PerreaultForever

A dismal but perhaps fitting end to another season of futility. If that was his last call, Sabres couldn't even give poor old RJ one goal to do something with. Seems to me we give more players their first NHL career shutouts than anyone else. (and end goalless draughts for opposition players on other occasions) If they don't make some big changes I think I'm done.

Oh come on. Being a last place team means you have a roster of rubbish nobody wants anyway.

Unfair as it might be, Jack will always be looked at as not as good as McDavid. That "2 generational players" thing was hyped up so much it resurfaces easily and often.

Oh of course it is, and this thread isn't the place, but if you objectively go through the rosters player by player you will see we are very far from them.

Well, simply because he was our top line guy with Eichel and Sam. So we're an entire line away from matching them.

Houser's lucky streak certainly over. He was downright dreadful. otherwise, this was like watching a preseason game that doesn't tell you much about anything. Waste of time.

It's time. Great career, good memories, but he makes a lot of mistakes now and you can tell the energy just ain't the same. All things must pass.

Well, I enjoyed watching the Rangers/Caps game. It was kind of dumb and definitely slapshot, but I was entertained. That's all.

He's dull dull dull, but he's incredibly flattering to the team and I don't think ever criticizes their play even when it's horrible so the team/ownership probably loves him. Biron is the only guy imo worth anything.

Might it also tell us how very far away we actually are from competing with them since Hall is a mere second line cog there?

I only wish that were true. Watching the Bruins, he's a completely different player and has jelled perfectly with Smith and Krejci. He's been so good in fact, DeBrusk is struggling to find ice time playing on the 4th line with Lazar. Lazar, is exactly the same as he was here. Massive amount of energy and absolutely no finish around the net, but still a very effective and cheap 4th liner.

I voted 26-22 and considered that optimistic.

Covid hit them far worse than us (or any other team) and they've pretty much thrown in the towel with that. They have a bunch of games with Calgary at the end and they will be meaningless and pointless for both. League should just cancel them as there are no fans in Canada anyway.

Well if I was Seattle I wouldn't but maybe some people you're reading know better. Contracts (presumably you mean spending to the minimum cap level) are pretty easy to get in a variety of ways. Lots of teams always looking to dump people and they can also nab any number of FAs themselves so I don't see the logic in that. Unless we protect Bjork I see him as the man they'd want as he fills a variety of possible roles, is young enough to still improve a little and he was a Bruin longer than a Sabre (part of a winning culture). But you never know.

Rangers showed why they will be a much better team than we will be next season. Team is bonding. It might be Slapshot, but it's also team character.

I'm pretty much old guard myself, but it's not the Panarin injury for me it's the punch to Bushnevich that deserves the suspension imo. Glove on, punch to the back of the head, player's head meets ice. A punch to the back of the head (a defenseless player to use their terms) has been suspended many times in the past. He's a repeat repeat offender so he doesn't get the didn't mean to accidental excuses. He willfully punched the guy's head from behind his head. Punching a guy with your glove on deserves a suspension. Punching a guy in the back of the head deserves that suspension increased substantially. I'm old guard and hitting is fine. Face to face willing fights are fine. Defending yourself is fine. Back of the head is gutless goon hockey and has to be punished.

Come on Skinner, do us the same favour. https://www.nhl.com/news/milan-lucic-waives-no-move-clause-before-seattle-expansion-draft/c-324346824

Anyone else find it odd they gave Gostisbehere 2 games for his little frustration shove on Friedman the next day after giving Wilson nothing?

That's way too much hate. Maybe that's the core of the Buffalo culture problem. Hating others instead of making yourself enviable (and thus the subject of their hate). Drury was a great Sabre. We could use several of him now. They didn't value him enough to retain him, that's on them not him. Now Taylor Hall, you can go on hating him all you want 😉

The Drury hate is sad to see. I wonder how this might affect any potential Eichel to the Rangers trade scenario? Other than that, not concerned in the least about the Rangers. Good for Drury. I'm sure he gets a solid pay cheque now.

I would be really surprised if Miller is taken by Seattle. I think they would take Bjork or Thompson or Borgen ahead of him and at least one of them is likely exposed.

This is personal narrative pushing nonsense. Are the Sabres soft? Absolutely. Does anyone think Bryson should fight Wilson (for example) absolutely not. But should we have people capable of taking him on? Absolutely. If we do not address the softness issue it will become our achilles if the day comes that we get skilled enough to actually win games and have opposing teams take us seriously. It is far better to build with that element as part of the roster so that the team bonds and players feel secure and get braver.

$8 million might get you the goalies, and that's about it. Have to wait and see I guess.

I actually knew this, hence the smiley. There's absolutely no question he is currently the Sabres best player. Is he playing for the contract will remain my question however, until I see his play after it's signed.

So the follow up question is do you (they) have enough money for that wish list without trading away one or more of Risto, Eichel, Reinhart? I don't think they do, and they need money for Dahlin etc. This is part of the problem with dumping a huge contract Reinhart's way. Too much money spent on too few. Otherwise I don't really disagree with the idea. Just don't think it's possible without changes.