Taro T

Then again, maybe the sweaters logos won't be that washed out after all. Though for the love of all that's good and holy, why a yellow eye & not a bloodshot one? Edit: Upon further review that might just be the shoulder patch from the blue butterknives.

Had mentioned on another site that the version on the T-shirt looks like the white balance on the TV is off and everything bled white. Pretty sure that was the same thing they did to the new version of the B&R vote as well. The old one was too "complex" IIRC the criticism/rationale. Am still planning on getting one (maybe a 25, or possibly going old school w/ a 44 in the colors he should've worn more than just his 1st year or 2 in Buffalo) provided the pattern on the sweater still turns into a buffalo head w/ the arms positioned just right.

1st off, they won't all hit. But fully expect a better hit rate than we saw during the "video scouting" era. 2nd, they'll keep the top ones & then as many of the lesser as fits into the salary structure. The rest get traded for futures that theoretically extend the window out another 3+ years. If Adams plays his cards right, this team could get to a playoff streak as long as the current drought. (And if he doesn't, his successor should have a relatively awesome foundation to work with.) And those not moved for futures can be moved to shore up then current weaknesses.

If one of the leagues has an opening next year, will likely like to get back in. But right now just don't have time for a fantasy league. The pick 'em & suicide combined take all of 15 minutes a week. If that.

Well, if they didn't continually underestimate demand they really would be. Terry, show us on the Turdburger where that mean Mr. Black hurt you.

That makes sense. Especially if Sheahan wanted to be in Buffalo it wouldn't take too long to have worked out a deal with him. They both knew ballpark what he's worth. It also reinforces the idea that Sheahan has the inside track to 4C as that definitely would've been Larsson's role.

Forkin' awesome. Can finally get the Shatanic Goathead in its proper colors and glory. Make it in royal blue & then the Sabres have the makings of the perfect full set of "kits." The current home & away with white b&g butter knives as a white alternate/3rd & the blue goatheads as the dark alternate. Perfection.

Thought that only works with Darryls. 😉

Uncle.

Set up a Pick 'Em League on Yahoo. Name: Taro's Pick 'Em Group ID: 19148 Password: Beer2022 Picks need to be made 5 minutes before game time. Your worst week gets dropped. Runs through the playoffs. Pretty sure this is the link to the sign up page: https://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/pickem And set up a Suicide League also on Yahoo. Name: Taro's Survival Group ID: 10590 Password: Beer2022 Picks need to be in by Sunday 1PM Eastern. 1 miss & you're out. Can only use a team 1 time. Runs through the RS. Pretty sure this is the link to the sign up page: https://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/survival/ Good luck.

This. Further complicated by the likelihood of whether he ends up 2C, 3C, or W will be dictated by how well Mittelstadt & Krebs play in TC / out of the gate and whether Granato wants to primarily run w/ well balanced lines across the board or more traditional lines. Figure he'll get at least 40 points but doubt he cracks 60. But whether it's 42 or 56 will come down to his role & who his linemates are. Expecting he'll get 2PP usage, but if he can supplant Mitts or Skinner on the top unit that would also help towards 50.

Yup, once you're getting outside the top 10 or so they aren't helping this year or reasonably next year either, though 3 years down the road maybe they're out of hockey or ready to step into a 2nd line role. Got a coin to flip? It's a fun exercise, but really not overly productive.

Unfortunately, they need 23, not just 20, to reach what's been the NHL 0.600 playoff lock.

But it's the detox stuff that lets her smoke. (Really need that wacko emoji back. 😉 )

Figured Haack was a goner either today or Saturday depending upon when they decided Azaria had clinched the competition. They wanted to give him and Austin their best chances of landing somewhere else. IF they decide to cut Crowder would expect that on Saturday, too. Giving him a couple of extra days to land somewhere.

Well, Kotalik was "in the conversation" for Calder and Zhitnik was "in the conversation" for the Norris and neither was a serious contender to win their respective trophy. By "in the conversation" presumed you meant was likely a top 5 vote getter and probably top 3. Don't see Quinn being there. We both seem to agree usage will factor into that. But sure, he'll be "in the conversation" at least in Buffalo. Won't make him a legit contender though which IMHO is how "in the conversation" should be defined. And the Q isn't just "in the conversation" it's "FIRMLY in the conversation." Which, really don't see him in for the reasons mentioned above. Can't speak to the impetus for others' expectations so no attempt to speak for them. They can do that themselves. Mine are high teens, maybe 20, & low to mid 40's as stated above. If he's on the 1st PP rather than the 2nd, could see it bumping up but there are several guys ahead of him in the pecking order at present he'd need to pass. Also expecting a bottom 6 role for him until injuries reshuffle & can't see him carrying a 3rd line as a rookie to 50+ points. As stated earlier too, should deployment be different, so will expectations change.

