The Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023: First Round GDT

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, French Collection said:

Montgomery may get the Adams, Bergeron may get the Selke and Ullmark may get the Vezina. The team won the President’s Trophy but it is still feels like a failed season.

The downside to chasing team regular season records.  Most of the top teams take their collective foot off the gas once they've locked their spot in and get ready for the post-season.  But when you're chasing the past, you don't get out of that full-on mode.  Don't know that's the reason these record setting teams tend to go out so unceremoniously and early (that 16-0 Cheatriots team being a notable exception blowing it in THE final matchup), but suspect it's a significant portion of it.

[French Collection]

Just now, Taro T said:

The downside to chasing team regular season records.  Most of the top teams take their collective foot off the gas once they've locked their spot in and get ready for the post-season.  But when you're chasing the past, you don't get out of that full-on mode.  Don't know that's the reason these record setting teams tend to go out so unceremoniously and early (that 16-0 Cheatriots team being a notable exception blowing it in THE final matchup), but suspect it's a significant portion of it.

Tampa learned their lesson chasing the President’s trophy and getting swept by Columbus. They throttled back and won two Cups plus another final.

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

I would not have cared if we got killed, my point was that  I wanted to see how far away we are from being a playoff ready team. Now we have to wait another year at least.

It still would not have been a good measuring stick. The Sabres were pretty beat up at the end.

[PromoTheRobot]

23 minutes ago, French Collection said:

Montgomery may get the Adams, Bergeron may get the Selke and Ullmark may get the Vezina. The team won the President’s Trophy but it is still feels like a failed season.

Postseason awards have already been voted on, yes?

[GASabresIUFAN]

Should we be annoyed the 2 former Sabres, Montour and Reinhart, were keys pieces in Fla beating Bos?

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Should we be annoyed the 2 former Sabres, Montour and Reinhart, were keys pieces in Fla beating Bos?

Be annoyed by whatever floats your boat (or sinks it, more appropriately).  If you want to be annoyed, go for it.

Personally am glad that FLA beat the B's and am hoping FLA beats the Loafs.  They'll probably need those 2 playing well to do so. 

[Pimlach]

7 hours ago, Taro T said:

Be annoyed by whatever floats your boat (or sinks it, more appropriately).  If you want to be annoyed, go for it.

Personally am glad that FLA beat the B's and am hoping FLA beats the Loafs.  They'll probably need those 2 playing well to do so. 

I will be annoyed if Florida wins a Cup before we do.  

I want them to beat the Leaves, and then lose 4 straight in their next series. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Pimlach

[JohnC]

17 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Should we be annoyed the 2 former Sabres, Montour and Reinhart, were keys pieces in Fla beating Bos?

I'm not annoyed that 2 former Sabres are central to their team's success. Good for them. Player unhappiness and desire to move on when your organization is known for its systemic dysfunction shouldn't be a surprise. Sometimes outcomes coming out of misfortune unexpectedly turn out to be good fortune. The trading of Reinhart, which resulted in the acquisition of Levi, might turn out to be the most consequential deal for us coming out of all the players shuffling in and out. There is an assumption on my part that he is going to be a stellar goalie for us and be a big factor in our future success. 

Edited May 1, 2023 by JohnC

[GASabresIUFAN]

13 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The trading of Reinhart, which resulted in the acquisition of Levi, might turn out to be the most consequential deal for us coming out of all the players shuffling in and out. There is an assumption on my part that he is going to be a stellar goalie for us and be a big factor in our future success. 

Levi is definitely the silver lining, just like Thompson is ultimately the silver lining on the ROR trade.  If he gives us Miller level goaltending it will change the future of this franchise for the better.  

I heard KA talking about Montour.  He was very complimentary of his talent and wasn’t surprised he was flourishing. Reading a little between the lines, I got the impression that he believes we utilized him incorrectly, but moved him because his age was beyond the range he wanted for this rebuild.  

 

[Zamboni]

Anybody who gets annoyed by ex Sabres doing well on another team, has pretty thin skin in my opinion. Unless they put down the team or put down the city or put down the fans after they left. Otherwise it doesn’t phase me, and probably most people if an ex-Sabre does well on another team. Maybe that’s just me though.

[JohnC]

6 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Levi is definitely the silver lining, just like Thompson is ultimately the silver lining on the ROR trade.  If he gives us Miller level goaltending it will change the future of this franchise for the better.  

