That Aud Smell

Yeah. You were ... mistaken. Of late, I have found that easier and easier. That's because McDavid is obviously from another planet, or from some future time (and he has a time machine). Eichel is likely to become one of the very best players of his "generation" in the league (I'll define that loosely as players within 4 or 5 years of his vintage, maybe). I'm good with that. McDavid, if he can stay healthy, may end up as arguably the greatest player ever.

Some context from selected excerpts of a news report. The veteran herself sounds like an absolute gem of a lady. The other stuff from other people -- I'm more mixed on that. Marian Morreale practiced how to stand for the last three months. She is a 94-year-old World War II veteran and her left leg was amputated last year. But she practiced standing so that she could when the national anthem was sung at the opening game of the Sabres tonight. She wanted to make a point. "I think for these young athletes and the salaries they make, they should stand for the national anthem," she said. "But I don't think our president should use that word, SOB." The Coast Guard veteran says she harbors no hard feelings toward the professional football players who are taking a knee when the national anthem is sung, but says the anthem is too sacred to become a forum for political statements. If she could personally address the athletes, she said she would ask them to find a different venue for expressing their feelings. "I'd just want to hold their hand and say, 'Be a man and stand, and forgive the president.' But I don't blame them for being mad," she said. Her standing for the anthem was her son's idea. Vincent Morreale Jr., a 23-year Sabres' season ticketholder, said he was impressed by how the team has honored military veterans and approached Sabres officials last year. "They wanted her to stand for the national anthem at last year's home opener but she was just too weak," he said.

Huh? I'm confused not just by the content, but by the timing. Dude's a 3rd year pro now.

I did not get to watch or listen to the whole game - probably a bit more than half. I'm gonna say it: It sounded like Ray has worked on his craft, so to speak. It sounded like he'd actually, like, practiced. I thought he was pretty solid. And improved.

What was the Lady Byng crack?

And in fairness, Lehner had 37 saves himself (40 SOG and 63 SAT for MTL). It's just apt to be a more enjoyable brand of hockey. The success may come a bit later.

69 shot-attempts. 45 SOG. You have to think that this team is going to be better. I saw that stat as well - excellent work. p.s. Looking at the basic Corsi stats -- our 4th line looks to have been pwned. As do I. It seems that they want to be together. I can't understand why. Wait - was the young lady a large-ish black lady with a soulful voice? (Ha.) As to the last bullet, if that happened and that was the intent, you can be sure the sensibilities and world view of PSE crept in. Also: Welcome back.

Four A's? Meh.

Oh, goddammit. That is so fresh. Some day. Some day, Uncle Terry will just create a position for Josie and appoint her an artist in residence sorts, and she'll just spend her professional life making bomb ass sh1t from her perch somewhere in that old building PSE is now renovating.

I understand this, but I'm not gonna get sucked into that. McDavid is the second coming -- err, the first coming of a generational talent. Whatever. Matthews still has a much better supporting cast, the best coach in the world, and he played the team with the worst GT situation in the league. I'm not going down that rabbit hole, no matter what. Honest question: Why the hell is Tennyson? Seriously. Who? /stick taps Yes, yes. I found it interesting when one of my kids pointed out to me that, on Instagram, Eichel commented on Kane's post about the big dinner he's planning (hahaha) with "thanks bro let's score some goals tomorrow night." Totally benign? I dunno, man. With a guy as laser-focused as Eichel, I wonder whether anything like that is a throw-away comment. I am sure he really, really wants to make a splash. God willing, he will.

JFC. I mean - seriously. It's truly unbelievable. Was it 25 MPH he was going at the end of that one goal -- when he then stopped on a mother-effing DIME?! 25 miles per hour. Unreal. We are. It used to be because of Miller, I think. Now it's because of Eichel. That, and our market, modest in size as it is, is a really good hockey market.

Great work on the preview. Let’s Go, Buffalo!

(Thumbs up emoji)

There are so many things I’m interested in debating. My visceral reaction to the news of Eichel signing isn’t among them, though.

The one I quoted from Marions Pizza.

Possible. Did you see the post above? Hmmmm.

Sure.

McDermott doesn't care for, and apparently doesn't need Marcell. It's interesting. The Whaley way clearly contemplated paying a king's ransom to one elite big-boy DT. It's clear that McDermott does not see the need to do the same.

Between that and the quote someone posted yesterday about how he wants to know some stuff about his coach as a person -- he's an interesting dude. The video posted today of the circle after practice - Kane was the first one to reach Eichel in the middle. Eichel has more than a little of the Boston arsehole swagger to him. I can see him liking Evander's outlook on life. Concur. I've had three chances over the years to differentiate between a ~$150 bottle and a ~$25 bottle. I'm 0-for-3.

K Between the "great news, but..." folks (there were a few) and a mod's "nbd" take, I'm somewhat at a loss at how there's not a more unanimously celebratory vibe up in here. I think there's a better than 50% chance that the franchise just locked up the player who will come to be known as the greatest Sabre and greatest hockey player ever to play for the team. (At present, those titles are held by two different players, IMO.) In light of that:

For the same reason that I came to admire Watson for playing big in the biggest games, I soured on Jackson after tuning into his game against Clemson.

I'm telling you.

the fook? this is a big effing deal.

Word.

It's Eichel's team now. https://twitter.com/Matt_Bove/status/915602935228325888