DarthEbriate

Everything hopeful Sabres fans are saying about Comrie, Sens fans are saying about Forsberg. He's been steadily improving the last few seasons and is ready for a larger role after a good 2021-22. Last year: Forsberg: 46 gp, 22-17-4, .917 sv%, 2.82 GAA, and 14.5 GSAA Comrie: 19 gp, 16-10-5-1 .920 sv%, 2.58 GAA, and 7.2 GSAA Where the goaltending skews dramatically pro-Ottawa is in the veteran/backup role. Talbot is a solid 1B-type still in his prime. Anderson is a savvy backup whose numbers have fallen sharply off from his prime years in Ottawa (5 years ago). Compared across the last 3 seasons: Talbot: 108 gp, 63-30-10, .914 sv%, 2.69 GAA, and 20.1 GSAA Anderson: 69 gp, 30-30-4, .900 sv%, 3.14 GAA, and -16.0 GSAA That's a lot of faith to have to put into Luukkonen this season, considering even UPL's current AHL numbers pale in comparison to all 4 of these other goalies.

With Ottawa, it's all about how long it takes for the team to gel and how long Talbot is out with injury. The top 6 will be excellent. The 3rd line is youthful and should improve as the season goes on. Defense: Zub is underrated and Sanderson should be electric and move into the top 4 by season's end. The difference is goaltending. Once Talbot is healthy, Ottawa has an up-and-coming starter in Forsberg and a proven starter in Talbot. They shed their poor goalie and awful contract with Murray. That's what gives them the edge over Buffalo in 82 games. But in one game at the beginning of the season where Buffalo has line continuity and the opening night crowd? The Sabres should win.

^ Only 20 skaters on the roster. They'd best hope no one tweaks anything during any warm-ups or road trips in any game because there's no one else to dress.

I think we're past the JAG horizon. There's true JAGs (good AHLers/tweeners) like Bjork. Or an even better example --- our 2nd liner in the tank: Seth Griffith, or the Matt Ellis of JAGs: Matt Ellis. And then there's actual NHL-caliber 4th-line grinders who get to the big league and stick: Girgensons. Lazar. Sheahan. I'll throw out a name to whom Sheahan compares very favorably: Dan Paille. Both late 1sts, both became good defensive forwards, and both (have) had decade-long careers. The difference is one was on a perennial contender and the other broke into the league on a team heading into its twilight. Could Blidh become as good as Sheahan or Paille? Maybe. But I'd keep Sheahan over him for the next couple seasons. We all love JJP and Kulich, but based on where they're selected, if they become Paille or Sheahan, and play 10 NHL seasons: that's a win. If they're 4th liners on a good team they'll be beloved. If they play on cellar-dwellers they'll be mistakenly called JAGs. We're underselling Sheahan's capability. He's a low-mistake vet with good enough size and wheels. He'll stay in the suite until needed, help settle rookies on a 4th line, kill penalties, and calm things down. He's a Zemgus-insurance plan if the Locomotive needs repairs. Some numbers on Sheahan last season in Seattle: 69 gp. 17 points, 60% D zone starts at 5-on-5. And a ridiculous +6 on a team with a -69 goal differential. (Soucy, Sheahan, Tanev, Blackwell, Borgen... those are the only plus players for Seattle with over 10 gp and they're all defensive/bottom 6 grinders -- Tanev/Soucy with mid-tier potential-- who take care of their end first.) This Sabres team needs a few of those Sheahan-level players while the kids improve their games in all 3 zones.

Nadeau for sure. But probably every prospect needs to work on their skating.

We can only hope. I don't know how they even have a profile page for Kriukov. He never ever left the KHL or even came across the pond that I can recall. Good #15 overall selection.

That stinks for Subban and the Amerks. And... 0 shots on goal in the first period of the (second and) final preseason game? Being outshot 15-0 is not really a recipe for success.

