[Incomplete Title] Sabres (21-12-5) & NHL 2018-19 - Game 39 (MSG-B) vs. BOS (20-14-4) at 7 PM ET on 12/29

[shrader]

34 minutes ago, JohnC said:

What you also see is a larger amount of young talent that will be competing to make the roster and be given playing time. This internal competition will make everyone better. Because the talent pool is deeper it should be reflected in an upgrading of the third and fourth lines and the third and fourth defense pairing. For too long those backside lines were barren. A little more production from those units should make a difference. 

 

I hate the constant Pittsburgh comparisons, but that really is what you need to aspire to be.  If you ever reach the point where you're completely set at the top end, it makes everyone else that much better.  They've had a revolving door of fill ins over the last few years that have overachieved.  We absolutely need Mittlestadt to pan out because that gets us there.  The one thing they never had though was a blueliner at the level of what Dahlin is supposed to be.  There are a bunch of what ifs, but things could get really fun really fast if a few things go our way.

[JohnC]

2 minutes ago, shrader said:

 

I hate the constant Pittsburgh comparisons, but that really is what you need to aspire to be.  If you ever reach the point where you're completely set at the top end, it makes everyone else that much better.  They've had a revolving door of fill ins over the last few years that have overachieved.  We absolutely need Mittlestadt to pan out because that gets us there.  The one thing they never had though was a blueliner at the level of what Dahlin is supposed to be.  There are a bunch of what ifs, but things could get really fun really fast if a few things go our way.

The player I am following closely is Nylander. He still is very young and has room to grow both physically and his hockey game. I think he can be a terrific power play player because there is so much space for this skilled player to work with. If he becomes what his skill level suggests he is going to be a major bonus. 

 

I don't think it is a mystery as to the best way to build your team. The majority of the great players in this league are top of the draft caliber of players. Even when you are drafting at the top that doesn't mean that in draft year there is going to be a "special" talent available. As it has been previously stated by many this franchise has been accumulating talent and they are starting to move up the development ranks. Botterill is a strong believer in drafting players and then developing them. He has stated that he would rather keep a young player down on the farm developing and when he is ready move him up and keep him up. Overall, especially compared to the mish mash of the previous GM, Murray has a plan and he is adhering to it. 

 

I like what I see. It is starting to come together. The future is bright. 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[BillsFan4]

 

A bit cheaper than I thought. I figured about $4M if it was a bridge deal. 

 

I just hope the short term deal doesnt bite them in the arse. I feel,like they may have been able to get him signed for $6-$6.5M (ish) on a longer term deal. But I fully get why Botterill went with a bridge deal. He saw 2 completely different Sam Reinhart’s last season. 1st half Sam was garbage. 2nd half Sam was excellent and looked like a core piece of the team. 

 

edit -oops, sorry I didn’t see 26’s post

Edited September 19, 2018 by BillsFan4

[26CornerBlitz]

3 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

A bit cheaper than I thought. I figured about $4M if it was a bridge deal. 

 

I just hope the short term deal doesnt bite them in the arse. I feel,like they may have been able to get him signed for $6-$6.5M (ish) on a longer term deal.

 

edit -oops, sorry I didn’t see 26’s post

 

No worries. A different source adds legitimacy to the reporting. 

[BillsFan4]

I guess it’s a done deal now. $3.65M x 2

 

Edited September 19, 2018 by BillsFan4

[plenzmd1]

2 years @ 3.65...low number, still control his rights..he gets arbitration rights

4 hours ago, eball said:

If the Sabres have finally gotten this "core" right, there are lots of good times ahead.

Did oyu get the game last night? Pregame recorded, but not the game. I did not try to watch till about 9, so did not call DTV to find out why

[26CornerBlitz]

 

 

 

[donbb]

Great deal for Buffalo! The NHL season can't start soon enough - hopefully it helps erase the stain of this Bills season.

[eball]

2 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

2 years @ 3.65...low number, still control his rights..he gets arbitration rights

Did oyu get the game last night? Pregame recorded, but not the game. I did not try to watch till about 9, so did not call DTV to find out why

 

No, didn't get a chance to watch.  That Reinhart "prove the 2nd half of last season wasn't a fluke" bridge contract is a great deal for the Sabres.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Fadingpain]

I saw the game late last night; it was re-aired on NHL Network.

 

Dahlin's quality is super apparent.  Dude was quarterbacking the power play and moving all over with the puck while keeping his head up, cheating in on the play, totally involved.  Looked totally at ease playing at that level, even if it was a pre-season game and all the "real" players weren't playing.

 

That kid is gonna play half of each game and give us that 1st good pass out of the D end that we haven't had for a while, and that can make a huge difference on the O end.

 

Also, Risto was in a bad mood and hammered a couple of guys!  He didn't get the memo that this was a meaningless pre-season game where everyone is supposed to sleepwalk through the game.

 

Love that edgy side to his play.

 

We are going to have a solid PP; we can have plenty of guys with great stick handling/puck moving skills and we should be able to maintain possession for large stretches with consistency.

 

 

 

[Tiberius]

Risto looked great last night. Dahlin used his feet a lot to control the puck which surprised me. Like a soccer ball. More than and better than most players. Skinner seemed real smooth, and different from what I expected. I thought he was a power forward type but he sort of reminded me of Samson. 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[Tiberius]

24 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

That picture is of Gretzky scoring against Don Edwards to set a new goal scoring record. I watched that! 

