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JohnC

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Everything posted by JohnC

  1. Don't be surprised If you find some young adults wearing FBI wind breakers knocking on your door.
  2. In my original post, I said that there was a faction of posters who not too long age wanted to dispatch UPL. That is true. There was also a faction that quickly determined Power to be not worth his draft status and keeping. That is true. Are you going to disagree that there wasn't a clarion call from a number of posters who declared Mitts to be a bust? That is true. It wasn't too long ago that Cozens was also targeted of being a minor bust. That is also true. The same premature judgments applied to Bryson and Joki. My underlying point is that too often there is a premature judgment on young players. That was my basic point. With respect to not adequately acquiring a veteran goalie to become our starter, which goalies are you identifying who were available? There is no question that UPL is playing at a high level. But there are some underlying reasons beyond his individual performances that have allowed him to recently shine. The first reason is that our defensive unit has been bolstered with additions (Clifton) and now Byram. And credit should also be given to young players such as Power, Joki, Ryan Johnson. Bryson etc. who got better. In addition, our forwards are in general playing better defensively. If you want to talk about the preceding years, then go ahead. But this year, we started off with three goalies vying for playing time and roles. It took some time to shake out, but in the end UPL earned his #1 role. Prior to the season based on last year's end of season performance there was an expectation (by me) that Levi was going to win the starting job. He simply wasn't ready. I'm sure you disagree but in the end the approach that KA took worked out.
  3. There were zealots here who were arguing that he should be dealt for some retread on the market. When it comes to judging goalies, experienced or not, the best approach is to be humble. One year's Vezina winner could turn out to be next year's bum. I'm not in the column of those predicting that UPL would be playing at his current level for such a sustained time. The truth is no one was. It just seems that because so much frustration has been built over the seasons that it has resulted in people looking for instant cures instead of allowing young players to develop. That same impatience has also been directed towards players such as Cozens, Mitts, Power etc. Very often, trusting in the process takes a lot of fortitude and courage to simply stick it out and allow things to naturally unfold. And it should be understood that I'm not suggesting that little else should be done to augment the process. As it turns out, the GM who has very much been vilified, was right on how he has handled this particular goalie.
  4. Does your employer offer any help in finding new work? Or do they simply in cold blood issue the notice? As someone else suggested, don't be afraid to rely on your friends and work cohorts to give you leads to other opportunities. Wish you the best.
  5. People in general often get consumed by little things that in reality are simply life irritations. You are dealing with something serious that relates to health and life. Wish you the best.
  6. As you smartly point out, the Sabres didn't get frustrated not scoring in the first period. They stayed patient and kept at it. This team is playing with a lot more maturity over the past dozen games or so.
  7. In this NHL link is a recap of the game and highlights of some scores. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/
  8. As you point out, even when Benson was not getting points you can never say that he was a liability on the ice. Quite the contrary, as you noted he was driving the play and playing a very responsible defensive game. For a long time, he was one of our best players in giving us net presence on offense. Usually, young players fade as the season grinds on. He is getting better and better.
  9. Some quick thoughts on this game. I thought that Greenway played really well in the first period, also played solidly throughout the game. He's a big horse who plays big. He can't be moved. He's also a very smart player who although isn't the fastest player on the ice, he does have good anticipation and is positionally sound. Great value pickup. The Sabres were by far the faster and quicker team. We utilized those advantages. \ This was a game where it is difficult to single out any one player because collectively everyone played well. Both the defensive pairs and the forwards played a responsible defensive game without few lapses. No Sabre player in this game could be considered a liability. All our pairings played well and all our line were good. Benson is getting better and better. Cozens is playing well. It seems that he is out of his funk. So far the lines that DG has put together has worked. Skinner seems to play with a little more determination with his new line. UPL is playing to a high standard, his now usual standard. He is playing with calmness and is seeing the puck. Credit has to also go to the defensive pairs who are playing well in front of him and quickly getting the puck out of their zone. I liked Clifton in this game. He adds an element of toughness and grit to this unit. Both he and Greenways additions by the GM and an element of strength and grit to this team. I enjoyed this game. Over the past dozen games the Sabres have gone 8-3-1. Let's keep it up.
  10. All joking aside, I respect the members in the medical community. It's a tough and exhausting profession to be in. Gracias senor.
  11. I believe that Colorado's front office understood how good Byram is. They are in a position to seriously compete for the Cup. They made a deal that made sense for them by acquiring Mitts to address a need in pursuit of their high aspiration for this season. When you want to receive value, you have to give up value. This was a good hockey deal for each franchise.
  12. Using the perplexing logic that some posters advance one must conclude that Dahlin is a failure because he's no Bobby Orr. In the few games that Byram has played for us, it's evident that because teams have to account for him thus creating more space for the other players on the ice. It shouldn't be forgotten that adding him to the PP makes it much more potent. I do agree with @PerreaultForever that this new acquisition is more of an offensive defenseman than defensive defenseman. That's fine with me. Dahlin is our best defenseman. And being paired with Byram makes him even better. I don't want to get ahead of myself but this new duo could up to be one of the best pairings in the league in the not too distant future.
  13. Don Granato was asked on WGR about Quinn. He said that he was still wearing a boot. It's very doubtful that he will be playing this season.
