Drag0nDan

While i see what you're saying - the losing of the fan base didn't just happen because we hired Adams. It is more to do with the last 15 years of failures. As for finishing bottom 5 in the league 2 years in a row - yes thats bad. However this team also has the lowest payroll in the NHL. JB and GMTM managed to finish dead last with one of the highest payrolls in the league. Hell - Housley/JB finished dead last with Eichel, O'reilly, Kane, Okposo, lehner, and reinhart. As for hitting pegula in the wallet - the team has insanely low season ticket numbers. They also aren't giving away tickets to brokers to then flip for 10 bucks. While it inflated the attendance numbers it didn't really line the pockets of the organization. Adams has turned the team over to more of an analytics approach rather than a bunch of road scouts who were terrible at their job (a lot of draft mistakes in the last 10 or so years, and those guys were still getting paychecks). The team has been losing money since Pegula bought them, Adams helped lean it out a bit over the last 2 years. I'm not sure they should totally buy the vision - but you can't expect the team to be better when you trade the #1C #1W and #1D out.

He's certainly earned that right. and once anderson is back you can send tokarski down if UPL has become the starter.

He played over this year and it was probably his worst stretch of hockey under Granato. Aside from maybe the 1st period of the seattle game Time to make some trades and sign some free agents

I think UPL is playing pretty well at the moment. Tokarski has had his moments but occasionally he puts up a stinker as well. Dell is worthless and should be waived. Subban might be a capable backup or AHL starter. Anderson's availability is a big question mark. It's so in flux with injuries/covid, and buffalo spends such a pathetically little amount of money on it that I wouldn't really hate it if they brought him in tbh.

2 starts where he played fine - 2 not so fine but not inherently bad, 1 bad, and 1 where apparently he pissed off the coach since he was in there for 7 goals (which uhhh really screws up ur sv% in a 7 game stretch). The 7th game he made 6 saves on 6 shots in 13 minutes. He hasn't played in a month, and the last time he did he gave up 7 goals. He was also dealing with an illness going into that game fwiw, and you usually don't give up 7 goals on goaltending alone. 2 starts before that he gave up 5. The other 4 starts were... what most would consider adequate replacement level goaltending. It's not a crazy paycheck but a lot for a guy whos basically always been a backup and hasn't really been a starter for a full stretch. Considering buffalo has like 0 goalies for next year its not a terrible idea to have someone... anyone... under contract beyond this season. I'd just hate to whiff again and be left in this position again. On the other hand there is Dell... who has 3 games with save percentages above his average. None were starts, all were essentially garbage time after another goalie was pulled. When he's actually started his sv% is .850, and the GAA of 5.82. Subbans played one game and uhh it didn't go well either. Tokarski has been pulled twice in his last 5 starts.

never tell me the odds! I texted my friend who lives outside vegas to hammer that under.

Oh and Dell is terrible. Just shoot from anywhere. He has 0 fundamentals so everything looks difficult and easy stuff slips I'm all the time. They could've had 10 goals in this game.

They had a good game plan. Thompson line was stuck in the d zone all night. And we couldn't match that huberdeau line in the slightest with any line groups.

I've not read the repeated names. I know the FA market was crap, and the plan was likely ullmark. Who would you have pursued?

How would you have addressed the goalie situation differently?

Options for 2022? The team is in a serious goalie hole at the moment. Playing better in front of them helps make it a more desirable destination, but they need to add talent and evaluate this year to see about finding someone for the forseeable future.

Were 20 or so games in and it already looks like a better destination than it did during free agency. The eichel situation is settled, the teams playing alright and the pathway to #1 minutes is there if you can play well. Theoretically can use that as an opportunity to catch on with a playoff team. But who's even available?

I'd make the offer for khudobin or holtby. Send over hinostroza or a pick or something.

Methinks goalies didn't want to play here... and still don't.

There's more to center than draws though. Eakin is by far buffalo's best faceoff guy, but he's also their worst center. Seems fine - 12 points in 21 games. 1 behind skinner 😉

Perhaps he asked to lead the stretch? Its his first day on ice with the team, he probably doesn't know the players that well etc.

Eakin has been better this year (than the worst player in hockey seemingly) - but when you put him on an actual 4th line without line mates who can cycle well the offensive deficiencies are very apparent. That 4th line can't get the puck off the wall, and can't make anything of note happen in front of the net. Bringing in a big body with NHL experience could allow you to move eakin to the press box if he continues to struggle.

R2 wasn't playing well, let him try to find his game in the AHL again. Limited minutes on the 4th line weren't helping.

Yeah i tend to agree. Some kind of brand ambassador maybe but why would i hire a coach who's never coached? For the fans! We deserve better lol

I think you gotta try something. Tokarski isn't good, but he's at least shown some ability. He's a 50/50 proposition most nights, and most nights he doesn't kill you (obviously coming off his worst start of the year). Dell on the other hand... yikes. 0 confidence, 0 feel, always out of position, and sloppy as hell. A change needs to be made there - hes brutal. Whats dubnyk doin? does he wanna make an easy 750k to roll out there 20 times?

They have d-men who are good at taking the puck away. I shut it off at 2-0 but we were having trouble on the forecheck, and getting pucks in danger areas. Seemed like the line changes were even sloppy at times. They also got dominated on the dot.

Looks like Holtz most likely. Both goalies are under 21 and playing really well, but that'll be some time id guess.

After about the 10 minute mark, I'd say Buffalo's chances were better than most of pittsburghs. The first 10 minutes were just brutal. After that we kind of kept them on the walls and created some scoring chances.

If tokarski is the starter for this stretch - UPL should stay down. He needs to be starting the majority of games wherever he plays.

I guess? If all your season ticket holders are brokers then if/when the team is good, you lose out on money you could make with flex pricing, and the brokers make all the profit. They went to a flex pricing model instead of giving seats away. And I'm certain Delaware north makes a good chunk of the concessions.