rush out of the zone, perhaps Crosby wouldn't have been completely alone below the goal line leaving Power to decide whether to continue to watch the man at the far side or keep Crosby from walking out above the goal line. He got caught in no man's land.

Will they do anything with the Thompson drawn PP?

What can we expect? Likely this:

Hunter Shepard? Talk about a dichotomy.

Personally, would run Tuch Thompson Benson (as long as he's here, why not try it) Cozens Dahlin with Skinner Peterka/Krebs Mittelstadt Olofsson (if he's in the top 12) Power as the 2nd unit. Not of fan of Skinner down low, but that's where he seems to want to be and if they bump him off the top unit they'll definitely throw him a bone. Peterka/Krebs is a placeholder until Quinn is healthy. At which point Peterka can take VO's spot on the other half wall. And would absolutely 100% change up the entries. They have to be one of the 5 worst teams in the league on PP entries.

Except there is another place for them if they struggle after game 10 or whatever: Washington. It's just that they'll be more expensive in '26-'27 than they would've been had they gone back to WA prior to playing in game 10. Yes, the Sabres brass would catch some flack for it. But pretty sure that doesn't phase any of them.

41 games isn't even CLOSE to 50? While they aren't in the same apartment buliding, they are in the same area code.

That puking emoji wasn't directed at you @Brawndo. Htf did UPL win the backup role? (Yeah, yeah, we know they like him for some inexplicable reason, but WHY????) Not saying Comrie's great, he isn't. But he's adequate. Something UPL far too often isn't.