Taro T

Leave it to you to think that was taking a victory lap. Merely pointing out that it isn't a guarantee that they'll miss the playoffs by not sending the guys that a couple here would like to see sent down. They're actually in a playoff position as of this morning. Obviously that could change again before next week is through. And, just as it isn't a guarantee that they'll miss by not sending those guys down; it isn't a guarantee they'll make it by sending those guys down. And what happens to their psyches should they get demoted and fail? Which would be a genuine possibility were Adams to send any or all of the Ra-cha-cha 3 back down; they are afterall only 3 of 18 skaters. It was IMHO a bad idea to send them down after the Bellville game when the Amerks dropped out of a playoff spot & it still is now that that have, at least for the moment, clawed back into one. Fortunately, management seems to agree. And, whether they get in or not, that opinion won't change. Kinda expectin' they will get in, but wouldn't put any money on it either way.

Hopefully the sinks won't be at the same height and look like round ones. Could get nasty. 😉

Have no problem w/ bringing Anderson back.* * Provided he isn't expected to start any more than 25 games. So, if you have a 57+ game guy to pair with him, sure, why not. He'd be a good #2.

Good thing they sent Krebs & Samuelsson down. The Amerks never would've won these last 2 games without them. Oh, wait, umm ...

Wasn't it some different version of Shout that they tried to pass off when they decided the rights to the "good" one were deemed to expensive? But too many people hated it so they had to bite the bullet & bring it back.

We'll see spending to the cap when the current roster & guys in the system earn enough raises to bring them to the cap. The culture is already changing / has significantly changed. But it'll be 3 years before they get close to the cap.

Doubt there is a particular $ that Adams can't exceed (so you're likely right that there aren't constraints), but considering Adams is on record that he won't make ST moves that don't make sense in the LT, doubt he brings in any skaters on high $ deals (unless it is a clear ST cap dump to help upgrade something else) but a goalie could be a high $ get if he's on a 2-3 year deal. And really expect that he's saving cap space, not to save cash, but to have room to sign whomever he deems is a part of the core & as much of the quality support that he can while not losing pieces of the core.

Why do you expect Hinostroza to not be back. He, & Pysyk, are 2 guys Adams said he specifically targeted last off season. Am kind of pencilling him in for opening night w/ Peterka filling his slot when the team is fully healthy by Thanksgiving (the US version), but w/ injuries keeping Vinnie in the lineup. Agree there's a strong likelihood they go outside the roster for the 4C.

Smehlikclearsitnotout is up there for this kid.

You're forgetting 1 other option (Besides splitting time in Ra-cha-cha which is what this kid actually expects would happen) should Buffalo have both Levi & Portillo scheduled to be in the minors. That is, 1 of them could follow in Binnington's footsteps & get loaned to a different AHL team. (For a Ra-cha-cha example, use Kolzig.) Pretty sure that worked out for him and St. Louis. If Portillo won't sign because he doesn't believe in himself enough to expect to beat out Levi & UPL, then get whatever you can for him & dump him ASAP. Pretty sure it won't be an issue. He's an elite athlete; he has to believe he can beat them out.

Definitely. Replacing Bjork & Hayden with Hinostroza & Girgensons was a significant upgrade to the F's. And having Girgensons & Okposo surrounding him let Eakin pass the eye test of being an actual 4th line NHLer. (Rather than whatever he was flanked by Hayden & Jankowski or other non-LOG line alumni.) Being able to not dress Butcher or Miller or only play them 12 minutes each when ONE dresses has also helped. Definitely. Replacing Bjork & Hayden with Hinostroza & Girgensons was a significant upgrade to the F's. And having Girgensons & Okposo surrounding him let Eakin pass the eye test of being an actual 4th line NHLer. (Rather than whatever he was flanked by Hayden & Jankowski or other non-LOG line alumni.) Being able to not dress Butcher or Miller or only play them 12 minutes each when ONE dresses has also helped.

