Doohicksie

They'll be on the second night of a back-to-back in a game they should have won. The Sabres need to run them out of the building with speed. It's a TV schedule thing: The game is on TNT.

In our division, certainly, and even in the conference. I saw a stat when the Sabres were finishing their road trip that the East was 26-5-4 or something like that versus the West. The East has 11.25 standings points per team on average. The West has 9.31 points per team (I didn't go so far as to look at games played, assuming they're more or lease even).

I've got no issue with you. To me, those stats you posted contradict the narrative that Reino is a slow starter. Behind his average pace? Okay, sure. But slow starter? Eh, not really, at least not the way I see it. I really thought you were citing those numbers to present evidence that Reinhart does not start slow. Sorry if I misinterpreted.

They're not mutually exclusive. They're 6-3 right now and are showing top tier analytics. Granato has always said he doesn't worry about winning: He just wants the team to play the right way and the wins will naturally follow. I think we're seeing that this season. Player development is part of that: Develop them right and they will bring the winning up even more. Let's see where they stand in a week or two; if they're still in the top-10 league-wide/top-4 in the division, it may be a case of having our cake and eating it too. And I think that's the way it will work: He will still be developing the team even as they're challenging in the playoffs.

It's not just transit. It's proximity to Harbor Center and the whole downtown vibe.

Not to mention Phil Housley.

I think I would save that.... until the playoffs if possible.

Some people maintain both teams can't "win a trade." An important aspect of any trade though is the time phasing. The Sabres weren't ready to win when they dealt ROR. We thought the were but they weren't. The Blues were and ROR filled a critical need. So yes they won the trade; they got exactly what they wanted from it. But as it turned out, so did the Sabres... they got a foundational player who was not yet mature, and who is maturing just as the team is also maturing as a team. Perfect for us too. Win-..........Win.

Never let facts get in the way of a good narrative.

My knee-jerk reaction is JJ. Quin looks better since he's been back but I think JJ's game is naturally more complete. JJ ~= Cozens; Quinn ~= Olofsson. And I've probably never been more wrong about anything in my life. If Josh Allen played hockey.

It's the ***** internet. You should accustomed to that by now 😄 I get the sense he does more than he says he does, and more than the players realize he's doing. He doesn't allow them to go open loop, he keeps them grounded, even if he won't admit it.

Bills social media at it again.

That's an interesting question. I think from Granato's perspective (and he's said this several times), if the team plays the right way, the wins will come. He often says how little actually coaching he does in games, that the players figure it out themselves, which he takes as a gauge to how he's been coaching them in practices I think... or perhaps he's minimizing the role he does play in-game to put the spotlight on the players' accomplishments. But when this team is in the playoffs, will be able to "go to the whip" so to speak? Will he know how to get the something extra out of them? Or does he think that if he builds the right mindset the players will do that for themselves? I think when it comes to that point he will. He preaches stability but he's shown that he can tweak lines and defense pairings to elevate the teams' play. Okposo's been a fine addition to the top line, but end-of-the-season Okposo might not be nearly as effective there and I would expect Granato to put another winger there, likely Tuch but depending on how the other lines are clicking maybe it will Ollie or Peterka or Cozens or Asplund or Zemgus. I think when it matters Granato will answer the call.

That's tough because each of those players faced different situations as they came into the league.

Two points: Dahlin was dropped into a dysfunctional team with suspect coaching, a cliquey locker room and poor leadership Given that, I think he felt more motivated to live up to expectations now rather than give himself time to grow.

Odd, really, that people feel that if Krebs plays the fourth line he's a bust, but admire Asplund for his 2-way ability. I like the idea of having a shutdown line that can also pot a few goals now and again. I wonder if it's because Krebs came as part of the Eichel deal so people want/expect more out of him.

Not in that case though. The break was happening. He needed to get back.

I will say this about Owen Power: Rasmus tried to see what would work and made a lot of mistakes along the way by reaching for more than he was capable of. I think Power tends to play within himself. He makes mistakes but they tend to be "less spectacular."

That was what I said on Tage's second goal yesterday... that toe drag+shot just isn't fair.

I think Power was gassed too but knew he was last man back.

I should be so lucky.

With a bit of empathy, something I've been trying to cultivate, I can develop respect for people even when they make that..... challenging. I don't blame anyone for ignoring people who trigger them, but sometimes the folks who aggravate me do spur good discussion and bring up points I hadn't considered.

But you are *hoping*, amirite? 😄

I really think they're going to be better than they were at the end of last season when it's all said and done this year. Whether they make the playoffs will depend on consistency and keeping the valleys/losing streaks to a minimum. They've shown they can play against the best of the west. If they can play even .500 hockey against Boston/Florida/TO/TB and be the cream of the crop out of the rebuilding/emerging teams in the division) I think they'll make the --------. (I dare not say it yet.)