dudacek

Lots of things to like tonight and most of them well-covered up-thread. My favourite thing about the game that hasn’t been talked about much was how poised, confident and assertive Rasmus Dahlin looked. Absolutely in control of his immense talent. More than anything else, it’s a storyline I desperately need to see emerge this year. *** I hope this is the last time I - or anyone else - mentions Jack Eichel’s name in a game-day thread until he is playing for another team.

Great idea! Terrible playlist!

Nice move, but the big thing there was the way he embarrassed the D with his wheels.

Did Kevyn finally get grumpy Bob Murray back to the table only to push one his buttons?

Not overly familiar with Emily or ESPN up here. Credibility level?

I don't care if it is a marketing program. It means something to me. Make it real.

I don't think you are in the minority. Dahlin needs to take a step this year. He's still young, but he's in year 4. Never mind that the future of the team is a lot darker if he's just Keith Yandle.

I like the concept of Thompson down low and Skinner at the bumper. Each has the right skill set. Each also has a lot to prove. Curious to see what a Dahlin-centric PP looks like as opposed to an Eichel-centric PP, and how good Casey can be as a designated playmaker. I suspect the PP will be ugly early, but I'm hopeful it can grow.

I just can't imagine the odds I'd have to be given to accept that bet. I'm not going litter the game day thread with this debate (others can decide if it warrants its own thread) but I would like to hear the explanation as to why Cody is playing and Hayden and R2 are not. And I am curious as to how long this situation will persist.

Me too. That includes all three paragraphs though.

Ladies and gentlemen, when was the last time a Sabres team exceeded expectations? There will never be a better chance than this year.

Yet you have no problem assigning similar behaviour to Elliott Friedman. 🤔

I don't have time to dig it up, but I distinctly remember hearing this as well at the time, being shocked and going looking for the actual clip. I discovered what was said, in context, transformed from a rip into a sarcastic "I'm going to show them for giving up on me" framed around lots of positive things about his time with the Sabres, from a very positive person. I just assumed this was the same clip you were talking about, and I'm sorry if I'm wrong. I would be surprised though if there was another clip at the time that was an actual rip at the Sabres that didn't get any attention here.

A long time ago there used to be debates on here about whether Harrington and his ilk were being ***** or "calling it like it is." I usually thought they were being *****, but in terms of how bad or broken the team was, they certainly weren't wrong. I can't recall ever reading a Harrington piece with so hopeful a take on the Sabres.

This didn’t happen.

That is one beauty right there, let me tell ya.

This is the best articulation of Adams' plan that I've seen. Those of you who wanted the culture fixed, this is how he's doing it.

That clip reminds of one of those nature shows featuring an orca and a seal. My god.

OK, so by far away you meant they aren’t making us good this season. Agreed. I don’t think they are far away from the NHL though. I think the point of most of our JAGs is to support but not block the group of kids that is ready for the NHL now while keeping a seat warm for the group that will be ready next season. The primary purpose of this season is development, not winning. I’ll leave it to you guys to decide whether or not that’s a tank.

Not sure what the bold means. The rest of that paragraph sounds like you and I agree. Disagree with your second paragraph: Peterka, Samuelsson and Power will almost certainly finish this season as Sabres. Quinn and Johnson will probably get serious looks as well. UPL, Laaksonen and Murray are also possibilities.

Vancouver radio right now talking about how they are looking at the Sabres lines and "its remarkable how bad that team will be."

He told you why: your pet peeve "blocking." A "real" NHL bottom-6 centre is theoretically going to take reps away from R2, Cozens, Bjork, Thompson and Asplund — and (if the stars align) an Eichel return. I think Eakin was under contract and Adams didn't think the team would be better off "cutting" him and signing another minimum-wage fringe player to a 1-year deal after already signing Caggiula, MacInnis, Hayden and Hinostroza. It remains to be seen, but theoretically Eakin is not here to be a regular. He's a spare forward, who beat out Axel-Foley and MacInnis for that job. (For the record, I disagree with Adams. Just answering your question)

Eakin was a bad hockey player last year and expect he'll be bad again this year. It's really hard to argue that it's his job to help them win hockey games or that they could not have found a better bottom-6 centre. The job of the kids I listed upthread is to cement themselves into the opportunities they've been offered. The job of Eakin (Hinostroza, Caggiula, Hayden, Okposo, Girgensons, Hagg, Butcher, Pysyk) is to skate hard, be a good teammate and help create a new team identity and culture while keeping a seat warm for the Powers, Samuelssons, Quinns and Peterkas. What's in it for them is a chance to earn another contract, here or elsewhere and save their NHL careers.

The youth are mostly developing elsewhere. There is one kid who I am worried about this year, and that's Dylan Cozens. The others are all 3rd and 4th year pros who have seen how the NHL works. They are being put into situations they should be ready for. Rasmus Dahlin, you think you're a top pairing defenceman? Here's your chance to prove it. Henri Jokiharju, you think you're top 4? Let's see it. Casey Mittelstadt, are you really a top 6 centre? Let's see what you've got. Tage Thompson, R2, Anders Bjork, Rasmus Asplund and Jacob Bryson are you real NHLers? OK, show us. It's sink-or-swim, trial-by-fire, put-up-or-shut-up for these guys, and I'm fine with that. If they can be what we hope they can be, now is the time.