SHAAAUGHT!!!

Right now only 4 points separate the #2 slot in the Atlantic division (held by the Sabres) and the #7 spot. So the Sabres need to AT LEAST maintain the level of play we are seeing lately. No one should be overly optimistic or pessimistic at this point. The game changer for this team will be when we trade to get a forward. Will he fit in? Will he struggle and cost us games? Will we miss the D that was traded at some point during the season? Will it be enough of an upgrade to get us 2-3 more wins in the standings than we would have if we didn't make the trade? The Sabres are a bubble team for sure this season, but at this point it's up to JBotts to make a move to ensure that bubble carries us past the wildcard cutoff line before it pops...

Dec 12th: BOGO requests trade from Buff Also Dec 12: Galchenyuk's ice time increases 65% to 16:39 after spending most of December getting less than 10 minutes a game You think they announce this trade today, or wait until tomorrow? ???

Skinner - Larry - Sheary works for the reasons you guys mentioned above, but this is by far the fastest line we have on the team and will cause good teams fits if they stick together going forward. Larry has unfairly been the whipping boy the last few seasons as he’s worked to get back to 100%. He was a very quick skater before he broke and dislocated his arm. Last season he started to show flashes of that speed again and I think it’s been apparent this year he’s back to form.

Anyone know how we lured Mike Komisarek into the organization? Interesting since he doesn't have any prior affiliation with the Sabres that I'm aware of

Stop being so reasonable and rational - this is the internet ??? The Sabres aren't a top 10 team in the NHL, but they aren't a bottom 10 team either. Consistent efforts on a nightly basis, regular game-over-game improvement for developing players, one move mid-season and another at the deadline could get them to the second round. JBotts isn't a terrible GM, he's just green; the coach, also a bit green, is a known for being an effective motivator; and Jack Eichel is proving this season to be a leader on the ice and in the locker room. Sure it's not the best situation to be in, but it's not dire (yet). There are going to be a lot of ups and downs this season; everyone should strap in and enjoy the fact that we have a management team that doesn't ruin the development of future propects (i.e. Dylan Cozens) to superficially improve the team on paper. I hope the Sabres step on the Leafs throat tonight. 2 losses in a row against a struggling Sabres team would turn the heat up in TO and hopefully disrupt any left over momentum from the Babcock firing.

I would gladly trade Reinhart if it brings equal value back and reunites Skinner and Eichel. Samson and a RHD or two should yield a top 2-3 FWD.

Unfortunately I don't think the front offices, or more importantly the players, want anything close to accountability - and here's why: 1) GM's would have to deal with a new host of salary cap issues if players faced longer suspensions 2) Lost playing time (and money) for the player - the players, the teams, and the league, don't want their guys sitting very long, especially if he is a superstar (see Kucherov v. Sobokta's knee) 3) Lost revenue for the league - it's bad enough one player is out, now two are going to sit? Depending on your assumptions, it's unlikely the reduction of suspendable infractions justifies the additional player days lost from a "more appropriate" punishment (think something similar to ROI on a investment) 4) If the players really cared, the NHLPA would address this in the collective bargaining negotiations At the end of the day if comes down to money and playing time. Nobody wants to lose a significant chunk of either one...

You are 100% right! I'm hoping one day I find a box of VHS recordings of Sabres games from '94-'01 at a garage sale so I can find it and share.

??? I still say this to people in a terrible Czech accent and they just assume I'm crazy

The correct answer is the Adelphia commercial with Zhitnik and Hasek. Hasek is sitting on the couch trying to watch TV and is being screened by player standing in front him. Zhitnik comes in and DESTROYS the other player and apologizes to Hasek before offering him a shrimp off a serving platter. Pure comedy gold. I have searched for this commercial high and low over the years but haven't been able to find it...

Just like Patty, Okposo has a warriors heart and I don't see him wanting to call it a career just yet. Does anyone know if the Sabres are able to put him on LTIR if they refuse to clear him due to concussion issues, but he claims feels ok to get back on the ice?

Well, from what I've seen so far this season he's at his best when he's a warm body out there not making mistakes. I wouldn't call that good either...

He's made some improvement this season on the defensive side of his game, but his ineffectiveness at faceoffs has me worried about him as a 2C. I think its unfair to think Cozens could step in next year as the 2C, but he could/should challenge at the 3C position. If that happens, does this push Casey out of the organization, or to a wing? I think it's much more likely that he ends up at LW in this scenario but it also may depend on how much he's looking at for his next deal. He hasn't shown as much as Samson did before his 7MM/2yr bridge contract and also burned a year off his ELC for those 6 games in '17-'18.

