DarthEbriate

I got a really good Star Wars prequel trilogy matching storyline with Sheevyn's 10-year phantom menace ascent to GM building around the chosen one of Jackikin Eichwalker out of it. Followed by Eichwalker's fall from grace, becoming more machine than man, and being encase in a Golden Knight's suit. Add to that the trade-offspring of Eichwalker and Reino Amdiala being Tuch and Levi (and a bunch of others) who will rebuild the Sabres to glory and win two Death Stars in the original trilogy timeline... I mean, there's some entertainment to it all.

Montour would've been blocking Joker. I'm a little sad (well, more than a little) that Granato didn't get the gig sooner though maybe that costs us Power. Because Montour maybe would have had a lot of fun with Granato as coach for another month or so. Anyway, he got traded twice and even Florida only signed him to shortish contract because they didn't believe in him either. Maybe he's gained some maturity as well as rounded out his game. But one thing is for sure: he's had a hell of a season and now postseason.

I suppose Tampa could be in for a really long stretch if they traded away Kucherov, Vasilevskiy, Hedman, Stamkos, and Point in a desperate attempt to crater the entire franchise for a #1 draft pick in a couple years. Then realized that they still had some good pieces in Cirelli and Sergachev and Hagel and traded them, too. Then, wheeled-and-dealed all that newfound capital to rebuild a completely different roster around their new #2 picks, then switched the GM and rebuilt a completely different roster, then switched the GM again and rebuilt a completely different roster again again. Then, sold off those not-so-new #2 picks for a completely different roster again again again. That type of effort takes time. And effective, economical, and efficient planning. 😇

Look at that. Take a knee-on-knee cheapshotting Crunch captain out of the lineup, add a Kulich back into Rochester's lineup, and the series suddenly looks very different. Hopefully, Cederqvist can get healthy. If they win, he'd be helpful in the next round.

That's only 2 seasons now, meaning he'd be able to jump the pond at age 20, just as maybe Novikov could potentially do this summer. If the Sabres rate him as a possible top-pair guy, it'd be hard to let him get past 13.

Östlund, Neuchev, and Novikov would be an injection of talent to the Amerks akin to Quinn, JJP, and Samuelsson -- but I think with 1-2 year longer runways on each which is better for Rochester. Neuchev in particular is a high-ceiling if he can become a team-/vision- and 200-game talent as opposed to "just take on the MHL myself" type.

Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. And purposeful suffering leads to hating your organization's capitulation, cheering against your own franchise, churning GMs and coaches which resets all rebuild parameters, windows, player types/styles, and game types/styles (side note: I do think GMTM's team does eventually get back to the playoffs before 11 years, but they reset to JBot. I think his ROR/Eich core also makes it to the playoffs before 11 years except for the Krueger hire, but once you spin your wheels you just keep spinning because it's a good trick to play on the fanbase.) And eventually... suffering leads to decreased season ticket sales and apathy.

But it's good having Kulich back in the lineup.

What!?I ...I've watched all the memes.

But even as a 5/6 he'd have kept Bryson/Clague off the ice for many games this past season. OR another UFA D last summer would have. 😇 The good news on Borgen is that he's becoming a viable top 6 with some muscle and poise that many 'Spacers had projected and hoped he would become. And the Sabres kept Risto and traded him for an absurd package (for then-Risto).

For a dash of vernal hopium... I noted this in another thread somewhere. NJD has a superstar who is 21 (Hughes) and another stud in Mercer (21). And if you want to include Bahl and Schmid as minor contributors this season at age 22, fine. But the rest of their young core is all 24 or older and all their non-Bahl D are 25 or older. Contrast that with the Sabres young core (all 23 or under this season): Joker, UPL, Dahlin, Krebs, Muel, Cozens, Levi, JJP, Quinn, Power. The Sabres could be very good next season and playoff worthy (with goaltending) and still be 2 more years of growth from where NJD's age is currently.

4th among defenders in ice-time but only 16:48 per game. It's a Larsson-Dunn-Oleksiak and everybody else blue line. That said, he's been very solid. The Concept of Borgen!

Are you suggesting he actively sabotaged the Hurricanes and Sabres seasons throughout his career?

He needs to do something of note in the playoffs to get any consideration, even if he breaks 500 goals. You don't get leaguewide fame without a few good playoff runs.

I wouldn't worry about the Twinkies. They've been hampered by a bunch of lineup injuries to start the season, but Polanco just came back and Kiriloff is ripping up AAA in his rehab assignment (just waiting to ensure he can play back-to-backs), coupled with notorious slow-starter Correa and Miranda probably trying too hard. The lineup will come around. Pitching wise, they've basically given away 4 games with Maeda's starts. They're trying to give him the veteran's "he's earned it" route of rehab in the majors from his Tommy John, but he's gotten shelled and 3 times and left the other game with fatigue. Look for him to go to IL and Ober to rejoin the rotation soon (possibly permanently, which stinks for Maeda). They'll be an 88-96 win team when all is said and done, anywhere from coasting Division winner to dangerous wildcard on account of their top-2 pitchers.

