Taro T

Ignoring the horrid Eurostart against the team that could very well, at the end of the season, be the East's representative in the SCF, this team is 0.500 on the road and 0.750 at home. Keep that up over 80 games and they end up with 100 points. They'd be the only team in the modern era to be over 0.600 and miss the playoffs if that isn't enough to get into the dance. So, that's pretty friggin' cool.

Probably not the right thread for this, but didn't see one that was obviously the right one. Watching Dahlin closely today, really don't believe that the injury is getting any better. His movement is significantly affected and he had at least 2 plays at the blue line that got out past him that he normally corrals like they were tethered to his stick. BUT he seems to be understanding what he can and cannot do with his current injury. He's playing a simpler, safer game (not including his poorly chosen and even more poorly executed pass back to Thompson that lead to the SHG against) and that's probably why he had 3 assists for the Sabres (and only 1 for the bad guys). Have no idea when he'll be back healthy; and if it IS a sports hernia, which is this kid's best guess as to what ails him, he won't be healthy until they give him months of rest or surgery, but he is getting to a point where he's effective even at only 75%.

1. Worried, to a degree. Anytime you change something that's working, there's always a concern that it won't come back. But absolutely expect that the bump in both Quinn and Cozens would more than offset any decline in Thompson, Tuch, or Peterka. Especially when we also get to add points from Benson from moving up a line. Btw, Quinn's goal came with the Kid Line reconstituted. Just sayin'. (And, no, was not expecting them to be reunited to defend the 1 goal late lead. Not the way this kid would've defended the late lead.) 2. Have stated it several times. Would put Benson into that slot. That's what swapping JJ for Zach means. 3. Umm, because the idea is to get both Cozens and Quinn on track again and pulling Cozens out of that line doesn't really do that. Again, as @mjd1001 has pointed out repeatedly, Cozens IS getting high danger chances. He simply isn't burying them. But really expect that should HE be the center that Peterka is sending a pass from tac to toe (like he did for Thompson tonight) that even he will find a way to bury that shot. And after he gets 2 or 3 of those, he'll believe he CAN score again. Again, have said personally believe a lot of his (and Quinn's) issues are having no confidence in his shot. (And Quinn's issues are a bit deeper, but hopefully that EN goal moves some of those ghosts out of the attic. And he really did play much better today than he had been playing. He got a HD shot off. And he could've had 2 others that were blocked on their way in. Somebody here had said he hadn't had a single HD shot yet this season. Baby steps. He also had a couple of his get knocked down but make the right pass in spite of it plays today. He was on track to being what he was last year today.)

Personally, expect it's more of a case of Quinn still trying to figure out how to play in Ruff's system meaning he's thinking on the ice rather than simply playing. He has a heck of a time even receiving a pass right now. He didn't forget how to do that due to an achilles injury. He still takes pretty good hits and is getting better at not getting knocked down by them, but he's not ending up with the puck on his stick at the end of them this year. He was kind of Reinhart-esque in that regard the last couple of seasons. Yeah, he'd get knocked down, but he still had the puck or he got it right back. He probably also is down in confidence right now, just like his fulltime linemate. When things aren't going well, you tend to expect them to continue not going well. If everyone (or at least 13 out of the 14) is healthy, expect being in the pressbox for a couple of games would do him a world of good. Getting to see exactly what it is Ruff wants him to be doing now that he's been trying it for 8 games. He seems to have a good hockey IQ, but a few years in a systemless system (remember, the Amerks tried to use the no set defensive system when he was there, just like Granato's Sabres were doing) combined with being a smidge undersized and a couple of fluke injuries seem to be causing him to think too much out on the ice. Give him a couple of days to regroup and slide Peterka onto his and Cozens line when he comes back into the lineup and some of @LGR4GM's predictions for him won't seem quite as off as they seem just now.

