Digger
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Posts posted by Digger
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Apparently moving into Gabriel Landeskog's neighborhood (with almost the same address) helps.
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The kid has a personality which is refreshing for interviews. Good character. Lots of talent but his ceiling is still to be determined. He'll have ups and downs this season just like the other young players.
I like him on the wing this season. I liked him with Cozens and would like to see if there's a match playing on a line (Krebs Cozens Quinn).
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UPL is an RFA and needs a new contract doesn't he? I wonder what contract he's looking for. I'm a bit surprised he hasn't been signed yet.
Maybe he'll be a hold out (since this is a speculation thread).
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He's a depth signing obviously but I did like him when he last played for us. I would imagine he'll play some games this season. Good signing.
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19 minutes ago, Weave said:
Absolutely. And I don’t know how it could be even remotely debatable.
It certainly got a lot worse after that season (Kane and O'Reilly traded for futures, drafted 1OA (Dahlin), Berglund didn't want to be here, etc. etc.) Maybe it's just perspective but we hadn't really seen how bad it was going to get.
I don't care about Peterson. I was using him as an example. We need to do our best to get our prospects (like Portillo and Levi) signed and playing in the organization because a lot can change in a few years.
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2 hours ago, Weave said:
Was the idea that Peterson didn’t have a shot at #1 as his reason for going UFA anything other than fan speculation? If we are keeping with speculation, I’d say the more likely speculation is that he saw how much of a train wreck the organization was and wanted out at the first opportunity.
As far as Portillo’s motivation, I don’t buy that it has anything to do with Levi. I think Levi was targeted in the Reinhart trade specifically because Portillo wasn’t committed to the Sabres. I don’t buy the “he doesn’t have a path to starter” motivation either. Has a college center ever gone to UFA becuase they didn’t have a path to the top 3 lines? Has an NCAA D ever gone to UFA because of a temas defensive depth? I’m certain the motivation lies elsewhere. No idea what it is, but given the turnover on NHL rosters, I doubt it was due to the lack of opportunity to be a starter.
2 hours ago, JohnC said:Your first paragraph repeats a commentary that Marty Biron made when discussing Peterson's decision to become a free agent and sign with another team. He pointed out that there was a recognition by everyone in the business that the Sabres were in a state of disarray and was a franchise to be avoided if possible. He also opined that Peterson would not have succeeded here not because of his talent level but because at that time this franchise was in a situation where players could not succeed. Most people believe that the organization has been has stabilized and is functioning as a normal and competent franchise.
Okay (insert whatever reason you want) for Peterson not signing but if he had stayed he would be the best goaltender left standing and most likely would be the starter last year. Feel free to debate his talent but he would be better than who we have right now.
My point is that the Sabres don't have a clear #1 or really even a clear #2 goalie right now. Yes we have players under contract but in my opinion it's wide open for competition. It's a great opportunity for Portillo, Levi, UPL, and Comrie. Do your best to sign and keep them all until we know who's the best options.
Are the Sabres still a franchise to avoid? I hope that they have demonstrated in their development camp and team culture that they are ready to step forward. Portillo hasn't said that he would not sign so I choose to think he will because the opportunity with the Sabres is very strong.
By the way, in 2017 when Peterson chose to sign elsewhere we had Eichel, O'Reilly, Reinhart, Kane, Okposo as well as Lehner, Johnson, Ullmark in goal (Ullmark only played 5 games). Were we really considered a team in disarray that season?
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1 hour ago, JohnC said:
An interesting debate could center around the question who one would prefer having in the system next season between Portillo or UPL? The UPL durability issue really concerns me. I wouldn't be surprised if Portillo exercises his free agent rights and moves on to another franchise.
There's quite a few opinions saying that Portillo won't sign with the Sabres. One of the reasons that Cal Peterson did not sign with the Sabres was that he did not think he had a clear shot at #1 because we had Lehner and Ulmark in front of him in 2017. Things change quickly and I still say that both Portillo and Levi need to put in the work to win a job with the Sabres. UPL will determine his future with the Sabres this season in my opinion. There's great opportunities for any goalie prospect to come in and I would much rather have a competition for the spots.
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I really don't know what to expect for Comrie.
