PerreaultForever

Sure, and the internet and it's a whole brave new world of instant highs and lows. Interesting academic thing I heard was the model is based on the idea that young white males always think they are smarter than "the system" and generally just smarter than others. This fuels gambling but also self investing. The reality is they are not and they generally underperform the market and generally lose in sports betting. The sports betting algorithm apparently also makes it harder for you if you are winning so if you have an account in good standing it likely means you are a loser.

Don't say "we". I am consistent in my doubts and took heat for it last year from numerous people. Offensive skill, yes. Complete hockey player, no evidence of that developing yet. He might in time, and if he puts up offensive numbers nobody says he has to be a defensive stalwart but right now he's soft and even scared imo or in the very least he can't grasp structural responsibility. His most effective moments right now are on the PP where he can focus on his offensive creativity and worry less about what the other team is going to do. Ideally with his speed and skill he could be developed into a Jake DeBrusk type player and even kill penalties but he has a long way to go to get there.

No I think it was because of the teams in question. They obviously favor big cities and big stadiums but they expected Chicago to be rising this year and they want to market Bedard. What they got though was bottom of the barrel against mediocre so like who cares? If the outdoor game had been Buffalo vs. Detroit nobody outside of those cities would have watched it either.

His offensive skill and potential has never been in question. His ability to play in traffic and against tight D is another matter. I also question his desire and work ethic but that's subject to debate. I just don't see him having anything like what Benson has. If he did, he could be quite good.

They've made numerous good strategic moves that show him to be a better GM than KA. Picking up DeSmith for nothing and then flipping him, flipping Monahan for a first, gambling on Laine. Lane Hutson drafted at 62 seems pretty genius and/or lucky as well. Most of all though they seem to have gone culture first, then the talent, but in any event it seems to be working. I think they are doing more with less.

I don't feel like getting into a big detailed thing but the big difference imo is rebound control and the way this team plays D that is a HUGE factor.

Ya, that's what I was thinking. I've always believed you start there and build out myself, but the funny thing for the Sabres is this is an aspect that wasn't Adams' plan he just lucked into it. Levi was his plan. UPL was JBot's guy and KA had zero confidence in him as we saw with the 3 goalie system and his various goalie blundering moves. UPL just quietly seized the opportunity. Kind of like Ullmark really. If they ever trade UPL one day or don't pay him down the line he'll probably go somewhere and win a Vezina.

This was only close because of UPL so I guess you can say that at least we seem to have a good goalie going forward. That's something.

Dallas can match the speed so this is as tough as it gets. I suppose it depends on which team shows up and which one is just thinking about new years.

It's funny how the article calls him a "spent player" as if this has never happened before and now he's just over the hill. Clearly they haven't paid attention.

Online sports betting is creating a generation of dopamine addicts but that's another discussion.

Well that was a pleasant surprise. I'm not sure how else to categorize it but maybe it's a game they didn't deserve but then again good teams win games they really shouldn't. Not saying they are a "good" team but that's a lesson in how you do it. Make the most of the chances you get. Most of the first 2 periods played in the Buffalo end but Sabres still came out ahead and then found a way on the PP. What more can you ask for? Winning is fun. I did laugh a little to myself though. Montgomery has them playing exactly the way he had Boston playing when he took the heat and got fired. Possession with limited high danger chances and limited scoring. It looked exactly the same so I guess that is the Montgomery way.

I care. I don't watch the Bills. I'm going out though so I will see it in replay. Much tougher game than Chicago.

It might, but they don't have much grit on that team so I'd question them giving that up just to clear out money and Yzerman would be nuts to take that deal. The fake Elliot Friedman account is kind of annoying though. That idiot really wants a Buffalo Detroit deal and twitter can't seem to tell the difference between Hockey Night in Canada and Hockey In Canada Night.

Yup. Better than Bedard right now. He loves his location too which might be factoring in. Looks like the real deal though that's for sure.

Rasmussen would be an excellent pick up but they aren't dumping him for that offer. Greenway might not even play again this year and he's a UFA. He's a popular guy there though so unless Stevie Y is planning another tear down I doubt they let him go unless a high draft pick is involved. How high? No idea. Man of Glass blocked some shots against Chicago so no doubt he'll be on IR soon.

Oh he was definitely trying to intimidate and you could see it worked a little. Chicago was better for a stretch there after that. They're just not a very good team. A Florida type team might have taken over at that point. I had hoped Malentstyn would be more like that but he's not. Hits a little and doesn't get intimidated himself but he's not really an instigator. We're not drafting that guy either. Hopefully we improve that aspect down the road.

Pretty sure it wouldn't excite whoever got moved. I suspect it would involve picks/prospects though. At least on one side.

They were scouting Detroit before. Maybe nothing happens, but there is clearly something being discussed.

It's fun to win, just wish they'd do it more often. Lots of players doing little things better. Samuelsson back to blocking shots and playing D like he did 2 years ago. That's encouraging. The Foligno Kulich incident showed they are still way too soft and that will bite them no matter how well this core develops but that's a down the road issue. Core has to get good enough first and that's uncertain. Still, winning is fun and you can see the fan base will flock back if this team actually ever starts to get good. They are out there. Sure, it was Chicago, and they are crap, but again, doesn't matter. Winning is fun.

Wow. I hope that's not the lesson, cause it's loser talk and pure bs. If that's what he ends up saying there is not much hope.

True, but that's also unfair. No team is good if you take away their star. Edmonton's not in the finals last year if they don't have McDavid. Pittsburgh doesn't win it's cups if they don't have Crosby. Hasek was our star in that era. Dahlin is a very good player, but right now we don't have a star player of that caliber.

So I guess the positive on this is at least the Jets still suck. Sabres still have a shot at making the playoffs before them.

It does, but it might not. We are bad enough that I suspect we will be the trap game for many a team and we will be taken lightly and we will face back up goalies and mediocre efforts on many a night. This might give us the illusion that we are getting better as it has done in other years late. We might go .500 but even if we win 2 out of every 3 it won't be enough. A small winning streak here will just give false hope and maybe make Adams not get anything for his deadline UFAs. A better plan (which won't happen) will be admitting they blew it this year, make bold moves, big trades, and a different plan for next year. Some sort of claim that we have learned and we will get it right now. That is assuming Pegula does not do a mass firing and then it's obviously a reboot. I mean wouldn't it be great if instead of talking about Palm trees and whining about what couldn't get done Adams came out and said "I made some mistakes but I've learned from them. We got the mix wrong but we're going to fix it. Next year this will be a different team. The losing will stop." Wouldn't that be great (even if it's bs)?

I have seriously mixed feelings at this point. I mean I hate to lose (wish they did) and tanking is a bs strategy but there's very little about this team that makes me like them or makes me hopeful for them going forward. Guys like Cozens that I thought would be "workhorse" new leaders just aren't and there's just not much there to get excited about. We start to look half decent we will almost certainly still miss the playoffs with where we are unless several teams above us fall apart totally but it'll be enough to keep things as they are and "stay the course" and all that bs. We will be young again. Maybe even younger. Adams won't sign anybody of note. It'll all be the same next year. Sucking bad for this second half might (stress "might") get some changes made. idk. Pegula won't change. Just entertain me.