3putt

I think he was saying they weren't game planning for specific teams or tendencies.

He'll be here all week, don't forget to try the veal. ?

See edit.

O’Reagan edit: I believe he is Group six UFA.

I look at it this way: Skinner was not a replacement for ROR, he replaced EKane. Bobblehead had to replace that production in the following offseason and he did with a relatively painless deal. He was gifted Skinner due to Skinner’s leverage with the Canes. Once the lottery balls dropped, our defense got better immediately. Not set, but better. There was no need to trade our 1A center at that point. We were gifted another present. the ROR trade was the single worst decision in franchise history since Briere/Drury. Not simply because of the putrid return, but because he had the luxury of paying a bonus and waiting the market out. The return should have been better. I a deal didn’t immensely favor the Sabres it should not have been consummated notwithstanding to visceral reaction (possibly, though never confirmed that the pegs demanded he be gone.) To think Thompson is anything other than a bottom six player and to not force him to earn a spot after starting in the A, derailed any legitimacy of a culture change. Bobblehead is not a very good evaluator of talent. So we sign Skinner to a lucrative deal. Again, we had to replace and keep the production from EKane. But this will set a bar for Sam and likely Montour. Hometown discounts seem unlikely in the near future. Glad we have Skinners potential production, but that production was largely exclusive to playing with Jack. We hire a new coach, and he is immediately faced with the likelihood that his gm just set two of his top line players. Jack can carry just about anyone, so a Skinner/Sam tandem is logical with the addition of a comparable top six talent. The EKane return gets us an AHL player and ufa to be and Montour. Montour is an older, right-handed version of the prospect we had to add to get him and he is signed for only one more year. So more work to do on the contract front and he doesn’t necessarily become the partner for RD, that we need. Going into this offseason we need a 2C and another top 6 forward, an upgrade on D and a substantial upgrade in net to have serious playoff hopes. And there is little on the farm outside of VO and AN to help in that regard. Hopefully Kyle rebounds to a semblance of his former self, for both his and the team’s benefit. Good guy, good teammate. Bobblehaed had two subpar offseasons compounded by non existent in season tweaks during the two most recent campaigns including Wilson and Ellie. Sheary, the human zamboni, Vlad, hunwick and Hutton are meh at best acquisitions. So great, we did not lose important production. Maybe an overpay, but Stone and Matthews deals impacted the market rate. But the question is now what? How do we actually get better without solely relying on natural progression of the younger players? Trades? I do not trust Bobblehead’s ability to evaluate talent, negotiate a deal and not create a hole while intending to fix another. UFA? Not a lot out there. Surprise me Jason. Earn the genius accolades thrown your way. Make this team better now, not in five years. Other teams have done it, your up. Your up, go yard. Go Sabres! Out. Long hike up the hill to the cave.

it's vain.

There was so much to like about that pass. Many don't get it off and he put it in the 50/50 zone that forced Lehner to move at the same time Pomminstein got his stick there. The commentators on NHLN were raving about Skinners snipe, but that pass was filthy and they barely mentioned it.

Not likely considering the amount of authority his wife weilds. I think inexperience is absolutely the key critria in both front offices. Truly experienced and successful management would likely decline to work for her. Yzerman? Lamoriello? Babcock? Not likely. And so the story goes.

It makes great souvlaki as well.

As always, a wonderful effort, you seldom disappoint. Merry Christmas to all and good fortune in the new year!

Look forward to these match ups as soon as the schedule is dropped. Like to see a solid effort from the lads. Disciplined puck support, stay out of the box and a metric ***** ton of shots and they have a punchers chances. Go Sabres!

Contract year.

wow. I don't even remember him getting injured.

Nasty play. And no call. The kid is special too.

They won. The team is likeable. Watching isn’t painful or suicide inspiring. Perfect? No. Never will be. Entertaining? Much more so than in recent memory and that is the business they are in. Go Sabres!

No you are not.

Shaving 10 feet off the rink seem to do him wonders. I can only imagine if they went to 150 feet rinks.

Doing everything he can to stay....I think its going to be hard.

Nice pass by Alex

This is better pace than many of our mid winter games last year. Still boring though.

I have been tempering my expectations and the Leafs games did not even effect that outlook. I also am coming around to the idea of giving Jack some a plug and a kid and let him freelance just to add secondary scoring down the roster. I think when,if the kids get call ups they won’t go back and and the style of play will be more enjoyable. I fear that HCPH may not be willing gamble on too many youngins so I do not think we will see the speed upgrade to compete with similarly speedy teams like last night. I hope to be rooting for the kids as opposed to watching the twilight of Okposo and Pommers.

The problem I see with Ok is that he seldom receives the puck cleanly, with any momentum. When he gets he has to assure himself thatbhe has it and then there is a hesitation while he thinks about what to do next. His lack of speed is becoming very evident in that he cannot push to the net even when he has the crease on a man. He is miscast on the poweplay on the halfwall due to his inability to beat anyone. Yeah I know he potted one last night but also was a turnover machine on two other pps. I like him as a person, but do not want to see him in high event situations.

Sparks is not waiver exempt. McIhenny and Andersen are probably on the big club. A first is overpayment.

There was a play against Pittsburgh where he picked up a contested puck in the corner, skated behind the net and the Pens were baiting him with a trap play where the two forecheckers were stacked meaning either one could peel off in either direction and the other would double team him. He saw it took one stride and calmly backhanded it no look to McCabe who could have been covered but wasn’t because the pen saw the potential for an odd man rush and hightailed it out of the zone. McCabe made the outlet and the two forecheckers were toast. Simple. But he didn’t even think. Just knew where the pressure was and swallowed his ego by not trying to skate through two defenders. Its a play Blowu consistently botches.

I play golf at the Institute once a summer and drive by the bay/boat harbor we fished off of and can still see the remnants of the drive in. The seemed much bigger when I was 6 ?