Randall Flagg

I'm hoping that it's the last part, but I'm not sure that there's any consensus way to do the last preseason game, so we might not have any idea until Phil submits the lines

I think they already have more wins than last year's preseason, but don't quote me on that.

So has Alex made the team?

"The Buffalo Sabres loook LOST." Buddy, it's the f*cking AHL team against the best two centers on the planet not named McDavid

I've already clarified this, but I'm making a broad point as something to watch out for. I very explicitly stated that I'm not calling to break it up now, and that I shouldn't have even mentioned their games to date because it's not relevant to th epoint, just an example of what I don't want when the real ones start. I went on further to say that I want to see super line production from them, or else our depth scoring is enough of a problem to not justify keeping it together. In the lineup thread.

The announcers make it an easy decision to be done with that for the night!

It's been a Pittsburgh PP the whole period!

He also just escaped a Crosby forecheck like nothing and the puck left the zone with possession.

I had a good day where I actually understood the entire E&M lecture for the first time in weeks, so I'm rewarding myself with a period of hockey. Turned it on and Pilut breaks up the Kessel-Malkin rush with ease. He's good.

There is zero reason for Pittsburgh to lose this game. Anything good that happens for our guys with that lineup is pure cake and happiness. It'll be a good experience for the kids, and an annoying one for Scandella/Sobotka and the like.

At this point there are four kids we're talking about in the forward group, right? With realistic chances to make it? Probably in order: Tage, Casey, Nylander, Asplund? Maybe switch the last two? I want three on the team, and wouldn't make a stink about 2. I'd be a little worried with just Tage, and the rage would set in if zero of them make it. But like I've said, I'm 100% convinced at least one makes it, and 80% convinced two of them do, so I don't see it being an issue. Just, if they all start in Roch, we're looking at what, Skinner - Jack - Sam Sheary - Berglund - Kyle Zemgus - Sobotka - Rodrigues Wilson - Larsson - Pominville? I'm not missing anyone right? That is disgusting. It's probably barely an upgrade to what we started last year with, and not at all an upgrade to our best roster at some point last year. This possibility (which again I think is zero) would indeed launch me off the deep end the way I described earlier. I can vividly taste what it felt like last October 20th, knowing there was a full calendar year before we could even hope for a season. It was awful and I believe this lineup, for zero good reason, would cement that happening again. We'd get buried doing this. Three good young forwards added to that roster, plus net-negative players subtracted (statistically speaking, that lineup above has like six players who are drags and objectively "bad" by any hockey thing you can measure) and the speed upgrade (both in skating and in play) that are represented can make a difference and it WILL make a difference towards us having a fun season.

I think the bold nails exactly what I couldn't put my finger on. You just shouldn't type complete sentences in that font. That's "Live, Laugh, Love" font

I mentioned it in the GDT but you're the first to put it in the right place. Seriously brutal. 4th in Norris votes last year, and knees are scary

Rasmus Asplund I mean. I have to think that at least one of the two has shown they should stick, I think the chances both do or both don't are very low, which is why I've been grouping them together. Dahlin is one of our 4 best defensemen and our defense is bad enough that it is unquestionable to think about sending him down even if he wasn't Rasmus freaking Dahlin

But I'll flesh things out a little more too w.r.t. vets in the lineup to start. LTS mentioned he doesn't think there's a meaningful difference on the ice but I simply do. I think having Kyle and Jason in is fine, but if the "vets" push Tage, Alex, Casey/Rasmus down to Rochester, then the bottom six will be flush with Girgs, Larsson, Wilson, Sobotka etc which pushes Kyle and Pommers above where they should be, and then tell me with a straight face how that's any different than our core problems last year? I can find posts from every single member of this forum describing how we need youth, speed, and depth to push half those guys out. Well, let's get at it, we did the hard part of that process already, acquiring the pieces!! Whereas, Tage, Alex, one of Casey/Rasmus, have done enough to make the team and play effective NHL hockey, and to skate fast with guys we need playing fast, and pushing other players down into more proper positions. The lack of this has been a core tenant of my take on why we were so bad last year, so that's why it would be so mind-numbingly thick and counterproductive for them to do that, in my eyes

That statement is qualified with the "at least in the game I saw him" so when I'm talking to a poster who saw more, I'm trusting that poster's take on things. I don't see anything strange about that at all. Like, I literally pointed that out myself in the post "At least in Toronto" which is one sample size out of like 2 (he's only played a couple preseason games right?) that we have to go off of and what I saw lined up with the poster's take that is more general Meh I don't think I'm doing anything differently Also, the breaking up the line thing, I said this upthread: "And of course I'm talking for the future, when real games start, I shouldn't have even mentioned their games to date (they looked pretty good in the one I saw)" Sooooo

If most of the kids make it I could definitely see him being one of the first callups

I saw it that way too at least in Toronto. He had an awesome game

Seth Jones is out 4-6 weeks due to whatever injury he sustained in this game. I'd be cool with not using Eichel or Dahlin or Reinhart or Skinner etc. the last two games. In fact, please Phil don't put these guys in any more preseason lineups

And of course I'm talking for the future, when real games start, I shouldn't have even mentioned their games to date (they looked pretty good in the one I saw)

In general though, I still mean what I said - if it doesn't perform like the super line we want it to be, if it's just "good" it probably isn't worth it. I want Avalanche production (97 points, 80+ points, 60+ points) from a super line, if Jack's pulling his usual 77-82 point pace then it's not worth making our other lines worse.

I read 1 ES goal in 3 games, but not from a primary source.

It sounds like Skinner - Jack - Sam has looked good, but they have one ES goal in their 3 games, right? If that continues, it doesn't justify keeping it together when Skinner has shown an ability to lift any teammate to a tilted ice while he's out there, if he's the focal point of the line. With Jack and Sam there's less puck for him and what he's doing for a possible relative lack of goals is better used elsewhere.

How much was Bogosian ever going to play if he can't survive his second preseason game?

That's crazy because it would have been convincing that he just isn't an NHL player anymore at that cap hit, but no, it had nothing to do with hockey and came from Eugene