He's in a better spot than UPL to play in the NHL this season. He does have some talent. He's put in his time in the AHL and had some time as an NHL backup. The interviews that I listened to shows that he has a great attitude and that's generally pretty important for goalies with the mental aspects of the game. He knows this season is his year to get a shot at being a #1 which is great for him coming into the season. The thing I worry about is health. Can he stay healthy? Can he manage the heavier workload if Anderson can't play as much or gets injured? If UPL starts playing better then that will relieve some pressure (in that event).
Goal is still a weak position for the Sabres this season. I'm on board with hoping it goes well but the plan B is still pretty weak if Comrie does not rise to the challenge.
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UPL was pretty good in the OHL and WJC so I believe he has the talent. He did have hip surgery in 2019 and I wondered if that may have slowed his development for a bit. That being said I don't see that as his current issue.
I think he will develop this year. I am hoping that Comrie and Anderson can stay healthy so that he stays in Rochester for the majority of the season. It's a important season for him and I'm sure he realizes this. So cautiously optimistic that he develops and is ready for a bigger role with the Sabres in 2023-24.
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55 minutes ago, dudacek said:
Also going against the grain here: hockey fans often make the mistake of conflating being a dick with being a competitor and that has made Matthew Tkachuk among hockey's more overrated players.
Don't get me wrong, he's a heck of a hockey player, easy 1st-line talent, but I'm pretty sure Matt spells team with an "I".
There's a fine line between being a shift-disturber and an asshat, and Tkachuk is on the wrong side of that line more often than the Hockey establishment would have you believe. He does what he wants, how he wants and when. He's just as likely to pull his team apart as he is to fire them up.
Do you think Matt had anything other than his own best interests in mind when orchestrated his way out of Calgary and into a warm-weather, low-pressure tax-free state as quickly and as profitably as possible?
You think it's a coincidence that this 70-point player turned into a 100-point player during a contract year? Or that he hit those heights playing with one of the league's best-puckhandlers and one of its better 2-way centres?
Eight years is a long time time. I'm betting it's not going to take long for reports of friction to surface in Florida. Of course, it will be spun as Matt ridding the president's trophy winning team of it's "country-club atmosphere."
As I said earlier, he's a heck of a player and I'm sure he will make our lives miserable many times over the next 8 years.
But I wonder when people are going to start asking themselves what has Matt Tkachuk ever won?
Both Matthew and Brady have been major pains to their teams (Calgary and Ottawa) during contract negotiations. I really don't know how they are as teammates. I liked both during their draft years and would have been happy to have the Sabres draft either of them, but I do agree that they come with some baggage that may affect the team.
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https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/flames-jonathan-huberdeau-agree-to-eight-year-84m-extension/
Good for Calgary (at least off the start). Let's hope he stays healthy.
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1 hour ago, Doohickie said:
I'm going to add to the predictions: Comrie will turn out to be the best goalie the Sabres have had since Hasek. Deep run in '23, Cup in '24.
I love your bold predictions (very positive) but this one on Comrie cannot be ruled on in just the 2022-23 season regardless of how he plays because it would take multiple seasons to make the statement that he's better than Ryan Miller. Remember you titled this "Bold Sabres Prediction for the 2022-23 Season".
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I'm just waiting to see who identifies as a vulture.
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3 hours ago, Flashsabre said:
Klingberg to Anaheim. 1 year, $7 million
I thought he would have got a better deal for more years. I'm not overly impressed with Anaheim's roster still. I guess you have to sign quick before the money is all tied up with other players with the Cap.
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What Sabres prospects are expected to play in August in these games? I looked for rosters and didn't see anything updated.
I assume Power and Savoie are not playing?
Rosen, Nadeau, Kulich, Östlund, Bloom, Lindgren???
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Great interview. He's always so authentic and refreshing to listen to. Great guy to have on the Sabres with the young players.
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10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:
Oh I'm not saying it wouldn't be a good idea, it's just something that hasn't been done, they've been treated as free adults, like me and you, and I think there'd be push back from the players if they were not given freedom.
Are we free adults? During our working years (if working for a company) we have to be careful with what we say comments, politics, opinions, even driving habits if we're driving a company vehicle. Same goes when traveling and off site. We are employees of the company and represent the company and are judged accordingly if we don't line up with expectations.
