dudacek

If somebody wants slice AJ Greer Tim McCracken style that would be fine by me. Some Federal League level taunting the Amerks bench on consecutive goals. Enjoy the minors, punk.

Agreed. I think Portillo gets dealt in or around the draft. Yes, I do think teams will give something up.

Yes. I think the AHLtv choices were $29 for every game in the playoffs, or $8 for every game any given night.

Utica had the best record in the league this year, but the Amerks played them tough: 6/5/2 season series, 46 goals for, 45 goals against Rochester 3 at Utica 4 (SO) Rochester 2 at Utica 6 Utica 3 at Rochester 2 Rochester 3 at Utica 5 Rochester 4 at Utica 2 Utica 3 at Rochester 4 Utica 6 at Rochester 7 Utica 4 at Rochester 2 Utica 4 at Rochester 2 Rochester 3 at Utica 2 Utica 3 at Rochester 4 Rochester 2 at Utica 3 (OT) Utica 1 at Rochester 8 Eleven of the 13 games this year were tight. Expecting the series to be the same.

Nothing groundbreaking, but Adams interview on GR yesterday offered a few nuggets about Sam's department The Sabres use both the numbers provided by the nhl's new tracking system and their own proprietary numbers. The analytics department is constantly working with the other departments in order to get to the "why" behind the numbers. Without citing specifics, Adams used the example of a recent meeting between Sam and the coaches, where Granato immediately identified the reason behind something the analytics department had observed as a coaching decision and could show with video the "why" behind what the numbers had caught. Adams said teams would be foolish not to pay attention to the numbers and his marching orders to Sam are to "sort through the noise and tell me what's important." It really comes across as a healthy collision between the numbers and the eye test.

Vancouver would have to shed some serious salary before they could even consider this. It would, but circumstances have changed. In addition to the cap and economic realities Tom points out, you also have had a pretty big shift in the community of NHL GMs. It’s different group of old boys, embracing different philosophies. As this one proved, the door is already opening.

Sabres missing their 3rd in 2023 would limit their offer sheet ability this summer. Basically, they'd be limited to throwing out an offer between $2 and 4.1 million (2nd rounder). More would require their 3rd. Unless they were to go all out and offer someone more than $10 million Teams will certainly be vulnerable and a handful of others, including the Sabres are in a position to take advantage. Here's the list of available players: https://www.capfriendly.com/rfas

In his WGR Interview today Adams said he made it clear to Ryan Johnson that there is a spot for him, regardless of being a LHD. “When he is ready to be on our team he will be on our team.” Says Donnie’s system doesn’t have an emphasis on sticking with your side. Players shift a lot and will continue to. Semi-related, 2nd consecutive interview where he talked about goaltending, gushed about Levi, and did not mention Portillo.

The Islanders were a deep team but they have let a steady stream of players leave (Okposo, Tavares, Leddy, Toews, Eberle, Greiss, Dehaan) or get old (Boychuk, Bailey, Hickey, Lee, Martin, Clutterbuck, Ladd, Palmieri, Parise, Chara) without effectively replacing them.

Not disagreeing, but it happens multiple times every game and most players are guilty from time to time. It becomes an issue when it happens too often with the same player.

I agree this team need to get physically stronger and better defensively. But the team has already identified the centre you are looking for. He wears #24. He's going to continue learning on the job and nobody is going to be brought in to block him.

Hmm... May or may not have been necessary to get where they want to go. But they won't hire a better coach.

If you find the video of that quote, you will find it was delivered with the smile Lazar always has on his face. Dude will be happy wherever he's at because that's how he approaches life.

We’re looking at that for our next trip.

Doesn’t seem to be hurt. Add in Davidson who might be back for Utica and Laaksonen is apparently 10th on the Amerks depth chart right now, although Tischke playing ahead of him might have more to with the thuggish nature of Belleville than anything else. That doesn’t explain Teves and Elliot though. Tischke, Elliott and Teves are all undrafted, in their mid-20s and have never been AHL regulars before. Not the look of a guy on the cusp of the NHL, that’s for sure.

Are people obsessed with Murphy? For me, it’s more about concept than player. I’m looking for a reliable, right-shot 2nd pairing defenceman with character and size who can PK and I can trust in the defensive zone. He should also be someone who can stick around for a few years on a contract that fits, who might actually be available at a reasonable acquisition cost. Murphy is one of the few names I’ve seen proposed that seems to tick all those boxes. Who fits that profile that does impress you?

I don’t see any reason for the Sabres not to entice R2 with a 1-way deal next year. From the Sabres perspective, he’s a good AHL player who can fill in in Buffalo and May still have some upside. They can afford to pay him an NHL salary in the minors. From his perspective the cash should be enough to give North America one more shot.

This would be pretty much my ideal semi-reasonable summer: Sign Fleury 2 years, $6.5 per to replace Anderson Trade 2024 VGK 2nd and Anders Bjork to Chicago for Connor Murphy and Brett Connolly (buried, cap dump) Sign Vinnie Hinostroza 1 year, $1.5 million Sign Curtis Lazar 2 years, $1 million per to replace Eakin Sign a handful of waivable vet tweeners for depth to replace Tokarski, Subban, Hayden, Butcher, Pysyk and Caggiula (or just re-sign them if they are willing to take a chance on Rochester.) Sign R2, Bryson, Murray, Biro and UPL to cheap, short-term deals. Sign Victor Olofsson to a 4-year $4.5 million deal Sign Tage Thompson to a 6-year, $6.5 million per extension Draft Jiricek, Gauthier, Beck and Miroshnichenko with our first 4 picks. It would leave us above the floor at about $65 million, with a depth chart (not lines) looking something like this: Skinner Thompson Tuch Asplund Mittelstadt Olofsson Girgensons Cozens Okposo Quinn Krebs Peterka Lazar Hinostroza * Murray Ruotsalainen (Caggiula) (Hayden) Samuelsson Dahlin Power Murphy Bryson Jokiharju Fitzpatrick *(Butcher) (Pysyk) Fleury Lukkonnen *(Subban) (Tokarski)

So did I see the @Derrico family on my TV last night - young Dad, dark rim glasses, white Sabres sweater with blue sleeves, sitting with Mom and kids?

Dell’s style is so bad. He’s constantly overplaying things and losing his angles and even his net entirely. Games where he gets lit up are inevitable. But you may be right. Aggression is less of a liability behind teams that lose coverage constantly like the Amerks, and teams like Belleville lack the skill to exploit him, so when he guesses right he can look spectacular. In terms of what makes an NHL goalie, UPL is far superior IMO. And I think he’s better built to take a structured team for a long playoff run.

Watching the AHL games I have this year, you don’t see many teams packed with top prospects. Biros and Fitzpatricks sure, but the Peterkas aren’t all that common.

Murphy missed 30 games 4 years ago and 25 this year. He’s missed a combined 40 games his other 7 years combined.

Has Laaksonen been a healthy scratch? They dressed 7 D tonight and none of them were him, and that’s not including Mule and Davidson, who might be back for Utica. Having Eliot, Teves and Tischke ahead of him would be troubling.

Do people not consider Murray, R2 and Laaksonen prospects any more? You’ve also got Biro, Weissbach and Rousek expected back.

Happy for Murray. He hasn’t looked good. R2 on the other hand…not surprised he set it up.