RochesterExpat

We'd still find a way for every single one to be injured throughout the season.

Just to play the devil's advocate here, it's hard to justify revitalizing an arena with attendance numbers being what they are.

I don't see why Montreal gives up a first to move this contract unless I've missed something.

Yes and no. He noted he wants Anderson to return but the answer is up to him. UPL will be given his shot, but he's acknowledged multiple times there's going to be a veteran goalie with him, just not a goalie that's going to block prospects. I think his non-answer regarding Anderson was polite deference and we will likely hear about Anderson retiring this off-season. I expect GMKA to go sign a FA goalie to a one or two year deal because, as SDS said, he's pretty reliable on a does-what-he-says basis. I also think he's going to put the attitude of the goalie and his willingness to come to Buffalo ahead of any stat line and that may be why Sabres fans are disappointed. It's why I'm hoping they bring in MAF, although I realize this is unlikely. He's a locker room guy who would take a 1-2 year deal and he's not going to sign somewhere he doesn't want to be. That's the kind of "veteran presence" I expect GMKA to be looking for.

I’m old enough to admit I was one of those and I am more than happy to admit I was wrong.

Didn’t partake in the game day thread since it was a family affair and I’m not a big fan of using my phone when with family or friends, but my fiancée who has now watched two seasons of Sabres hockey remarked the team looked completely different than last year or even earlier this year. I don’t believe it’s hopium anymore. When someone who only watches hockey on occasion says that, it must be noticeable.

For the first time in a decade I believe this team has player-appropriate development at the forefront of the plan and not just a 'sacrifice everything to try and win' mentality. Quinn spending the season in Rochester after injury embodies that to me. I'm a firm believer Mitts was rushed into the NHL way too early and if he'd been allowed a full season in the AHL his track would be entirely different. Glad to see the team is focusing on development for a change.

Does anyone know why Stiven Saradyan's elite prospects page has him as a UNH commit for 2023-2024. Shouldn't it be the 2022-2023 season? Is he staying an extra year in the USHL? Taken from an interview with him last year: He still needs to hit the weights and develop quite a bit before we even potentially see him in Rochester, but I was looking forward to following him in the NCAA next season. Not sure why elite prospects has it reflecting otherwise. I haven't heard anything.

sigh

Did Dahlin say he likes horses during the player profile? Did I hear that correctly? I was only half listening.

I agree. I think they'll both be fine as 6/7th D, but keeping them together is just awful.

Bryson/Fitzgerald looked lost there

I’m really excited to see Mitts next year. This game he’s looked solid and he’s been more and more visible the last few weeks.

I'm in the same boat. I really don't care to hear about betting lines during the game at every intermission or during a break. It's just over-the-top at this point.

Part of it could be division play on top of Krueger. The East was absolutely brutal to play in last season.

I stopped watching the NFL years ago. Not for political reasons or anything--which is what everyone assumes now when I say that--but because the game is too slow and there are too many commercials. I don't believe the NFL is putting a quality entertainment product on the field anymore. I used to go to the same bar for every single game 8-9 years ago. It slowly started dropping off because the games seemingly took forever. Finally around 2018 (?) I remember watching a game where there was an interception in the 4th quarter of a tied game. The play was reviewed which itself took an unnecessarily long time. Then after the review it went to commercial break. All of the momentum from the turnover was gone by the time the next play was run 10 minutes later. Just seemed so pointless. It's why I can't stand to watch the last two minutes of an NBA game either. Anyway, after that I've watched two superbowl games, but otherwise haven't watched any regular season or playoff games. End of /rant. On second thought, that was around the time the Bills started winning and making the playoffs. 🤔 You're welcome y'all.

Says a lot about GMKA. Very welcome change.

I'm a believer that trade winners are determined by Stanley Cups. If Vegas wins the cup with Jack Eichel, regardless of Buffalo making the playoffs for the next 15 seasons because of the future HHoFer they're drafting at 16th this season, Vegas still wins the trade. If Buffalo wins the cup with Krebs, Tuch, and aforementioned future HHoFer, then Buffalo wins the trade. That being said, at least initially, this trade appears to have done more damage to VGK due to salary cap if nothing else. Next year will be a better tell.

I have a Bergeron jersey. You're not entirely alone. That being said, I'd like to see the Wild win. I have nothing against them. MAF is on the team. They've been fun to watch. And, with the dead cap from the buyouts looming, this might be their only window to have a real run for 3 years.

The VGK subreddit is of the opinion he's been playing with a broken finger.

While this is hardly a deep dive, I did pull up his numbers from this season because I was curious. His analytics don't match the eye test in my opinion. He doesn't look solid in net. That being said, of the 71 goalies to play 10 or more games, he's been middle-of-the-pack (although better than any of the three Sabres goalies to have played 10+ games) in virtually every category except rebound control where he is tied for 8th or so. Buffalo is at the bottom of the league for blocked shots and Seattle isn't a ton better. Buffalo goalies face more shots on average than Seattle. That doesn't bode well for him here. He was behind a Florida defense where he played some absolutely solid goaltending before joining Seattle. I don't know if I trust Buffalo's defense to make that big of a leap in a single year. If you lower the threshold to 9 games, UPL is a statistically much better goalie than Driedger. Of course, if you lower that threshold to two games, Buffalo has the goaltending God, Michael Houser, near the top of every category. So take that for what you will.

A man can dream…

I didn’t care about Eichel until he opened his mouth after the Buffalo game. Before that I was mad at VGK ownership for so blatantly circumventing the cap in a fashion only a Tax Attorney could approve of. Eichel and VGK management brought it on themselves. I’m also admittedly still bitter about them trading MAF and the circumstances surrounding it. Before Vegas even played their first game I bought a Golden Knights t-shirt because MAF is my favorite active goalie in the league. He’s hilarious and makes unnecessarily over-the-top saves reminiscent of Hasek. Not to mention he’s considered a genuinely good dude by pretty much the whole league.

The moral of the story tonight is I should really start betting on sports.

The game wasn't meaningful enough for Eichel