Eleven

Malenstyn? This is a great post. It's exactly how I saw the game.

No.

You really are holding on to this, yeah? WHY? What is the purpose of it?

I'd rather see the oldest daughter, Laura, involved. She has some business acumen.

With a BIG smile on his face, too!

He's just keeping himself in shape until he returns to Frolunda.

Detriot?

Great point. Forever ago, I ran into Teppo and Maxim at Hutch's. I nodded to them and said "good game last night." They smiled and nodded back. I doubt that happens in Utah because I doubt that the public knows who the players are ... yet. We know hockey in Buffalo. They are learning it in Salt Lake City.

Yep, we're likely more critical than fans in Utah.

He liked playing in a market new to hockey where everything was positive and also respects the fact that Buffalo has educated and more demanding fans. There's no reason to read anything negative into it unless you want to. If you're going to do this, and I have long thought it's a decent idea, the percentage is 100% and goes all the way to the mailroom. Everyone. No survivors.

That's EXACTLY what he's saying. There's no other reason to refer to Buffalo as a "hockey market."

It's 10pm so I'm happy the Sabres are up but it is time for bed. Apparently I haven't had enough RYSE ENERGY DRINK. (Has anyone ever actually seen that for sale in a retail shop?)

You aren't wrong. But I am talking about posters who think it is an excuse. I haven't yet seen a post interpreting the situation as a reason.

There seems to be a divergence of thought regarding Dahlin. There is a group that thinks he is using his fiancee's illness as an excuse to leave Buffalo. This group need not converse with me on this topic anymore. There is another group that this his play has suffered, and to that group, I say that Dahlin still is as good or better than the average NHL defenseman, even with his fiancee's health on his mind. Just clarifying my positions.

He was fine earlier this year. He was stellar in other years. My benchmark isn't Dahlin himself; it is the average NHL D-man.

My bet is that his performance will continue to be fine. Not peak Dahlin, but just fine.

I have no idea what this means.

PA and I agreeing upon things for the second time in the same season. Please ready yourselves for the upcoming disaster. This post is sponsored by A-Nuke Bunker Builders and DraftKings. And FanDuel, just for the heck of it.

There are a lot of things more important than money. That said, I still think he'll "commute" periodically. Too bad work-from-home doesn't work in hockey!

I think we're just going to have to deal with Dahlin taking a couple of weeks off two or three times per season.

Sure. Head to Comet Ping Pong. (And It's the Illuminati and the Rothschilds.)

I'll take it. No, I think they'd use him better than the Chieves use him.

They needed a guy who can streak downfield and instead traded that guy to their rival and THEN took a guy who cannot streak downfield. Then, this past year, apparently McDermott was asking Beane for help at WR, and ... well, we know the rest. I would vote no confidence in Beane in a hot second. McDermott, on the other hand, seems to have improved on his late-game strategy, clock management, and replay calls. I had wanted him gone, but I'm ok with him staying now.

They need an exorcist or one of those sage-burning fellows.

Yes, he is. And the Bills gave him to their biggest conference rival. I know you don't like him, and I suspect that derives from wanting the Bills to be "right" on that trade. But he is good and the Bills weren't right.