DarthEbriate

I hope they both make their Sabres' debut this season. But I would rather they fill out their frames and come to dominate the AHL in all 3 zones and build their hunger so that when they come up they can step immediately into a top-6 role if it's warranted, or anywhere else in the lineup. I want them killing penalties, closing out games, and not just sitting in the FO circle shooting one-timers on the PP (and yes, they've both already surpassed that baseline). I want 22 year-old rookies who are carrying 185#+ for their frames, who are hard to knock off their feet or off the puck and are ready to break the world.

He's in the same boat as Savoie. Too young! To young to begin the training play in the AHL this season. Maybe (extremely doubtful) some games as the #8 in Buffalo and rotating in and then back to the Q.

Hershey tried to lay some heavy hits in game 1; speed killed them. If they spend their time running around to make hits they're going to be down 2-0 in the series right quick. I think the more difficult thing for Savoie is if Hershey just tries to play really sound and no-space defense and try to go all-out cycle/grind in the o-zone. Add in post-whistle scrums and wrestling where they outweigh him by 30 pounds... that's a potential way to counter him and wear him down. Seattle eliminated he and his line (including top-10 pick this season Benson) in the WHL final at 5-on-5 by doing just that. Edit: And I'm excited to see Savoie in the AHL playoffs and want him to do well. I just saw a ton of skill but not dominance from him in the WHL final. There were a bunch of players that were more noticeable in good ways than Savoie in that series.

I now have little to no worries about Poltapov signing in a couple years when his KHL contract is up. And I'm keen to see if the Sabres target any MHL/VHL guys this draft.

Jeff Solo is yelling at everyone: I just got this bucket back together with NHL-caliber players and vets. I'm not going to let something tear it apart with 4 more rookies in the lineup again every night.

Yes, this year Florida is the #8 and is riding Bobrovsky and Tkaclutch. If the East had been seeded 1-8, they would have faced: BOS #1, CAR #2, and TOR #4 (provided Toronto had beaten the Rangers and TBL [who they did beat in Rd 1]). Same matchups. A #8 on a run breaks all seedings in any setup. In the West, if seeded 1-8: VGK-WPG (was the real matchup, VGK rolled in 5); EDM-SEA (that would've been fun Rd 1); COL v. MIN; and DAL v. LA. Maybe things turn out differently with EDM/SEA-COL in round 2, but VGK should still get through WPG and DAL/LA if they play like they have. The issue with seedings is within the division level. The Sabres would have had to get through nasties like BOS, TBL, and TOR year after year. Last year, Florida did not. This year, they did.

It should be noted that with the exception of the Bruins (and an absurd EA NHL-like +128 goal differential this season), almost every team's dedicated d-zone forward line (whether ranked 3rd or 4th) is going to be a negative +/- or very close to even. If you're tasked with d-zone face offs against the opponent's top lines every night for 82 games, you're likely to give up a few more goals than you gain 5-on-5. D-zone FO% for Sabres forwards last year vs. their %CF Rel at 5-on-5 to the rest of the team. These are the top 9 and 3 stand out tremendously: ZG 58.7% DZ FO; CF% Rel -0.4 KO 56.7% DZ FO; CF% Rel 0.9 Krebs 52.7% DZ; CF% Rel 1.1 contrast vs. Hino 58.4% DZ FO; CF% Rel -1.0 Bjork 57.1% DZ FO; CF% Rel -1.4 Jost 51.6% DZ FO; CF% Rel -1.7 Coz 50.5% DZ FO; CF% Rel -2.2 I'd throw out the players who were way over the D-only threshold (8% more DZ faceoffs than ZG). But they're already been moved anyway. Sheahan 66.7% DZ; CF% -10.5 Asplund 64.1 DZ; CF% -6.9 ZG/Krebs/KO is a solid defensive line. They're going to start in their own zone and gain more shots than the opposition. That's a really good trait to have. Swapping Bryson's spot for a vet UFA 3/4 and Greenway for VO in the lineup and the team will take a massive step ahead.

JJP and Nico Sturm tally late in the 2nd to put the Swiss on the ropes.

I don't think GM Sheevyn would say Okposo in that sentence. Because there's blocking youth and there's blocking youth. Last year, Quinn and JJP had some names cleared in the offseason: Hayden, Caggiula, Eakin. The folks they had to beat for playing time were Bjork, Hinostroza, Sheahan, and Asplund. It's still TBD which players are cleared out this offseason. But, currently the players that Savoie, Kulich, and Rousek are pushing on for the bottom 6 (if JJP-Cozens-Quinn is a 2nd line): Hinostroza, Greenway, Jost, Mitts, Girgs, Krebs, KO, and VO (or JJP or Quinn). That's a step up in talent (especially offensively) from Bjork, Sheahan, and Asplund. And I believe Sheahan-Girgs is a push; Girgs has much better wheels. Based on what I saw in Seattle, Savoie gets a good look in October, but needs another year to grow physically and doesn't get game 9 this season. He's too good for the WHL, but a day too young to be where he belongs in Rochester. Kulich also gets another full season in Rochester to bulk up with a callup or two along the way. Rousek is the 12/13 in Buffalo. If the goal is playoffs, you want NHL veterans and physically mature players for the season's grind and not even more kids under 21. (And yes, a vet 3/4D and goalie too, but I'm trying to stick to forwards.)

