Porous Five Hole

Bjork is a scratch…what the??

I don’t think it was always quite this way. I think it has gone from 65/35 to 95/5. Remember when Schoop & BD used to broadcast live from the arena on game days? Remember the weekly chats with Darcy & Botts during the afternoon drive show? Schoop was (and maybe still is) a season ticket holder. But like a lot of us (I am an ex-holder), I think he’s made it clear over time that he became disillusioned. It was a lot more hockey-centric in the past. However, I do agree with your overall point that it has always been Bills first. It has just multiplied due to the Bills success and Sabres ineptitude.

I’ll be there. Eff everything about the Crunch.

Old friend Bogo going hunting (NSFW)

I’m fine with your response, and I tried to come up with GA 5 on 5, but struck out. I think there’s a demonstrable difference in this team’s five on five play v PK, but I cannot produce analytical results.

They have to fix the PK. It is sixth worst in the league.

So Krebs has three points in 19 games this year…not sure where you’re getting the pointless in 30 games remark? While he’s a net negative player right now, he looks like he is working hard. He back checks with urgency. He’s only played 80 NHL games in his three pro seasons combined. Krebs has 26 points in those first 80 games (along with 25 AHL games, 25 pts in those games…35 games, 36 points if you add the Amerks playoff run last year). He’s a very young player. People are way too hard on the guy who has the equivalent of one NHL season under his belt in his career thus far. The Sabres believe he needs to develop his game at NHL speed. I’ll defer to them on that. For reference, Cozens scored 51 points in his first 120 NHL games (not cherry picking 120…that was his first two NHL seasons combined—Covid shortened year one). Would anyone be shocked if Krebs accumulated 25 points in the next 40 games to equal Cozens point total at the 120 game mark? Ok, I might be…that’s probably slightly out of reach, but what about 15-20 points in the next 40 games this year? That’s totally achievable. That doesn’t put Krebs far outside of what Cozens put up. Let’s take it easy on the kid.

While I would like to see that, it’s wishful thinking. Mid-season goalie trades almost never happen. Maybe a trade deadline deal could happen, but if the past deadline is any indication...it isn’t likely. From memory, the only goalies dealt were MA Fleury (unlikely Buffalo fit) and Wedgewood (pass). The goaltending will need to be addressed in the off-season and KA needs to get it right.

I thought about this…am I overreacting to wins over Detroit & SJ and just wearing rose colored glasses? And I’m an optimist by nature. I will admit that the eight game cooler frustrated me as much as any pessimist. But as you said, a step is super relevant in a development year. I also see a forward step. A top line and a fun line. A future 1A & 1B defenseman. It’s a long season, but the sun is bright.

I appreciate the observation. I choose to hope.

Nice observation. I just made my own thread highlighting this in my own way.

Dahlin and Tage are automatic all-stars. If the NHL still held a young stars game, all of Power, Quinn, and Peterka would be invited. There’s loud banter about locking Cozens up long term. The Sabres are 8-3-1 with Mattias Samuelsson in the lineup. They were 3-10 without him. Development is painfully slow and the Sabres are close to the youngest team in the NHL (certainly the youngest if you exclude their backup Anderson). No one on this team has to wear the failure of the Sabres current league-record missing the playoff streak. Please keep that in mind. The Sabres are on pace for their best offensive season since 1992-93. https://t.co/nmh7MOvAbU And the Sabres have a boatload of cap to spend to keep and acquire. We all want the playoffs ASAP. And there are messes to clean up (goaltending). But it’s time to stand down on the demands of immediacy. All of the young guys playing up a role from where they “should” be will pay long-term dividends. Time to watch the growth and enjoy.

I’m tagging you to not lose sight of my Power observation in a thread about the entire league. I am thinking that Dahlin and his slow, but recent meteoric growth has taken pressure off of Power to be elite immediately. I can easily see local fans fans say, “lay off the guy because look at how long it took our other #1 overall to be elite.” This case in point should give Power a lot more room to develop without the microscope that Dahlin dealt with. That’s a huge plus.

I don’t think cocky is the perfect word. They will both fill out their six foot frames eventually. Peterka has more potential snarl in his game (he was very effective in the playoffs for ROC last year). While no top six forward on this team is a prototypical power forward on the wing, JJP is unafraid on the wall and below the goal line. He could grow into a snarly role. Quinn has the tools to score 40 in this league. There are league-wide examples of snarl and that kind of snipe, but it’s pretty rare. I’ll take his goal scoring and speed as the hard to play against metric with him. It’s easier to add snarl down the line than it is snipe.

You serious, Clark? If it is in the middle of the field, it’s a catch. Poyer regained control of the bobble without the ball ever touching the ground. Touching Poyer on his way down changes things? 😂

You should have highlighted that I said the rule is stupid. Please let me provide my opinion for you to debate (or not), rather than try to re-read the rule to me: it's a stupid rule and three-feet in should = catch.

I’m just saying that the pass catcher had two feet down in bounds. And the ball never hit the ground after the fact. Seems like a catch to me. If the rules still state otherwise, then the rule is stupid because it only applies to the sideline.

I think my gripe is Poyer had complete control in bounds with two feet down. Surviving the ground is just stupid to me. Maybe if he lost the ball completely and it touched the ground I would understand. But a bobble and re-grasp just seems like it should be okay…as it is in the middle of the field.

The Poyer non-INT call really bothered me. The ball did not survive the ground doesn’t make any sense. If Poyer caught the ball in the middle of the field, bobbled it, and regained possession without the ball touching the ground, that’s an INT. Poyer had two feet down in bounds before the bobble and regained control without the ball touching the ground. Am I the only one who thinks that should have been an INT?

Pats post game radio show (Weirdly it’s on here on WHTK 1280 in ROC). First minute. “They are who we were. And we are who they were. It took a 60 MPH wind game to beat this team once in three years. The Patriots have no answer for the Bills.”

I’m not saying you’re hating on Vanek, but this does read decidedly negative. Can you shed any light on why you feel this way on Vanek? He has become a regular on the after the whistle podcast, and it’s clear he has a good rapport with peters, rivet, and gionta. It seemed he was well liked as a teammate. I remember him as a core piece (for 50M, you better be). I remember his injury in the playoffs (eff you Boychuk) sunk the series for the Sabres. Leading up to that slash, the Sabres were up 1-0 in the series and I think 2-0 in the game. They lost their best player.

I was just thinking about this. During the off-season, I had advocated signing Jack Campbell. That hasn’t worked very well for Edmonton so far: WINS-L-OTL: 7-5-0 GA/G: 4.04 SV%: .875 Further, Holtby retired. Murray nixed the Sabres trade. Kuemper came off a cup win and it was reasonable to sign with a contender. Francouz and Korpisalo ended up re-signing with their respective teams. And Husso was a trade rather than UFA. I agree with you that KA has tried…it just hasn’t been the fix we were all hoping for.

Quinner with the winner. I could get used to that.

Save percentage of .868 Also, somehow the guy is already 28 years old.

I’m ready to. KA gets another kick at the can this off-season to fix the crease when Anderson retires. UPL until Levi is ready is absolutely not an option.