K-9

That could have been a quote from Granato himself. Seems to have these guys all reading the same page.

Eichel was injured before camp started, never healed from that injury and played hurt the entire season. I don't recall a game last season where he looked like his normal self. That he was still almost a point a game player was remarkable in and of itself.

Agreed. They could move things back a bit as well as move the beginning of the season up a bit, too. But I can’t see the league’s broadcast masters and the billions they spend for those rights agreeing to do that.

Because it’s crunch time between the end of the regular season, consolidation of scouting reports, the combine, free agency, and the draft. It’s a ton of work and logistics to accomplish in a short period, especially for a totally new staff coming in. And that compressed time window got even shorter with the extension of the season this year. It’s a disadvantage for teams in transition. The league tries to make up for it by letting teams with new staffs start camps earlier, but that does nothing to help with all the challenges on the front end.

I understand your point. And I can appreciate that fatigue can lend itself to poor decision making as well. But you don’t have to be a super talented player to make good decisions. I’ve seen lesser physically talented players compensate by making better decisions since I started watching hockey. No matter. Half these stiffs will be gone soon enough anyway.

Continues to be no answer for an aggressive forecheck. We’ve seen it game after game. Sure, that’s a talent issue, but it’s also a question of lack of poise, poor decision making, and winning puck battles. Also, Donnie G shows little in the way of tactical adjustments.

I’ve wondered about that, too. But in talking to a couple orthopedic friends (both of them knee, not spine specialists), they are pretty convinced that Dr. Cappuccino would never have given his OK even if the Pegulas did and they cited favoring more stability vs. more flexibility as the reason because of the violent nature of collisions in hockey and the unprecedented nature of the ADR procedure in hockey players. Let’s hope Eichel comes back to being the elite player he was and makes future decisions easier for everyone involved should another hockey player face the same injury and treatment options.

Hope he gets them early because his Amerks game went into OT last night and I worry he may not have any legs left when the 3rd period rolls around tonight.

I see Raddysh showing that dirty play that the parent club requires.

Yep. Slim pickins for sure. I don’t understand how we can slam everything that’s wrong with the organization to explain why free agents won’t want to come here and in the next breath expect that a good free agent goalie automatically would. Makes no sense to me.

Indeed! Good for Doogie!

Amusing, but not original in the least. A blatant rip-off off the Captain Andrew Luck tweets from a few years ago.

All I can do is laugh. Which is not a good thing because the Sabres have driven us to apathy. Fans won’t be back any time soon.

I’d be surprised if OT goes longer than two minutes.

Sooner or later, Donnie G is gonna have to become a better tactician.

“A flea market of equipment on the ice.”😂 Rick going out in style!

Too much watchin. Here comes the big choke.

That was major league work.

The hope is that between the two of them, they can approach Eichel's offensive output because it’s impossible that either can be the best player in that trade.

Saw this on the Stadium Wall over at TBD. Too good and had to post it here as well. Credit to Dablitzkrieg for posting it on that forum.

Can’t find a sponsor willing to make the association with the Sabres?

Ha ha. Detroit coach can’t speak and chew gum at the same time, apparently.

Terrible shift for Vinnie.

Samuelson?