...

I think it's a bit premature to be talking about selling. Who are they going to sell? The guys they just signed won't go anywhere...they brought their families and bought houses. Buffalo already has a difficult time acquiring decent free agents, but you want their rep to include the words "cut throat" and "disloyal"? Unless Stafford kills it out of the gate, we'll be fortunate if he gets more than a bag of pucks at the deadline. Who is going to want the remaining bunch of under-achievers on a bottom-dwelling team? If the idea is to tank, pretty much all of the liquid assets on the roster will have very little value. On the flip side of that, what if this roster starts to "gel"? That would limit who would/should be up for trading. Really, right now the big picture is obscured by the hazy, fuzzy here and now. I think by December it'll be far more clear what will be happening at the trade deadline and July 1.

People have died for revealing less important information than that.

nevermind. I wouldn't say he was the best player, but his improvement from last season to this was THE best in camp, bar none. Was he ONE of the best players? Maybe, depending how large the sample size is. If you define "best" as a player's effort + skill + potential + growth, I think it's indisputable.

I don't blame him. I agree, but even after you read the article, it's pretty clear Grigorenko is disappointed. And for that, again, I don't blame him...

Hey, man, I was in the shower when all of that happened.

Gionta gets the C. Myers and Moulson get A's.

Which we won't get because it's FOOTBALL MONDAY!!!!! woo-hoo. wee. I'm firmly with TBPhd on this: this is bullsh*&t. This goes against Nolan's stated MO.

I don't like the Grigorenko decision, but I understand it. I agree that it was the easiest move for the time being, that it may very well put the Sabres off to a slow start (which is what Tank Nation wants), and that, more than likely, Grigorenko is the first call-up. Logistically, if Samson is getting his 9, then there is really no room for Grigorenko. So, if Samson gets 9 and gets sent down, I would suspect the plan would be to call up Grigorenko unless his attitude and game goes south his first handful of games in the AHL (which I don't expect). I do have to say I like the Foligno-Girgensons-Stewart line quite a bit. If Foligno lives up to the idea of Foligno, then that's a gritty third line right there. Does anyone expect Ennis to remain at center for the rest of his career? I don't.

What else are women for?

I didn't find Grigorenko or Stewart defensively shocking during the preseason games, myself. Indeed, I thought Grigorenko's back checking was pleasantly surprising.

The dude bought a house and moved his family here. PHam says one of his kids was born here. There is more to motivating a player than just coaching. I bet he's sick of moving around. His game during the preseason was...excellent, for preseason. I agree with someone above saying he's probably a "change of scenery" guy; where they're moved to a team and break out with an admirable career. We've seen it happen on other teams, perhaps it happens for the Sabres this time around with this guy.

Let's see, you defend Hodgson frequently, and no one will diss Stewart, so your concern must be Grigorenko. Yes?

Hehe, he said "deposit" when talking about Semin.

So, we know if Neuvirth or Hackett starts, then Murray is in on the tank. A 10 minute misconduct? Yay, McCabe!

It could be that Neuvirth just sucks.

Wait, is there a TV feed online somewhere?

Second period: not a period with a lot of offensive stats, but two goals and, really, no mistakes. A patient, workman-like period, very much what I expect to see from a Nolan team. Who spec'd the paint color for the Savres logo center ice? Is it an autumnal look they're going for? Reinhart! He comes alive in the third.

I'm watching the replay because I was out earlier, and the first period just ended. If this is this season's Sabres, you can kiss McEichel goodbye. That was among the best periods of Sabres hockey I've seen in a year.

Someone needs to run a NFL 15 sim.

This is a very unfair strawman. There have a been a few of us who have watched Grigorenko closely and his performance last night was in no way a surprise. His development and maturity have followed an arc since all of that nonsense surrounding his being sent down was sorted out. It's just that a lot of people wanted to deny that development arc. We'll see over the next few weeks if it's for real; I suspect it is based on everything I have seen from him over the past year.

I think this line needs to see some more pre-season games. There was some chemistry there...I think it surprised the spring chickens Grigorenko and Hodgson, and they were only getting the feel for it by the end of the game. That is a keen observation. Perhaps the most keenest of observations tonight (only because I've been pretty high on Grigorenko since I saw him at the summer camp thing). You are King Keen for the day. Fixed that for you.

Agreed. Stewart stood out as a very well-rounded forward, Grigorenko's back-checking and physical play stood out just as much as his scoring attempts, and Hodgson, God bless him, he did make some good plays in the offensive zone. Grigorenko, to me, made up for Hodgson's lack of defensive play, so that line could clear the zone along with the D. It was a dynamic line, fer shure.

Grigorenko is a lock for the big club; I'm saying it now.

Risto!

Orr got a bloody nosey from that there altercation.