DarthEbriate

I see I started up the game at the right time.

Just keep him and his dump-ins away from Okposo.

Skinner passes to himself!

All too easy on that one.

Hey! That Jonsson-Fjallby guy with the flow. He was a Sabre this season!

Saved it, deflected the rebound to safety, and still made it entertaining? Yes, yes, and yes.

Are we hoping Levi wins and gets to enjoy more success or that his team doesn't score and he has to suffer, but may elect to have cash in his pockets ASAP?

I'd argue Bryson is better than Ruhwedel (albeit a skosh smaller) and Ruhwedel's been hanging around as a 7/8D for 10 seasons now, including skating the Stanley Cup once.

Can Torey Krug be effective in the playoffs? I would like to see Bryson add a little more strength to his frame, but it really comes down to the usual things: can he avoid the constant forechecking hits that start out each game/series in the playoffs, can he move the puck quickly to turn those attacking checks into odd-man rushes, can he carry the puck up-ice with speed... and most importantly who is his partner, goalie, and the remainder of the team?

So... Pittsburgh loses Malkin in free agency this offseason, falls apart on the ice, then wins the lottery to draft Bedard -- who goes on to overlap with Crosby for a couple seasons, and then leads the Penguins right back to perennial 100-point campaigns and playoff berths.... "Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row."

If Levi or Portillo comes in and plays 50+ games at .940+ sv% and the backup (UPL) rocks a .910+ sv%... then sure, they're a shoo-in. But otherwise, no. Over an 82-game schedule, this team will not yet surpass Tampa, Florida, Toronto, or Boston next season. They should be in contention for the wild card if the Metro only has three top teams. 2023-2024 though... as Dahlin begins to hit his prime and Power/Muel/Cozens/Quinn/JJP begin to fully realize themselves, and the goalie situation becomes clear... that is where the fun begins.

Probably with Ullmark and his SO prowess.

I don't know... I can imagine quite a bit.

So... in a year or so... Mitts as a 3C/4C who checks, battles, and wins face-offs. And has the talent to be nasty.

He may never lose a game again.

Let's get Tager to put on his OT hat.

Just go take the lead again.

If I'm GM and it's an EA NHL game, I am totally drafting Jagger Firkus in the round before he is expected to go. What a name!

The last <mumble mumble> years, Pittsburgh has been one of the many teams that absolutely had another gear that we could not match (or even come close to). But judging by the score and everyone's comments (and a PP goal and flukey goal by two of the best players on the planet), I'm guessing that tonight they do not have that gear as compared to us.

Unable to watch tonight's game, but this is why I'm not moving Ryan Johnson just because Power/Sam/Dahlin are all young. If Johnson becomes good, he pushes the Joker. And that's not a bad thing.

Eakin. We talk about him constantly. Announcers talk about him and his faceoff prowess constantly. Opposition announcers talk about his mullet.

It's on TNT. I'm hit. I can't stay with you. Sorry! (though maybe I'll tune in on the interwebs radio dial)

We're on our way. Blue group, Gold group, all 'Spacers follow me!

I like symmetry. I fancy the Sabres picking 8th, 16th, and 32nd, with an alternate (where VGK squeaks into the playoffs) of 10th, 20th, and 30th.