DarthEbriate

Crap! The dreaded goalie switch. And an instant goal.

Luuuuuuuk! Some excellent saves today and that prevented another last-minute breakdown. I don't understand why every single Sabre skater crashed the opposition net with 50 seconds remaining in the period. Oh. It was Cozens, drifting down to the dot looking for a one-timer rather than staying back.

Nice feed, Tage. Zucker chirper and good redemption for the penalty.

BOOOOOOOOO!

It's the opposite end of the spectrum being really fucuhsiaed about things.

Kea, I used to like you as a 3rd line Amerk in EA NHL14. Now, you can go live in exile on some sandy planet for all I care.

Dahlin with the almost save.

Dahlin with the save.

It'd be nicer if he were insulated on a wing in the bottom 6.

McLeod flies now? McLeod flies now.

Tele OK 5:30 AM!!!!!

Heck, the game is in an hour? Maybe I am capable of altering time and speeding up the harvest....

We've even forgotten that in that initial breakout season for TNT as a center, he didn't win the job out of camp. Mitts had earned the opening night 1C, but then got slashed in game 1 vs. MTL and missed a bunch of time. It could be Mitts was the last playmaking center on the team, but nowhere near Eichel's ability.

McKenna is as advertised. He's a beanpole and his shot needs work and strength, but that'll come in time. The rest of his game is fun. Amazing vision and he's operating about 0.5 seconds ahead of his teammates so the passes to space that would lead to 1-on-0 chances went uncaught, with his teammates basically saying, "Good look, but... I'm a teenager who isn't going to be in the NHL." Picked Cootes' pocket effortlessly in the neutral zone. 100% pass-first mentality right now. He was a one-man game of keep away. His goal was on a pass that the D managed to get a stick on, so at full speed and out of space, McKenna collected it from the D's skates and dropped it in the net, while Ratzlaff was still recovering from trying to slide over with the pass. Such quick hands. Ratzlaff was great. He got beat a couple times in close where he had to sink into the net and his size was a disadvantage, but he also kept the T-Birds in the game for the first 20 minutes. In the shootout he was solid, giving up one beautiful late forehand that I thought the skated had run out of room/angle, and a good backhand. T-Birds won in an extended shootout, so I'm happy. Mrtka was solid. I was noting that he skated pretty well for 6'6" and his age/size, and then he had a late 2nd period shift where he went full baby giraffe. Still, I like him overall and can see him in the 9-15 overall range. Cootes was... fine? He's quick and he took a lot of shots. But overall, I didn't see anything impressive. Matej Pekar (the other one!) had a nice pick on a pass to McKenna and scored on his ensuing breakaway. Finally, T-Bird Pawlenchuk was running his mouth in pregame warmups, leading to a little group of players and refs at center ice. Early in the 1st a Medicine Hatter obliged. Pawlenchuk proceeded to get clocked, then get tackled, and leave the ice with one arm dangling while the other arm gestured to the crowd to get it going. Good on him for putting a show, but maybe don't chirp if you're just going to eat fists. But the Sabres could use someone like him in their system.

Now, let’s not be hasty. Kulich should still find himself on a paper transaction to ROC to eligible for their playoffs. And he should be given a chance to win the 3C spot out of camp next season. But if he puts up 2+/60 the rest of the season, including any matchups against Barkov, we should consider keeping him alongside TNT.

^ This. In half a season on Eichel’s wing, Kane alone should have had 4 more tap-in goals on empty nets because of elite passes and goalies forced to respect Eichel’s shot.

And now I’m here in hospital / A sad and sorry sight / and I curse the redback spider / on the toilet seat last night. Glad Kim could attend. She deserves cheers and joy for her recovery. And note that she is not CEO/Owner/President like Terry is. She is not responsible for any of this. As to Terry, our owner is a coward hiding behind a Smithers and EEE, much as it grieves me that state it. I'm glad he stayed in the box so as not take away from Ray’s celebration night.

Eichel was a fantastic playmaker here and is even better now with a competent team. Reinhart was a very good playmaker here, who also happened to go to the net and score off deflections. In his 3rd Sabres season his shot really took off. And now he combines all three and his IQ leads him to a bunch of “puck finds him” rebound goals. Kulich isn’t a playmaker, but it’s quite all right because he creates scoring chances for himself and goes to the net with purpose to create space for others. It’s a different type of puck distribution. What has impressed me most is his willingness to play defense and his acumen in creating middle ice turnovers. He’s directly caused turnovers the last few games that led to Sabres rush goals, whether he got an assist on it or not.

Going to a T-Birds game tonight to take a look at Gavin McKenna and his first palace Medicine Hatters -- which is not this draft thread. He'll be a facing a poor T-Birds squad. We'll see what Ratzlaff can do to survive. But, for this thread, a couple T-Birds I'll keep an eye on: Radim Mrtka - 6'6" 207# RHD Braeden Cootes - 5'11" 183# C

Zucker's production this season means he's absolutely a $5M forward next year, at least for this team. And if I were a RFA with top-pair, top-line potential like Byram, JJP (on this team), or Quinn -- I'm setting my floor for a long-term deal at $8M, otherwise I go bridge and become a UFA when the cap is $110+ and I'm in my mid-20s. Edit: Wait, I need to quote LOTR to post in this thread. Basically, if I'm a RFA, what I'm really saying is that I just need some taters. Bags of taters. Show me the taters!

Östlund with another assist. It looks like 8 points in his last 9 games if my maths are right.

The win pushes Nashville into the 3rd overall pick slot... with Buffalo in 4th.

Nashville has their emergency backup dressed tonight? Why didn't they wait until Annunen gave up 5 and was chased to bring him in and get him the comeback win? Booo!

I know I was expecting Kulich to take over VO's role as a sniper, but with first round talent and as an all-situations player. But I didn't expect him to be a top-6 center this soon.