mjd1001

Detroit to me doesn't have enough in the pipeline or enough assets to become a 'great team'. -Larkin is a very good player. But he has 23 goals this year and the most he ever had in a year was 32 goals and 79 points. Good player, VERY good all around player, but no where near a true star that can carry the load offensively. And his extension is paying him $8.7million. -Lucas Raymond is the 'start of the future' here. He has shown flashes where he looks great, but they are flashes. This year? 15 goals and 18 assists. -No other forward on the team under 25 now has over 30 points on the season. Not exactly stocked with young guys on the way up. -Seider is their hope on the blue line. 6th overall pick and he looks good. Good, not great. But again, besides him there is no one else under 25 on the blue line that is a regular top 6 guy. -Husso is 'good enough' net, but again not great. -Their top 2 remaining prospects are Edvinsson on the back end, who report say he is struggling in grand rapids having a very hard time adjusting to the 'north american' game, and Kasper, their first round pick last year that some people thought was picked higher than he should have been and might be a season or two away from even making the NHL roster. I'm not saying Detroit is bad. They have some young talent, just not enough there and on the way to justify a beleif that they are a year or two away from being a serious contender. I don't see it.

Maybe its a case of them coasting. Think about it, this team has been in the playoffs so often for so many years, does the regular season matter much for them, especially when there are 20 games left and they are pretty secure in their position? They are pretty much locked into their postion. More than any other team they know the rest of the season matters very little compared to the playoffs. I'm not saying they are mailing the last quarter of the season in totally, but I woudn't be surprised if that is partly true.

They fought last year i think when stillman was on Vancouver. Not much of a fight, mostly a wrestling match. stillman did much better then.

Connor Bedard is going to be interesting for me to watch. Is he a better prospect than McDavid? It appears not, but for the reasons why is exactly why I want to watch him. With McDavid, it was all about the skill that stood out, mostly the speed. Bedard? He's not that big. He's listed at 5'10" but looking at him that may be true or it may be generous by an inch. Hes not a bad skater, but he's not going to blow by people like McDavid does (not even close). He seems to put the puck where he needs to because it goes in the net, but he doesn't have that signature shot, the Ovechkin/Stamkos power one timer. When you watch him skate, watch him shoot, watch his size, he seems like a very good prospect....but the results are just so much better than that. Watching him integrate into the NHL will be fun for sure.

I'm going to agree goaltending is part of it, but I think there is something else that is a bigger issue that has a couple parts. This team does not always play their best penalty killers. If they did you would just get a steady flow of Girgensons and Okposo and maybe Jost up front. If one of them are in the box then you work someone else out there but not that often. The Sabres currently use Thompson, Krebs, Mitts, Cozens and even Quinn are getting PK time. Right now, none of them are really good at PK. Yes, even Cozens isn't that good on the PK. I don't actually mind Thompson out there because of his size/reach, but compared to the Vets, he gets out of position alot (not as much as Cozens, but he's still learning I guess) So what is my point and why do I bring this up? The coaching staff is not trying to sabotage the PK, but they are still worried about development, getting guys out there in all situations so they are at least exposed to it. If you watch the replays, a lot of the PK goals allowed are when the positioning breaks down, or the guys out there dont' really know what their teammates are doing and fail to cover the right way. I'm hoping next year the number of players getting ice time will narrow a bit. Cozens can be/is a good two way player, but as of now he isn't that good on PK, he is too aggressive and chases the puck too much and gets out of position. Mitts, Krebs, and Thompson aren't much better. Power and Dahlin have a skill set that will make them good on PK, but I would rather they rest on PK and just get the other guys experience and hammer home to them to stay in their position. Again, I don't think it is coaching, I think it is the rotation and 'development of players' philosophy, and I'm hoping/thinking it gets better next year.

As of this very moment, in terms of Points percentage (which is what matters until the season is done), the Sabres are in a playoff spot. If they win today, they will be in that same playoff spot. If they lose and Ottawa and the Islanders both win, they will only be a fraction percentage out of that last spot. Trade deadline is over, some liked what they did, many think it wasn't enough. What is true is...the next week or two have a lot of tough games but if this team is good enough, they will do well and come out of it on the right side of things.

