LTS

I seem to recall Leopold poking a puck into the net against the Leafs in some crazy goal mouth scramble at the end of the game not too long ago. Am I mis-remembering? No intent to blow :)

Hallelujah.. let's have a philosophical discussion. I'm in! I'm sure, somehow, there could be a definition of clutch that could exist but the arguments and debate to get there would be too tedious to allow it to happen. That said. It's an eyeball test to a certain degree right? So, there's a moment in a game where something big has to happen and in that moment, what player makes it happen? To address, specifically your timing questions, I think you are discounting that when a 2-0 lead is gained in the first period there are 40 minutes + X remaining in the game for the opposition to score. Therefore, if you account for the fact that any given team would have a percentage chance to score against another team (the factors determining that not withstanding, but being equal) then a team with less time left in the game would have less of an overall chance of scoring enough goals to tie the game. Thus, scoring near the end of the game would be more beneficial, thus clutch. The same is true with goaltending. You could argue that a game that would have a potential 4 breakaway opportunities would equally weigh out to a 25% chance to score on each and thus each save is equally weighted. However, if you take them individually, and you account for the chance a player will score on the breakaway then making the save later plays back into when a goal is scored relative to the end of the game and in this case the goaltenders team's ability to either retain the lead or tie the game or come back from that deficit that would have been increased if the player had scored. Addressing the makeup question after #2 point of yours. Players have a genetic capability to be excellent players. They are coded to respond to stimuli and situations in a game. Each player responds differently. You could argue that the same coding that put Kane into that position to score was also the coding that caused Shattenkirk to fail. Thus, in a tight moment, with the game on the line, and many variables to process, Patrick Kane was able to have a clutch impact on the game whereas Shattenkirk was not. You have to admit that each player on that ice is playing a game of percentages in their head. They are assessing options they have on the fly and making a decision. Those who choose the right percentages often come out on top. So, Kane assessed his ability to score against passing or changing skating direction to let the play develop. Shattenkirk assessed where the play would go and whether his teammates could recover and Miller assessed whether Kane would shoot or pass, etc. Kane choose correctly as is evidenced by the goal. This isn't a slam dunk reason of course, but I think it shows that in that situation Kane performed better. It doesn't matter if his "clutch": outweighs the rest of the talent. What if Kane was the only guy on the team who scored game in and game out? He'd still be a clutch player it's just that the rest of the team sucks. And I think your last points are very valid. Clutch is relative to the scenario. Just as some people are born to start companies and others are born to maintain companies so too are players better in regular season games than playoff games. I would think that someone who fails in one or the other however could not be considered "clutch" overall as they clearly are not able to be the "clutch" player when needed. So, there are clutch plays and that doesn't make a player clutch, but a player who repeatedly makes those plays relative to the rest of his peers should be considered more clutch than the others, correct? So glad you posted what you did. Truly. It's a great conversation piece.

So, in a series dominated by the world's top talent he wasn't able to be the clutch player, but then again was there really a clutch player in the Olympics for any team? It seemed like a rather large letdown to be honest. It was some good hockey at times but nothing spectacular. Kane has scored some seriously clutch goals (or caused them to happen). He's definitely a significant threat on the ice. Best in the world might be a stretch but he's on the really short list of a player who I want on my team when I need to win.

Isn't he originally from Boston? Perhaps he's sour that he can't get a job there?

Because the law says so. :) So, why isn't Reinhart a consensus #1 pick? Your logic is completely flawed. Even if you argue that the Panthers take Ekblad because they need D more than O then by your logic the consensus #1 OFFENSIVE pick would be Reinhart in which case there would be no discussion since the Sabres would be taking him. But, there is discussion, because there is no consensus #1 pick and therefore you can't use your logic. The Sabres will get a Sam, of that I am certain. They will benefit one way with one of them and another way with the other. If they have a choice between the two it gets interesting. But because this is a dream world. I will say that Florida takes Ekblad. The Oilers, wanting a forward like Bennett, will trade the Sabres the #2 for the #3, the Sabres send Myers in the deal and the Oilers send RNH to Buffalo. The Sabres can then take Reinhart at #3. I love dream worlds.

I am 13. I am always 13 except one time when I was nice and let someone else have it. I hated that jersey. I am 13 because it's unlucky for everyone else. I don't believe in that crap, so it doesn't bother me. Strangely enough, my wife always wore 13 as well in high school sports. Not strangely enough, my son wears #13.. because he may have been unduly influenced by both his parents wearing 13. I am sure I have had other numbers in my lifetime on jerseys.. but none of those I can remember so they clearly don't matter.

