mjd1001

For internet (which we need) and Cable with MGS, its a package called select and its over $150 per month. Yes, existing customer for years.

I think unless an injury happens, it has to be Bedard. I'd love to pick someone else and feel good about it, but this to me is like the McDavid year...where there is 1 guy clear above the rest. But, this still looks to be a good year for young rookies, should be exciting to watch and follow them as, as of right now, it looks like there are a few of them that might have a legit impact on their teams. Bedard is good, really good. He might be an MVP candidate (top 5 playing in the league) within the next couple of years. But when I watch him, I just don't 'see' dominance every second, he just get the results. When I think of generational players, I think of Ovechkins shot, Mario Lemieux just doing anything he wants with the puck and No-one could stop him. Lindros (before he got hurt) just looking like a talented grown man playing against 14 year-olds physically. McDavid's speed and his control at full speed. Bedard makes nice plays, I saw a great no look pass yesterday, and obviously he has great skill. I just don't see any ONE dominant trait he has. The collection of various skills he have might make him unstoppable at times, but I'm still looking for that ONE skill that no one can stop (Ovi's shot, Lemieux's size and control, McDavid's speed, Lindros strength, etc.)

I don't see the 'complaint Thursday' thread anywhere, so its going here its about MSG/Spectrum. Right now we don't have MSG. Yes, I'm in my 40s and I can afford it, but I'm cheap. I don't like paying for things we don't use often or overpaying. We have the spectrum 'choice' package (and currently on a promotion) where you can pick among channels. We get the basics (ABC, Fox, nbc, etc) and cable channels we actually watch. Espn. Espn2, cnbc, cnn, weather channel, usa, tbs, tnt and a few others. BUT, you cannot add MSG to this package. Anticipating Sabres season I contacted spectrum last month. I did the 'chat' online thing. The person I got, had NO idea how to get MSG for me. I explained to them I know I needed a different 'tier' of channels in my package, but after she couldn't find it she told me it wasn't available in my area. I ASSURED her it was, waited almost 15 minutes while she kept on looking up, and then just gave up. Well, today I called Spectrum. Was only hold for 10 minutes (not too bad) and spoke to a woman who was friendly. Told her I had the "choice' package and wanted to upgrade to get MSG. She couldn't find the channel. She asked me if I was sure it was called MSG. I said yes. I told her my parents were subscribers of Spectrum cable and they had it, she kept on telling me "I'm still here but I'm still looking for it". I told her it is (or at least used to be) channel 28 in my area. Finally, she found it and told me the only way to get it was to 'upgrade' to a new channel tier (I really REALLY wanted to tell her that is what I told HER almost 30 minutes ago but I didn't). I said how much more would it cost me compared to my current bill. It was almost $50 more a month (high $40's plus whatever extra tax would be). I asked if there was any promotion, any package, any bundle available to me. No she said, nothing. She could set me up with the new package but it would be for almost $50 per month extra. So, No live Sabres games at home for me. I watch most games either by a neighbor down the street who loves having company for games, sometimes at my parents house (but they live almost 30 minutes away), at a bar or restaurant, or if I miss one I watch the replay 2 days later on Hulu/ESPN plus. But as per my prior post, the NHL and Spectrum make it SO DIFFICULT to watch their games on TV, I really don't get it. And how exactly does Spectrum have customer service agents (2 I dealt with) that don't know how to get MSG to their customers, or don't even know what it is? Good luck going to their website trying to add it or figure it out, they basically hide everything and get you to call them (its one of the worst customer websites I have ever dealt with, maybe only 2nd worse to treasurydirect if you want to buy a government bond)

Not a huge fan of this list, but whatever. I tend to lean more toward the 'rock' genre, or if you give me a pop song it better be super up-tempo and hard hitting. Oh well, its what the players want so its not that big of a deal to me.

How a league makes their product so hard for people to view is beyond me. Still trying to protect the legacy cable business? It took a while, but we finally have MSG+ as an app, but no one really knows if you can cast it from a phone to a tv, it may be available on some OS's but not others? This is YOUR PRODUCT. People who have games available to watch game are more likely to go to games, buy your overpriced concessions, buy jerseys and merchandise...in addition to paying $30 a month to view them those games. Make it work. Negotiate with all the popular streaming Operating systems to get your app on there. Its not their responsibility it is YOURS.

