nfreeman

Flew back from visiting family into Newark, and decided to make a stop!

Tough, experienced middle 6 forwards with good 2-way games who may be available from teams about to rebuild: Blake Coleman, Flames -- turns 32 next week, 3 more years after this one at $4.9MM per year, 5'11, 207 lbs, won 2 cups with Tampa, 65 career playoff games (in which he has averaged 16:31 per game in TOI). 38 pts in 82 games last year. Brock Nelson, Islanders -- 6'3", 212 lbs, age 32, 1 more year after this one at $6MM per year, 36-39-75 in 82 games last year. Plays about 18 min per game every year. 73 career playoff games -- 46 pts, just under 18 min average TOI. Barclay Goodrow, Rangers (not rebuilding but might want to make a move to free up cap space, as Goodrow has fallen down the lineup) -- turns 31 in February, 6'3", 215 lbs, 3 more years after this one at $3.6MM per year, 81 playoff games with average TOI of 15:26, including 2 cup runs with Tampa in which he played 18 min and 17 min. I'd be pleased if the Sabres acquired any of these guys at the right price. I'd expect Goodrow would be pretty inexpensive, Coleman would cost more and Nelson would cost the most.

Good man. Happy Thanksgiving all!

Very disappointing loss tonight after a much better effort than in the W vs Chicago last game. They played tough and determined and got some timely offense, including an unforgettable 1st NHL goal by Benson. But they didn't get the defensive play they needed to close it out in regulation (I think it was Zemgus who failed to tie up his man on the GTG) or the goaltending they needed in OT. Let's hope they don't quit and Granato can get them back at it. If so they will win enough to stay in it.

Traveling for Thanksgiving and going to watch the game tonight with my son and my brother, so that will be nice. Otherwise, I'm kinda having a hard time getting psyched to watch the Sabres these days. If they can rip off a few wins and not look like a bunch of outmatched, unfocused, dispassionate losers my enthusiasm will probably return.

Both of you guys need to knock it TF off or spend some time in the penalty box.

That effort by the Sabres tonight produces a loss most nights against most NHL teams — and the Sabres really needed a W, and they were playing a bottom-3 team that played yesterday and traveled last night. I’m glad they won, but they are miles away from being a playoff-caliber team right now.

It was absolutely the correct move to kick on 4th and 7.

The O definitely looks better. Need to start punching it in though and Diggs needs to step up. The Jets' D is ferocious.

Let the record reflect that the shark was jumped on November 19 of the 23-24 season.

My wife and I saw "Killers of the Flower Moon" tonight. I thought it was really good and one of Scorcese's best IMHO. (My wife thought it dragged on.)

Awesome.

He's a purist and reasonably enough, regards DeLuca .500 as a lazy man's shortcut for his intellectually superior 12-pts-in-10-games approach. However, what Taro fails to appreciate is the simplicity and ease of use of DeLuca .500, which doesn't require you to know what the Sabres' record is in the current 10-game block as well as in all prior 10-game blocks. And his adoption of the simple-minded, dishonest, marketing-driven NHL .500 as a personal backlash against the far superior DeLuca .500 is spiteful, irrational and borderline unforgivable.

Et tu, Taro? This one hurts.

3 games under .500 in November isn't insurmountable, but what is insurmountable is lack of consistent intensity and focus. If they aren't over .500 by New Year's I am going to want a new coach.

That stinks.

They haven't quit, and Comrie has bailed them out a couple of times. Exciting period so far. Come on boys.

Yes -- it kinda looks like they are getting used to losing, especially at home. As I've said previously, IMHO this is a coaching issue and if it doesn't improve (and I agree with waiting until New Year's), I will want to move on from DG.

This is my biggest fear. IMHO, the answer to the OP is that the Sabres have absolutely made significant progress in that the franchise has emerged from the stupidly self-inflicted nuclear winter of the tank -- but they have only partially hoisted themselves out of the abyss. They could easily fall back in with another season or 2 of missing the playoffs. KA needs to ensure that doesn't happen -- and that could require trading some assets, replacing DG and/or other hard choices.

That’s what I figured. Thanks. The horse has already left the barn, bu still — if he’s gonna play PK, shouldn’t TT have gloves, at least for the PK, that are sturdy enough to block point slappers?

Complaining about the refs during this game is like getting a cheeseburger covered with maggots and complaining that the mustard is yellow instead of brown.

Netgear Orbi mesh router system. You need the base unit and one or 2 satellites. I guarantee a huge improvement. Totally agree. There is no fire. Another strike against DM IMHO. You have got to be kidding me.

Leaving aside your major back-pedal here, which I suppose is a slight improvement over your prior post, I'm basing my assessment on watching and listening to him for the last 6 years, plus the statements of those close to him. Do I know him personally? No, of course not. Do you apply that criterion to every public figure whose character you assess? Well, I was responding to this: ...but thanks for the value-added comment. Should people start critiquing your posts this way?

Daboll wanting out is pure speculation. He took a HC job, which any OC would do. As for going up against better coaches -- last season, McD beat: - Sean McVay (coming off a SB win, btw) - John Harbaugh - Mike Tomlin - Andy Reid - Bill Belichick (twice) - Mike McDaniel (twice) - Dan Campbell The previous season, he beat: - Andy Reid - Sean Payton - Bill Belichick (twice) What does this mean?

Holy bad karma Batman. Separately: I want them to win, and I have various guys in mind whom I'd like to see play well, but more than anything I want them to present like a real NHL team -- i.e. they got embarrassed in their last game, they're back home against a division rival that has owned them for years -- they need to come out fast and determined and bring the heat all game. If they come out comatose again and the first 5 minutes are entirely in the Sabres' D zone -- I will continue to have real doubts about DG.