dudacek

I’m optimistic too, but the Bowman teams weren’t bereft of veterans. They had Ramsey and Foligno in particular in the young vet role, plus Ramsay, Perreault in the senior role, but he also blew off young vets like Savard and McKegney and targeted wasted talents like Cloutier and McCourt. This group feels deeper and more purposeful, but we shall see. I know Taro and Weave are correct on the odds, and we can probably mock this post in 5 years, but I get good feelings about Kulich, Östlund and Savoie. They just seem wired the right way.

You’re correct about the surrounding drafts not working. Kids weren’t ready as quickly as we wanted them and the Sabres didn’t do a good job supporting them with veterans. Bowman also was probably stretched too thin and a little too smart for his own good.

Those years are a great cautionary tale to what is happening now. Five years later we were dead last and hitting the reset button. And it wasn’t because those drafts failed. Andreychuk and Housley were Hall-of-famers. Barrasso won the cup. Cyr, Lacombe, Creighton and Tucker had decent NHL careers. Puppa, Ruuttu and Krupp were late round steals. We hope the current draft period gets close to that kind of success. But it takes a lot more than good drafting to win in the NHL.

I thought Kozak looked good in the scrimmage and Peca was certainly pumping his tires. Im a little surprised he hasn’t signed.

I think the bottom 4 in the division should be objectively better and the top 4 objectively worse. Whether that will be enough to alter the standings seems unlikely given the gap, but at least we now have reason to wonder. You know some moves will backfire and some leaps will come out of nowhere. That’s always the case.

They aren’t nearly as smart over there, but 113 people have voted in a 13-team poll about this on HFBoards. It’s a landslide. The #2 team (Jersey) has 17 votes. Buffalo has 76.

I can’t recall 1st-year pros having seasons like Jack and JJ had and not graduating. (I also can’t remember 1st-year pros having seasons likeJack and JJ had, period, but that’s beside the point) With all due respect to JT Compher, is he really going to be significantly better than those two?

Rousek popped for me during the Amerks playoff run. Other “unknowns” I noticed during the 3-on-3 were Lindgren (skating) Kozak (hustle) and Costantini (just generally being around the puck in traffic). He’s not exactly “unknown” but Portillo was also very good: composed and imposing.

And the trust of their players.

I think the unspoken plan is that this is the year UPL stays healthy, puts it together and graduates to the big club full-time. Anderson holds the fort until he gets there. I think that was the plan last year after Ullmark surprisingly walked. Comrie is them hedging their bets with a 2nd potential breakout guy, rather than more stopgaps like Dell and Tokarski. I don’t think they are favouring one guy or the other, they’re hopeful for both. Its put up or shut up for UPL basically. Unless either completely implodes, he and Comrie will be next year’s duo in some fashion and the Sabres are hoping it happens sooner.

How old can PIttsburgh get?

He came as advertised. Smart, good pace, always moving himself and the puck where it should go. Also, not physically strong.

Was that the Count? Nice hands there Power sure has turned it up for the final.

That is why Laaksonen will not be an NHLer Was Harrington watching Lindgren on that rush?

Power playing keep-away there shows why size does matter.

Huglen is missing too.

And there it is 😄

Östlund with awesome hands and vision to set up that 2 on 0

Really? Don’t know that he’s a burner, but @steveoath nailed it, he works his edges like Skinner.

Mats Lindgren is very nice skater.

Johnson looks smooth and in control

I was just thinking Kulich hadn’t done much…and then that

Jack Quinn is a stud

Rosen flashing some sweet skill there

Östlund with his 1st Komarov looks like a big dude.