That Aud Smell

^^ Innerressin'

The NHL factoid with which I've been obsessed the past couple weeks is something to the effect that all but 1 or 2 of the top-15 paid players in the league were out of the playoffs post-round-1, or something like that. The implication being: The better model is to avoid relying on superstars (or carrying superstar salaries), and build a team that's more balanced. Now don't go and get @PASabreFan started

I saw a clip of Feliciano on someone's podcast (YouTube'd) - he was laughing about it - saying "iron sharpens iron" and that he's just working to make Epenesa a better player. What an absolute character Feliciano is. I feel like he's sort of an underrated persona on that squad.

I remember when the Sabres beat the Canadiens in a best of five and ... Sauve? .... had back to back shutouts. I may misremember that a bit. Anyway: It was AWESOME. My childhood memory is that the Bills couldn't beat the Dolphins and the Sabres couldn't beat the Canadiens. Until they both did, in meaningful ways. Oh for the days when Buster Barnett blocked that field goal in the Orange Bowl. Anyway, I'm with those who harbour a special fondness for the Canadiens. Of course, I feel similarly about the Leafs (although not as strongly)

This made me chuckle

Hmm. I don’t think so. I think the writer has made am erroneous inference.

Re-reading the post, I’m now seeing how this guy makes leap after leap of unsubstantiated logic.

Thanks. Here’s the link to the write up. It was like a needle off a record, as the rest of the post seems fine. https://blueseatblogs.com/2021/06/05/friedman-sabres-might-punt-eichel-to-another-team-trade-discount-incoming/?amp “From what is being reported by people outside the team, Buffalo doesn’t want to pay for the surgery. It’s tough to fault Eichel for wanting the surgery, as it has had good success in other patients. Buffalo doesn’t really have a medical leg to stand on, as NFL players have returned to play following the same surgery. What the surgery doesn’t cover is if this is a degenerative issue. Since I am working off Google, I’m not going to speculate on anything regarding degenerative disc issues. I’m focusing solely on the herniated disc treatment only.”

There’s a Rangers blogger who wrote that the issue is that the Pegulas don’t want to *pay* for the surgery. That guy’s an idiot, right? The issue is *how* to treat the herniated disc, full stop. Right?

I’ve had a fair amount to drink: Eichel’s reaction might have been snowflake stuff. Hey, Jack: Save the drama for your mama.

I’ve been assured that that incident represented a necessary test (assessment), not an attempt at therapy or pain relief. The fact that it pained Eichel was a bad sign.

Fair deuce. But if we have a D that boasts a DPOY candidate? Only marginally better.

Lord almighty - I'm gonna say: If Tremaine were to win DPOY (or just be in the running) and the rest of the team were to mostly hold serve, the Bills would have a better than 50% chance of beating the Chiefs and winning the Super Bowl. I'm a little worried about Star's status. We need a big fella in the middle to let the linebackers roam more free.

Nah, I'm good.

I never got the sense that MSM treated it as an outrageous theory - just one that wasn't substantiated by the science and facts. That said, there may be people within the federal government (maybe Fauci among them? I have no idea) who have some serious 'splaining to do.

I heard someone on the radio talking about how another major hockey organization - the IIHF? - has a rule that prohibits checks on players with whom you're not presently engaged, or something like that. I wonder if that sort of rule will come to the NHL. I know that many heads would ahs-plode if that occurred.

I can't get past the hockeybuzz association. (E5)

The rule book defines charging as involving distance traveled, not when you stop skating. Scheifele had ~175 feet prior to that to build up speed.

Not unfair.

Given the speed and strength of the modern player and game, the Scheifele hit can't be treated/coached as legal or even on-the-edge-desirable. There's no longer any place for it, IMO. I agree with the Tweet that @Thorny embedded upthread -- going that sort of distance to obliterate a guy is reckless and irresponsible. Not for nothing, if Schiefele had actually been intent on preventing the goal, there was, I think, a better way to defend the play (stretching/laying out with your stick, attacking the puck). It looked very much like Scheifele figured he was getting a free shot to send a big message in a long playoff series. That stuff's gotta go. From the comments to the Tweet above. I think this is exactly right.

Baffling. Repugnant. Shameful.

This conversation arises here from time to time. Born when I was, raised where I was, I always had a passing fondness for the Leafs -- the Sabres were my team, but the Leafs were reliably on HNIC. On the other hand: There is something to this. And there's irony in that. My experience with going to games/concerts at the Scotiabank Arena (formerly the ACC) is that the crowd there can be quite corporate and largely dull -- this is especially true for concerts. The folks who can't/won't get into that arena seem to pour over the border and into Buffalo -- and, as a group, they are neither corporate nor dull.

Good tidbit - thanks for posting.