GDT: Sabres @ Bruins - Thurs. 7pm, Dec 7, 2023, MSG/ESPN+ 📺 WGR 📻

[Night Train]

Hope to change my new norm for Sabres games.

7:05 - tune in for faceoff.

7:18 - checking out Netflix

[Believer]

4 hours ago, Sabres Super Fan said:

the Sabres are going to be in a free agent bidding war to keep Devon Levi long term.

If the Sabres lose Levi, it won’t be because of money… He will be set for life wherever he signs…

Unless he bombs, assume he will get a very competitive contract offer from the Sabres…

If he leaves it will be because he sees a better playing situation somewhere else… Primarily will be about winning hockey games.

Up to the Sabres Owner, GM, Coaches, and teammates to keep him… and others… here.

[RochesterExpat]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

At least they are going to play 12 forwards (I hope).  However that is friggin pathetic bottom 6.  

I was content with evaluating how Clifton/EJ performed at the start of the season before passing judgement, but I wasn't happy with the overall defensive plan--just willing to be patient. What I really wanted this offseason was Joki replaced by a proper D-man to pair with Power, a real 3rd D-pairing added, and Bryson to be shot out of a cannon into the sun. Of course, Joki has played better this season and the Clifton/EJ signings failed to move the needle in a positive direction. We also shipped out Lybushkin for a 2025 4th--but at least Jacob Bryson is still enjoying games from the suite level! Thankfully Ryan Johnson has been a pleasant surpri--oh wait, he's a healthy scratch. What?

I said multiple times before the season started someone should go to Vegas and make a parlay bet that Levi wins the Calder and the Sabres make the playoffs because the latter won't happen without the former. Now Levi is in Rochester (well, except tonight), so that should say everything that needs to be said about how the goaltending plan for this season as gone.

Lastly, and back to your point, I wanted the bottom six reworked. Bringing back Girgs and KO on one-year deals was, at least to me, somewhat reasonable since they were serviceable as a 4th line for most of the last season and they are in roles that are cheap/easy to fill if they fell off the proverbial cliff. Was it an ideal move? No. Was it a run-for-the-hills-the-sky-is-falling move? No. It was just, whatever? Compared to the issues with goaltending, defense and the third line, I can't really say VO/Girgs returning was much more than a blip.

What did I want for the bottom six? I wanted VO gone. I wanted Jost as the 13th man--or simply gone since KO/Girgs were back.  When the Quinn injury was announced, I was in favor of adding a Top 6 winger as long as we were adding someone with affordable term or a limited-term overpayment (no more than two seasons). I also wanted some kind of plan for KO/Girgs if neither were up to par this season.

It's now December. Girgs and KO pulled a Thelma and Louise and Krebs joined them for good measure. VO is streaky as streaky gets. Jost is still a waiver-claimed JAG. But that's not the actual worst part of all of this.

The worst part is GMKA arguably improved the bottom 6 by trading for a player at the cost of a conditional 7th round pick. The fact said player is unlikely to be the worst player in our bottom six for the few games he'll play prior to getting waived is an organizational embarrassment. Add to it said player is apparently on the penalty kill unit and you really have to wonder just what is going on in the front office.

I'm sick of being a fan of a team that can "improve" itself with a bag of pucks. How does the front office not see that as a problem? Your team should never be bad enough that dumpster diving through other team's trash improves your roster. Especially if the trash is from one of the few teams who are even worse than you are.

Before people want to say the team didn't improve and just bash Robinson for being awful, he is better than Okposo, arguably an improvement over Girgs/Jost, and (subjectively) a step up from Krebs--hell, throw in VO if he's not streaking at the moment. Instead of lauding GMKA for this move, we should be publicly shaming him. Bring back the tar and feather. The team is actually at the point where trading a used jock strap improves this team. Making the trade doesn't get you an award. It should get you run out of town for allowing that situation in the first place. It's like a military commander bragging about winning a single battle while signing the surrender document losing the war.

Even more embarrassing is the fact the bottom six is the easiest piece of the puzzle to add to during free agency. It's the Top 6, goaltending, and Top 4 D that are GM nightmare generators. The free agency sweet spot is literally the bottom 6.