A 7th hardly ever turns into anything when you use it in the draft. But it can be valuable in the offseason or trade deadline when you want a player that CAN contribute and the other team wants 'just something extra'.

B+. I could go to an A though. I'm someplace in between there. Why? I think you are going to get a lot more options in the offseason when the teams who were bidding for guys now might have to be dumping guys in the offseason. A different selection of players might be available, but I think a much larger selection will be there. I want my assets available for moves at that time. Plus, its going to be a lot easier to integrate a new guy into the team when you have the offseason and training camp to do so, rather than throwing him in now. Finally, Yes, I would LOVE for this team to get a 2nd pair quality D-man now, but I didnt expect it, and other than that I am more than happy with the current young team getting experience together to fail or succeed the rest of the season.

Take out this year with the bad numbers and annualize the previous 3 seasons over 82 games and you get: 82games, 10 goals, 28 assists, 76 Pms, 14:47 minutes per game Obviously with his lack of production this year, if you averaged that in the production numbers would be a bit lower.

Not sure if it has been posted yet, but for anyone interested, the videos of all the fights he has been in: https://www.hockeyfights.com/players/22528 He sure is big and is willing to go at it, but he doesn't seem to do that well all the time.

Big guy with a slightly below average shot and 'decent' straight line speed but not a good 'overall' skater (acceleration, footwork). Can play physical. Eventual replacement for the role Okposo plays on the team right now (skill on the ice, not in the locker room)? At best his potential 'skill' level might be a blend of someone like if you could average out the good and the bad of 'current' Okposo with Marcus Foligno? Someone correct me if I'm way off base here.

Next year. Besides not only do I think there is a much better chance of getting better players/better value (as per my prior post) in the offseason, I also don't beleive making a move now would guarantee the playoffs. As the way things stand, maybe they have a 25% chance of making it now. Even with a move, with Tuch out and Dahlin missing a few games, what would a trade do, move the needle to 35%? I don't know, but its not like if they don't make a move they are out for sure, and if they did make a move they would be in for sure.

As I said in another thread, I'm ok with that. Does that suck for the next 20 games, yes, but you may have a lot more/better options in the offseason, with a full training camp to integrate whatever you trade for. Right now you are bidding against other team who are desperate to keep up in the 2022-2023 season arms race. They are making deals with the bottom teams to retain salary just to make things work. In the offseason, its possible those teams that are squeezing things in now will be looking to dump players (useful players) at that time, and the costs could be a lot lower and you will have more of a selection. The playoffs are looking like a long(er) shot now, but with Dahlin coming back, 1 or 2 unexpected wins in the next week or so puts them right back into it. Personally, I understand that some fans just want to get in the playoffs at all cost. Thats not me. I'm Ok with a longer rebuild....I actually enjoy the roster building, the discussion about it...almost as much as I like the games. I just think potentially more can be done at a lesser cost in the offseason than you can do right now.

I kinda agree. I didn't expect anything big at the trade deadline, and I almost didn't want anything big now. If a great deal presented itself, sure. But for the long term success of this team, I'd rather have them not spend any assets (prospects or picks) now when they are in a bidding war with teams 'going for it now', and rather save them for the offseason. Not only can you fill the holes with free agency, but Trades. In the offseason, you won't have 4-8 teams desperate to make a deal, you will have Assets those teams traded away at the deadline that you won't compete with, and teams will be taking a longer/harder look at getting under the cap so if you have room (and the Sabres do), well....overall I think they can get better players for a LOT less of a cost, even through trades. Does suck for the next 20 games? Yes, but I think it makes next year and beyond a lot better.