I heard KA talking about Montour.  He was very complimentary of his talent and wasn’t surprised he was flourishing. Reading a little between the lines, I got the impression that he believes we utilized him incorrectly, but moved him because his age was beyond the range he wanted for this rebuild.  

 

All the players who were dealt are thriving. Ullmark, Jack, Reinhart, Montour, Hall etc. Not one of them regret their change of addresses. The damage that Krueger did is almost incalculable. There are a number of reasons beyond Krueger why this was a flailing franchise. But he was one of the main reasons for suffocating talent that was on hand. When KA finally got the chance to fire him it was the embodiment of the concept of addition by subtraction. 

I totally agree with you on the potential impact of Levi for the team and franchise. What he showed when he played at the end of the season has gotten me really excited about next year. There are no guarantees but the odds are in our favor that he will be a major difference maker. 

[Pimlach]

56 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Levi is definitely the silver lining, just like Thompson is ultimately the silver lining on the ROR trade.  If he gives us Miller level goaltending it will change the future of this franchise for the better.  

I heard KA talking about Montour.  He was very complimentary of his talent and wasn’t surprised he was flourishing. Reading a little between the lines, I got the impression that he believes we utilized him incorrectly, but moved him because his age was beyond the range he wanted for this rebuild.  

 

He was 27 at the time so I doubt it was age.  He wanted to leave.   

We pretty much gave him away at the deadline, traded for a 3rd rounder (we picked Steve Sardarian).  

Trading for a 3rd rounder was basically giving him away.   

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

He was 27 at the time so I doubt it was age.  He wanted to leave.   

We pretty much gave him away at the deadline, traded for a 3rd rounder (we picked Steve Sardarian).  

Trading for a 3rd rounder was basically giving him away.   

The age information came from KA himself during the interview.  Yes he was 27 when traded, but if KA’s timeline was 3 years to get the ship turned around, then he’d be 30 when the team again became competitive.  From this point of view, KA’s comments make sense.  Did Montour also want out.  Probably, but it’s clear from KA’s comments that he wasn’t going to offer an extension to Montour.

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, SDS said:

This is the kind of on-brand thing that a douchy Boston fan would say in a Sabres community.

My real response would get me muted. You can figure it out.

Do you not feel it's a sad state of affairs when the only pleasure you as a fan have is failure from other teams, because your team has done nothing for you to cheer about. 

Yup, it's a bad day in Bruins land. Fans there are having a meltdown. But it's still been a bad decade in Sabres land. That hurts me personally a lot more. You? 

[PerreaultForever]

8 hours ago, Night Train said:

Boston had a 3-1 series lead. There's no " Yeah, but " narratives. 

 

 They choked. Deal with it. 

Not sure choked is the right word. They were only really good in one game (game 3). Florida was the better team in most games and the Bruins were under pressure a lot. Tkachuk played Bruins hockey, Bruins for the most part did not. 

Still, if Marchand scores on the last second breakaway in game 5 series ends with Bruins going on to play the Leafs. Sports is like that. Hero to zero in seconds or on one play. Lots of different ways to look at things, but Bruins are done. 

Go Kraken. 

[Pimlach]

29 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The age information came from KA himself during the interview.  Yes he was 27 when traded, but if KA’s timeline was 3 years to get the ship turned around, then he’d be 30 when the team again became competitive.  From this point of view, KA’s comments make sense.  Did Montour also want out.  Probably, but it’s clear from KA’s comments that he wasn’t going to offer an extension to Montour.

Well KA's comments make no sense to me at all.   To me that is measuring with a micrometer and then cutting with chainsaw.   

Would a 29 year old Montour be hurting anything on this team.   Lubyshkin, who he acquired last year, is the same age as Montour.  Some of the those free agents we talk about, like Orlov, are to old then I guess?

[DarthEbriate]

4 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Well KA's comments make no sense to me at all.   To me that is measuring with a micrometer and then cutting with chainsaw.   

Would a 29 year old Montour be hurting anything on this team.   Lubyshkin, who he acquired last year, is the same age as Montour.  Some of the those free agents we talk about, like Orlov, are to old then I guess?

Montour would've been blocking Joker. I'm a little sad (well, more than a little) that Granato didn't get the gig sooner though maybe that costs us Power. Because Montour maybe would have had a lot of fun with Granato as coach for another month or so. Anyway, he got traded twice and even Florida only signed him to shortish contract because they didn't believe in him either. Maybe he's gained some maturity as well as rounded out his game. But one thing is for sure: he's had a hell of a season and now postseason.