But, but, DraftKings was advertising some sort of walk away provision when a bet goes sideways. Why don't YOU do that too? To not do it makes you a doody head. (Or actually someone that understands how betting has worked for the entire history of gambling. Perspective matters. 😉 ) S'pose it's also possible he watched Albert Brooks in Lost in America the night before, but that is far less likely. 😉

2 things that Granato did, to a degree out of necessity & to a degree because he believed in them, that seemed reckless that worked in the LT of a single season were 1. He allowed Skinner to stay on the ice in close games at the end and even though it burned them in the ST (they lost at least 2 & possibly 4 points directly) it helped bring Skinner's game to another level. He'll never been mistaken for Craig Ramsay, but he isn't a tire fire in his own zone any more. Really expect a lot of that was Granato being able to say "hey, you ended up in a situation we knew would come up, & you did it your way and it went exactly as you were told it would; next time you're there, and you'll be in that situation again, try this; pretty sure it'll work." Skinner has displayed far more character this season than this kid thought he had. Mia culpa. And 2, that 1st Euler game, when he turned Cozens loose against McDavid, it worked. He spoke to him before the game & after that decided he was ready for the chance. Granato read that darn near flawlessly. Another he's been doing post 3/1 that wasn't noticeable prior to that is: he both regularly makes in game adjustments & he actually matches lines on a regular basis. Will be looking for both to continue this fall. Can't say he's the guy, way too short a sample size. But there's hope he might be. And this team is fun to watch for the 1st time in a long time. Would be a great story if this cancer survivor ends up exactly what this team needed (and this opportunity ends up exactly what he needed).

Is the answer because you don't live near a Lowe's? 🤔

Hmm, under Larry Quinn's leadership, finishing the job as cheaply as possible took precedence over usability, aesthetics, and regulatory compliance? Noooooooo. Ya don' say. 😉

DeBoer is a guy that somehow keeps finding new jobs. Never fully understood why. He definitely takes the fun out of watching hockey. And, as his best results w/ a new club seem to happen his 1st year, it seems he grows old on his players quickly, too. Wouldn't be at all surprising if he's the sacrificial lamb assuming Vegas can't both pass LA and stave off the 'Nucks. (Which would highly increase the likelihood this year's pick is better than next year's pick.)

They keep preaching how every day is another day to develop and get better. In a "throw away" season, that's how to lessen the blow of it. And, this throw away season has been entertaining minus a stretch in January / February. (They still came to play even in the goaltending purgatory portion of the season when they couldn't get many wins.)

Yep. Of course, the flip side of that is that since their 5 game losing streak, the Kin-ig-hits have been playing at a better pace too. Though that itself is a much smaller sample yet. (In THAT really small sample they're likely ahead of Buffalo because it coincides w/ that killer road trip.) Good to see Vancouver on a tear as that's a second chance to keep Vegas out even if LA continues its swoon. And bottom line for now, IMHO, is the Sabres are exceeding expectations and truly fun to watch for the 1st time in ages while Vegas is underperformed expectations and not entertaining to watch (unless one is cheering against them, in which case they've been a blast the last few nights).

Always thought that talk presumed the football stadium was going downtown and then the MMArena would get upgrades to keep pace w/ the new stadium. They did do a study of possible renovations to the MMArena back before the world shut down, but haven't seen any movement following the studies & haven't heard of anything major since. A lot of the stuff proposed wouldn't really fly in Buffalo IMHO. Glad that one that they brought in focus groups for went away.

They'll play well in October. Lately, they almost always do. The key is, can they keep it going afterwards. November/December is usually when the wheels fall off.

Every single year there is much handwringing or glee (depending upon perspective) about how such & such team's going into Cap H-E- double hockey sticks. TB, Minny, & TO just to name the ones immediately springing to mind. When a team actually truly gets there, it'll be the 1st. It is going to happen eventually. But until it actually does, will expect it won't.

Just like TB was last year & this year. Not saying they'll win the Cup. But they play in the weakest division in the NHL & had a ridiculous number of injuries this year. Would be shocked if they weren't at least in the playoff mix next year. But if the Sabres end up w/ their 1st in '23 will definitely hope they fall off the face of the Earth. Just not expecting it.

Would probably work out for the Sabres like the Aisles pick worked out. It went from 5th to 20 something in that 1 additional season. Yes, it could become a top pick in '23, but it's more likely to be in the 20's as Vegas won't likely be decimated by injuries. Will very happily take 15 this year should that be what it becomes.

Shouldn't it be the The Sullivans? 😉

Yes, he is. But rather than play in CA while waiting for a chance to play Div I at Arizona State, he chose to play at Sioux Falls while waiting to become a Golden Gopher at Minnesota. He's shown that he sees value in playing in a hockey hotbed. So, just because he grew up in Irvine, there is no reason, based upon his past history, to believe he would necessarily rather be near dear old dad over playing for Adams crew in wintry WNY.