Wonder if tomorrow or Monday when they activate Aube-Kubel off IR if they send down Kulich or if they move Benson to IR. If they move Benson to it retroactively, pretty sure he'd be available again anytime after the Aisles game. Would allow them to keep all 24 guys currently up on the roster on the roster without sending anyone to Ra-cha-cha. That's not exactly a stretch considering Gilbert has played once in the 1st 8 already and Johnson is still an Amerk.

Again, personally believe that he goes through (long) stretches where he has 0 confidence in his shot. He needs to get 2 goals, via any means whatsoever, and then he'll believe again. He gets into position for too many HD chances for him to NOT be able to be at least a 10-12% shooter; IF he has any faith at all that he can score. And, not to sound too much like a broken record, still expect the most effective way to get him there is to put Peterka on his wing. (Sliding Benson up to the top line.) Would try that 1st, and then if even that isn't helping him AND Quinn; then go to the idea @Brawndo floated after Aube-Kubel is healthy and put the original 4th line together with Krebs sliding into McLeod's spot and McLeod sliding up into Cozens and Cozens taking Quinn out of the lineup for a few.

Definitely look at where they're at after 1/4 of the season. But right now, taking away the Eurogames, Ruff has them playing 0.500 on the road and 0.67 at home and win the game against Detroit on Saturday and they're at 0.75 at home. Go the full 80 NA games at those 0.500 and 0.750 paces and you end up with 100 points and a playoff berth. They're in a place where they're essentially where they need to be and that's with their best player injured and the PP acting like it's in mourning for Ellis getting removed as its architect. Get Dahlin back to 85-90% vs the 75% he's currently at and get the PP back to top 20 (still bad, but not dead) and if the GTing continues to hold up, those paces are sustainable.

And THIS is the reason, personally, would risk losing a little bit from the top line by swapping Benson and Peterka. Cozens was at his personal best playing with both Quinn and JJ (and those 2 have tons of chemistry from coming up the ranks together). He was in a scoring lull that year after a pretty quick start the year he hit 30. But that line got put together and their tic-tac-toe plays gave him a couple of empty nets to find the twine and he was the most confident he's been at the NHL level the whole rest of that year. Personally, believe he gets into his own head regarding his shot. As you and others mention, he's getting chances, he just literally can't put a puck in a 24 sq ft window even without anyone or anything between him and that window. If he starts to believe he can score, and he'll only believe that if he finally actually does score, then really do expect that he can get back to that 25-30 goal player we saw before he got the big contract. But, right now, hate seeing the puck on his stick in the slot because we know we're hoping for a rebound that one of his wingers can get to, and so far they haven't been able to get there too often.

Was really watching him last night. As others have mentioned, he's skating more upright than in the past and he's also reaching with the stick rather than engaging. He was not boxing guys out at all. His side to side movement is also significantly reduced. And his shot is weaker. Clifton ripped a slapper late in the game that was easily 15 mph faster than anything Dahlin had shot the entire game. There was literally no phase of his game that didn't seem to be getting effected by whatever the injury he has is. The weird thing is, Hamilton and the guy hosting the postgame show on GR both thought he looked a lot better than he had the past few games. Absolutely don't agree with that. Guessing it's a sports hernia. Hoping it's something that would heal up on its own significantly quicker.

Would gladly take Marner as a FA. (Still not a fan of his during the playoffs, but this team needs to be in the playoffs before they worry about guys disappearing when there.) Doubt Adams would be able to find a trade w/ TO for his services that doesn't look like the Sabres got bent over a barrel. And truly doubt Adams would make a trade like that anyhow. Love him or hate him; or simply get maddenly frustrated by him, he has been consistent in sticking to his philosophy of making moves to help today only if they also make sense (at least in theory) for the future of the team. And expect Marner would cost a significant chunk of those futures if TO were even at the point they don't expect they could reink him. So, even if the answer were 'sure, trade for him too' don't see any way Adams would do so.

