JohnC

It's the opposite of what I am saying. I'm not being dismissive of the utility of stats. What I am saying is that they don't always reflect the caliber of play. Stats are a tool to be used and not be chained to. They are numbers that without context (team play, injuries, style of play, tough scheduling, travel, back to back etc.) are not always illustrative of what the numbers indicate. The won/loss record is in itself a metric. I give great value to it.

The Sabres have put themselves in a position where they control their own destiny. Finishing out it's certainly going to be challenging. As others have said, we will for the most part be playing quality teams with more robust rosters. That's exactly where we wanted to be before the season even started! We wanted to be in the playoff hunt right up until the season concluded. Assuming there won't be a collapse, that's exactly where we are now. I'm hoping that the Sabres make the playoffs. But if they don't, this rigorous playoff run will help in the development of our many young players. Talking about playing under pressure has little to do with actually playing under pressure. Whatever the outcome it will help to make this a better team now and in the near future.

Ullmark certainly does benefit from the play of his mates. That's my point. The goalie stats don't necessarily reflect the caliber of play of the goalie. UPL save stat is yesterday's game was excellent. But collectively in other games his save stat didn't necessarily reflect the caliber of his play because of the loose play in front of him. My central point in my original post is that the most important stat over an extended period of time is the winning percentage. And on that score UPL is doing fine. He's far from being a finished product but he is an important factor in our wins.

The goalie stoppage rate doesn't necessarily reflect the caliber of defensive play in front of him. And that includes the play not only of the blue liners but also the forwards. In yesterday's game, UPL made a lot of difficult stops that aren't necessarily reflected by the stoppage rate. The Sabres game/philosophy is predicated more on its offense than defense. That's because of the roster construction. So, I still strongly believe that the stoppage % in some systems is less important than the winning %. Ultimately, that statistic is the most important statistic in all sports.

His conduct is typical Torts. The novelty wore off a long time ago. He's a bore. If he doesn't want to answer questions after a game, then let someone else assume that unappealing task (as others have said). Whether he likes it or not, it's part of the job. Contrast how he handles postgame interviews to Granato? The vagabond Philly coach is boorish while Granato, win or lose, acts with class.

What difference does the differential make? Don't get caught up in the statistical weeds. In the end it's all about the record. Statistical minutia doesn't always reflect the reality on the ice. I would rather have a goalie whose stoppage rate is 890% and whose record is 15-6 than have a goalie whose rate is 935% and record is 11-10. Just go out and win and the analytics will take care of itself.

https://www.nhl.com/standings/2022/wildcard

I'm with you that the organization needs to know what they have in Comrie. Anderson very well knew that his status could be very tenuous when he signed for the extra year in what he expected to be the start of his retirement. Anderson is a mature and supportive teammate. He's like an added coach to the staff. But as you noted the staff needs to know what his status will be for next year. It's not out of the realm of possibility that he could even surpass UPL this season if he gets the required playing time to demonstrate what he is capable of.

Some teams are rising while some teams are sliding. If you win the games that you have in hand the arithmetic will work in your favor. Let's stay in the playoff race up to the end and see how it eventually falls into place. https://www.nhl.com/standings/2022/wildcard

The sandwiches I eat can't be elevated. When you slobber the condiments on they can't be distinguished. It's called the concept of "quantity over quality". Pepperidge Farms can not remember me because I was never a member of that lofty community. I come from the peasant class. It is a class that I have never been able to lift away from because I have no desire to leave.

Nope! I'm an incontrovertible cheapskate. GO Generic is my mantra.🤡

I felt not signing Ullmark, even for the premium price that he was demanding, was a mistake. But from an overview standpoint, the GM and organization have been for the most part sound with their player and contract stances.

No. I use the cheap stuff on my sandwiches. 🤡

The reason why I lean toward my position is that when he reviews what blueline players the Sabres have on the roster and within the system, there is no question that he can have an opportunity to play here sooner than with any other team. Like you, I'm speculating.

I've said this before so excuse me for the repetition: When he becomes a free agent and is able to scan the whole market there won't be a better situation for him from a playing time standpoint and opportunity to be on an upswinging team. In addition, if you look at this team's style of play the emphasis is on skating, a talent that he excels at. There is a need and fit. Odds are that Portillo won't be here while Johnson will be.

I remember a time when KA was on WGR and was asked why he didn't re-sign Ullmark. He said that he and his staff placed a value on the player and weren't willing to go beyond the contract boundaries that they set. He pointed out that this franchise has gotten into a cap bind because it didn't have the discipline and fortitude to say no. He made the point that there will be players that they want to keep but based on how the operation was now going to function they won't be able to keep or pursue some players on the market because of the cost to value ratio. If you look at the contracts that have been given to Tage, Sameulsson and Cozens, these can't be categorized as outsized deals (like the Skinner deal) .They could better be described as fair-value deals. If you look at our free agent pickups such as Lyubushkin and Comrie they fall within the value approach to signing players. If you include the Jost pickup all these (ancillary) players are smart and cost-effective additions. My general point is that this franchise is being run more smartly and analytically.

There is no battle of wits. Do what you want to do. It's as simple as that. The world will continue to spin in its orbit.

Within this link is a 20 min segment with Shayna Goldman on Sabres Live talking about possible trades. It is rapid fire thoughts on possible trades. https://www.audacy.com/wgr550/hosts/sabres-live

I won't toot my horn. I will simply look over and pass you by. 🍷

Kyle O sounds as if he has front office potential when he decides to hang it up.

So are attitudes and perspectives. If you can't handle the arduous trip then wait a little longer and get on that bandwagon. It may be a little late but it's better than riding in the wagon when traveling over bumpy roads. To each their own! 🍷

I hope you are feeling better. Maybe another win Saturday will give you a boost.

Look back a couple of years ago during the dark Krueger era and consider where we are now. What a dramatic change! I went from tuning out and almost fully apathetic to now getting up in the middle of the night to turning on my computer to get the west coast score. It wasn't that long ago that the Sabres were unwatchable. Regardless of a win or loss there was little entertainment value. Now, the Sabres, although certainly not one of the best teams in the league, are one of the most entertaining teams in the league. There is a lot of discussion about the long and torturous road to travel in a rebuild. But as much as many of us complain about the excruciating process, the turnaround has been fairly short. KA took over and not only reshuffled the roster by trading away its old core, and he also completely rebuilt the organization from top to bottom. That's a lot of completed work in a short time span. I'm not going to be foolish enough to declare that the Sabres will make the playoffs this year. What I can say is that I'm very optimistic that the Sabres will be in playoff contention right up to the end of the season. That in itself is an accomplishment. Without a doubt going up is better than going down, and it is certainly better than being stuck in the muck of extended mediocrity.

As you seem to be alluding to the delivery of the product is rapidly changing. From a business and a financial standpoint it's a more competitive and complicated business world. As soon as things seem to sort itself out and stabilize then a new technology is introduced that alters the market again. The only constant is constant change. You either adapt or wither away.

No, they yell chickmate. 🤡