rewatched some of the goals from last night: 1st goal allowed: down 2 guys, its going to happen. 2nd goal allowed: Defense over-rotated following the puck. Jokiharju vacates his entire zone down low, but after watching it over and over I can't put it 100% on him. Samuelsson went to the boards after the puck and a guy came into the spot he vacated so Joki covered him. Eventual goal scorer could have been picked up by Cozens but he just was a half step behind. This goal on over-rotation, a tad bit on Jokijarju (but he didn't have a good option), also on Cozens for not picking up the goal scorer entering the vacated zone and maybe the winger who should have dropped down low instead of chasing the puck. 3rd goal allowed: lots of bad mistakes. Skinner with a terrible pass across the ice in his own zone that has Bruins players all around. Samuelsson can't control the pass and loses the puck battle. The Skinner/Thompson line just isn't good at picking up the pieces after that. Skinner with a really bad pass though. Stillman, however, actually did what he should have. He couldn't stop the goal, but he stayed back, didn't vacate his spot, and was the ONE player in front of the net to contest the goal. The last few goals, well, we all know the empty net/end of game issues. So look at the goals allowed, and yes, they were chasing the puck in their own zone against a good, puck rotating team. It tells me this Sabres team is clumsy and just not good enough 'yet' as they play like a young, inexperienced team in their own end. Other than that awful Skinner pass, there really weren't any huge mistakes on the goals allowed. I really can't blame Jokiharju for moving over the ice on the 2nd goal, and I would have liked Cozens to cover his guy a bit better, but its a split second decision that is hard to make. The Sabres don't win this game or a game against great, veteran, balanced teams like this until 1 of 2 things (or both) happen: 1.) They press so hard offensively that the opposing team is on their heals all game long. That is hard enough as it is, but even harder with everything Dahlin does and Tuch's forecheck. 2.) They become better overall in their own end...become better at knowing their linemates and where they should be and are able to KNOW how their linemates react and where they will be. That comes with experience. I also noticed that Power didn't make any big mistakes, he really do anything to cause any goals against. He played a pretty good game. BUT it seems to be becoming a trend that in big games, against the best-of-the-best opponents, he plays more tenative. Nothing wrong with that, he is very young, and maybe he is instructed to play that way. Its just Power seems quicker to get rid of the puck, less likely to look for a play and more likely to just chip the puck forward when playing agains top teams than against others. I saw very little on the goals allowed that a stay-at-home, sound D-man that you could have traded for would have solved. The way you win this game is to become better offenseively so you are pressuring the other team a lot more, and you simply have more awareness in your own end and hours and hours more with your teamates/linemates/d-partner so you are chasing less.

https://nflpa.com/nfl-player-team-report-cards players Rate their own facilities. Bills were 9th on the list, when looking at the grades if their nutrition was higher (food quality) they might have been #1.

on a related note that came out today: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/espn-wants-to-be-the-hub-of-all-live-sports-streaming-even-if-it-helps-its-competition/ar-AA1897WC DIsney's ESPN wants to be the hub for all live sports streaming — even for its competition. The sports network has held conversations with major sports leagues and media partners about launching a feature on ESPN.com and its free ESPN app that will link users directly to where a live sporting event is streaming, according to people familiar with the matter. That could include national or global streaming services, such as Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video, or a regional sports service such as Sinclair's Bally Sports+ or Madison Square Garden Entertainment's MSG+.

I don't know for sure, but I am confident that the majority of trades involving NHL players has occured, and I would bet quite a bit that the trades involving the 'big names' have almost all been completed. Seeing this is a message board with a lot of opinions are stated, and they aren't all parsed out as to what is fact at the moment vs what is opinion...I have no idea why you think its an odd thing to say? Don't get it.

He is good, really good, I don't think its a bad deal for them at all, But to me it just makes the Tage deal look that much better. Pastrnak 26 years old, Tage 25 This year: Pastrnak 42 goals and 80 points. Tage 41 goals and 80 points. The last 2 seasons: Pastrnak 82 goals, 157 points, Tage 79 goals, 148 points. Does Pastrnak bring more to the team than Tage...intangibles? Defensive end play? Maybe, I'm not sure, but possibly. But is that worth $4.1M / 57% more? To me that is a big no.

Just like the title says. How would you rank the top 4 teams in each conference...the ones most likely to get out of the conference in the playoffs? East: 1.) Boston 2.) Tie Rangers and Devils, (I can't pick between them) 4.) Toronto Even though Carolina got hot since the beginning of the year, I think the other 4 are ahead of them. Tampa I just think this isn't their year and the Leafs do beat them this year. West: 1.) Colorado 2.) Edmonton 3.) Winnipeg 4.) Kings. I do not have confidence at all in Dallas or Vegas. If Dal or Veg gets manage to get out of the first round, I think they are gone quick in round 2.

