DarthEbriate

Ahhh... after 4 days of glorious, glorious sun (the first multi-day sunbreak since November) a front rolled in with hail and wind and ... more rain and gray. Let us abandon the yard work and embrace the hockey and beer today! Lock S-abres in attack position.

And score more goals than them. ?

He's a kid off his first helpful but significant surgery, learning the NA rinks, shuttling between teams/cities in a foreign country (likely without family), playing at a level above his current capacity (World Juniors and CHL and ECHL are well and good) but not the AHL. To coin a phrase: UPL K^6 will be fine and remains a top goalie prospect. As to having an extra bad game on just 13 shots faced --- we've seen that time and again in the NHL where a goalie faces no shots in 10 minutes and then boom... it's in the net. A sustained (if not overwhelming) attack seems like it's easier on the goalie to remain sharp. Once Ullmark is healthy again, the goalie structure goes back to sanity. JJ in the A; K^6 in the ECHL. (Barring a trade shakeup)

If Skinner picks up 28 goals in the final 20 games, we'll be yub nubbing ourselves into oblivion.

If they bookend the season with Oct-early/November and March/April runs then... we'll be entertained at the very least.

Looking at his career. 82 games played once. 10 this year, 64, 82, 54, 67, 72, 76 rookie, 11 cup of coffee. That's... Bogo level of games missed. He should certainly be affordable. Edit: Affordable meaning fairly easy to trade for. Still has the 4.1M next season (also affordable for a 2/3C tweener contract)

Whatever happened to Bjugstad? Seemed like he was part of that Panthers core that was up-and-coming and then just sorta... fell off. Is it just persistent injuries?

It would be the minimum easiest road. After today we're even with FLA in games played. If we assume that they flatline at a 5-4-1 average in their final 20, they'd get to 92 points. If we win today, and average 6-3-1 on our final 20, we'd get to 92; that's the 13-6-2. (We have games in hand with TOR and MTL so they'd both need to also flounder down the stretch). 92 points is possible, however unlikely. We need a streak in there and are more likely needing 94-96 points. The two games remaining vs. MTL and the 3/19 game at FLA absolutely must be wins.

Ayres' one is a wild story. Like a plucky young Moulson-wielder out to save the a planet from the cruel Empire. And his name doesn't even show up on ESPN's boxscore.

C'mon Sabr', ol' buddy, don't let Wyld down.

I'm happy to keep Larsson, too. And by more, I don't mean break-the-bank cash; just more because it's UFA. (Caveat: If he gets traded and does really well in the playoffs on a deep run - like the Conference or Cup Final, then he could max out at a Jay Beagle-level deal - 3M/4 years. But I believe some team would value him at up to 2.5M/year to be their 3C/4C if they've got some good young talent locked up and think that they're in the window to start going for it (where we should be).

Toronto is more likely, as there's only TOR and FLA to surpass. There are 5 teams to jump for the wildcard. Too many loser points as those teams clamp down against each other. There is a chance, but it's of the magnitude of 16-5 or better down the stretch. Possible, but very very unlikely.

If only we had had a surplus of some position that could have been used to cobble together a package for a center on an expiring contract or two-year contract from some rebuilding team... yup. Back in November there was no way to know Hutton was going to fall apart, but there was a solid roster and Mitts and MoJo already were known to not be the answer this season. Alas... next year, I guess. (Still possible mathematically, but it'd require womp-rat style accuracy.)

I don't know, I can imagine quite a bit. Hutton winning a game in Nov or Dec or Jan. Skinner scoring in 2020 before today. And --- a fascinating stat from the Pens broadcast today: This is their first consecutive loss in regulation since... November!? If the Sabres avoid the ghastly stretches (10 losses in 11 back in Nov-Dec; 6 losses in 7 in midseason), then they're right there with the playoff bubble.

Good game, 'Spacers

Got a little lackadaisical there.

I must remember to destroy those Pens after my breakfast has been eaten...

Good shot, Red 2. Nine.

Dahlin, you'll have to make a harder pass than that.

Whoops --- right right. No 4 on 4. Still 2 tics on the PP.

Lazar for Malkin. Let's rock some 4 on 4. Get Skinner out there, coach!

Feel the Skinner around you!

No, Mr. Pens announcer, that one could not be the winning one.

Precisely. The head is connected. One of these guys could hit me in the hip and my head would flop around like Dooku's.

Now Ray, that is what a good road period looks like.