Buffalo Sabres & NHL 2020-2021

[BillsFan4]

 

[Alaska Darin]

Boy, paying a defenseman on the wrong side of 30 that kinda coin for that term is risky.

 

I'm really curious to see Hall in Blue and Gold.  He's a real difference maker.

[Taro T]

5 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Boy, paying a defenseman on the wrong side of 30 that kinda coin for that term is risky.

 

I'm really curious to see Hall in Blue and Gold.  He's a real difference maker.

 

Yep.  For the 1st time in ages they have 2 full lines worth of top 6 skaters & for the 1st time since at least the early '90's 2 of those are arguably in the top 5 at their position.

 

Fix the goaltending & if healthy, this should be a playoff team.

[shrader]

53 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Boy, paying a defenseman on the wrong side of 30 that kinda coin for that term is risky.

 

I'm really curious to see Hall in Blue and Gold.  He's a real difference maker.

 

I didn't realize he was already 30.  The bigger guys always seem to break down quicker, which makes me wonder how in the hell Chara lasted as long as he has.  I can't remember ever seeing such a huge difference between the contracts signed by the top two free agents.  I'm still baffled by what the Sabres pulled off.

 

All I can think of is a while back when Selanne and Kariya as a package deal both signed one year deals with the Avs.  Where is our second part of the package?

[4merper4mer]

Watching a few interviews it seems unlikely that Hall will get drunk and run over a Tim Horton's.

[Jrb1979]

Been listening to WGR the past few days to hear some reaction to the Hall signing and all I get is Bills talk. What does amaze me is how many Bills fans that aren't from WNY anymore only care about the Bills but dislike hockey. 

[Brennan Huff]

13 hours ago, Jrb1979 said:

Been listening to WGR the past few days to hear some reaction to the Hall signing and all I get is Bills talk. What does amaze me is how many Bills fans that aren't from WNY anymore only care about the Bills but dislike hockey. 

They were talking about it all day on Monday. Do you have the radio.com app? You can go back and listen to old shows

[Jrb1979]

9 minutes ago, Brennan Huff said:

They were talking about it all day on Monday. Do you have the radio.com app? You can go back and listen to old shows

I guess why it bothers me is that sports radio in Canada talks hockey non stop. In Buffalo outside the Sabres show, they will spend maybe a day talking about the Sabres. Everyday is Bills football day. 

[Brennan Huff]

10 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I guess why it bothers me is that sports radio in Canada talks hockey non stop. In Buffalo outside the Sabres show, they will spend maybe a day talking about the Sabres. Everyday is Bills football day. 

During the season there is a lot more hockey talk. I’m pretty sure the instigators is on everyday during the season. But I do know Monday morning Howard and Jeremy talked about the Hall signing for at least the first hour

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-sam-reinhart-agree-to-1-year-contract-restricted-free-agent/c-319514138

 

[Dr. Who]

6 minutes ago, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-sam-reinhart-agree-to-1-year-contract-restricted-free-agent/c-319514138

 

It's a good signing for both sides. Sam is still a RFA next year. He's a very good player, haters notwithstanding.

[BillsFan4]

I’m just glad it wasn’t a 2 year deal that walked Reinhart right to UFA. I was nervous about that happening.

 

 

 

———————————————————

 

Seems pretty unrealistic on the Sabres part. Ullmark’s ask is a bit high, but not as out of whack as the Sabres offer. I hope such a low ball offer doesn’t end up biting them in the ass in arbitration. I understand what they’re trying to accomplish but Sometimes when one ask is so unreasonable the arbitrator sides more with the reasonable ask/side (Ullmark in this case). 

 

Edited October 25, 2020 by BillsFan4

[snafu]

23 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

It's a good signing for both sides. Sam is still a RFA next year. He's a very good player, haters notwithstanding.

 

I hate when people bring him up in trade talks. To me, he’s a guy who makes his line mates better.

 

 

[BillsFan4]

I think just Olofsson left now and about $6.5M in cap space. 
 

Adams is doing pretty good, even if he is just kicking the can down the road another year. I actually like the flexibility it gives the Sabres to sign Hall.
 

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by BillsFan4

[shrader]

On 10/25/2020 at 10:37 AM, BillsFan4 said:

I’m just glad it wasn’t a 2 year deal that walked Reinhart right to UFA. I was nervous about that happening.

