Around The NHL 2022-23 Regular Season

[Broken Ankles]

14 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Levi was fruit of the Reinhart trade, not the Ristolainen trade.

WOW - need to get my Joe before I respond.  Appreciated. 

[Zamboni]

3 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

It’s laughable Seattle makes the playoffs year two and here we are languishing 12 years later. That alone should show what an incredible run of futility we are on. 

So what?

the Sabres made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

the Golden Knights made the playoffs in their 1st year of existence.

the Penguins made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

 the Panthers made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

the Hurricanes made the playoffs in their 4th year of existence.

 the Sharks made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

 

I could go on and on with many more teams who have made the playoffs in their first, second, third or fourth year of existence.

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by Zamboni

[Marvin]

43 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

So what?

the Sabres made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

the Golden Knights made the playoffs in their 1st year of existence.

the Penguins made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

 the Panthers made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

the Hurricanes made the playoffs in their 4th year of existence.

 the Sharks made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

 

I could go on and on with many more teams who have made the playoffs in their first, second, third or fourth year of existence.

 

Islanders made it in their 3rd year too.

[kas23]

3 hours ago, Turbo44 said:

There were to options to leave unprotected: Borgen and Risto. Risto ended up getting a 1st+ in a trade, Borgen would have not gotten even close to that

Hindsight is 20/20, but I would have left Ulmark exposed and protected Toker. The problem is Ulmark probably said, “don’t worry, I’ll sign”, so he was protected. Obviously this was a lie. Ulmark could’ve been the carrot/decoy to be dangled. Kevyn should’ve played hard ball with him and shipped him at the deadline if he wasn’t signed. He learned. 

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, kas23 said:

Hindsight is 20/20, but I would have left Ulmark exposed and protected Toker. The problem is Ulmark probably said, “don’t worry, I’ll sign”, so he was protected. Obviously this was a lie. Ulmark could’ve been the carrot/decoy to be dangled. Kevyn should’ve played hard ball with him and shipped him at the deadline if he wasn’t signed. He learned. 

And if you had, this entire board would be UP IN ARMS calling for heads because Ullmark would have gotten claimed. It would be the same argument just instead of "why didn't he outbid Boston" it would be "why did he expose Ullmark!?!?" 

Losing Borgen wasn't and still isn't important IMPO. Lybushkin is Borgen. Stillman is Borgen. They all play similar games and the only difference in numbers comes from Seattle being better as a defensive unit compared to the Sabres run and gun style and lack of defensive discipline. 

[Gatorman0519]

2 hours ago, Zamboni said:

So what?

the Sabres made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

the Golden Knights made the playoffs in their 1st year of existence.

the Penguins made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

 the Panthers made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

the Hurricanes made the playoffs in their 4th year of existence.

 the Sharks made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

 

I could go on and on with many more teams who have made the playoffs in their first, second, third or fourth year of existence.

 

I think a 12 year record stretch for futility speaks for itself.

[kas23]

26 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

And if you had, this entire board would be UP IN ARMS calling for heads because Ullmark would have gotten claimed. It would be the same argument just instead of "why didn't he outbid Boston" it would be "why did he expose Ullmark!?!?" 

Losing Borgen wasn't and still isn't important IMPO. Lybushkin is Borgen. Stillman is Borgen. They all play similar games and the only difference in numbers comes from Seattle being better as a defensive unit compared to the Sabres run and gun style and lack of defensive discipline. 

I’m not a Legend of a Borgen person, but if I wanted him to stick around, that’s how I would’ve done it. Fact is, KA was inexperienced at the time and got played. We let a great asset go for nothing. He should’ve been clear with the press about moving players at the deadline who didn’t want to be here. Ulmark being moved would’ve been disappointing, but we would’ve understood. He could’ve done something similar with the expansion deadline. 
 

Said another way, KA has always done a good job in identifying players would didn’t want to be Sabres and moving them. Moving Ulmark would’ve been been any less popular than moving Rhino. But, I don’t think Ulmark was truthful with KA. 

Edited April 7, 2023 by kas23

[Porous Five Hole]

39 minutes ago, kas23 said:

I’m not a Legend of a Borgen person, but if I wanted him to stick around, that’s how I would’ve done it. Fact is, KA was inexperienced at the time and got played. We let a great asset go for nothing. He should’ve been clear with the press about moving players at the deadline who didn’t want to be here. Ulmark being moved would’ve been disappointing, but we would’ve understood. He could’ve done something similar with the expansion deadline. 
 

Said another way, KA has always done a good job in identifying players would didn’t want to be Sabres and moving them. Moving Ulmark would’ve been been any less popular than moving Rhino. But, I don’t think Ulmark was truthful with KA. 

Letting an asset go for nothing? Isn’t that how the expansion draft works?

 

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

And if you had, this entire board would be UP IN ARMS calling for heads because Ullmark would have gotten claimed. It would be the same argument just instead of "why didn't he outbid Boston" it would be "why did he expose Ullmark!?!?" 

Losing Borgen wasn't and still isn't important IMPO. Lybushkin is Borgen. Stillman is Borgen. They all play similar games and the only difference in numbers comes from Seattle being better as a defensive unit compared to the Sabres run and gun style and lack of defensive discipline. 

maybe some of the board would have been, but not all. It would have been the right move. 

Lybushkin and Stillman are NIOT Borgen. Borgen is better. It's not just about their style. His game has grown. He's also an incredible team guy and any argument that he's nothing, or irrelevant simply doesn't have the facts and hasn't watched him play this year. 

Once again from last night:

and it's not just that he fought again. It's the way he came in and took charge and took on the toughest guy Arizona has instead of leaving it for Oleksiak. Fans love him, team mates love him. He's a total character guy and my point would be that Sabres have a history of not valuing character in players as much as they should. 

