PerreaultForever

Agreed, which is also why I think it's kind of an over used and somewhat meaningless term. Oh the team's best players are on the ice and they control the play more than the other team, what a shock. Sydney Crosby tends to drive the play. So does Connor McDavid. So surprising. To me what matters is talent combined with chemistry for a line to be successful, and thus drive the play. When the 3 parts combine together to make the unit play a complete game they will inevitably "drive the play".

It's kind of interesting (and a little odd) that "drive" has become such a common descriptive word in hockey discussions. Driving the net, and driving the play, are two very different things and imo using "drive" for both of them can confuse the discussion. Tuch drives the net, not the play. Mitts imo is soft and lacks intensity/desire. Perhaps effort level and heart as well but that's harder to judge. To this point, he simply does not seem to have what it takes.

Oh I know what they are doing. It's not that hard to figure out, and Granato is a development guy so work with him as you grow, it's all fairly obvious, BUT what it isn't is conducive to the Sabres winning NHL hockey games.

Where did I say I was "upset" I said it was an error.

Colin Miller? wtf. https://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/n265556

Exactly. It's a backwards move for a team that needs a forwards move.

one more error in the long long list of Sabres errors.

Well I don't personally think the approach they've taken with Cozens was the best plan. I think he'd have been better with AHL time earlier on but it's a moot point now. There is no question in my mind that this team rushes players due to it's usually incredibly thin line up. Peterka just doesn't look ready.

not dramatic. Tongue firmly in cheek.

So.............we must not lose?

They definitely don't get it, and to a large extent they want it to remain buried and covered up. On TSN today they were talking about a freedom of information request that was made quite some time ago that has been in the courts with Hockey Canada fighting hard to keep the information private. I don't have detailed facts on that and it sounded a bit weird but there is more going on here than we have been told or heard about, that is obvious.

Well............................................. Finally got to see a whole preseason game and kind of wish I didn't. This was pure trash. Yes, the excuse merchants will say they had their stars and we had scrubs well boo hoo, I'm tired of excuse hockey. This was embarrassing top to bottom. Bjork is a scrub. Waive him asap. After Vinnie tossed that puck behind his net thinking idk what I had him on the scrub list but then he scored a nice short handed goal so I guess he's a wash on that. Comrie. So the stats people keep telling me I'm supposed to be excited by this AHL level goalie. Well he was absolute rubbish. Yes, the D hung him out to dry on several plays but he only made 1 maybe 2 hard saves on the night and didn't rob a single Pen. Tokarski was better and that isn't saying much. Mitts was nothing. Krebs was nothing. Quinn. I was supposed to be excited about Quinn. Why? The early pass from Tuch drive to the net was decent but the rest of the game he did little to impress me. Peterka. I was told he's got snarl to his game. Didn't bring it that's for sure. Struggled all night. He is NOT NHL ready. Bryson is a piece of crap. If he's in the bottom pairing forget it. Lybushkin. Well he showed me next to nothing. Not impressed at all. No comment on the D scrubs. Not worth the time. not a single D man out there was impressive in any way. Cozens was the best Sabre (not saying much) but most of the time he was playing alone and got next to no support from his linemates. The good news, I guess when we draft Bedard we will have too many good young forwards and can trade one for a goalie. Damn that was horrible. (yes, I know, just preseason means nothing, but it was my first chance to see it for myself and it really really really disappointed)

That's a pretty sparse D. I guess they are still undecided on a few of them and want to see what they can do. At least I get to see some of the young forwards and Comrie.

Boy oh boy she did not come off good in front of parliament questioning and has in fact made this thing even worse. Every major sponsor now pulling out, plus provincial funding, this organization is all but dead. Her standing by and defending the current leadership was really really sad to see.

