DarthEbriate

Nice work on the boards by each of the forwards Greenway, Mitts, and Benson. Each one won a board battle. Too bad for the bounce at the blue line or it could've gone from good shift to great.

McCarthy could also someday be a bottom pairing D. Still years away, but is playing as an 18 year-old for Boston U.

Not to think too much about Wenatchee, but they're a brand new transplanted team, with a great roster and currently in 2nd place in the western division. So while their 2 best forwards are off at the WJCs (Geekie and Savoie).... they trade them both. Classic case of they didn't want to be there? You'd rather be at the WJCs? Seems like they could have gone for a championship this inaugural season if they had wanted. The Western Conference was much weaker this season with the T-Birds disbanded. Anyhoo -- here's the haul that the Wild picked up in the combined trades: Out - Geekie, Savoie In - Josh Fluker ('06), Maddix Mccagherty ('06), Sam Ward ('05), 2024 1st, 2024 3rd 2025 1st, 2025 2nd, 2025 8th 2026 1st, 2026 2nd 2027 1st, 2027 4th, 2027 7th

Trailing Finland 2-0, Kulich buries a cross-ice pass from the right circle on the powerplay. But, he takes a knee-on-knee on his next shift and headed back to the bench. Didn't leave the ice early that I saw. End of 1 in the early semifinal.

Woohoo!

Great shot, kid! That was one in a million... well... up to 4 now on the season. Habs TSN announcer "It's a hell of a shot by Quinn."

Have they been practicing the power play?

1990s me says, whatever. 2020s me says, forward spun willingly right through Levi's shoulder and head.

I'm not sure players around the league consider Skinner much of a pest. Talented goal scorer: absolutely. Great skater who can draw penalties by forcing defenders to reach/hook. Chirper and whiner, definitely. But apart from the chirping.... He's very inconsistent in his attacking/engaged games (1 or 2 periods a week, maybe?). He never gives the goalie an extra tap at a loose puck. Defenders don't have to dig him out of the crease again. He forechecks tenaciously, but really nowhere else on the ice. He's not hard to play against. Easily ignored if you tune out his voice.

C'mon ref. Call Thompson holding the stick. Or call the hook/tackle. Either way. Don't reward them and promote clutching and grabbing.

That's how you go to the net. Sabres' players could take note of that.

I kind of liken last year's Sabres team to that one-year wonder Avalanche team. It was a bunch of kids having abnormal seasons (Duchesne 23, Landeskog 21, ROR 22, MacKinnon 18). But -- they also got Varlamov on fire in net and good veteran goaltending from JS Giguere. They jumped to 1st in their division (Sabres had a much more competitive division) and then fell right back down to last in their division the next season. It took them another few seasons to truly build back out of it and become their current juggernaut (and getting Makar). The Sabres have the talent. But it does take time to grow up. Erik Johnson has lived through it, knows it, and called it out in the preseason. He's doesn't have the legs to make a consistent difference on the ice so much now, but he can see it. The team (and this means coaching, too) needs to grow up and commit to an NHL-brand of hockey. When they fill out and commit to defense, they'll be good. But their GM tried to shortcut it this season and the team wasn't ready. And some of the ancillary folks on the roster must get moved for better competitors for the team to succeed. The only way they made the playoffs this season would have been if Levi played like last year's Levi and UPL/Comrie took a big step forward as the #2. Neither happened. And the powerplay also completely unraveled.

Yup. And I was looking forward to seeing him be an absolute dynamo out there. Hopefully against Ratzlaff, just for the kicks.

In the things that could be Matt Ellis thread, let us please avoid overestimating and making Ellis to be something he wasn't. He was a 4th line/13th forward tweener (which, admittedly, every team needs). But because of the tank he was actually an NHLer on the Sabres. He was not on any other roster. And he wouldn't make the Sabres last season or this season.

Benson is the better player now and was the better player last season with the ICE. I hope Savoie sticks with the Wild so I can see him in Seattle later this month. But... it appears Moose Jaw does make an appearance in Seattle later in the season as well. I just want to see what he looks like when Benson isn't on his line (and the best player on the team).

This thread is 8 years old and Ellis is still on the team. The Sabres are the Matt Ellis of NHL franchises.

It's not about ability or intelligence. Claiming Samsonov and his $3.5M salary doesn't fit with the EEE Model of Sabres operations. $3.5M? You should be able to sign 3 goalies for that much.

I missed it, but I'm guessing it was another good perimeter game against a team willing to throw a body check and go to the crease.

You may dispense with the pleasantries, Commander. I'm here to put you back on schedule. This transaction is only 3.5 months overdue.

Skinner, Skinner, OT Winner!

Lazy lazy lazy offside, R2-D6.

I like the Sabres lineup (with Quinn) 3-on-3 more than the Jackets.

The Sabres are outshooting them 37:20, so almost 2:1, which is a form of domination.

Mittsy! We were getting goalied, but no goalie can repel firepower of that magnitude!

The Cozens line on the ice with Dahlin -- full control -- but no one went anywhere near the net.