DarthEbriate

A couple good shifts in their zone... but the first shift (Eakin line) was tenacity and created chances. The second line (Eichel's) had one rush chance with Montour/Olofsson and then just played the perimeter.

For sure. We're among the best at the crest.

Good drive to the net by Staal for the screened goal. Cozens was also there. Hall-Staal-Cozens should be fine.

This is league-wide. The goalies are amazingly fast and so good at staying calm and square that anything not labeled for a corner is in their chest. There was a fantastic flurry between WPG-VAN last night and a beautiful pass, beautiful shot... and then a rebound right to the far side. Tap-in with the goalie on the other side of the cage. 20 years ago only Hasek makes that save with any regularity. Nope. Goalie just calmly pushed back across and didn't overcommit... right in the chest.

2 PKs and leading 12-8 in shots. And the Devils put up a stat late-ish in the period. The Sabres had blocked 10 shots to the Devils 0. So... we're shooting from closer and in the slot. We're getting shots through from further out. Just gotta capitalize on some of the rebounds.

Oh Hall to Staal... great stop

That's two failed clears by Borgen on the PK. Nice block though.

Eichel has not looked anything like himself this year. Hope we get to see last year's Jack again soon. Speaking of liking -- I like how Okposo plays the game. He's strong, he's feisty, he's savvy and smart. I just don't think he's got the legs or quick-twitch hands to be effective at this level any longer.

Nifty deep pinch and interception, Dahlin. Hall -- take the shot. Cozens will be there for a rebound. Cozens had too far to go for that pass.

All these shots on net from our own zone on the PK... really hurting the shot %. Good kill.

Good pressure on the kill

The beer, I assume. High Life. MGD. etc.

They were showing stats and saying how the Sabres hadn't scored in forever and couldn't score 5 on 5... draw. shot. goal.

Woooohoooo! The NJD broadcast jinxed them!

Oh sweet... Blackwood has a .94+ save percentage and is 4-0-1 this year.

Dahlin-Borgen, eh? I think Borgen could be exactly what Dahlin needs. Just relax and let the Ehrhoff/Moulson/Concept Of flow through you.

Coach Solo: Well you can forget your troubles about effort and losses with these Imperial Devils. I told you we're playing the game the right way. Don't everybody thank me at once. Anyway, we should be at the game in about oh... 2 hours. Wake up, Sabres! It's breakfast and hockey!

There is that. It was so odd that JBott traded for Skinner and didn't immediately extend him... like, that should have been part of the trade. Or if not, then turn around and deal at the deadline at his peak (40-goal season) trade value since he wanted to be a UFA anyway. He could've pulled a Moulson and re-signed with us in the offseason... and definitely not at $9M. No one else around the league was going to give him that. But instead it was a trade and wait while Jack and Sam boosted his value, then not let him hit free agency anyway and "test the market" first. Every GM is guaranteed to hand out a bad contract on occasion -- part of learning the job. But we've had 4 GMs in 8 years, so all of these bad contracts are still in effect. (I even lump Regier in that as when Pegula came aboard and opened up the wallet --- Regier's never had that open wallet --- so of course he was going to mistakenly overpay someone like Leino. (Ehrhoff wasn't overpaid, his contract was just poorly designed once the new CBA kicked in.)

Would Seattle take Ullmark for that? They'll have several starting goalies to choose from who have a better proven track record, or a kid they're more interested in. Maybe UPL and the 1st for Skinner. Ullmark is good -- and he'd be good enough to steal games for us if we we scoring any goals. Skinner's contract is horrible. The only other possibility is an emergency CBA in the 2022 summer offseason (if next season also has little/no fans and it's another giant revenue loss where the NHL borrows more cash). But otherwise, this not something I'd rely on. New TV/streaming contracts, Seattle's cash, etc. will bounce the cap back to 82M and beyond by 2024.

This needs to be done. We need to pray that JBott is still in love with Skinner and makes it happen. But -- Skinner has to waive his No Movement clause. And... how many 1st-round picks / combination of picks are you willing to throw in for Seattle to take that contract for a past-his-prime winger who doesn't drive play or make his linemates better because he doesn't pass for 6 more years of $9M when you're trying to build a new hockey market?

Kane -- also on an expiring contract -- got O'Regan, a conditional 1st/2nd depending on re-signing, and a conditional 4th. Hall is not having nearly the season Kane did in his trade year, but is still producing PP assists (yay!). We could get upgrade to a legit NHL prospect (like a teams 4th/5th best prospect) OR get another pick if we retained salary. O'Regan was regarded pretty much as an AHL guy at the time of the trade, a "change-of-scenery might work" guy. He was not one of the Sharks' top prospects. I'd say best case Hall + salary => 2021 Conditional 1st/2nd based on re-signing; 2022 2nd for retaining salary; a guy comparable to our D Ryan Johnson or F Arttu Ruotsalainen in the "they should make it" category; and a 2022 4th. We're not getting a team's Cozens or Quinn for a rental in a COVID-shortened year.

After next game we're 1/4 of the way through the season. Currently, Olofsson has 6 goals Eichel, Hall, Reinhart, Skinner, and Okposo have combined for 6 goals. Reinhart has half of them.

You may fire when ready.

Nope. No admin role. Just fire him. Let GM Sheevyn complete his Order 66 takeover and choose his own coach. And assistant coaches. If that doesn't do it... then you start moving anything that isn't named Cozens.

Any time you get a chance to reference Mancini, take it.