And just like the free agency, bottom six players are easier to move. Right now we have all of our picks for the next three drafts save for the 2024 5th. Adding to those picks we have a spare 2025 4th and a spare 2025 7th (if the bag of pucks doesn't play 45 games). Just go look at the depth chart and realize how many tradeable assets we have playing in juniors, the AHL or elsewhere. Per CapFriendly, we're 4th in projected cap space. How are we not adding meaningful assets?

Maybe the only highlight in the whole bottom six right now is Rosen playing better the last two games. Maybe he's finally settling into the NHL or maybe it's just a small sample size fluke. Of course, he's playing a bottom six role with replacement-tier players, so he won't have a meaningful impact even if he hits his stride. Can't block those kids from getting to the NHL, but we never said anything about blocking them when they make the NHL!

Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED talk.

31 minutes ago, inkman said:

I know I’m not the only one but I refuse to read a post without paragraphs. 

I got you.

[Marvin]

8 hours ago, PickaPecaPickles said:

They want to stay home and watch the Pats go for the #1 pick!

As for the Sabres, playing Boston on December 7th doesn't bode well.

Yeah, but 1 July 2007 is a date that will live in Sabres infamy alongside 19 June 1999.  No matter how bad, 7 December 2023 will pale be comparison.

[kas23]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

 

Thank g-d I’m going to see Annie tonight at the Fox Threatre.  At least it will have a happy ending.

Reminds me of this debacle:

 

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-heidi-bowl

 

But in this case, it’s Annie and not Heidi and you would rather see them than watch the Sabres. 

[Carmel Corn]

3 hours ago, JohninMinn. said:

We need more Meatballs.

He looks more like CHOPPED LIVER to me!

[GASabresIUFAN]

12 minutes ago, kas23 said:

Reminds me of this debacle:

 

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-heidi-bowl

 

But in this case, it’s Annie and not Heidi and you would rather see them than watch the Sabres. 

We have 1 win against Bos in our last 20 starts.  Annie is a better bet.

[Scottysabres]

So happy holidays to all.

I just dropped my entire bank account on outddors portable grilling gear and drones for the kids and grandkids. To give context, it took me 2 years to save for 4k worth of Xmas gifts.

A big ***** YOU to Terry. I would have bought season tickets, for the family, in the 200 section, but......you have ***** us enough, my ***** actually hurts from your repeated ram riding. Therefore, my children will now cheer for waffles.

[Brawndo]

 

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

That bottom six looks tank level meh to me. 

[Carmel Corn]

No Dahlin....put Comrie in net and spare Levi the $hitstorm that he is about to face tonight.

[Spoonman]

GOOD EVENING CHILDREN OF THE ⚔️

[Pimlach]

14 minutes ago, Scottysabres said:

So happy holidays to all.

I just dropped my entire bank account on outddors portable grilling gear and drones for the kids and grandkids. To give context, it took me 2 years to save for 4k worth of Xmas gifts.

A big ***** YOU to Terry. I would have bought season tickets, for the family, in the 200 section, but......you have ***** us enough, my ***** actually hurts from your repeated ram riding. Therefore, my children will now cheer for waffles.

I hope Pegula, or at least someone prominent in the FO, sees this.  

Last 20 against Boston, 1-18-1.  

[Indabuff]

6 minutes ago, Carmel Corn said:

No Dahlin....put Comrie in net and spare Levi the $hitstorm that he is about to face tonight.

[RochesterExpat]

You know what’s probably going to happen? This team is going to shock everyone and win 4-2, win the next game 5-4, and suddenly everyone will be back on the bandwagon. Only to then go on another 4 game losing streak, see people jump from the wagon, and then get a surprise win again for the bootlickers to salivate over and board the bus for another ride.

The wheels of mediocrity go round and round…

But at least the guys want to be here. Judging by attendance the fans don’t, but at least the players do!

[Pimlach]

9 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

NO Dahlin tonight.

Put EJ with Power on first pair and make Power play like a man.

Move Samuelsson down with Clifton on the 3rd pair and primary PK. 

 

 

[Scottysabres]

6 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I hope Pegula, or at least someone prominent in the FO, sees this.  

Last 20 against Boston, 1-18-1.  

