Doohickie

Indeed

They *can* but I wouldn't expect them to. Recency bias with Anderson probably influences a belief that Helle would be fine but I just feel like while he might be a good "now" acquisition, I certainly wouldn't trade the team's apparent goaltending "future" for him.

The Sabres are currently built around "what could be." They're built for the future. Hellebuyck will soon be in the past. Also if they trade away Levi they'll be regretting it in less than two years.

At 30 I'd say he's less than a 50-50 chance to play at a high level for 5 years.

I'll take this one on too: I have a niece that insisted, from the time she got out of diapers, that she had to wear boys clothes. Her mom didn't make an issue of it and let her wear boys clothes 24/7. As she came into puberty she decided that dresses and women's clothes were okay after all. If her mom had been like you, and forced her into dressing like her biological gender, she might have fought against it and entrenched herself into a transsexual mindset. But her mom didn't make a big deal about it at all and it sorted itself out. Let them sort it out. Eventually they will. They may come back to their biological gender. Maybe they won't. But in either case, it's up to them to develop their own sense of self.

But Hart will be an RFA after next year, so the Sabres would still have control.

Yeah, you wanna throw multiple pieces going out, we need multiple pieces coming back.

Brett Murray won't break into the Sabres lineup as anything more than an injury callup I think, but he might get time with Philly. A second? Maybe too rich. How 'bout a 3rd? I mean you're dealing two tweeners to a rebuilding club that's probably going to be playing JAGs for a bit so they might be interested in them but I think giving them a second with the two players is too much. UPL *or* Murray plus a 2nd... maybe. Yeah, that's like XGMTM giving a first for Lehner, possibly worse.

I think Hart is a more developed UPL. At times (especially when he first came up) he's looked Vezina-worthy. Other times he's been hot trash. I haven't watched him enough to know who "the real" Carter Hart is. I just know that the last Carter H. we had didn't work out the best.

Dang it, you're right.

...and don't forget about the phat pannies.

I think Skinner is very good at the forecheck too, but in a different way. He doesn't have the size but he does have excellent skating and stick skills that enable him to pick a player's pocket.

When REO was a real band (and before they turned into pop glurge)

I'm CURED! And I feel much better.

I had the same thought but didn't bother to deep dive it. He did start coaching while he was still in college from what I saw.

After a little Googling, he is apparently deep in development- worked coaching at several colleges, US NTDP, minor pro teams and assistant to NHL teams. To the Ducks they may think they've got the next Don Granato.

Who?

I can totally see how that could be twisted by a Tucker Carlson type into "students identifying as cats."

I think one thing that's evolved overall since Eichel was traded is that the Sabres are incorporating more dump & chase zone entries. Eichel was very good at possessing the puck through zone entry. Tage is good for possession on entry too, but with strong forecheckers (Tuch, Skinner, Greenway, Quinn), it provides multiple options for zone entry. If a team is contesting the blue line, the Sabres are more likely to adjust to dump and chase and be successful than they used to be. Also, with fast, large forecheckers, particularly Tuch and Greenway, you can wear down a defense with dump and chase as the game goes on which can lead to more controlled zone entries late.

I think it is important to remember that at the beginning of 2021-22, Donny's first full season as HC, he had Mitts at 1C coming out of camp. Even with his struggles, he's worthy of that and only lost that slot due to injury in Game 1 that year. Thrilled with the emergence of Tage at 1C, as well as Cozens' development, but that doesn't take away from Mitts' talent and the way he's overcome his injury setbacks. The way his game has evolved I can easily picture a playoff scenario where the top line is neutralized; the second line holds its own, but the game is won by Mitts and the third line. When the clutching and grabbing kick in I think Mitts will best be able to handle it, at least right away (I have no doubt Tage and Cozens will learn how to battle, but I think Mitts is already there).

It's not a bad deal for Caufield... unless your standard is Tage/Cozens which are both very team friendly. I would say Caufield's deal is more typical for that level of player (he's very close to Cozens statistically).