 

 

 

———————————————————

 

Seems pretty unrealistic on the Sabres part. Ullmark’s ask is a bit high, but not as out of whack as the Sabres offer. I hope such a low ball offer doesn’t end up biting them in the ass in arbitration. I understand what they’re trying to accomplish but Sometimes when one ask is so unreasonable the arbitrator sides more with the reasonable ask/side (Ullmark in this case). 

 

 

The arbitrator can select any number in between the two offers, so of course the team is going to aim low.  Any player who is hurt by that is being completely dishonest since they're playing the same exact game on their side, setting the bar as high as possible.

[BillsFan4]

 

On 10/26/2020 at 2:10 PM, shrader said:

 

The arbitrator can select any number in between the two offers, so of course the team is going to aim low.  Any player who is hurt by that is being completely dishonest since they're playing the same exact game on their side, setting the bar as high as possible.

I wasn’t worried about Ullmark being hurt by it. I was worried about the arbitrator siding with Ullmark.

[BillsFan4]

 

He still a restricted free agent when this contract expires too. 
Well done Kevyn Adams!

Edited October 29, 2020 by BillsFan4

[BillsFan4]

 

[K-9]

10 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

I wasn’t worried about Ullmark being hurt by it. I was worried about the arbitrator siding with Ullmark.

That was a good watch. In the last two Embedded episodes I’ve seen, Kevyn Adams doesn’t strike me as somebody who is out of his depth in the least. Quite the contrary, he seems very well prepared and capable. And a helluva lot more cerebral than JBotts, who seemed like a nervous wreck most of the time. 

[shrader]

On 10/29/2020 at 11:21 AM, BillsFan4 said:

I wasn’t worried about Ullmark being hurt by it. I was worried about the arbitrator siding with Ullmark.

 

Not that it matters at this point, but the arbitrator can pick any number in between the two offers.  I'd be curious to see if an NHL arbitrator has ever set the contract at either side's asking point.  I'm guessing no.  But anyway, specifically with Olofsson, I'd have a hard time picturing the arbitration go towards his number seeing as how he doesn't even have a full season of NHL hockey under his belt.

 

People get it mixed up with baseball too much, where the arbitrator picks either the team's number or the player's.

[shrader]

It's not new thread worthy, but since this is a hockey thread, I'll post it here.

 

Travis Roy died yesterday.  The name may not ring a bell but you probably remember the story.  Roy broke his neck seconds into his first shift as a freshman at BU.  It was almost exactly 25 years ago.  As a BU graduate, an athletic department employee, and a many year season ticket holder, I'd have to say he was probably the most beloved person around that building.

[4merper4mer]

6 hours ago, shrader said:

It's not new thread worthy, but since this is a hockey thread, I'll post it here.

 

Travis Roy died yesterday.  The name may not ring a bell but you probably remember the story.  Roy broke his neck seconds into his first shift as a freshman at BU.  It was almost exactly 25 years ago.  As a BU graduate, an athletic department employee, and a many year season ticket holder, I'd have to say he was probably the most beloved person around that building.

I remember that.  Very sad that he has passed.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

Happy 70th birthday Gil:

 

 

[BillsFan4]

https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2020/11/10/bettman-nhl-looking-at-temporary-realignment-hubs-for-next-season/
 

sounds like there could be an all Canadian division to start next season 

[4merper4mer]

6 hours ago, BillsFan4 said:

https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2020/11/10/bettman-nhl-looking-at-temporary-realignment-hubs-for-next-season/
 

sounds like there could be an all Canadian division to start next season 

That way one of them can make the finals

[BillsFan4]

 

[TBBills]

3 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

 

Looks nice

[PromoTheRobot]

Supposedly that's it. 

[Simon]

19 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Supposedly that's it. 

 

meh

Needs more slugs to really set it off.

[Greg S]

I wonder if the NHL will have a season this year. Most likely there won't be any fans allowed at the games or sparse crowds like the NFL is doing. Unlike the NFL the NHL doesn't have that strong of a TV contract to survive without fans as they depend gate receipts that the fans bring in. Curious to see if the NHL can make it work.

[Tiberius]

9 minutes ago, Greg S said:

I wonder if the NHL will have a season this year. Most likely there won't be any fans allowed at the games or sparse crowds like the NFL is doing. Unlike the NFL the NHL doesn't have that strong of a TV contract to survive without fans as they depend gate receipts that the fans bring in. Curious to see if the NHL can make it work.

