nfreeman

Y'know, I think I like the idea that others have posted about trading for Myers to be the vet top 4 RHD.

These are all fair questions/observations. I think the main reason I have this opinion is simply human nature -- even though the opponent wants to win and has motivation to do so, they simply do not bring the same focus and intensity against the bottom dwellers as they do against the top teams. The Sabres were a bad team having a bad season and had lost 6 in a row to close out February. When an upper echelon team knows they are hosting a team like that, it's natural to let down its guard and feel like they can just show up and grind out the win. As for prior Sabres teams' records in March -- of course they were terrible. The Sabres have been a joke of a franchise for a long time. The last years of DDB, Howie and RK were all utter debacles. As for the Vegas, Toronto, Calgary and Minny games -- those were all great wins, which I really enjoyed, and I agree that there was plenty of intensity in those games. Still, the Leafs, 4th in the NHL in scoring, had 6 shots in the 1st period, Vegas had 7 and Calgary, 6th in the NHL in scoring, had 6. Those teams didn't exactly hit the ice like the beach at Normandy. I think the Sabres look a lot better than in prior Marches, and I'm excited about a lot of what I see. But I won't really believe anything until I see them in 2nd or 3rd place in December, going into Boston or Pittsburgh or New York on a 5-game winning streak for a national TV game and coming out with a win.

Someone should come up with a witty term for this unfortunate circumstance.

I will support @PASabreFan on this one. As I’ve said many times, when the Sabres reach their annual bottom five spot in the dog days of March, they are not getting the other teams’ A games most nights. They just aren’t. And there is undeniably less pressure on the team when the playoffs are out of reach and mistakes matter less. PA has a knack for getting under the board’s skin, but i’m sure he enjoyed the wins over Minnesota and the leafs and the flames, and celebrated TT’s OT winner the other night, as much as anyone else here. He’s just not ready to pronounce the battle won yet.

Well, sure. He took a bunch of flyers and some paid off and some didn’t. At worst he got a 5th round pick for taking the Butcher flyer. Maybe he’ll get another low pick for him, maybe not. Either way he’s gone in a couple of months. It’s certainly not worth all the sturm und drang you are inflicting on everyone in multiple threads.

you are 100% correct, but no need to get worked up about it.

I was on a plane today and watched "Dune." Very good IMHO. Well worth it if you like sci-fi.

That was a really well played period of hockey.

I enjoyed the 1st 2 episodes of “Winning Time” on HBO, which is a dramatization of the Magic-Kareem Lakers era.

I think it’s possible, and KA should try, to both resign VO and keep looking for a forward with some edge. The Sabres have a ton of assets to use in trade. They don’t have to use VO. Of course, it all depends on VO’s contract demands.

Awesome.

There are almost certainly some cap consequences if they cut him after 3 years. The question is how severe they are. That will come out in the next couple of days. Brand is a smart guy, so I’d guess there will be a fairly substantial cap hit if they cut him in the first 4 years but only a modest one after that. Now he just needs to be very good to great for 4 years.

Wow.

They’ve now lost 5 straight, and they just put Lehner on IR. Their next 5 are home vs FLA, home vs Kings, at Minny, at Winny and home vs Nashville. They could easily lose 4 of those. They’ve hitched their wagon to Eichel and Lehner. What could go wrong?

So against the rules. Correct.

Portillo going to Sweden to train in the SHL (presumably after signing with the Sabres) is an interesting idea. Not sure whether KA would prefer him fighting Levi for the #1 job in Rochester to the SHL, but maybe.

Good man.

I thought that the ruling was that even if dislodged before the shot, if dislodged intentionally by the goalie, and the shot would’ve gone in, it’s a goal. I could be wrong about that though. If I’m right, there are plenty of subjective moving pieces in that call.

Well, the first call from a ref on that play was no goal — and that ref was right on top of the play. Then they huddled and somehow it morphed into the call on the ice being good goal.

So that’s the no-goal that somehow turned into a critical goal in the 3rd period, plus a major star who is a Hart candidate for the Leafs getting his first suspension ever for cross checking a Sabre. I ask again: does anyone still think the refs are biased against the Sabres?

It’s a tangent, but how awesome was Cozens’ response?

Good.

Someone’s always injured. KO could hit the wall. Quinn and/or JJP might need more time in Rochester. Krebs might be better at C. VO might be traded. Bjork isn’t good enough to factor into this decision. Zemgus has missed most of the last 2 seasons and might not be right when he returns. I’d agree with your concern if we were talking about a big contract (like the VO discussion), but this is a different kettle of fish. Vinnie can play up or down in the lineup and won’t be expensive.

As a related point, and as others have posted recently, I too would be happy to give Vinnie an extension. He’s been a good player and seems like a good team guy, good forechecker, very good speed, good hockey IQ and I don’t think anyone would give up more than a 3rd or 4th rounder for him as a rental. I also think the team would react well to him being rewarded with a new contract. Nothing crazy, but 2 years x $2.5MM or so seems pretty reasonable and would represent good value IMHO. He turns 28 in a few weeks and currently makes $1MM.

FWIW, Marmot makes good cold weather gear. I own a rain jacket, a fleece and gloves from them and each is a very good item.