LTS

That's okay. He'll be traded by then! :)

Yep. You know it's a bad feeling when even Kadri has some sympathy for Russell.

It could be. I feel like Kane or Reinhart can get you your D player. The other can get you a scoring winger. If they keep Reinhart I think he can become that scoring winger. I think the Sabres go after someone like JvR or Bailey (in addition to Tavares). I could even see them go for Nash. Nash isn't going to be signing for that same money again. If they can get 1 of those 4 players I think they are in a good spot. They'll likely go after one of the D as well. The real key will be to clear the locker room of issues. There's no doubt something going on inside the locker room and there's no doubt that information is known around the league as players talk to each other. No one wants to end up in a locker room full of problems.

Someone's Buffalo Sabres return to the ice tonight to face the Penguins of Pittsburgh in Night 1 of a home and home series. There's not a lot to say right now. The real question is whether Buffalo can show up to a game against one of the NHL's most prolific offensive teams. The Penguins are led by Phil "Gimme another Hot Dog" Kessel and his 32 points, followed closely by Crosby (25) and Malkin (21). The only Sabre player over the 20 point threshold is Evander "Soon to be traded in a real deal" Kane. There is a ton of soul searching happening at Someone's OneBuffalo and the fans could use a boost. Speaking of boosts, Zach Bogosian should return tonight. He showed promise early on in the new look Sabres attack seen during the pre-season. However, the Sabres have been every bit of the old look attack since the puck dropped on Game 1. Can Bogosian make a difference? Well, in a sport largely dominated by Canadians it surely can't hurt to have more "A"s on the ice, eh? In other good news, the Sabres should have cleared their Movember facial hair by tonight's game and Girgensons will no longer be mistaken as the Latvian Luigi. Good news for turtles everywhere, i suppose. Welcome to another weekend of Buffalo sports.

Yea.. I simply don't know anything about their prospect pool. I think lean times are coming for the Penguins.. very lean times.. because regardless of their prospect pool they have age and lot of short contracts on the books right now.

Yes.. the Sabres have players to trade. The problem is when you trade them do you get better next year or not? If you define "better" as the potential for greater future success then perhaps its true. If you define better as immediate success then probably not so much. Ennis and Foligno had value. I wouldn't doubt that the deal was primarily Foligno and Scandella and then Pominville and Ennis were thrown in. Pominville was salary for the Wild with the shorter promise of hope from Ennis. Foligno gave them the big body they wanted. I still think Foligno would be a huge benefit here. But let's get into the discussion. Eichel - untradeable Kane - will be traded for something that helps the team next year Reinhart - could be traded for something that helps the team next year Okposo - no way he's traded ROR - at best he'd be a throw-in on a deal for someone like MIddlestadt.. a weigh to move salary. I don't think moving MIddlestadt is a good idea (especiallly since Botterill just got him) Pouliot - will be traded for something that helps the team in the future Girgensons - decent trade prospect but can he net something that helps the team next year? Pominville - not going to be traded Larsson - could be traded, won't get anything that improves the team next year Nolan - could be traded, won't be for anything that improves the team next year Moulson - he's harder to trade than ROR Josefson - was a potential trade target as a UFA but he's been injured too much Bogosian - see Moulson/ROR Scandellla - no way he's traded and that would only hurt the team Ristolainen - no way he's traded and it would only hurt the team Beaulieu - he's not getting anything that helps the team next year McCabe - sure, he's tradeable, but at best you are getting his replacement on D.. is that what they need? No. The assets just aren't there overall. I think the hope has to be on netting a good return for Kane, and if that's not enough he gets something for Reinhart. Because I was bored today I went at pulled the impending UFA list along with their ages and current salary. The top UFA D next season are: De Haan (26) - $3.3M HIckey (28) - $2.2M Carlson (27) - $3,9M Erik Gudbrandson (25) - $3.5M It gets thin quick after that. The Islanders might lose one of those 2 D given they also have some top UFA forward targets. Top UFA F: John Tavares (27) - $5.5M Josh Bailey (28) - $3.3M James van Riemsdyk (28) - $4.2M Paul Stastny (31) - $7M Rick Nash (33) - $7.8M Jonathan Marchessault (26) - $750k There are other, older, players that they could sign. It could shore up the bottom 6 potentially. Would they be improvements over the upcoming crop of players? I don't know. At the moment I'm of the opinion the Sabres are 4-5 players from being a very good team. They need 1 good scoring winger. They need 2 D, one for the top 1-4, and one for 3-6. They need 3 bottom 6 players. It sounds like a lot, but it's not really. However, if the locker room situation doesn't get resolved then it won't matter.