I sure hope so, and soon! Sabres have not played at all in so long 

[Greg S]

2 minutes ago, Tiberius said:

I sure hope so, and soon! Sabres have not played at all in so long 

 

I want hockey to start as well since its my second favorite sport behind football. I haven't heard anything that hockey won't play but the league also hasn't officially announced a start date either. It already mid Nov so if they want an early Jan start date for example I would think something would have to be announced soon. Still need training camp and preseason games to get ready.

[Tiberius]

20 minutes ago, Greg S said:

 

I want hockey to start as well since its my second favorite sport behind football. I haven't heard anything that hockey won't play but the league also hasn't officially announced a start date either. It already mid Nov so if they want an early Jan start date for example I would think something would have to be announced soon. Still need training camp and preseason games to get ready.

The silence is very strange. Must be some serious issues they can't resolve, like who gets paid what and for how long? 

[snafu]

16 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Supposedly that's it. 

 

 

No bueno.

 

 

 

[BillsFan4]

 

[BillsFan4]

One of The Sabres potential divisions I see being talked about would include:

 

- Sabres

- Rangers

- Islanders

- Capitals

- Bruins

- Hurricanes
- Devils

- Flyers
 

 

Interesting...

Edited November 19, 2020 by BillsFan4

[BillsFan4]

https://www.nhl.com/news/jack-eichel-pleased-with-buffalo-sabres-offseason/c-319705298
Eichel happy with 'great moves' by Sabres in offseason
 

Quote

We're really excited," the Sabres captain said Tuesday. "They're great moves from management in the offseason. Now, more than anything at this point, you want to get back to playing.

 

"I think it's great. I think it definitely sparked some excitement in me and other guys in the room."

 

"Whenever you can add people like Taylor Hall and Eric Staal and Cody Eakin to your roster and the locker room, they not only bring talent to the ice but also veteran presence to the locker room," he said. "In a situation like ours where we're trying to find a winning culture with a young group and trying to figure out the right way to do things at times, I think having older guys can help you out especially during periods of adversity.”

 

"It's awesome."

 

[shrader]

Directv sent me an email yesterday to let me know that center ice package was about to renew on my account.  It's priced at the same number as last year.  What a slap in the face.  I thought maybe it was just an automated process, but no.  If it was, that would have kicked in over a month ago.  So I'd love to know who flipped the attempted robbery switch within that company.

[ComradeKayAdams]

I’m guessing the opening night roster will be:

 

G1: Ullmark

G2: Hutton

 

D1: Dahlin - Jokiharju

D2: McCabe - Ristolainen

D3: Miller - Montour

 

F1: Hall - Eichel - Reinhart

F2: Skinner - Staal - Olofsson

F3: Girgensons - Eakin - Okposo

F4: Mittelstadt - Cozens - Thompson

 

This is playoff-caliber! Good things seem to happen whenever an ADAMS is put in charge. It’s time to break the longest NHL postseason drought (9 seasons) and third-longest playoff series win drought (13 seasons, behind the Panthers and Maple Leafs).

 

As for when the new season begins, most likely it will have to be pushed back beyond the target January 1 date because of the expected holiday season Covid-19 flare-ups. I don’t know if you guys follow our Buffalo Bandits as well, but the National Lacrosse League cancelled their season back in mid-March and isn’t even bothering with the next one until mid-April (their usual start date is around early December)! Hopefully the new NHL season won’t have to be pushed back quite that far…

[Beast]

23 hours ago, ComradeKayAdams said:

I’m guessing the opening night roster will be:

 

G1: Ullmark

G2: Hutton

 

D1: Dahlin - Jokiharju

D2: McCabe - Ristolainen

D3: Miller - Montour

 

F1: Hall - Eichel - Reinhart

F2: Skinner - Staal - Olofsson

F3: Girgensons - Eakin - Okposo

F4: Mittelstadt - Cozens - Thompson

 

This is playoff-caliber! Good things seem to happen whenever an ADAMS is put in charge. It’s time to break the longest NHL postseason drought (9 seasons) and third-longest playoff series win drought (13 seasons, behind the Panthers and Maple Leafs).

 

As for when the new season begins, most likely it will have to be pushed back beyond the target January 1 date because of the expected holiday season Covid-19 flare-ups. I don’t know if you guys follow our Buffalo Bandits as well, but the National Lacrosse League cancelled their season back in mid-March and isn’t even bothering with the next one until mid-April (their usual start date is around early December)! Hopefully the new NHL season won’t have to be pushed back quite that far…

Once again, the Sabres will be on the outside looking in with that tandem in goal.