So okay, maybe we couldn't keep him, that's a whole long argument, but he embodies exactly what we desperately need. So if not Borgen KA has to trade for or sign the closest thing he can find to him.

[Porous Five Hole]

2 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

maybe some of the board would have been, but not all. It would have been the right move. 

Lybushkin and Stillman are NIOT Borgen. Borgen is better. It's not just about their style. His game has grown. He's also an incredible team guy and any argument that he's nothing, or irrelevant simply doesn't have the facts and hasn't watched him play this year. 

Once again from last night:

and it's not just that he fought again. It's the way he came in and took charge and took on the toughest guy Arizona has instead of leaving it for Oleksiak. Fans love him, team mates love him. He's a total character guy and my point would be that Sabres have a history of not valuing character in players as much as they should. 

So okay, maybe we couldn't keep him, that's a whole long argument, but he embodies exactly what we desperately need. So if not Borgen KA has to trade for or sign the closest thing he can find to him.

[PromoTheRobot]

7 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

It’s laughable Seattle makes the playoffs year two and here we are languishing 12 years later. That alone should show what an incredible run of futility we are on. 

Being an NHL expansion team these days isn't what it was back in the 70's and 80's when teams like the Capitals and KC Scouts couldn't beat an AHL team...for years! Sure, you're paying through the nose for the franchise fee, but you are getting a decent stable of talent. If you have competent management, you can build a winner quickly, which is what the NHL wants! They don't want dogcrap teams when you are trying to sell a new sport in new these non-traditional markets 

[PromoTheRobot]

8 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

It’s laughable Seattle makes the playoffs year two and here we are languishing 12 years later. That alone should show what an incredible run of futility we are on. 

You act like the Sabres and kraken started from identical launching pads.  One team was gifted a boatload of talent. The other had to climb out of a hole that was dug by mismanagement.

[Zamboni]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Being an NHL expansion team these days isn't what it was back in the 70's and 80's when teams like the Capitals and KC Scouts couldn't beat an AHL team...for years! Sure, you're paying through the nose for the franchise fee, but you are getting a decent stable of talent. If you have competent management, you can build a winner quickly, which is what the NHL wants! They don't want dogcrap teams when you are trying to sell a new sport in new these non-traditional markets 

 

27 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

You act like the Sabres and kraken started from identical launching pads.  One team was gifted a boatload of talent. The other had to climb out of a hole that was dug by mismanagement.

Yep. Preach it.

 

comparing Seattle and the Sabres in 2023 is just plain silly.

 

Sabres made the playoffs in their third year of existence and Seattle’s making the playoffs in their second year of existence… so what

[Contempt]

I long for the day where Will Borgen is no longer discussed. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

2 hours ago, Contempt said:

I long for the day where Will Borgen is no longer discussed. 

[Flashsabre]

3 hours ago, Contempt said:

I long for the day where Will Borgen is no longer discussed. 

Atleast Borgen has stopped people from talking about how losing Will Carrier ruined the franchise.😀

[Andrew Amerk]

3 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

Atleast Borgen has stopped people from talking about how losing Will Carrier ruined the franchise.😀

Where there’s a Will, there’s a Will. 

[sabrefanday1]

Yep we could lament all day about Ullmark, Borgen, Carrier, Compher etc but who cares? KA has done a great job of building a team with players that wants to be here and that clearly have a great fuiture...'nough said 

[JoeSchmoe]

2 hours ago, sabrefanday1 said:

Yep we could lament all day about Ullmark, Borgen, Carrier, Compher etc but who cares? KA has done a great job of building a team with players that wants to be here and that clearly have a great fuiture...'nough said 

Aside from the team building, KA has done great work with the Cozens, Samuelssen, and Thompson contracts. Not to mention getting Levi signed (and seemingly very happy) given the history this team has with NCAA flight risks. All this is credit to the culture him and DG have built.

[Pimlach]

On 4/7/2023 at 10:36 AM, Zamboni said:

So what?

the Sabres made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

the Golden Knights made the playoffs in their 1st year of existence.

the Penguins made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

 the Panthers made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

the Hurricanes made the playoffs in their 4th year of existence.

 the Sharks made the playoffs in their 3rd year of existence.

 

I could go on and on with many more teams who have made the playoffs in their first, second, third or fourth year of existence.

 

The odds were stacked against Buffalo to make the playoffs that quickly.  They played in the East division with all the best teams.  Only Chicago from the original 6 was moved to the west.  The divisions were lopsided.  They Sabres got good fast and they stayed good for 10 years.  
 

Prior to the Sabres and Canucks being added to the league, all the expansion teams were put into the western division.    Pittsburgh and all expansion team had an even playing field with regards to playoffs ,and none of those team was very special were until Philly rose up, which was at the same time we did, only we were 3 years younger as an organization   

The Sabres achievement should not be minimized.   

[Pimlach]

13 hours ago, sabrefanday1 said:

Yep we could lament all day about Ullmark, Borgen, Carrier, Compher etc but who cares? KA has done a great job of building a team with players that wants to be here and that clearly have a great fuiture...'nough said 

None of those players are special. Ullmark might win a Vizena with Boston but he wasn’t showing that for us.  
 

Carrier is a good grinder.  Compher a good grinder plus.  Borgen is McCabe, an ok player. 

[Pimlach]

The Islanders rolling over Flyers 3 -0, after 2.  
 

We need both Isles and Pens to lose a game.  

Edited April 9, 2023 by Pimlach

[Crusader1969]

25 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

The Islanders rolling over Flyers 3 -0, after 2.  
 

We need both Isles and Pens to lose a game.  

Anyone!!!

 

[KC Scouts]

Florida just made it 3-2.... 1 min to go

[WhenWillItEnd66]

Panthers are about to win as well