DarthEbriate

In my experience, anyone who likes Star Wars should be actively distrusted until proven otherwise. Levi: I don't what this chart is talking about. I'm a young goaltender on a diplomatic mission to Rochester... GM Sheevyn: You need to play everyday... and you're a traitor (for not being the best goalie ever despite my gifting you a starting job after you kept the team afloat with some good games right after college because I couldn't set the team up with a goalie so I need you to cover all of my mistakes, but you still aren't even close to your professional development curve as you're only at 63 professional games played). Bring the shuttle!

Well, hopefully Rosén has learned and gotten stronger since last season's debut. 7 games of... invisibility?... were normal for most kids. If TNT is out and Rosén suits up, he'll skate more than 10 minutes and possibly even get some PP time. Last season he skated under 10 minutes in 5 of his 7 games.

Doc. Are you telling me -- you built a time machine... out of a Delorean rake?

Kozak is a 12/13 at best, but there will be an opening on the 4th line next season. He could easily make a bottom 6 debut this year for 2-4 games and be a part-timer in 2025-26. If he maximizes his potential, he could then hash out some seasons in the NHL.

The motives have been defined: quality of family goals for billionaires and the completion of contracts for a superyacht, make money off the NFL, etc. The purpose of the Sabres to win a Stanley Cup is no longer on the priority list.

True, the DeLuca .500 is at least representative. Then, you only have outliers like the 16-loser point Islanders sneaking in.

The loser point inflates it. Currently, 22 of 32 teams are .500 or better (and a single overtime appearance/loss prevents the Sabres and Blues from joining them). Being .500 is not enough, because 6 of those teams aren't playoff-bound.

Probably still the GM on (U.S.) Thanksgiving 2026 at this rate.

He is. But this team kind of needs an asshat. Someone who will go to the net with a purpose and a recklessness and occasionally lose a goal with interference. (Like Benson, but with experience.) The reluctance from me would be, how quickly would Bunting stop going to the net on this team?

I think Gaustad did for a while, but it was intentional to use his glove for the pass. This has since become a penalty.

Check. Check. Check. And... no hat. I did end up wearing my wife's faux-fur stole as the evening progressed. Good accessory: stoles.

That means next season we're looking at 95-4.44 (for Skinner) as 90.5. Subtract 6 for the TP Discount. 84.5 is up from spending this year. Raise ticket prices to compensate. That'll be plenty to pay JJP and Byram if you let Zucker go. Done and done.

Well, time to head off to a friend's birthday party. She's doing a prom-themed birthday... but... we're not... young... likesay, we remember the original trilogy. Anyway, I may have to dress up, but it gets me clear of Sabres hockey. Do you think the Sabres will attempt to collectively "send a message" in the third period? Like a Torts-team would? (I don't.)

Or at least, he hasn't yet lost his hatred of losing. There's still time for that with this franchise.

Benson with some poor sportsmanship after the goal, but... at least he doesn't like losing.

Sabres broadcast team: Good start to the road trip, eh?

One team wants it, the other is drifting.

If Benson interfered last game, Brink interfered there.

No penalties for elbow, crosscheck, or roughing after the whistle. Nice. Good job, refs. Let them sort things out after the whistle early.

The Phlyers see the size of Buffalo's new scoreboard and raise them the size of the numbers on their sleeves.

Games as head coach it took for each to learn that Skinner is not as good as other options as a top line forward, and if not there, is incapable as a bottom 6 forward: Brind'Amour: 0 games Housley: 70-ish games (Eichel dragged Skinner along, but if you recall, Sheary and then Olofsson finished the season with Eichel-Reinhart) Krueger: Season 1: 0 games. Skinner was not on Eichel's wing. Krueger: Season 2: 0 games. Hall was on Eichel's wing, then COVID took the team apart and in the return on 2/16/21 Skinner was promoted to Eichel's wing in a 3-0 shutout to NYI. It's a trick question: NEGATIVE 12 games -- then he put Skinner on the top line. Granato: Season 1: 0 games. Hall remains on the top line until his trade, and then a few weeks later about 4/11/21, Granato puts Skinner on Reinhart's wing on the top line. About NEGATIVE 13 games for Skinner to rise to the top line. Granato Season 2: NEVER LEARNED! Skinner - TNT - Tuch plays like a 1st line. Granato Season 3: 47 games. Skinner was on the top line, dealt with some injuries, but didn't get demoted until about the LA Kings game on 1/24/24. Ruff: 0 games Knoblauch: 17 games. (Though it's his GM's choice and free agency recency bias) ---------- TL/DR: RB'A, Krueger, Ruff knew when they started. Maybe we need to give Krueger a little bit more credit.* EDM needs to trade Skinner before they miss the playoffs. *No. No, we don't. That's the Sabres 31st All-Time leading scorer.

Dun: I don't see Marchand on the Bruins bench. Must have gone back to the locker room. Ray: No, Dan, his uniform is still on the bench. He appears to have been vaporized. <mug to camera> Ray: This is how we win. ------ Pettersen would be fine, but is yet another LHD who is used to playing the left side with Karlsson. Nyqvist would be OK, although I'm always wondering about him and why he can't stick with any team more than 1.5 seasons.

I hesitate to say the Sabres are a better team than almost anyone. Certainly a higher-skilled roster, particularly on defense. The Flyers have 4 OT/SO wins. They're going to try to make this game into an endless slog and with TNT out, the most dynamic forward on the ice is going to be Michkov. (Followed by JJP/Konecy and then... Benson? Or, given his wheels, maybe McLeod.) You have the solution. The Sabres need to outskate and outwork the Flyers on every loose puck and board battle. Both teams have had a rest day, but the Sabres don't play again until next Wednesday; there is no excuse for slackery.

The Sabres lost 5-1 last season and had a 4-0 shutout to PHI the season prior, and both of those no-show games really stung at the time. But overall, Granato was 8-3-1 vs. the Flyers, including his first win as Sabres head coach.