Porous Five Hole

The injuries to the Bolts tonight might help the Sabres organization out. Rochester plays Syracuse in round two (round one, but there’s a play-in round in the AHL)…and SYR is the farm team for Tampa. If the Lightning need to call up Syracuse’s best forward and two best defenseman, that’ll help the Amerks out tremendously!

I appreciate the conversation. You need to give to get, and Casey has value being a center making $2.5M & coming off a nearly 60 pt season. Not to mention he is headed to RFA status, so future team control is also a bonus. There’s value in all of that. Not to get sidetracked, but I’ve said in the past that 1) Casey must have been pissed at getting injured last year because C1 was his spot out of camp and he looked primed to break out. Instead, Tage broke out. I also said this past season that 2) I’m heartbroken to discover that Casey has another year on his contract given how useless he was early in the year. So I’ve been high and low on the guy. Here is my take: Center is a position of strength for the Sabres, both in their current lineup and in the pipeline. Casey is third in the pecking order. It might hurt a little, but he is expendable. I am passionately unconvinced the last 40 games of this past season is now Casey’s baseline. But I’m happy for him. The Sabres NEED an NHL top four D before opening night. I think Casey can be a beneficial hockey trade. (I also like Krebs and would like to see him get more run and NOT on a fourth line…but that’s a separate convo and not directly why I’m ready to move Casey)

Anyone have Laurent Brossoit starting a playoff series for Vegas on their bingo card?

I would like them to comment on how dark they like their toast.

Also, the ownership group that employed both Botts and Karmanos are gone. The Pens are now owned by the Fenway sports group. It can’t hurt to be well-regarded by some in the Pens organization, but our guy has no ties to the current ownership.

You keep saying this like it is some accepted inevitability. It would be bad asset management. @dudacek already explained that UPL has value given his age, contract status, and salary. UPL is either the backup or getting moved. He’s not passing through waivers with our fingers crossed.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolschram/2023/03/15/nhl-commissioner-gary-bettman-outlines-path-to-potential-salary-cap-spike-for-2023-24-season/amp/ this article sums it up that increases are coming, but it isn’t likely to be next year.

Some notes and numbers for your consideration

Physique and skating will do wonders for his rebound control 🙄

He is Dixon Ward. 40-50 pt guy with some playmaking ability. The NHL game is still a little fast for him. Krebs has only dressed for the Sabres for 120 games. He doesn’t turn 23 until next year. I would give him some leeway. BTW, Peterka PPG% .42 Krebs PPG% .34 And Peterka saw PP time and a whole lot of second line minutes.

Minor nitpick that UPL is 24. Losing UPL to waivers is bad asset management. This is why a trade makes the most sense.

My bad, I thought you were remarking that about Casey.

I think the Sabres should consider it.

I agree with @GASabresIUFAN on UPL. He’s never been good. He’s not it. The fact that he made it through this season without an injury is actually a first for him. I saw too many starts for the Amerks where UPL just didn’t have it. While injuries hampered his games played and potential development, he wasn’t playing injured. I have room for Comrie to be in the mix, but I would be looking for a more established veteran for the Sabres…even if it means carrying three goalies next year (Comrie is very unlikely to clear waivers). UPL has been passed on the depth AND development chart. It is time to move him.

If the center spine is TNT & Cozens, what would an almost 60 point center making 2.5M next year to RFA be worth on the open market? Is that a top four D? I’m happy for Casey and I’m not adamant that he gets traded, but showed this year that 3C isn’t his peak. His value has never been higher. The Sabres also have reinforcements coming. Get me a D and set Casey free.

1 yr, 2 M Fourth line guy. This team is still very young.

I advocated for trading for him as a pure rental at the deadline to help the Sabres make the playoffs. No one seemed to agree with me. Bertuzzi was notable as the only guy who wouldn’t get the Covid vaccine, so he couldn’t travel to games in Canada. That did not help his reputation. He has also had some injuries.

Help me Devon Levi, you’re our only hope.

The organist at MSG played Sabredance for the defensive zone faceoff. After the quick whistle when Tuch took some dudes helmet off, the Sabres score on the next play. Sabredance is always good mojo!

Buffalo is on the road to take on the New York Rangers tonight, opening up the first of two back-to-back sets this week. The Sabres remain in the mix as one of four teams still vying for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. For their best shot at making the playoffs, they'll need to win all of their four remaining games to reach 93 points and then they'll need some help from the teams playing the Panthers (max. 95 points), Islanders (max. 95 points) and Penguins (max. 94 points). Following tonight's game, the team will head to New Jersey for a match against the Devils tomorrow night at 7.

Why have a little Bryson when you can have a Big Johnson

Sure. This team is not the 2023 Bruins. Was that what you expected when the puck dropped to the start of this year? To win every game they were “supposed” to? This team is clearly building to something bigger than a what we’ve previously seen, and I’m here for it. I’m sorry a 75 point team last year didn’t meet your expectations, but calling fans suckers for meaningful games in April is misguided.

This is true. I guess I was trying to understand why someone is calling fellow fans suckers for supporting the Sabres today. It just seems misplaced. Yes there were times the fanbase was frustrated, but the big picture is bright and colorful. With that said, like your style. I hope people haven’t ignored your posts.