DarthEbriate

It was probably on Amerks sites as well, but Matthew Fairburn reported that Rousek played through a torn meniscus in the playoffs, good for second on the team with 8 points in 7 games (t-Kulich; Clague had 11). Props to Rousek for that.

With capfriendly and its predecessor (I've forgotten the name now) gone... is there a convenient way to compile the Columbus cap hits during Kekäläinen's time? I'm seeming to remember they were always under similar Pegulas internal restraints.

I scoured the stats page for just the right GMKA move.

In the event that someday a couple years from now, Jarmo is Sabres GM, and they make the playoffs -- and either Terry or a sportswriter or tv talking head or a Sabrespace poster gives credit to Adams for the roster he assembled that Jarmo is just the benefactor of... we all agree now to immediately shoot them down.

I had never been all that impressed with his Columbus teams. But I do appreciate that when he knew Bobrovsky was leaving and he had at least an OK squad, he said, "It's now or never: punch it!" and traded for Duchesne and Dzingel. And they swept the Lightning and lost in 6 to Boston. And they had some players that would've been good contributors that the Sabres need more of: Zucker-like. The Cam Atkinson, Brandon Dubinksy, Nick Foligno types that kept them afloat.

++Found someone they have, I would say. Hmm? --Rrrrriiiight.

If the Sabres were to trade all four to… Vancouver, let’s say… and then Vancouver won the Cup riding UPL… I’m out. I’m dropping hockey at that point.

6-3 game one win with Boushh playing. 0-3 since.

McDavid wasn’t even floating defensively looking for an easy outlet. He’s just faster to pivot and take off than anyone else.

It’s a game again.

Everyone should’ve been stocking up on as many ex-Sabres as possible.

Hear me out... UFA 32 years old, 6'3". Experienced. .926 sv % last year in the NHL. Louis Domingue. Sign him on July 1st to a 1-year $1.5M contract. Get through camp and start the season with Luukkonen, Domingue, and Levi on the roster. Then, waive Domingue. Boom. Playoffs, here we come.

It’s a little thing they call scheduled surgical procedures and LTIR.

This is totally its own thread. There is one big ancient generation. The generation that grew up with Star Wars, the generation that drew up with the Prequels, and now a generation that is growing up with the sequel trilogy.

200' player, engaged defensively, and ever around-the-puck -- yes, yes, and yes. Stirrer and pest making life miserable for opponents and getting under their skin? No. Theoren Fleury, Esa Tikkanen, Marchand he was and is not.

Eklund doesn't need to beat out TNT/Tuch/JJP/Benson/Zucker/Greenway to make the roster. Just Lafferty, Rosén, or Östlund, or (Quinn unless if he's moved). Kulich I'm already assuming is a lock. Edit: And Helenius. Benson beat Jost, Savoie (injured in preseason), Rousek (Amerks leading scorer the previous year), Kulich, and Rosén. You could also argue Biro or Murray if you're generous to their then-contracts. And also Olofsson, who was the first guy dropped out of the lineup while Benson stayed in it.

Two things of note: 1) When 4Nations was being selected, Tage was still playing center for the Sabres. Top 6: Eichel, Matthews. No room there. Also on the roster: Hughes. Nope. And the bottom 6 centers: Larkin, Trochek, Nelson. 2) TNT was good in the Worlds. Cool. He had two overtime goals. Clutch. Against... Norway during a 4-on-3 PP and goalie Tobias Normann. And in the gold medal game against... Austria. 3-on-3 on a rush goal, against... Leonardo Genoni.

Hi, Brendan. Salary? Well, you'd make 6% what you were making, but you'd report, get this, directly to the General Manager. You can't beat that! No, not 6% less. 6% of what... what you previously earned. Brendan? Hello there?

And these posts, articles, and the resulting threads on this board will persist the entire season as long as everyone in hockey operations is operating on a lame duck contract. There will always be the valid question from the outside, "What's the plan for next year?"

Aren't you a little short to be a stormtrooper win a faceoff? Rossi is good; his potential is still not reached. I'm just wondering why yet another 23 year-old who isn't a superstar or powerplay savant... and hasn't shown any veteran grind, long playoff-run, relentless tenacity, holding-others-accountable, being a punk to play against, angst-at-the-world fervor makes sense for this roster at forward.

But top-5 picks go back to juniors most of the time (excepting 1st overalls). And we know in the Sabres' situation that year, the obvious play was a veteran winger to come in and guide top-6 JJP/Cozens through New Year's (I always note Tarasenko because that'd be a solid career for Quinn to become and he was available). Then, ease Quinn back into the lineup. Trade VO with retention for more defense/tenacity in the bottom 6. All this with $10M in cap space and 2 points from being a playoff team the year prior. And don't go into the season with 3 goalies, but whatever. Adams gonna Adams with goalies.

Zucker has definitely tried to do damage control and be a team leader -- as he would have learned in his time in good locker rooms in Minnesota (maybe except Suter?) and Pittsburgh (no playoff success, but Crosby). The goaltending, as ever, remains the biggest obstacle to success (coinciding with a top-4 d-man to allow Power to grow into unlimited status). And both have been true for 3 consecutive seasons.

Putting on my JJP Agent Helmet.... My client has already effectively replaced Jeff Skinner in the lineup. Skinner had one year riding Eichel's coattails for which you rewarded him 8x$9M. The cap ceiling is now much, much higher. Skinner then gave you one career year since then and otherwise, my ascending young client has already outdone all the production of the previous top-line player. If JJP gets to play with Norris-TNT or TNT-Tuch, somewhere in an 8-year term he'll outdo Skinner's career year. You need to be able to pay him first line cash ($9M). If not, we'll sign an offer sheet at 7 which you can feel free to match. And my client will bet on himself and a much higher cap next summer and Tuch headed to UFA. Everybody wins. Happy to do business with you.

The bold is the saving grace. But don't tempt GMKA by saying there's no room. There's always room for 1st-round draft picks. There wasn't room for Benson in July (post-draft), but by season's start: Quinn was on IR, Savoie was injured and soon to head to AHL for conditioning before returning to juniors, Olofsson slotted into Quinn's spot in the lineup for opening night, and Jost sat in the press box. Cynic me says: Eklund would when Greenway and Norris are hurt in preseason, leading Kulich and Eklund into the lineup. Lafferty watches. Bonus: either JJP or Quinn signs an offer sheet and becomes 2026 draft picks rather than pay someone who doesn't want to be here.

Here's what the first round this season looked like: 1 WPG v. 4 STL 1 TOR v. 4 OTT 2 DAL v. 3 COL 2 TBL v. 3 FLA 1 VGK v. 4 MIN 1 WSH v. 4 MTL 2 LAK v. 3 EDM 2 CAR v. 3 NJD Here's what it would have been in the previous alignment 1-8, (with division winners guaranteed 1 & 2 as previously div winners got 1-3): 1 WPG v. 5 STL (same) 1 WSH v. 8 MTL (same matchup) 2 VGK v. 6 MIN (same) 2 TOR v. 7 NJD 3 DAL v. 7 EDM 3 TBL v. 6 OTT 4 LAK v. 8 COL 4 CAR v. 5 FLA We'd have seen our two Conference Final matchups in the first round instead. But, everyone was talking about how DAL/COL should have been a semi-final or later matchup and lookout when Heiskanen got back into the lineup. Instead, it's been the Stuart Skinner show. The most important thing is: just get in, then let the chips fall where they may.