DarthEbriate

Once upon a time he was one of the best. Per naturalstattrick he's drawn 7 this season and taken 5. Nothing special.

Except... we haven't scored a PP goal in 7 games. We don't draw penalties because we don't drive to the net or attack. We also have no pests.

I don't think I can make it. You go on, Dogs of Sabrespace. There's no sense in you risking yourself on my account. I'm done for.

All in agreement. With 7) there's one issue which is his buyout penalty next season only saving $1M. I'd say next year send him to ROC, then buyout the summer of 2022. Okposo is an excellent human by all accounts and he'd be devastated being sent down to Rochester, but he'd likely not mope, and would be a great leader there and professional that you'd want kids looking up to. (And he'd likely have a lot of fun, too.) 8.) Yup. We've got to move now. Because Seattle is getting the best available coach as soon as they decide it's time to hire. Who wouldn't want to coach a new team where you'd have input into the entire roster and process, let alone a super-energized fanbase, fairly moderate Pacific Division to start in (Anaheim, LA, SJ... none are world-beaters). Get the coach now.

As temporary EbriateDirectorOfFanDevelopment, I am happy to announce the construction of Sabres University. Nope, fired RR. Sabres Grad School. Nope, that'd require a postseason. Sabres Community College?

Great, kid! Don't get cocky. Now, go tie and win this game.

The Sabres have 6 in 24. 32 remaining means 8 more wins at their current pace. 14 < 15. And they have already played the bulk of their games against NJD and NYR. However, the further along in the season we go, the more the Sabres are going to run into "Taxi Squad goalie needs a start" and "Bergeron needs a maintenance day in this wild schedule" Still, the smart money is on the Bills because Ullmark is still several weeks away from anything per Ra "he's not injured" Kru.

There's still the disconnect of what are we trying to do vs. who are we trying to sign. Case study: Islanders. Back in 2013-14 they finished last in their division and a few picks after Reinhart they get Dal Colle (and later Ho-Sang). The following year they pick Barzal and Beauvillier in the 1st. They have their franchise Tavares at age 24. They already have Anders Lee. But what did they do around this time with veterans? What was the direction of the team? Their direction was what we're pushing: good defense, low-event hockey, and transition scoring. 1) Boynton and Leddy. We all chuckled that they were gathering defensive defensemen first and foremost as their big UFA signings. Since then, they've moved on from de Haan. They let Toews go. Boynton is gone, but their defense still their strength. 2) They assemble a stud grind line. They add Clutterbuck to Cizikas and Martin. They're all still there. 3) They let folks go. Moulson, Andrew MacDonald the D guy, eventually Okposo, and later Tavares. They don't overpay to keep old guys. And they didn't trade them away because they were competing for playoff spots. 4) They ALWAYS had an established NHL goalie. Essentially, they built a core, nourished it, and acquired veterans who played their suppression style. What veterans have we acquired with RaKru (low-event/defense) and JBot and GM Sheevyn (meaning where do we spend our big/new money): Montour - puck moving D, not defensive. Meanwhile Scandella - a fair D was moved out. Staal - not really known as a defensive player. Hall - definitely not known as a defensive player. Eakin, nope. Larsson -- defensive center: let go. Rieder - yes! but a fast PK specialist, not a defensive stalwart. (EDIT: Why oh why do we extend Skinner long-term when he's absolutely not defensive-first?) It could be argued that the two veteran forwards best suited for low-event D-oriented approach were Vesey and Sobotka. Yuck. TL;DR -- We're assembling a different team than the one we're coaching and scheming via system to be. It goes right back to GMTM wanting a heavy team. Then Housley needing active defense so JBot going light and drafting only puck-moving defense, and now... what are we? Where is the vision? Caveat: yes, you need balance. But your identity guides your overall direction, and you acquire balance along the way and via drafting where you get multiple shots after all aspects.

Back from: GDT: 1/15/21 7pm ET Washington @ Buffalo - FREE GAME ON NHL.com I knew I didn't like this when I heard it. But... it's nearly two months later. Has he been doing much "coaching" these last games, either? Are they still just going out and having fun?