Some owners fall into the 'grumpy old man' category. If you want to watch my product, you are going to pay for it, no free-loaders. Doesn't matter to them that if they made entry to their product free or at least more affordable, they would make a LOT more revenue down the road through other sources, they don't care. They sell tickets. They get cash NOW from viewership, They want to make sure you pay up, or you don't get their product.

I'm not disagreeing with you saying they see it as nothing but growth. What I am thinking is that is the problem. They see nothing but growth compared to where they are. What they should be doing is talking a half step back today in order to take 3 steps forward tomorrow by making their games available and affordable. The NFL is different, but they make sure that EVERY game in the home market is available no matter what. They do the opposite of the NHL where the NHL makes sure that if you want to see your local team you are going to pay one way or the other (buy a tick, or pay for a cable package, or pay for a package like this.). Fans of the NFL, they may never pay for a cable package or never go to a game, but many of those same people talk about the game, buy t-shirts, buy merchandiser, and many of them become fans when they are younger because they were exposed to the game and then later in life they spend MORE and go to more games. The NHL is so backwards just to make that $buck today. Bettman and the old school owners are dinosaurs. Their league exists and grows (MARGINALLY) because of the product and despite their managment of it. Bettman is condescending and will do ANYTHING to avoid admitting a mistake. The NHL and Bettman/the owners basically run the league in large part like it is 40 years ago and present it and themselves in a very unappealing way to fans or people who WANT to like what they are doing. They do not present their product the way their fans want to consume it, they instead present it the way they want to present it and then try to convince the fans that is the best way. Most of your existing fans, especially the hard-core fans aren't going away. As the #4 league out of the 4 major North American leagues, they should be thinking about growth, how to get more casual fans and turn them into more than casual fans. The NHL needs to do this more than the other 3 leagues. They continue to not do so.

For the past month or so, the 'pace' required for that last playoff spot in the east has been about 92 points. As of this morning, it is still around that same 92 points. Sabres have a tough schedule coming up of course, but as long as they maintain a 90-92 point pace, they are still going to be in the running. 12-9-2 for the rest of the season? Thats what you have to shoot for. its going to be tough the longer Dahlin is out for, and with the upcoming schedule and Tuch out. And yes, many of us just want them to make the playoffs no matter what happens when you get there. But if they can't go 2-3 games above .500 the rest of the year, they probably don't deserve the playoffs yet and if they made it wouldn't fare all that well. This team has a history this year of appearing to be falling out of the race and just then going on a winning streak or winning a big game you don't think they will. Then when you think they are the favorite for a spot they start a losing streak or play an awful game. Thats just the way this team is. It is almost futile to project or predict how they will do on a week to week or game to game basis.

Seems a bit pricey. Maybe not for a lot of consumers, but if you go by the fact that a large portion of 'cord cutters' are younger people or people who can't afford a full cable package, then $10 a game or $30 a month doesn't help much. The NHL is so afraid of giving their fans/consumers 'too good of a deal' today where they might lose that $1 right now, they are losing out on $10 in the future. The NFL gets it, and the NFL already has the fan base so they really don't need to make their games as available as the NHL. The NHL, with a much smaller fanbase, should be falling all over themselves to make as many of their games free or at a very, VERY low cost for fans. Let them watch your game, let them love your game, let them want to buy tickets, buy jerseys, T-shirts etc. I posted in another thread about this. I have 2 nieces, a nephew, and our daughter and her boyfriend all in their 20's and no longer 'living at home'. They all are/were big Sabres fans, but none of them watch the games anymore as they won't buy a full cable package. $10 a game, $30 a month or $300+ dollars per year will do ZERO to get them to sign up so they can watch games again. Does the NHL want to grown their fanbase today? Or would they rather not grow the fanbase but squeeze every dollar they can out of their current fanbase? they are doing the latter.

I think the truth is some version of what you said. Things are more structured on the road, with more oversite. Many of us did see that sabres video where the guys do hang out on the couch and play video games alot. Nothing against video games, but again, on the road there is a lot more structure that a young team may benefit from.