Does Canada go with Levi today? (or do they go home without a medal?)

Jackikin Eichwalker: "I have brought peace, freedom, and wins over Stars to my new Empire."

KO is still solid. He’s going to win board battles and help the youth. He and Z turned Krebs from a positionless player at the start of last season into a grinder center with a ton of value for this team. Maybe KO can replicate that with Savoie. KO is only 1 year removed from 45 points (when he had a PP role) and still managed 28 pts last season with a much smaller PP role (some PP2 time); not bad for a bottom 6. His downside is he won’t get any faster and he started to take more hooking penalties last season than you want to see. He’s got to clean that up a bit. But in the playoffs they don’t call hooks anyway.

Never forget Dalpe! 21 gp in the Eichel tank season. He won 60% of his faceoffs and had linemates like D'amigo, Ellis, Hodgson, and Varone.

Your Johnson thread is 20 pages long, but the watch is over.

Kulich no goals. Slacker.

There will be no escape for the princess Hershey giving up 2 or fewer this time.

They were going full Alamo Death Star mode way too early. The thing is... the Death Star only needs one shot. Two shots. Nice.

Ah, yes... this one. This was JBot trading the 2018 BUF 6th (156 overall, 1st pick in the 6th round because the Sabres had finished dead last) during the draft to Toronto (Dubas) who had just finished with 105 points (3rd in the Atlantic and seemingly on an upward trajectory) for the 2019 TOR 6th. So... he was banking on the Sabres beating the Leafs in the standings in 2018-19? I guess? The 2019 TOR 6th was 177th overall (21 spots later). The Sabres didn't use it. Instead, they packaged it and the 2019 BUF 7th to move back up into the 5th round for Cederqvist. Hey! A good selection for a 5th as he's helping the Amerks. However, the reason they didn't have their own 5th is because it was traded to PIT for tweener F Scott Wilson to help bring that Pittsburgh know-how. The player Toronto selected with 156 was Pontus Holmberg who has 37 NHL gp and just had a nice series (in a losing effort) for the Marlies. So you could read this as Dubas wanted this guy, moved up, and didn't have to give up anything to make the trade and selection.

I don't know what that is. 😇 But their wingspan is only a bit shy of an Eta-2 Actis class interceptor....

Hope he gets in in game 3 with the Amerks up 2-0 and no pressure so he can play a little looser.

Like... UPL bad? Canada is giving everyone a chance... something they didn't do during the Olympics. Maybe they're just saving Levi for the knockout rounds? Right, Canada?

Option 1: If you must retain the lottery, make it a true lottery. All non-playoff teams get equal odds. The downside is the lack of 1st round picks traded and you'll always have the possibility of whining about "Bettman's favorite" or "big market" winning the lottery... which happened this year anyway. Option 2: Do away with the lottery entirely. Worst team picks first. It takes a minimum of 2 seasons to break a competitive team down to the studs to get to Bedard/McDavid level, so if you want to go for it, go for it. It might be 4 years before you're even competitive again (McDavid/Draisaitl), and it may be 10 or more (Sabres). If you're an owner, that's a long time. If you're a GM, you probably won't be around then anyway.

As long as Milic isn't on the Hershey, Savoie will be alright. That said, I at least let him get a couple practices in before allowing him to dress for a playoff game. I also just watched 3 games vs. the T-birds, and while he looked dynamic at times, he also disappeared for long stretches and was overpowered a whole bunch. I'm tempering my expectations for when Savoie starts playing against adults who can take away time and space from him even better than the T-birds did.

Only 2 of them are even defensible. Disco Dan had the Cup-pedigree with Pitt, and also had played for Anaheim under Babcock and would work the heavier style team GMTM was wanting. Housley was one of the hot assistants (based on NSH's D) leaguewide looking to make the jump that offseason and what better place than a team you played for? They even went out and added Montour for him -- Dahlin/Montour, Risto was still young then and maybe even salvageable, the D-pipeline looked good for that setup. Then, they went and Kruegered it. I guess Nolan was defensible, too, as long as knew understood he was bantha fodder for the McEichel tank.

Following Krueger's defensive orders and playing fewer minutes than Ristolainen. Same as Dahlin.