DarthEbriate

Leafs skating hard the start of this period.

No strides on the backcheck after the turnover.

Even the '99 Conference Finals had tons of Leafs fans. There were tons of Leafs fans in the 05-15 stretch when they were garbage. It's really time we stopped worrying about them invading our stadium and just be a better team on the ice.

Joining in... S-foils in attack position!

Boston has spent over $8M on goalies each of the last four seasons as well (and more previously with Rask's contract). And they spend that money on fewer rostered goalies because they don't sign several tweeners, but focus their money on legitimate NHLers.

There is no bigger laughingstock (*Coyotes) around the league than the Sabres. It was Edmonton and their lack of ability to do anything with all those #1 picks. They still have their struggles and had to fire a coach this very season: but if they're in town you can at least see two of the best forwards in the game and they've finished 2nd in their division 5 years and counting. Chicago has a sullied championship, but they had a great team on the ice. The Sens had a late owner who openly had an internal cap, so at least everyone knew what their goals were (and they still went to the ECF). Other teams have had questionable blips (Minnesota purposefully going into cap hell for 3 seasons, Columbus currently trying to piledrive its way into the void), but no other team is close at the moment.

But that's just it. There has been nothing to indicate that the Sabres have any desire to pay starter/backup comparable salaries. With this GM (EEE), they don't spend anywhere near market. Contrast our spending with two teams that have been actively winding down and outright tanking the last 3 seasons to get Bedard/Celebrini. These goalies aren't their future, but they have proven NHL vets (Mrazek, for example) who can weather the storm and play consistently. And in some cases, they're retaining or buying out contracts for picks/assets. None of these teams (BUF,SJS,CHI,DET) has paid a goalie $5M+ cap hit to skew the numbers. SJS 21-22: $8.841M 22-23: $9.9M 23-24: $11.99M CHI 21-22: $6.93M 22-23: $7.135M (while winning Bedard) 23-24: $6.57M (Still actively tanking. They've also had perfect goalie health this season: only 4 goalie contracts for the entire organization.) Or Detroit, whose rise/track has been battling with the Sabres: DET 21-22: $9.89M 22-23: $10.175M 23-24: $9.637M

Deserved penalty. Fine? Sure, whatever. As to the monetary value, does everyone get the maximum fine for everything? Because this isn't egregious or grossly premeditated.

Granato deserves credit for turning the kid forwards (including Skinner) back around after the Krueger debacle. That job is done and so should his be. And his staff isn't an NHL staff, so purge 'em, Sheevyn. Do it. 80% (estimated, I'm not looking it up) of the roster has played for Team Canada, Team USA, Team Sweden, and Team Finland. They know how to play and can adapt to coaches. Granato still doesn't have the team ready in the 1st, encourage any physicality or finishing of checks, work on the refs like I work in Star Wars references, design a powerplay beyond setting up TNT for a one-timer, match lines at home, or know when to take a timeout or make a goalie switch (though it appeared he learned these last two late last season and then forgot this year). And more recently, apparently, his practices are slow-paced and players don't break a sweat when they should be faster, more intense, to prepare the team with playoff expectations.

