dudacek

There’s going to be a transition. A handful of free agents will be dumped. We will get a look at next year as Mule and Krebs and Mittelstadt and Tuch continue to establish themselves. Power and Quinn will join, we might get a look at Levi and Johnson as well. If Craig Anderson can’t stay healthy the results will be more of the same. If he can, they will have a better record than the 1st half. Guys like @PASabreFan will roll their eyes and call it meaningless. Guys like me will call it signs that the kids are developing. But the big news will be the Pegulas selling a stake in the franchise, which, coupled with the finish of the kids and a big draft, will see people start to drift back into the building. The Eichel situation was the bottom and it’s still low tide. But it’s on the way back in.

I wonder what happens if Anderson, UPL and Levi finish the season well. UPL would almost certainly have a spot in Buffalo then. Levi will be one of the goalies in Rochester. Would they bring in a Mrazek or Korpisalo type over signing Craig for another year?

From what we’ve seen in a 1/2 season, a combo of Anderson and UPL would have been fine. Which is what I think Adams was expecting to run with this year. The issue was less his judgement of their ability and more his judgement of their availability.

Leading the team in wins despite playing only 7 games tells you all you need to know about our goaltending.

Krebs with his best game as a Sabre. He looked tonight in the NHL, like he has looked in Rochester. Craig Anderson is so much better than the pap we’ve been watching in goal for most of the year. Coyotes, not good.

I’m still basking in the way he drove the net for his goal and the way Krebs got him the puck. Those goals have been missing on this team for far too long

Just to be clear for those not watching: this line never happened in the game. Is it just me, or does Tuch look even better with Krebs or Cozens than Skinner/Tage?

Weird thing is, I’m pretty sure the Sabres went in to that draft targeting Zegras with Caufield high on their list if Zegras was snatched earlier. Cozens was a guy who they thought was gone in the top 5 and him being there caught them by surprise.

Cozens went 7th, Zegras 9th. Hughes is breaking out and probably still goes 1st right now a redraft. Zegras probably 3rd after Seider (who went 6th)? Kakko, Cozens , Byram and Dach are probably the next 4 and are probably on a tier. Turcotte and Broberg look like the questionable picks. Lots of time for this group to reset.

Pretty sure suspensions apply equally to NHL and AHL games, so he will not be available there until his NHL suspension concludes. I suspect the waiver is nothing more than making space for Ticker and Andy.

So good.

Portillo says he has been thinking about the NHL and will see what happens after this season. https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2022/01/rock-star-goalie-erik-portillo-a-difference-maker-for-michigan-hockey.html

I worry about the same thing, but not for the same reasons. I see cap preventing teams from adding the type of depth guys we will be selling. Miller was the surest bet, but his injury clouds that. I’m very interested in whether or not Olofsson fits into their long-term plans.

I think we will see Levi signing this spring, with Portillo following the next spring.

Don’t know and it’s hard to judge Adams without knowing. Im glad he didn’t beat Timmons, 1st, 3rd for Kuemper. A 2nd for Vanecek? A 3rd for Vladar? A 3rd and Bernier for Nedjelkovic? I can see Adams thinking Lukkonnen, Anderson and keeping the picks might be a better option, given his goals. I do know our goaltending has been bad this year and that is on him.

Most team’s 3-4-5-6 are no better than Luukkonen/Dell/Subban/Houser. Nearly every team (thanks Arizona) has a more reliable 1-2 than Anderson/Tokarski.

I think there is a very good chance Levi plays a game this year. The only thing standing in the way of the record is Anderson or Ticker stepping up Saturday.

So I guess it’s either Marty Biron or @darksabre?

Ryan Johnson sounds like a kid who is getting ready to become a Buffalo Sabre. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-prospects-update-ryan-johnson-university-of-minnesota-gophers/c-330249152

The idea of trading the two players who best represent the game you want the team to play — big-bodied, high-effort, accountable — is baffling to me.

Seems we've finally found agreement on this one. Every word. I find it interesting how much the "C" meant to Jack, and unsurprising that he conveniently omitted the fact his trade demand was already well-entrenched when they removed it.

It wouldn’t pay a 1st if they paid all of Miller’s contract. But good info, and good to know they are trying.

Eichel gushing about his Sabres fandom

Yes, that’s what I am getting at, but with the pessimistic addendum of them deciding it’s not worth paying more and they just say ‘screw it, status quo’ Hopefully, GMs are as dumb as ever. Speaking of dumb, at what price (UFA contract, not trade) does Risto make sense for the Sabres?