Nooooooooooooooooo! one is on the hot seat.

Me, too. Here's a thought: Certainly he's lost some speed since his NHL days, but is 40 year-old Ehrhoff better than Pilut and Bryson?

What will be different is the sheer volume of non-sports media/paparazzi coverage, but all star players have their ways of moving through that, and he'll learn. He'll also have rich-people places to go/hide that don't exist in Green Bay. Overall, though, I have a contrarian opinion to this thought that the NY media is going to be too tough at any time. The New York media is going to adore Rodgers. He's a great interview, he has near-perfect recall so when they ask him about a boneheaded play he can go on a 5-minute tangent about everything he saw. The local beatwriters will develop a rapport with him heading into the season because he will give them endless quotes and stories, angles, and fodder. What did he mean "intends to"? He'll be Eli to them on steroids ayahuasca. And he has more experience and football knowledge than any 10 Jets QBs combined. If things go off the rails, he'll break out a "Relax" or "Run the table" or any such thing, and he'll be honest about his expectations based on practices and what he's seeing. He's also had more heartbreak to go with higher expectations (following up Favre and an NFC Champ loss) and bigger games and than the Jets have had in their entire franchise's history (Rodgers has been dressed for (1 non-start) 12 different playoff runs... the Jets have made the playoffs 14 times. The limelight and a losing streak and the expectations aren't going to get to him because he's been at the center/top of the NFC universe since he was drafted. Finally, Rodgers is going to bring all the national media attention with him. He's bringing relevance, anywhere from 5-9 #1CBS/FOX broadcast and primetime games to their schedule this year (the Packers had eleven last season), and that includes all the media folks he's had with him all along. The Jets had 1 primetime game last year (on Thursday night) and two 4:05PM ET starts (not the #1 crew). Add in any playoff games and he's got those same usual folks and interviewers with him. (as an unrepentant Packers fan with no additional NFL/sports coverage out in Seattle, I've been able to easily see 8+ Packers games every year in which Rodgers wasn't injured. I was weary of Aikman/Buck -- since disbanded and 1:25PM PT games.) He's bringing that same coverage with him. The 2nd-tier NYC sportswriter who's simply attempting to stir the pot at a press conference is going to be lucky to get a question in after all the bigwigs have taken their turn.

Somehow... the Concept of Ehrhoff returned.

Let's rant! Those folks had to announce for radio and tell the story on the ice. The TV production and ice-side reporters and graphics on screen that you have to speak to for the viewer is completely different than even 10 years ago. It has be constant visual stimulation now. (I love stats on the screen in between play, but despise bells and whistles during play and am especially annoyed by in-arena music spilling seconds past a faceoff and yelling goal details during play.) The thing I find most annoying is when an announcer says "We'll let the audience take it from here on out...." Dunleavy did that fairly recently. But he said it with about 0:03 left to go. By the time he shut up, the foghorn was going off and he had to announce that the Sabres won. If you're going to let the fans tell it from here on out, do it for the entire final 45 seconds or so. ESPN+/ESPN broadcast did something early on in their resumed broadcasts where the announcers would just stay quiet for a minute in the 1st period to hear the sounds of the game. It was really lovely. I'd pay an extra $1/year for a stream where you could get only the arena sound (not the players' mics feeds, I don't need the constant swearing while the 3rd announcer tries to talk over them.)

We all need to stop shading Zinger. He was a mid-round pick who turned into a speedy 3/4C whose career overlapped with the dead puck/clutch-and-grab era.

Saskatoon rallies from a 3-0 series deficit to send Red Deer (and Mats Lindgren) into summer. The Blades meet ICE and Savoie (and why is ICE all caps?) in the Eastern Western Hockey League final. Juggernauts Seattle and Kamloops square off in the Western Western HL final.

(disclaimer: unrepentant Packers fan) So next season, if all y'all Bills could sweep the Jets, but don't hurt Rodgers' collarbone so that he hits his snap markers and turns that 2nd into a 1st, that'd be nice. (You can end him Favre-style in 2024-25.) Of rumor note: Rodgers really does worry about his legacy and part of his leaving is restructuring his Packers contract for additional cap help... for the Packers. Would I have liked the Broncos trade last season more? In hindsight, yes. But trading an MVP is tricky to do. Rodgers will be on a revenge tour this season. Expect him to be good. Not indoors-turf good, but good. Go Bills! (as long as it helps GB)

They might not always be successful, but I've seen the fire each of them. Thompson's frame (as a target) worries me the most. I've seen fire from Joker and Mitts --- and actually I think Mitts will be sneaky mean once he learns the Power of the Cup Side. JJP and Power are the ones who might be ever-reluctant.

Ranch is a perfectly cromulent dressing for the supper club salad of iceberg, some carrot shreds, and a couple parcels of red cabbage. A ranch dressing starter packet is also handy for the base of a sauce for grilled salmon tacos topped with a citrus mango jalapeno salsa. Bleu is the only way to go with your Buffalo boneless wings though.