GASabresIUFAN

Welcome Sam. Everyone take a deep breath. Now breathe in and out, in and out. Ok? It’s just game one against one of the best teams in the NHL with one of the best goalies in the league. Yes we weren’t ready and we aren’t going to surprise anyone this season. Yes DG and his staff don’t seem to have the defense ready the last 3 games (including the last 2 preseason games) and Levi hasn’t looked good. It’s our worst fears realized. There is just too much talent on this team for this type of play to continue. Also all the players on this team have seen and played against a 1-3-1 and should know what to do. It’s like breaking the press in Basketball. It’s not easy but there are ways to do it and it’s something they should know without being told. Before we start driving ourselves nuts, let’s at least wait until 10 games in before burning down the house. Let’s not be like the fans in the Dr Pepper commercial.

He didn't specify. Clarence? OP?

The Sabres lost, and the Braves lost to the friggin's Phillies. At least the Morrissey concert was good. I'm going to miss the Bills on Sunday also. Going to Depeche Mode. I think these concerts are helping lessen my sports anxiety.

Sorry I missed it.

I see the 2nd period is going as well as the 1st. Morrissey still not on stage. Show was supposed to begin 15 minutes ago.

Waiting for the concert to begin. Looks like I didn’t miss much so far.

No

Marty was on NHL Now and said Dahlin used his bonus to buy a house. He joins Tuch, KO and TnT in buying or building a home in Buffalo recently. Setting down roots.

Ok, but you have to admit that that is an incredible list of talented rookies to open the season in the NHL and most are teenagers.

Bedard already has a goal and assist in 2 games. Benson dominated the preseason with 7 pts in 6 games. Knies snd Eklund are already 21 and Knies is playing with a top team. Which rookie forward will have the most goals and points? Did I forget anyone for the title?

The issue, as you well know, wasn’t his UFA year, but the year prior when he was only given a one year deal.

….and that is why Skinner is making $9 mill per season. Of course the one guy we needed to lock up and didn’t is the Vezina winning goalie for Boston. I am glad this is done, but if Power doesn’t quickly develop into a 50 pt guy who is at least decent in his own end, this contract is an over payment.

I'm going to have to watch the replay. Going to the Morrissey concert tonight.

I think he means games played.

The problem, as we are learning with Power, is finding the right partner who can skate the same 25 minutes a night. What if the solution is Dahlin/Power? A D group something like this: Dahlin/Power -25 minutes Mule/Clifton - 18 minutes Johnson/Joki (and R Johnson/Joki in 2024/25) - 17 minutes D pairings like this would enable Power to develop fully and the Sabres to get the most out of the contract. It would also allow Dahlin to continue to play on his preferred off side. These pairings would also allow the Sabres to easily integrate guys like R Johnson, Novikov, Strbak and others as they mature.

I'm going to have to agree here. Power on another team might actually have more upside. However with Dahlin here and already a force on both ends of the ice, Power's upside might be somewhat capped because he'll be Robin to Dahlin's Batman. I do wonder if we will see them as a pair over the next couple of years.

That didn’t age well. I don’t expect any other extensions any time soon. KA is going to wait and see on Joki, Krebs, Mitts.

But what about the goaltending?

I guess the off-season is now officially over. Time to get on with the season.

At least the culture in Sabreland remains working toward the the long-term goals.

Shazam!

Miller will eventually get the nod. He is 14th all-time in wins (391), two more than Hasek (although Osgood is 13th).

They take it as a how to course.

Welcome to Bizarro management.

Pre-season hockey is like pre-season baseball. The early games are meaningless other than seeing if any of the kids will make a run at a roster spot. The final couple of games, when the rosters look more like an NHL rosters, can give at least a little indications if the team is ready for the season. The site’s response to the last two games with their bad D and goaltending certainly left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. That said, Pitt dominated the Sabres, and now a week later they get beat by an allegedly bad Chicago team to open the season. If the Sabres play like they are capable of, these game shouldn’t mean anything.