Thorny

Negative to joining Roch? He just couldn’t by rule, due to CHL agreement re: his age he’d need to be assigned to junior if not Buffalo Negative to joining the Buffalo team? Presumably we can only afford to roster players next season who are ready to win and he might not be ready for that yet Team concern more so than development, in that case

So KA almost certainly can’t afford to “wait” for Levi under those terms, should they come to pass: that would be KA’s *6th* year as GM lol

This is why I find it helpful to look at the macro. For all the endless yaking we do, sometimes you do glean a lot from the more pulled -back, more-variables-accounted-for view. It’s why we get tried and true cliches like “you are what your record says.” relax, and lets see how the stretch plays out. If we win 6 more games and lose 12 and finish below .500 and below Bylsma’s 81 point mark from 7 years ago...ya, the rebuild is behind pace and I’d have some pretty strong concerns moving forward. 75 points last year to 80 points this year is not much progress, not a mark of a rebuild on schedule. And how could we expect a SIZEABLE improvement next season to the extent we make the playoffs, if we are THAT far back, and only improved a few points or so, with all the career years we DID see? But if we finish up reasonably, just reasonably, and finish with, say, the 87 points we are paced for. That still seems to be in line with the growth many were projecting this year that would be inclusive of evidence that the build was going well: a 12 point improvement (75-87) is something we can work with. In addition to our first .500 year in a decade (maybe even Deluca?) and finally surpassing Bylsma’s mark, which I find both symbolic and important. 12 point improvement, again, next season, would be 99 points and playoffs lets see how things finish up

Ya, this is kinda what I’m getting at. The “ton of progress, though! Process.” narrative isn’t even written for this season yet- still have to finish up strong. How the team finished last season was (rightfully, imo) used endlessly as support for the progress of the plan, the same value should be put on the finish to this season. I’ll be looking at the end result, certainly.

Expectations are on track but honestly, there’s a lot of season left. It’s why I haven’t given up on playoffs. But, frankly, it could get interesting the other way. I feel like finishing strong down the stretch is important no matter what happens. We are pacing for 87 points. If they just totally crash here, “disappointing year” is still on the table. Imagine not finishing .500

I’m not sure if he’s in the Plan but the Plan clearly requires a known, apt quantity in goal next season: this isn’t UPL, so I’d imagine he can only be in the plan next season if one of the other goalie spots can afford to be filled by an inconsistent player of his nature perhaps backup G can be argued Yep

One full year in Roch would have his rookie season ‘24-‘25, no?

Not sure I’d be convinced the expectations should be set quite that high but, all the better. Personally, avoidance of “development year” lingo and a focus on playoffs, in sincerity, with that being the stated/intimated goal, would be enough for me.

Well, I said this 10 games ago. We’ve gone 4-6 since. 8 more games to go (I was setting the mark at 10 games remaining in the season) “Same relative position.“ we can still do it, but it looks like we may come up a bit short 😞 I’m not sure we’ll be sitting on the bubble with 10 games remaining. On the bubble with a realistic shot, that’s where I wanted to be at that stage, that’s where we were when I made the statement. To me, that would classify as “in it” for the full year - was gonna spot them the final 10. Gotta string together a few here in these next 8 to get us back to being “in it” at the begging of that final 10. Looking mighty dicey.

Aaaand Ottawa gets the W. one final kick for today

Dammit. NJ. I will never learn where Hamilton plays apparently

I’m honestly glad he moved in towards the net cause I feel like these almost ALWAYS ended with point shot goals back in the day 😂

If there’s never a pay off for that particular Chekhov’s gun...

I kinda buy KO when he says the tired thing cause we could kinda see it coming Though, it appears even the youth are feeling it We just better finish above .500. Yeesh. Watching for that and hopefully Dahlin’s Norris (nomination) pace getting back on track

I can buy this. hell, it broke the emotional psyche of the board considering and granting youthful naivety. assuming it’s one factor at play in combination with fatigue. And players liked Dahlin and who else playing banged up and bad goaltending cant forget bad goaltending

Those odds change very quick still at this stage, if you reel off even 2-3 wins. It’s just a number - very liable to change with this much ground left to cover. I know it wasn’t *likely* but the reality of the situation is, with no team in a better spot sitting in between, record wise (I’m counting the pens as 7th) they came in to today 6 points back of islanders with 3 games in hand. It’s not being optimistic to grant them 3 points for those 3, we’ve earned at a better than .500 pace this year. Being stingy, they were about 3 points back with, after “accounting for those games”, 16 more left to play. Would you honesty be ok with the players, knowing they are 3 points back with 16 to play, caring more about some websites 6% number? we said we are trying to build a perennial cup contender. That’s what adams said. It’s defies the limits of believability to suggest we wouldn’t need enough grit to overcome significantly more adversity while trying to accomplish something like that, than making up 1.5 worth of games over *20 percent* of a season they didn’t give up. That would be absurd

I sure hope they didn’t feel out of it because they had to make up about 3 points in ~16 games. That’s way, way too soon to throw in the towel. I hope it’s more the fatigue thing tbh

stink stank stunk

It’s a good point Id have pulled him before even 5, but in the way you outline they didn’t “leave him twisting in the wind”, either. it makes it easier for this fan to stomach, tbh. Comrie needed to help himself out lol

Starting to look like we might not get that really cool “down to the wire” feeling where we are playing games right up until the end that could get us in. But it’s still possible. Really need to reel off that 6 gamer any time, now, though...certainly looks more unlikely after that performance, and admission from KO* tonight. *Dallas 10 Buffalo 4 10-4 = “OK” KO = 4-10. Not okay.

Well, take a look at someone like Owen Power. The last time he played even 50 games was 4 years ago. He’s over 60, this year. against large men

No word of a lie I YELLED from the balcony of my condo when we won the Dahlin lottery. Felt so incredibly good for the Sabres to just..WIN. we all want more

I’m sorry the sheer TIMING here is chefs kiss

That’s just promo beating the Comrie drum

This one is lingering sadly. Not: lingering, sadly. Just lingering sadly. I suppose that’s the mark of a true hope for playoffs, being pushed -what feels like - significantly further away by way of one unexpectedly lopsided loss. shock to the system. Suppose there’s a silver lining there