GDT: Red Wings @ Sabres, 3:00pm Sept. 27, 2025, 🎙 streaming @ sabres.com

[Big Guava]

7 minutes ago, Night Train said:

I missed the game.

General question. How is the goaltending without UPL ? 

Can't be any worse that's for sure.

[Night Train]

12 minutes ago, Big Guava said:

Can't be any worse that's for sure.

I believe I heard Sabres were 10th in goals but 29th in GAA. So I know what needs improvement. 

[Flashsabre]

22 minutes ago, Night Train said:

I missed the game.

General question. How is the goaltending without UPL ? 

Lyon has looked solid. Georgiev had one solid game one rougher game but in preseason it is about the lineup being iced in front of you vs the lineup the other team ices. Georgiev’s game in Detroit the Red Wings had a much stronger roster 

Edited 16 hours ago by Flashsabre

[Flashsabre]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

Problem being is you can’t fabricate toughness with a couple of 4th liners.  It helps but real team toughness comes from everyone and they have purged a lot of the passengers from the roster.  But still employ a few players that are never going to help in that aspect.  

True but it is a lot easier to play tougher when you have some tough guys around rather than none.

Kesselring and Doan will both drop the gloves too. They will be a tougher team than last year.

Edited 16 hours ago by Flashsabre

[triumph_communes]

Didn’t like Lyon but once he stuffed Kane he stepped up rest of game 

[Huckleberry]

4 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

I like Norris’ game so much better than Cozens’. He just needs to stay on the ice.

Helenuis and Mrtka continue to impress.

I have a strong feeling that Ruff has plans for both Dunne and Geertsen.

Lyon has been pretty solid. 

Sending them back down is the right thing, but I want them more in the league right now and I feel like I shouldn't seeing our past.

But for Mrtka you need  to send Samuellson away, and for Helenius you got krebs, greenway, and I want Östlund up there too.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Night Train said:

I missed the game.

General question. How is the goaltending without UPL ? 

Mostly good. Lyon let in a bad one today (Det #2) but he didn't have many tough saves to make because we are better at defending.

And a lot of it is Mrtka. I'm not advocating keeping him in Buffalo but he looks awfully good. He might be better off in Rochester than Seattle.

Edited 14 hours ago by PromoTheRobot

[Huckleberry]

Also I feel like Ruff is looking for a 4th line that can move stuff in a game for him, but its a bit old school feeling for me, not completely wrong but  dump greenway please.

[JohninMinn.]

Still looking for a loss on the schedule.

[Jorcus]

10 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Mostly good. Lyon let in a bad one today (Det #2) but he didn't have many tough saves to make because we are better at defending.

And a lot of it is Mrtka. I'm not advocating keeping him in Buffalo but he looks awfully good. He might be better off in Rochester than Seattle.

I think Mrtka should be in Rochester over Seattle. I can't see what good sending him back to Juniors is. I always keep in mind young AHL players can often come up and give you 10 good games, then day in day out NHL game wears them down. It's hard to be consistently good. 

[K-9]

11 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Mostly good. Lyon let in a bad one today (Det #2) but he didn't have many tough saves to make because we are better at defending.

And a lot of it is Mrtka. I'm not advocating keeping him in Buffalo but he looks awfully good. He might be better off in Rochester than Seattle.

He’d be far better off in Rochester than in the WHL. Once again illustrating how these CHL rules are often detrimental to a player’s development. He is flourishing against grown men at the moment and imo, going against teenagers won’t do a damn thing for him.

[LGR4GM]

Mrtka should go back to Seattle. More ice time and a chance to build out his offensive game. 

Mrtka has played 43 total WHL games. 

Edited 3 hours ago by LGR4GM

[Pimlach]

17 hours ago, Taro T said:

Wonder if Mrtka gets the 9 game tryout.  If Samuelsson isn't able to go vs the Rags, could definitely see them giving him that look.

And have to believe Helenius and Mrtka are pencilled into next year's line up (though obviously a lot can change between now and then).

Hope not.  Let’s not tempt Adams.   Save the 9 games for next year. 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Jorcus said:

I think Mrtka should be in Rochester over Seattle. I can't see what good sending him back to Juniors is. I always keep in mind young AHL players can often come up and give you 10 good games, then day in day out NHL game wears them down. It's hard to be consistently good. 

