DarthEbriate

Dahlin lullabied them into an easy long pass. And Benson’s kick save assist attempt just a bit short for Tuch to tap in.

Traffic in front of the net. The seeing eye shot gets through. I saw a goal in McLeods!

Benson and JJP aren’t afraid to shoot from the poor angle and surprise a sloppy goalie.

If they learn how to earn some loser points. While it's still early (until 12/1, then it's no longer early), the points percentage is already not their friend.

Given how Cozens and Quinn have played this season*, this lineup looks like three 3rd lines of different makeups (defensive zone option, forechecking option, kid option) and one 4th line. That's really ugly. *Fun stat look: This isn't how shooting percentages work, but Cozens and Quinn shot% added together is 11. Individually, they're shooting like D-men who only take point shots. Quinn still only has a that one ENG on the entire season.

You must do what you feel is right, of course. All I'm saying is that the further you dig into the names and match them up on a spreadsheet with relation to their roles in the plot, the more beautifully and uncannily it aligns.

The Sabres need a 2nd line winger, you say? Skinner cap hit if he hadn't been bought out: $9M Skinner cap hit for this season if the Sabres trade for him from EDM: $3M + this year's $1.444M buyout penalty = $4.444M The $4.5M EEE savings are there, and you could ask for a pick from Edmonton to free up their cap space. That's some 4.444th level chess right there. I'm sure there's a rule preventing buyout/reacquisition of this nature, but it would make me laugh.

In the prequel Star Wars, it took Sheev (that's the Emperor) 13 in-universe years to go from Senator of Naboo to Emperor, destroying the Jedi and "killing" Anakin and Amidala. In the Sabres Wars, it took Sheevyn (that's Kevyn) only 9 years to go from Assistant Coach to GM, destroying the franchise and "trading" Jackikin and Reinodala. As a phantom menace, he's even more Efficient, Effective, and Economical in real life.

Look at the size of that thing! This is how we win.

Even with loser points factoring into Points % on the season, we can only wish this team was mediocre over the last 13 years. Always two there are, a master and an apprentice. Yup; and the 2022-23 trade deadline when they had the best odds by Points % to make the playoffs of the competing teams. And the 2023 offseason to remake the bottom 6 (no Girgs/Okposo) and get a Zucker-like player to help push the team further. And 2024 to further refine with a true top-6. And a 1A/1B goalie to pair with Ullmark and/or Luukkonen the entire tenure. The evil part: yes. The genius part is what I'm having trouble with. But... he did manage to win the ear of Darth Pegulas the Wise, enact his coup, and make himself into an Emperor NHL GM.

They've drafted ten top-10 players who are still active in the NHL/AHL and only one is considered a true bust (Nylander). Risto is not good, he's a 6/7, but he's played 700 games, so... not entirely a bust. Quinn and Savoie are still too young to say for sure, but Quinn has already outscored Nylander in fewer games played. That to preface... they have five top-10 draftees on their roster and (one of them) Byram was acquired via trade for Mitts. The high-end fruit of the tank was acquired... and then half of it was sent away.

At least not until Luukkonen shakes off his day-to-day listing. But then, yes, I would send Levi down to play a bunch. Sandstrom is also out, so you need a goalie for a good Amerks squad to hunt for their own playoffs.

The Saga of Muel-PO: I: My parts are showing? II: I'm quite beside myself. III: I feel so helpless. IV: I must have taken a bad step. V: Well, at least you're still in one piece. Look what happened to me! VI: My eye! VII: You probably don't recognize me because of the red arm. VIII: Full health! Talk about inverting expectations. The Singularity! IX: Taking one last look... at my friends.

Houser is only on an AHL deal, so he would need to be signed first.

<sigh> Well, maybe they could put him on LTIR to free up some of that precious cap space, then trade for a durable defensive RHD on a somewhat-largish contract, and then have Muel magically ready to come back when they reach the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Dostal has been amazing with a .922 and still is only 4-5-2 (4-7). If Reimer can be reclaimed, and can give the Sabres 20-25 stable, veteran, career-Reimer-level games of .895-.905 sv%, then can go .500 and then work hard in front of UPL to get him at .910 or higher, then you hope TNT is healthy, the offense is good, and let the chips fall where they may.

Levi needs to play many games. Sandstrom is hurt and out for who knows how long. The other goalies on NHL contracts are kids. Get Reimer as your back-to-back guy and ride Luukkonen in the hope you get a clone of last year's performance until Levi forces your hand.

Another under-the-radar EEE move of this franchise is the decision to waive Reimer rather than to send Levi to Rochester to get the bulk of the starts and keep Reimer as the veteran 20-25 games backup until Levi kicked him to the curb. It's only $1M, but there were known backup/starting goaltender gaps in the league at the beginning of the season -- several teams were happy for a cheap backup on the wire.

You would figure, with the many super-high-skill folks, that he wouldn't be your third choice.

Nicely done. That's three.

Alright. Win a FO, skate around with possession for a minute, and bury one in OT. How about it, JJP?

Tackled, interfered with Gilbert -- which left no one available to take his place against the rush. Should've been whistled sooner because the tackle led directly to the rush and the goal. Bummer. Maybe the refs will make it up later in the game.

If the ref had raised his arm a moment earlier, it's no goal. And in review.... goal counts. Grr.

Is the PP figuring it out?

That one I knew. It clogs much more frequently than... 7 years. I should clean it later today... Late back to the game. I wonder if he means Young Benson! He's kind of a goal-scoring hermit.