DarthEbriate

Bernard-Docker is a pretty good shot blocker, as advertised pre-trade. What he does do better than Jokiharju is a bit of stick 'um. He holds with the opponent longer and ties them up just a fraction longer on dump-ins. That's important for a bottom pair guy who isn't going to get PP time. The issue with Joki is that he was good-not-great defensively, and his "puck-moving" side was exceeded by three top-4 picks on the team so he wouldn't be able to showcase that with any partner. He wasn't the right fit and that's on Adams for not trading him as soon as Byram was acquired. But is JBD all-around more physical? No. This season, JBD has fewer hits per 60 minutes than Joker. Joki throws 3.072 hits/60 minutes to JBD's 2.1. And JBD hasn't registered a hit in the last 6 games. He does have the one sturdy hit/tackle that resulted in a fight --- but 9 times out of ten there's no fight there. Dewar was a recently-acquired-via-trade energy 4th liner getting hit in a 7-2 game and trying to make something happen. (For their careers Joki is 3.462 hits/60 to JBD's 3.386 hits/60 -- so it's closer, but the edge is still to Joker.)

This season's Luukkonen was not last season's Luukkonen. Last year, he was much more positionally sound and let the puck find his massive frame. This year, he was constantly overcommitting and sliding himself out of position. His skaters didn't do him any favors, but he was a significant contributor to their failed season. Speaking of failed seasons, Adams managed all this with $8.246 million to spare under the cap in an "all-in" season. Hope they can roll those savings over to next season like in the NFL and don't have issues getting all those RFAs re-signed.

If McDavid doesn't immediately sign an extension this summer, then NYR might be a fun new location. However, I don't think Edmonton could fathom losing McDavid only to completely replace his current salary with a goalie making $11.5M AAV. Their roster has several other holes to fill, not including an extension for Bouchard. McDavid and Draisaitl together allows you to fill many more roster holes on the cheap because they make everyone around them better.

He stole games 1 and 3. I'd bold Neuchev, too. He's only 21 and is still under 100 AHL GP.

Robinson's goal totals in his NHL seasons: 7, 8, 10, 12, 3, 14. Guess which one was his season with the Sabres. And in that season, 1 of those goals was scored while he was with CBJ.

Here's a fun one. Current contract vs. final contract AAV while with the Sabres Hall $6M ; $8M with BUF (Adams) Jankowski $775k ; $750k with BUF (Adams 750-special) Robinson $950k ; $1.6M with BUF (Kekalainen with CBJ) Jost $775k ; $2M with BUF (Adams) Carrier $2M ; N/A with BUF (traded rights, but would have been an ELC). $2M equivalent to Lafferty's salary this season

William Carrier is out, but the Sabres can welcome back a bunch of ex-forwards: Taylor Hall, Eric Robinson, Mark Jankowski, and Tyson Jost. The Canes 4th line might be entirely former Sabres.

CHL Playoff Goalies The WHL #1 seed Tips woke up after Game 3 and won three in a row to close out Ratzlaff's season. Game 4 he had 38 saves, but the T-Birds were broken early in the third with 3 goals in just over 2 minutes. Game 5 was a parade to the penalty box including a double high-sticking minor by the Other Matej Pekar and a 5-on-3. The Tips scored 5 PPG in a rout. Game 6, Ratzlaff was back on his game to make 47 saves in a 2OT 93-minute contest that the Silvertips won 1-0. Ratzlaff is now eligible for the AHL. In the OHL, Leenders moves on as Brantford closed out North Bay in 5 games. A blip in Game 4 with five goals allowed and 27 saves. Then, 23 saves and only one goal allowed in the clinching Game 5. Leenders and the Bulldogs will face 4-seed Oshawa in the semis.

Carolina is on their penultimate road trip of the season, visiting DET, BOS, BUF, and WSH. They've lost to Detroit and... Boston???... already. They'll either be very eager to put an end to the silliness and trample the Sabres with 2 full rest days, or they're going to continue to drift along at tropical depression strength until they get back home and start thinking about gearing up for the playoffs.

The possible Pettersson conversations are gone with the acquisition of Norris, but lead to conversations of RFA Quinn & RFA Byram to VAN for Hronek + pick(s), so that Adams locks in the long-term contract before Hronek's NMC begins. No need to spend $7M bridging the two RFAs and instead have a top-4 RHD to pair with Power. Bryson, JBD, Clifton, and Novikov for spots 5-8.

The team no one wants to play in the playoffs!

2 games played, 2 games won.

Power (239 career GP) and Byram (240 GP) are currently where Dahlin was at the halfway point of his age 21 season. Dahlin's 2021-22 (HCDG's first full year), typically paired with Joker (and Pysyk, then Muel at the very end of the year) and went 13-40-53 -22. Was the Sabres' rep for the ASG. The following season was his leaguewide breakout and he's received Norris votes ever since. Adams has to be banking on Power and Byram following suit next season (right around 280 GP).

I still don't know for sure. Krebs is either Biggs (wait, wait!) or Wedge (the unsung hero of the Rebellion). Either way, he helps the Sabres defeat the first, or both, Death Star Stanley Cups.

The Bruins tanked the end of one season, which was smart given where they were and that they do need a bit of a rebuild. A top 5 pick can help accelerate that. One good offseason, a center for Pastrnak, and a healthy top D-pairing of McAvoy/Lindholm, and they can be right back on the ascent. However, the Korpisalo contract is a problem. The Sabres did a multi-year tank of their entire franchise. They didn't keep Miller (Swayman), Vanek or anyone top-line worthy (Pastrnak), or a real top-D pairing, in reserve.

If the season ended today, the Sabres would draft 9th.

With Eichel, he may want to stay and be a winner in Vegas rather than go home to be a savior again for the Bruins rebuild. It’s easy to trust Vegas with the cap space increasing.

Jokiharju is their best defenseman and was somehow a +1 today and is a plus since joining their team. But when Joker is your best, you’re going to have issues. Apart from he and Zadorov, the rest of that AHL d-corps is like watching the Sabres-Canes playoff series or the Reinhart/Eichel tank seasons with less experienced players.

When Pastrnak isn’t on the ice or if one of the Sabres isn’t missing a stick, the Bruins look like an AHL squad because they mostly are.

That is one shaky goalie these days.

Sabres waking up against a bad team. Tuch! S-foils in attack position.

He’s not McDavid or Eichel. He’s a maybe ROR type 200’ guy or 2C, but likely a 3C for at least a couple seasons. Nothing wrong with getting bottom 6 EV and PP2 time (where he practiced).

Clinched a playoff spot. No Östlund. No Levi. No…. Wait. Panic! Panic!!!

Lafferty hat trick inbound with a three-apple Östlund.

Have him and Kulich rotate. Some minutes with TNT/Benson; some minutes with Malenstyn/Lafferty/Kozak whoever is in the lineup. Heck, build an Amerks line for a few shifts of Kulich-Östlund-Kozak. And after 2-3 games of NHL paychecks and speed, send him back down.