Drag0nDan

You only get like a 5% higher chance of picking at 1 anyway. I think a team losing 18 consecutive games and not finishing dead last in a 56 game season is better than the slightly better chance of getting your guy.

Yeah - for the most part I'd say... if you can't lift your hockey bag you probably shouldn't play hockey. But for the vets out there who love hockey, and still wanna get out there? I get it 100% It's like those push carts for golf bags - appropriate once you hit a certain age or have some back problems. You might still get some crap, but we'll all get there someday anyway.

So its not just the Sabres that are terrible at this kind of stuff

Injuries too. Eichel, Girgs, Okposo, Ullmark, McCabe. Games missed by cozens, borgen. They're winning more games and playing more competitively under the new coach. I mean they lost 18 straight games in a shortened season and they might climb out of last? Finishing last guarantees you nothing anyway, so i could (couldn't) honestly care less. There's a few young kids who fall in that top 5 where buffalo will pick - you can't control it. What you can control is scouting the hell out of those kids to make sure you don't end up missing.

he had this memorable one on hasek

You knew that kotalik backhand was coming but he was so good at it

Shootouts and breakaways are always really different. Breakaways you tend to be going full speed right at the goalie, you can play off rebounds too. Shootouts there's a lot more time to think, and goalies are a bit more free. Can cough up a juice rebound and it doesnt matter.

Ugh - don't i get punished enough just watching the current team?

I'm not sure Rolston was entirely to blame there. I think we can all look back on a team captained by steve ott with a leading scorer of cody hodsgon and say that scotty bowman couldn't have done a thing with that pile of garbage.

I'm resigned to the fact that we lose one of those 3, or borgen. I'd like to see seattle take miller or girgs, but I'm not really willing to offer much to facilitate. My list - Eichel, Reinhart, Olofsson, Skinner, Mitts, Thompson, Asplund. D - Dahlin, Joki, Risto. I think Risto has more trade value than Borgen, and Borgen isn't guaranteed gone if we expose him. I also think the team tries to upgrade at defenseman this season - either through trades or free agency. G- Uhh Tokarski I guess...? Worst case in this you lose Bjork or Borgen. I'd be surprised to see them take Bjork tbh, so i see no reason to protect him. Borgen or Miller - depends on the team preference and need. Do you need a young player who projects as a steady bottom pair guy who will block shots or do you need someone to help QB a PP and blast shots into shin pads? Girgs would be a wildcard, but I'd again be shocked if he's taken. The thing is - he essentially replaces Bjork if he's taken anyway as a bottom 6 winger who can play PK.

Its almost like putting this out there so that someone jumps you and takes Etienne.

His numbers in buffalo are also propped up quite a bit from time on the #1 PP unit. Guy was clutch in the playoffs and a better player than numbers on paper will say - but I feel like Eichel scores like 100+ points per season on the same 05-07 sabres

Right? Was there an invincible tryout that we all missed?

In a normal season sure - but roc is such a dumpster fire now with half the players getting called up.

Olofsson- Moving his feet a bit more, but still just a bit off on passes and a bit too easily knocked off the puck. Not sure my opinion of him has changed too considerably. Mitts - Playing with more effort, seeing the ice better, more jam than he had in his first however many games Thompson - Same with Mitts on effort, there are glimpses of some really good shooting and stick handling, but he needs to play bigger Asplund - Better shooter than i thought, gets to good areas and makes plays Cozens - He already sees the ice well, pretty solid skater, makes some heady plays every game. Easy pick for a building block Ruotsalainen - Haven't seen enough to say 1 way or another, but his shots pretty sick and he has position flexibility. Dahlin - He looks straight up good right now. Not much to say. Joker - He's more confident stepping into plays, him and dahlin are forming some nice chemistry on the back end. Borgen - Loved his first stretch with rasmus, but with bryson I haven't noticed him as much Bryson - Gets involved in offensive play, always looking to push puck up ice. Gets caught out of position and size isn't the greatest attribute. Samuelsson - I already like him. Moves well for a guy his size, isn't afraid to mix it up, and doesn't hesitate to shoot All in all i've been impressed with the young kids - but that doesn't mean every one should be given a spot on the roster next year. I'd say I'm willing to move every guy here except probably cozens and dahlin.

They basically need Tokarski to play better than he is. He'll never consistently be a solid netminder, and you're going to have games like this one against the rangers where he didn't really help you out back there.

Well Tokarski can't play every game, nor do i think we really want him to. And at the AHL level they have straight up scrubs.

At this point these games don't really matter at AHL or NHL level - and there isn't really anyone left to prevent him from playing at the NHL level for a few games the rest of the season. I just hope he doesn't get too in his head that this is like "his shot". Just play your game, remember fundamentals, and he'll be fine.

26 saves on 33 shots...? where was this guy during GMTM's tank season (I'm aware he was probably like 15)?

So 5 unanswered then...?

Expected goals is the one where I understand the concept of it, but the execution and charts they put up make no sense to me. It still doesn't take into account d-zone starts though, or contextually what line you are playing against. If you are countering the ovechkin line all game, its considerably different than the sheary line or something.

The thing ive noticed is how much quicker dahlin,joker,bryson are when exiting the zone. They're trying to get it out of the zone quicker instead of the constant back and forth between defensemen allowing the other team to set up. They still get stuck and do that here and there, but trying to attack the zone with pace is better than dump and chase and cycle the wall.

I bet we're on the no-trade list for Dumba, but he'd be an interesting add as a RHD.

Eakin saves 1.6 in cap during the flat year, and adds 800k in 2022. You also save 800k in cash. Miller saves 2.6 in cap, adds 1.3 in 2022. Savings of about 1.3m in cash as well. Miller's only becomes positive if you anticipate carrying him as a 7th dman (assuming they upgrade at RHD), in which case find someone cheaper than 3.875 million per year. Eakin is the worst player on the team and can probably stash for temporary cap benefits. I think eakin is possible simply for the cash you save by dumping him. I honestly think seattle takes miller even without much of a pick.

Eichel played 21/56 games Girgs 0/56 games McCabe 13/56 games Okposo to miss the last like 13, Cozens missed time twice Ullmark has missed a bunch of time, same with hutton In addition to several players getting covid at once and the team returning shortly after and looking terrible. But now the C and both A's are out for the rest of the year, another 4th line leader, and the starting goalie. This year i think the best buyouts are eakin and miller. Assuming you can upgrade miller.