  14. For the patient or the doctor?😁
  15. Do you tell your patients to do it again, and again, and again until I'm sure of what my finger is telling me? 😁
  16. I don't put you in the category of hating Power. Where I have a nuanced disagreement with you is that I have a higher opinion of him as a player now and projecting his play in the future. I'll even go farther in projecting that from a talent/salary ratio: I believe that in locking him up sooner than he needed to the GM will in the end have gotten a better contract deal than if he waited to sign him to an extended deal. We shall see.
  17. Every team is constructed differently. If our best players are on the blueline, they will consume a larger portion of the cap than many other teams. There is no question that in the future the front office will have to make tough decisions regarding who to keep and who to move on. That's true not only for hockey but also for pro football and basketball. I'm not worried about it. I agree with you that Byram is a top D talent. I find the possibility of him paired with Dahlin to be an exciting prospect. Potentially one of the top pairs in the league.
  18. There isn't a team in the league that doesn't have to deal with the cap. It's part of the business landscape that can't be avoided by an franchise. Different teams are at different stages of competing. So, the timetable to seriously address it is different for all organizations. Will the team at some point have to deal with that challenging issue? Of course they will, just like every other team in the league. So, what are you actually saying about the cap that is illuminating? Next season, Okposo, Olofsson and with the trade Mitts won't be on the roster. So some cap space will be available. I'm not concerned with the issue, especially recognizing that the GM, by locking up his top players sooner rather than later, has created my room to maneuver. If you want to fret about the future cap situation, then go ahead and do so. It's not an issue I'm really concerned about.
  19. Don't worry about his spittoon---worry about the shotgun he's got racked by the door to deal with the punks who get too close to his manicured front lawn. 🤡
  20. I respectfully but strenuously disagree with your assessment of Power. There is no question that he is not a banger but that doesn't mean (to me) that he is a soft player. As far as "could" be traded that description can be applied to every player on the team and in the league. People have different perspectives and evaluations on players. That's OK.
  21. The accumulated frustration has spilled over to the point that even when something has gone right, it can't be acknowledged. It has gotten to the point there is a reflective negative response to everything. The source of this negativity is understandable. Long-term losing and not participating in the playoffs for such a pro-longed period of time is exasperating, especially when you see so many other teams pass you by. What has made this year's level of frustration even more intense is that the expectations were high after coming so close to making the playoffs last year. Will the Sabres make the playoffs this year? It's a very daunting task where the odds are against it. However, it the team plays well, I will celebrate it. And when they don't it is fair to criticize. But it has gotten to the point where the successes can't even be acknowledged by some of the inveterate critics. Not only is that a sad state of affairs but it also spoils the atmosphere in the room for others.
  22. I have a different view on Power and his style of play. You are absolutely right that he is not a banger. However, too many people get caught up with his humongous size and make the assumption that it should translate into a more physical style of play. That's not his game and will never be his game. He is a smart player (for his experience level) who is for the most part good at positioning. He's not the type of player who is going to knock a lot of players out of position. This big guy can skate and he is steadily widening his game on offense. I politely recommend that you wait a little longer before making a judgment on him. In my opinion, he is going to be a gem.
  23. What can are we kicking down the road? There is an irony that you complain that we are not talented enough, and then complain that when you do get more talent that it is too burdensome to keep. You seem to be the type of guy who complains when getting up and then complains when going to bed. Sheeeeeesh! Why in the world would the GM trade Power? What he has done over the past few years is assemble enough talent (still young) to put together a top tier blueline. On top of that, that unit now has sufficient depth to absorb injuries. Our young goalie is playing at a surprisingly high-end level. He is currently supported by a young group of blueliners who are playing in front of him. Why would he trade a goalie like Power who is steadily getting better and will become one of the better defenders in the league. I just don't understand the logic of assembling a roster with the desire to then disassemble it. All teams have to wrestle with the cap. It's a challenge to do. The advantage that our GM has is that he has locked up his top talent sooner to get a discount rate. (For some, not you, he is criticized for it.) Because of these early signings he will have a little more room to maneuver when forced to decide who he can keep, and who he will be forced to move. I agree with you that at some point the will have to decide who to move out and who to bring in. But that's the cap conundrum that all teams have to wrestle with. I'm confident that Power won't be one of the players who will be moved because he will be one of our anchor/essential players that we will keep for a long time.
  24. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/ Within this link from the NHL.com you can get a game recap, scoring clips and player interviews.
  25. Some quick thoughts on this game: I thought Greenway had a good game. Nothing fancy about how he plays. He's a big strong dude who plays like a big guy. Our GM has received a lot of harsh commentary this season. His additions of Greenway and Clifton were solid. He needs to make a few more similar transactions this offseason. I thought Power played a solid game. Nothing fancy about his play but efficient and smart. The Sabres were out-skating Detroit. We were faster and stronger. UPL played another good game. What's so impressive about his extended play is his consistency. Just think, it wasn't too long ago that there was a loud chorus for us to jettison him for any retread goalie on the market. The moral of the story is to show some patience when dealing with a young player Bryson and Olofsson were also players that a lot of people were screaming to get rid of. We are at the minimum getting some utility out of them now. I like how Benson plays. Even as a youngster his instincts are exceptional. He's also a tough little bugger. The HC has mixed up the lines quite a bit. So far it is working. Byram is good. The GM made a good and impactful deal for us. I thought he over passed on the power plays. What was impressive about the Sabres in this game was how hard and fast they were skating. When the play went the other way that quickly got back and swarmed. Our team defense has been superb over the last dozen games or so. A good win at home. Fantastic.
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