It sucks. I read about it. It's gotta be really tough on him given some of the words of his teammates.

Well, I think he wants Ullmark down in Rochester. However, I would hope he's flexible if the right opportunity comes along. He could also go out and grab someone from the open market for the rest of the year too. I think the value on Kane is more than prospects. They'll move him by the end of December.

If it's the #1 pick in this years draft I'd do it. If only someone could guarantee it. :)

I agree. Kane had a fit but they definitely were looking for a C. Reinhart is the only player the Sabres had that would fit that bill for the Ducks and I think Henrique is a better buy there. The only question would be if Kane/Reinhart and perhaps one more player could have secured Vatanen. Interesting with Ullmark being called up to practice. The Pens just lost Murray and they need all the goaltending help they can get. Perhaps there are talks about getting Kane to PIttsburgh and sending Johnson with him? If there's a prospect pool that Botterill knows it's going to be the Pens. I'm sure he'd take Cole back too. It doesn't help the D situation unless the Pens have a top D prospect somewhere. I don't know if they do.

It is. However, you can't always motivate everyone. I'm not going to blame the coach if he can't motivate a guy who doesn't want to be motivated.

You have to think that the Sabres should have been involved in some kind of talks for that. The Ducks were desperate to shore up their forward depth with so many injuries. Seems like a great deal for the Devils.

I'm not saying it's not okay for him to not do better. I am merely discussing the options for the pieces that he has to work with. The ONLY options he has are to trade away players (WHO?) or to sign UFAs? (WHO?). I don't see a lot of UFA signings that will dramatically change this team either (when do they ever?). So, if he's trading the question is.. WHO? WHO has value? We'll judge him on what he is able to do absolutely. However, you can't fault the guy if he's not able to salvage value from pieces that had no value to begin with. He didn't bring them to the team.

What is your alternative proposal for what the Sabres should do for Kane? What do you say to the concept that Kane is not interested in re-signing with Buffalo? What do you believe it would take from the Sabres to get him to re-sign in Buffalo?

That's optimistic.. these days I see the rear guard of the Sabres PP playing behind their own net most of the time. ;)

I'm not sure how you think he's going to do better. Where does the "better" come from? UFA signings? Maybe. Trades? If he trades Reinhart at best he's getting prospects or picks. If he trades Kane I would hope for a solid D roster player in return and more. But you can't project it yet. Still.. MASSIVE changes aren't coming because they can't. Okposo isn't being traded. ROR? maybe. Eichel, not a chance. Moulson? nope. Bogosian? Nope. You can buy those players out but that doesn't net you a player.. it frees up space that has to be replaced by an AHL player or a signing from somewhere. I just added some of the AHL players to the roster.. who's left? If he can pull more for the UFA trades than I believe he can then perhaps there are more changes, but it's limited right now. You say Bogosian being here is unacceptable. Do you propose to buy him out? If his salary is not impeding the Sabres roster signings then they might as well keep him (if they can't trade him). If buying him out is more advantageous then perhaps it happens.. we just need a body to fill the space. It's gonna be a JAG though. I agree... Kane nets the most.. and especially if they trade him soon. It's just hard to project who that player will be... so I filled with what is available from the team.

Great goaltendering can equalize or even compensate for moderate to severe Defense struggles and potentially offensive struggles... But bad D can also make a good to great goaltender look really bad. If you can play more loose because you know the freak in the mask behind you will bail you out then it can be a huge boost to creativity and risk taking. If however you feel he's nothing more than a guy wearing a colander over his face then you're apt to play way more conservatively. It's all in the ebb and flow.

Might see if I can secretly stream the game while I am temporarily on assignment in Greenville, SC. I'll be at a company dinner and it doesn't look to be a place that has all the NHL action on big screen TVs.. (or any NHL action, or big screen TVs). Hoping for the best.. but the Lightning are so damn good. Keep the faith everyone.

High Ankle Sprain? I didn't mean to project prioritization.. just the roster. You can believe he's not leaving the island... you can try all you like. But he's leaving there. A roster with a group of forwards who can provide secondary scoring is nice. If Fasching/Bailey/Smith can't get it done then there will be some pain for a bit longer. There's not much else you can do about it. Every UFA with value will be dumped at the deadline to provide picks/prospects for the future. If Botterill wants to keep Pouliott he'll be signed before the deadline. I just don't see it happening. Lehner is an RFA... they can go dumpster diving for a goaltender next year but they'll put ALL their eggs in the Ullmark basket and I don't see that happening.