I know this is somewhat off the original topic and not meaning to criticize your comment at all but the players need to meet the expectations of the IIHF and specifically Hockey Canada in these cases being brought to light. I would think the same would extend to any team the players are playing on (minor, CHL, College NCAA, NHL). What's tolerated and what is put in place to ensure that things don't go wrong (education, discussions, code of conduct, etc.)
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1 hour ago, That Aud Smell said:
Holy spit - this is from the same year that the Flames did theirs as linked above!
Thanks to that video I didn't do drugs or drink......................where's my Sabres Stanley Cup boys?
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8 hours ago, Taro T said:
The thing that doesn't make sense, and is what Hockey Canada should be held accountable for in these situations is, how is there no adult supervision / chaperones at these things?
You allegedly have 6 players involved in the 1 incident during a 2 week long tournament and allegedly 8 players involved following a gala dinner in the other. Understand that these are very YOUNG adults, so technically they can go on their own and allegedly do something this stupid, but these are short showcase events where the majority of players are far from their homes and in a party/ charged environment. How does nobody that gets paid to put these events on stop & ask the question "well, what could possibly go wrong" letting a bunch of high school/ underclassmen aged "men" go off on their own. Don't they have curfews? Curfews aren't placed only to make sure the players are ready to do their job in the morning, they're also there to keep them from doing something really ####ing stupid they probably wouldn't do on their way to lunch in the light of day. And professional sports teams have curfews for players when they're on the road, this isn't an outlandish thought.
This isn't a frat or a bunch of buddies deciding to take a trip to Ottawa or Montreal for a weekend only to have a party get out of hand (which would be bad enough), these are Hockey Canada / IIHF main events w/ all of Canada & parts of the world watching. These players are going to these on Hockey Canada's dime & are in a role to be ambassadors of sorts for their country & their sport. How the #### does somebody who wasn't literally a kid less than 2 years earlier pay attention? How do the organizers just let a herd of players go off on their own at night? (Presuming that's the case, if these incidents occurred right in the hotel rooms they raise other questions.)
And before the Liger or others accuse yours truly of excusing the players, am not doing that. Don't know the details of the allegations so have no comment on the acts other than if they did something illegal (and in at least 1 of the situations it seems that if they did what's alleged they did commit a crime) & the statute of limitations hasn't expired expecting they'll be punished.
Great post. I started writing some of these points last night and erased it as I didn't feel I could get my points across.
In my opinion we can't really comment much more on the past events unless more facts come out. But the WJC (postponed from Dec / Jan 22) is scheduled for August. What can the IIHF and Hockey Canada do to help prevent this from happening again? They don't need to have all of the answers but it would seem wise to start with something like curfews, code of ethics, consequences, etc. I know it's not that simple, but start to make positive changes.
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I had to laugh at one comment made by Bill Zito in the Florida press conference introducing Matthew Tkachuk today. He called him a unicorn. Wait that's what Mike Peca said about JJ Peterka (no one like him - a unicorn).
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Treliving says the deal with Florida was by far the best available. Seems a little bit surly in the interview but he's defending the Flames franchise and the city of Calgary.
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1 hour ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:
Seems that Huberdeau has already stated that he will not sign an extension, but that is questionalbe reporting at best (some guy on Twitter).
As stated in the not dedicated thread ... Florida will rue the day they traded away Weegar come the 2023 ECF or SCF.
T for H is a wash right now, but the 8 year extension will benefit Florida in as early as a year from now.
Win now mode. They better hope that T is their Butch or Ronnie / Ulf.
17 minutes ago, Curt said:Was reported not just by some guy, but by the After The Whistle podcast account. Thats Andrew Peters and Craig Rivet.
MacKenzie Weegar is also Craig Rivet's cousin. Not saying that was the source but Rivet might have some insider info on this one.
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Tkachuk - at least he wasn't traded to the Blues. I think Calgary did the best they could given the situation. I'm surprised that Huberdeau has already said he won't sign an extension but I'm sure it was quite a shock to him that he was traded and feeling that Florida was on the brink of breaking through. Will be interesting to see how this plays out now.
I agree that Florida's defense looks like it could use some help.
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2 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:
What is this…speculation?
no, trade posted on Sportsnet.
Top 5 moments in Sabres history
in The Aud Club
Posted
Thanks for the memories. I forgot about that one until I watched the video.
Barnaby the disturber. May was pretty tough. Loved Trefilov coming down. Derek Plante thinking......why am I on this line?