LTS

Someday when 56, 54, 50, 95 has become a perennial All-Star (not via fan vote) we can all recall when he was recalled and call it one of the most exciting times to text or DM your friends about the situation. Until then, I'm going to raise pigeons.

Sometimes in a trade it's not always the talent of the players that leave but the number of players. What do I mean? Well, if the Sabres removed 4 players from their roster (Stafford, Myers, Lemieux, and Armia) then who did the Sabres gain with those 2 open player slots? Even if you wash out Stafford/Myers and Kane/Bogosian and go purely on the remaining players it might be argued the Sabres were able to sign or keep two players they would not have been able to keep while Lemieux and Armia remained signed with the team. I think it's safe to say the players have contributed to their respective teams in much the same way they had prior to the trade. However, the Sabres needed players like Kane and Bogosian more than they needed players like Stafford and Myers. Armia is still Armia.. he's not doing anything different. The Sabres outlook on him was.. "meh" and he's still "meh". However he's now Winnipeg's "meh" to worry about where as the player now filling his role in the Sabres might be "meh +1" or even "has serious potential".

It is, but it makes you wonder how a player with the talent he has shown can fall off so much in such a short time. Are there other factors going on? Some kind of personal issues? Does he not fit the play style of the coach? Even then, he's bound to show something every now and then. At the moment he seems to be lagging behind the game. Then again, he might just be the biggest byproduct of his surroundings and given the changes he'll never recover. Go Sabres!

Nope.. This is.

That was the third breakaway in a row. Hagelin scored on the third goal, Crosby on the 4th and 5th on breakaways. Porous defense by the Quackers. And yes.. he's good.

When the GDT opener is more entertaining the the game itself.

So much for Stafford's raise next year. :)

To not have NHL success is not because they don't know how to win. The talent level is different and they may not be good enough to win but it's not that they don't know how to do it, they just can't. It's not a matter of working out right, eating right, playing the system right. It's a matter of them not having the ability to put all of it together.

I did see that. But his pass attempt is nearly the same angle as his shot off the goalie's pad and in. They are prepared for the puck on that side. Just saying I'd like to see him perhaps change it up and that's not the only repetitive move he's tried to make. He's learning but I'd like to see it a little faster. I'm not saying he's not great to watch but those repeated attempts almost come across as arrogance. He's too good to consider him too stupid to know what he's doing.

Players know how to win. These guys have all won throughout their hockey careers. This concept of "learning to win" seems a bit far-fetched to me. I guess it's me. Some guys know how to win better but that's life. The team is remarkably better as they should be and they have holes to fill. I have no complaints.

At what point this season do we simply not even bother to replay to WC's GDT? Pure masterpiece. Busy tonight so I will probably miss the game. Go Sabres.. I'd prefer someone to take 63 and knock him around this time.

I almost want to give him Kane because the guy has been flying. But Gio? I don't know. I guess we'll have to go with DDB being incompetent in some way. Hell, he would have been better served putting Moulson out there as some coaches will do just to give the guy a chance to put the puck in the net for once. They are... but it was expected each time by the defenders. Leading to turnovers. Hopefully so. But I'm not a fan of fail at it 3 times just to try and bait some other team in the 4th time. Given the defenders were already looking for him to wrap it when he went behind his best course of action would have been to attempt that move in one of the past 3 attempts. Creativity isn't flowing as I would hope yet. He persists in his patterns, like skating down the wall and trying that weak back pass off the boards which also is starting to result in turnovers. I'm not ashamed for being critical with reason. Eichel is not infallible. I can point out numerous repetitive mistakes (as I did above with the board drop pass) that players are picking up on. Eichel is incredibly talented but I can see points where he appears almost arrogant in the way he plays. He SHOULD expect that he can make those plays, he SHOULD also expect that the players on the ice will catch on when he tries the same thing too often. I'm as jacked as anyone when he does something new. When he comes into the zone and makes a perfect backhand flip pass to a teammate I'm legitimately stoked that he's on the Sabres. At the same time, when he falls into the trap of making the same moves and it results in turnovers I hope for more. I am sure the coaches spoke to him on the one goal. He was out of position the entire time in his defensive zone. He floated too high to the point and when he realized it he turned and ended up right on top of Johnson. So close that his stick tangled with Johnson and he could not get it over to try and deflect the puck from the shooter.

I never thought about that. I didn't play hockey growing up but I skated a lot and even though I played volleyball (a sport for many rolled ankles) I never injured my ankles (I rolled them but was never injured from it).

Love every bit of this. Great thinking.

I'll try to post this while still laughing at the gifs above. There is a single explanation I have for that shootout selection. There is a belief in the front office that 1 point is better than 2 this season. The Sabres will be good, but not THAT good yet. I'm going back to laughing at the gifs. It makes me feel better. Also, Eichel is hanging onto the past. How many times is he going to attempt the wrap around attempt he had success with in Ottawa? I think I saw it twice last night and at least once in Montreal. It's like.. ooo, this worked once. Meh

Thanks, I hadn't seen this and in my opinion changes everything. The team should be punished. But at the same time there needs to be a change in protocol. This would depend on your belief that a concussed player should be responsible for their actions. If you believe this then you believe they are not mentally defected to a point of making poor decisions. I think the onus has to be removed from the players and the team and placed onto the officials. Why wouldn't the spotter call the timekeeper to notify the officiating crew that the player is to be removed from the bench and tested? If the team fails to comply it's a 2min delay of game penalty and additional delay of game penalties stack if the team refuses. The NFL officials have the ability to send a player off the field if they suspect a concussion occurred. It is up to the independent physician to determine if they need the evaluation protocol. Knowing what I know about concussion, I don't think any blame can be placed on a player. Their instincts are to clear their path (which Wideman did). His instinct is to get on the ice. This is all he's ever done. Given how many people don't remember the events surrounding their concussion I think its safe to say they are not in control anymore. Perhaps a lineman needs to step in when a suspected head hit occurs and escort the player to the bench? He clearly got up slowly and appeared to have been shaken up a bit.

I disagree here. From a pure stats perspective McGinn is not going to lift your team up but his dependability shouldn't be overlooked. I've been a fan of his since San Jose. He's not out of place on ANY line. There aren't a lot of players like that. Perhaps the Sabres will have a few more of those like Larsson and Schaller too, but to date I think McGinn brings a little bit of that extra to the table. They should trade him. It's the right thing to do for the Sabres and for McGinn. I just hope he's one of those players that comes back.

44 trucks 63. 82 trucks 63 55 trucks 63 47 trucks 63 I'm good.

Let's bring some positives to the table: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Video-Corey-Crawford-Babysits-Pair-of-Lucky-Blackhawks-Fans--367538291.html

I think they realized it when they acquired Mitchell and Flynn. I thought they were universally known as Harbingers of the Tank.

So, just to recap. We're all Leafs fans now?

Just happy to be back into the season again. This might be the most interesting month of the season for Buffalo.

Or an idiot. But we know which it really is.

I would imagine it might be more like "Hey Toronto, Winter Classic or ASG?" Toronto: We'll take the outdoor game. Our entire team gets to play in it. The EA NHL cover was fantastic work. Too bad the game itself won't be worthy enough of such greatness.

"Hey Leafs fans, our location in Buffalo is great for you. We have all kinds of hotels and food not to mention hockey. Blah Blah Blah" Sabres marketing to local business owners: "Hey, check it out, we are working to draw in more out of town fans to help boost your business. Care to advertise with the Sabres?" I'm struggling to imagine just how people seem to be getting so worked up over nothing.