GASabresIUFAN

I completely disagree on letting late round pick go for depth NHL players. 5-7th rd picks have about 11-15% chance of playing 100 or more in the NHL and it usually take 3-5 years before they are ready to make the NHL (see VO). If you can get a current NHLer for one of the those picks to improve the depth on your roster you do it. You say you don't like giving up a 3rd for Vesey. This is somewhat understandable, except Jbot was trying to build scoring depth for a team that couldn't score. Now look at our 3rd round picks over the last 15 or so years. Since 2005 we have draft MAG (78 NHL games, 3 goals), Tropp (149, 6), Feinhage (0), McNabb (554, 22), Leduc (0), Sundher (0), MacKenzie (0), Catenacci (12, 0), Kea (0), Baptiste (47, 7), Johansson (30), Fitzgerald (7, 0), Laaksonen (0), 15 picks and only 1 legit NHL player who TM gave away (plus 2 2nd rd picks) for nothing. Vesey for all his faults actually played decent two way hockey for us with 20 pts (9 goals) in 64 games with a +12 on a team coached by offense killing coach RK.

Until we get capable goaltending, better defensive D and more depth upfront, none of the advanced stats mean anything. All they show is that the Sabres aren't good at pretty much anything except effort. The Sabres have played 45 games with season. Below replacement goaltenders have played in 33 (29 starts). 11 D have suited up for the Sabres including terrible in zone defenders Miller (32 gp) and Butcher (31), coupled with mediocre players Hagg (35), and Pysyk (45), as well as rookies Samuelsson (21) and Fitzgerald (14). Not exactly the who's who of quality defensive play. Now add JAGs or other expendable forwards like Caggiula (18), Bjork (40), Hayden (37), Jankowski (14), Eakin (40), and Hinostroza and you have a recipe for bad hockey. Frankly with all the injuries, COVID and youth, it's amazing this team isn't in 32nd place in the NHL. As of right now this is the most common lineup for this season Forwards: Skinner Thompson Hinostroza VO Cozens Okposo Asplund Eakin Murray Bjork Girgensons Hayden Defense: Dahlin Pysyk Hagg Miller Bryson Butcher Goaltenders: Tokarski Dell Looking at that roster, is there really any question as to why this team has terrible advanced metrics?

It's the name.

I'm playing it and my kids and I are trying to out do each other. They told me there is also one called Lewdle.

Either our players are a) wound to tight, b) we are pressing them back into service to quickly (meaning our trainers/Drs/staff are incompetent) c) the team is cursed. d) all of the above

A true Canadian.

Sept 2022

The Sabres play better and more consistently.

What are the rules of this game? 24 and under? If not Alex Tuch! He is the first bargain non-ELC player in a decade. 24 and under? Dahlin or Power, although Cozens as a better Kesler is very intriguing.

Sounds like he’ll remain in Sweden at least another 2 years.

Maybe our GM with acquire a quality RHD to play with him? Maybe? Possibly?

He never had any trade value.

25 pts in 37 SM-Liiga games.

Why is that funny? Raty was 17th on my consensus draft board and he is a center. PP was 40th. Kisakov was 52nd. Raty has 20 pts in his last 23 games in the highest Finnish league. Poltapov has zero pts in 17 KHL games, but is doing very well in their junior league (which is 2 steps down from the KHL).

I still would have taken Raty at 33. I have to say how surprised I am about how well Cole Sillinger is doing for CBJ right out of the USHL (and not even on the USNTDP). Playing at a 30 pt pace as an 18 year old rookie after being the 12th overall pick is pretty amazing.

Thanks you coming. Hope you get well and can continue your career elsewhere.

It's kind of sad that the game basically ended 34 seconds in.

Makes one wonder about all the angst about losing Borgen. All you need is ESPN+.

That’s not good.

Who is Stamkos? The goaltending has a long way to go until it gets to TB’s level.

he gave up 5 on 40 1/13 and then 4 on 8 1/22. The 5 goal game was bookended by two shutouts. He has given up 7 goals on this last 39 shots however. Distracted by Olympic Games speculation?

I honestly have no idea how LV moves $10 from this roster for Martinez and Eichel. All their bigger $ deals have NMC or M-NTCs. except Theodore, who I certain they won't trade. I don't think they are moving on from Stone (NMC) or Patches (M-NTC) as they have been two of their best players when healthy. I can see them as willing (wanting) to move Karlsson (4 more years left at 5.9) and Dadonov (I more year a 5), but both have M-NTC and limited market value at this point. I don't KA is interested in either player.

According to John Vogl, the Sabres have added JJP, R2, Murray, Biro, Laaksonen and Schuldt to the taxi squad. I get the feeling that more injury news is coming. It makes one wonder about the status of Mitts, Quinn and Vinnie. Have there been updates on Butcher and Mitts?

Hasek had bad games occasionally. The Sabres literally have no goaltending under contract next season. Tokarski, Dell, Houser, and Anderson are all UFAs and UPL is an RFA. Levi is definitely getting signed and I wouldn't be surprised if Portillo is as well. The question becomes how does KA layer veterans in with the 3 kids? UPL, once re-signed likely starts in the NHL, then Levi and Portillo compete for the No. 1 spot in Rochester with loser starting in Cinn. Sign Tokarski as the backup in Rochester and hopefully he acquires (trade or UFA) a good vet to split time with UPL in Buffalo.

Sadly we have had a history for holding on to some un-popped kernels to long and trading away some kernels before they have even had a chance to pop. Speaking of kernels traded away to soon, I just noticed that McNabb just signed a 3 year extension with LV. Will this debate grow over time like Draisaitl vs Reinhart?