nfreeman

Exactly. This doesn't mean he's afraid of Levi, or knows Levi is better, or doesn't want to compete with Levi (or that he's spoiled, or ungrateful, or a bad guy). It means that the Kings situation -- up and coming, already in the playoffs, lots of young prospects, Southern California, weaker conference, Quick gone, Peterson washing out, etc. -- is more attractive to him than the Sabres situation. He's earned the right, entirely under the rules, to choose his preferred situation, and he prefers the Kings. That's all it is.

Sweet.

And a UFA after 2 more seasons with no roots here. Indeed. He's got the next 2 seasons to earn that huge contract, either from his new team or from someone else, with his new team able to pay him after 1 more season, and he's not going to build up his stats with power play points in Buffalo. I would've been happy to have added him, but there are plenty of reasons not to pay what Ottawa paid.

Good.

Dammit. Please let it just be the next 2. Dahlin is so freaking good.

The betrayal is life a knife in my heart.

This is obnoxious and not how we communicate here.

Well, the Isles traded for Horvat a few weeks ago.

This a minor item, but I've used toggle bolts recently to fix a loose towel bar and TP holder in a bathroom, and in both spots they have worked fantastically well.

I've pretty much bailed on the Star Wars universe since "The Last Jedi," which I enjoyed but overall thought was pretty thin, but "Andor" got so much critical praise that I gave it a shot. I finished it last night and really enjoyed it. I'll probably give the Mandalorian a shot as well.

This is an interesting development. Frazier's D was elite during the regular season and lousy in the playoffs. It's hard not to think that this wasn't an organizational decision that is aimed at improving in the playoffs.

So Anderson played Friday night on the road and is now playing Tuesday night at home. That's clearly a change from the once-a-week approach. Let's see how it goes. And who plays on Thursday in Boston. (I'm guessing UPL.)

I generally agree, but I also think devoting a large AAV, with term, to a goalie is poor roster construction. I do not expect KA to give that kind of contract to a goalie.

Pretty psyched to see Stillman on the top pairing with Muel.

Who was the guy in Rochester who never made the NHL that you were lobbying for a couple of years ago almost as much as you’ve been lobbying for Greenway in the last 2 days? FFS. You’re entitled to want a bigger move but how much more do you know about Bloom and Stillman than their stat lines? KA and his staff probably decided that Stillman will likely be at least as good as Bryson and Clague, if not better, and that Bloom was a cheap price to pay. If it turns out that you’re right about those 2 guys and KA is wrong, you can say you told us so. In the meantime you are affecting a ridiculously unjustified level of certitude about this.

I agree that the time value of picks means this is less valuable than a 2023 #1, but it's still a high price for 2 lower-level players.

Wow. A #1 and a #2 for McCabe and a bottom-6 forward? That means Chycrun will be expensive.

I'm guessing that Savoie, Quinn, JJP, Muel and the Sabres 2023 unprotected first-rounder are non-starters from KA's perspective. I wonder whether he feels the same way about Kulich and/or Östlund.

UPL certainly hasn't shown enough to be comfortable that he's a good NHL starter, but I think it's worth remembering that he's 23 and has had 38 NHL starts. Ullmark didn't become a starter until he was 25, and he wasn't a good NHL starter at that point. But he improved a bit each year and now, at 29, he's a Vezina candidate. UPL's story isn't written yet. Of course, that doesn't help us decide who should play this year. I think they're going to continue to play Anderson once every 3 games or so, and let UPL and Comrie fight it out for who gets the bulk of the other starts. I will be pretty surprised if they trade for a goalie.

Perfect time for a rousing, exciting home win before a big crowd. Well done Sabres, and well done Sabrespace with a 37-page GDT. There is no doubt that we are all in. My game notes: - I generally think most of the criticism of Bettman/the NHL is well overblown, but the absence of an NHL network app, and the inability to access NHL network games online by any manner whatsoever other than an illegal stream, is idiotic. - Awful drop pass notwithstanding, I thought Mitts did very well on the 2nd line with Cozens -- well enough that I'd like to see him stay there for a bit. - Cozens showed quite a bit of skill on his goals. - Similarly, Quinn did very well in place of Tuch on the top line. He is really coming on. - TT literally broke the Caps' goalie's skate with a slapper! I don't think I've ever seen that before. And his goal was vintage put-it-anywhere-he-wants TT. - I still want much more from Krebs-VO-JJP, but Krebs' intensity is great. I loved him plowing over Oshie at the blue line. - The Caps look like they're pretty close to calling it a season. - UPL was solid IMHO but not great. The goals he gave up weren't too bad. It wasn't a strong enough performance to lock down the #1 spot though. I think we'll see Comrie vs CBJ. - I hope the fans come out for the CBJ game. The Sabres need to keep playing well at home.

I hate it when I don't get the joke!

Once upon a time in Buffalo, the Sabres drafted a young man named Tom Barrasso #5 overall (in 1983). There was no junior hockey or NCAA for Tommy B. He seized the starting job as an 18-year-old rookie and won the Calder and the Vezina. Barrasso was the Sabres’ starter for 5 seasons, after which they stupidly traded him to Pittsburgh to make room for Darren Puppa. Barrasso played 11 seasons with Mario Lemieux in Pittsburgh, winning 2 cups.

I'd guess KO will get the first shot with TT and Skinner but I wouldn't be surprised to see Quinn, either first or as Plan B if it's not working with KO.

Dammit.

I want this too, but I also agree with having a league process that produces fines/suspensions in cases of dirty and dangerous head shots like this one.