IKnowPhysics

No need. The brim of the hat does that when we hang our heads in shame.

No reason to stop the party. These hats are perhaps more relevant now than ever.

In case anyone thinks these are new, btw, they've been around since summer of 2019.

I mean, it takes remarkable courage to do what everyone in franchise history knew better not to do: put the B and the S next to each other.

It's perfect. I love it.

Incorrect. First, ABC is the national broadcast partner for ESPN (as they're also owned by the mouse). Second, the speculation in the article says that the deal with ESPN is not an exclusive deal and that at least some broadcast rights are expected to be sold to a different carrier. The NHL knows that viewers = growth = sponsors = money. They're going to have nationally broadcast games. They're going to have games on cable providers. They're going to have games on regional sports networks. They're going to have games on streaming services.

My first post in this thread was moderated into oblivion, so here's the kiddie version.

This could be interesting. Not necessarily good, but interesting. I feel good about Cozens. I feel bad for Rieder.

"... mentions Sam Reinhart's name." Or, you know, the best performing forward on the team this year, which among the only few functioning player assets, would be ripe for the vultures' trade offers. When a team loses as badly as this, other teams' GMs smell blood and go for the throat. Sam's not untradeable, but he's also our best player right now. Can you improve the team by trading your best player? Strongly depends. Takeaway: KA needs to exercise extreme caution if trading Eichel, Reinhart, Dahlin, and probably Risto.

Narrator: It did not start this afternoon.

Good presser. It's good to hear verifying testimony that the GM's extremely pissed, completely empowered, and seeing the same problems as the rest of us. It also sounds like the GM's constantly working solutions and is being proactive going into the trade deadline. He knows, probably from his player experience, who is willing to do the job and who isn't. I can't get a good read on what he's thinking on Ralph- they need to work as a team so he won't throw Ralph under the bus, but he's also constantly evaluating Ralph's performance (which can't be good for Ralph). I think he's atrributing the failures more on the players than the coach, but I think he's keeping his criticism of Ralph to himself and weilding the team's performance as a the metric. If KA is as pissed at it he wants us to believe, I think we're looking at significant player trade (not Eichel) and a possible, but not certain, coaching change. To that, I think he may trade players pre-deadline and give Ralph a renewed trial period with the new players until the end of the year.

This is pleasing. JJ gets tonight and likely at least one of Saturday/Sunday (unless Tokarski is called). More importantly, it means we likely won't see Hutton more than once against NYI, if at all.

For all the pissing and moaning about ownership, do not overlook the most important contribution from the Pegulas: financial stability and keeping the team in Buffalo. That said, I expect that they could retain majority ownership and still make that contribution.

Tought to say. Likely not. Irwin is not an NHL-grade defender on any sort of contending team, based on his positioning, skating, and shooting, but would probably be excellent in the AHL. It would be debatable if Guhle would be excellent at the AHL level. It'd be different if Guhle were 20 years old and had a potentially higher trajectory.

Anaheim simply has younger, better defensive prospects that need ice time in San Diego. Guhle is 25 years old with 0 points in 5GP for the Gulls. He suffered a fluke MCL sprain in January, which I expect he's just recovered from or is still recovering from. Nonetheless, his ceiling is a 3rd pair D and requires substantially more development to get even that far. Anaheim is passing on that investment. If he clears waivers, Guhle could look for success with another AHL team or perhaps try the European leagues. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.anaheimcalling.com/platform/amp/2021/1/9/22221706/anaheim-ducks-brendan-guhle-out-6-weeks-knee-injury-injured-reserve-ir

Cozens, for his energy and proclivity for goals and scoring chances, has not shown to be great yet at preventing chances. Putting him on a checking line when we need 5v5 scoring is, to me, in the same vein as putting Skinner with Lazar in line four. Not necessarily because of his fight, but rather his team-leading 5v5 GF/60, I would have considered giving Cozens some time with Eichel today.

The Sabres (6-11-3) start a three game road stand at the Islanders (12-6-4), including today (Thursday), Saturday, and Sunday. Sabres are 0-3 against NYI this season and have been outscored by a combined 9-3. NYI is 4-0-1 in its last five games. Must win.

First goal: Second goal (2:34) Third goal (5:55)

After Ryan Lindgren made the mistake of asking an eager Dylan Cozens to dance and getting his mouthpiece ejected last night, Cozens deserves his own thread. Cozens' postgame cites his upbringing in Whitehorse, Yukon as a driving force in his work ethic: He's the first Yukoner to be drafted in the first round (2019, 7th overall) and only the fourth ever to be drafted. In juniors, Cozens played for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL, serving as captain during his final year, in which he recorded 38G 47A 85P in 51GP. This gives Cozens an NHL equivalency of 41P in 82 NHL GP. Cozens has played 15 of the 20 Sabres games this season, but despite only scoring 3G 1A 4P in 15GP so far this season (82GP pace of 16G 5A 21P) and playing mostly being centered by Staal and Eakin, it's easy to see his potential. When Cozens gets ice time, his 5v5 GF/60 is the highest among Sabre forwards at 2.81GF/60. He shoots the puck (5v5 CF/60) more than any Sabre outside of Taylor Hall. If Cozens had played Jack Eichel's 277.6min of 5v5 ice time (opponents, linemates, and usage notwithstanding) as opposed to his 170.5min, Cozens' goal scoring pace would have already have him at 13G (good enough for 3rd in the league currently) and be on pace for a 60G 82GP season. Understandably, Whitehorse is going bananas for Cozens as a Sabre. And we should be too. He's a bright spot in a dreary season.

Exactly why this is *****. Hutton is objectively bad.

I simply don't know how you do more of the same and expect it to work better. It's lunacy. And now you rest Cozens, say on morning radio that you expect a big game from him, and then stick him with Rieder and Eakin.

Lots of things not to like there. Hutton, Skinner on 4th, Cozens on 3rd, Okposo not on 4th, Miller on 3rd pair. Upsides: Irwin out.

Krueger on WGR this morning. https://www.radio.com/wgr550/sports/sabres/krueger-we-need-to-get-some-gritty-goals Bits: -Cozens in tonight, was seated to rest, and is expected to be strong tonight. -Krueger is still making reference to not being able to tell "everyone on the outside" about something with Jeff Skinner. Says Jeff is being very professional about his benching, and while Jeff may not embrace the decision, Krueger says communication is clear and honest, and Jeff understands this "disruption" is helping get Jeff to where he needs to be. -Said "there's no 4th line" but confirmed he has been playing Skinner with Lazar to get Skinner matched up against worse D pairs. Sees Jeff getting lots of chances and is waiting for the "waterfall to break open." Acknowledged Jeff is a "classic 5v5 scorer." -Understands why Eichel seemes frustrated. Expects everyone to be frustrated with where the team is, especially somone that competitive. -Does not see a problem with goaltending. Thinks games are close and putting a lot of pressure on the goalies, but the overwhelming team problem is 5v5 scoring, and Hutton and JJ played well enough. Acknowledged Hutton is a leader on the team. -Needs to find ways to open up the 5v5 scoring without opening up the goals against.