DarthEbriate

Yes, but the options are 2022, 2023, never, and never. And the most likely options are 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027. Next year (2022-2023), we're likely to be breaking in two rookie defensemen (Power/Samuelsson) and up to an entire line of rookie forwards (Quinn, JJP, Krebs). There will be gaffes and growing pains aplenty, regardless of the goaltending. Another year (2023-2024) and we'll truly start to see the fruits of the Power-rebuild and Eichel/Reinhart/Risto reset in earnest. But in 2023-2024 TB should still be good (Vasilevskiy); TOR will still be good (their core is only now getting into their prime); FLA will still be good (Ekblad in his prime, Knight still getting better); and BOS is only then likely to see a downturn in the top line as Bergeron and Marchand age. 2024-2025 is where we can realistically start saying this new core is going to be good. But by then, will Okposo be gone? Will Dahlin re-sign or be traded in that final season as a rental (or sign and trade)? Will Skinner have been bought out? Will Cozens be a Dylan Larkin or a stud 2-way Bergeron? (At only 23 years old and starting his second contract, he'll likely trend toward the former for the moment.) Will Levi or Portillo be in the NHL yet, will UPL be an average NHL starter? And lest we forget, Detroit and Ottawa have been tanking almost as long as we have, and Detroit is a year ahead of us (they got a serviceable goalie and the veteran D in Leddy this year to go with their two rookie Calder-types). They'll likely be on the upswing, too. My thought is that the poll needs to be looking further ahead and not so far as never.

While that stinks for the Bundesrepublik, it's good for the Amerks.

It's been longer than 8 years already. But 3022 is beyond a reasonable time limit. It is the same answer as Never. The site that is Buffalo will likely still be a human settlement at that time on account of location, but it's unlikely to be called Buffalo. The NHL won't exist then. Ice hockey may or may not be a sport. 1000 years is a long time. (A long time.)

Putting on my assessment-writing helmet.... This poll is flawed. "Never. Playoffs for losers.." and "3022" are not valid distracters. The objective of the question is to ask what is the timeline with this newfound core, correct? The New Dahlin-Cozens-Quinn/JJP-Power Generation. 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. Those are your appropriate options.

Olofsson is clearly still nursing whatever it injury it is. I'd try to get him back with Asplund and Mitts while he works through it. Teams certainly aren't overly worried about matching our lines, but they are targeting TT as the 1C. Let Skinner-Thompson-?? (probably Hinostroza) take the tougher assignments for a bit until Olofsson's sufficiently healed to take a slapshot consistently. The other thing is... I get the signing of Jankowski. I applaud it. But it should have happened as soon as Olofsson got hurt and they elected to play R2 at wing in the bottom six instead of center/wing in the top 6. Now, Jankowski and Mitts both debut/appear in the same game and the Jankowski signing makes little sense. Eakin had looked good between Girgs/Okposo and Cozens is starting to look consistently like a fine hockey player.) The best thing about Ryan Miller when he was on his game was that he was already in position. All those shots we hate (example: Skinner, last night) that land right in the goalie's crest... Miller took soooo many shots in the crest because he already there. Dell makes the routine look wild and the wild look like goals against if the shot is on net.

Shades of Geoff Sanderson right there.

GM Sheevyn is up to "Execute Order 72". Still looking for a single NHL-caliber starting goaltender to be added to the roster (who hadn't already planned to retire -- if briefly). (And no, Levi doesn't count until he leaves college.)

We're a fun team to watch when we visit your barn.

It was 4-1 with less than half a game to play. We didn't get a loser point... it wasn't even close to getting a loser point.

Nice. OK --- now Olofsson, just an inch lower this time.

Have you tried alcohol? It can help with Sabres games.

We scored our three goals too quickly. That's what it is. We had to get only 1 in the first, then go up 3-0 with a late 2nd period goal. Then hang on 4-3 after three. That's what it is... yup. I've entered the bargaining stage.

Well shoot. And then they just keep attacking and bury it. Criminy.

Need the power play to do something. Even if just to wake up the remainder of the team.

So... we're outshot what to 1 in the last 25 minutes?

From the FLA broadcast: "Ekblad's got a huge pair... ...scoring the last two goals." Just thought everyone should know.

I have yet to see a really good team not be a bit dirty when they needed to be. They're missing Barkov, Duclair, and Forsling tonight. This is a really stacked team these days.

Injuries or not, Murray's gotten steadily worse in save percentage year-after-year. He's Ullmark but on a negative trajectory. Subban is following GM Sheevyn's plan: no blockers (on the young guys). And if Ottawa isn't going to pay the penalty in a draft pick to offload him, he's a worse asset than any stopgap measure because he's $5M/season. Statistically he's Hutton, but at twice the price.

Well... remember the Alamo Death Star in the third period. If we sit back, we're going to lose by 3, including empty-netters. Attack!

Good for you Okposo. Don't allow them to chip your goalie.

Cannot clear the zone at all. Just send 2 forecheckers at us and we're in trouble.

They might take the 1st one away from Reinhart after the last replay (on FLA broadcast). Hagg looked to be the only one to deflect it.

Reinhart is just stealing "1st career goals" left and right from Carlsson. That's two.

He's everywhere tonight. He was expecting the Sabrepede. That was an AHL-speed pass by Jankowski. Easily anticipated and intercepted. But he'll warm up.