I'm curious to see how the defense responds after getting Montour back, and having a few days off to rest and practice. They've been spending more time pinned in their defensive zone the last few games, but I've been chalking that up to fatigue. 13 games in 25 day will have that affect...

JBotts has an incredible amount of flexibility next year with so much salary coming off the books. What I hadn't really considered until today was the incremental cap space he should see from Seattle. Here is a decent article from Forbes that talks about the impact Vegas had on the cap. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanlake/2018/12/06/nhl-expansion-to-seattle-brings-hope-of-higher-salaries-for-players/#4c6e7d332125 This could give JBotts the option of giving someone like Samson a bigger deal without stretching himself too thin in year 3-8. I see Reino getting 8 years @ 7.5-8.5M AAV,

Meh. Neither player has contributed significantly. Casey is the more skilled player, but he hasn't been able to translate it into points. This could be a major reason Casey isn't translating that skill into points. eRod should've buried that feed from Casey last night. I was only able to watch a few parts of the game last night, and the highlights today. Did this line generate much last night? It looks like Vesey and Casey both had 14-15 minutes, but eRod only had 7 minutes. Did this line get broken up or was it due to PP/PK time?

I'm not saying Casey is a lost cause, I'm just saying we've been waiting on the future for 6 years - it's go time. If the kid can't figure it out we have skaters that could be a better option. Right now I'd rather see eRod as that 3C. I'm curious to see if Krueger makes any changes if that line isn't able to get it going tonight.

$2.5/3MM each for Larsson and Girgs??!!!! I think some people might need to take a deep breath. I would but I just threw up in my mouth thinking about paying a checking line $12MM that has doesn't have skaters good enough to move up and down the lineup. It looks like we have a coach that knows how to get the most out of people, so I'm not worried about paying anyone next year not named Samson (likelay $7.5-8.5/8 years) or Montour (idk yet). Nobody else up for a contract has any leverage; I don't care what type of year they have in '19-'20.

Wrong, this is a Sabres problem. They need a solid third line center and Casey has shown nothing so far to prove he is the guy.

I think we would need to develop his game as a winger, but that is easier to do than develop as a center. He came to camp a lot bigger, but he will need to work on play down low. I just don't think his defensive awareness is where it needs to be to be an effective center, and I'm sick of waiting for him to figure it out. He seems to struggle to find open ice without the puck in the offensive zone, but I think a lot of that has to do with him being concerned about being F1 on the backcheck. #unleashCasey edit: open ice without the puck

Put eRod back to center and move Casey to wing. Let eRod focus on defensive and Casey go ham on wing. In 1-2 years Cozens will be our 2/3rd line center anyways and at this rate it might take Casey another 2-3 years to develop into a solid two-way center. Also, Vesey should spend some time in the press box when Sheary is back. He has been solid defensively but we have enough grinders. Sheary/eRod/Middlestat will cause teams fits if they can play north-south and use their speed to their advantage

Yeah, that's why I think he is more suited as a winger. He is so offensive minded and always wants the puck on his stick. Let's reduce his defensive responsibilities and see how we does on a wing. He does look bigger and heavier this year so I think he would be effective in the corners once he got used to the position. Maybe in time he can develop into an NHL center, but he doesn't seem there yet. I think him playing HS hockey vs Junior and then only getting one season of college hurt his development in that position. He likely just didn't have to worry about defense in that league because the competition wasn't there to challenge him. Remember how Ruff once opined (and I'm paraphrasing) that he wasn't going to put Afinogenov in a defensive role/situation because Max is an offensive player - period end of sentence. While not as extreme of a case, that might be what we have here in Casey...

I agree. eRod has not looked good this year, but besides the Pens game, that entire line has struggled this season. Vesey has looked slow and more suited for a 4th line grinder role. Middlestat has show flashes, but appears more suited as an NHL winger at this point than a center. Sheary was great against the Pens (as usual) but trailed off after that. Sheary gets an incomplete from me at this point because of the injury, but when he was in the line-up he looked more effective than eRod.

I haven't seen a Sabres team play so well to start the season since 06-07. Fast paced, crisp passing, lethal PP, and all 4 lines able to contribute meaningful minutes. I'll remain skeptical through November, but things are looking very positive.

Agreed. VO is much more prepared than Casey could have ever been. But the SHL plays 52 games a season, and the AHL plays 76. The AHL schedule is definitely the closest to the NHL, but the compete level is nowhere near the same. VO's going to have ups and downs during the season and it wouldn't be surprising to see him come off that first line at some point if he struggles. If that happens it will be interesting to see how he responds, and how he does playing with other forwards. People have been talking about him as a only a sniper, but that's really the only role he's been asked to play so far. I'm not sure what his ceiling is yet, or what type of player he could be, but I'm looking forward to watching him and trying to get a read on it