dudacek

Well the kid did score 40 this year, one off the league lead.

That’s how I read it too. His conflict appears to be more about signing now or later, rather than here or elsewhere. Loves Minny wants go back and win a title NHL is his dream and the opportunity to fulfill it is right there. Genuinely looking at camp to push him one way or the other. Doesnt like conflict, feels the pressure from the media to sign Not a gifted public speaker We see the uncertainty and insecurity and conclude that it’s about Buffalo when it may really be about the when, rather than the where. “I love Buffalo, I plan on signing eventually” is either an outright lie or simply the truth. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt until they prove they deserve otherwise. Portillo responded by talking about having to prove himself in Michigan. To who? Why? Buffalo has already offered him a contract. Unlike Johnson, he seems otherwise very self-assured and aware of his path. Unlike Johnson, he did not even try to address his future with the Sabres. I tend to think he hasn’t closed the door on Buffalo, but his approach to his future will be purely businesslike.

There’s their Backstrom replacement. Big drop off there, IMO. Closer to home Ottawa extends Josh Norris 8 years for just a smidge under $8 million. The market for Tage is setting. Wonder if they’re talking.

So it’s Dreger, but he actually sounds like he’s hearing some buzz that Buffalo is kicking tires on some bigger pieces. That Montreal radio, so not his typical Buffalo radio hit. Kevyn has us conditioned to think he’s done, but maybe not? There’s a lot to like about Chychrun. It really feels like we’re not nearly as concerned about handedness as some.

Canucks allegedly talking to teams about dumping Ekman-Larsson. He's a lefty and has a brutal contract. But he can still play in the top 4 and fits the elder statesman role here very well. He's only 30. I wonder would we could get for taking him.

On the other hand, meet Devon Levi. Without even being asked the question, this kid leaves no doubt where he'll be signing. Fantastic interview. Fantastic kid. Fantastic goalie.

I'm thinking of all-offence, all lines: more like Krebs Cozens Savoie Quinn Östlund Tuch Kulich Thompson Peterka Asplund Mitts Olofsson I gotta say the mix of projected talent, speed and compete on those first three lines is drool-worthy.

So hard to dislike Cozens.

I think Adams is trying to operate more like a football team. He's trying to create a situation where the team develops and slides the cheaper back-up into the role of the non-core player who earns a big raise. The trick is determining which players you identify as 'core" and sign long-term and which ones you can afford to let go.

And if Rosen trends to bust, Quinn struggles in the NHL and VO scores 38 next year while Mitts and Thompson disappoint, the equation changes. Don't get me wrong I largely agree with you, and think that is likely the way Kevyn is leaning as well. But best-laid plans, right?

The bold has it. Any discrepancy between ice time between the 2 will be a result of ice time earned, though. I don't see the Sabres approaching it from the perspective of a 3C they want to get 14 minutes and a 2C they want to get 16. I'm more interested in how they mix up the lines and who gets shifted to the wing. It sounds like the early plan is Zemgus at 4C, but Rochester convinced me that Krebs is more suited to centre. I do think there is a chance the 4th line this year will be non-traditional and often include Quinn, Peterka and/or Krebs depending on the matchups Donnie wants higher up the lineup, specifically Girgs/Asplund in defensive conscience roles. That doesn't mean 8 minutes a game though, they'll get their 12.

This contract is about seeing what VO does this year versus how Quinn, Peterka and Rosen develop. It's about keeping options open.

The Sabres like Henri a lot more than you do.

Seems like unheralded over-25 goalies suddenly get an opportunity and break out almost every year. Binnington, Husso, Kuemper, Talbot, Campbell... Why not Comrie? We can always dream.

Its gonna be Boosh Definitely signed to be a 4/5 — 17-18 minutes a night killing penalties and making D-zone starts.

The team is counting on those kinda updates: the biggest improvements this year are going to come from guys like Cozens or Mitts making leaps.