As others have said, you are paying 'market rate' compared to what other players are getting around the league. Jake Sanderson: 8 years, $64.4m, $8.05m per year Owen Power: 7 years, $58.47, $8.35m per year Sanderson: 5th overall pick 2020, 21 years old, 1 NHL season played, 4 goals, 28 assists, 21:55 min per game on a 39 win team Power: 1st overall pick 2021, 20 years old, 1 full season played, 4 goals, 31 assists, 22:05 minutes per game on a 42 win team. The production/age/draft pedigree is very, VERY close, almost unreal how close they are. If anything, you might give Power the slight edge in these measurables, thus the contracts should be expected to be about the same, if anything with Power getting slightly more. I'd expect Moritz Seider to sign an extension soon with Detroit for about the same term/money.

Long term so I guess its ok. I would have done a bridge since you have so many others locked up long term...but this is ok.

Agree on the money going to a 30+ year old is kinda bad. They just might look at as the cost of business of staying playoff competitive the next 2-3 years. Once you are into the last couple years of the contract, they might be bad so it won't matter much.

I really don't like the amount. Yes you may not have had a choice, but the way the team is going to be competitive is if you don't pay too high for many players and if you can bring them in at a fair value or ever so slightly below.

This is what I am hoping to see change once the regular season starts: -Krebs got slightly better as the year went on, but there were many, MANY times goals were scored against the Sabres or big time chances were allowed when Krebs either was 1/2 step too slow getting back or he lost a battle on the boards. Hoping he is better this year. -Cozens. As good as he is, and a large part of how good he is has to do with how aggressive he is....he needs to show better decision making. I can't remember how many (it was a lot) goals were allowed last year when Cozens was on the ice, not due to him not giving effort, but due to him chasing the puck relentlessly, often times when another Sabre was closer to the puck, and putting himself out of position. Effort isn't the issue with Cozens, but hopefully one more year of experience will help him with his decision making for knowing when to NOT chase the puck full speed no matter where it is. -Peterka and Quinn. Honestly, by the end of the year I thought they already were much better than the beginning of the year, but when they started they were losing a lot of loose puck battles. If they can pick up where they left off at the end of last year (whenever Quinn gets back) that will be a good step. -Tuch is a great forechecker. I don't analyze the entire league but with how relentless he is on the forecheck I can't imagine a lot of players being better than him. His linemates just have to be aware of where he is in the Offensive zone so they can cover any opponents exit from the zone in case Tuch gets caught deep.

Agreed. Moss is playing well, but I don't think hes better than he was when he was here. Put him on this Bills team and I still don't want him starting. He is doing well in the situation he is in.

Bills seem to handle Miami, and for the most part, KC, better than the rest of the league. Jets, Jacksonville, and Cincy I don't have much confidence with them playing.

For now, the Bills are 4th in the conference, with 2 conference losses. 2nd in the Division (as you said) with a division loss. If we can't be guaranteed a SuperBowl, I would LIKE to have one year where they get the bye and home field advantage throughout, but they are already behind with that.

I don't think the effort was the problem. Not making excuses but factors include: 1.) they don't seem like the match up well vs Jax 2.) Maybe the Bills flying out 2 days ago and Jax being there for 2 weeks helped Jax 3.) Just too shorthanded on D with the injuries. I'm not seeing a lack of effort. I'm seeing a team making mistakes and overmatched in certain matchups.

I don't think of them as like any other team of the past. To me, this team, and Josh Allen, when they are "On", is better than anyone else. When they play their 'best' game, and the other team plays their 'best' game, I think the Bills come out ahead against anyone. The problem is, the Bill can't seem to string as many of their 'best' games together in a row, or when they are 'off', they can be really REALLY 'off'. So in the regular season, they have too many 'off' games where they might never get the bye and home field the entire playoffs. So when they get to the playoffs, they need to win 4 games in a row to win it all, but they can't string 4 games in a row of them being 'on' to do that.

Games like this, for now at least, are why I have a LOT more fun following the Sabres than the Bills. With the Bills, if they win big, well, they are supposed to. When they play a game like this, its just horrible to watch and then to listen to others/read forums/listen to talk radio for the next full week (and yes, to me those are parts of being a fan.) The curse of high expectations. With the Sabres, right now watching a young team get better is just so much more fun. I don't want it to be that way. I wish I could see things differently, but, I just can't. Maybe they can still pull this one out, we'll see.

