Porous Five Hole

I know this is a game thread, but the Amerks have too many vets on D to have given up the second most goals against in the AHL. ROC is now 11-5-2, and have a winning percentage of .667. The teams sandwiched around them in the GA category have a win percentage of .389 & .412. This organization needs to figure out how to systematically improve team defense. The Amerks are giving up more than four goals a game on average.

Guys, I figured out the problem. Matty Ellis hasn’t told the team that they’re allowed to win more than one in a row. Someone get with Rob to have the conversation.

@Buffalonill Here we Gooooooooo -your boy Dak

Weave helped me out. The poster I quoted lamented that the Sabres didn’t draft Leon. Leon was solidly the consensus #3 at the time.

Homeboy was fired and the NHLPA didn’t contest it. That speaks volumes about whatever happened.

This is hard to argue. Mitts is earning it. I’m just looking at five years from now and I also expect the majority of the fanbase to hate my opinion. I just think his production can be equaled with a combination of Benson, Savoie, Kulich, Rosen, and maybe others…within two years. And at a deep discount to buying out Mitts upcoming UFA years.

Yea I feel that. The outlook for me is locking up Mitts for five years and getting his solid 70 pt production at a substantial UFA cost isn’t the best long term plan. It’s best for the next two years, but is it the best for the next five? That’s really murky. He might be blocking guys who can replicate that production. I’ll reiterate that no doubt investing in Mitts is for sure the best plan to make the playoffs asap. That might be the goal for some. But getting Mitts to re-sign past his last RFA year is going to be very expensive and the internal pool is deep. I’m looking much more long term than playoffs asap when I consider Mitts next deal.

Hey, I’m not a super poster, but I’m around a lot. You and I didn’t agree on UPL, but you were never disrespectful to me. No angst, and you’re looking like you were correct. I also was happy to follow along your home improvement upgrades. I’m glad to hear you’re reflecting, but you good, fam.

I understand both points. Only want to add that GMKA is very close to his team. He will reward his own if it’s warranted…it is his preference to build from within. So what I say next might be irrelevant. With all of that said, I lean toward Freeman’s thought. Casey just turned 25. Buying out a bunch of his prime UFA years will be very expensive. Can’t that production be replaced with spreading it out with the touted prospects making their way to the show in the next couple of years? I think so. With Tage healthy and Cozens going and the commitment that has already made to each, putting Casey on a top six wing role or 3C isn’t a good use of cap dollars. Yes, 60-70 points is a lot and spreading out the production of 60-70 points to guys on their ELC is a risk. But there’s a lot of high end talent coming here soon. I’ll take that risk along with the corresponding cap flexibility (to also help cover said production…with a lot of extra dollars to improve the team offensively & elsewhere at the same time). Yes I realize this won’t be popular right now.

Reino was the consensus #2 by all accounts and draft resources. Hindsight is the only reason to lament the pick because Drai has dramatically outperformed his draft status.

Something to note: Patrick Kane relocated to Detroit to play for Honeybaked during the 2003–04 season (and lived with Pat Verbeek). From there, Kane rebuked the OHL and instead played for the United States National Team Development Program(NTDP), which was based in Michigan until 2006. So he could have been in the OHL for two years, but instead chose USDP in Michigan. He went to the OHL in 2006 and was drafted in 2007. Michigan is/was a home for him and he chose that again. It’s reasonable.

I’m not trying to take this personally because I live in Rochester, but have you been to Grand Rapids lol

SabreSpace meetup at the Blue Cross Arena? Friday Dec 8 is their next home game.

Listen, I’m happy for his play in Buff this year. But he only earned an NHL recall because of injuries and his AHL numbers were trash. Let’s not extend his opportunity right now to mismanagement or something else. He’s seizing his opportunity, but he’s defying all odds right now. I hope it continues.

Respectfully, UPL is an anomaly right now. He has never been “it” in Rochester. I’m happy that this anomaly is occurring, but it was not foreseen by anyone. With that said, I am rolling with him.

Our only NHL line was dominant tonight: [Shayna] With Skinner-Mittelstadt-Tuch on the ice tonight at 5v5, the Sabres had the edge in shot attempts (20-4), scoring chances (8-0), and goals (2-0). Earned 98.8% of the xG share, per Natural StatTrick. Can we tip our cap to coaching tonight?

I just wanted to roll with UPL in Washington and you talked me down. Not anything personal. But with UPL’s performance tonight, I was thinking that was an error.

@Taro T, you need to jump on this bandwagon.

Aves beat Tampa, Ottawa gets shut out by FL, and the Jackets beat Boston. Good night for scoreboard watching in Buffalo.

Let us not forget how crucial this save was to get two points tonight. The Rangers PP goal happens either way. This save is the difference between a tie game and not a tie game. He might have a horseshoe up his azz on this one, but this team needed it and 401K came through. Just calling out that I wanted UPL for the next start and you were all over me that it should be Levi. Maybe you were coming from where you thought the Sabres brain trust was coming from, but UPL should have been given the crease for the Caps game (his lateral movement be damned).

In the third game in four nights. Just like the Toronto win. I’m not insinuating youth is the way, but the biggest wins YTD have been the third game in four nights. Maybe a coincidence, but weird and I’ll take it.

Buffalo sports fan needed this one. The next home game isn’t until Sunday, but the vibes have me scoping tix available. I’m happy for you because you’ve been saying it all year. And I’m happy because they won!

I’ve posted more than a few “UPL ain’t it” posts the last 12 months. He’s earned it and I’m happy to be wrong.

Levi to ROC for as much work as possible and it’s UPL’s crease until he goes cold.

You read my mind 🍻