Ctaeth

Last time VO looked serviceable 5v5 was when he was playing with Mitts/Jost last year (imo). Maybe pairing with Jost will help reignite something in VO? One can hope. Regardless, Tuch will likely send VO back to the pine whenever he returns.

amerks are going to be really fun to watch this season. enough NHL caliber talent that you would expect them to make it at least as far as they did last year in the playoffs (conference finals, I believe)

Was at the game today. Amerks were far and away the better team. First goal by Rousek was a very pretty short handed goal, fought off the defender hanging all over him during breakaway and then somehow beat the goalie. One of the Laval goals was really fluky, hit Cooley's helmet (?), bounced off the wall behind the goal right to the front of the goal where it struck a Rocket player in the leg and fell into the goal... Like how unlucky can you be?

what is this bruin's schedule to start the year? Chicago x2, San Jose, Anaheim x2, Nashville, LA

they've played decently the past two games. even though they didn't win this one, you're going to win these sorts of games more often than not playing like that. not worried

so that's what samuelsson's goal song sounds like 😄

keep it up. one will go in

Glad to see they made this official. Wonder how Mrs. Craig Anderson feels about this. Time to make the move to Buffalo permanent craig and fam!

These Thursday evening games are killing me. Can't watch tonight, but hopefully sabrespace's collective willpower will propel them to victory!

The first line if they don't start scoring! 😄

If that's the case (which I hope it is), I wonder how they would adjust the rest of the lines with Jost coming in? Makes it a kind of interesting puzzle with Jost only having played center (as far as I know). I'm assuming they don't want to mess with Greenway/Mitts/Benson or Skinner/Thompson/Tuch (yet). I'm sure there's more, but here's a few possibilities off the top of my head: 1. Move Krebs up to the Cozens line & move Jost to fourth line center? 2. Move Jost in directly for VO to the Cozens line (either Cozens/Jost kicks out to wing) 3. I could even see them moving old man Okposo up there to the Cozens line and keeping Krebs/Jost both on the fourth line with one of them kicking out to wing.

It is kind of a no-win situation. Play him, and your team is likely worse off. Bench him and you kill any trade value he might have. So, to me, it comes down to which of the two situations is worse? IMO, playing him seems like the worse situation because of how important this year is perceived to be by everyone. If he is costing the team on standings, I don't think you can continue to play him.

did i just hear "it feels like rangers-sabres"? 😄

I would in a heartbeat. Sign me up for Savoie, Kulich, Rosen... honestly anyone. I feel like a broken record complaining about Olofsson, but I just don't think he is a good fit on a team that is already defensively challenged. He exacerbates their already bad defensive issues. I suspect this version of the Olofsson experiment is an attempt to jack up his trade value prior to attempting to trade him when Quinn returns. Just like with UPL, I think they might be better off just cutting bait since their value is minimal anyway.

looked engaged finally

Coming into this thread not having seen the game:

Going to miss this one. Really would have been nice to see the opener, but just isn't gonna work out. Let's start it out right boys!!

Thanks for embedding it. I think about this video now every time Joki is mentioned

seems like an appropriate place to put this: https://twitter.com/23sabres/status/1700619582635921762?s=20 since I apparently suck at getting this to embed...the title of the video is "Henri Jokiharju highlights except it’s just him spamming point shots into shin pads"

1. Sabres win and point totals: 97 points, 44 wins 2. Do the Sabres make the playoffs and if so how far do they go? first round exit vs top seeded Devils 3. Team MVP: Dahlin 4. Team ROY: Levi 5. Most Improved player: Comrie 6. Team leader in goals, assists and points Goals: Tage, Assists: Dahlin, Points: Tage 7. NHL Award candidates (Norris, Vezina, Selke, Calder, Richard, MVP etc)? Any winners? candidates: Richard (Tage), Calder (Benson). Finalists: Norris (Dahlin, wins), Calder (Levi) 8. How many players score 10 or more goals? Who? 13 (in order of most to least): Thompson, Skinner, Tuch, Cozens, Peterka, Mittelstadt, Quinn, Dahlin, Olofsson, Benson, Krebs, Okposo, Girgensons 9. How many players score 20 or more goals? Who? Thompson, Skinner, Tuch, Cozens, Peterka, Olofsson (if he isn't benched/traded), Mittelstadt 10. Does anyone from Rochester get callup and stay with the Sabres (such as Pominville back in the day)? Negative 11. Which Eastern playoffs team (s) miss the playoffs and who replaces them? Out: Tampa/Boston. In: Sabres/Ottawa 12. Stanley Cup champions 2023-24? Edmonton 13. Other predictions you'd like to share? #1: Eastern standings: 1. Toronto, 2. Florida 3. Ottawa 4. Buffalo, 5. Boston 6. Tampa 7. Detroit 8. Montreal. Sabres, Tampa, and Boston battle it out for the last playoff spot. #2: Olofsson will be traded when Quinn returns. #3: Benson will stay w/ the Sabres the entire season and be in consideration for the Calder. #4: Comrie makes the team over UPL and both Comrie & Levi are above .900 save. #5 Cozens looks better defensively and becomes our faceoff ace w/ a percentage above 50.

There's zero evidence that savoie is ready to handle the NHL yet. I think the kid is likely to be a solid NHL contributor eventually, but it doesnt have to happen until he forces his way onto the team with his play (much like Benson appears to be doing right now). We have way too much depth to necessitate putting savoie on the team prematurely

If I was a betting man (which I am most certainly not), I would take that under for boston

I'd like to see literally anyone but Olofsson up there on the second line. I am defining "anyone" as anyone from those last 2 lines (Rousek-Jost-Biro/Murray-Kulich-Rosén). I just don't think the guy has it to be honest... but would love to proven wrong.

I think this is why they are showing interest in zegras and Kane. Not because either is a good move for the team, but because the team needs to sell tickets

Didn't get to watch this one, but the reviews of Comrie seem to be good. Sounds like the pieces are falling into place for Comrie to be the second goalie. I would bet they will give UPL another chance this preseason, but at some point I think we will have to cut bait & send him down.