...

Good game, though. Boston is relentless.

Boo. That was a 21-22 Mitts turnover there.

Lyon is pretty good.

Wait, do you actually believe the premise of "$20mil in cap you'll never get back"?

I listened to Granato talk but I heard him say nothing. Non-committal on everything even when asked if the goal is to be in the playoffs next season.

I haven't sat down to take in any of these series, yet. Are there any that stand out? First choice was going to be the Boston series, but I really don't like them although I can respect the talent. Kind of interested in the NJ series to see how a Lindy team does. Was thinking of watching the McJesus's for McJesus.

Here's what you do: start a fake social media campaign a week before the draft that accuses Reinbacher of posting something offensive to some group. This could spook some of the teams looking at him and - bingo - he's ours. That night, after the first round is over, post a mea culpa saying the accusations were unfounded.

Sorry, missed this. I almost would rather not say, but whatevers...I know there are successful shorter-statured players in the league however I think every one to come through the Sabres over the last 15 years or so have been well over-sold. From what I see of him, and this is only stats and YooTube videos, I get the same impression that this guy is being over-sold as well. I think my record on being open to changing my mind - the most recent case being Mitts - speaks for itself and I hope that's the case with this guy but for now I'm not boarding the hype train.

We can not carry more than two goalies, that's just silly and both Comrie and UPL are under contract for another year. Retaining Jost, Z, KO, and Bryson with two goalies = 21 players. I don't want to keep Bryson but he has another year on his contract. At some point we have to move on from Girgensons although he is cheap and a good shut down fourth-liner. I would feel bad for him for about 10 minutes if he were not brought back. If that's the case we then have a 20-player roster to work with. As much as I like the thought of KO retiring mid-season after 1k games I don't think that's his only interest. If I were him I would be driven to experience a play-off run one more time. So, IMHO if he stays he's here for the entire season. Just playing around, one of the 20 goes to Savoie or Rousek. Another goes to a good 3/4 defenseman. That leaves one more slot. Between that slot and possible trades I think we're in position to upgrade the team even with KO on the roster.

Oh wait, I have another one. Does Adams realize that any picture or shot of him that doesn't go below the chest makes him look like he weighs double what he really does?

Dang. That's all I gots!

Does Granato know his nickname is "Meatballs"?

I think "violent" is the word for it. We're not used to seeing that kind of violence in hockey anymore nor are the players accustomed to anticipating it. IMHO, in a different time Pavelski would have anticipated the possibility of that hit. It's also the NHL's fault because they allow what are effectively late hits down low all of the time - but if they were all violent like that I'm sure there would be a rule.

I've been on pins and needles waiting to read how you characterize/classify this group!

Two things and I'll get the blasphemy out of the way first: I'm not enthusiastic over Savoie. The second thing, and really the important point for this thread, is that as much as I want to free up KO's roster slot, if you listened to those locker clean-out interviews each one of the players to a man talked about the culture, how comfortable they feel, how much they like coming to the rink. And between their remarks about KO, KO's remarks, and Meatball's remarks on KO, I am convinced that KO was like daddy/culture-czar in that room. There is absolutely no dismissing how important it is to have that atmosphere in there and my impression is that it took not only Meatballs doing his thing, KA cleaning house of the locker room cancers, but also KO putting his foot down and showing the way. Is that worth giving the guy a shot at a final season of a glorious playoff run for ~$2.5mil for the year? I think so. I think KO has more to teach these guys and he can help make sure there are no embers of locker rooms past. If we carry two goalies there's room for him on the roster and still add a solid player to the third line.

Agree on Clague and Bryson but disagree on Stillman. I thought he did well with us and I think he's a perfectly serviceable 5/6/7 D man.

I think Greenway and Player X will need to prove they're ready to contribute some offense. Therefore, any mixing up of the lines will not likely occur until DG gets a good look at how the these guys are doing. Remember, the coaches and front office have been forced into positioning the next season as playoffs or bust. Fans aren't going to tolerate DG messing around with the top lines unless his messing around works out the first time.

Meatballs himself said he put Tage in a protected role because Tage was nursing lingering injuries. Tage told us what those injuries were a day or two ago. Meatballs was hoping Tage would produce more points and be less a deficit injured than a healthy VO. He was desperate to try and juice as many points from the last two weeks as possible. That top line, while they all can play, is Skinner, Tage, and Tuch. Mitts provides other opportunities, primarily a guy you can move into the top 2 lines if need be who will not choke but, in fact, can contribute while there. The top two Sabres lines we saw the majority of this past season are our top two lines going into next season - there is no doubting that.

And so begins five months of a tired narrative to which there is no conclusion.

You've met both?

Just a gut feeling: I think KO has had enough of being an NHL player and would prefer to be a dad for a while. I think if they were to have made the playoffs this year, then KO would have retired afterward. So, my guess is that he's weighing another season with a good possibility of going to the playoffs on a team he "invested so much into" versus finally getting off the merry-go-round and being a family guy. Assuming my guesses are correct, it presents an understandably very difficult dilemma and that I think he's earnest when he says he wants to take time and talk to his family about it. Additionally, I would suspect that KA has likely told him to take his time and that he has a spot here if he wants it - for ~ $2m/1yr. VO will be gone and I bet they cut ties with Z. That leaves an open slot to fill with a player upgrade and slot for either KO or one of the upcoming guys.

After watching the locker clean-out videos, I have just a few comments/observations: Dahlin's comments on his contract scare me. Best interview was Jost. Hope he comes back. Tuch's personality is very much like Ryan Miller's. The closest I've seen from a Sabre, or any NHL player, since Miller himself. He's more approachable than Miller and much less of a smooth talker, but the fundamental personality is very similar. Okposo is such a dignified and smart guy with a really great sounding voice. He sounds like a person conflicted over whether to put in another season as a player in the NHL. I can see him as a coach/assistant coach or GM/Assistant GM in the very near future.

Is this the thread where we'll get the updated rankings or will a new one be started? I don't remember.

I agree with a lot of this. The only thing is that I suspect KO is out of here and that you really aren't going to find a replacement for Girgensons at the right price other than Girgensons himself. I don't know off hand who you fill out the 4th line with but that leaves only one spot to fill. For the last roster spot I think they should find a capable D man and carry 2 D men extra for injuries (a rotation of Boosh, Stillman, Joki).

This is the way. If we learned anything this season it's that a team needs quality goal-tending and that is not something you can cheap out on. Levi and his ilk are effectively a gift.