DarthEbriate

On the bright side, there's still time to do something about it via trade. Not to replace Dahlin, but to shore up the left side with a capable player until he's back so that Boston and TB don't have free rein to pummel Power into dust for 28 minutes each game. Few good options remain, but something can be attempted.

We shall soon find out. Typically a top team brings in that 1 player to put them over the edge as well as something for more depth. Shuffling the entire lineup is pretty wild. But these are veteran professionals who will have 20 games to gel. They should be fine. ROR, Tavares, and Nylander took all of 1.5 games to gel. The goaltending may be unproven in the playoffs, but the overall defense is already there. Toronto is 4th in the NHL in goals allowed/game. They're really strong all around now and have been for a few years.

Every season is an "if they get in" season until they're in for a few seasons in a row. They could get catastrophic injuries and miss or it could depend a bunch on Boston this next season. TBL and TOR will still be very, very good next season (depending on Matthews, I suppose). BOS is the x-factor on if they are an all-in one-and-done, or do they go for another year next season because they flame out this playoff? We'll have all offseason to wonder on this. While I think Dahlin is deserving of top Norris votes, I think it's going to be entirely dependent on the finish down the stretch. If the Sabres make the playoffs (and he's healthy and contributing) he's 1-2, yes. If they miss, then he's probably looking at 4-5, because nationally they'll see the Karlsson statistical anomaly, Morrissey's excellent year, Hamilton leading NJ to the playoffs where Dahlin couldn't, and Fox being the straw that stirs the NYR drink.

1) I find it kind of exciting, although I also find 1-0 goaltender duels to be exciting. I do like that at least this Granato-led squad is capable of getting 6 to win. 2) Yes, yes, and yes. Goaltending aside, one of the biggest problems is the forwards flying the zone for the breakaway pass instead of staying back to secure possession first. That's the biggest difference between the Sabres and "good" defensive teams. It's great for 6 goals for, but it's very bad against well-structured and good forechecking opponents. 3) I think the year-to-year improvement on D is in their experience. Joker is the oldest of the top 4 and he's 23. I still think he's a potential Lydman, but the Sabres didn't get Lydman until he was 28 and through his growing pains. The same goes for all of the top 4. Adams is looking at the window opening in 2024-25. I think this team would benefit greatly from a taste of the playoffs, but even next year I'm not sure the new core will be ready for the playoffs even if they get in. They have tried different approaches that also failed: Murray set up a very veteran defensive-D minded group with Bogosian, Gorges, Kulikov, and had kids like Risto and McCabe. And then the team couldn't score. Whether it's unfortunate or fortunate remains to be seen, but we're on Adams' timeline and not our own. Really -- we're on Dahlin's timeline, and no longer Eichel's. And thankfully, Dahlin's window is looking to be very high-ceilinged and lengthy, and it really isn't even open yet.

Don't forget the defending Eastern Conference champions. Tampa is still there, just with few flashy additions at the deadline. The top 6 teams in the entire League by points reside in the East right now. (Granted, the next 8 teams in the standings by points are Western conference teams -- varying between 76 and 72 points.)

Too bad they waited until the third to start skating hard. And meanwhile, the Panthers showed up against Tampa.

Stop coasting and skate. You've got to outwork the PK!

Everyone's invited, of course.

And they follow up that goal with a terrible shift that Clague needs to bail them out. Sheesh.

Quinn! Wake up, gents. Wake up!

Maybe they turn their next homestand into a road trip. Go stay in a hotel as a team. Bus in on a visitor's schedule. Have PHam ask them where they ate dinner the night before. Do something so that they aren't flat.

This team needs a Dahlin. That third goal was simple: the Columbus forward played defense unlike our forward have been. Picked off TNT's shot attempt, then turned it into a rush, which kept the top line out forever and it ended up in the Sabres net. Garbage game. But if any team in the league can put up 3 goals in the third to tie it, it's this squad.

Good first shift.

The second goal, in a perfect world I'd also like to see Anderson push out another step and challenge the shooter, but it did happen pretty fast.

Good puck possession for the most part but a bad period. They need to outwork them. Once again, the Sabres aren't good enough to not outwork the opposition. They occasionally forget that.

The Sabres forwards really need to start covering in the d-zone first. I know they want everything to become a rush, but there's so many unmarked Blue Jackets just hanging around the slot and it's not on the defensemen each time.

The Concept Of has two sides: the Cap and the Cup.

Strong shift from the Girgs-Jost-Poso line. More. More!

That's a pretty nice next shift after giving up a PP goal.

Goal. Perfect shot. That's impossible! Even for a computer!

They know the future belongs to Buffalo.

The Canucks were a 5-player team this year. Pettersson, (Horvat -- mostly PP), JT Miller, Kuzmenko, and Hughes. Hughes was on the ice when that team scores PP and EV. Quinn and Pettersson are the ones driving them up ice and Schenn benefits from that. When those guys aren't on the ice, then Boeser (-24) is their next best weapon. And when those 4 aren't on the ice, the weak defensemen and goaltending get exposed. Vancouver wasn't giving Stillman o-zone draws when Quinn was available; Stillman was 2nd among VAN defensemen in D-zone start % (and Brisebois ahead of him had only 9 GP). I'm not arguing that Stillman is nearly as good as Schenn. And I agree that Schenn's checking and his steady, veteran ways would've been a better fit for the Sabres short term. But one got Hughes and the other got Myers. If Samuelsson had played all season with Bryson or Pilut or Clague, and the Sabres had Vancouver's level of secondary scoring, yes... Muel would look quite the bit worse in terms of +/-. And also no Power... the Canucks don't have an equivalent of him to help hold the 2nd pair. Dahlin and Q.Hughes significantly tilt the ice and possession for their squads.

Please do note their partners. Schenn has played a bunch with Quinn Hughes (57 pts +12) the last couple years. He's been their Tallinder for baby-Myers Hughes. Stillman was with numerous folks including OEL (-24), Burroughs (-12), and Myers (-14). The Canucks are a 1-line, 1-pair team. It's like if the Sabres had Dahlin, no Muel, no Power, and a bunch of Clague/Bryson/Fitz. That bottom pair would look like garbage.

By Friday we're just going to be crying, "Stop, stop! He's already been traded!"

Crap. Are we going to see some unknown no-video-on-this-guy make his 1st NHL start tonight and stymie everything and get a bunch of high-danger shots directly into the crest?