GDT: Buffalo Sabres @ Toronto Maple Leaves 25 Oct 2025 5:00 pm ET TV: MSG-B, SN1, Radio: WGR 550

[DarthEbriate]

6 minutes ago, kas23 said:

I wake up every morning not feeling well. I just don’t think we’re getting the full story here. UPL goes down to the AHL and players a single (godamn) conditioning game, then is inexplicably called up after a rookie showed up the best team in the Atlantic division. Now we learn Ellis “wasn’t 100%”. Something is rotten in Denmark, but I’m sure we already knew this. My guess is KA got bullied by UPL’s agent.

How? He's under contract for 3 more years. And players get their full NHL salary when they're given the conditioning assignment designation. You're doing what's best for the player and the team if you give him an extra week to get up to game speed.

[sabresouth]

Yet another "normal" game for upl.

Who coulda saw that coming.

Send ka and upl to the moon. 

[7+6=13]

Well it happened and it should be all Ruff needs to see.  

[Pimlach]

21 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

If Ellis woke up with a sore back, and Lyons is starting to deal with a heavy workload as a 30+ year old goalie, it made sense to go with UPL tonight.

IF all those things are true, I'm OK with the decision. But what the result shows you (and what you can see with your eyes) is just one more little piece to add to the pile of reasons UPL maybe should be the odd man out going forward.

With almost 4 days off between his games, I would think yes.

Here is what stinks about the breaking news that Ellis did not feel good. 

UPL was back on the Sabres roster after just one game in Rochester.   That is NOT a conditioning assignment.   So, why the hurry?   

Did Ellis actually get hurt in the Detroit game?  

 

 

[DarthEbriate]

4 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

Luukkonen (the clone of Lukkonen) rises from the ashes of 24-25...  to initiate the RAMPAGE season. 

C'mon. Just a little bit of rampage....?

[Jorcus]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

Here is what stinks about the breaking news that Ellis did not feel good. 

UPL was back on the Sabres roster after just one game in Rochester.   That is NOT a conditioning assignment.   So, why the hurry?   

Did Ellis actually get hurt in the Detroit game?  

 

 

Went to Toronto early and woke up with a tight back.

[K-9]

19 minutes ago, Jorcus said:

Less money to pay Tuch or Benson or anyone else. Not going to happen.

His contract is less money for them, regardless. Rip the bandaid and cut him. There is ZERO upside in keeping him. He is a fully cooked, mediocre goalie at best. At best. 

[Jorcus]

Bad hotel mattress I guess.

[sabresouth]

Upl said he was ready and ka made it happen 

[HumanSlinky39]

14 minutes ago, sabresouth said:

Upl said he was ready and ka made it happen 

Oh, well, if the player says so, I'm glad our feckless GM obliged.

[RangerDave]

1 hour ago, PonyBoy2 said:

Power....😀

How can anybody defend this chump!

The whif changes everything..

He has the slowest shot I've ever seen (when he is not whiffing anyway)

He never hits a one-timer.  He looks like a pro golfer addressing a tee shot.

[HILLsabre]

1 hour ago, rickshaw said:

Guys railing on Power? Come in. He made a great play to be in the rush and he unfortunately lost the handle. It happens. If he scores the calls would be the same but thanks for the goal.  UPL was poor and he’s the reason they lost. 

He's a defenseman and ended up behind the opponents goal in OT while chasing the puck! Come on!

[kas23]

43 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

How? He's under contract for 3 more years. And players get their full NHL salary when they're given the conditioning assignment designation. You're doing what's best for the player and the team if you give him an extra week to get up to game speed.

The agent’s sole purpose is to advocate for his client. And players do not get their full contract if bought out. If the Sabres ended up waiving UPL, not only does his client have to get up and move, if he clears waivers and is playing in the AHL, they now are a prime target for a buyout. Agents don’t like this because it’s less money for them. It was in the agent’s best interest to get his client playing in NHL games and not being supplanted by a rookie. 

[mjd1001]

8 minutes ago, RangerDave said:

He has the slowest shot I've ever seen (when he is not whiffing anyway)

He never hits a one-timer.  He looks like a pro golfer addressing a tee shot.

I don't care what his shot looks like if it finds a way to go to the net.

