That Aud Smell

Fair deuce.

Eff the effin' Sabres. What about us?

Understood. I'm not sure what you'd have the players do during a bye week that they specifically bargained for in the most recent CBA. This down time is designed to provide the players with some distraction from the season's grind. Anyway. It's mid-February in Buffalo. What would be better for someone's overall mental health? Staying in town, ordering all your meals out, and playing a bunch of X Box? Or going somewhere warm and sunny for a few days? I'd take the latter. <><><> Also: Bailey and Rodrigues recalled (again). Grant sent down. I can't recall what this might indicate for the roster's overall health.

why? i can imagine some reasons for not liking it, but i don't think any of them are particularly good ones. ew. and i'm pretty sure the old time sabres had enough coin that they could find sex workers a cut above those who used to prowl chippewa. one practical question: are the players going directly to colorado? or do they have to return here, and fly out on a team aircraft?

Ahhh, gotcha. Okay. I think that's not a totally unfair take. I think Eichel is locked in with a floor of being a top-10 1C throughout the prime of his career, and maybe with some extra time of the front and back ends. I think his ceiling is top 10 player in the world. He very well might get there.

Wut Ah, got it. Tyler Ennis to L.A. Lulz.

Aye and oy. Be well.

Bruh. ... Bruh. ... BRUH.

Yes, yes, yes. How could I omit that? Expectations are often ehhrrthang in life.

The perception of Eichel as anything other than special, borderline elite young player is, IMO, a byproduct of two things: (1) the current system (and Brian Gionta can take a hike with the talk about how all systems are the same) and (2) the inability of his teammates to capitalize more consistently on what he creates (sometimes that means finish, but sometimes it just means taking advantage of space).

Hainsey's name always makes me ask: How is his hockey nickname derived? Does he have to be Hainzer?

I know that name from a song by a band I like. Anyway - what gives? No vague-spacing allowed here. This is it for me exactly. And I've been going for a few months now, so I think I've made it a routine. And yet ... I would like to get there. The main problem, for me, is the rising time. If I'm going to get my workout done, I need to get up before the chickens. I think that's really the part I hate. Oh, snap - it's the dude from Blind Melon?!

My sense (eye test!) was that he had a very good game against St. Louis.

Yep. I'm not sure anyone's doing it - hopefully not - but it's right sh1t when I see output like that decried with words to the effect of "wow - you sure have a lot of time on your hands." Like I said, I'm not saying it's happening here, but you see that sort of thing on teh interweb from time to time. Following hockey is more than idle pastime for some (it's almost only that, for me (this board pushes it beyond that level)); to many it's a true hobby. People nerd-out on their hobbies, and it's awesome when they do. I haven't even had time to read all of Flagg's most recent Eichel exposition. On that subject, there's a microstat guy I follow on Twitter, and he dissected the Buffalo-St. Louis game. I thought it was insightful stuff. Here's one of his graphs: Oh, and the fact that ROR carried the puck into the O-zone ONCE could be further proof that he's playing injured. Or it might be proof that he faithfully plays in Dreary Dan's system.

So good.

^ Seemed as though PA would sometimes take things to heart around here. I never accepted - much less understood - the notion that he was somehow a net negative for the board. And I say that as someone who, on more than a few occasions, muttered epithets at him as I typed a reply to some provocation he seemed to have blithely planted in my path. Once again: That short story about Lindy, game 1 of the 2006 ECF, the Cup, the orderly, and the ring. http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/3508-lindy-at-103/ Anyone who creates and shares that on a message board is on my message board team for life.

That was deft. I feel you, Blue. I feel you. I mean that literally, btw.

Not at all. You appropriately qualified what you said - that you watched for a bit, and he was quiet. He's just such a frickin' talent. He can go a long stretch like that doing nothing, and then end up with 3 assists. I watched about half of that game on a stream I picked up - and, man. That was fun hockey.

(Hahahaha - just realized, we can sub/dub out "Frodo" for "Jack", and "Sam" still works.)

That's a game effort on your part. Sorta like what you always get out of Toews, and mostly but not always get out of Eichel. /flees //covers head with arms

Just saw that Matthews had 3 assists.

Toews can still play the hockey, evidently. Hat trick and 2 assists tonight.

Timed to coincide with season ticket renewal mailings that are going out his week.