[TigerJ]

For eight years I've been in an area where it's hard to watch a lot of Sabres games.  At the same time, they were mostly not worth watching.  I'm moving in 6 weeks to the Rochester area where the coverage should be better.  By a happy coincidence, it looks like they may not be so hard to watch - finally!

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

Would be a pleasant surprise if he makes the team. 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

 

Edited September 20, 2018 by 26CornerBlitz

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[BillsFan4]

This isn’t Sabres news, but I didn’t know where else to put it -

 

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

 

[4merper4mer]

2 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

This isn’t Sabres news, but I didn’t know where else to put it -

 

 

Dang it we got the wrong John Tavares.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[K-9]

1 hour ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

All right! It’s never too early for a little Risto vs. Kadri.

 

EDIT: check that. Apparently the rumors of Risto being in the lineup tonight were incorrect. 

Edited September 21, 2018 by K-9

[26CornerBlitz]

9-21: TSN's Darren Dreger with The Instigators on WGR (15:29)

 

For the first time this season, TSN's @DarrenDreger joins @TheInstigators! He joins Marty and Craig next on WGR!

 

Dreger - the Reinhart deal was a great one for Jason Botterill and the #Sabres. If he can sustain the production he put up late last year, that's a heck of a deal.  He's ready to turn the corner and be an impact player for Buffalo.

 

Dreger - It was no fun for Reinhart, or any player, to go through a holdout like that. They want to be there with teammates and want to prove their worth. He just wanted to get back and be on the ice. #Sabres

 

Dreger - There hasn't been any real discussion of a contract extension between the #Sabres and Jeff Skinner. They just want to play in the season a bit, see how he fits in the big picture, and then maybe they talk an extension later in the season.

 

Dreger - I see the #Sabres nibbling at the edge of the playoffs this year. Of course, there are questions surrounding this team with goaltending, the young players, Eichel's health, etc. I like the look of this year's team, but who's coming out of the playoff picture in the East?

[Pete]

I haven't had cable in 20 years and loved it- but I broke down a couple months ago and got an ok deal for internet and cable packaged.  I only wanted YES network, Bien Sports, and PBS- and after a sports package, the deal is not that great. But while I am splurging for sports.  And the fact that it is easier to find Waldo then hockey on TV, let alone the Sabres.  I am adding NHL Center Ice Sept 30.  It's been awhile, this years Sabres will be quite enjoyable to watch!  Welcome back in my life Sabres! Let's go Buffalo!

[4merper4mer]

Tage Thompson is as tall as Frankenstein and almost as nimble.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

Sabres respond to slow start, but fall short in Toronto

 

TORONTO - Linus Ullmark offered the most succinct description of the way the Buffalo Sabres began their game at Scotiabank Arena on Friday night.

 

"We were off to a really good start," the goaltender said. "And then it turned into a bad start."

 

Andrew Oglevie opened the scoring for the Sabres thirty seconds into the contest, only to see the Toronto Maple Leafs answer with a barrage of three goals over the next 3:11. The end result was a 5-3 loss, but when it was all said and done the Sabres' response stood out more than the start itself.

 

Goals from C.J. Smith and Tage Thompson had the game tied early in the second period. When the Sabres surrendered the lead again shortly after, they kept the deficit at one goal until John Tavares buried an empty-netter with 44 seconds remaining.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

Projected Lineup

 

There might be some changes, but this is pretty much what you should expect to see tonight for Buffalo:

 

53 Jeff Skinner - 9 Jack Eichel - 29 Jason Pominville
71 Evan Rodrigues - 10 Patrik Berglund - 23 Sam Reinhart
95 Justin Bailey - 22 Johan Larsson - 21 Kyle Okposo
20 Scott Wilson -51 Kyle Criscuolo - 65 Danny O'Regan / 64 Tyler Randell

 

6 Marco Scandella - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
26 Rasmus Dahlin - 19 Jake McCabe 
82 Nathan Beaulieu - 4 Zach Bogosian

33 William Borgen

 

40 Carter Hutton
31 Scott Wedgewood
50 Michael Houser

[JohnC]

The below link is a post-game report by Paul Hamilton from WGR. It is a 12 minute segment with the second half of the report dealing with the younger players and who should stay or not with the big club. Interesting commentary. 

 

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/09-21-paul-hamilton-sabres-post-game

[26CornerBlitz]

Nylander playing with a different fire

 

 

Fair or unfair, many Buffalo Sabres fans have drawn a conclusion that 2016 8th overall pick pick Alex Nylander is either a bust, or in a make-or-break season with the organization. While Nylander is only 20 years old, he's already been seen as another Tim Murray flop and a forgotten man in the Sabres prospect pool.

 

Granted, Nylander has not done much in his two seasons as a professional. In two years, Nylander has only seen 7 games in the NHL, with one goal and one assist. Nylander's stints with the Sabres were both when the season was ending and Buffalo was either well out of contention or staring at the worst record in the NHL.

 

There have been a large number of outside factors that have not helped in the perception of Nylander as a Sabre as well. From the top ten of the 2016 draft class, only Nylander and 5th overall pick Olli Juolevi have yet to play in 10 NHL games. Many fans were shocked when Buffalo passed on a pair of defensemen in Mikhail Sergachev (9th overall) and Charlie McAvoy (14th overall) for Nylander. Both have played a full season in the NHL and show promise as potential top-pairing defenders in the league.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[26CornerBlitz]