dudacek

Of all the things likely to ruin the good vibes around here once the puck is dropped for real, I’d forgotten about Dunleavy moving to full-time. I don’t listen to radio broadcasts and don’t find him anywhere near the bottom-of-the-barrel for TV. He’s the least of my worries.

The other good comparable is Alex Debrincat, just a year older and more proven. He cost a 3rd, a 2nd and a top 10 pick.

Thank you. Any Canadian fans able to watch?

So was I the only one on Sabrespace unable to watch last nights feed? Clicking the button in the Sabres website simply gave me a black screen. Same with the Flyers. Desktop or iPad. Worked fine for the prospects challenge. Trying to figure out if there was a locational blackout (I’m in Canada) or a personal issue.

Looks like the NHL is giving me the middle finger. It's there but not working for me on the Sabres site or the Flyers site.

WTF. Just a blank black square. Is this an out-of-market thing, or a me thing?

I wonder how many fans listen to radio broadcasts and how big a revenue stream stream they provide.

To the bold, not exactly. I think the question is the contract commitment, not the desire to keep the player. @Thorny has already spelled out the Dahlin situation very well. He has the opportunity to squeeze the Sabres hard and it will be interesting to see how far he will go and how far Adams is willing to bend. The play of the other three this year matters in determining whether they sign lengthy extensions next summer. As to the rest, I think we’re seeing the same structural situation, you’re just projecting which guys you think are going to fall behind.

I think this falls under the patented “Paul believes it and once told someone wearing blue and gold that and they didn’t call him an idiot, so it’s definitely true” school of reporting. Or this. 😄

I think the Sabres think Anderson Okposo Girgensons Hinostroza Lyubushkin are exactly the right type of veterans to keep it steady, and they aren’t worried about the next tier of Thompson, Dahlin, Tuch, or the “kid” leaders like Cozens. This is a team that has been very deliberate in choosing the types of personalities it wants.

i assumed he meant Power

Last year they ran with rookies Krebs, Samuelsson, and Fitzpatrick, while Cozens, Bryson and Asplund were playing their first full seasons. Thompson and Mittlestadt had about 150 NHL games each under their belt. This ain't Lou Lamiorello's team. I don't think they care about such things.

Big picture from the GM's chair, that is what this season is mostly about, deciding who stays and who is moved: Who among Okposo, Girgensons, Hinostroza, Bryson, Mittelstadt, Olofsson, Bjork, Asplund, Murray, UPL, Comrie, Bryson, Jokiharju, Fitzpatrick, Pilut, Laaksonen and Lyubushkin has a future in Buffalo beyond next year? Who among Krebs, Quinn, Peterka, Savoie, Kulich, Rousek, Rosen, Johnson, Portillo, Levi, Östlund and more can push their way up the depth chart and make some of the above expendable? How good can Power, Samuelsson, Cozens and Dahlin be, meaning what kind of contract are you offering? Basically, just Skinner, Tuch and Thompson are the guys they've made decisions on (or had made for them).

Donnie said yesterday that Krebs will also be getting time on the wing. He also gave a little bit of strategy insight for the regular season, saying he expects Skinner and Thompson to stick together and see the other team's top pairings. His other lines will be designed to get skill guys out against 3rd pairing defencemen. Sounds like there won't be a "top 6" (Donnie actually scoffed a bit at the idea) and there will be a fair amount of juggling based on the opposition.

I'd be perfectly happy if that starting 6 is the starting six on opening night. Never mind the numbering, Mitts/Krebs/Okposo is a viable middle-six combo. The bottom 2 lines are nothing I would have ever imagined: 4 key AHLers getting a taste with an NHLer maybe? Girgs at centre as Donnie teases us again.

Wasn’t the pandemic deal designed to keep it relatively flat next year too? To give the paycheques a a chance to catch up because they are so far in “debt” due to increased escrow.

It’s interesting that their target for #6 hasn’t dressed yet. I wonder if Bryson has a nagging injury? I think Pilut is going to get a legit look to make this team. Do you think Davies is a head of Priskie and Clague? I didn’t watch the 1st exhibition game.

People like the idea of Krebs with Quinn and/or Peterka. I didn’t like that combo when they played together because there wasn’t enough pucks to go around. Jack and JJ needed an Asplund like player who covered up and got out of the way.

Savoie, Davies and Pilut the rare back-to-back starts.

He’s a hard forechecker and backchecker who pushes the pace. His lack of strength has mitigated the forechecking aspect at the NHL, but I definitely noticed a huge improvement in this area from his initial AHL stint to his playoff run; he wasn’t getting bumped off pucks near as much. I think Krebs needs to trust his linemates more. His instinct is to always be the one getting the puck; he’s prone to skating into the same spaces as his teammates. I think it’s a habit picked up from being far and away the best player on bad teams. For the same reason, he’s also prone to hanging on to pucks to create space for his teammates. It’s why I think he and Olofsson might be a good match. Olofsson doesn’t go get pucks, but finds open ice extremely well.

Casey Mittelstadt has talked about that this summer too, about how they want to be free-flowing and rotating in the o-zone and how the first forward back becomes centre on D. Makes me wonder what the actual differences are in Donnie’s system. There has to be some, with Tage as Exhibit A.

Donnie yesterday confirmed that Krebs, like Casey will be getting time on the wing during camp and they expect each player to be playing either position.

By that do you mean pile on? Because the theme to me seems to be “I like the kid but he’s got a ways to go.”

@LGR4GM brought it up. Or at least the idea of UPL being a backup. Just because I’m agreeing with him on something doesn’t automatically mean I’m arguing with you. 😜

I agree with @LGR4GM in that there’s no way they’re only playing UPL every 3 or 4 games. Heck, I doubt they want him every 2nd game. They want him shouldering a load. I think UPL is going to have to outplay Comrie in order to get any extended time in Buffalo. Where I disagree with him is that Comrie outplaying UPL is a lock. Its not that I like one and not the other, or that I think Comrie isn’t ahead. I just think they both have a lot to prove.