DarthEbriate

I mean... we can all agree Frolik shouldn't have dressed much at all in our sweater this season since acquired... but these lines look right. And he's just been so undeserving of ice time. It's even more noticeable with Vesey-Lazar-Simmonds as grind line #2.

Can we all agree that, based on play tonight, Frolik shouldn't dress in the Sabres crest the remainder of the season?

Install metallic droid legs.

I want the next Wayne Simmonds. I want the guy who's 24 who's about to have Simmonds-level career years with his playing style. As to this Wayne. Sure, I'd take him on a 1-year 1.8M deal... vet 4th liner who could go up to 3W as he is right now. But if he gets over 2.2, I can't. I need to be able to find guys to do his role for less than that. Our issue is we've got a really good 4th line that's overpaid because of KO, so we have to be really careful on duplicating roles with NHL salaries there.

Do this 2 out of 3 games over an entire season and you're a bona fide playoff team.

Finish this period. Don't relax.

That Vesey-Lazar-Simmonds line looked like a solid 4th line, GLO style. Now --- if you had 1A and 1B, GMTM-style, and had 2 bottom lines that are just mean and hard to play against... that can work.

It's like you have an extra gear when you know you can make a mistakes and you've got a guy who has your back.

All too easy. In fact, Dahlin getting wonky that pass reception might have broken Holtby. Concentrraaa drink!

If TOR, FLA, and MTL all go 5-5 over that same span, then a 10-game winning streak has it like this. Still on the outside looking in, but with a game in hand. TOR 79 gp, 89 pts FLA & BUF 78 gp, 86 pts MTL 80 gp, 81 pts

Ullie has been taught well, but he is not a starter yet. I need to see continued growth through the end of this season. Like Hart last game, Ullmark has to be the best PK-er on the ice for the Sabres through the end of the season. He's a .914 for the year, which is on the cusp of getting above average. Then, we get the #2 lottery pick and take Byfield, and I have drinks outside a cantina on the beach, some place warm but not too warm. Then, we watch JBot play moneyball and continue to fill the F ranks with unexceptional guys and trade for a 3C and sign for too long of term, instead of a 2C on a shorter term. Barring all that, I'd say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Random observation --- SJ and OTT are tied 1-1 in the 2nd intermission. Ottawa needs to win this game! Make SJ's pick even better for themselves. They can always lose their own games later.

Eventually you come up against the players who have the high ground in terms of skill and drive and no pre-existing injuries and no matter how high you try to jump over them, you're going to end up cooked.

He was an AHL All-Star this year. Not ready for the big league yet, but having Ullmark back gets everything back in order. Additionally, UPL K^6 can go back to Cincinnati where (was) he growing and doing well.

Wow --- it looked like that laserblast went through Risto -- complete with tossing the stick into the air. Like a good stuntman.

Sheary still shoots like he's wearing a Sabres sweater, at least.

Hmm, sure would be nice if MoJo could've bookended the intermission with goals.

Wish Eichel had delayed a bit more there... we had them looking like a gassed tank team at the end.

Vesey -- twice denied.

They pulled the RJ between periods!

That goal... J.J. ... you Binksed that one.

Logging in.... to a goal! ... isn't Vesey in the box? How'd he assist McCabe there, RJ?

I dunno -- the Avalanche game was great -- just lost to a hot team. But as the trip went on the team looked less and less interested and competent. I sure would like to see Healthy Eichel again.

.... So.... even Montreal, which did some selling at the deadline, has pulled away from us.

It could be worse. It's worse.