dudacek

Over term, I'd rather have Ullmark than any goalie on that list. Grubauer and Rask are very good and would be fine, if expensive signings. Andersen and Raantta would be acceptable fallbacks. This would be entirely reasonable. If we can't re-sign Linus, I'm inclined to make a move for Merzlikins or Korpisalo.

You guys may be right on the bold. Casey has been head and shoulders more dangerous than his current teammates in a way Roy never was to my recollection. But that may be a factor of the surrounding cast. I do think a 60-point player in today's game with Thompson and Asplund on this team is roughly similar to an 80-point player with Vanek and Pominville on that team, but I am fully aware of the small sample size, and made sure to point that out.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you haven't been watching much, no? Casey Mittelstadt's play over the past month is roughly equal to Roy level. He does not have to elevate, merely sustain. No guarantee he will, but it's not the reach you are projecting it to be.

Eichel and Reinhart for Tkachuk, Lindholm and a good 3rd piece (for example) certainly does not do that. And we've been garbage for the past three years, so... (*Standard disclaimer: this point is made for discussion purposes only and should not be construed as the poster advocating for the trading of either Jack Eichel or Sam Reinhart. Results may vary. Call your physician if symptoms persist beyond the first round of the playoffs.)

Got it. I was going of your "2B" which implied bad defence, since 50 points is solid offence.

So 50-point, ***** D? Not disagreeing, but his D has been surprisingly good this past hot streak. He doesn't have Cozens instincts, but he is coming back hard and breaking up plays.

I think 50 points is a good average for a legit 2C, the defence marks the difference between a 1B and a 2B. I think Roy is Casey's ceiling and in his prime Roy was a good 2C.

I just don't know how this is any different than saying the same things about Kyle Okposo a couple years after he signed his retirement deal. Jeff doesn't pass the eye test. And, getting back to @3putt's point that launched this conversation: stapling him to Jack so he scores 22 goals instead of 11 might help Skinner, but I'm not sure it's going to help the Sabres win many hockey games. Tonya Harding? (Seriously, I don't know. Play him where he least hurts the team until you can bite the bullet and find a way to move him? And that might be with Eichel. I just get tired of Jeff's play and the excuses people make for it)

So it was injury -> Ralph -> bad limemates -> weird COVID year, filtered through an "off"-season (that carries over parts of 3) and sprinkled with a lack of Jack? No one circles the wagons like Jeff Skinner fans. *** Separately, is being a 25-point "first-line" penalty-drawer more or less important than being a 25-point "first-line" face-off man?

What's a 2/3 tweener, 35-50 points over the next 5-8 years? 40-60 bumps him to an average #2?

It probably ticks two boxes: Is he a team player? Can he develop young talent? Plenty of other boxes to consider

Let's not disregard the 24 points in the last 40 games under Housley, either. Or the 6 points in the last 20 that year. He's drawn 15 penalties this year, leading the Sabres and 41st in the NHL, indirectly creating ~ 3 goals in the process. It's been two years since he was even a 40-point player. How long does he have to be a 25-point point player before we say he is a 25-point player? Do you think Jeff is still a top 6 winger?

Jeff Skinner under Ralph: 25/2/1/4-9. Jeff Skinner since Ralph was fired 19/3/4/7/-1 Based on the numbers, Krueger turned a 12-goal scorer into a 6-goal scorer. Sorry guys, Jeff ain't that good. #worstthingbotterilldid

I was thinking the same about the line matching, and situational coaching during a game; there really isn't any. I really think that Donnie's marching orders are: "play the kids in all situations, let's see what we've got" Which is exactly what I wanted the team to do, and smart GMing, if in fact it's coming from Adams.

You could not be more wrong. They need a better coach. Comma. Better goalies. Comma. Better skaters. Comma. Better checkers. Comma. Better scorers. Ellipses.

Damn, WTF is wrong with the Bruins? Pastrnak, their best player, slammed face-first into the boards on a dirty hit from behind by Ristolainen, and not one teammate stood up to send a message. Not then, not later. That team has no balls and no heart.

Well, same two teams show up and play pretty much the same games, you should expect pretty much the same result, no? Toker letting in a couple AHL goals tonight was basically the difference in the two games. Thompson and Skinner each had great chances late, but both were pretty much passengers all night long, particularly Skinner: out of sync with the play.

I don't think UPL is deserving of the hype he gets. https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/ukko-pekka-luukkonen-on-cusp-of-sabres-most-anticipated-goalie-debut-since-ryan-miller/article_dbf11362-a2a5-11eb-9357-7f3c948e83ab.html He was a late 2nd-rounder who had a fantastic D+1 season in the OHL and WJC, but hasn't approached that level before or since. He's yet to establish himself as a good AHL goalie and is as much of a one-year-wonder as whipping boy Jack Quinn. That doesn't mean he's not a good or even excellent prospect, but thinking a goalie with 48 professional games under his belt — half of those in the ECHL — is close to NHL-ready is absurd. Linus had well over 200 before becoming an NHL back-up, which is a far more usual apprenticeship.

Can only drop two spots this year. Also, if we pass two teams we start with the 4th seed pre-lottery. Kraken get #3

I can't tell if you are the guy who should be running the Sabres drafts, the most overconfident Sabrespace internet draft expert ever, or another creative way @pi2000 has discovered for trolling @LGR4GM

So keep playing Toker until he drops? Or play Housser who hasn't played a game all season anywhere, and only 8 games above an ECHL level since 2015?

Sorry, Quinn has been playing injured since we drafted him? How much has it affected his game, because to my eyes he's been pretty good? Also, with all the guys up with the Sabres right now, is there a legit prospect left in Roch? Laaksonen, maybe Pekar and Murray?

So young. But if each guy is playing to his strengths and near his ceiling, that is an intriguing mix.

Interesting that they are keeping Samuelsson in. Is it possible they want to see if this: Dahlin Joki (Ozone primarily) Samuelsson Risto (Dzone primarily) Bryson Borgen (the rest) is a viable starting defence for next year?

Hope that's what happens. We will be in good shape when Sam is the 4th or 5th best player on this team instead of the 2nd.