DarthEbriate

Maybe 4-on-4 will be better than the PP?

Make Bogo pay for that by scoring one.

Hmm. One team used the intermission to focus up and go on the attack, and the other used it to take a nap and they're still snoozing.

Levi is in their heads. Hartman couldn't even get the shot on net. He's using an old Levi mind trick!

Late goal light? The MN broadcast was a bit delayed on the call, too.

Overcommitted up high by EJ and Zemgus. One good pass and it was over.

Huh. Johnson the Younger has some strength too. I guess he hit Hartman too hard.

Starting to wake up Joker!!!!

Oh almost Mitts. Started by some good work by Savoie and Rousek to regain the puck.

Sabres missing a lot of passes. Levi was patiently waiting for every shot in that flurry. It is the future he sees.

Wild pushing everything outside with ease.

I’ve since caught onto that. But they did say Middleton leads the Sabres in scoring.

He’s from Minnesota. Why the hell are they (the MN broadcasters) calling him Middleton?

When Savoie's trial games are up, you either keep him or send him back to Juniors/WJC (and do the same with Benson) and then sign Kane (or sign Kane in the interim and get him an AHL conditioning stint, if permitted). Then, Quinn returns and Kane takes over VO's role as 3W/PP specialist. Go with 3 scoring lines and have the ZG-TJ/PK-KO take D-zone starts. Kane would, theoretically, push Skinner down to PP2 until Quinn returns... or turn PP2 into a threat, and that could be pretty fun. Signing Kane is not crazy, but Kane also doesn't bring the on-ice needs of the team and its construction in the bottom 6 for the playoffs: a 2-way playoff veteran who is either a) a speedy forechecker to cause chaos, b) a bit of muscle for when people hack Levi and will hack their goalie in response, or c) a faceoff specialist. And I definitely don't sign him to any term coming off the hip injury (2 years including this one, max). Younger players are coming to take his ice-time and soon. Then, if he's good and wishes to help bring a Cup home, he can do the 1-year extensions and be the new KO. All that said, I let him do his hip recovery half-season somewhere else. No blockers, right?

I was mostly in jest, but if I'm Chicago I retain salary and ask for futures. All the pricey players on EDM have NMCs and they'll want them to try to resurrect the season. Chicago's timeline is tied to Bedard and they have veterans that can hold together for a couple years for the "how-to". Retain $3M, take one salary back (Fogele+a prospect, Jack Campbell?), and then get some picks. Lottery protected 2024 1st (in case the Hall-gambit works) and some other picks that people can quibble over (a 2nd and a 4th or whatever). But in reality, if I'm Chicago I keep Hall for my own 2024 #1 double-dip purposes. Bedard and Celebrini would be OK.

The Rangers dominated the 1st, the Wild dominated the 2nd but Dominque was fantastic, and then the Rangers got the lead on an overzealous Faber leading to a 2:1, then a PPG, then the empty netter. Remember to play defense and skate fast. Possess the puck and draw penalties, and take advantage of their mistakes as the game goes on. Mitts, Greenway, Jost, Tuch, Johnson (the Erik one), Johnson (the Ryan one), and Okposo... all Minnesota-born, UM-played, or ex-Wild ready to have a good game.

Wood would have been a good resigning by them (or by the Sabres). But I think many teams aren't offering a bottom 6 forward a 6-year deal like he got from the Avs, even if the AAV is fine for his production. Six years for an inconsistent 3rd/4th liner who occasionally has a little hot streak each year that teases possible 2nd line material and will be 34 years old at the end of the contract? Weird. Having said that, watch Greenway sign a similar 6-year deal after putting up 12-20-32 this year....

The Oilers are sackin' for Macklin. I mean, Draisaitl and McDavid are quite possibly going to walk out of the darkness for their next contracts, and the Oilers need a #1 overall in the lineup. However, they'll need to trade for Taylor Hall to ensure they win the lottery.

In general, lots of threads/comments hoping to see the kids: Kulich, Savoie, Benson, Rosen, etc. And yes, I'm glad to see all those top picks in the pipeline, too. They're young scorers and will be exciting players (and lead to exciting goals against, too). I just want to take a minute to show some love for the old guys and a low-event hockey line. Zemgus and Okposo were both -2 in the NYR game opening night. They're both currently even. Don't like +/-? Too bad. They're not scoring goals, but they don't get scored on, either. They get 60% D-zone starts and are counted on against any line the opposition has for 10 minutes of at 5-on-5 every night. They're a big reason the Sabres are 32-0-4 when leading after 2 periods since the beginning of last season (and are in position to take 200' EN shots at the end). And they're on one-year deals so you can always move on if they lose a step (or in Okposo's, another step). Krebs, Jost, Cozens, (maybe soon Savoie), it doesn't matter who is center. The center learns an all-around game that will translate very well to a long career and to the playoffs when they make it. To sum up: Lindy Ruff would love to have a pair of guys like this at his disposal, too.

I just figured Attack of the Killer Tomatoes was a deeper cut.

Something tells me Kane is going to want a little bit more money than Ryan Reaves got from Toronto, especially with the term.

I think so Brain, but what does the Stop Tomato Project have to do with the 2023-24 power play?

If Tage becomes a 40G+ and PK stalwart and finishes top-10 in Selke voting, then all those questions of "is he a top-10 center" are moot.

The Canes are a pretty good team getting pretty poor goaltending to start the season. If the Sabres commit to defense, then they could win this one going away.

Wistfulness ensues. I don't know of any photos or recordings remaining of my band. Phone cameras were around, but sizable storage and clouds were not.