DarthEbriate

I really hope Malenstyn's entire argument for filing arbitration was: "Look at the money you threw at Girgensons the last 4 seasons!" (4 years, $9.1M. 199 GP, 28G 22A 50P)

I'm thinking that by the end of this season Quinn may very well be the 1W and Tuch the 2W, at least in terms of 5-on-5 ice time.

Ranking this high is of three things: 1) It's 98% pity. Awww, the Sabres won a game, even against my favorite team? Good for them. 2) Two seasons ago they were fun to watch. If you went to you home team's game and the Sabres were in town, you'd at least be entertained by an all-out press attack and an attempt to score 7. (Colorado is also very fun to watch the last few seasons.) 3) They don't have any rats/goons on their team since... JBott took over? They don't have individual players to dislike. (Colorado also fits this -- their Cup win was such a fast buzzsaw blur they didn't even get the chance to be called punks about it.)

He's going to have a Jesper Bratt-like season under Ruff. 25-35 goals; 40-50 assists. 73 points this season.

Yes. Give me the top goaltending and dangerously solid team defense. A 3-2 win is an exciting hockey game. The most exciting hockey I've seen was the dead-puck era Hasek Sabres. Chaos in their own end, Hasek makes one amazing save and it's a rush goal going the other way. Plus the hits, dust-ups, and speed that makes hockey fun. The constant tension was the race to 2 goals. In 98-99, the Sabres would have gotten the win or gone to OT by scoring just two goals in 57 of 82 games. To compare, the Bruins would have gotten the win or OT with two goals in 52 of 82 games in 2022-23 (65 wins). I'll bet that regular season was pretty exciting for Bruins fans.

Agreed on both accounts. Purely for fun I was matching up the players to their (somewhat) equivalents of past Ruff lineups. What I can really see with Ruff are those grinder-on-each line setups that may have us scratching our heads because so-and-so isn't a top 6, but it works on the ice. And the grinder gets no PP time and someone else (Briere/TNT) gets double-shifted so the TOI makes sense for the top forwards. Malenstyn-Cozens-Quinn, for example. Myself, I'd start the preseason with the admittedly boring lines that everyone else is already predicting: Peterka - Thompson - Tuch Zucker - Cozens - Quinn Benson - McLeod - Greenway Malenstyn - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel (Krebs)

This was my thought as well. I'll go extra specific: 1. Dahlin and Quinn both play 70+ games 2. The Sabres PP% is 21.5 or better (NSH was 16th with 21.66% last year; BUF was 16.59!) 3. Cozens and TNT combine for 65+ goals (they had 57 last season; 78 two years ago) 4. Luukkonen has a save% of .912+ (better team defense and UPL becoming more consistent with experience; .910 last season)

For our summer amusement: First, a Rufferized lineup using the general '05-'06 regular season roster (all vets up top, Grier/Drury together, Vanek/Roy as kids fresh from ROC on the 3rd line) for inspiration. Fret not: this is for 5-on-5 only. The kids would get PP time to boost their points. [Benson=baby Pommer; Briere=TNT] Zucker - Thompson - Tuch Malenstyn - McLeod - Greenway Peterka - Cozens - Quinn Benson - Lafferty - Aube-Kubel (Krebs) Second, a Benson=Briere shuffle and sneak Kulich=Kotalik into the lineup. Peterka - Thompson - Benson Quinn - Cozens - Tuch Zucker - McLeod - Greenway Malenstyn - Lafferty - Kulich (Aube-Kubel, Krebs)

Does the article provide any definition of what it counts as a prospect, or what criteria it is measuring for comparison with other teams? Is Connor Bedard still a prospect? It's easy to be overrated when you're consistency ranked in the top 5 because that's where you've drafted.

Ben says Benson scores:

Based on TOI, Peterka had already replaced Skinner in March-April last season. If JJP stays on the top line, Zucker is replacing a 2nd-line JJP/Benson or 3rd-line Benson/Skinner.

Chief?

I generally think Fairburn's coverage is pretty even keel, but these offseason grades are through some very rosy glasses, even at the time. Strictly UFA immediately after the opening week. 2022: C for standing pat (C is for Comrie which is good enough for Sheevyn). There was nothing to fail because no moves were made. 2023: B for going and getting experienced RHD from winning teams to help lead/guide the baby Sabres. Unfortunately, on the ice, it didn't work -- but that is not part of the grade. F for not replacing Quinn with any number of folks just like Zucker/Tarasenko who were available short-term with lots of cap to spend, especially since the coach had relegated VO to 13F and his goals needed replacing, too. Average the two = C-. 2024: B+. At least, based on UFA targeting what the GM said he was going to do (bottom 6). GMKA never said he was going to go get Stamkos, so... easy... they didn't go get anyone of note. The long-term deals are being reserved for JJP and Quinn next summer. Deeper dive: GM Sheevyn just took Vancouver's 2023 trade deadline/offseason blueprint and followed it. Moved out a long-term forward (Horvat: Skinner). Got the top-4 defenseman last season at the deadline (Hronek: Byram). Then, in the UFA period, went out and saturated/remade the bottom 6 to play a certain way and open up the game for the top line (Blueger, Suter, Lafferty [via trade] and D Soucy : Malenstyn, Lafferty, Aube-Kubel. The Sabres don't really have a need for a Soucy like the Canucks did; that move is just getting Muel back healthy). It worked in Vancouver.

