DarthEbriate

It’s a win. And now I have to watch it extended after the football game, but… It still only counts as one! (Win)

Two thoughts on the lineup: 1) I realize McLeod's good start has dried up and he hasn't scored a goal in a month -- that stinks. But how about getting him into the top 6 with scorers instead? 2) The Kid Line (Benson-Cozens-Quinn) wasn't producing. So... now they have two kid lines? That's on the GM for having such a young roster, but especially with Greenway out so you don't have a shutdown defensive line while simultaneously needing to shake things up... how about spreading out the veterans and the types of players on each line? Split up McLeod, Malenstyn, Lafferty, Aube-Kubel -- weave them in with the kids who are getting pushed around. And, McLeod will either get a qualifying offer and then get out of dodge -- OR -- he's going to sign a 1-year offer sheet. The Sabres can match it because the compensation won't be great, but then he'll need to be dealt or just let him walk for nothing. His role is perfect for this team and where they're at, and they're going to chase him away with their ineptitude.

He's a 2026, so this is his draft year minus 1, next year will be his draft year/draft zero year.

Red Squadron only goes up to 12 X-Wings. I don't even have anything to quip about.... It's an Isles game though, so the Sabres have a chance to win in OT/SO if they can score 2 goals in regulation. More likely it's 4-1 Isles with an ENG added less than 15 seconds after UPL leaves the ice.

Likely Neuchev. Kisakov has no trade value as a sweetener at this point.

Say what you will about Pegula, but he hasn’t yet had a documented kill of a trade because he didn’t like the player’s EA NHL game rating. The Sabres trades have been negated by the inbound players.

The competition is San Jose, which is still in tear-down mode and has had the savvy to trade Wedgewood for Georgiev already. The Sabres can easily finish 31st or 32nd.

Nothing since EEE, correct?

If they keep the pick and Schaefer is the BPA when they’re on clock, say 4-7th after the lottery, then that’s the pick to make. But! If it were the pick, then don’t play him in the NHL, and in his rookie year, skate him on the 3rd pair with an established veteran RHD, not fellow rookie Maxim Strbak.

Pettersson’s contract is very big. Power, a lottery-protected 1st (basically 2026 1st at this point), and Rosen for Pettersson and Sherwood. It has to be a little bit painful for them to lose a top-6 for them. And the Sherwood is the Sabres middle-6 insurance for when they inevitably move out the veterans (Greenway and Zucker) before the trade deadline. But really, I’d rather have Hronek for Joker plus stuff. The type of trade Vancouver would never do.

In 5 years, the palms trees could be yay-high and the residents could vote in a full new array of legislators to replace NY state income taxes with a 12ish% sales tax instead, plus more in areas where new stadiums are being built.

I concur. The knock on Pettersson is he's not going to pay the price and outwork people, but he will dangle and shoot from the perimeter. He'd fit in with the current Sabres roster. You could argue that having TNT and Pettersson, who are both capable of being 1st line centers, would be excellent. The issue becomes, if you have one of those guys as your 1C, your 2C really must be an all-around stud to get the hard and defensive minutes. Cozens hasn't become that guy. McLeod would likely be a bit overextended in that role, but then you're playing TNT on Pettersson's wing.

This is where the fun begins! And by fun, I mean I'm busy tonight and won't be able to watch the game. It's really too bad.

It really would be the sithiest thing to do for Sheevyn to convince Darth Pegulas the Wise to start another rebuild. "The core of Eichel/Reinhart/Risto/Ullmark was rotten. Now, the core of TNT, Tuch, Dahlin, and UPL are rotten. I'm sure that if we combine our strengths, we will unlock the Power of the Concept. And we shall have Playoffs.... "Just give me 5 more years."

A 12-game losing streak for a team that was claiming to be ready to go to the playoffs win-or-consequences in the preseason is a fireable offense. But who in this fourth-rate franchise is capable of firing someone based on performance and not based on money owed?

I hope the Sabres win tonight, win out, and then go 16-0 in the playoffs. Hopium is way beyond a gateway drug.

Granlund has never been known for defense, but he is capable of putting up 2C points. I just don't think San Jose would move him for a lowball offer until the deadline -- he provides a solid veteran scoring buffer for their kids. This probably effectively ends Greenway's time with the Sabres, which is too bad because his skill set is something any NHL team can use in its 3rd (honestly, 4th line going into the future) line. Along with Zucker he has certainly been the most consistent forward this season.

Do the graduates go to Sabres University?

Even an unprofessional no-hockey ops background GM would want to spend to the cap and have control. Except Adams, of course.

The game versus Chicago will be for last place in the league. I like the Sabres' chances. It's been way too long since a Pegula-era Sabres squad was last in the league.

Like Eichel, Reinhart, ROR, hell, even older kids like Okposo, etc. The fun thing is that if you like them as players, they can be unruined in short order by other franchises.

Maybe I was selling the Habs short?

You can't stop Cozens, you can only hope to contain him.

So... Dahlin is just accumulating Hart votes at this point, right?

Can’t blow a 2-goal lead if you’re playing from behind. That’s smart thinking, right there.