DarthEbriate

This is a better way to look at it, but the results still aren't all that rosy. A few good closes in bold. 2015-16 P% Before: 92% P% Last 20: 120% This is the Eichel rookie season and it's a dramatic improvement and we'd probably all agree it wasn't in vain at all (at the time). Eichel/Reinhart and the Byslmas system all coming together. Bright future. (120% is still only a 98-point pace -- so typically 3rd in your division and a road playoff series. It's good and relatively great for the Sabres, but not on fire.) 2016-17 P% Before: 100% P% Last 20: 80% 2017-18 P% Before: 76% P% Last 20: 75% 2018-19 P% Before: 106% P% Last 20: 50% 2019-20 P% Before: 104% P% Last 20: 85% 2020-21 P% Before: 56% P% Last 20: 85% This is also great relatively, but note that the entire 18-game losing streak that got HCRK fired is in the first portion. 85% is a 70-point pace and they'd already locked up #1 lottery odds for Power. You could also argue that it's not in vain because Granato is the new coach and he's actually a hockey coach. 2021-22 P% Before: 81% P% Last 20: 125% This was a run. 125% is only 102-point pace, so not hottest-team-in-the-league, but it was a legitimate strong finish. (Nothing like STL this season, which is 16-3-3 since the start of February.) 22-23 P% Before: 101% P% Last 20: 102% 23-24 P% Before: 100% P% Last 20: 101% 24-25 P% Before: 87% P% Last 20: 7-4 off to a great start, but plenty of time remaining This year's 62nd game is the final game of the 6-game losing streak, so games 63-82 should be better when omitting 19 consecutive losses.

This seems to come up in every GDT when they win lately, so I got curious and I'll put it here. I know they did make a couple really heroic charges to 8th-9th place back with Ruff/Regier, but if you make the playoffs those are meaningful wins because they generate playoff revenue. We keep saying "they always finish strong" and win a bunch at the end. This narrative needs to stop. Here are the Sabres' records in their final 20 games of each season for the last 10 years. There hasn't been a single "run" since they tanked. I simplified it to combine all losses, but it's not like there was ever a 10-1-9 record in there. 2023-24 10-10 2022-23 10-10 2021-22 11-9 2020-21 8-12 2019-20 8-12 2018-19 4-16 2017-18 7-13 2016-17 7-13 2015-16 10-10 This '24-25 season could be their first heroic charge -- from last in the East to... 3rd-to-last? They're currently 7-4 with 9 games remaining.

Possibly off the team or out of the league if he's injured. But, if he's still a Sabre, my guess is that when Benson turns 25, he'll have already surpassed Reinhart on Buffalo's all-time scoring list and will be closing in on Eichel.

Quinn RFA? Why go to arbitration or a bridge? 7x$7M after he gets to 18-24-42 for the season (and -18).

Smart lob pass, Krebs onside, then the effort ENG dive. Nice.

Muel-PO..... Tuch! Turn on your deflector goals: double front!

All puck-moving lefties? Östlund has added another goal and assist so far today. Up 2-1 in the second.

Caps better not switch their goalie...

Great shift by Krebs, followed by a... Lafferty?

How was that not a hook? TNT was in alone; should have been a penalty shot.

Tuch's scoring through their deflector shields!

Skies one into the McLeods!

Byram stops skating and opts for the hook instead. Guess what? They're going to attempt to feed Ovechkin.

Agreed, but all of those Levi-for-Reimer games of which I'm talking were before December 15th (except one where he got the call-up, and could've gotten the callup to sit on the bench instead of start during one of those streaks where UPL wasn't hot and yet Reimer didn't get a start for 3 weeks). That's before all the playoff teams need to start worrying about taking 7th-10th place teams seriously.

Tuch's leg pulls back out of the crease. Don't call that interference... thank you.

Nice. Rebound for TNT!

1) He was with the USNTDP. 2) Adams likes him. 3) You can't interview for new coaches, you just hire someone you already know. (Because when you do hire someone from outside you get a Krueger.)

Another happy landing power play.

13 goals scored in their last two games and Nashville next. The post-Torts bump is on. It won't last, but it's fun for their skaters for now.

Whoops. 12 PM Pacific for me. I was altering time and speeding up the harvest to get off this rock season. Fixed.

He'd have to sign Metsa to a contract first.

The 8th place race is so obnoxiously bad. UPL missed one game because of a collision injury somewhere near midseason (December, maybe?). But otherwise, if you just let Levi roll in Rochester all season, don't waive Reimer, and replace Levi's games with Reimer's numbers... you've got at least 3, and maybe as many as 5 more wins right now. The Sabres could be 1 point out of a playoff spot (and have been buyers at the deadline).

It's Sabres at Caps. UPL had the Saturday start and didn't get chased despite seven goals against, so Ovechkin won't break Gretzky's record today because Reimer is playing. However, Greenway out and likely no Dahlin means that Ovechkin could get close, today. It's the last home game before back-to-back Caps games on the road.

Östlund added the ENG for good measure. 31 points in his last 29 games.

Amerks have chased Syracuse goalie Halverson for the third time this season. Up 3-0 after two periods. Östlund with two more helpers. Remember earlier in this thread when folks were worried about Östlund and his size, health, and getting up to AHL speed? He had 2 points in his first thirteen games this season. Since then, he has 30 points in 29 games.