dudacek

If you can acquire a good defensive centre and a top six power forward, keep VO and Sam and make the cap work, that's good General Managing. But I think you've looked at this from the opposite end that I was: How many middle-six spots can you pencil in to unproven players? What's the sweet spot so you aren't wasting cap space and roster spots on the Halls and the Staals, but you also aren't hooped if Thompson and Mitts turn into pumpkins in October? Think Marcus but a strong skater and capable of 30 goals and 30 assists.

Put up decent numbers in the Czech league (29 points in 52 games D+1, jumping to 38 in 49 this year. Already 22. Why not?

Does this have any appeal? Skinner Eichel (Foligno) Cozens Reinhart Asplund Mittelstadt Thompson Girgensons (Gaustad) R2, Okposo, Bjork plug in as needed?

Let's just say: top line: Jack middle six: Tage Casey, Dylan bottom six: Asplund Girgensons, Bjork After that, you've got Skinner, Sam, Okposo, R2 and Victor to mix and match. If I had to add two players to round out what that group is lacking it would be a Paul Gaustad for the bottom six and a Mike Foligno for the top six. Which probably means Sam or Victor is the player that would have to be sacrificed to make room. But that only works if Tage, Casey and Dylan are what they are teasing us with.

I'm with you on this. I struggle though with getting a grasp on how much we are "running back" Thompson, Mittelstadt, Asplund, Ruotsalanien, Bjork and Girgensons were on the periphery of that last-place roster. Cozens and Eichel have been around half the time and good case can be made that next year's versions will be upgrades. That's eight "changes." What do those guys give us next year and how does that affect the players we target and how many?

Maybe it's just house radio blowing smoke, but that actually sounds like there is some actual coaching being done to turn our rat into an NHL player.

McKenzie doesn't generally share his opinions on prospects, so I'm going to need a source for this one. What he does is report the opinions of actual NHL scouts on prospects. In Cozens' draft year he reported scouts were saying big, strong, competitive, fast and skilled, but his IQ and playmaking ability might drop him out of the top 4 or 5. Which was absolutely correct.

They Sabres seem to have have been a notably good 3rd period team, even in back-to-backs recently. It's almonst been their defining characteristic, like the other teams run and out gas and they just keep coming.

Doesn't really look like vaulting over a few teams is going to hurt the Sabres much from a practical point of view considering so many players are so close. From a "because Buffalo" point of view, you know they will drop to 4th and the only guy who would make me really excited — Beniers — goes third.

Well, they're both balding and they each seem to be in pretty good shape for their age.

Because they are all bad players who can't play a role on a winning team?

What about Bjork or Ruotsalainen or Olofsson? Wasted on the left side?

From what I've seen Reinhart-haters are fueled by one or more of three things: His play style isn't fast or physical, and that's why they like hockey He's a cold fish, pretty boy, rich kid and they don't like guys like that The team has sucked his entire career so he must be a reason Only one of those things are actually related to his play and it doesn't actually have anything to do with him being good or not.

Because it was O'Reilly's fault all along!

They're just so excited assistant queen bee mean girl Sam has asked them come and sit at his table with the queen bee on vacation. 😁

Did you read the article @Brawndo posted? He has been asked to play a position he has barely played in his 6-year pro career. And not just on a trial basis, they threw him in the deep end as the #1 centre and asked him to absorb all the toughest matchups. He has responded by putting up five goals and nine points in 11 games and excellent #fancystats while the team has gone 6/3/2. His coach is complimenting him for the way he has stepped up to mentor the young guys. And we should note, he is doing it without Jack Eichel. This is the money quote for me: During one of His Appearances on the Instigators Elliotte Friedman mentioned that teams around the league including the Sabres have taken notice that Reinhart’s Play has never wavered during this season. This guy just shows up every night and produces. And he has for season after season no matter what kinda tire fire has been burning around him. He is the definition of a professional. Trading Sam will be like trading ROR; we will look back and say "how did we ever let that one get away?" He's one of those guys you look to buy, not sell.

