GASabresIUFAN

https://www.si.com/hockey/news/no-bodychecking-in-ohl-this-year .... and it makes me realize why people keep voting for bigger governments. They are so wise and their decisions so well reasoned.

It would have been nice if they acquired some help at the deadline.

Do other teams have as good of nicknames for their jerseys as we do. What other team has the “Goat Head” “Slug” and “Butter Knives”?

https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/sabres-assessing-development-plans-for-jack-quinn-dylan-cozens-upl/article_65992478-2363-11eb-8876-031b7c00e74c.html Interesting article in TBN. It really brings to light how difficult continued develop of our prospects is going to be in this new Covid world. It also clarified for me KA’s vision for our goaltending this coming season. It appears to me his plan is to let UPL develop in top league in Finland this season and then have Johansson and Togarski man the AHL net. As to Quinn and Cozens, what a mess. Where does Quinn play if the OHL is a no checking league? Where does Cozens go if he doesn’t make the Sabres? I’m glad that both Quinn and Cozens will be playing for team Canada, but after that who knows. I kind of feels like the lockout season in reverse.

Do the Bills miss Shag Lawson and Jordan Phillips? I wasn't worried about the defense and although they made big plays last week, they aren't consistent in any phase of the game anymore. Some weeks the pass rush looks good other weeks it doesn't. Some weeks they avoid the big pass play. Other weeks they don't and honestly the run D is mediocre at best. Injuries to Milano and Edmunds really hurt early. However, Wallace, Klein and others are wildly inconsistent. Also where is our LB depth after Klein. Honestly, the Bills needed to find some help on defense at the trade deadline if they want to win a playoff game. Maybe someone will cut a decent player that we can utilize.

All true, but Mitts wasn't entitled. Jbot thrust him into the lineup before he was ready and when he faltered in year 2, he didn't act swiftly enough to get him back on track. I believe that Mitts is still considered a valuable member of this organization. With Hall, Staal, and Reinhart on 1 year deals and Eakin and Lazar on 2 year deals, there are plenty of slots that will be available for Quinn, Cozens, Mitts, and Routsalainen to claim over the next couple of years.

It will fun watching the Hoosiers beat Sparty. They can't do it in basketball for some reason.

We GA fans are kind of happy. The team, while no Covid, is absolutely decimated by injuries. Look how much Fla improved after a few weeks off. GA needs the rest.

Mitts wasn't entitled to the job, management gave it to him. That is a huge difference.

https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/faster-more-dynamic-arttu-ruotsalainen-showing-he-could-earn-spot-with-sabres/article_9ccab7a0-2038-11eb-9e9b-1b826ab77921.html So another LW/Center battling for a job with the Sabres. A nice problem to have, but as the article says, our forward group is now getting very crowded. Hall Eichel Reinhart Skinner Staal Battle1 Battle 2 Eakin Battle 3 Girgensons Lazar KO Battle 1: Cozens vs Olofsson vs Thompson Battle 2: Routsalainen vs Mittelstadt vs Olofsson Battle 3: Cozens vs Olofsson vs Thompson Not sure where Aslund and Reider fit into this equation Also I don't think it's guaranteed that Eakin and Lazar start the year as the 3rd and 4th centers. Eakin is obviously making the team, but if Cozens or Routsalainen, despite his size, wins that 3rd C job, there by creating a very formidable 4th line of Z, Eakin and KO.

Off-season protected list speculation: 2019 & 2020 draftees exempt. Un-signed 2018 draftees exempt. Exemption in general for all players with 2 years or less of NHL experience. ( I thought is was NA pro experience, but the NHL.Com article on Seattle expansion say NHL experience). Forwards: Protected: Eichel, Skinner, Reinhart (RFA), Olofsson, Thompson, Mittelstadt (still un-signed) - One slot open UFA Forwards: Hall and Staal - Obviously we'd protect Hall if re-signed. Others under contract or control: Eakin, KO, Girgensons, Lazar, & Asplund Exempt: Cozens, Pekar, Routsalainen (exempt?) Defense: Protect: Dahlin (RFA), Ristolainen and Jokiharju (RFA) Under contract or control: Miller, Borgen or Pilut (RFA) UFA Defense: Montour, McCabe, Irwin, Nelson & Davidson Exempt: Samuelsson, Johnson, Bryson, & Laaksonen Goaltending: Protect: ? Under contract or control: Johansson (RFA), Tokarski UFA Goalies: Ullmark, Hutton Exempt: UPL, Portillo I have to say this crisis is kind of helping our expansion list. No much to choose from. No goalie worth taking. Only Miller or Borgen on defense. Asplund or Eakin upfront. If we don't re-sign Hall, then either Aslund or Eakin could be added to the protected list. Maybe KA could work a decent deal to get the Krack to take KO. If I were Seattle I'd take Miller. His cap isn't bad and he can run their initial PP.

August 2017, when OSU came to town for the season opener.

can never have to many D.

Crazy NCAA season so far. Clemson lost to ND of all people. ND fans enjoy the win, but Trevor will be back for the rematch Penn St is 0-3 (now ranked 52 by CBS a 31 place drop) Michigan 1-2 (now ranked 48th by CBS) Indiana 3-0 with wins over Penn St and Michigan, AP & Coaches Rank 10th. For the First time since the 1960's Northwestern is also 3-0 (behind Indiana's former QB) and leading the Big 10 West. Georgia is 4-2 despite not having a QB. The U is back 6-1, maybe. Oklahoma (with a loss to K St) and Texas trail Iowa St and OK St in the SWC (ok Big 12 with only 10 teams) Of course Alabama is undefeated, while defending champ LSU is 2-3. My guess is 3 of the 4 teams in the playoffs are pretty much decided; Alabama, Ohio St and the ACC winner between ND and Clemson What is the biggest surprise so far? In my semi-humble opinion, a top 10 ranked Hoosiers squad. Okla, GA and LSU where bound to pullback after so many roster losses. The total collapse of Penn St is also a huge surprise.