I don't think Cozens was rushed. I do think Cozens didn't have to do much to make the team. He beat out Ruotsalainen and Ogelvie as the final cuts. Asplund and Mitts were placed on the taxi squad. This was HC Krueger's opening night roster on 1/14/20: Hall - Eichel - Thompson Olofsson - Staal - Reinhart Rieder - Eakin - Cozens Skinner - Lazar - Sheahan (Asplund) INJ: Okposo Skinner should've been in the top 6. Then-winger-giraffe-Tage should have been bottom 6. Okposo was hurt. Every other player [edit: in the bottom 6], yes, rookie Cozens should play over. I contrast that with JJP in this year's preseason. Hino had one egregious turnover to Crosby (and was that an AHL D communication error, or Comrie not communicating, or did Crosby call for it and fooled Hino? -- anyway, Hino has to use his speed and carry the puck) but otherwise showed he's in the top 12 on this roster and has a role and speed. JJP didn't pop this preseason and until he does, he gets to hone his game in Rochester until he comes up and pops. He'll get many chances to do so. (I'd also argue Krebs didn't pop this preseason, but I'll take his passing on PP2.)

Okposo's been the captain in spirit since Eichel last skated in a Sabres uniform, and was probably the captain off the ice even before then. This is the obvious, overdue choice. It's the right choice for this season.

No worries on that. Bjork will be bottom 6 veteran presence for the Amerks. Helping kids like Rosen (if he stays stateside) and Kisakov.

It's a 6-1 cakewalk preseason game. It's boring from their POV. They're just praying no one gets hurt. Every one of these AHL defensemen is <6' and 185#. They're going to have to possess the puck better and make very quick and decisive passes to break the forecheck even in Rochester this year. Because otherwise they're going to get hunted down and destroyed. All the size on defense on this roster is in the top 4.

But what would you talk about during a preseason game against an opposition B team that hasn't made the playoffs in an NHL record amount of time?

Quite big since he's going to have to start against the Marlies on Friday.

There's more to prove in the AHL. Defensive positioning, being the go-to guy on the top line (no Quinn), and consistency across the board. He'll get there. Hino had a horrible turnover in the first, but I think Comrie can prevent that reversal to Crosby by yelling at Hino where to go. Hino can float the lineup where needed. Right now I think he's the 12, Sheahan is the vet 13 who can play any position, and JJP gets to go be a top line forward in Rochester and skate 19+ minutes/night. He'll be fine.

JJP isn't thinking the game fast enough yet. 38 will look fine at AHL speed.

This is what many road preseason games look like. Look no further than last game when Carolina sent their B squad up to Buffalo. The Sabres were ahead 3-0 in similar fashion. The question is: how does this Sabres B squad respond? That's what this game is about; it's an ideal situation to assess effort and teamwork. Who rises to the occasion, who folds, who rides the bus to Rochester?

Crosby's too smart for that.

Perhaps it's meant to be 6th round pick Gustav Karlsson... but that's the magic of the worldwide leader in sports. No Tsujimoto though.

Ha-hey! Casey Nelson is no longer on ESPN's Sabres roster. They got it updated for training camp! Wait... wait... https://www.espn.com/nhl/team/roster/_/name/buf/buffalo-sabres What's this? Artem Kriukov! Age 40. 6'4" 193. He's in camp this year? Right there between Kozak and Kulich. ESPN NHL, you are the gift that keeps on giving. https://www.espn.com/nhl/player/_/id/2413

Kiefer Sherwood has the first goal of the 2022-23 NHL season.

He could've tweaked something and thus the Malone recall? Or he's a proven veteran and they know what they've got. For the lineup, that's a good preseason road lineup. Time for folks to make their final push for the 13th F, the 7th D, or the top spots in Rochester.

Norris and Robertson both left money on the table. Norris especially. He's locked in for 8 years and now he also gets DeBrincat (and temporarily Giroux) in addition to his regular mates of Tkachuk and Batherson (if say, Batherson gets hurt [Dell] and misses time). If he had a bridge he'd be collecting $9M+ [edit: from 10 down to 9, but that's minimum, Batherson drives a lot of that top line with his speed and playmaking] in a few seasons when the cap is above 90.

If Robertson wants a big payday when the cap rises, then he should still be getting $8.25Mx4 on this short term deal to get to UFA (which this deal doesn't do; he's still RFA for 1 more season at the end). Plus, an agent can be replaced -- there's no guarantee this agent gets to negotiate the next really big deal, the agent is leaving money on the table, too. If I'm the agent, for below $8M, it's a 2-year bridge. Then, Robertson gets Pavelski's salary added next season and we can talk $10+ with the cap rising in 2 years after my client puts up another ppg season and leaves Seguin and Benn in the dust.

I blame movies.