GASabresIUFAN

It's going to be Tuch for the next few seasons. He is exactly what management wants here (or at least says they want). He wants to be here. He is a proven NHL veteran. He is a hard working player. He is an effective player. He comes from a winning organization. He is also young enough to lead the franchise back to playoff contention and old enough to mentor the kids coming in behind him like Quinn, Krebs, JJP, even Cozens and Mitts. This doesn't preclude Power or Dahlin or Cozens or Quinn etc. from eventually assuming the captaincy when they are ready.

Captain Tuch; sound like a good pirate name.

Friggin Bjork has another year left on his deal. He needs to go, but he isn’t going anywhere unless KA waives him and is claimed. One can hope. @Thorny if KA was as good as his word, then players like Eakin who have been outperformed by others would be benched in favor of the better player regardless of contract. Sadly that’s not how it seems to be working.

You know my opinion of the quality of the current GM. (edit: they didn't have NHL job offers elsewhere)

Can someone please explain what Eakin and Bjork have done to show they deserve to be in this lineup at all? I honestly don't see the benefit of playing those guys (and Hayden) any longer. They don't contribute anything. No one is giving us a nickel for them at the deadline and they don't make the team better. Jankowski and Murray have a chance to earn a job here next year or we can showcase Jankowski for the trade deadline. Skinner-Thompson-Tuch Krebs-Mittelstadt-Okposo Asplund-Cozens-Olofsson Girgensons-Jankowski-Murray Fixed!

The first thing they teach you in law school is that the answer to all questions is it depends. 1) Will TP loosen the purse strings? If TP says he can’t spend money then I doubt we use the cap space. 2) Where does KA want the kids to play? Buffalo or Rochester? If he wants the kids in the NHL after he moves out some of the vets, then again only enough contract’s return to keep us cap compliant. 3) Can he get players who will help next season at the deadline? Could a goaltender fall in our lap or a RHD with term? Best case scenario: TP loosens the purse strings and gives KA the freedom to improve the team in anyway he sees fit. I don’t think he’ll take any contracts with term unless he can get a goaltender or a veteran D with tread left on the tire.

1, 2. 3, 4, 5, 6, we want 7!

7 is the record. It’s happened 3 times. 89/90 Quebec, 02/03 Blues and 07/08 Kings. Over the last 2 seasons the Sabres have used a whopping 9 different goalies, but 6 each season. Ullmark Hutton Johansson UPL Houser Tokarski Anderson Dell Subban Obviously KA believes in quantity over quality.

Follow the Amerks, Michigan and Minn NCAA hockey to cheer on our prospects, and the US and Canadian Olympic teams. That’s plenty of Sabres related hockey to cheer for.

I was hoping he was done the season. Aaron “Fog” Dell won’t be missed.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/seravalli-20-trade-targets-in-play-as-market-heats-up/ Top 20 trade targets. This was posted a few weeks ago. Some interesting names. No RHDs (of course) but I'd definitely be interested in Georgiev in goal. Also a THW article from Dec with the obvious Sabres trade pieces. https://thehockeywriters.com/sabres-top-trade-chips-2022-deadline-miller-butcher/ It would be interesting if KA trades Anderson once he's healthy for something. With the dearth of RHD who will be available at the deadline, does KA trade Pysyk? How big does the offer have to be?

They’ll just turn the net around and see what happens.

F-er bowled a 265 this time.

I’d like odds if any of our goalies not named Ukka play in the NHL next year. 1%, lower?

Bowled a 227 the first game and lost.

Just saw the score. I’m glad I’m bowling. PS Dell sucks

https://theathletic.com/3091953/2022/01/25/i-want-to-show-how-much-i-care-alex-tuch-on-winning-for-buffalo-learning-from-marc-andre-fleury-and-bills-qb-josh-allen/ Can we just make Tuch the team’s Captain already.

So what’s your theory?

I grabbed the wrong quote. Here is the blocked shots/60 as requested. http://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?report=realtime&reportType=season&seasonFrom=20212022&seasonTo=20212022&gameType=2&position=D&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,25&sort=blockedShotsPer60&page=0&pageSize=50 McNabb is the leader, Hagg, McCabe, DeHaan, Denis Savard, and Connor Murphy are also near the top. What is your theory? Is your theory that blocking shots leads to injuries and is therefore not a smart practice, or that block shots is an overrated stat like faceoffs? Are the guys near the top of the list better players then you expected?

A valid point, but how do you apply your list to the 4 guys who one would assume right now are part of the long-term core in Dahlin, Jokiharju, Power and Samuelsson? What skill set(s) are those core 4 missing? What do we need to add from outside the organization? What will it cost to get them? Will any UFAs with the needed skills even come here? The players I want are guys who can block shots, clear the crease and handle for forecheck. Also guys who help enable Dahlin and Power to be creative on offense as well. I'm looking for at least one guy Tallinder, Scandella, or McCabe and maybe one guy like a better skating McKee.

What I don't understand is how the Bills are going to play KC in KC again next season?

Correct!

Not sure where this belongs, but I wanted to see where our offense was coming from in recent weeks and where were we record wise. In general the team is actually playing better. We are 3-3-1 in our last 7 games with 20 goals scored 22 goals against. The good news is that 18 players (12 forwards and 6 D) have had at least 1 pt in the least 7 games, but 6 players are leading the way. At forward Skinner (5g 3a), Tuch (2g 5a), Thompson (2A, 3A) and Cozens (2G, 3A) lead the forwards while Dahlin has taken his game to another level (1g, 6a) and Jokiharju is also contributing (1g, 3a). A couple of other things that stood out and may explain why Jankowski is playing higher in the lineup. He has 3 pts recently with Asplund and Olofsson only have 1 assist each in the last 7 games.

I am right there with you brother. I'm not a Leslie Frazier fan. The refusal to adjust to running offense got us plowed numerous games and ultimately cost us home field in this playoffs. I hope he gets a nice NC job elsewhere. Things just don't work like that. The core of this team is excellent and Allen is going to be here for the next decade plus. They need a few upgrades on defense. Need to play 3 linebackers to stop the run and they'll be fine.

You know Vinnie is getting traded?