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So you you've read the reports, watched and listened to the games. Who is here opening night? I see Ennis/Moulson/Stafford/Myers/Gorges as a lock on the first line. Hodgson and Stewart are bookends on the second. Gionta and Foligno should flank Girgensons (despite a very nondescript camp) on the third. And McCormick wasn't signed to play in the minors. He'll anchor the fourth. Meszaros and Benoit are locks on the blue line and Risto should join them. He's ready. Neuvirth backs up Enroth Rounding out the blue line, Weber held off Strachan and McCabe has earned a shot, at least until Pysyk gets healthy. Zadorov didn't show enough. They won't risk Deslauriers on waivers, but I think he's earned a spot on the fourth line anyway. Flynn and Mitchell outlasted Dalpe for the other depth spots, at least until Kaleta comes back. And Mikhail Grigorenko edges Sam Reinhart for the number two centre spot. They will probably keep Sam around for his nine games just to see what plays out because there is a spot available. But right now there is no room for him in the top nine.

I think Sam Reinhart's play over the last 20 games deserves it's own thread. He has played at a point per game pace over the last 22-23 games and is starting to have the impact a #2 overall is expected to have on team success. The question is why is he suddenly playing so well when the first half of the year we were all ready to trade him (or at least frustrated) over his slow start. 1) Is it because of Jack's injury that now Sam is getting more offensive opportunities and capitalizing? 2) Is it the comfort level with Housley's system that forced a learning period and now the team is more comfortable? 3) Was Kane a distraction on our young players and once he checked out/got traded they focused back on playing hockey? 4) Is it all just a mirage and the team as a whole will regress back to the same crap team we have seen? 4) Was it everyone's favorite poster changing their user name to #SamsonsFlow and Reinhart not wanting to let me down? (unlike the countless disappointments that I chose before him) :nana: 6) All of the above or a combination of a few? If Sam can keep this up and continue to build on his recent play, I think we may be closer to having a competent roster next year than what we may have thought earlier in the year?

Kyle Okpso is out ROR might be out Jack Eichel has a high ankle sprain and is out Auston Matthews who the hockey sports media has fawned over for months just dropped a 4 goal opening night. I see how it is hockey gods. Between skates in the crease, lost lotteries, all the injured the defenders, DR incompetence an 4 years of some of the most unwatchable crap hockey ever and you turn around and pull this? Well you know what, to hell with you. Your Buffalo Sabres will take on the Montreal Candiens tonight at the Key Bank Arena to open the 2016 season. Carey Price is out. PK Subban in gone. Sam Reinhart is potentially our #1 center. I say we skate with them, I say we stay with, and I say we shut them down because we can. This is our time. Their time is done, it's over. I'm sick and tired about hearing what a crappy team the Buffalo Sabres have. This is our time. So if the hockey gods won't help us, I say f##k you, we do it ourselves. Now let's go out there and take it. Projected lineup: Ennis-Reinhart-Kane Moulson-Girgensons-Fasching Foligno-Larsson-Gionta/ Des-Grant-Bailey? Gorges Ristolainen McCabe Bogosian Kulikov Franson