DarthEbriate

I like Levi even more. (And still hope Portillo signs.) Note -- Levi is just modeling his meditative stance after Qui-Gon, not his entire game. Qui-Gon's game is morally dubious and marked with questionable decisions: placing wagers on a child's family situation (staying with mother, or being forcibly adopted by Qui-Gon), cheating in a dice chance cube game, promoting children racing in excess of 500 mph, betting on said children, stealing a child from his mother while leaving the mother in slavery, intentionally taking a child into an active battlefield, then abandoning said child on said active battlefield. In summary, keep Qui-Guy away from your children! Here's the passage in full: "Condon said people always text him wondering what Levi is doing. Most coaches don’t bother to ask, knowing better than to mess with a goalie’s routine. But Levi’s routine is one borne out of his wisdom and molded by his childlike joy. He said it is derived from his and his father’s shared love of “Star Wars”. There is a scene in which Qui Gon is dueling Darth Maul. A force field appears around Qui Gon, and he sits down, closes his eyes, and starts meditating. “My dad loves that scene and he kind of got me on it and I thought it was pretty cool,” Levi said. “There’s nothing else to do during a TV timeout that will stop the puck in the next shift, so might as well take it as an opportunity to recenter and focus. "

Because Buffalo. Am I doing this right? (But I think it would be because Crosby doesn't have a "home" NHL franchise to return to and lead to the playoffs.)

I was hoping Jankowski would be back, too. But this is the right move for him. In Nashville, he's in the lineup with a single injury at center; he could even be their 12-13F on opening night. With the Sabres, he'd be a few players from a call-up. Dare I say it --- the Sabres have better forward depth (or at least JJP/Quinn see-if-they-make-it) spots than a playoff team. Congrats to Matt Moulson --- the Moulson will be with you, always. Not a bad little career for a 9th round pick.

I don't like Sand...erson. I had to go back and look. I was mostly talking about goaltending so I didn't mention nearly anyone else. Sanderson's good though and he could make the Sens out of camp, but he's also only 20 and a D, so they might just stash him in AHL to work on his all-around game this season and build more muscle.

The Sens got better-than-average goaltending (relative to league) from Forsberg last season. They kept him and added Talbot, then removed Gustavsson and Murray. The Sens goaltending should be very solid. Some good additions up front and the team that was looking feisty in the Canada division two years back should be better. If Dell doesn't lambaste Batherson, the Sens might've been better than the Sabres last year. Adding DeBrincat is a plus. Detroit had goaltending as bad as Buffalo's last season. For each team, Husso and Comrie to the rescue. If both newcomer goalies play to potential, then both teams will vastly improve. Nothing impacts a team like going from .915 to .895 (as teams: Detroit .897 and Buffalo .899 last season), or vice versa in goal. I see the division condensing into a glorious, fractious, contentious mess. It's going to be fun and it's going to last until March and maybe even April 2023. Get excited, because at least 1 of the 4 from last year won't make the playoffs. It's just a matter of which Atlantic (or Metro) team jumps in and spoils the party. The best thing is... in 2024... Buffalo will be there no matter what.

Thank you! We need things to discuss.

Let's go bold. GM Sheevyn gives in to his hatred and signs Kadri to ensure Detroit and Ottawa stay in our rearview mirrors. The strategy works! But as to the other part of the equation: this means the season begins with JJP and Quinn both in Rochester. They do well as call-ups though because they're ready and raring to go by midseason.

McDonnell was left flat at the blue line and then it looks like Östlund fell for a pass-fake that wasn't there -- tough to read Rosen's head/eyes from this angle. Rosen is nifty. But then, no one was going to take the body in today's games, either.

Everything's coming up Houser!

After his experience with Bor Gullet the KHL, he was heard muttering "I'm the Pilut, I'm the Pilut" with increasing conviction. Welcome back!

He was a simple Meatballs hustle guy. He'd be the 15/16F on the depth chart (JJP, Murray, whoever's hot, Biro all get the call-ups before him), but he'd be a role model energy-wise and with NHL experience for the Amerks.

I wouldn't have minded seeing Cagiulla get the 1-year 2-way here with a spot lined up as a veteran in Rochester with a jump to the Sabres if injuries get out of hand.

^This. Last season's records of the top 4 vs. the bottom 4: Tampa: 10-3-1; Florida 14-2-0; Toronto 10-6-0 (1-3 vs. BUF); Boston 13-3-0 Husso, Forsberg+Talbot (removing Murray), Comrie, and maybe Price are going to sneak away a few more points, in addition to other improvements.

One fix to this update

Dang it, @LGR4GM! While I was busy making coffee and feeding cats in the midst of my post, you were posting the same thoughts.

That starts with goaltending. Goaltending leaguewide was poorer last year than normal. The Sabres gave up 2702 shots last year (10th worst in the league), so that needs to improve as well, but lets say it doesn't for math purposes: If Anderson replaces Toker (29 gp; .899 sv%) and Comrie replaces Anderson+Dell (43 gp), that leaves 10 games for UPL (+ Levi/Portillo endseason fun). In this scenario, Anderson gives up 96 goals. If Comrie can play average-good at .914%, that's 121 goals. So 217 GA with 10 games remaining for UPL. 23-33 goals in 10 games seems about right for UPL. And there's your 240-50 goals. Simply by Comrie playing well. tl;dr goaltending was bad last year throughout the league, but the Sabres goalieing outside of UPL and Houser was awful.

Thanks! Now we know whom to blame. Or praise. 😇

They didn't get any veterans hunting for an immediate contender (no surprise). They didn't lock in a big name to a long-term deal overpay (likewise). They got guys looking to expand their role and join an up-and-coming roster. RHD: check. Goalie: check. Rochester blue line: check. Not a bad day's work.

Edit to the Edit to the Edit with the cost of acquiring Tatar back in 2018: VGK gets "future considerations" CAR gets F Max Pacioretty, D Dylan Coghlan, and the 2021 3rd #94 D Aidan Hreschuk (CAR ended up with the pick via DET) MTL gets C Nick Suzuki, F Tomas Tatar LAK gets 2019 2nd #50 F Samuel Fagemo DET gets 2018 1st #30 C Joe Veleno and 2021 2nd #54 F Mastrosimone Now, this is podracing a trade tree!

Oh! I forgot the G'Knights' acquisition cost of Tatar.... Thanks, @Sabel79!

Roger roger. Tatar, Suzuki, and a 2nd to MTL for Paciorietty in 2018. Edit to the Edit: So.... VGK gained "future considerations" to get rid of Tomas Tatar, Nick Suzuki, Max Pacioretty, a 2nd (LW Samuel Fagemo, LAK at #50 overall after a bunch of trades), and Dylan Coghlan (Coughlin sp?)

And definitely not an overpay for a potential starting goalie. If he has a good 40-game season this year and then he's a consensus 1B-caliber goalie next offseason, this is an incredibly good signing. If he flounders, it's not a big term and it also won't prevent the RFA extensions needed for the core.

I think it was more a comparison to how Poyer seemingly came out of nowhere (10 starts in his first 4 seasons with Philly and Cleveland) and immediately became a mainstay starting safety with the Bills, not Poyer today.

Always two there are. A master and an apprentice.