DarthEbriate

What's quicker to relevance and back-to-back playoff appearances: the Schaefer timeline or the Power timeline?

They'll both be back the season afterward. Pegula likes Ruff and can put him in the POHO role. Adams listens to Pegula and can keep saving the Pegulas money for their quality of life.

This is a really important point. This is the first season in awhile that the Sabres' D-corps has an older average age than the Amerks' D-corps (mostly thanks to Komarov). Except, I think, when Erik Johnson was in the lineup, but even then I think the Amerks had the higher average. It sounds wild because it is. Adams is going to ruin Benson by the time his bridge contract expires. Yup. I know he's not what this team needs because the D-corps is lacking muscle and heart across the board and he also lacks those things, but he's solid defensively and makes fewer mistakes than the kids, and I still think he's a Lydman-lite to any slightly-above-average D partner. He'll be fine in the playoffs with someone as a 6D.

3 is doesn’t want to be here and isn’t planning on a long-term extension with a garbage franchise.

Here we go again. 90 minutes to game time. We could almost watch a Star War in that.

General [Manager], I said to him, "Sir, give me one division retention and I will take that hill make that trade." And he said nothing at all, he stood there, he stared at me. I said, "General [Manager], give me one brigade RFA, and I will make that trade." And General Manager put his arms behind him and blinked. So I said, "General [Manager], give me one UFA, and I will make that trade!" And he said nothing! He just stood there... Effectively, Efficiently, Economically! I threw down my sabre in front of him! We could have done it, sir. A blind man should have seen it.

Greenway is a solid contributor who plays a role this team (and all hockey teams) need. Very good. But now the move(s) need to be made that improve the team. And the biggest move is the one Adams cannot make, and Pegula won't make (I figure maximum 10% chance they have a new GM in 2026).

That seems like a lot for Bjorkstrand and the expiring contract of Gourde. However, if Seattle can get a 1st each for Bjorkstrand/Gourde, then Adams theoretically can easily get a 1st for Zucker. Just would need to retain some salary. If that's permitted.

I always forget the name of the website/service, but their estimate for Greenway was $3.8M per season. A little bump for the taxes and lack of palm trees, plus rising cap. He's a good player to have in the lineup. He will defend teammates, even if he isn't going to Rempe and be the cause of all the fracas in the first place (that's actually a good thing; you can have someone else be the ####-stirrer --- Benson comes to mind).

Most trades don't get reported until after 12 PM ET. On Friday, some things will get reported in the morning. But, most importantly, GM Sheevyn isn't in any hurry to do anything.

You know what they say. The third time's third round pick traded for Vesey is the charm.

Cool. Who does he do-right by this season by giving them to Florida? Tuch to replace LTIR Tkachuk? (More likely Zucker) "He's done so much for our franchise and we want him to be happy. That means a lot to players around the league. They appreciate that and will sign here."

Ach! My bad

I realize Jokiharju isn't their best defenseman, but he is steady and he somehow manages to be a plus defender even when he's not paired with Dahlin. Holding him out of the lineup has been noticeable -- it's been three games. Normally when you hold someone out of the lineup for a trade it's because the trade is imminent. Trade him already.

Sabres on pace to finish... 16 points clear of that.

I saw the Eklund goal and said, "huh, we've seen JJP and Skinner catch a goalie on occasion." But it didn't upset me. Then my wife and I went out for dinner. Back home and... I'm not upset they quit in the third either. They will not. They are not catching the top 3 teams and there will be a greater chance of one of the teams behind them (Pittsburgh, obviously -- Letang needs a Schaefer replacement, or Philly) wins the lottery instead of the Sabres. Draft somewhere between 5th and 8th, likely. I like a good Calibos pull. Look! It's the Sabres! The Sabres are EEE, the fans would boo him if he got up to speak on-ice at a ceremony, and Adams listens to him. His feelings have been hurt and he doesn't need to care anymore because he has the Bills and NFL money.

Good zone entries this powerplay. They've been working on the distance of that drop pass.

Always talk up the opposition to make your team look better... but there are limits.

After the Dahlin/Kunin roughing, SJ broadcast crew calling the Sabres a "team that plays heavy" is just kind of funny.

Shots 12-5, only partially courtesy of 2 power plays. And 3 posts, a Kunin slot shot way wide, and a Celebrini backhand that wasn't on net. Put those on net and it's shots 17-5, and likely a few goals, as well. Good period!

SJ alone in the slot after the Dahlin turnover... Stormtrooper-accurate.

Oh hey! Georgiev is in net. A possible outcome, chase him for the second time this season... and lose? Alternate outcome on the second night of a back-to-back? A Georgiev shutout.

A for accountability! Their whole home-road alternates to anyone with a long-term deal (except Power!) just didn't make sense. Just do Dahlin, TNT, and Tuch and call it good.

It takes two to tango. If you're a UFA or RFA for the Sabres, why would you sign during the season? If you're a UFA, would you stay, or just use Adams as leverage on other teams to get a better deal elsewhere? (And note: a better deal could be slightly less money or term, but on a team with a real chance at the playoffs.) If you're a RFA -- you can look into offer sheets or arbitration, and possibly expedite your getaway. Adams might be here forever, but if you're a player, you only get one short run at a championship.

The only time the Sabres have "weaponized" their cap space since the beginning of the EEE phase of Pegula's ownership was to get to the cap floor with the Ben Bishop deal. They could have been gathering additional picks to move for players/first-round picks or been bringing on some poorer deals, but with those veterans who can at least provide some learnings --- think getting a bad contract veteran D + a draft pick instead of signing Erik Johnson for an overpriced one-year deal in UFA, and heck, maybe you can then retain salary, orchestrate a 3rd party GM to retain more, and ship out that bad contract as a playoff rental for another bit of draft collateral. The reason for the Sabres existence stopped being a Stanley Cup and became EEE. The owner has not spoken about moving on from EEE yet. Maybe he never will. Just so everyone remembers how much cap space has been "used" under Adams -- who claims to have full control to spend as he sees fit. Coincidentally, thanks to some breakout (i.e., statistical outlier) seasons, their best record was when they had the most space. But, wouldn't it have been nice for that 22-23 to use a bit more of that available cap to get 2 more points in the standings and end the drought? Then, you'd get playoff revenue and increased season ticket sales as a result.