Skibum

Miroslav Satan?

That was the worst team I have ever seen take the ice for the Sabres, and that's saying a lot. The Islanders were toying with them the entire game. The Sabres couldn't get possession of the puck, and if they ever did, it was swiftly taken away. A total embarrassment.

I have family in the Beverly Woods/Southpark area, southern 'burbs, and it's quite pleasant. It's a great area for kids and there is a lot of friendly neighborhood interaction. It's convenient to anything you need in your day to day. I don't know what your idea of expensive is, but I think this area is what most people these days consider reasonable for a nice neighborhood ($450K can get you a decent house, and you can find nice townhouses for $325K). I think you'll have a hard time finding anything under that in the nice neighborhoods all around Charlotte. Not sure about surrounding communities, but real estate is just crazy lately. I continue to be shocked at what people consider a reasonable home price these days!

Yeah, I haven't watched a lot of games this year, but I watched last night and could not believe how bad Dahlin was in just about every phase of the game. About the only thing he has going for him is the little puck drag move he does to evade a checker at the point. But that's it. He's slow to the puck, no hustle, no physicality; then he makes sloppy passes that get picked off, and has zero initiative on offense. He still looks like a boy among men out there, and at 6'3" and 207 lb. with 3+ years of NHL experience, his age is not a valid excuse. I think he is what he is - JAG, with a few fancy moves that rarely make a difference in a real game.

Nice interview, but he didn't answer the question. Things went sideways long before he asked to be traded in 2020. I'd like to know what he has to say about why his team was so talented, yet so terrible for his entire six year tenure.

I guess I don't understand the future considerations part. We took a burden off their hands - don't they owe us something in return?

Not an amazing return, but honestly, if Tuch becomes a steady contributor and any of the picks/Krebs turn into NHL players, I'll be happy enough. Eichel was captain and star player on a team loaded with talent for six years, and all they ever did was suck out loud, year after year. He may have tons of talent, but he never once proved to be a winner in the NHL. That said, I am 100% prepared for him to win nine Cups in Vegas, score 50 goals a year, and retire as the greatest player of his generation, because Buffalo.

I think Granato is the real deal, whereas Kreuger was a used car salesman - all talk and ego, no substance.

I love that they scored the first EN goal immediately after the face-off, from long distance no less. This team knows how to stick the dagger in and seal a win, which we haven't seen in 15 years around here. Up 3-1, they were still playing smart and aggressive.

Poor kid.

This is news?

'Titanic' is the first thing that comes to mind.

It just seems like such a terrible move for the Sabres on all fronts. Trade away your best player on a long-term contract when his market value is at rock bottom and you just hired a coach who might actually be able to coax some success out of the team? I just can't see why they would do it unless Jack simply refuses to play if they don't.

I have family in Seattle, and they confirm that, yes, the locals are already calling themselves Krakheads, and everyone calls the stadium the Krakhouse. Let's just hope they don't have cheerleaders... I don't know if this was intentional, unintentional, ignorant or brilliant, but I can't see it going away anytime soon. I still think they should have gone with Sasquatch - he is far more of a fixture in the PNW than the Kraken ever was. Should be big in Japan, then.

To me, that's what makes this season the worst. The organization was actually trying to win, yet they played perhaps even worse hockey than they did during the tank. Also regarding the tank year(s), it was pretty evident at that time that a rebuild was the only viable option for the Sabres, so it really didn't bother me that they were tanking. I got so sick of watching the Bills go 7-9 every year and never get a blue chip prospect out of it.

He was always one of my favorite players back in the last 'good' era. I never understood all the criticism he received on this and other boards - all he ever did was play hard every night, and he was arguably the most consistent producer on offense during his time here (with the exception of Briere's best year). He was a great skater and had a creative mind for making plays. He rarely got hurt, too. I have a lot of great memories of the magical breakout season of Roy centering the third line between Vanek and Afinogenov, exploiting other teams' mid- and bottom-pairing D with a lot of Showtime goals. Roy then continued to produce consistently on the top line after Briere and Drury left town. What I wouldn't give to have a center like Derek Roy in his prime on the Sabres today! Congrats to Derek Roy on a great, if under-appreciated, career.

At the end of the day, for all his talent, Jack has captained the most underachieving teams in franchise history. He has only shown occasional runs of consistent elite-level play. He has been injured a lot. I think it's time to forget about the past - the Tank that brought Jack here in the first place, the idea that he's the centerpiece of the team, etc. - Just pull the Band-aid off and trade him already. Haven't we seen enough to know that he's not the saviour of the franchise? The sad truth is that if/when he is moved, he will probably thrive in his new home and become the player we all wished he was. It's just not going to happen in Buffalo, I'm afraid.

What makes it so much worse is that there are many talented players on the team, and the ownership and front office are actually trying to build a winning team. Not saying they are doing a good job, obviously, but this was not supposed to be a rebuilding season. I don't think it's fair to compare this Sabres team to expansion teams from other eras. Back then, expansion teams were very likely to be horrid while they built up their teams. This is a team that has had consistent ownership and a will to win for seven years running, and they suck out loud. It's not a stretch to say they are the worst team of the last 30-40 years, and maybe ever. They are definitely the biggest embarrassment.

Once Drury and Briere were gone, Darcy should have realized that the team was kneecapped and could not be returned to contender status with Vanek as the centerpiece. In that context, a rebuild was the better option, and four #1 picks would have been a golden opportunity to do so. Signing Vanek's offer sheet was an emotional "statement" move and a huge mistake. Darcy was trying to make up for the failed strategy of not negotiating with Briere and Drury during the season. Hindsight also strongly suggests that retaining Vanek was not the best option. It simply did not work out, at all.

It would certainly be a familiar place for him.

Could the Sabres make the playoffs in ANY division? Until they prove otherwise on the ice, they are not a playoff team.

Great hockey name, if nothing else.

Hasek by a long shot. One of the most extraordinary athletes of all time; he did his job better than anyone ever had, and did it in a way that nobody has ever been able to replicate. Usually, when an athlete performs at such a high level using novel technique, others copy them and it becomes standard. In Hasek's case, nobody can physically do the things he did, so his style still holds up as completely his own.

I'll take it, but it seems odd that the biggest prize in free agency would take a 1 year deal for 8 mil. I would have thought a guy with Taylor Hall's resume would do better for himself than that.

That is a good mix indeed. Flats have the edge in texture and juiciness; drummies can dry out sometimes. But when you really want a deep hit of blue cheese, the drummy is the perfect vehicle.