DarthEbriate

Curiously, they’ve been very solid hanging onto leads the last couple seasons because they’ve been good at transition and punishing teams that open up. Start strong, then finish them, pad the stats, and play your goal songs.

And this is the key. Fix the critical issues that crushed the Oreo up (autocorrect “previous” but too good to delete), without exposing entirely new ones. Will Ruff and his staff get the team to show up in the first, get the power play to average (with all the top-first-round talent), and gain some structure defensively still with a bunch of kids on the blue line? Do that, and you may make the playoffs. But it’s not all on the staff. TNT, Cozens, Krebs, ??… that’s not a playoff-caliber center spine.

Well, at least they’re going to interview recent Cup-winning and experienced coaches…. Oh? Or that. Hola desde España, ‘Spacerinos. I was wearing a Sabres t-shirt yesterday so perhaps a bit of premonition was kicking in. I look forward to not scheduling vacations in April-June. And now the important part: All coaches are “bad guys”: check. You need someone who was involved back in the Republic era and would have been considered a good guy: check. Someone older: check. Who could be a lead villain: check. Who wears slippers on set: check. Who will has legacy, gravitas, and maybe occasional CGI rendering: check. Who is ready to take over just as this thing goes operational as is now the ultimate power in the universe: check (basically the entire B story of Rogue One.) Oh, if only there was a name I’ve been saving for the obvious choice, when it was time. I present to you: Grand Ruff.

Or that some crusty coach will bench him because the refs keep calling him for everything, including dives.

I think the whole point of having coaching is to push folks to do more than otherwise. People need coaching just to pedal harder in a gym class. If I had a coach, I'd have written the Sabres Wars Prequel Trilogy script ages ago (once Eichel won the Cup). Do people think Belichick or Lombardi didn't push their players to greater heights and it was all internal motivation?

Former Amerk Eric O'Dell (it rhymes) is... still playing! He was an alternate captain for Dynamo Moskva the past two seasons.

I admit, I'm curious to see the Phoenix fan reaction to their last home game, and how the team plays against McDavid.

They may have kept him a season too long (or 3/4 of a season too long for sure), but that's the hindsight after TNT's and Cozens' offense disappeared after injuries. But he got the transition and confidence back after Krueger. And now, thank you, HCDG, and it's time to move on. And that's OK. This past season, the glaring error is on GM Sheevyn for the roster construction. A d-zone bottom 6 faceoff center (hell, even a Glendening); one heavier checker than KO/Zemgus; a top 4 D, a vet goalie to backup whomever... move VO and get a temporary Quinn replacement (Nyquist, for example). Those were all known possibilities last offseason for a team on the cusp. The GM was too patient. The finishing of the checks is important. If there's no fear, then dump-and-chase is ineffective because the D knows he can turn and still look for the breakout pass anyway because all he has to contend with is a VO flyby stick (which occasionally works, but not consistently).

Would have to pry him away from TV deals. He's done NHL Network, Rangers, NBC desk work when they had it, and Sabres games -- and he's been good in every venture. I think he's got a solid broadcasting future.

Really solid assist by Davies on the bank pass, rather than waiting too long or trying to skate it up himself and try a dump in. Need his goal song to be You Know My Name (Look Up the Number).

The real phantom menace. Always two there are. The master and the apprentice. Maul Ellis!

We'll just put this in the correct thread... Good game, Comrie. Now, let us never speak of it again.

You say that... but exchange Savoie for Jost, Kulich for Olofsson, Rousek for Girgensons, and Levi for Comrie. Too old!

Cozens and Quinn singlehandedly forecheck Tampa into the tv timeout.

Bryson playing AHL speed on that possession, Sheary closes... Benson! Also, I think that Bryson turnover just killed my preseason prediction that VO would finish (barely) with a positive plus/minus.

There was no plan on that power play without TNT on the ice. And then Skinner just decides to dawdle about until Hagel takes the puck away with speed.

Go to the net, wait for rebounds. This is the Greenway.

Good kill, despite the crossbar.

Cozens looking much better tonight than... this month.

Artooooo. That way?

Once more into the trench! Lock s-foils in attack position.

Completely? No. He’s moved the goalposts to a timeline fitting Power/Byram maturity (24+). That’s not what starving fans want, but it’s fine for his paycheck. He’s just cackling, “I’ll make it legal!” But if he loses Dahlin or Quinn because they become sick of being here or this churns another 2-3 seasons without a playoff appearance, then this is going to reset once again. And that is a possibility.

Stephenson and Carrier would be an excellent start. Especially if Carrier could stay healthy.

Oh I know. That’s what’s so alarming. It'd be like adding Palat, Killorn, Hornqvist, Alec Martinez, and Patrick Kane to this roster. Arguably, the only passenger on that Canes roster was Adams.

Exactly. We wonder what might have been if Connolly, Numminen, Tallinder, Kalinin, and McKee stay healthy (Cup victory). But what GM Sheevyn and we forget is how that Canes roster was loaded with proven playoff warriors who could still play. And Justin Williams who would soon become Mr Game 7.