Weave

Got tix to see the Headstones at the Town Ballroom next week. Always an awesome show. We see them every time they come through Buffalo. They actually added a 2nd date for this show. \m/

I don’t think it is loyally. I think it is an evaluation, and the bulk of the season will be used to evaluate. My observation is the same as North Buffalo’s, but I never had the optimism earlier in his career. He’s got hands equivalent to Connolly. His skating is NHL level. His passing is NHL level. But he’s missing something. I don’t know if it is situational awareness, intensity, fitness level, or what, but something key is missing that is preventing him from putting it all together, and it has been missing from day 1. My gut tells me Mitts gets 1 more short NHL contract with another team and after he’ll have a long, successful career in a European league. He’s got mad tools but his toolbox is not NHL level.

Thorny, you don’t have a shrine in a back room, do you?

Nice job, drunkie.

I’m expecting the Wings to come out a bit more crotchety and determined after how the previous game between these two unfolded. Sabres better be ready for this one.

It seems apparent that the plan was to throw max kids into the fire and see which ones fight the fire. This will determine what holes they begin to plug down the road. Mitts’ roster spot, and I think Krebs and Bryson as well, are the holes that will get filled. As you so well put, the season is collateral damage from this process. I hate it.

Will be interesting to see if this intensity and effectiveness continues once the new team smell wears off.

I thought I was alone in a crowd here. I wasn't much of a Larsson fan either. I felt like his “success” was the product of artificially low expectations in the aftermath of the tank. I think Asplund is similar. I almost choked on my coffee the first time a poster claimed Asplunds play was Selke worthy. I don’t see it. I think at best he’s an intelligent player that knows to play within himself and tends to be well positioned. But thats about it.

Last year on this site there was a very vigorous defense of VO as a two way player. Now he’s a reason why we get caved in? I’m not convinced VO is the correct target. VO needs a decent center to succeed. Sure, that makes him somewhat limited in how we can use him, but thats on the roster builder, not VO. Mitts… there is the correct target. We’ve been waiting for what, 3 seasons now? for his game to mature? Its not happening. Mitts is breaking in his make or break season. IMO it is time to cut rope with Mitts and go out and get a middle of the road 2C that can make space and set up VO.

Enough of them do, but she’ll complain about the cost of living in Switzerland for sure.

Thats what I get for not looking at the Y axis closely. Interesting that at all age groups forwards never, on average, have a positive change.

I guess the point about players at 18 producing more than players at age 26 is due to the very small number of exceptionally skilled players that play at 18 have better average stats than the much larger population of players at average much lower skill at age 26. More of the same at 20, although the number of players at 20 is higher. Reverse of the same at 40 over 35 as theorized in a previous post. I mean, Jagr and who in recent memory. Thornton? Really small but highly skilled sample size at 40.

I would absolutely offer Krebs as part of a package for Chykrun. Id offer Mitts too but I doubt AZ has any interest in him due to age and contract status. And I think we have plenty of forward depth in the pipeline to offer one of our farmhands. Krebs, one of our prospects, and a top 10 protected first? I don’t know if AZ bites on that, likely depends on the specific prospect. I’m not terribly fussy about which one. Obviously you start the negotiations low, but We are loaded with youth at forward. I think we’re at a time where it makes sense to cash in on what we have to fill some very specific needs.

I don’t understand your take at all. Sabres sign Sheahan. Players around the league shrug. Sabres start season with mediocre results. Players around the league shrug. Sabres claim player off waivers that will marginally improve team talent. Players around the league shrug. Sabres waive Sheahan because Jost pushes him one slot further down the lineup. Players understand that every one of them is at risk of this happening to them eventually. Sheahan refuses to report to AHL and Sabres agree to release him from his contract. Players- yep, teams will do that. I don’t see any possible way this reflects badly on Buffalo. Sheahan signed a 2 way deal, was displaced by the addition of a more talented player, he’s waived and sent down, refuses to report, Sabres release him. All of these were common, standard transactions. No promises were broken (it was a 2 way deal afterall). Noone was treated unfairly.