dudacek

To me he’s looked more “fearless” since Power arrived, particularly pinching and defending the rush. Hasn’t always worked, but he’s made more plays as a result

They asked him about that Said it won’t change a thing about his approach. If it happens he’s honoured. If it’s someone else he’ll be that guysbiggest supporter. I think there might be a run on those jerseys

Quinn looked more like Quinn last night than he has lately. Just the way he constantly demands the puck. Sucks they couldn’t do it on their own, but I hope he gets a shot at the post-season. Really enjoyed watching Krebs Jack JJ and Mule back in December as Amerks. Would like to see it again with more on the line.

What excites me is what we saw down the stretch has been done almost entirely without any help from Adams drafting. We are about to open chapter 2 of a 3-year period of 6 1sts and 6 2nds. Odds are decent that over this period we will be adding a half-dozen more good pieces to a pipeline that began with Quinn and Peterka 2 years ago. More importantly, these guys will be asked to help the franchise, not save it.

This is going to be one of the great debates of the summer. Harrington asked Okposo about it this morning. Kyle called it a tricky question because ordinarily he’d say these wins don’t really matter. What he thinks might be different is that the Sabres didn’t win because they were loose and had nothing on the line, they won because they prepared and played as though they were in the race and those habits can carry over. Thoughtful stuff, like we typically get from Dad. Ill post the video later.

It’s interesting that almost unanimously this board believed Adams had assembled a terrible collection of goalies this year, and we were right. Yet also almost unanimously we believed that goaltending was going to crush the development of this team and we were wrong.

I’m inclined to view it though the Dan Dunleavy effect: where the circumstances amplify the warts. But no, they’ve really been night-and-day better.

One year ago today, by the hockey calendar, we got McCabe, Risto, Reinhart, and of course Jack, all saying in different ways “goodbye” and officially lighting the torches for a burn-it-down off-season. Wont be nearly as incendiary this year. Hope to see a united message of “can’t wait until next year, we’re going to make it worth your while.”

They certainly were part of the leadership group this year. I wonder if they make everyone available? I’m probably over-estimating but it feels like most years we get most, if not all the team.

Taylor Hall is an a-s-s. Come to think about it, that does make him a perfect Bruin. 😜

This strikes me as odd. Are they swapping tonight’s backups? Why? Is Dell going to start over UPL in must-win for the Amerks? Huge red flag. Is Houser going to start over Dell for the Sabres? OK, I guess…? Having him play the last game of the year in Rochester instead of Buffalo will fix that.

Or you could just ask Portillo - you know, in an open and honest conversation - his intentions and act accordingly. As far as incentives go, how about the fact that the only players standing between him and an NHL job are players who have never earned an NHL job? Cincy? WTF? As things stand, he’s closer to the NHL than Cincy. The only guys in his way in Buffalo have combined for 10 NHL games. How much easier can his path get?

You mean unlike the rest of us, who are in no way convinced we know better than teachers, or doctors, or scientists, or hockey coaches....😜

Not that I’m aware of. Of course they were playing during the Final 4, and the Sabres haven’t been to Minnesota or Detroit since their season ended. Adams and Pegula watched Portillo and Johnson in the Final 4 and probably talked to them, considering we know Adams has talked to them at regular intervals throughout the year, and that the development staff talks with them on a continual basis. We’ve heard from Adams mouth last week that he’s been given no indication Portillo plans to bolt, on the contrary, he’s been told the Portillo family looks at the Sabres as a great opportunity. We’ve heard from Johnson’s mouth how valued the Sabres have made him feel and how much he appreciates the relationship he has with the development staff and how it loves the collection of young players and the direction the team is headed. We know, for a fact, the vast majority of drafted players who play a full 4 years in college and are offered a contract end up signing with the team that drafted them. We know the high-profile ones who don’t - Vesey, Fox, Butcher - generally make it known they intend to exercise free agency well ahead of that time. I’ll worry when I’m given reason to worry. Signs? Yes.

Absolutely. I think fans put way too much faith in consensus rankings, which give equal weight to Tampa’s opinion, Arizona’s opinion, and the opinions of basement hobbyists.

Checking out his buddies Krebs, Cozens and Power. I refuse to worry about Levi, Portillo or Johnson until we see signs that they are less than happy with organization and the opportunity it offers. We’ve seen none aside from panicky posters. And what we have seen seems to indicate the opposite.

I have been enjoying watching the sabres play more than any times in years. I'm sad there are only 2 games left. No question for me on this one. I'll catch up on the Bills later.

My perception is Gauthier is ranked between our 1st 2 picks, but he has caught my eye as well. I agree that the system could use a mean Alex Tuch.

What is interesting to me about Tuch giveaways is how often he takes the puck back. Tage has had good linemates all season. He has been good regardless of his linemates.

I have no idea the stories he is competing against, but Kyle would be a worthy winner. Lafontaine and Luce previous Sabres winners.

Obviously, he is nowhere near the player, but Tage uses his size the same way Mario did: to strip and protect pucks and create space.

Every Sabre fans knows Nourque is noting more than a guy who rode the coattails of Olivier Nadeau.

I’ve been a little on the fence myself looking at the roster, but I dug a little deeper into the history books. Going back 25 years, there has never been a Sabres prospect who has put up point totals even remotely close to what Peterka has and not started the next season in Buffalo. Other than Quinn, I don’t think there has been a prospect to produce like that who was not elevated to the team in-season. Quinn’s scoring is unprecedented, but Peterka’s is right up there among the best ever as well. I posted about a while ago on the site, but don’t have the time right now to pull up the post. In terms of what NHL teams generally do with their top prospects, he is way past ready.

I think some of you are treating Tage as an established player having a possible blip, when the fact is he's a young player having a breakthrough. He's played less than 150 NHL games prior to this year. Yes, he may never match these totals, but he wouldn't be alone in that and it wouldn't mean he's not a legitimate top 6 player. Thomas Vanek broke out with 84 points at 23, he settled in as a 60-70 point guy Derek Roy broke out with 81 points at 25, he settled in as a 60-70 point guy Jason Pominville broke out with 80 points at 25, he settled in as a 60-70 point guy They all remained legit top 6 NHL players after their "blip".

I get that Nicholls 150-point season was an aberration, but he topped a point per game 8 times. He was a first line centre before that year. (And ironically was 1C playing 2C that year) Alex Mogilny got 127 points out of nowhere at age 24 and never came close to that again.