TL;DR? Don't be surprised if UPL gets a low-ball $2.75M bridge offer and then walks as a UFA or is traded… only to have a solid NHL career elsewhere with a real starter's salary. EEE has been the mandate in the GM Sheevyn era. Courtesy of Spotrac, here are the total cap hits of the Sabres goalies in those seasons. This isn't the starter/backup tandem, this cap number is for the entire franchise. They're trying to do the equivalent of trying to win in the NFL with a rookie QB contract -- but not having invested the additional money elsewhere, like say a top-5 veteran defense (but that would require all the forwards [and coaching] to also be great at defense), etc. 20-21 CH 2.75, LU 2.6, DT .725, JJ (no cap hit retained, .03 salary), MH .7, SL* .7 Sheevyn inherits one year on Hutton's (post-eye injury) contract. Combined Cap: $7.475M 21-22 CA .75, DT .725, MH .75, AD .75, UPL .778, MS .85 Sheevyn doesn't extend or trade Ullmark and appears to have no plan whatsoever other than sign players to $750k contracts (Tokarski rues signing the year before). Retired Craig Anderson unretires, plays well... and earns another contract! Combined Cap: $4.603M 22-23 BB 4.9, UPL .8375, DL .925, EC 1.8, CA 1.5, MS .85, MH .75 Bishop's actual salary paid this season was only $3.5. WeeeEEE! Trivia: Who is the highest paid goalie in a single season of the GM Sheevyn era? Ben Bishop Prospect note: There was no room in this goalie pool for Portillo (equivalent AHL numbers to Levi this season) to get a contract offer [and yes, the writing was on the wall who was the franchise's preferred rookie in DL]. Combined Cap: $11.525M to hit cap floor. Non-LTIR: $6.6625M 23-24 EC 1.8, DL .925, UPL .8375, DC N/A, DT .775 (Curious side notes: Michael Houser hasn't been signed to an NHL deal this season... yet! And Toker gets his $25k make up as an honorary 750.) Combined Cap: $4.3375M *SL=Stefanos Lekkas

It was eerily similar to his first game back in the lineup this season after the Achilles' injury (9-4 trouncing by Columbus). The team was happy to have him back and... promptly disappeared. Odd stat outlier: Quinn has 3GP v. Ottawa this season and is -8 with 1 assist. 15 GP 5-6-11 and +6 against everyone else.

It would have been kind of fun to have the Sabres clinch a playoff spot the day before the eclipse.

Look at that. Heavy shot with the defender as a screen becomes a ridiculous rebound. And JJP is there.

Gotta stay in the top 10 to have a chance at the #1 pick.

I always find a few fun teams every playoff that are enjoyable to watch. I'm starting with Florida and Vancouver though.

If we were playing NHL2002, the announcer would be saying "It's the dreaded first game back after a long road trip." Every Sabres home game sans goatheads is the first game back from a long road trip.

Good kill. Benson and Tuch burned off about 30 seconds in the Sens corner. Levi made one excellent haft save.

Alright, here we go! They left us too much time to come back.

How'd the game start? In Buffalous medias res...

Wow. What a workday. I'll just unwind with a Sabres game and some solid hockey entertainment. I'll tune in... and... huh.

I know at the end of last season there was a lot of talk on this board about Tage as a top 10 center, or at least -- where does he fit in the top centers in the NHL? Sadly, I just don't see it. A true 1C is capable of going out against every other team's top line and their top defensive pairing (and alternately, their best checking line) in all 3 zones for a 7-game series and being even or better in those matchups. I don't care about salary, term, or age. To me, it's "who can win a 7-game series that starts tonight?". He's... maybe in the 15-20 range? His game is blistering powerplay goals from the circle and 5-on-5 scoring on rushes. But the jam, the undeniable overwhelming force being imposed on the opposition, any defensive prowess, the after-the-whistle unfazed bravado, even the ability to win a faceoff... those aren't TNT. There are a host of centers I'd take before him.

Any GM you hire is going to sell the owner on a minimum 2-year window to get "his/her team" on the ice via trade/UFA (and likely 3 years). If the owner counters that the GM has one year to make the playoffs, the GM will walk away from the job offer. Flip-flopping GM directions too quickly is how you get a heavy GMTM lineup replaced by an all-speed puck-moving defense JBott lineup with no continuity and another hard reset.

He's totally capable. That was his very first act as GM. I'll say yes just to be a contrarian. UPL/Levi, healthy Quinn, Muel on the 3rd pair with Clifton. Replace Jost and VO with energy/attitude guys.

GM Sheevyn tossing prospects and draft picks into trades? ...Nay. Into the Sabres lineup.

The important thing for the players is to have them brush off the 3rd period. Yes, the season is over (and has been over since the Sabres let Detroit break their losing streak). Go play a great game in Calgary anyway. Play for UPL and get him on track with another 2-goal, +.900% quality start.