Thorny

I’ll take good for a year full stop

Very streaky team. Makes sense being so young. The good bits look so good I forget they aren’t simply good, quite yet.

That was a very nice bit of vision from Skinner to go along with a nice dish on the TT goal

Great thread. I get that a lot. “Have you ever even been to Buffalo?!” Some actually find the concept of being a fan of a team from a city you have no connection with actively odd. I find their surprise odd - it’s always been second nature to me. I have a connection to the city, now, in a real way. Forged by common pursuit. Even in those that get it, I often get the follow up, “but the Jets are your second favourite team, right?” as if they just obviously would be. No. It’s one team. Can only *be* one. If you have two teams you don’t have 1 - that’s the Sith like (ill)logic I chose employ here, to an illogical passion. As for when I became a fan: I don’t remember ever not being one. My dad brainwashed me from the start. I didn’t chose the Sabres - I don’t even know whether I truly have a choice, now. Even when I hate them, the Sabres just Are. My team.

We’ve had some injuries on the back end but we’ve been really very healthy up front - it was rather unpredictable that Hinostroza would play this little. Usually you get to your depth options much quicker

Ya I’m in full agreement with your supposition. My year over year comparison is still better than EP’s, though - both age 21 to start the two seasons I used, both in post draft year 4. They are only 4 months apart within my comp as well as opposed to JE being 8 months younger in the other

No You’ll deride. I’ll retweet

No tv means no game for me. I’ll be following along in thread for unbiased, balanced coverage

Dahlin is better, and more importantly his deal will be signed 2 years after Fox, and timing is key for contracts. Dahlin will get to 10.

Ya, Jack did have 82 in 77 his 4th post draft season, same one DC is on now. Still, a 78 point pace for DC compared to Jack’s 87 is much, much closer than I’d have predicted. Cozens as 60 point borderline 1C masquerading as 2C already was tantalizing, a 70-80 point guy lined up behind our 1C has been the (pipe) dream since Black Sunday

How the heck does McDavid have *83 points*. Next closest non cake-job player (Leon) has 21 points less - that’s Kucherov. That’s absurd. He’s got about 50% more points than Tage Thompson who’s having an MVP quality year. In reality, McDavid should get the MVP every year. There isn’t an argument he’s not the best player and the most valuable

Urgh I can’t read, that makes more sense, thanks. Break time But if everyone is healthy Power is being lined up on the left, correct? Their choice #1, given all available options, has been Power 2LD, Jokiharju 2RD, unless I am well off?

Dahlin is 5 points off his career high. He’s played 41 games.

If Joki is in the lineup has he generally been paired with Power, though? Like assuming health? They seem to line Dahlin up on the right by preference but Power the preference is on the left when possible. Ie when Joki is in he’s firmly on the left. But again I could be wrong

No you were right, I just rounded up to 86. I hadn’t got to your correction yet and was too eager beaver- only saw the initial 88 you listed

Agree that was probably what they were trying to emphasize, lost me with the last bit, what’s more realistic? In honestly, I think Terry probably views himself at the centre of the spider-web (I mean he is the Owner) but I also think Adams is aware of this and is comfortable with the perception: but that when he’s the last one in the office he dusts off the rest of the picture and it’s actually him, Adams, at the centre of a much larger web, where he’s pulling the threads.

It’s kinda funny it says that Terry is “leading the hockey side”

As far as I know Dahlin is the only defender they’ve done that w/, with any consistency, though, unless I’m mistaken. They’ve paid an eye to handedness when possible, but I don’t think it would prevent them from playing, say, Johnson there if he was better than the next guy, to your point. Dahlin playing his offhand on the top pair is still rather a unicorn, it’s just not something you see very often at all - once Power becomes the player he’s going to be I could see it going either way- we might see a bit of off-hand drop off once there’s further to fall, whereas he’s at a more moderate level now. Or perhaps he’ll be like Dahlin where can maintain elite play on either side with no noticeable alteration in production and output.

Boldy got 7 per and there’s people who think Dahlin will come in at below 10 haha

He was never a prospect that was an odds on, better than 50% shot to be a mainstay starter in the NHL. There’s always a lot of uncertainty with any prospect, aside from the very top of the draft guys, especially in G. He can be, and is a great prospect, but that’s not the same as it being a guarantee or “safe” (better than 50%, most likely resulting scenario) bet that he’ll be a good NHL goalie capable of starting 40 games, nm the playoff goalie of the future. As far as prospects go he’s the bees knees imo still for goalies, but there’s no “likely” in the vernacular until we see it - - - Glad to see Pronman finally catch up to my analysis on Dahlin. Surprised he’s only listed as “bubble” elite when he’s ranked #1

They just have to establish as a *playoff team*. It’s been 12 years man. That’s objectively a really long time for a human being when measured in earth years. We actually don’t get that many. 12 is a huge chunk. I’m not even talking winning a series which takes us back nearly 2 decades. A generation. Clearly the team has asked plenty of patience from the fans, I think the fans are well within their right asking patience from the team if they are asking “where are you?”. But I’m pretty sure they already know. Asking why fans aren’t “showing up for Thompson and some goals” kinda insults the intelligence of a fan base that knows what this is all about and just wants playoffs. They seem to slowly be turning the corner: just give it time. Once they finally make the playoffs again and prove they are a threat to do it every year, the building will fill during the regular season as well. Fans wanting to see them get over that hump is totally understandable. We are pacing for 86 points. That’s an improvement, that’s promising: but it’s not like we didn’t have 81 seven years ago under Bylsma. And we thought it was *bad* then. Fans aren’t busting down the doors for a 5 point improvement on the decade low-water mark. The team will need to lead the way, now. They know it. Build a playoff team and the fans will come. For all of it.

Silver linings, let’s see.. We remain one of the healthiest teams in the league this season. It’s been refreshing tbh, those comments re: examining their injury treatment process seem to perhaps be more than lip-service.

A win’s a win, right

I tallied up the average points gained by all the teams we’ve faced at home, and I tallied up the average points gained of all the teams we’ve faced on the road...and they were almost identical. So, no juice there.. I know we’ve faced about 2/3rds backup goalies and I was tempted to see how those broke down over the home/away splits, but it was a ton of effort just looking up every game and checking on who the goalie was each time, the first time, so decided against counting again. If I had a guess they probably balance over home / away anyways.