DarthEbriate

Vinnie Hinostroza has had a weekend to find an NHL suitor but has now reported to the Amerks. The Amerks are on a 4-game losing streak, but are still comfortably ahead of the Laval Rocket for fourth in the North division. Time to go eat some baby Pens. Feast of the Penguins, as narrated by Morgan Freeman.

VO's production is why I was alarmed about folks wanting to trade him this preseason or early on to make room for the kids. Kids are untrustworthy and inconsistent. JJP and Quinn have potential to be great, and they do things VO just doesn't do (transition the puck really well, create space on their own when they're feeling confident and 100% energy, JJP forechecks better, etc.). But they aren't scorers yet. VO might not be consistent, but what secondary scorer is consistent? When he's on, he's on. VO is Peak-VO right now. He's in an ideal spot as a 3W and PP specialist where he's only going to get 15 minutes, but can always be a threat to score. He can get you 30 goals. To me, "Peak-Quinn" is maybe... Patrick Sharp. 25 goals and 40 assists. He's got the vision and ability to carry/distribute that VO doesn't. "Peak-JJP"... I don't know what he compares to. Just a super-consistent middle 6 guy who does everything. 20-30-50? The player I think actually replaces VO is Kulich. I think the trio of those JJP-Quinn-Kulich (on different lines) in two years compared to JJP-Quinn-VO today will be an incredible improvement, even if Kulich doesn't really ever exceed VO's goal totals. (But I think Kulich can match them a few times.) What intrigues me the most is... do the Sabres get to the playoffs this season or next, and if they do, how does VO's game look when the tenacity and intensity ramp up? There will always be seams and zone breakdowns and forgotten guys even in the most ferocious playoff series. But will VO be able to find them? And if he can't do it this season, can he be moved for a 2nd next deadline for a different type of role player more suited for the playoffs for us? And if they don't make the playoffs this season, but are in great shape next season and VO is a big reason why, you don't dare move him heading into the playoffs, even if his game might not translate to the second season. Overall, though, I think this is a good problem to have.

Oh! And he had the Sabres' first fighting major of the season.

This season the plan was to play the kids. Given that, 'Space mostly agreed they needed at minimum a goalie to support Anderson (Comrie), a vet defensive RHD (Boushh), and a 3/4C who could win faceoffs and play defensively.... Jost is not that player. But what Jost is is an active, two-way center who can carry the puck (a bit) who allowed everyone to fit into their proper place. Mitts can take draws, but get out on the wing where he belongs. Krebs gets slotted onto Okposo's line to be an energy guy and hone his craft. The kids get to be a Kids line. VO gets to be a 3W and find soft spots from which to snipe. Asplund is the odd one out, but now you can likely stick him anywhere in the bottom 6 for a few games and not worry about it. Hino... well, Rochester. But Hino can go on either wing if someone goes out long-term. Jost is like a rug that really ties the room together. Wrong idiom. Jost is like a Lando Calrissian. You don't trust him when he first arrives because of his shady waivery past. But in the next movie, he provides a safeguard if Harrison Ford doesn't want to do the flick. You've got a pilot for the Falcon, he gets to have redemption for his betrayal, and he also allows Han to get all silly and execute a love story that was set up in the middle film.

It's a show about a horse who's also a man who was in a very popular '90s TV show. 😇 It's absurd and silly, but its themes are about coping mechanisms for mistakes, loneliness, addiction, depression, and living in the past. It's like being a Sabres fan for the last decade.

The Blues aren't lousy because I don't believe that Buffalo is lousy. They're both middling teams, trending in different directions. They're a 9th-place team that is capable of 3rd-4th in their division if healthy. They will be sellers this season because of the expiring contracts (ROR, Tarasenko) and injuries left them with gaping holes in their roster. Like Buffalo, they had an 8-game losing streak early. Unlike Buffalo, their injuries didn't coincide with that streak. They've lost 8-15 games each from Tarasenko, ROR, Krug, and Buchnevich (their equivalent W1/Tuch, C2 defensive/Cozens?, PP1/Dahlin? (Falk is more their Power), and W2...VO based on production). The other difference has been goaltending. Binnington has been shaky while UPL/Anderson have made the saves they need to. It's a team Buffalo needs to beat (and did! despite the back-to-back vs. StL being well-rested) if they're going to make a run. But they're not some bottom 10 team that's angling to Bedard. Until they trade everyone. It was a good win.

This team is so much fun this season. Fun is dependent on your point of view, of course. But... whatever you do, don't give up a goal early in the 3rd period. 47 seconds into the 3rd period... goal given up! So much fun.

3 pts back of WSH with 3 games in hand. And that's why you play every game as hard as you can. Sometimes you hang on for the regulation victory, and the team you're chasing can't force the extra time.

This is the way. I'll join you after an episode of Bojack. Yes, I am at least 5 years behind pop culture. Yes, I'm OK with that. The defense was an injured Boushh, Bryson, Fitz, Clague, Dahlin playing 27+, and Power but not the Power we're seeing now. Comrie's goal support was 2 goals per game in his losses (with his best support coming in that awful Eichel hat trick game v. Vegas). It was very team-centric. Was he looking dominant? No, but UPL is getting 2.5 goals for in his losses. It's all too small a sample size though, UPL or Comrie. The key is getting Comrie some time with the full Sabres defense and attacking offense, because he'll be on the team next season. If he can take over for Anderson and the team has confidence in him.... then the Sabres will look very solid.

I ran the numbers of each goalie during the defense-injury and 8-game losing streak madness... I don't know which thread it was anymore. But Comrie was the one who suffered most from the injuries/streak. He hasn't had chance to play with Samuelsson or the team when it's been playing well. Comrie will have that shield up. We've gotta give him more time! (probably next season after Anderson retires and UPL gets more consistent.)

I am proud of this team tonight. A desperate Blues squad capping off a homestand, getting Terasenko (1W) and Krug (1D) back for good measure, with 2 days of rest and practice, against a Sabres squad that played the top team in the Blues' division last night and went end-to-end all night... flew into town overnight... This was an excellent back-to-back victory. Let's go, Buffalo!

If the team wins 2/3 of the games in which he starts, then the goalie's other numbers don't matter so much. 🍺

Keep the extension cap hit down?

If your goalie wins 12 out of every 18 games he plays... the other numbers (save %, etc.) won't matter so much. UPL also gets some wicked goal support.

More good news: the 'Lanchers are now up 3-1 on the Caps. Central Road Trip (opposition standings within their division): 1st place DAL: W 6th place STL: W 2nd place WPG: 3rd place MIN: And then follow that up with Metro-leading Carolina. Tonight is a good start. This is a very good start.

Feel the Concept of the Ehrhoff. Yes. Good. Calm, yes. Through the Concept of, things you will see. Other places. The future...the past. Scores of some games and some games long gone.

Cozens! You should have 2 shorties! Dang it.

Seriously! You're all ahead of me with Cozens! but I'm still miffed at that call. They swallowed their whistles and THAT'S what they call, after a review, no less? The absolute hell. Thanks, Cozens.

That's what they call? He's got a guy on top of him. His hand is still on his stick, not the nature of that rule which was playing with a wildly free hand.

UPL, phew! Have you noticed the shields are still up?

Plenty of time to pad the stats with ENGs now.

Seriously, the defensive structure at this point should not allow any breakaways.

Excellent clear of the zone for sure. Those 4 were dead tired.

I'd have liked Olofsson to play that all the way back to UPL, but understandable. Got the change.

If not for the fatigue, I'd love the 4-on-4. Now, gotta hope the Sabres can hang on with the extra space.