Sending him back to Seattle does him little good and yes, Ra-cha-cha would be better for his development.  But, until the NHL & CHL rework their transfer agreement then 18 yo's like Mrtka & 19 yo's too will have 2 options - stay in the NHL or play in the CHL.  The AHL isn't an option, though with the most recent MOU to the CBA, the league and players agreed that it's in both their best interests to have the NHL try to get it modified for 19 yo's at least.

EDIT: The general concept holds, but Mrtka apparently isn't caught up by the NHL-CHL agreement.

Edited 2 hours ago by Taro T
Didn't realize he was on loan to Seattle from Cze

[Amerks8796]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Sending him back to Seattle does him little good and yes, Ra-cha-cha would be better for his development.  But, until the NHL & CHL rework their transfer agreement then 18 yo's like Mrtka & 19 yo's too will have 2 options - stay in the NHL or play in the CHL.  The AHL isn't an option, though with the most recent MOU to the CBA, the league and players agreed that it's in both their best interests to have the NHL try to get it modified for 19 yo's at least.

This is not true. He was on loan from Europe when drafted and, thus, not bound by the NHL - CHL agreement. 

[PromoTheRobot]

4 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Sending him back to Seattle does him little good and yes, Ra-cha-cha would be better for his development.  But, until the NHL & CHL rework their transfer agreement then 18 yo's like Mrtka & 19 yo's too will have 2 options - stay in the NHL or play in the CHL.  The AHL isn't an option, though with the most recent MOU to the CBA, the league and players agreed that it's in both their best interests to have the NHL try to get it modified for 19 yo's at least.

 

48 minutes ago, K-9 said:

He’d be far better off in Rochester than in the WHL. Once again illustrating how these CHL rules are often detrimental to a player’s development. He is flourishing against grown men at the moment and imo, going against teenagers won’t do a damn thing for him.

Mrtka is actually eligible to go to Rochester. That's because he was loaned to Seattle by his Czech team. The CHL rules don't apply to him in this case.

38 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Mrtka should go back to Seattle. More ice time and a chance to build out his offensive game. 

Mrtka has played 43 total WHL games. 

Why wouldn't Mrtka get top minutes in Rochester?

[Taro T]

6 minutes ago, Amerks8796 said:

This is not true. He was on loan from Europe when drafted and, thus, not bound by the NHL - CHL agreement. 

Cool.  Did not realize that.

Then he should be Ra-cha-cha bound.  Sorry @DarthEbriate.

🍺

[K-9]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Mrtka is actually eligible to go to Rochester. That's because he was loaned to Seattle by his Czech team. The CHL rules don't apply to him in this case.

Why wouldn't Mrtka get top minutes in Rochester?

That is great news. The Amerks defense just got better.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Mrtka is actually eligible to go to Rochester. That's because he was loaned to Seattle by his Czech team. The CHL rules don't apply to him in this case.

Why wouldn't Mrtka get top minutes in Rochester?

Komarov, Metsa, Novikov, the other players in Rochester. Versus Seattle... where there's Mrtka. He'd get less ice time in Rochester and he's only played 43 whl games. 

I don't really care that much but I'd send him to Seattle for 1yr before thinking about Rochester. 

[Taro T]

9 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Komarov, Metsa, Novikov, the other players in Rochester. Versus Seattle... where there's Mrtka. He'd get less ice time in Rochester and he's only played 43 whl games. 

I don't really care that much but I'd send him to Seattle for 1yr before thinking about Rochester. 

Johnson - Mrtka

Novikov - Komarov

Metsa - ???

He'll gain more playing 20 minutes per game vs men than he would playing 27 vs kids.  MHO.  YMMV.

Plus he's getting used to a potential future partner as a Sabre.

[LGR4GM]

31 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Johnson - Mrtka

Novikov - Komarov

Metsa - ???

He'll gain more playing 20 minutes per game vs men than he would playing 27 vs kids.  MHO.  YMMV.

Plus he's getting used to a potential future partner as a Sabre.

I don't agree. It isn't just the minutes, it's what those minutes are too. 

His future partner? No.