GDT:The Season Opener! Montreal at Buffalo 10/14/21 7pm MSG, WGR550

[Thorner]

 

[DarthEbriate]

All wings report in. .... Lock Sabres in attack position.

<cue the music>

[Weave]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

The talk ends.

The talk begins.

And I beseech thread-starters to take two extra seconds and make sure there's punctuation and stuff. A set format for the thread title would be nice but will never happen.

Noone is going to volunteer to herd cats.

[bob_sauve28]

5 minutes ago, Thorny said:

 

Wonder what Montreal's goaltending looks like this year? Jake Allen played last night. Maybe their back up tonight and that's like pot luck pick. Maight be good or terrible.

[Digger]

26 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Ruotsalainen would look better on the 2nd unit if he was playing.  I hope the power play improves.

[IKnowPhysics]

Must win all 98.

[Thorner]

19 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Wonder what Montreal's goaltending looks like this year? Jake Allen played last night. Maybe their back up tonight and that's like pot luck pick. Maight be good or terrible.

Not sure who their goalie will be. 

Normally I'd give the Sabres an advantage for this one with Montreal on a back-to-back, but I'm not sure how much that applies early in a season and especially with a team looking to avoid going down 0-2

[triumph_communes]

Are there a bunch of injuries on the Kraken defense why we haven’t been able to upgrade?  It’s the defense I worry about more than anything. 
 

I think we’re back to tank years four equal lines. Their chance of winning is staying fresh and out competing. 

[Thorner]

Looking at the lines again and trying to piece the thinking together a bit..

They said it was a development year, right? They must have young Eakin between our two Alternate captains to help him with exactly that this season. Can't think of who else might benefit from that sort of leadership on their line. Should help Eakin come along nicely into the role. 

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

I honestly have no idea how anyone musters any excitement for any games this season.  I just want the season to be over already.  

Prepare to be amazed.

[Doohicksie]

59 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

Lets Go Amerks! 👏👏   👏👏👏

No, no, no.  The proper term is Baby Sabres.

GO BABY SABRES!

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

I'd like to see a defensive component on that line with Skinner and Mitts. 

It's there.  It's called a Hinostroza.

[Doohicksie]

53 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Never mind that the future of the team is a lot darker if he's just Keith Yandle.

Eh.  Owen Power is waiting in the wings.  If he turns into that stud D and Dahlin is a middle pair D, that might not be the worst.

[Buffalonill]

2 hours ago, nucci said:

what great things do you expect?

 Free bobblehead night

[Digger]

9 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Looking at the lines again and trying to piece the thinking together a bit..

They said it was a development year, right? They must have young Eakin between our two Alternate captains to help him with exactly that this season. Can't think of who else might benefit from that sort of leadership on their line. Should help Eakin come along nicely into the role. 

I sense some sarcasm.  So we are planning on developing Eakin back to respectability and turning him into a 2nd round pick at the deadline.  What a plan.  😔

[Doohicksie]

42 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

<cue the music>

 

38 minutes ago, Digger said:

Ruotsalainen would look better on the 2nd unit if he was playing.  I hope the power play improves.

No idea why R2 isn't in this lineup.  Maybe a minor injury?

[Taro T]

4 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Eh.  Owen Power is waiting in the wings.  If he turns into that stud D and Dahlin is a middle pair D, that might not be the worst.

If Dahlin doesn't grow from here, that would be a nightmare scenario.  Recall, it was winning the Dahlin derby that made Botterill believe he could effectively pull off a teardown.  (Aka, trade O'Reilly away for magic beans.)

Edited October 14, 2021 by Taro T

[Doohicksie]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

If Dahlin doesn't grow from here, that would be a nightmare scenario.  Recall, it was winning the Dahlin derby that made Botterill believe he could effectively pull off a teardown.  (Aka, trade O'Reilly away for magic beans.)

I don't think it was Dahlin that made ROR expendable.  I've never heard that theory before.

[Taro T]

7 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

 Free bobblehead night

Nah, it can't be that; they're still making us pay for the beer. 😉

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Taro T

[Brawndo]

 

[Buffalonill]

3 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

 The tradition continues making a backup  Goalie look like an all-star 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Buffalonill

[Brawndo]

5 minutes ago, Taro T said:

If Dahlin doesn't grow from here, that would be a nightmare scenario.  Recall, it was winning the Dahlin derby that made Botterill believe he could effectively pull off a teardown.  (Aka, trade O'Reilly away for magic beans.)

 

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

I don't think it was Dahlin that made ROR expendable.  I've never heard that theory before.

Friedman mentioned on 31 Thoughts Podcast shortly after they won the lottery.

[Taro T]

1 minute ago, Doohickie said:

I don't think it was Dahlin that made ROR expendable.  I've never heard that theory before.

That's what was being reported.  That by getting Dahlin, it would be easier to effect a teardown.  A lot of us here hoped it was misreporting.  But based upon events that June 30, it wasn't.

[jsb]

There will always be a spot for a C that can win a face-off on the PK in their defensive zone, EAKin is not playing to score. I like R2 also but he isn't a C in the NHL. Price isn't playing, Montreal played Toronto last night, there's a good chance they left their load in Toronto and are overlooking the Sabres. Thompson will either make this game/season entertaining or doom us to failure. Speed is our friend.

 

LETS GO BUFFALO

[DarthEbriate]

2 minutes ago, Taro T said:

That's what was being reported.  That by getting Dahlin, it would be easier to effect a teardown.  A lot of us here hoped it was misreporting.  But based upon events that June 30, it wasn't.

That's so foul. That's like Star Wars Rise of Skywalker script logic right there. (or the prequels, or the "plan" to rescue Han from Jabba in Jedi).

Edited October 14, 2021 by DarthEbriate

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Donnie G in da house!

2 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

Less than 10,000, and there is ZERO chance Eichel will be at the game.  In fact if I was a betting man, I'd bet the house that next time Eichel steps foot in the KBC, it will be as a member of another NHL team. 

...in 2023.