I wish Dahlin would sign for 8 years for under 10m of course, but whatever he is going to get, het gets, just lock him up. Power, I STILL would be open to a bridge deal, providing Dahlin is locked up long term.

I'm not concerned yet. As others have said, lets see where things are after 10 games.

I'm feeling really good about the Bills right now, more than I thought I would. Sure, they could lose this week, and if they have a major injury again that can change, but after the Miami game, I don't think there is a team that they cannot beat. If, IF Buffalo plays their best game and any other team plays their best game, right now I think Buffalo wins those games against anyone else. Of course the issue like always is...how often does Buffalo play their best. Its like Josh Allen vs Mahomes. Take both of them playing their best game and I think Allen is just as good, maybe better...BUT the issue is Mahomes plays closer to his ceiling more often. After Buffalo, I think its San Francisco, then KC, then Philly, Baltimore, Dallas, and Miami as the teams I would be the most worried about giving the Bills problems in a matchup (in that order). Seattle, Cleveland, Detroit and even Jacksonville are 2 steps behind but they might still give the Bills trouble. A healthy Josh Allen just gives the bills at worst a 50-50 shot against any team (and likely more than that) on any given week.

If I'm not mistaken, the Arena in Buffalo is a year or two older. Of course in Toronto it gets more use, but still highlights places like Philly, Boston, Toronto....that have an Arena built about the same time as in Buffalo are getting or have already gotten huge renovations. In Toronto, it has already undergone some lesser renovations, but this is a big one. Scotiabank Arena announced on Thursday that it will be getting a multimillion-dollar face-lift. The staggering $350 million investment and multi-phase renovation — titled the Scotiabank Arena Venue Reimagination Project — will feature capital improvements to almost all areas within the venue. Upgrades will be brought to concourses, suites, premium clubs, retail spaces, food and beverage offerings, and state-of-the-art technological innovations will also be introduced. full article here: https://www.blogto.com/city/2023/10/scotiabank-arena-350-million-dollar-transformation/ Also in Calgary in the last few days.... Deal struck between Calgary and Alberta for new $800M arena for Calgary Flames A preliminary deal announced in April for a new $1.2-billion event centre and entertainment district near the city’s downtown, including a new rink for the Flames, has been finalized, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said Thursday. The project plan includes plazas and gathering places, bars, restaurants and retail shops with the main event centre hosting the NHL team along with other sports, concerts and events. full article here: https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/10/06/news/deal-calgary-alberta-800m-arena-calgary-flames

How one online betting site sees things: https://www.covers.com/nhl/team-point-totals-odds-bets I looked specifically at the division and the east. As far as where they see teams finishing with over/under points: Toronto 106.5, Boston 101.5, Florida 99.5, Tampa 93.5, Ottawa 92.5, Buffalo 92.5, Detroit 85.5, Montreal 70.5 So they have Buffalo tied for 5th/6th in the division with Ottawa. In the Metro division they see: Carolina 109.5, New Jersey 105.5, Rangers 103.5, Pittsburgh 97.5, Islanders 92.5, Washington 83.5, Philly 75.5, Columbus 72.5. So if the Oddsmakers have it correct, Toronto, Boston, Florida, Carolina, NJ, and the Rangers are in as division top 3 teams....Pittsburgh and Tampa get the wild cards. Ottawa, Buffalo, and the Islanders are then all tied for fighting for the 9th spot but out of the playoffs.

Just as in recent years Buffalo and Josh Allen seem to do very well against Miami, the opposite can be said about their performances against Jacksonville.

I like a large part of the next 8 months. I know we don't get this in Jan or Feb, but 40's early in the morning, 50's for daytime highs...light jacket weather...my absolute favorite! You just don't get that from June to August here, or ANYTIME of the year in many of the southern climates that so many other people who live there convince themself are better than up north.

This doesn't happen everywhere, but I'll share an interesting story of what I encountered when we were on vacation a few years ago. Small cute village, lots of shops everywhere. We get there on a Tuesday morning (I think, it was mid-week) to go to a cute little bakery. Its not that crowded. There are handicapped parking spots ( alot of them), another spot for 'our law enforcement partners', one for 'employee of the month' and then one for 'expectant mother parking'. Every single one of them was empty, and the first spot we found was a good 100 feet farther away. Sure, the walk wasn't that bad and sometimes I'll park farther away because I would rather have the long walk other than someone banging into the car, but I thought this was excessive.