sabills

Thanks Jo, you are one of the people I'm thinking about going through harder stuff right now. Thanks, man. Give him some extra pets for me!

Had to put down the family dog last night. She was 16 and lived a good life; lots of treats, had a good acre of land to roam around behind my parents house, always at least one of the kids living at home while she was there. Still sad. In the summer she got a tumor in her gut that the doctor said would basically just keep growing until it popped and killed her. Then this past week she could barely stand, couldn't get up the 2 steps in from the backyard to the house, stopped drinking water, and stopped eating (basically the only thing she's lived for over the last couple years) so it was time. We were in the room with her when they did it and it was super quick and painless. Still cried harder than I have in a long time. On the grand scale of things other people here and elsewhere are going through some much harder stuff than that, but it was a rough couple hours there for me. My pup at home got some extra hard cuddles last night which I'm sure annoyed him, but TOO BAD.

I was actually thinking this, too. Teams are going for it all the time now, or at least it feels like it. That might change at the end of the year if both teams need a point or something, but I haven't noticed the issue as much recently.

Give me the 3-2-1 system. The points would be all weird for a while but it makes the most sense. 3 points for Regulation win 2 for OT/SO win 1 for OT(/SO?) loss

It was

Playoff position at Thanksgiving is the goal right now. One week away, keep it up.

To really address this thread, I disagree. While yes they are losses, 2 OTL count the same points-wise as a win. A point is a huge deal. One point was the difference between playoffs and not last year for the Devils and the Panthers: Florida had the tiebreaker (ROW) over the Devils. If they turned one Regulation loss into an Overtime Loss, they make the playoffs. Same was true in the Western Conference: Colorado makes it in over the Blues by 1 point. They were tied in ROW, but STL had the next tie breaker: head to head games (3-2). One more point, and they're in over the Aves. Obviously the best outcome is a regulation/OT win. But in a year where the Sabres are looking to sneak into the playoffs, every single point matters.

Just general purpose: I wonder if the numbers bear out playing your backup vs. weaker opponents. Would it be better to play a stronger goalie against a weaker team and increase your chance of taking that 'easier' win? Obviously this is dependent on who the starter and backup are.

I'll take four points anyway I can get them.

https://www.nhl.com/news/skinner-providing-finishing-touch-for-sabres/c-301879094?tid=277548856

I don't really know where else to put this, but I'd bet they were way below average last year:

No offense to Pommers, but you should expect Reino to do everything JP can do, but better and for longer stretches. If he can't...well I've been a supporter of his for a long time but I might have to reevaluate.

First bolded) I just don't think this is true like it used to be. ROR, EKane, Skinner, Hoffman, Karlsson? The trading team "lost" all those trades. Second bolded) Like an 8th year

He's not though. If anything he's a little under his usual rate. He's been over 4 shots per game the previous two seasons, this year he's a little under. I do agree on the rest of your point, however.

I haven't been dilligently watching the games (mostly listening while I do work on my house), but I feel like he's been much better in his own end this year.

There were seriously like 3-4 Canadiens in the way on that shot and he still got pipe some how.

So close! 37. Nope, read that wrong. Only 31.

He's actually shooting at about 6% this year, too. Its early so that really would only be worth 2 more goals at this point, but its worth noting. Hist Shots Per game is just about what its been over his career (3.8spg this year, around 4spg the previous two years, 3spg his rookie season.)

I really think he felt like he needed to score all the goals in the past, which to be fair, he wasn't that wrong about. Having a guy who can pot them for him frees him up a bit. This is fair and right.

I remember someone, maybe even DDB, a few years ago saying that he had to kind of determine what he wanted his role to be; goal-scorer or playmaker. He's had to be both over the last couple years. With Skinner, and Pommers, he's been able to choose the playmaker role instead. It seems to suit him. I would still like to see his goal-scoring go up a bit, but he's going to be a 25+ goal/75+ assist guy for his career...yeah, I can live with that.

Thats part of the reason I bet JBott waits until January or so to open up discussions. There's a good chance that he'll regress a little. He's on a rediculous tear right now, and it might continue like this! But it also might not, no reason to rush in right now.

There's some rule with it. Generally a player can be signed to an 8 year extension, but only a 7 year new contract, I think.

If my math is right thats about 8.3 per. My bet is something more like 7.5 - 8 per. But not too far off. I'm also thinking 7 years, so would they pay a little more to hack a year off? Would Skinner want that? Actually the Sabres can offer 8 years, I wonder if they don't do that and make it more like. 7-7.5.

Reminder that Jack is on pace for 97 points right now.