No kidding. The wife and I were looking at 217. We opted out. Decided not to spend money on misery.

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

You sound silly saying that Levi getting games in the AHL is screwing him.  Literally everyone but you be believes that his playing full time in Rochester for a stint is better for him than getting pounded behind this inept team in a 3 goalie rotation.  Even Levi understands it.  Yet due to inevitable injuries, here he is, he is back in what, one week?   

Fans do not want to pounce on him.  Everyone wants the best for him. We need him. 

The list of goalies to never play in the minors is small, in fact it’s minuscule. Sure Tom Barrasso as a rookie jumped to the Sabres, a team that finished with 101 points that season and played excellent team defense under Scotty Bowman.  We are not that team.  Why do you want to stick this kid out there in a starting role with the cruddy team defense that this team plays.  

Stop with the Roger Crozier comparisons,  They are both quick. Lots of goalies are quick.  That is the end of the comparison.   Crozier was acrobatic, Levi plays a much more technical style.    Levi doesn’t smoke, drink, or have the numerous health ailments the plagued Crozier.  Levi prepares mentally and physically better than any goalie from the 60’s and 70’s.  The bar has been raised over the past 50+ years.   

Why are you worrying about Montreal and 2028?   Guess what, if Montreal had him right now he would be playing in Laval. The goalie they have developed is now playing well and Jake Allen is a solid backup.  Levi would be in Laval playing 50+ games.  
 

The sun comes out tomorrow.  

To the bolded, it probably is better for Levi to get extra work in Ra-cha-cha rather than to be a part of this tire fire that's gone to another level since he was spared from it.  But, still not convinced that Comrie coming off injury is better than Levi is right now, and IF playoffs truly is a goal, they have to have their best options for the net available.  

Still don't see why they chose when they did to send Levi down.  Again, IF playoffs is the goal.  If they aren't, well, there's a lot of sense to what was done and the timing of it.  But after 12 years in the desert, playoffs need to be a primary goal and they need to go w/ the best possible permutation of players for winning now; development be darned.

UPL has outplayed the other 2, but he still hasn't had consecutive starts of Sabres games (NOT referring to consecutive starts of his own) that he's won both games for a very long time.  He's playing like a poor man's starter or a very good #2, but until he starts showing an ability to get the Sabres consecutive wins, still believe he should be getting only every other start unless there is a significant layoff for the team.  Until Comrie plays well post injury, would have UPL getting 1/2 the games, Levi 1/3, and Comrie the odd extra game.  If UPL elevates further, cool (great, actually); if Comrie finally pulls it together, cool; or if Adams finally does what he should've done in the off-season and bring in a vet to pair with somebody, then awesome.  But until then, don't see an issue with having Levi up for another couple of weeks.  They aren't going to ruin him regardless of where they play him or don't play him.

Realize that goes against board dogma, but them's this kid's 2 cents.  YMM (and likely will) V.

(And that's with expecting Levi to get lit up tonight.  Why does he keep drawing Boston?  St. Louis would've been a good start for him.)

[steveoath]

No Dahlin??

oh deer 

[GoPuckYourself]

[TheAud]

When I am back in WNY over the holidays I had thought about taking my family to a Sabres game. 

But they are playing Boston...so no way in hell I am spending money on that.  Won't be watching tonight's beat down either. 

[CallawaySabres]

1 minute ago, TheAud said:

When I am back in WNY over the holidays I had thought about taking my family to a Sabres game. 

But they are playing Boston...so no way in hell I am spending money on that.  Won't be watching tonight's beat down either. 

Best decision you will ever make in Sports. I told my kids I would never ever ever ever bring them to another Bruins game for the rest of their lives after last year.

[TheAud]

1 minute ago, CallawaySabres said:

Best decision you will ever make in Sports. I told my kids I would never ever ever ever bring them to another Bruins game for the rest of their lives after last year.

I took my kids to a Sabres - Bruins game in Buffalo maybe 3 years ago....thought I was in Boston for all the B's fans that surrounded us. They outnumbered Sabres fans no kidding 5:1. And of course the Sabres were shut out. 

[Sidc3000]

Well Levi very well may face the most SOG he has ever faced 

[JohninMinn.]

Maybe they'll play like a team full of high #1's.