Yep. During the CHL season, he can only get called up to the Sabres and only in an "emergency" situation. I.e., UPL or Levi are unavailable due to injury or suspension and he'd have to go back as soon as the situation is remedied. (And, would have to reread the CBA, but want to say there is a maximum length of time he can be on the recall.) (And on a further technicality, not sure if because he wasn't "loaned" before he signed his Sabres deal whether he even qualifies for a "recall." Had he signed prior to getting returned to Junior in TC he definitely would've been eligible. Now, he probably is, but don't know that for certain.) (Soooooo annoying that the transfer agreement between the NHL & CHL isn't publicly available.)

Getting back to the thread title, it HAS to be Samuelsson; right? Yes, Levi should've bailed him out when he sent that cross ice pass to the BJ at the end of the 1st; but Levi should NEVER have been put in the position to blow the save in the 1st place. How much different does that game go if they're just down 1-0 after that horrendous 1st period? And still ticked that Ruff didn't try to sign Bob Woods as an assistant coach. Yeah, he went back to his old buddy Bylsma but he was still available for over 2 months after Ruff was hired. They needed a coach that can run a PP. So, though have no idea who'd be available at this point; and know it's a pipe dream, but Appert should be on thin ice too.

Except for the announcers being TNT and not Roots (or whoever broadcasts in the Pittsburgh market now) it pretty much was a Pens broadcast. Even the digital ads on the boards were all for UPMC and other Pittsburgh based items. Which seemed quite strange in broadcast. Figured TNT would've wanted to hire out their own digital ads. Guess not.

Well, people clamored for more OTL's than in the past few seasons. They got their wish last night. (Ducks.) Stinks that they let the Pens get 2 points, but really didn't see how the Pens weren't going to win on the night that 2 Sabre killers were both a single point from major milestones. (Definitely after Crosby got his milestone point, would've been a very special night for Buffalo should they have gotten the W.) Get the next 2 W's and they're on a 4 game point streak. Will need to take 5 of the following 6 to get to a playoff 0.600 pace; but worry about that when they get to the Dallas and following games. Right now, beat Columbus. Will likely be the 1st game Columbus plays that doesn't have a Gaudreau tribute to start the game, so those guys will be out of their element.

If he's injured he won't be better than Cooper.

Not just moving up a round and a half, moving up a full season too. So, in typical value chart calculations it's like moving up 2-1/2 rounds in a single season.

But could there possibly be 2 consecutive days that highlight the differences between the Bills and the Jest any more than these past 2? Signing Cooper as a rental for a 3rd & $800k when you have 2 2nds (plus who knows, maybe you get something else as FA loss compensation) when you desperately need an adequate WR1 vs signing Adams for a 3rd and $11MM this year and $35MM next year and $40MM the YEAR AFTER THAT when the QB you have that desperately wants him is 50-50 to even bother coming back next year. One of these things is not like the other.

Not remotely surprising. And don't really see it helping them that much. Wonder if any of A-A-Ron's other besties from his Packers days are floating around the league. Will be interesting to see how much, if any, money the Raiders retained. Because without retention there's no way the Bills could've been in on that one. (And while they really need WR help; not sure if trading for a more injury prone Diggs is the right way to fix that this year.)

PTR is doing so; but he's the only one I know for sure is. He said that if you watch the games after the fact; that there is no sound, only video.

No love for Epenesa? Not taking away anything from the 4 you thought stood out; they did. But AJ had just as big a game as those other 4 and just like if any of those other 4 aren't doing their thing the Bills lose this one; take his play out and they lose this one.

Or not. Otters won in OT. Foegle had a chance as the buzzer went but couldn't get the puck to his stick. (Had a wide open net if he could've handled the pass.)

Boston hosting FLA right now too. And the Utes at Joisey. Pretty sure it's Columbus Day.

And now 7-7. If Kings stay out of the box, they should pull it out.

Stupid Otters just went up 7-6 1/2 way through the 3rd period. Kings have 6 goals on only 20 shots. 4 PP goals for the Otters on 6 opportunities.

IF they somehow don't manage to write that ship, he needs to be a Toronto ML next year, STAT! (They obviously almost definitely will right the ship; but it is kind of fun to think they won't.)