dudacek

None of those guys plays the classic give-and-go game. They are all shoot-first. They all want the puck and are on a mission to go get it. They all want to beat people one on one all the time. I mean, it's not like they don't pass, but it's rarely the primary option. It's so bizarre, one of the most unconventional effective offensive lines I have ever seen.

We’ve seen plenty of instances where Dahlin magically appears in the offensive zone to nab a puck and slide into open space and we’re left all “where did he come from?” There was a play last night where that happened on defence. A Penguin was cruising toward (Joki?) down the right wing boards on a rush and suddenly Dahlin had come from the left side slipped between them and forced a turnover. He saw a play and executed before anyone on the ice even knew it was there. That’s the aggression and the fearlessness Donnie preaches manifesting itself in new ways, thanks to Dahlin’s rare skill and the confidence the coach has installed.

Donnie’s pressers have been must-watch all year.

Think we might be talking about different versions of popular. Mine is more “universally loved by hardcore fans” as opposed to “liked by the most people.”

I don’t know what you were watching. He was snuffing rushes all nightlong and moving it smartly and safely out of our zone. He was on for a ridiculously flukey double-bounce goal from behind the net and a PP wrister that Anderson played like he was Bill Buckner. Nearly 25 minutes, many of them against Crosby and Malkin with a positive shot share. Took no penalties, don’t remember any egregious giveaways or running around in our zone. Looked like he was constantly in good position to support his teammates on both ends. It was a really well-defended game by our entire D corps and I thought he was a big part of that.

Yes, he was plenty hyped at camp and has had a fair amount of attention for his play in Roch. Now I’m clearly talking about serious fans, as opposed to casual ones.

The thing about Peterka is I have never heard anyone who follows the team ever say a bad word about him, not one. The amount of talk may have faded, but at there were plenty raving about him. Thing is, in addition to his talent, he plays with such hustle and carries himself with such joy.

Inspired by talk on WGR: This isn’t a ranking of your favourites, or how good they are, but a ranking of how popular you perceive these guys with the fan base. My top 5: Tuch Granato Peterka Cozens Okposo With an honourable mention to Craig Anderson, and a huge chunk finally jumping on the Dahlin bandwagon.

Something, something culture....

So much this. Not that I'm feeling any less glee about the Knights' struggles, but they are coming off games that could have easily been wins with a little puck luck and better goaltending. Just like the current satisfaction with the Sabres is fed almost entirely by a pair of OT victories over unprepared teams. These narratives could change with a bounce of a puck.

Good point. Goes hand-in-hand with Bryson's ability to pivot suddenly on his skates and slide under checkers, which also feed off-hand success.

Of all the LHD we've tried on the right, Bryson seems to have coped the best.

They aren't moving Cozens, Krebs, or Mitts because they are invested in them, they've yet to show their ceilings and why sell low? They aren't moving Tuch or Thompson because they are their best forwards on great contracts. They aren't moving Girgs and Okie without an overpay because culture. They aren't moving Skinner because they can't. They'd probably be open to moving Asplund as part of a package, but he's coachable and cheap in the bottom 6 and doesn't have great value otherwise. They only guy they would move is Victor because of his contract situation, the fact he probably has decent value on the market and because Jack Quinn (and, to a lesser extent, JJ Peterka) make him redundant.

I thought he showed signs he's starting to come around even prior to the Vancouver game. He's finally caught up to the play again. One of the reasons you tend not to notice him much is because he doesn't make many mistakes. Wish he would make more plays. but he is positionally sound and works his ass off.

That step was Gourde/Goodrow/Coleman. Be interesting to see if Hagel and Paul can make enough of that back.

He’s probably going to finish with about 40 points. The other Sabre forwards to hit 40 in their U21 seasons in the past 20 years: Eichel 57 Connolly 45 Reinhart 42 I think improved point totals are a given.

Tokarski is 32 and a pending UFA. The Sabres do not have a goalie under contract for next year. I suspect they will re-sign either Subban or Toker to be their #3, and UPL to compete for their NHL #1. At least one of the college guys will be signed to share the load in Rochester. The other might be to be #1 in Cincy. And another vet will be acquired to share NHL time with UPL. I hope that player will be better than Anderson, but given the amount they appear to value his contribution, he might be back.

If this is the point, then why were Krebs, Fitz and Mule sent down then immediately called up? We don’t need them in Buffalo right now with Miller Pysyk Butcher Bjork and Hayden all available. Separate discussion: Krebs, Mule and Fitz are going to benefit more from playing against NHL competition than AHL competition.

Adams said in his presser he was cleared to play prior to being sent down and recalled.

I’m not suggesting spending money to just to spend money and it’s certainly not about tying money up in the wrong players. I am suggesting that we had $20 million available under the cap that could have and should have been used to make this team better. Most of you seem to think that there was nothing out there worth spending that money on. I think that’s ridiculous. Why do you assume it would automatically have to be a lout like Hall? Craig at $750,000 is definitely better value than Freddie at $6 million. But Freddie is the better goalie and value is meaningless when you are so far under the cap and you aren’t getting tied down to a long-term commitment. Why do you care about Pegula’s money?

Pretty sure the NHL season ends and the AHL playoffs start around the same time. At least one player will have to go down when Power signs, well before then. If it was up to me, the Sabres dress Fitz/Mule/Bryson/Jokiharju/Dahlin and one of Pysyk/Miller until Power signs, about 2 weeks from now. Then I send Fitz and Mule down to finish the AHL season while Power joins a Miller Pysyk Butcher rotation to finish the NHL season. I would have rather traded Miller and kept Fitz and Mule here longer. They’ll learn more up here and our team will be better for having them in the roster.

This year’s cap space is now expired, never to be used again. Next year’s is a different pot. I hope they do better. I agree it was likely a business decision.

It’s not about the deadline and I don’t buy the implication that there was nothing they could have done. If we had offered Frederick Anderson$12 million over 2 years in the summer, he should have taken it and we would have been better off. If we had offered to trade Boychuk’s contract to the Coyotes for Phil Kessel and a 3rd they would have taken it and we would have been better off, even if we sent Kessel to the KHL. Just 2 over-the-top examples off the top of my head to make the point. In a more realistic vein, overpay on a one-year deal for a better player than Pysyk last summer and maybe you are able to get a 2nd round pick by retaining on that player today, just like we did with Hall. Adams needs to explore every avenue he can in order to make the team better. We left money on the table that could have been used to do just that.

It’s bigger than the trade deadline. We left 16 million unspent under the cap.

That quote was about the AHL playoffs, which could have and would have happened irrespective of keeping Miller or not. Mule, Fitz and Miller are 3 of 8 D currently on the NHL roster. Power will be the 9th.