It's a good point that speaks to other issues. Did the coach make that big a difference or is there some other rift between the players that is keeping from from working together like they did last year? I mean, you put out the same 5 guys you think they could replicate last year's success. If I were the coach I would simply say, do what you did last year... it sure as hell wasn't broken!

When I look at what Botterill said on his interview the other night.. it seems that everything this year is to get to next year. They learn what they have and put themselves in a position to build in his eyes (not Murray's). So, I don't think E-Rod gets called up except as an emergency. Next year's roster looks a lot like some combination of: Eichel - Reinhart - Nylander ROR - Okposo - Pominville Girgensons - Fasching - Bailey Larsson - E-Rod - CJ Smith Ristolainen - Scandella Bogosian - Beaulieu McCabe - Antipin Guhle Lehner and Ullmark in goal Gone by the end of the year are the UFAs: Pouliot, Kane, Gorges, Nolan, Falk They'll pull some picks or prospects that will prime Rochester for the next few years. I think he'll still trade a few other players if he gets the right deal... Oh.. and somewhere in there I would put Tavares' name. It's going to happen.

Nice. I looked there but could not find it. I'm either blind or it was added after I looked. I'll go with blind (that's what my wife tells me) I think that's the case. Botterill will go after new players to stock up Rochester. He'll likely clear space on the Sabres roster for players who are doing well in the AHL. I'll find a better thread to post in for next year.. I think we have one.

They need to move more. Right now the entire power play is predicated on getting Eichel the puck and having him miss the net. I would split him and RIstolainen and have them QB two separate units from the top. I would still use an umbrella model but i would move my top 3 around a lot more. The high-slot and net front have to be more active as well including dropping the puck down low behind the net to pull the top two defenders closer to the net and opening up space for the shot from the top. Eichel and Risto can get the shots through and can move around the line. Right now I think the PP1 unit advances with either Risto or EIchel looking to bring the puck in the zone and far too often they are slowing themselves up trying to figure out who's going to carry it. So.. I would probably look at the following units: PP1 - Ristolainen, ROR, Okposo, Pouliot, Kane - I'd put Okposo in front of the net and Pouliot in the slot. Kane on the left, ROR still on the right and Risto up top. PP2 - Eichel, Antipin, Reinhart, Moulson, Girgensons - I'd put Reinhart in front of the net, Girgensons in the slot, Antipin on the right, Moulson, on the left, and Eichel up top. If Bogosian is back I put him in for Antipin. I don't trust Beauleiu and I think you need a defensive presence on the PP even if its not at the top. Perhaps they end up reversed.. who knows. The last thing is I think they need to attack as a 5 man unit with speed. Both Risto and Eichel can elude the first forechecker leaving it to be 5 on 3 at the blueline. If the attacking players are standing at the blue line it makes it easy to stop. Ideally the first forechecker wants to get to the puck carrier before the red line to prevent the dump. So if you can elude that 1 on 1 and then dump it in with 4 players attacking with speed it should result in possession. Once you've established that you can gain the zone with speed it will force the 3 on the blue line to stop standing there as long as vacate earlier. At that point you identify which player is open and pass to them just across the blue line to gain possession. RIght now they are slow and lost on zone entry and either forced to dump it in with no attacking speed or they pass to a guy inside the blue line who is easily covered because they attacked with no speed.

I can't find a link.. honestly, who knew finding a replay of the Buffalo Sabres pregame show would be so hard? Botterill speaks a lot about the AHL and its development. He's asked about Guhle and brushes it aside by saying he's the #1 guy in Rochester and logging minutes and all situations and that's where he needs to be this year to help the team. I think he mentions Ullmark's play as well and has no intention of bringing him up if he can avoid it. It really sounds like the players who are pulled up are done so as not to disturb a core of players he wants learning the system in a lower key environment and learning to win and have success and then bring that up to the Sabres next year. He has this year to play with whether the fan base agrees or not.

I refrained from posting during the game... like I did last night. Didn't matter tonight. They played well. Risto scored the team's first goal by a D this year.. on his own net. The 2 on 1... well and the SH. They did show times of keeping Montreal in their own end. But Montreal is another crappy team. Tuesday night's game will put the Sabres on notice. Tampa Bay is about as close to perfect this year as they can be. It's all about next year. Botterill said as much last night during his interview. There are guys here filling a spot. He'll trade those he can and get assets to begin building HIS team next year. We're along for the ride and have to argue with each other for the best or worst of the night. C'est la vie!