I just want to point out -- did anyone notice how Carter Hart continued his poor play last night (he has shut us out, true, but is overall bad this season)? He got shelled in the first period, the Flyers broadcast team at intermission pointed out how sloppy their D-zone coverage was... Goalie switch. Elliott comes in and the team responds. Get one back. Get another back. Win in OT. That's coaching. I'd also be willing to wager that Vigneault and/or the team's veterans like Giroux stated that it was unacceptable --- and the team completely regrouped from there on out. When we give up 4 and 3 goals against the Islanders, or rapid-succession goals that change the complexion of the game.... not even a timeout.

The laughingstock continues. To save cash we also axed our AHL coaching staff because "they weren't playing". We could've also axed the NHL coaching staff throughout the entire COVID shutdown, too; we weren't playing either. So at this point it's all USNTDP picks in the 1st/2nd round and the remaining scouting is just watching Youtube clips?

This goes much beyond just before/after COVID pause and McCabe's injury. What about last season? Ullmark has been better this season (in albeit a smaller sample) than last year. Higher sv%, higher rate of quality starts, reduced GAA, and clearly stole that 4-1 game vs. NJD. He's becoming a good NHL starter. Hutton has been worse. Worse than last season! Again, smaller sample this year, but he's gone .908, .898, and now .883 this season with save percentages. JJ should be getting AHL time to show that All-Star status wasn't a fluke. He should not be an NHL #1 at this point for his overall career trajectory --- another decent young player being rushed. I get not having the ECHL and wanting to have a vet like Tokarski in the AHL (and for draft exposure purposes). But JJ and UPL should be in the AHL. We're watching JJ play admirably but in way over his head. Will we do the same to UPL next season when JJ and Linus both leave for real franchises?

We shall redouble our efforts! Perhaps an Ewok hitting himself in the head with a sling? Or a porg slamming into a windshield?

First the requisite... Matt Ellis is the Director of Player Development. So whomever is hired for this role is the Matt Ellis of Fan Development. Are they putting together a "Fan Development Department" to go alongside the Player Development Department? Who reports to the Director of Fan Development? Can I be a paid Fan who works for this new Director of Fan Development? I want $50,000. No less. Because I'm holding a thermal insulated coffee mug. And why isn't this money being spent on scouting or coaching, or Assistant General Managing for ROC and someday soon Cincinnati, let alone planning for the trade deadline and expansion draft, and what in blazes we'll do when we have to replace half the roster once more this next offseason? And being groomed the future as part of a succession plan, an apprentice if you will, or even better -- as the next hot AGM once the Sabres start winning, think of the optics of "we want the AGM in Buffalo as our next GM". An organization needs to be constantly scheming for the future, and the fans will watch if you win, kids will go nuts if you win and shed real tears if you lose in the playoffs. They won't need marketing, they'll brand it for themselves.

Eh. Mitts was 3-for-8 on the career. Now 3-for-9. But that's decent. Dahlin... must beat JJ and Hutton in warmups/skates pretty regularly. I guess the Chancellor was saving Reinhart to be third for the drama?

Nice save by Elliott to win it (not that their shooters were missing anything).

For a team that held the puck for 2 minutes straight or so, and "desperate" to win a game for the first time in a couple weeks, we didn't really try to do anything apart from tire them out. But... what then, they're going to collapse and we've got no additional skater to spread them out.

That's two times Cozens got tripped up. Once in his zone, once in theirs. Thanks, JJ!

So... what will OT look like without Eichel on the ice for half of it?

Alright... let's bury this one and go home.

Flyers announcers impressed with Bryson. As are we. Oddly, they haven't mentioned that RaKru will ruin him.

Angri Henri?

Do you go with the rookie #78 or wait until he gets his chosen number next season?

We scored three 5 on 5 goals that period. And not a "their guy got out of the box and is trying to get back into the play" 5 on 5, either.

Well... Eichel's season-long injur(ies) are all the more apparent with Cozens' speed and board-battling. It looks like healthy-Eichel. But Hall as the primary puck carrier. That said: the Flyers are not good defensively this season, so it's not like this is the Isles. Yeah... Asplund should be in his spot. Unless Asplund can take faceoffs, in which case, take a seat Eakin. You know, to see the game from above and get a breather, like Skinner. Good period?