Certainly a reasonable conclusion, but I'd rather have UPL here to monitor his development and leave Jo Jo in Germany since we kind of know what he is at this point.

I'm going to assume for arguments sake that the AHL, like the NHL, will play a compressed schedule. To me that means you need a ton of goaltending and at least 2 decent goalies at both levels so that no one is getting over-played. Now we have 5 goalies for the two levels, but injuries are bound to happen in a compressed schedule environment, meaning having 5 AHL or better level goalies is smart. Also if UPL proves he still isn't AHL ready, then Jo Jo call also be brought home.

@dudacek They dispatched Johansson to Germany. Who says he is returning? Now you have Ullmark and Hutton in Buffalo. UPL and Dustin for the AHL. Johansson getting big minutes in Germany and Houser in the ECHL. It also solves any expansion issues and gives us a 3rd goalie with reasonable NHL experience.

Yes

That's fair, sort of. If Joker is included he should be No. 1 since he is an established and effective NHL player and likely top 4 defender this coming season. No one else on the list has proven they can consistently compete at the top level.

Yeah, he was a wonderful man and a great friend. it's been 5 weeks and I'm still struggling with it.

I'm going to pose a serious question. Should we now ban all kids with criminal records from playing NCAA sports? Should they be banned from playing pro sports? I remember SI did a study of college football a while back and found a significant number of players had criminal records of some sort, with many having records for Assault, Domestic Violence Burglary and Theft. I don't think it's any different now. So if these kids continue to get a second, third and fourth chance, why not this kid who has legally paid his debt to society? Remember giving people a second chance is why we have a juvenile code. None of this will ever excuse what he did. It was disgusting and people are and should be offended. However, we need to be consistent in how we treat cases like this. Either we believe in second chances or we don't.

Could also mean the Johansson loan to Germany is permanent.

I finally got a chance to look at Chad D's prospect list and rankings. My general thought was "really"! Mitts at 10, Joker still on the list, Routsalainen at 2. The college D, Samuelsson and Johnson at 13 &14. Also no Murray? Chad's list - (my rank) my thoughts 1 Cozens - (1) Agreed 2 Routsalainen - (6) A bit to high given he has never played in NA. 3. Jokiharju - (NR) - A full time NHL last season. Not really a prospect anymore 4. UPL - (5) - Had a hard time adjusting to the pro game, but so have many others before him. 5. Quinn - (2) - maybe close to NHL ready now and has the hands to be in the NHL. 5 is to low. 6. JJP (7) - Like the player and the skill set but needs to prove it against men and then in NA before being a Sabre 7. Laaksonen - (11) - mediocre season knocked him down my rankings behind the college guys 8 Thompson - (4) - 3 year deal shows real confidence in him from management. Who are Chad or I to argue with that. 8 is to low. 9. Bryson - (12) - Nice first year in the AHL, but needs to be a force this year to get a real NHL shot. Don't mind the ranking, but I see less upside in him them Johnson or Samuelsson. 10. Mittelstadt - (3) - No one on this list other then Cozens and maybe Quinn is more talented. 10 is way to low. 11. Borgen - (16) - Defense first and physical game, a need for the team, gives him a chance to be an NHLer, but is he good enough to win a job now, because this is his best opportunity. 11 in much to high for a guy who NHL chances are dwindling 12. Portillo - (14) - Another developing goalie with good potential. I have him behind the college D because of how long it takes goalies to develop, 13. Samuelsson - (8) - Borgen and Samuelsson have similar games except Matt is younger (and is a RHD) and is more talented in all facets of the game. Samuelsson also has more upside. No way Borgen should be ranked ahead of him other then in likelihood to get NHL time next season. 14. Johnson - (9) - I can see the argument for ranking Bryson ahead of him, as Bryson is much closer to the NHL, but Johnson is only 19 and his skating is world class. 15. Pekar - (13) - I'm ok with this ranking, but I like Pekar's game and we need a pest who can add some O. 16. Asplund - (10) - I may have Asplund to high, but he is fighting for an NHL job now and I like his ability to be a utility forward. I also think he has a higher skill level the guys like Pekar who Chad ranks ahead of him. 17. Cronholm - (NR) - Not sure what this guy has done to even be ranked 18. Costantini - (NR) - I like ex- Jr Sabres as much as the next guy, but there are better players in our system 19. Davidsson - (18) - Recent developments make this former 2nd rd pick look increasingly suspect. 20. Huglen - (19) - Was drafted for his offensive talent, but injury last year really cost him NR. Murray - (15) - Scoring winger has an excellent first AHL season and earned a NHL 2 way deal this off-season. The team thinks he has a legit future, not sure why Chad doesn't NR. Weissbach - (17) - Had solid seasons for Wis, but seemed to lose the coach's trust late last year. Solid skater and playmaker, it will be interesting to see if KA will give him a look see in the AHL NR. Rousek - (20) - older draftee who looks like a solid player. I can see him developing into an NHL depth forward, but who knows until he plays in NA.

I think that is fair. KA was clearly working toward a bottom 6 with a certain style of play that adhered to RK’s vision. However with goal scoring our team’s biggest issue, I’m worried that the forward group as currently constituted, with the huge talent gap between the 2nd and 3rd line, lacks the necessary offensive punch to help solve that problem and fil in gaps created by injury unless Cozens or Mitts make the team.

I always thought of him as Asplund 2. Now it looks like he maybe farther then ever from being in the NHL, but as we saw with Murray and Jonas Johansson prospects don’t always develop on schedule. Probably to soon to write him off completely, but no looking good.