JohnC

I'm not sure that is the case. There is no doubt that at this stage of his career he is a limited player. He's a veteran player who knows what his role is, limited as it may be. Some people have this fixation on Eakon as if he is a major drag on this team. I don't see it that way. He has a clearly defined role as a defensive player, and he plays within that role. And although some people are dismissive of his ability to win draws in critical situations, he's our best player in that role. It's probable that he won't be on the team next season. His life span as a hockey player in a long career is concluding. Although he may not be much of an impact player, he fulfills the role that he is assigned. I just don't believe that he deserves the scorn that he attracts here.

With his linemates he does contribute to making a good pressing and defensive line. When another's team top line needs to be stymied, this is the line that DG calls on.

As you seem to suggest the more important issue isn't the annual salary as it is the length of the contract. I wouldn't be reluctant to give him a 4 yr deal, but would prefer a 3 yr. deal. Because of our current favorable cap situation a 4.5 M annual deal would not be out of the question. If he has a torrid end of the season shooting spree the higher number might more likely come into play.

When evaluating a player over time you have to put the evaluation of play in context. Olofsson had a shoulder injury that required time to heal. During the healing process he couldn't work on his game. And even after he was technically healed and returned to play, he still was not able to work on his signature talent, shooting, because it would have aggravated the injury. So, to be fair in evaluating him you have to examine his play after being fully restored to health. My judgment about him is much more positive and a lot less hesitant in giving him credit for his current play. In my view his current play better reflects his capabilities than the play during his injured and healing period.

I'm not sure if it was in the postgame comments or in another interview but Granato said when discussing Olofsson and Mitts that their respective injuries even after returning to play were a factor in their play. He pointed out that each player had the type of injuries where after even they were considered healed, they still weren't able to fully workout. With Olofsson, that impairment was more evident, but with Mitts although he played hard upon returning the offensive rhythm was still off. She now can see it coming back. Is Mitts a #1 caliber of center? I'm more inclined to believe that he can be a very good #2. I have the same rating for Cozens. And I would add that in the near future Krebs could also elevate his game and be considered a #2C caliber of player. As you point that is a heck of a spine. And another positive aspect about these players is their flexibility. Krebs and Cozens have shown versatility in their ability to play the wing when called upon. So, having too many good players at center is not an issue I am worried about.

Next year, Quinn and maybe JJ will be added to the roster. More offense and scoring balance spread around the lineup.

In the radio postgame show it was noted that in the past 17 games the Sabres' record is 10-4-3. That impressive record was mostly against top tier teams. The Sabres scored 4 goals, and it was done by 4 different players.

I'm listening to the game. I'm juiced up!

The small print in the sign-up doesn't technically indicate a full slate. But the promotion indicates full coverage. It's deceptive. As it stands you don't know for sure if the game you want to watch is going to be aired.

It's all Bull crap! When you subscribe to get the full slate of hockey games for a particular team, you should get it. There are too many moving parts to each program provider. Just keep it freaking simple and give the full slate of games without any exceptions. It's a freaking hustle of the consumer.

Thank you for the info. You made my decision easy to make. I'll stick with what I got and periodically bitch about the situation.

Your take on Joki is very well reasoned. As you point out he is a very smart player whose game allows Dahlin to flourish. And you smartly point out that Joki is steadily getting better. For a young player, his instincts are superb. And he knows how to work with a dominant partner. That in itself is not an easy task to handle. He's a quiet player because he is so efficient and is willing to subordinate his game to his pairing partner. He needs to get stronger but I'm confident that he will. The organization has made a lot of bad decisions over the past decade. Trading him for Nylander ended up being a tremendous deal for the Sabres.

His reasoning might be very simple: It's what he wants to do at this time. Some students leave school or start school a year later as a gap year. And some students don't. It's simply a personal preference that entails little explanation.

Does ESPN+ show all the games? If they do I will drop Directv"s Ice Center next year and do what you recommend. I get tired of this squeezing the customer BS!

I have Directv's Center Ice package. Whenever I can't watch the game because it is on ESPN+ I feel that I have been cheated. ☠️

Organizations make decisions in their best interest. And players and prospects do the same. It's the nature of business. You simply adjust to things that you can't control.

When you take an overview of your extended list you can see positive signs in almost every category. It's not so much a great leap forward as it is a line of demarcation where the arrow of progress is pointing in the right direction. Not so long ago it seemed that this team was irretrievable stuck in the mud. That's not the case any longer. The team is starting to win and earn points at a respectable pace. For the most part, even when it loses you can see the how much more competitive this team was compared to the recent past. An example of that is the last Florida game compared to the pummeling of the first Florida game.

Power stayed another year in college when he could have gone directly to the pros after being the first pick in the draft. The extra year benefitted his development, not hurt him. I'm just amazed at the responses of fans after a player/individual makes a personal decision on what is the best course of action for his own career and life. It's his decision, and his alone to make. I'm sure he talked to people in his circle who he trusts (family, friends, advisors etc.) before making such an important decision.

Why is this a strange decision? He's a bright individual who enjoys the college atmosphere. No doubt hockey is an important part of his life. At Northeastern he will be getting a lot of playing time against the top college players. Although playing at the college level is not the same as playing in the pros (AHL or NHL) he's disciplined and dedicated to hockey where he can still work on his game. As with Power staying another year in college is not going to set him back in his career. It might even better prepare him for the pro game from both a hockey and maturity standpoint. He made a decision that he felt was in his best interest. Kudos to him.

An interesting discussion can be made of which of our centers would be most suitable for Quinn? My first inclination is Mitts.

In general, I agree with your response. It's very unlikely that this roster is going to be overhauled because as Okposo described how the roster is being developed: it is being done organically i.e. mostly by in-house player development. As you stated there still needs to be a couple to few key outside additions. The overhanging issue for me is how the GM addresses the goalie position next year and after. Will he expend resources for a major upgrade or will he continue on settling for a lower caliber option? Most top tier teams have that position secured; we currently do not.

Florida, Tampa, Carolina, Rangers, Boston, Toronto, Pittsburgh and Islanders are teams in the Eastern Division that are better than us right now and for the immediate future. As you point out this franchise still has a way to go to get to that higher echelon and pass some of these teams. Without good goaltending this team will be at best stuck competing for a lower playoff spot.

If Asplund is put on the Okposo and Girgs line, I see Girgs moving into the center position. I just see Asplund in a better light and a more useful role than you do.

The big issue for me is getting the goalie position fortified. Anderson is 40 yrs old and Toker is inadequate as a regular. Is UPL ready to assume a primary role in net? I'm not ready to say so.

I don't see Asplund as an expendable asset as you do. I think although he isn't much of a scorer he does drive a line. His style of play reminds me of Girgs. Not much of a finisher but plays a hard game that is an important ingredient for a successful team. There are players where their production stats don't reflect their value to a team. In my estimation he falls in that category.