dudacek

If Priskie and Clague thought they had a shot of being the #7, it's time to reconsider. If Bryson and Fitzpatrick thought they were on the team, they need to take a closer look at Lawrence Pilut. The book on Kozak and Kulich and any other Cinderella story making the team is now closed. For the stories that are going to continue: Quinn, Peterka and Krebs are better than Bjork, but haven't cleared the tougher bars yet, and Comrie looked like I kinda expected — a solid backup.

Rosen looks about as passive as I'd imagined him to be before watching him in prospects camp. Kulich looks over his head as well, but I like how he isn't accepting that and fighting through. Kisakov seems to be the most effective of the 1st-timers. Quinn and Peterka are better, but should be standing out more. Krebs has the most presence with speed and skill, but still makes too many mistakes. Second was that much better than the first. Let's hope that continues.

And you guys think dunleavy babbles on...

Quinn doing some nice things after a nothing first period.

that was the Laaksonen I'm used to watching in Rochester.

Well, that was inevitable. Embarrassing display

LOL. Not going to show you the PP

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.