Porous Five Hole

I am not a medical professional, but there’s a difference between hip labrum tears (your boyfriend) and hip resurfacing (Kane). That should be acknowledged. Also, Kane’s 2022-23 defensive metrics had him third worst in the NHL with the Hawks and worst in the NHL with the Rangers. Before you blame his injury, his trend-line defensively has been 📉 year over year for years. We all want the Sabres to do something, but this move ain’t it. And to answer your question…coming off his injury, it’s impossible to tell if Kane is truly an upgrade or not. It’s possible Kane is Willie Mays in center field at the end of his career.

I like it better than I like Sabrehood

Goodness it’s like the police haven’t updated their mugshot camera since George Eastman was alive.

True. But the point Duffer made is valid. Also, the points per game pace last year relative to this year isn’t indicative of anything. Neither are proving to be a playoff team (I realize it is still early). This team’s offensive pace is not wreaking the same havoc. My conclusion was that playing a more defensively measured game isn’t working.

The goals against relative to the same point last year are lower.

From Sabres Live yesterday: Last year the Sabres were #1 in this category and this year they are #32. Care to guess what stat this is? Power play to penalty kill time differential. Brian Duff said, "They earned power plays last year with their pace, with their passing, with their ability to threaten teams offensively. It's not there and conversely the opposite is happening. They're not drawing penalties and taking too many penalties." My conclusion: The pace isn't there this year. The Sabres have a specific focus on defense relative to last year and it has not been worth the trade off.

You just mentioned a bunch of cap constrained teams and Buffalo. One of these things is not like the others.

That’s not how hip replacements go

If Kane is about winning, the Tage injury will change his train of thought on coming here. If the rumors are true that Buffalo is the only team offering a multi year deal, then today doesn’t matter.

Sure call the Oilers and see whats up. But can we just not sign Kane and roll with Kulich instead? The reason Kulich isn’t up is because of concerns with his 200 foot game, and Patty Kane doesn’t move the needle there either.

Yea I feel you. The OP didn’t mention the Tage injury, but the first question I asked myself once I heard was, “what now?” I don’t think it’s unfair to ask out loud.

I don’t have the answer to the OP’s question, but the next ten days will tell us everything we need to know about the projected course for the rest of the season. If the only move KA makes is to recall Kulich in place of Tage’s roster spot, I will be very disappointed.

He is a junior Granato with less experience. A college and national development team head coach. He’s well liked, but not ready to run an NHL bench.

Gotta hire this guy

I don’t think so. The D played hard last night. Denver’s average drive start was the Bills side of the field.

I don’t think Chet and Muffy will care. Chet and Muffy don’t want to sit in the worst seats in the arena.

Yea that’s total speculation. Granato said Krebs had a family emergency. And then he spent two minutes on him benching Savoie.

He’s signed through 2027. I don’t like your chances of that change.

Ken Dorsey has been fired

Well, that was the Billsy-est thing I’ve seen in a while. Please don’t take your game tips from me.

I can see it. I can also see a team who missed the playoffs by one win who was less than two years removed from the Eichel reset. At the same time, KA iced the youngest team in the NHL for two years running. So you have a point.

I don’t think there’s any doubt about that. Eichel held a gun to the GM’s head (I won’t debate his rationale) and the only way McD/Drai move is because they do the same thing. One note, and I realize this is supposed to be about McDavid : Could a case be made that Drai at 14MM is less useful than Mitts at 6MM, Savoie, Benson, a first round pick, and however they choose to spend the 8MM in newfound flexibility? Yes, you can make that case. But a bird in the hand. And Drai is quite a pretty bird.

Tonight is a get right game. Mark my words. Book it. The train starts rolling tonight. All aboard!

From the Oilers perspective, the only logical play to move on from McD/Drai is to gain cap flexibility to make their team not so top heavy. Assuming Edmonton is requiring cap flexibility as part of their ask (not a dollar in for a dollar out trade), that will reduce their trade partners and trade value. Most teams cannot take on half of McDavid’s salary, let alone the majority.

Five first round equivalents is a lot though.