PerreaultForever

That may very well be the case, and if so, then no. It's all hypotheticals. My free agent targets will be lesser names anyway but as a GM you explore every option. If you can get a Horvat right now for 4 years you do it. If not, you don't.

But I would say when you are down a goal the chances of a tie rest with the big line more likely than not. Tage hit that post. That puck goes in we likely play another OT.

Okposo's line played well in this game as they are more suited to the style Ottawa was dictating. The kids struggle with this stuff, they still have much to learn. Krebs is getting it. It'll come.

You misunderstand me. I'm willing to pay Horvat but not for 8 years. If he wants that money for that term then I'm not interested. Cap management is about veterans (who might be overpaid) falling off the payroll as younger players get pay increases. It's a balance. You don't have to be a cap floor team in anticipation of a payroll increase coming 2 or 3 years down the road. We have more than enough room to add talent AND pay those who earn it down the road.

I haven't noticed a bias in favour of better teams myself, but reputation does factor in.

So I guess you were happier tonight. Sabres could easily have been called for too many men on 2 different occasions. They are judgement calls.

That was about as even of a hockey game as you can get. They did what they do a little better than we did what we do. But really, luck could easily have flipped the result on another night. Bit of a rough game for Cozens. Growing pains. They did get on Dahlin a lot and it threw him off his game a little. It is what they do and it will always be what more physical teams do. He's going to be a target his whole career. We need to hit back a little more to keep them more honest. In order to win we have to skate and keep skating and all too often we stopped moving our feet. Tage, for example, when he's going full speed and uses his reach (or shot) he's elite, McDavid level even, but sometimes (like tonight) he stops moving and relies on just his size and reach and his effectiveness falls drastically. Right now, 2 even teams, and they came out with a little more desire (off a loss) than we did (off a win).

In the last week, Senators beat the league leading Bruins in OT and Sabres beat the Bruins in OT as well. If you want to get serious it's a 4 point game and you need to win this one in regulation. Both teams prefer to play very different styles. I think it'll be defined by which team asserts themselves enough to dictate the style of play. If there down and dirty in front stuff prevails we lose, if we drive the net and play with speed relentlessly we win. Toss a coin.

It's funny but I do notice Sabres fans almost always complain about refs favouring the Bruins, and yet Bruins fans frequently feel the league is against them and the refs almost always favour the other team. This has gone on for years if not decades. In my opinion, after watching hockey for a really really long time there are only 2 teams that really get regular favourable refereeing and that is Toronto and Montreal, especially at home. Otherwise home teams get away with a few things now and again from some refs, young refs tend to call more chintzy stuff that could be let go, and teams in black do tend to get more penalties than teams in white, that is true (as studies have actually shown for all sports). The rest of the perceptions are fan bias. It was a good game. They lost a lot of one on one puck battles but they had good goaltending and they found a way to win. Enjoy it.

Except he's the only one who took a hard direct punch to the head, there was blood sprayed on the ice and he was leaking enough to have to go off the ice for repairs. The fist pump was entertaining as I said. You don't have to win every hockey fight. Now when we sign Clifton in free agency (I'm throwing it out into the universe cause it's a thing I'd try to do and want out there) they'll have to kiss and make up 🙂

I did not think the refs were biased in any way. I was watching Philly L.A. later and that had some horrible ref'ing in it. In this game I don't think it was bad or favoured either team. Disagree.

I agree it's very unlikely, but I also see no reason why you wouldn't add a player like that if you wanted to become a serious contender. He's exactly what we need in terms of forwards. We have more than enough money sitting around.

It was @Refuting , but ya, he might have pulled it out of his "dreams".

In the most recent phase the defense is playing much better. Forwards are checking better and they aren't being intimidated. Cozens is a completely different player this year. Passing is better and they are fighting for loose pucks harder. Most of all their positional play has improved drastically and the (using the current NHL buzz word of the era) structure is vastly improved. They used to run around so much and sometimes got away with it because of their speed, but now they are actually playing their positions and relying on their team mates to play theirs. It's a huge change going forward in terms of building a real winning team. This would be big thumbs up to Granato and his assistants. Last year they were just loosey goosey go and try to score as much as you can. This year they are playing more 2 way hockey.

It's in one of the topics here. Somebody had a per Friedman tweet about Buffalo being a possible destination.

Disagree on the refs. They were pretty lucky they didn't blow it with the 2 high stick calls. They were both flagrant and idk what Lybushkin was trying to do but it was a dumb play with his stick and could have cost them the game. But ya, the rest, for sure. Cozens was really good. This is his coming out year for sure.

Both?

Mitts, as usual, was the weak link and that line was the worst. If the Horvat rumor pans out I'd hope Mitts is part of the package.

This team isn't the same as the one that had the late season wins last year. There are more real and potentially lasting improvements that are now bringing results.

That was a really good game. I thoroughly enjoyed that. This reminded me of many years ago when both teams were good and the games were heated and competitive. It's been a long time. A really really long time. UPL made a number of good saves. Maybe he's better than people thought and JBot will have been right about another one 🙂 I like the spunk, but if this is the way he reacts to getting a beat down I eagerly await to see how he reacts if he wins one. This was a hockey game. A real hockey game. This actually could get good.

Definitely a trap game for the Bruins with the Winter Classic coming up. Ullmark, Nosek and maybe Lindholm on the possible injury/illness list but they are basically healthy. This will be a very different style of game from the Detroit game and if you haven't seen the Bruins this year you will be surprised as they are not playing the way they used to. Montgomery has changed a lot of things. The D is extremely active (not unlike Buffalo) but they are somewhat vulnerable to the stretch pass. What will be most interesting to me is what happens in the 3rd period. Both teams are big 3rd period teams (and often slow starters) so this makes for an interesting match up. I am really curious to see if this Buffalo team can measure up to them. If they do, maybe you actually can think about playoff possibilities after all.

It would depend on the price tag. If I remember correctly he had good chemistry with Cozens at the Worlds but that of course means nothing at the NHL level. I would give up one of our 2nds for him and then trade Mitts for a D man.

I agree. but you could. I remember McAvoy being scratched a few times early in his career. Sometimes I think it's good to scratch a rookie just to see how he handles it. Does he pout or does he work harder? It can tell you a lot about the individual going forward and how best to develop him. But we shall see, he might end up being a bust. Hard to say. This is a nice dream.

Wow a healthy scratch and people already have him being shipped out of town. Doubt the Rangers have given up on LaFreniere any more than we've given up on Krebs.

Sure. But lighten up. Just having a little fun.