Taro T

Yeah, until the Browns broke the bank for him never had any animosity towards them and could actually kind of commiserate with them. But he's a big time creep and they wanted HIM, so #### those guys.

They SHOULD be able to trade for those guys. Roy for Malkin trades never happen. Roy for Ott trades are actually quite doable.

Cozens broke his thumb in either one of these prospect games or the Sabres 3v3 tourney a few years back. Didn't set him back all that far. Here's to hoping it works out for Matt as well.

You can actually rewind to have the game start whenever you're ready to watch it. At least you can if watching from the Sabres website. Haven't found their Youtube channel, nor are there any plans to look for it.

What is it about people in positions of authority in the NHL or the NHLPA that leads them to be paranoid #####? Different situation, but this calls to mind the Ted Saskin saga.

Which is another part of why missing the playoffs by 2 points last year was such a disappointment. (Yes, they were 1 point behind 8 but needed 2 because they didn't hold the tiebreaker.) Sneaing into the playoffs last year with the equivalent of a 9-7 season would've allowed them to really drive home the systems they want to play when they actually add defensive responsibilities to the overall system and would allow any growing pains Levi experiences to not be as devastating as they'll seem should those cause the team to take a small step back. (And even if they gain 6 or so points over last year; the odds are 92 isn't going to be enough to get in and they could still miss the playoffs with 97 which would feel like a step back.) Am very much looking forward to this season, as am expecting the team to get into the 100's and finally clinch a playoff spot and get back to relevance. But that next season could be extremely special.

Obviously, the Church of the Blessed Beaten Beloved.

FTFY. 😉

Fun? WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, at the end of the day, the players (collectively, across all 32 teams) will bring in the exact same amount regardless of who gets a big slice of the pie and who gets the proverbial crumbs. It would be nice to see Dahlin agree to an 8 year deal at $10.5/ because it would leave more room under the cap than if he ends up at $12/ but personally don't begrudge him anything he gets. And, ironically, Skinner being overpaid from '21 through '23 helped them avoid signing additional Ben Bishops or Johnny Boychuks. So, if anything, it was a good thing he was overpaid. And, he really isn't all that much overpaid anymore now that the STT line is a thing.

Well, THAT didn't take long.

It is true. There are a ton of guys that can score at lower levels, Varada comes to mind immediately and even Rob Ray scored at ~0.8 PPG in Junior, who can't score in the NHL to save their lives. There are a lot of guys that were scorers in the NHL such as Bobby Carpenter or Kyle Okposo, that when their hands failed a smidge or they lost a half step could still become very effective defensive players. Can't think of any ottomh that were known for their defensive prowess that became scorers. Surely there are a couple of guys that added O to their game at a latter stage in their development but they are the exceptions, not the rule. And it is WAY easier to coach a player to be effective at D than it is to teach them how to score.

Along those lines, still believe teams should be able to turn down the 2 minute PP for an opportunity to have the puck at the far D-man's stick (the one nearer to the boards) on the next 3 offensive zone faceoffs. For a team with a lousy PP being able to force the team in the defensive zone to scramble to keep the other D-man from getting a clear point shot off after 1 easy pass and the ensuing chaos that should happen with a good low shot on net is going to result in a lot more goals than just working the puck around the boards and getting 2 attempts (if even that) off on net over 2 minutes.

Might have some tix available. Grabbed some for the kids, but doesn't look like they can go. Will know Monday for sure.

Seeing these guys getting so excited at landing these kids can kind of be infectious. (Realize that's the point, to hype the future while the present finally gets here; but they've been genuinely excited to land them. And they seem to have been right on guys they've drafted in the past like Power, Quinn, and Peterka.) @Brawndo & @Huckleberry 🍻

100%. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll stick around.

The '05-'06 season WAS after the lockout. But your next statement seems to be indicating that your memory seems to be fading. It wasn't a popular sentiment, but there were some that were expecting the Sabres to make the playoffs that year. In no small part due to the way the team had finished the '03-'04 season and because they jettisoned team cancer Satan. (Which opened up room to be the point of focus on the top powerplay for a certain cocaptain that had been quite the PP specialist in his previous stop.) Two major reasons to like the Sabres chances. There also was the fact that the Sabres had been moving towards an entertaining team prior to the lockout and when the league decided to actually do away with D "waterskiing" off attacking forwards and implementing other items to open the game up from the clutch & grab dead puck era it positioned the Sabres very well to take advantage of the new rules. Not sure if that was by design or by luck, but either way for once the Sabres were "in the right place at the right time." (Have argued it was in large part by design but it very well might have simply been luck.) As to your last question, yes, some who were following the (pretty much legal only news about the NHL because there was no hockey to follow) NHL during the lockout knew about that lawsuit.

A 110+ point season, yes, nobody expected that. A 100+ point season and being back in the playoffs, some saw that. Would be really cool if it happens again. But doubt it does this season. (Doesn't mean it CAN'T, just that it likely won't.) The East is a lot stronger and deeper today than it was that magical season nearly 20 years ago.

Hope the rest of your B-day gifts weren't as lame as the one the Bills gave you, oh Fearless Leader.

Pretty sure he didn't have Lidstrom in Anaheim.

And honestly believe that it is.

OR the bridge deal makes his 2nd "real" contract more problematic as he's now signing it in his early 30's rather than his late 20's.

Well, expect there'll be 2-3 more guys in this category by the end of the month, but currently they have exactly 6 contracts that extend more than the next 2 seasons and 2 of those expire after 3 years. Doubt that is out of line with the rest of the league. Other than Skinner's deal, which of those 6 would you like to see end w/in the next 2 years?

Again, IMHO, the goal needs to be legit contender. They may not be good enough to be one. But they can't be satisfied being in the mix for the 2 WCs. They need to be shooting for top 3 in the division and feel the urgency if they aren't in that mix. Or else, they very well could be on to year 13.

The goal needs to be Stanley Cup contender. Not simply playoffs. Believe internally it is. Would believe much more strongly that the goal can be reached this year if the goaltending was more certain and the D went NHL caliber beyond only #7. (He's not a great NHLer, but Stillman is an NHLer. Won't go that far at this time on anyone below him on the depth chart though at least 2 and likely 3 guys below him will see NHL action.)