In the past 3 years, almost 250 players have at least 50 games played at defense, some a lot more.  Among all of them, Power is in the to 50 in goals scored.

[clink]

47 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

C'mon. Just a little bit of rampage....?

Barely above a taco Tuesday fart 

[Jorcus]

2 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I don't care what his shot looks like if it finds a way to go to the net.

In the past 3 years, almost 250 players have at least 50 games played at defense, some a lot more.  Among all of them, Power is in the to 50 in goals scored.

Yes to this and also what power does not do is smash slap shots into defensemen legs. He is good about shot placement. Pucks don't go flying back in the opposite direction. I thought he played pretty well this week.

[ponokasabre]

just watched the game 

UPL is a joke he can never make the important save, 4 goals on 22 shots! 3rd and 4th goal all his fault 

He better not play for us again

What is the point of being tougher to play against and playing Dunne ( and Geertsen sometimes for that matter) and Dunne doesn’t even take a run at or fight McCabe for the rest of the game? Gutless 

Clearly we are a better team next week when Kesserling is in for Metsa and Greenway is in for Dunne, but man we should have won this game

UPL is just not it for me, I know there was kissed plays here and there but it’s all UPL for me. Not ***** good enough

[Doohickie]

3 hours ago, Stads said:

Do you have a Geersten one ready to go just in case?

I actually do.  It's the worst one ever.

[Huckleberry]

I actually was at bar, looking at my phone in frustration saying, they are playing the wrong ***** goalie.

Lucky we got the loser point tbfh

Edited 1 hour ago by Huckleberry

[DarthEbriate]

14 minutes ago, kas23 said:

The agent’s sole purpose is to advocate for his client. And players do not get their full contract if bought out. If the Sabres ended up waiving UPL, not only does his client have to get up and move, if he clears waivers and is playing in the AHL, they now are a prime target for a buyout. Agents don’t like this because it’s less money for them. It was in the agent’s best interest to get his client playing in NHL games and not being supplanted by a rookie. 

But he's months from potentially being bought out (and unlikely) and he's not being waived. If the agent complains about the conditioning assignment, again -- full NHL salary -- then you tell the agent that their client played 1 period of hockey since last season and you're in 3rd place in the division.

If they want to request a trade, so be it. But the agent knows his client has no trade value.

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

The game tying goal and the ot goal weren't hard stops. 

2nd goal was horrible too.  Should've moved his body towards the post & not just his leg.

3 bad goals in a game they lose in OT.  Did they name him the 1st star?  They should've, he was their MVP & without him, they'd've lost all 4 points this weekend.

[sabremike]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

2nd goal was horrible too.  Should've moved his body towards the post & not just his leg.

3 bad goals in a game they lose in OT.  Did they name him the 1st star?  They should've, he was their MVP & without him, they'd've lost all 4 points this weekend.

First star for the Leafs: UPL

Second star for the Leafs: The Officials.

[SABRES 0311]

1 hour ago, 7+6=13 said:

Well it happened and it should be all Ruff needs to see.  

KA and Ruff will BS the fanbase with how UPL needs a few games post injury. They’ll sacrifice what the rest of the team has built after adversity for trying to “protect” a player.

All it does is send a message that mediocrity is ok and can possibly screw up this team’s confidence.

If I was Ruff I would tell the press we need more from our goaltending in these types of games. Screw UPL’s confidence because he has pissed away the opportunity given to him here with sub .900 play.

[Huckleberry]

4 minutes ago, SABRES 0311 said:

KA and Ruff will BS the fanbase with how UPL needs a few games post injury. They’ll sacrifice what the rest of the team has built after adversity for trying to “protect” a player.

All it does is send a message that mediocrity is ok and can possibly screw up this team’s confidence.

If I was Ruff I would tell the press we need more from our goaltending in these types of games. Screw UPL’s confidence because he has pissed away the opportunity given to him here with sub .900 play.

was almost sub .800 

[Porous Five Hole]

Interestingly, everyone else in the division won their most recent game except Buffalo.  
 

Getting a point tonight was huge, but it was RIGHT THERE for them. Survived UPL to steal a point.  Time for him to watch for a while since we don’t have a back to back for two weeks.