DarthEbriate

It's 6/24/2018. After a disappointing season, the Sabres have just drafted Rasmus Dahlin #1 overall. ROR was despondent at the locker-cleanout day interview, but is still on the roster. Montour isn't even on the team, yet. I tell you this: 6 years from now, the Stanley Cup will include the following names: Ryan O'Reilly, Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues, Kyle Okposo, Marco Scandella, and Zach Bogosian Additionally, Linus Ullmark will have a Vezina and a Jennings. And for good measure, two players from last year's roster: Kulikov and Carrier, will also be on the Cup. (they could get re-signed as depth pieces, right?) And Brandon Hagel has already been to Final. Sounds pretty good, eh? Sounds like the Sabres win one and lose one, right?

That's the most important part.

Lindy wants his own goal song.

Awareness and strength. That's how defensemen need to play. Looking at you, Sabres.

All the mocks I've seen show a big run on defense early. I take Iginla, Sennecke, Eiserman, Brandsegg in that order. Hope! Use the pick. It's the last time they're picking in the top 15 for over ten years.

I figured Florida would've gotten their game back sooner given the lengthy 3-day gaps between games. But it took a must-win to find their legs again. Still, still lot of game left.

Kulikov had an unmarked Reinhart in the slot for the deflection... and opted for the easy unobstructed glove save.

What's so very odd is how they just plain disappeared for 3 games. They gave up in game 4, perhaps expecting to turn it back on the home fans in game 5. But it's hard to just turn it back on. Final seconds, clock winding down, Panthers up by two... Reinhart-ERod-Okposo / Montour-Kulikov

Stenland going in for a check and then had to dodge the ref who threw himself in front of the Oiler. Hockey is fun.

Skinner way off the post short-side. Reino picks it easily. patiently.

If it's not a trip, then it's interference, as Tkachuk slid into an opposing player, taking him out of the play and creating an opportunity for a teammate. It wasn't as though Tkachuk was motionless on the ice and the Oiler had a chance to skate around him. Good call.

How about Montour, Kulikov, Rodrigues, and... Asplund?

Good period of hockey.

Just checked it... the goalie in question, coincidentally...

Most dangerous PKer ever.

Say what you will, the cap dump in Legwand gave the Sabres their best 4th line center since Gaustad and their last playoff appearance. (And yes, he immediately retired because he was cooked.)

Immediate response from Edmonton and then carrying play against the Barkov line -- Hyman wins every puck race that shift.

Verhaege disappears for stretches, but that kid has been showing up in big games for half a decade now.

He's kept all his used Cup-touched gloves?

If they aren't within $2M of the cap at the start of this season, they're not serious about making the playoffs. Likewise, if more than 1 rookie forward makes the opening day roster (barring 3+ training camp injuries), they're already aiming for '25-'26. That said, they (owner/GM) haven't said anything publicly about not being EEE yet, just the GM saying he's free to spend money and... hasn't, and their actions the past 4 seasons say have clearly had an internal cap, right down to taking Bishop to get to the cap floor and not retaining salary on outgoing traded players to sweeten returns.

They drafted Leinonen just 2 years ago.

Answering the age old question: Won’t someone think of the children? The Coyotes were the only people in the entire state thinking about the children. To eat them. They’re like dingoes, after all.

Another day (or 2-3 days later), another chance for the Panthers to win the Cup. Here we go again.

Just over one week to go. Time for some cool names in the 2024 entry draft. Brandsegg-Nygard, Michael. (hyphenated names are fun) Filip Sitar. (cue the music!) Miroslav Satan Jr. (bring him home in the 7th. And he's 6'7") Tij Iginla. Maxim Masse. (MaximMas[se] Goalius!) Johnny Mustard. Mrsic, Tomas. They call him Mr. Sic Hands. Or Mr. Yuk if he's missing the open cage. Nevermind the pronunciation, that's not what's important here. Smithkneckt, Jackson. You think Smith is boring. But Smithknecht? Now we're talking. Diego Buttazzoni. If you are a GM and you're not taking Diego Buttazzoni with an extra 5th round pick, why are you even employed? Jaxsin Vaughan. You named your kid Jackson, but really you wanted to name your kid Fantasy Novel Jackson. And finally, the My Name Has a Z in It category: Zeev Buium Zeev... Zeev! Zayne Parekh Zether, Simon

The press conference is a hidden track on its own album.