DarthEbriate

Uffda. That was as bad in person as it was with Sabres coverage. Tokarski actually gave the team a chance to make something of it. And they folded instead. The passing and the pass receiving was garbage. And there was no battle won all game. Yeesh. But the local fans were super polite and indifferent to me. I didn’t get heckled once. It felt weird.

It’s a pretty slick venue. And the double screens are impressive. Most impressive.

Now flip Boychuk to Arizona. They'll give up a 2nd to show us the true meaning of the Concept of Tank. 🍺😇

Future considerations. Lou Lamiorello now owes Donny "the Don" Meatballs a favor. And Meatballs always collects.

I'm leaning nothing as well. But I hope Lou is all... "You know, I like Sheevyn. I'm gonna give them that low 6th that JBott traded their high 6th for. I believe in karmic balance." A 6th in 2023 is my pipe dream.

That really shores up the right side of the defense, veteran leadership, grit... oh... oh right. Still, cap compliance is important. (Edit: Execute Order Seventy!) What does everyone think the eventual future consideration becomes?

Control, control... you must learn control. And maybe young GM Sheevyn did.

Good. Gooooooood.

Roger roger that. In 5 years we'll be on second contracts (health/performance permitting) of Cozens, Krebs, JJP, Quinn, Power, and Samuelsson. We've also learned from the Concept of Moulson Ehrhoff Hodsgon Bylsma Krueger. There's only so many people you want to be paying to not be on your team at a time. And we now know that the Pegulas are out of drills lying about for more wells and will be running an efficient operation so as not to crimp their lifestyle. Priorities have changed in the last 10 years. I figure they'll spend to the cap again someday, but not until the team is considered a leaguewide contender.

VGK GM: I am taking an awful risk, Eichwalker. This had better work. (In 2024 Stanley Cup Final the VGK Death Star explodes under the intense attack of wave after wave of small, fast Sabres snub fighters.) This. The goalie is the QB equivalent. If you give up 30 shots/game, over 6 games -- all else being equal -- Hasek (.926*) gives up 12.6 goals. Miller (.916*) gives up 15.2 goals. Hutton (.902*) gives up 17.6 goals. With a Hasek, scoring 2 goals/game gets you a loser point at worst. With Hutton, you need to score almost 3 goals/game to get the same loser point. *(Using Sabres career save percentages)

I wanted to see what a healthy Eichwalker could do in Granato's non-defensive-shell system. Plus, a top-15 center in the league really solidifies the rest of this lineup. But because that's an alternate reality.... Overall I like it. Tuch is a really solid player and plays an aggressive game plus the size. He'll kick Hinostroza to the bottom 6 where he belongs. Krebs doesn't shy from contact and has vision. If we have three legit 2-centers (Cozens, Mitts, Krebs), then give me that vs. a single star that all offense must channel through. Think Peca, Barnes, Brown. One thing this trade is not: it's not an aged/past prime/overpaid Berglund and an overpaid 4th line winger (Sobotka) and a really long-term project (Thompson). No salary retention. No cash dumps. Win, win. If you're an opposing GM, you don't give up a Zegras/Byfield type + to get an injury-risk Eichel. Just like we went out and got ROR to complement Eichel. You build around that top-level center prospect with the established star (Matthews/Tavares). That Krebs is just below those stud-level young centers (potentially) is gravy for the Sabres. Remember, if Vegas doesn't win a Cup because they're overpriced and the goaltending fails, or if Eichel continues to battle injuries (he has every season, even his best COVID-shorted season he disappeared the last 8 games with injury) and deteriorates before age 28 and then is just a good but not elite player... that GM loses their job over this trade.

They're not altering the deal. They can pray they don't wish they'd altered the deal further.

Execute Order 69! ++ I saw... I saw a Tuch and the Krebs. -- Mmmm. Friends they are now. ++ They were in blue and gold. -- It is the future you see. ++ Will we win? -- Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future. (But the answer is yes)

This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Eichwalker and it will soon see the first Sabres at Kraken live. <Peter Cushing flinches slightly, careful not to show his fears)

And finally... I hope they play like madmen on the final game of the road trip because I want to be entertained in my first Kraken-Sabres game.

The forwards without Mitts and Olofsson is really scary. They can't all be JAGs. Good that Eakin's back, but that line didn't look cohesive yet and we need them to be steadying and cagey and beasty. The other note I have is that a few times each game, yes, go for that shot-rebound off the far pad when your fellow winger is coming through the opposite dot. But... tonight every shot was from the blue line hoping for that rebound. Nothing pushing into the slot. Make them defend. Or... hold onto it and get set up in the zone instead. We had a few good instances of prolonged zone time but mostly kept it to the outside which we weren't doing earlier in the season.

It is far and away the ugliest game I've seen this year --- the 2nd half of the NJ notwithstanding. But from midway (after scoring to tie it at 1) through the first they've looked hesitant and sloppy. Nice working goal. Skinner's gotta get hot.

But at least no one's blocking them, though? Right? 😇🍺

I'm not comparing them as rookies. I'm saying maybe someday Cozens can be what Couture is now -- a 50+ point center year-after-year. Right now they are a gross mismatch. (Also remember, those SJ teams were stacked with studs in their primes (Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski). Also, I doubt Thompson ever has a season as good as Hertl has had (74 points), but maybe he can do the 30-40 points that Hertl puts up year-in and -out. That's the hope anyway.

Does anybody remember holding me, like you did by the lake on Naboo?

Yup, not as quick. Still a good PK forward. But he's Reider at this point.

The difference is they're rolling Couture, Hertl, and Bonino vs. Thompson, Cozens, and Eakin down the middle. Cozens can be Couture some day. Thompson could maybe be a Hertl...maybe. Eakin is nowhere near Bonino.

Asplund! Stop wheeling back into our zone while they're already on you on the forecheck.

Drake! We are leaving! (a vapor trail)

Drake the laser!