DarthEbriate

Not from a Jedi.

Here we go again. Per HCRK Eichel isn't hurt. Well, then there's no excuses for not skating full speed when backchecking or using elite speed/burst to win a race to a puck deep in our end where Eichel has the step and angle on the opponent, and then just coasting instead, leading to an opposition possession, rather than getting to the puck and passing to the D-man along the backboards. If Eichel's confidence is down because he can't stickhandle or shoot right now, fine, but at least play 200 feet and use the elite speed to make a difference pressuring the other team (see Barzal last game). The assists on the PP will still be there.

They've lost 3-0, 3-1, and now 3-2 to NYI. Next one will go to OT at least. Solid game. The effort was there, they were mostly cohesive, still nothing from the top line 5 on 5. But if they play with this attitude each game they'll earn wins.

Montour going for the deflection in front, nowhere near it. Hope they tie this one up, they've played well enough to get a loser point. Just a very untimely penalty and no Rieder to help kill it.

They've shot the puck as accurately as an Imperal Stormtroopers this game. Nothing is on net.

If he isn't hurt... maybe next season when we play Toronto or Boston? If he is hurt... we're playing pretty much every other day for the rest of the season, so... maybe next season?

It would've been really nice response for us had Okposo gotten that

Barzal got out of the box and was on a mission.

He'll be back for the start of the season, but players coming off full knees (ACL/MCL) often take several months after recovery to fully trust it and look normal again. He'll likely look like himself around middle of next season.

He has as many assists in this period as Skinner does on the season.

But why is he so slow? Core injury perhaps? I hate speculating.... but he's soooo off. He looks more machine now than man. I am so glad their 4th line didn't come back and score on the 1st line after they broke up Olofsson's rush.

Good late-period goal... now close out this period.

Our pucks are bouncing through their deflector shields.

Ach. Eichel with a messed up pass turnover, then... is left in the dust on the backcheck (and he wasn't looking for a trailer either).

Their 4th line is so good. And against ours... our guys are just toppling everywhere, forwards, d's, vets, young guys. All of 'em ended up on the ice that shift.

Exactly. It's already February, so he'll be hard-pressed to get anything better than a 1-year deal as first half of next season he'll be recovering and getting fully back into comfort. It won't be a prove-it deal, but it will be a "your knee must prove-it deal". He was a UFA and wasn't going to break the bank anywhere. But he was on track for a good $3.2M type deal on the open market (ala STL and Scandella)... probably suppressed a bit because of COVID and the cap. Now, he's looking at a "veteran injury reclamation project" salary. And that stinks for McCabe.

Not just COVID, but now an apparent serious knee injury. The good thing about Center Ice is you can watch all manner of more impressive games/teams.

I like Okposo as much as anyone. It hurts to write it, but Kylo Wan Okposo's lost his speed to the point that Sheahen would've blown him off the 4th line if Girgs were healthy. A on his sweater or not, it's time to send him to play in Rochester. 10 games was enough to see if he still had it. Thompson hasn't looked any better, but Mitts or CJ Smith or R2 would replace everything he does and more. Or... as a sleeper, another slower player in Brett Murray. I think Thompson in Rochester and Murray as a big guy on the 4th line in Buffalo would actually work -- even though Murray is also slow. Unfortunately, on this year's Sabres 4 goals would be amazing.

Bryson and Fitzgerald both up means McCabe is done and Borgen's hand is worse than the game indicated. We're following our defensemen on some damn fool injured crusade like our fathers did (back in 2005-06).

Yuck. Our defensemen gotta stop playing with lightSabres. They're losing hands and knees. So Davidson is in tomorrow? And does that mean Bryson gets a taxi squad invite soon?

It doesn't just look like a puffin, it's a Disney-eyed digital replacement of a puffin. They were so ubiquitous on Skellig Michael while filming that it was easier to overlay them and use their shadows than to try to erase them entirely.

Aha. Would it be because of a RaKru connection? Is he interested in coaching across the pond?

I decided to take a look at the outdoor game feed on NHL.tv. It is really pretty, it's fun to hear about how awesome the ice is and how well the NHL did everything in the introduction promo... Then see the ice deterioration, hear the lack of crowd noise, and check out the overnight game. And the feed is 10 hours long! I am really curious what will happen in those hours and hours....

Well shoot. Now I've gotta do some research. Chris Taylor was just fired... so that's unlikely. Steve Ott doesn't seem like he'd be stable enough. So it's between defensemen. Nolan Pratt with the Avs? His team's on TV right now, so that's be a super recency bias.

Gotta protect Borgen over Joker in the draft (or go 4x4) to do so. I agree with the pairing setup. They should complement each other nicely. In the short term, the season ends in only about 10 weeks. We're looking at the distinct possibility of McCabe-Ristolainen until the beginning of next season. And possibly today being McCabe's final skate as a Sabre as he's a UFA. If it's an ACL then he'll likely be back with us next year though as other teams will be more reluctant to sign him in the offseason. Still --- Joker, Irwin, Montour, Borgen, Dahlin, Miller... it's on you!