Marvin

This was above and beyond. You greatly exceeded expectations.

I have to give you a special kudo for this. Just brilliant.

Welcome back!

Sat Sri Akal!

I don't have ESPNU.

I need to hit a bar then.

We could really use two guys like Lydman and Numminen for the next few seasons. But until I can believe in the goaltending, I think our ceiling is limited.

Egad. That does not make sense. IMHO, he clearly violated the behaviour clause of the SPC.

Just curious: if some team before 16 wanted to trade that pick for 16, 28, and 41, how high would it have to be to consider it? Who would have to be there? And would you need at least 1 pick after 41 to consider it?

Agreed on basketball. Any low cost sport has a chance to go global. Field hockey. Baseball. Handball. And so on.

Seconded. FIFA and the IOC are on their own level of soulless corruption. I hate them for contaminating sports I love.

My experience with the goalkeeper getting checked is 50 years old, so it is definitely out of date.

Maybe now, but it wasn't then. If your goalie wandered out of the crease and held onto the puck too long, a regular body check was expected. I, as a defenceman, was expected to be a "safety valve" to be open and easily accessible to my goalkeeper when he had the puck. That way, he would not feel the need to hold the puck for long. The only time a fight broke out is when your goalie got run without the puck or in the crease. Then all hell broke loose.

Once upon a time, goaltenders who played the puck outside the crease *were* fair game. I don't know when the rule changed.

One very poignant moment was the moment of silence while the arena announcer said the names of all the victims of the Tops shooting.

I got that way about baseball. The 1994 strike and the move of the Expos killed my interest in MLB. I still go to Bisons games.

I watched every game of the 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, and 1994 World Cups. I went to WNY Flash, Buffalo Stallions, and Buffalo Blizzard games. Does that count?

IMHO, anyone under contract with term should be considered unavailable. If GMKA was unwilling to pay last year when we needed goalkeeping desperately, then he won't do it now. Can we maybe sign or trade for people to nudge them out of their jobs? Sure -- but at what price? Until this team gets real goaltending and threatens the playoffs, the Sabres will need to overpay for players like Girgensons and Okposo. This team is still young and needs veteran players who are always diligent and never take short cuts. That's not even counting how much credit they got from Tuch, Krebs, et al. for keeping things positive and teaching players to hold each other accountable. This latter point can not be emphasised enough: that is what winning teams do. And Krebs and Tuch would know. If those two see the right habits from Z and KO as they saw in good times with LVGK, then both Girgensons and Okposo clearly have value this season and beyond. And If the both get $2-3M contracts for next season, that would be cool with me.

Let's Go, Bandits! At the game.

I think you grossly under-estimate the value these two have. Early in the season, they were the only truly consistent performers of all the dirty jobs that teams need to be successful. Late in the season, even players like Skinner had upped their games in doing these dirty jobs. IMHO, the team was more successful at the end of the season in part because it took on the attitude of Okposo and Girgensons. Signing them to reasonable short-term contracts is in the best interest of the team while the young guys mature into seasoned veterans.

Welcome back! You need to know that I have a troubling theory that GMKA does not value having a clear #1 goaltender as much as most do -- especially me -- because he was on the Carolina team which won a Cup with rotating goaltenders. For instance, I personally have signed Ullmark when Kevin Adams first became GM to stabilise goalkeeping in the short term. For another, I would have paid the higher prices for goaltenders during the COVID season. I personally fear GMKA will go dumpster diving for goaltenders again and that he over-values UPL. I would have tried to find the good, reliable, medium term goaltender before last season. All 6 of the goalkeepers we had would have been fine as back-ups or in an emergency, but none should have been #1. (Aside: I think Houser deserves a better shot to climb the ladder if injuries strike.) Don't get me wrong: I can see what people like about UPL and Subban. But I would want someone coming in over them next season who is a clear #1.

Welcome!

Maybe the Rangers' success will force GMKA to value goaltending more -- preferably like I do.

The fault starts with XGMJB for using Casey to see if he had a ready excuse to move ROR.

This is so true. If Ristolainen drove you nuts, then Zadorov will do so as well. They have very similar flaws.