6/3/3 in their past 12. GF: 43 GA: 36. Tied for 5th in the NHL in that span. 4th in GF, 9th GA. 15th on the PP, 21 on the PK, 3rd in 5on5 GF (29), 12th in 5on5 GA (23) Getting contributions throughout the lineup http://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?reportType=game&dateFrom=2021-03-28&dateTo=2021-04-18&gameType=2&playerPlayedFor=franchise.19&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=points,goals,assists&page=0&pageSize=50

Did Eakin get a shift after that horrid play where he was stripped from behind while carrying the puck out of our zone? I don't remember seeing him again after that. Box score had him marked for just 5:55. (I think I know who's gonna sit when Caggiula comes in!) Samuelsson was fine, but I am struggling to remember the last time I saw a Sabre manhandling bodies in front and along the board's like that. Risto is a physical force and Bogo could be, but Mattias just seemed to have this natural Andre the Giant strength that made him able to move move bodies without even having to resort to violence. Also, those who say size doesn't matter should try to skate around big #54. That's a lot of real estate in those legs and arms. If you watched Sam Reinhart's anticipation, execution and competitive focus tonight and came away unimpressed, I don't know what to say. He was a step ahead of everyone tonight. 19 minutes and it felt like a lot of them were against Crosby. Bjork? Still seeing Girgensons there. It's not a bad thing. Tokarski makes me nervous as hell, but my god does he battle his ass off. I think he's another example of where size does matter, because he lets in shots from a distance, or by failing to close up to the post in a way bigger goalies don't. I am so happy to see the return of Henri Jokiharju. He can read the game so well and he should be allowed to trust his instincts.

I'm not sure any coach gets hired these days without a three-year contract. IMO, you either believe in him, or you don't. If you do, you have to be all in and give him the going rate for a coach of his stature. If you don't, hire a guy you do. I have come to one conclusion today: if he finishes the season at .500 or better after starting 0/6 with the disaster he inherited, and you don't offer him the job you are probably guilty of overthinking things too much.

On that note, goddamn was he ever good at centre tonight. Just a step ahead of the play constantly and playing with authority at both ends of the ice. That was the player i had envisioned him becoming when I watched him as a junior.

i don't think Sam Reinhart is a naturally warm and fuzzy guy in any way, shape, or form. I also think he was more cold and short in this interview (and his previous a few nights back) than what has been normal for him over the years. I wouldn't dismiss @nfreeman's opening concerns at all; it's more than possible he's sick of being a Sabre. It is a certainty however that he absolutely detests the Buffalo media and has tired of trying to hide it. Equally relevant to conversation is Granato's post-game comments about how Sam is not normally a vocal guy, but he has recently started becoming more vocal and actively talking with the young forwards on the bench and in the room. I've seen him talking on the bench regularly and congratulating guys after goals. I like his "when you get into the endzone act like you've been there before" demeanour. I think he's taking that "A" seriously, and if he's had enough and wants out, he's certainly not showing it on the ice.

Hmm... No one biting on this at all? Did anyone hear Donnie G talking up Ristolainen's game post-game tonight, about how he did such a great job mentoring Bryson that they were confident he's the right guy to do it again for Samuelsson? Am I the only one who feels Risto has been taking the "A" on his chest very seriously, or is noticing that this is the first time in his career he looks to be finishing up the year on a strong note? With exception of his bout of COVID, I think Risto has played good, useful hockey for the past two years now, and when passing judgement, too many people are focused on what he was rather than what he has become.

Because they have identified him as part of the problem?

I don't think the Sabres make those trades without a significant add, which I think is kinda @Curt's point. It's about the hole ripped in your team in order to add a player of Jack's quality. Real contenders already have core players and probably don't need a building block as massive as Eichel to put themselves over the top.

I think I would be happy if Bill Hajt was recalled to skate for Irwin, but this makes me happy. Been wanting to see how Mattias looks at this level.