It's just outside the offensive zone. Like an offsides. I'm pretty certain. I wonder if the calls will change in Round 2. The officiating does seem suspect this post-season. A little more loose. Lots of hits that are a good 2-3 seconds after the puck has been moved. Non-sense stuff that people have pointed out here as well. And.. there's some really great hustle and some creativity with players too.

Hard to tell sometimes with people on here loving to bash things.

Curious, is there a reason to go off like this and go with the name calling? Are you including Leino because he's a Finn? Wouldn't Ristolainen have had more influence on Armia than Leino could have ever hoped? You hear one rumor and this is your response? Fantastic.

Is there any team willing to trade for that #5 pick? The Isles have to think about shopping that pick now that it's theirs to give up. The other question, what GMs are willing to give up a lottery pick in next year's draft? It's something to think about when saying that the Sabres (or anyone) can trade something away to get another shot in that draft

Awesome too. Perhaps they'll get that social media thing figured out?

To be fair, I could find 100 pictures of him looking a certain way and I'd still end up with nothing even remotely close to what Ted Nolan looks like. This is fantastic work.

I've steamrolled a female on the ice. Not because it was a female but because she was the opposing player standing the place that I needed to be at that time (I also had the puck). I don't take sex into account when playing. It's true that guys on the opposing team are somewhat overprotective of such things. The one time I needed to turn up ice and the defender (female) was standing in front of me I just began pushing her up the ice to get her out of my way. They really didn't like that. I never knocked her over though. It was more like a bulldozer move until she decided to get out of my way. Of course these are all things I do to any player on the ice when I have to.

It's pretty clean now at BGRI. A fight nets you a 3 game suspension. The second one puts you out for a season and three and you're done. There are some skirmishes but not all out fights. I've been in one fight my entire time there and I honestly wanted no part of it. Of course he dropped his gloves and did a great job of punching my cage. I left my gloves on.. because well. they are designed to block sticks and pucks on the exterior. It was short lived as I basically threw him to the ice. What a waste.. suspended because some other jerk started throwing punches at me. Could be. I especially loved that we had varying nights and times. That made it extremely easy to plan. If I could recall much about my 2-3 seasons I played there I'd provide more detail but truthfully I was happy to leave so I didn't commit a lot to memory!

No.. I figured the point was that we wouldn't be able to tell him apart by his nickname. can't we have "But Not Out 1" and "But Not Out 2" at least? And so on...

Beauty.

The way people described it reminded me of playing in mid-90's at Holiday and Leisure in buffalo.. at 1am. that was fun. Always fights.. it was awful. I have never been more injured than I was playing in those places.

Sabres are running out of bodies... Foligno did not look good going down last night. It all begins tonight!

Part of me really believes that.. the other part does it just to bait you a bit :w00t:

Here's where I am with Ted Nolan. The players that are good enough to be top level talent in the NHL are generally driven to improve themselves. All the basic systems are usually covered long before they get to the NHL. There might be a few tweaks here or there but I'd say by and large most of the little things to improve their play are going to be learned from veterans and/or specific position coaches. Ted Nolan's greatest asset is getting players to believe in themselves and each other. He doesn't seem to be disingenuous in any way. In short, he's a really good motivator and definitely good at bringing people together and getting them to play as a team. His players believe in him. That's why I think he'll be fine regardless of who the Sabres have on the team. I'm really high on the guy, there's no doubt. I was in his first stint as well. It's very different with him when you listen to him speak.

It's much better than it used to be. I'll give them that. I can't speak about Lakeshore leagues. I know most people I speak to don't like them, tends to be rough out there they say. I have no idea personally. I don't like the rink itself, I think it's the low ceiling. The rinks at BGRI could stand to be improved a bit. Rink 3 has an absolute crevasse by the Zamboni door. No one dares venture near there.

He'll be here all through next year. Contract extension in the off-season. They need to pay someone, it might as well be him. :)

4th round pick.. 121st overall. Freakin Wings can find them. He's becoming a one man highlight reel.

It's great if McCabe plays. We get another chance at seeing the future of Buffalo's draft picks and get an idea of how he'll perform. Unfortunately for him he'll be playing against one of the best teams in the NHL.

Can't say that I do...