I knew they were the oldest team in the league by average age this season. But by 4/14/2025: Gagner 35, Henrique 35, Janmark 32, RNH 32 (on 4/12/25), Ryan 38, Arvidsson 32, Hyman 32, Kane 33, Skinner 32. That's impressive. Positives for the Oilers: 1) They can have Savoie replace one of those old guys. 2) McDavid and Draisaitl are going to skate 27+ min/gm in every playoff game. They won't get worn down.

Megaweapon, Megaweapon, Megaweapon, Megaweapon!

A couple notes: McLeod just played in the Final, and Aube-Kubel and Byram have won the Cup. It would appear the last two seasons GMKA has had playoff experience as a requisite in his acquisitions. Now, it hasn't mattered a hill of beans just yet. Games of playoff experience prior to this season: Out: Lyubushkin (7 pre-BUF), Okposo (24 pre-BUF), Jost 46, Stillman 3, Skinner, Girgs, VO. Could also add Clague/Bryson, though they're #8/9 on the depth chart and still around. Out total = 80 games In: E.Johnson (Cup win, 55 -- was on all those bad COL teams pre-Makar); Clifton (46, though no deep runs since 2019); Zucker (52 though pretty much all 1st round exits); Lafferty (21); Malenstyn (4); Aube-Kubel (Cup, 30); McLeod (56, 24 this year alone); Byram (Cup, 27). In total = 291 games and 3 Cups.

I still believe his ceiling is a Lydman. And just as with Lydman, I don't believe he'll reach his professional peak with his first franchise. But, as long as he's with the Sabres he remains a steady and boring defender.

GM Sheevyn's overconfidence is his weakness. However, the roster finally has a decent construction, barring injuries. And as importantly, it has a theme: it is predicated on speed. Ruff likes speed.

The upcoming question is... what does GMKA do with Levi next offseason (10.2 RFA). Is this the goalie he suddenly throws cash at? What if Levi has a disastrous season or injury? How long can you ignore the goalie position when you're a fringe playoff team sitting on $8+M in cap space every season and your franchise has had Hasek, Miller, Barrasso? It's damnable considering what the team has needed this entire time. You could see the difference in team play when Anderson and Ullmark were in net.

There isn't a problem with UPL filing for arbitration. The concern is GMKA's history with goalie signings/retentions* and that he has never committed to more than 2 years with a goalie except for Levi's ELC. And although you shouldn't commit to multiple years with most of these AHL-level goalies [at their time of signing], it also reeks of EEE rather than, you know, winning. *Hutton (retained/post-eye); Johansson (1 yr); Ullmark (1 yr to UFA); Tokarski (2 yr); Houser (from AHL contract); Lekkas (1 yr); Anderson (1 yr); Dell (1 yr); Houser (from AHL contract); Ben Bishop (1 yr remaining); Anderson again (1 yr); Comrie (2 yr); UPL (2 yr); Cooley (1 yr); Tokarski (1 yr); Sandström (1 yr); Reimer (1 yr)

Fine, I'll do it. Edmonton realized that more ex-Sabres gives you better odds to win the Cup. Kane wasn't enough against the superior Panthers numbers. First next ex-Sabres to win a Cup could be: Kane, Skinner, and Savoie.

I don't like him on the first deflection goal. He had the chance to step out faster on Rodrigues and tie him up or maybe block the pass (that was going feet wide before Verhaeghe's deflection). I can see Oilers message board poster types (you know the ones...) be upset with the play and make him a scapegoat for their loss. His other minus was as he stepped onto the ice during Reinhart's rush goal, a hundred feet from the cage.

She's (the Millenium Sabre) fast enough for the old man. What's the cargo? It certainly changes the complexion of the bottom 6 (Robinson and Zemgus were fast, but no one was going to call Jost, VO, or Okposo speedsters).

You're going to find that the apology depends greatly on our own point of view.

For sure. Today, the Sabres are dramatically better. The Edmonton staff can look at Savoie and say, I think rightly, that he'll make his Oilers debut this season and stick for good in 2025-26.