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Everything posted by DarthEbriate
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Yes, but if you can take advantage of being lucky, you can still go back to sustainable in the following seasons. I also want to the sustained greatness, but I'm not going to turn down the outlier season. It's the same idea as get hot at the right time in the playoffs. Get to the dance, then maybe your power play carries you for 2 weeks (like the Sabres in '99).
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This was an expected outcome given Malmo's place in the standings. I love that he's headed over to get involved immediately. (What worries me is he does well and finds himself the 4C in Buffalo in October. Such a good end to '23-'24, such a great training camp -- can't block him! And then he's not nearly ready for such a task.)
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Agreed. This game and entire week will be interesting. Now without the veteran leadership of Okposo and EJ and without their most dependable center, how does the team play? How do they start the game? It should be desperation hockey and with increasing tenacity with each game. Additionally, we should see lose-and-you're-out desperation from Detroit as they attempt to break their losing streak, and the usual "let's get it to OT" approach of the Islanders. The Sabres need to defeat both styles. (We all know won't make the playoffs, but if they don't win each of these games against these two opponents, then their playoffs are officially dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive, as they say.)
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Sabres Trade Erik Johnson to Philadelphia for a 2024 4th Round Pick
DarthEbriate replied to Brawndo's topic in The Aud Club
That's the hope. The problem is if that some of the talent demands trades (or is moved for contractual purposes) before that realization kicks in at the critical mass. -
Myself mostly. I have to keep the hatred strong.
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Sabres to open 2024-25 Season in Prague against the Devils
DarthEbriate replied to Brawndo's topic in The Aud Club
All their logos have horns. -
So... folks want to sign Kessel to do what exactly? Take the roster space away from evaluating the AHLers playing out the remainder of the season? Provide a weaker shot and worse shooting percentage than VO? Provide Cup-winning experience from the 4 games he played in last year's playoffs? Fill in in the top 6 until Quinn is healthy? Be a hitter/forechecker -- he of 35 credited NHL hits since 2019-20? Be a high-volume shooter? Provide powerplay goals (17 PPG in the last 5 seasons). Win faceoffs? I'll let you look up those stats yourselves.
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GDT: Oilers at Sabres 3-9-2024 12:30 start MSG
DarthEbriate replied to spndnchz's topic in The Aud Club
Yup. That was their towel. But they likely waited too long to make a true tank run. It’ll be hard to catch up with the bottom 7 in the standings. When is the next “generational” center coming in the draft? 2026? Pittsburgh will get aligned for their Crosby handoff. -
The next captain of the Sabres will be/should be
DarthEbriate replied to mjd1001's topic in The Aud Club
Seems fairly obvious to me. Who was the face of the Rebellion after Oky-Lan Kposobi was lost? Tuch Icewalker. With R2-D2 at his side to raise hell and save the day with timely hacks of the system. -
Too old!
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GDT: Oilers at Sabres 3-9-2024 12:30 start MSG
DarthEbriate replied to spndnchz's topic in The Aud Club
About to head out for the day, but isn’t it a bit late to be featuring Girgensons for a trade? Good luck today, ‘Spacers. -
So we tank out the rest of this year??
DarthEbriate replied to WhenWillItEnd66's topic in The Aud Club
I’m in the same quandary. I’m waiting for Kraken ticket prices to drop even further (it’s working!). But which game do they give UPL — Seattle or Vancouver? I want to see the Sabres get a win against the expansion team. -
GDT: Oilers at Sabres 3-9-2024 12:30 start MSG
DarthEbriate replied to spndnchz's topic in The Aud Club
… try turning to the Cap Side, abandoning the family to focus on your new hockey Empire… and if that doesn’t free up time to watch the game… try cutting off one of the kid’s hands. That said, I won’t be able to watch this one either. I hope the Sabres win. -
GDT: Oilers at Sabres 3-9-2024 12:30 start MSG
DarthEbriate replied to spndnchz's topic in The Aud Club
Agreed. Kozak might someday be a 4th liner. 20% chance. But today is not that day. I’d rather have seen the Sabres get more from Colorado by working Johanson and retention into the trade with Philly, but Jost is fine at center to coast out the season. I do think now that the AHL rosters are settled for playoffs you can get a 2- to4-game look at all the kids: Novikov, Kulich, Rosen, Kozak, Biro. Just cycle through them. Take one on the PNW trip. -
GDT: Oilers at Sabres 3-9-2024 12:30 start MSG
DarthEbriate replied to spndnchz's topic in The Aud Club
I think we’ll quickly realize that Mittelstadt and Okposo and their work on the boards were not the dead weight on the roster. Puck possession in this game could get ugly. EJ was being scratched regularly anyway. But… an actual practice for Byram and Dahlin together could result in some fun. -
The tank was a terrible idea. But it worked. Both 2nd overalls have turned into top line players. The franchise was on the rebound until the JBott GM switch. GMTM was a flawed character, but on the hockey personnel side the roster he constructed would’ve made the playoffs given another couple years (though he’d have had to move Kane or Bogo— which the right coaching staff and captain/team leaders can identify and request). Reversing course and going JBott/Housley d-corps approach specifically from that GMTM roster sent the franchise spiraling further out of control. And the coaching decisions and making personnel decisions based on post-season pressers where they’re upset didn’t help. Edit: stay on target with the thread. And… Okposo fit that GMTM roster construction much better than Moulson did.
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It is common decency that you treat your outgoing players with respect and try to get them to a good spot when your season is off the rails. What’s an uncommon decency in Buffalo? Ensuring your season doesn’t go off the rails in the first place. Enticing your best players to stay by surrounding them with the right pieces and coaches. Retaining salary and weaponizing all the cap space. Improving your own team in the near- and long-term. And sending Girgensons to a playoff team. Give that guy a taste of the playoffs. You can ALWAYS overpay him by $1M over any other suitor in UFA in the summer if your owner loves him so much.