nfreeman

Well, it sure seems like we're going to see these as the #2 and #3 lines to start the season: Greenway-Mittelstadt-Tuch Peterka-Cozens-Olofsson

I agree with most of this, but I think "steady improvement" is a bit generous (although there was certainly plenty of adversity). Before last season I was far from convinced that he was going to develop into an effective NHL player, and I don't think I was alone in that assessment. I was originally responding to the victory lap being taken about being right all along about Mitts -- that is the "inspire confidence" I was referring to. Overall he was much better last year than ever before in his career. I think he took a substantial leap, and that it wasn't the logical culmination of steady improvement -- although it's fair to note that his ability to improve steadily was substantially impaired by injury, poor coaching and general dysfunction. In any case, it was a full season, and he improved substantially over the course of the season, and his coach believes in him, so I don't think it was a fluke. I'm just not ready yet to proclaim him as a rock-solid #2C or #3C.

I agree it's an upward trajectory. My point was simply that he hadn't really done anything to inspire confidence prior to the 2nd half of last season. As for point totals and GP -- the problem with pts/game is that this can be distorted when the sample size is small -- ie a few garbage-time assists in a 22-game span when the team is running for the bus can give rise to the claim that he was a good player. Except that when I said he's had one good half-season in the NHL, you said: Well, YMMV, but I do not agree at all with the first bolded. I thought he was terrible at this until the 2nd half of last season and recall posting about it in GDTs last year. I am cautiously optimistic that you are right about the 2nd bolded.

So he put up some garbage-time stats for a rock-bottom team as they ran for the bus a couple of years ago, and that means he was a good player at that time? Even though the next season, he had 6 goals in 40 games? His point production in his 4 NHL seasons before last year: 25, 9, 22, 19. Last year, he had 1 goal in October, 2 in December, 0 in January and 1 in March. Again: he looked like he had finally arrived by the stretch run last year. That is potentially a very promising development for the team. But it is pure #hammymath to claim that he's been a good player all along.

The sentiment that Mitts is a tough winner of puck battles has been expressed a fair amount here recently. I'm here to take exception. IMHO he's gone from completely ineffective in this regard to average. He's far from some monster on the boards who comes out of every scrum with the puck. As for his historical issues, there have been quite a few, but IMHO the biggest issue was consistently poor decision-making with the puck. He'd get it in the neutral zone and skate it inexplicably into traffic, pass it where his teammate wasn't or think he could beat a defender one-on-one and immediately lose the puck to the defender. That issue improved, like the rest of his game, in the 2nd half of last season. Will that improvement continue? DM seems to think so. We'll see. First, it's way too soon for the victory lap on Mitts. He's played 5 NHL seasons and had one good half-season. His early years were spent in a highly dysfunctional environment, and I think everyone runs his own race, so I think the Sabres were right not to give up on him. I kinda expect him to continue to improve -- but there will be more pressure on him and the entire team this year. He may or may not be up to the task. As for a contract, I could've missed it, but I don't think KA has said anything about an extension for Mitts, who is an RFA after this season -- unlike Power and Dahlin, whom KA has publicly stated the team is trying to sign. I'd guess that KA wants to sign Mitts, but at a fairly limited number in term and AAV, and probably not until Power and Dahlin are done.

Too late to join? NP either way, of course.

If Cozen's and Mitt's lines really are: JJP-Cozens-VO Greenway-Mitts-Tuch ...then Cozens' line is probably going to play less than Mitts' line, unless JJP and Cozens have both taken major steps in their defensive games. This seems like an odd result, although DG has clearly and frequently stated that he really likes Mitts.

Rammer! Yes — retire it. And they shoulda hired him after they stupidly fired Lindy.

I think there is zero possibility that R. Johnson makes the team out of camp. His D-zone decision-making is miles away from NHL-ready.

Yes and also a well increased number of blitzes out of the secondary this year. Like it or not, she is one of maybe the 5 most famous people in the world. Her being at the game to cheer on her new boyfriend is an event of huge worldwide interest. NBC would be foolish not to show plenty of shots of her, and the NFL is very happy for this as well.

McD is a great coach. The defense was outstanding today. Get well soon Tre.

This reminds me of the famous Jim Kelly vs Steve Young shootout that ended in a thrilling 34-31 (I think) Bills win. No punts in that game.

JFC.

Well, he sure looked like he was ready for the NHL last night — and kinda like a future star for that matter. He’s earned the 9-game look for sure.

Andre Savard, I believe? Decent 2-way center who still was not nearly enough to get back for Peter McNab, who became a perennial 40-goal scorer as soon as the Sabres traded him to Boston for Savard (after only his 2nd full NHL season)?

Well, Ryan Johnson made a few blunders, and he's made quite a few this preseason, but still: I was worried he'd be another Pysyk at best, but he has much, much more game than Pysyk had. He can handle it better, he can skate with it better, he can shoot it better, he's a better passer and he has much more confidence with the puck on his stick. Now, of course, he needs to learn to make the right decision in the d-zone vs NHL pressure consistently. There's no guarantee that happens, of course. He'll need patience and good coaching in Rochester. I could see him becoming a mainstay in the top 6 though and maybe taking Joki's spot if Joki doesn't raise his game.

This brings up a question that occurred to me: does releasing him from his PTO mean that they are done with him, full stop? Or is it a necessary step in the process to get him to Rochester? If they are totally done with him, then I too would be surprised as I thought he looked pretty good and certainly good enough to get another look in Rochester this year.

The Covenant fits the bill IMHO. It’s a pretty new war movie by Guy Ritchie.

I agree that he won’t be high on Tampa’s list, but if UPL is waived, someone will definitely claim him.. I hope you’re right, but I think they would waive Jost and Bryson before waiving UPL.

"Bad Sisters" on Apple TV was pretty good. It's a dark comedy set in Dublin about 4 sisters conspiring to kill their 5th sister's husband, who is awful in every way. The creator and co-star is Sharon Horgan, who similarly was a co-creator and co-star of "Catastrophe", which was a great comedy on Amazon Prime. Anyway, I give "Bad Sisters" a B-plus.

Good stuff here. Unfortunately, after reading it, I'm left with the conclusion that the most likely outcome is that they keep 3 goalies.

If Comrie plays well in his next start and UPL stinks in his, which I think is quire possible, they are going to be hard pressed not to keep Comrie. I generally agree and would just add that I'm glad the Sabres didn't trade Savoie, Benson, Kulich or Rosen (not to mention Quinn or JJP) for one year of Hellebuyck.

I may have mixed up the 2nd and 3rd goals — Power also got completely dusted on one of TO’s goals (separately from the one Johnson screwed up on).

The first TO goal was a gift from UPL and the 2nd was one from Ryan Johnson, who sent a poor pass into the neutral zone on a failed exit and then got blown past flat footed by a Leaf who set up the goal. I watched about half the game and wasn’t impressed by any of them. Yuck.

Anyone got a link to the stream? Why isn't just on sabres.com?