dudacek

I like the fact they tend to get their young Euros under contract quickly. It just cements the fact they’re part of the family despite the fact they are overseas, and also gives them some measure of control over their situation. I’m sure Rosen’s D1 year is something they aren’t anxious to repeat. Not necessarily, but it means that he can if it’s what they decide that is best. Sounds like the Sabres aren’t big on forcing guys to come before they want to (Östlund). I think I remember Wahlberg saying he was planning on SHL next year then whatever.

A part of the continent well-known for its rain is now at level 5 drought, the worst notch on the scale. The northern end of British Columbia is on fire and officials say my Vancouver Island home is tinder dry and could go up at any time. On the bright side, the weather has been absolutely glorious around here for more than 2 months.

I think goaltending is in a period of transition. NHL coaches have learned how to beat the monster shot-blocker and are attacking in a way best snuffed by an athletic save-maker. These things are never one-size-fits-all, but I think Levi represents where the game is going.

I’ll say it again. In this millennium, no goalie has ever been traded for more than the 9th overall pick. That goalie had a reasonable contract, was coming off back-to-back outstanding years as a backup and was entering his prime. If there has been a veteran goalie traded for more value than Darcy Kuemper or Ryan Miller’s (roughly) late 1st and a B prospect, I don’t remember it.

The previous 5 Buffalo head coaches haven’t returned to those heights after being fired. Neither have the previous 3 GMs.

Do you think Vladar for Olofsson works? And is Vladar who we want for our 1B? His resume is not appreciably different than UPL’s on the surface.

Vladar and Hanifin for Olofsson, Jokiharju and next year’s 1st. Who says no, and why?

This is why we cant find a goalie. Over the past 3 years, Markstrom is objectively a good NHL starting goalie. He’s 6th in the league in wins, 20th in s % and 11th in GAA. And we won’t pay more for him than Riley Stillman and a goalie we’re terrified to let play 30 games. There’s like 5 goalies Sabrefans want and none we’re willing to give up anything for.

But it hurts the Hawks, their fans and his teammates. The only ones it helps is Team Canada. Id be shocked. What team deliberately sits a 1st-line player?

I was talking about the tongue-twister sections from One Week, did I misread something? EDIT: oh wait, the video was still in my quote. Sorry about that.

My daughters had a thing where they could do it to perfection when they were young teens/tweens. They’re in their mid-20s now. Was in the car on a holiday with them this spring when out of nowhere they suddenly ripped through it from the back seat. They have no idea how happy it made their dad.

It will be nice if his patience pays off and frustrating until then.

There is no way in hell Bedard will be available for the WJC.

There is, however, a misplaced sense around here that they all have to play in the top 6. The post-lockout Sabres had a "3rd" line of Vanek, Roy and Afinogenov. Pominville and Pyatt were depth guys and Kotalik and Connolly were in and out of the top 6. That team won a lot of games because its depth outskilled the opponent's.

Might make sense as the backfill to Calgary after Hanifin is moved. Or a similar situation with Pesce or Karlsson, or another expensive D on the market. Or as a PLan B for a team that misses out on the above. It's quiet, but there are still moves coming before training camp. Too many unaddressed issues out there, particularly in Calgary and Winnipeg.

I'll be watching this. Savoie will be the highest-drafted 2004-born forward available (assuming Fantilli makes the Jackets), but he was the 3rd-highest last year and doesn't seem to have the warmest relationship with Hockey Canada. Benson is probably the most talented 2005-born Canadian available.

I find it very hard to imagine a world where we dump Olofsson and lose Quinn for maybe 60 games or more and it doesn't hurt the offence. Do we really think we can count on 120ish goals from Skinner/Tage/Tuch again? I really hope we won't be needing to score as much this year to win.

We're in this weird spot where we have not: acquired a top D added another goalie moved Olofsson Yet Adams still gives off a vibe of 'we got better and we will be better" I think there's a bit of poker happening here where Adams is trying to wait a few scenarios out yet has strengthened his hand enough he thinks the other guy should fold first. I've moved into the territory of "moves could still happen, but don't count on it."

In the abstract, a long-term deal is better for the Sabres. It only stops being better when the AAV shoots past the Heiskanen and Ekblad deals in terms of percentage relative to the cap at time of signing. It’s been my position since talk started that Power is better off waiting and leveraging the above percentage against the cap leap we all know is coming.

What the hell is this? Did he deliberately post a doctored screen shot?

Certainly not prior to last year, but I think that’s changing and hopefully that trend continues. My bellwether has been the Florida teams. I think that we have been an absolute joke to Florida and Tampa. They used to just coast, then would turn up the skill or the nasty and embarrass us. Hated playing them because of it. That stopped this year. They tried, but we pushed right back. The games were tight and the wins had to be earned. We may not have many players who physically scare the ***** out of you, but the number of players who you would describe as soft and and/or small has dropped considerably: Bjork, Hinostroza, Reinhart, Bryson, Clague, Hall, Asplund, Ruotsalainen, Olofsson, Pysyk, and Butcher are gone, or on their way out the door. Thompson, Mittelstadt, and Dahlin became men. Cozens and Krebs are following in their footsteps. We’ve added Samuelsson, Power, Stillman, Clifton, Johnson, Greenway and Tuch. We’ve got our fair share of players who are huge and talented and hard to defend. We’ve got our fair share who are fast and competitive and are always pushing. What we don’t have are many players who are afraid. Not anymore. I think there’s been more of a transformation than you recognize.

Mitts has the passing and the stickhandling, Dylan the transition game and the shot. They both work hard and can win contested pucks. Why don’t they make sense?

Might make for better conversations if you substituted “battle” or “intimidation” or “abrasiveness”, or whatever word fits best, instead of “size”. “Hard to play against” is a bad one too. Thompson and Tuch aren’t abrasive, but they are very hard to play against (and kind of intimidating) because of their mix of size and skill allows them to dominate matchups and make opponents look bad. And for the record, I think Owen Power is way harder to play against than Connor Clifton, and way more deserving of an opponent’s fear, for the exact reasons I state above.

I don’t know that firing coaches after back-to-back years of significant improvement in the standings and the young player corps is in keeping with the climate they are trying to create. But I would hope the special teams and goaltending are feeling the heat should the improvement stall.

I mostly agree with this. However, i see why an outsider might lean this way Lines 1 and 4 were effective lines last year, and line 2 appears to be just subbing one young stud for another. And passer, shooter, physical player with the Mitts line kinda makes sense on the surface. But I don't think Kulich can be Quinn and I doubt Greenway fixes the mess that was Victor/Casey.