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Well KA's comments make no sense to me at all.   To me that is measuring with a micrometer and then cutting with chainsaw.   

Would a 29 year old Montour be hurting anything on this team.   Lubyshkin, who he acquired last year, is the same age as Montour.  Some of the those free agents we talk about, like Orlov, are to old then I guess?

But Bush is on a 2 year deal that likely won’t be renewed.  He is also a bottom pair D.  Montour to be utilized properly would have to be the QB on the no. 1 pp. That wasn’t happening here.  Also the D core is Dahlin, Samuelsson and Power.  All 24 and under. When KA arrived Joki was 21, and Johnson was a 1st rd draft pick.  Even without knowing he was getting Power, a mix of Dahlin, Joki, Johnson and Samuelsson had the look of a potential good top 4.  From that standpoint where does Montour fit?

I think KA’s comments make sense and then add in the motto of players “wanting to be here” and I can easily see that an extension was something neither party was interested in.

[Pimlach]

1 minute ago, DarthEbriate said:

Montour would've been blocking Joker. I'm a little sad (well, more than a little) that Granato didn't get the gig sooner though maybe that costs us Power. Because Montour maybe would have had a lot of fun with Granato as coach for another month or so. Anyway, he got traded twice and even Florida only signed him to shortish contract because they didn't believe in him either. Maybe he's gained some maturity as well as rounded out his game. But one thing is for sure: he's had a hell of a season and now postseason.

Joker would be in the 3rd pair were he belongs.  

I am not that concerned about losing Montour, I stick with my thought, he didn't want to be there.  Adams talked to them all.   He knew who wanted out.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Montour would've been blocking Joker. I'm a little sad (well, more than a little) that Granato didn't get the gig sooner though maybe that costs us Power. Because Montour maybe would have had a lot of fun with Granato as coach for another month or so. Anyway, he got traded twice and even Florida only signed him to shortish contract because they didn't believe in him either. Maybe he's gained some maturity as well as rounded out his game. But one thing is for sure: he's had a hell of a season and now postseason.

KA also said Montour has matured as a player since he left.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, Pimlach said:

Joker would be in the 3rd pair were he belongs.  

I am not that concerned about losing Montour, I stick with my thought, he didn't want to be there.  Adams talked to them all.   He knew who wanted out.  

There is no question that played into KA’s thinking.  However, there are no core pieces except guys acquired in trade like Tuch and Skinner (and KA was stuck with Skinner) who are over 24 now and Tuch is only 26.  Montour is now 29.

[Pimlach]

1 minute ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

But Bush is on a 2 year deal that likely won’t be renewed.  He is also a bottom pair D.  Montour to be utilized properly would have to be the QB on the no. 1 pp. That wasn’t happening here.  Also the D core is Dahlin, Samuelsson and Power.  All 24 and under. When KA arrived Joki was 21, and Johnson was a 1st rd draft pick.  Even without knowing he was getting Power, a mix of Dahlin, Joki, Johnson and Samuelsson had the look of a potential good top 4.  From that standpoint where does Montour fit?

I think KA’s comments make sense and then add in the motto of players “wanting to be here” and I can easily see that an extension was something neither party was interested in.

Absolutely, and I don't want to stop you from supporting  an Adams move, you quite often do not.   

I just do think the age thing is the real reason, its a convenient story for Adams, but lets face it, all the players that could get out wanted to get out.  

[DarthEbriate]

2 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Absolutely, and I don't want to stop you from supporting  an Adams move, you quite often do not.   

I just do think the age thing is the real reason, its a convenient story for Adams, but lets face it, all the players that could get out wanted to get out.  

And for good reason. I'd want to play for the Sabres, but if I had been playing through this franchise's garbage for a few seasons (or even a couple)... hey, I've got short career timeline, 20 years if I'm a god-level and never injured, but likely only 3-8 years of prime career time. I wouldn't have stuck around here, either. Not when you're hiring coaches like Krueger or changing your GM or coach every other season.

[Quint]

To the Bruins:

 

 

[LTS]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Should we be annoyed the 2 former Sabres, Montour and Reinhart, were keys pieces in Fla beating Bos?

To each their own.

I have enough bags to carry in my own life without worrying about lugging that kind of crap around.

I don't teach history, so I'm not worried about what happened in it.

The past is in the past....