I'd watch them if I could. For anyone else in Canada, tomorrow's Pens game is supposed to be on Sportsnet Now for free. A replay should be available for a day as well if you miss it. I'm personally setting aside time for it. Hope they play a decent line up (including Quinn)

1. Where will the Sabres finish in the Atlantic? 6th 2. What will their record be? .500 82 points 3. Will they make the playoffs? no 4. How many goals with the team score? 240 5. How many goals will the team allow? 290 6. Team leader in goals and with how many? Tage 35 7. Team leader in assists and with how many? Dahlin 50 8. Team leader in points and with how many? Tage 75 9. Team MVP? Tage 10. Most improved player? Cozens 11. Team ROY? Power 12. Biggest positive surprise? Cozens 13. Biggest disappointment? Krebs 14. Outside the box prediction? Granato gets fired season end 15. How many 20+ goal scorers will the Sabres have? 5 Thompson, Skinner, Tuch, Cozens, VO 16. How many 10+ goal scorers will the Sabres have? 10 add Mitts, Quinn, Dahlin, KO and Vinnie 17. Best case scenario for the Sabres? we win the lottery 18. Worst case scenario for the Sabres? Comrie sucks, Skinner goes back to being crap, Dahlin has a season ending injury early and it all goes down the dumper (but maybe we win the lottery)

In 2-3 years I suspect it'll flip. Tampa might stick around mid level but Boston Pittsburgh and Washington will all be on the out and our playoff opponents will be Ottawa, Detroit and eventually Montreal. islanders I think are already heading down fast. Leafs idk. See what happens with Matthews first.

There's no question they will have a big fall soon, but not yet, which is why I said ONE last kick at the can. Foligno is a non issue on the 4th line and might even get waived. If this all Czech line does it all season they will be formidable this year as Bergeron/Marchand won't have to provide all the offense. DeBrusk looks ready to have a big year as well, but that still needs to be proven. The McAvoy injury is an issue, but a lot of people are forgetting they now have Lindholm added to their D from a year ago. They have a good year left assuming Marchand and McAvoy (and to a lesser extent Hall and Gryzlyk) all come back in good shape and not too late. Their prospect cupboard however is probably one of the worst in the league due to bad drafting and trading away picks and prospects at the deadline for years. When Bergeron, Marchand and Krejci are done, they will fall and fall hard. Possibly right to the bottom.

Did you watch the game or just look at your stats reports? If you'd watched, you'd have seen that him and Kakko were the best Rangers on the ice that night. Wait and see.

The immediate demise of the Bruins may be somewhat exaggerated. I watched them play the Rangers tonight and their new all Czech line of Zacha Krejci and Pasternak was explosive and dominant. If that holds all year they are a deep team still and could go on one last cup run. maybe Talbot's injury in Ottawa slows them down though, that's possible. Rags look like they'll be better too. Their lottery wins look ready to break out.

He's still an RFA at the end of it in 2026 so they can shift some of Benn's money over to him at that point if he's earned a bigger payday at that point. Seems like a reasonable and fair plan.

No, Tage doesn't have to go the Chara route but he can be a guy nobody wants to mess with and he can jump in when needed. Because he's skilled you don't want to see him get hurt in a fight but you don't want to see him avoid one either. He just has to not get carried away with the excitement of the moment and remember how big he is to be effective. He can only lose by losing his footing. got to watch the clever smaller guys who will try to get in close and get him off balance. It's a skill like any other.

I love seeing a team mate come straight in to defend and Tage is big enough you don't need to worry about him fighting. This is good to see. If Tage has to be the guy doing this regularly he needs to work on his form and balance a little. Has the reach, needs to learn to be patient and not over extend. Just hold the guy off with one hand and then unleash that "shot" with the other. He will only lose fights if gravity knocks him off his skates.

Well as usual none of this was available to me so I have to just guess. I do like the Gordie Howe hat trick though. Been a long time since we saw that on the Sabres and it bodes well. Maybe the culture has shifted and this team will stick up for each other. Good to (not) see.

Defense should be better but the way Jokiharju has played so far I'm not sure. Goaltending is a big question but what concerns me most is center ice. Thompson converted is a solid 1C but after that we don't have a good center iceman on the team that truly measures up to what they will face. For this team to have any real success this year at least 2 of Cozens Mitts Krebs have to step up and seize the position. At this point I just don't know.