Hopefully. And imagine what that could've become had there been a way to land Jiricek as well. Your looking at Nashville+ level of D, maybe even '70's Habs level.

Or, you could call it the Power effect as Owen Power will be sucking most of the air out of the room for the rest of the Sabres rookie class when it comes to Calder voting. That, and Peterka will likely have a very solid rookie campaign as well which will further dilute support for Quinn winning that award.

They're kind of like the Marty Schottenheimers of international junior hockey.

To the bolded, yes & no. The roster on opening night the year before ON PAPER was better than last year's opening night roster yet that season ended with the Sabres starting with & keeping through the lottery the 1st pick overall. Injuries, poor chemistry, poor leadership, & poor timing/luck caused that to be one of the most miserable seasons the Sabres ever experienced. And though last year's team wasn't as talented on paper performed way better having so much negative energy removed. This team should be better than last year's in part because of Tuch & Krebs but it isn't an absolute given. Last year's team had 2 very good stretches sandwiched around mediocre and bad stretches. And last year's team should've been nearly as bad as the year before, but it wasn't. So, yes, this year's team should be better, but will it actually be? That's why they play & we watch, to find out. The question asked by @LGR4GM in the OP is actually quite interesting as that team on opening night was the 2nd strongest results wise of the entire year. Though a lot of that was due to GTing, of all things which was not expected at the time nor did it prove to be sustainable (which in fact was expected).

You can do it however you'd like & it's @LGR4GM's thread so not sure if it's an unbalanced exercise or not but IMHO it isn't. It's a snapshot in time and none of the Eichel's worth of assets the Sabres came away with were even identified with the Sabres at the time (including Östlund & this coming 2nd rounder). But we KNEW Eichel & the Sabres were as much a thing as Reinhart & the Sabres were. Neither asset the Sabres got for Sam was of any use against the Habs either and also wouldn't have been of any use against them in any circumstance healthy or not. It happens, assets that have current value get traded for future value & vice versa.

Am OK with discounting Eichel from that roster because at that point he was never playing for the Sabres again (or if he does, it'll be years from now under some very strange circumstances) and Tuch & Krebs were merely twinkles in Adams' eye. IF opening night is the demarcation, would only include Olofsson & Samuelsson as they would've been there if available. If Eichel were available, maybe Monahan would've been in the lineup that night. 😉

On paper the anticipated opening night lineup would appear to be better than last year's actual opening night lineup. Two points though to consider in that is: 1 had they been healthy, both Olofsson AND Samuelsson would've been in last year' opening lineup. If every available player on the roster today is considered available, those 2 should be considered to have been on last year' opening night lineup. Which makes last year's lineup much closer to this year's lineup especially when it would likely have bounced Butcher and Hayden. 2. Until the neck injury, Anderson was absolutely on fire. IF Comrie is going to be as good as that all year, this team will be in the playoffs. Doubt he will be and even if he ends up as good as Adams is hoping for, it's doubtful he'll be as good as Anderson was in that small stretch. Which also could skew that question of which of those teams is better? A couple of much lesser points: Hagg was a very good defensive D-man in early October last year. Overall, expect Lyubushkin to be better than what Hagg gave the Sabres but not necessarily right out of the gate. (And realize he's actually the Pysyk replacement by handedness, but Pysyk was more of a solid 2 way guy that didn't have more of a defensive focus but both Hagg & Lyubushkin are defensive 1st guys. And, this roster isn't necessarily set. There may be a move available as camps break & teams have to legitimately be under the cap and that could improve this squad just as a major injury or 2 could significantly weaken this team. All that said, if the team gets goaltending & stays reasonably healthy, fully expect it is better than last year's. Though it might not be better than what we got to watch the last month of last season. They were playing well, fun to watch, & winning in a small sample. Actually, for the full season, this team is likely not as good as what they showed down the stretch. But fully expect a couple of stretches where they are better than that.

Have no doubt he'll be in the top 4 & am hoping he's with Dahlin. Not sure he'll be that Jay McKee shutdown guy but expect he'll have us seeing similarities to him & the Sabres 1 TRUE shutdown D-man from much earlier in their history this year. Hoping for McKee in a year or 2 consistently & then maybe Ramsey soon after? Wouldn't that be something?

------ the joke. ----->>>> Your head. 😉 🍺