Sabel79

This is dropping the franchise's future onto one number at the roulette table. If everyone walks, which looks likely, they'll be rebuilding for years. Guess they're hoping to make hay, the clouds are rolling in.

It's incumbent on the hitter to not make that hit (blindside, to the head). They've all been fairly extensively briefed at this point.

It's interesting to see what a Rorschach test these things always are. Granted, we're looking at a few second clip from one angle and no context, but I'm with Wild: That was ugly and on purpose. I suppose reasonable people can look at it and come away with differing interpretations, but I can't see it any other way, player or teams involved having nothing to do with it.

Welp...

Connor McDavid out here pretending he’s Radko Gudas...

Doing this again... You only get an 8-year deal if you were on the roster of your current team prior to the previous trade deadline. Ergo, the Sabres can't give him 8 yet since he was in Carolina at the last deadline. David Byrne and co. are the only Talking Heads worth listening to, on this and pretty much any other matter.

He can sign for 8 after the deadline.

This has been a fun game to watch. An entirely creditable performance against the best team in the league by a country mile. Where the hell is this effort / performance the rest of the time. Pulling what remains of my hair out, really.

Not that I’d expect JBots to needlessly explain his master plan like a Bond villain, and there’s certainly a point to backing the coach in the media for the benefit of the players, but he can’t actually think everything’s fine with Phil. I refuse to believe that. Even giving him credit for the mess of a roster, there’s so much he could still be doing better. Beyond frustrating.

Radko Gudas reminding us he’s somehow still in the league last night...

All three Panthers fans will be slamming their car doors in celebration tonight!

The NHL can burn in hell for introducing this, the dumbest of all possible rules. (Yes, it was offside.). It’s not like the Stanley cup was ever awarded on a goal that shouldn’t have counted on a technicality, or anything.

If Phil doesn’t get fired tonight then we know nobody’s serious about this. Absolute flaming dumpster.

I hear you. My GF’s daughter is 17 and oh lord I AM NOT READY FOR THE HELL THAT AWAITS ME OVER THE NEXT DECADE...

Not that deep over here. Mine’s 7. She just cheers whenever I indicate frustration/disgust and then turns her attention back to the iPad. It’s a Sabres game, so that’s been a bunch of times already...

Status update: my daughter is now ironically cheering for Florida... that’s it, bedtime for her..

Not to beat a dead horse but I’ve been to funerals with more energy in the building than what we’re witnessing tonight. Probably better attended, as well.

How were we supposed to know that was Iron Balls McGinty?

Ladies and gentlemen: John Tortorella...

Just informed my daughter she’ll be relinquishing the tv for the game. She rolled her eyes and asked a rhetorical question: “Why is hockey even a thing?” I might be coming around to her way of thinking before too much longer if something doesn’t give here...

Per the Twitters Scandella did not make the trip to NJ.

I don't think the letter stitched to the sweater matters as much as fans in general and Ryan O'Riley think it does. The symbolism behind it is obviously powerful, but (with obvious, notable, and few examples) one dude can't ever strap an entire team to his back and lead them to glory. Leaders, plural, are needed. What the Sabres are saying is that this is the guy we blew it all up for, who we're telling you the fans to have hope in, and so it goes. Locker room politics are likely different, and there needs to be a steadying presence. Where xGMTM failed miserably is, more than any other aspect, here. Brian Gionta surrounded by random garbage and a few legitimate bad eggs (allegedly) doesn't exactly set the right tone with the kids. JBots needs to be given at least as long as Tim got to fix it, and the clear season-on-season improvement we see in year two has me hopeful.