SHAAAUGHT!!!

I would love if Asplund became a CB level player, but I just don't see that happening. If he has a long NHL career it will be as a 4th line shutdown role, but at this point I can't see him as more effective than a healthy Girgs or Larsson. Larsson had an edge that allowed him to play big, and I haven't seen that from Asplund yet. IMO he needs to establish himself as a reliable faceoff guy to have a chance to extend his career in this league.

I think this will be addressed in the next CBA negotiations. My guess is they end up with some sort of draft compensation if they lose a player's rights. It would be interesting if the team that signed a player after his rights expired had to give his draft team one of their picks. It would lesson the sting for a team losing a player, and motivate a NCAA player to sign with the team that spent draft capital on him. In any case, it would be fun to be in the room while they brainstorm what that new rule would look like...

Reasons for Sabres fans not to worry (too much): 1) Levi missed his entire freshman season with an injury 2) Levi missed a large stretch of games his sophmore year due to the Olympics, which he didn't even get to play in 3) Levi didn't win a NCAA championship or Hobey Baker So I think Levi still has something to prove and play for as a junior. Consistency is everything for a goalie, so proving he can play at this level year over year is important. It also gives him time to see if the Sabres are really trending in the right direction.

I think he plays another 1-2 years after this contract expires, but $4M a year is WAY too much and I hope they don't do that. I think $4-5M for 2 years is appropriate. A lot of these 30+ players don't mind taking less money to be somewhere they want to be and I don't think someone else signs him for more $ with his injury history.

There are a lot of "good guys" out there. We need one that is better at faceoffs and doesn't need Girgs and KO flanking him every night to be effective. The major issue with signing a new JAG over an old JAG is how they do in the teams system, and this is why we might see another year of Eakin. I'm hoping they are able to bring in a 30-something center with some battle wounds that can play up and down the lineup.

Tuch, Okposo, and Fitzgerald are there. Dahlin, Samuelsson, Cozens, and Tage are getting there. Hayden will have to be that type of player if he develops into an NHL regular. Aaron Dell is that kind of player too, but I don't think we will see him again...

I actually think his value is higher than you'd think with this information about his wrist coming out, assuming he doesn't reinjure it before the end of the season. And I 100% agree with keeping him on the 3rd line. I see him in an Al Kotalik type role: 3rd line/PP sniper that gets moved up the lineup if he gets hot.

I thought it was a strange decision too, but I haven't had a chance to listen to the interview to see if he went into his reasoning for keeping Olofsson in the lineup.

Mystery solved: "Granato also confirmed that the injury Olofsson has been dealing with for a majority of the season was a wrist injury that has affected his ability to shoot the puck as he normally would." https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/listen-granato-not-even-close-to-seeing-best-of-rasmus-dahlin-yet

I think it really depends on their ability to get Stone and/or Lehner back during the regular season, which I think they make happen. It's not like Lehner was lights out before he was hurt, but it might be the shot in the arm the team needs.

Without a doubt. Eakin had his moments without Girgs, but that line can actually create sustained offensive zone pressure against the other teams top lines with him in the line-up. I really hope he can stay healthy going forward.

As much as I dislike the guy's views and half-baked hot takes, the guy is an open book and knows how to have a good time. I'd definitely hang with the guy and do some day drinking. He seems like he can take it as well as he can give it, and that's what I appreciates about him.

This is why I picked Other as well. Girgs is a key part of this team. He could have slide in at any forward spot and made an impact while the Sabres were dealing with other player injuries. Losing him at the same time as other key forwards really hurt the Sabres this year. I'm really hoping he has a healthy '22-23 season.

I just started to listen to this and all I can is that it is amazing

Tuch came over to Hayden with a pissed off but composed look after that bad penalty he took in the Florida game and said: "you can't do that. you can't take that penalty there." Not sure if it was picked up on the broadcast but they were both less than 15 feet from me when the interaction happened. This to me is exactly how to handle ***** when you are mad about something. Not slamming/breaking a stick, throwing your head back, or rolling your eyes. This is the type of thing that someone does to earn his C, where Eichel was simply given the C. I'm really glad they didn't name a C to start this season, even if it was Tuch, because I felt it would've been another C getting handed out.

Thanks man, I appreciate the info!

What time do the players usually head out on the ice to warmup before the game? My son and I have front row seats (first time ever) and want to get their early to check it out.

This is a fun thread to catch up on. I'd just like to add, IMHO, the Sabre's have been in rebuild mode for the last 73 years, the Sabre's lineup this game would have dominated an AHL team, and it's all someone's fault. Am I doing it right?

I saw Joan Jett play a show right after an Atlanta Thrashers game and that was pretty cool. We were there to watch some live NHL hockey for $10 and had know idea she was playing until it was mentioned on the jumbotron. I'd love if the Sabre's incorporated a small stage into their next arena design. I'd definitely stick around and buy another beer or two if I got to see someone like Joan Jett or the Spin Doctors play a 40 minute set afterwards.

Dylan is not a man to be messed with, and his willingness to drop the gloves to come to the aid of a wronged teammate shows the Sabre's are becoming a team you don't want to mess with. I love the type of hockey where people don't just talk, but actually do SOMETHING about it. This is exactly the type of guy I want wearing the A on his jersey 2-3 years from now.

Love this song and it's a blast to play on the drums. We used to cover it for fun, but I don't think we ever played it out. Flaming Lips is a great band and they always put on a good show. I highly recommend watching their documentary The Fearless Freaks if you haven't seen it already.

Eichel is practicing with at least one key player, maybe two, that won't be there in a couple weeks because he's now on the team. He is literally the reason LV lost Tuch and Krebs, so this situation may have already created a rift in the room and puts a huge amount of pressure on both Eichel and GMMC to make sure he plays soon and plays well. Eichel isn't necessarily known to be a good guy in the locker room so I'm very interested to see how this plays out and am curious if he strolls into practice like LaFlamme

Dell was shelled in Ottawa and looked like a scrub 100%. And it sucks that Batherson is out. I wish the play didn't end up as an injury. It's up to the Sens on how they respond to it going forward. The fact that Watson didn't come out and blast someone in a 3-0 game again Buffalo means something. What it means and to what degree is TBD. All I know for sure is I appreciate this Sabres team does not hesitate to address any funny business on the ice, and if I was a Sens fan I'd be a bit upset about the on ice response to the Dell hit.

Yeah, Stevie Wonder could see that response coming... We have a real life example that we are all very familiar with that applies here: does typical NHL fan or player remember the score of the game where Lucic ran Miller, or just that Lucic ran Miller? The most important aspect of that game was not who won it, who scored, or how Miller played. It was the Sabres are only playing for themselves and not the team, and can be taken advantage because they won't even stick up for their All Star goalie unless shamed into doing so.