The mid-point break was actually incidental to the point I was trying to make. I was more approaching this from the perspective I’ve seen of “we were a bad team last year and we haven’t done anything to improve the roster.” The point of my exercise was to show that we actually have turned over literally half the players from the team that was bad, and that the team actually improved with the turnover. It’s just been a gradual process from the group we watched struggle in November and December: Tuch for Hayden Mitts for Eakin Krebs for R2 Peterka for Caggiula Quinn for Murray Samuelsson for Pysyk Power for Miller Lyubushkin for Hagg Fitzpatrick for Butcher Comrie for Tokarski Anderson for Dell Basically we’ve moved the majority of the JAGs off the roster. But rather than replacing them with proven talent, it’s been unproven talent. They add guys they think have more to give. Lyubushkin has only played just over 200 games. Comrie 28. Even Tuch had only played about 250 when we got him.

Clague actually became a Hab when the Kings waived him last year. I don’t remember it, but he was 2-time World Junior player for team Canada. Probably whyI recognized the name.

I’d be surprised if Tischke isn’t back. Still need one more to replace Fitzy’s fire or Mule’s strength. Priskie Davies, Pilut and Clague certainly address the biggest weakness of last year’s team though. They should do a much better job of exiting the zone than this year’s team though. Especially if Johnson gets added to that group.

I’m pretty sure the Sabres add Kane at the deadline this year in order to bolster their playoff run. In exchange for Anders Bjork and a 2nd. 😘

Here's an interesting way of looking how the NHL roster has evolved. Depth chart based on games played/ice time: 1st half 21/22 * 2nd half 21/22 * Projected 22/23 opening Thompson ––> Tuch ––> Tuch Skinner ––> Thompson ––> Thompson Okposo ––> Skinner ––> Skinner Cozens ––> Okposo ––> Cozens Asplund ––> Mittelstadt ––> Mittelstadt Olofsson ––> Cozens ––> Olofsson Girgensons ––> Olofsson ––> Okposo Hinostroza ––> Krebs ––> Krebs Eakin ––> Asplund ––> Asplund Bjork ––> Eakin ––> Girgensons Hayden ––> Girgensons ––> Quinn Caggiula ––> Hinostroza ––> Peterka Murray ––> Bjork ––>Hinostroza Ruotsalainen ––> Hayden ––> Bjork Dahlin ––> Dahlin ––> Dahlin Pysyk ––> Jokiharju ––> Samuelsson Miller ––> Samuelsson ––> Jokiharju Bryson ––> Bryson ––> Power Hagg ––> Fitzgerald ––> Lyubushkin Butcher ––> Pysyk ––> Bryson Jokiharju ––> Hagg ––> Fitzgerald Tokarski ––> Anderson ––> Comrie Dell ––> Tokarski ––> Anderson To summarize: Went 13-21-7, 109 GF, 141 GA Started playing Mittelstadt, Tuch, Krebs, Samuelsson, Fitzgerald and Anderson instead of Bjork, Hayden, Caggiula, Miller, Butcher and Dell Went 19-18-4, 120 GF, 146 GA Exchanged Eakin, Hayden, Pysyk, Hagg and Tokarski for Quinn, Peterka Power, Lyubushkin and Comrie

I will say Portillo much more polished in front of a mike than Johnson. Importance of school to him came across very clearly, as did his willingness to compete with Levi or anyone else. Johnson, I thought was just plain awkward. He literally said he loves the organization and that his goal is to sign eventually, yet did so in such a manner that left people feeling it wasn’t an actual commitment. Both these guys had an opportunity to ease the minds of fans. I thought Johnson tried, ineffectively. Portillo wasn’t forced to answer and chose not to

Portillo as well. The media didn’t pursue the issue very well with him. He clearly answered the question he was asked, he just wasn’t asked the right question. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/erik-portillo-71322/t-277437090/c-12187486

From the horse’s mouth. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/ryan-johnson-71322/t-277437090/c-12187485 Kid looks (understandably) uncomfortable to me.

Other than chasing a national championship with your buddies on a team that fell just short last year and is returning a lot of its core? Never mind finishing his education, or spending time with his future wife, or any of the other things that college seniors do? I have no idea what Ryan Johnson is thinking. I’m surprised so many others do. Happened, I think, twice this year with a similar-level prospect. Definitely a kid from the Wild to the Coyotes. Im pretty sure it happens at least as often as “wanted” players going to free agency. Im not going to go back and dig up the actual facts again because apparently no one remembers them anyway.