For the Bills being an elite team this year and the improvements the Sabres have made this place is pretty rough.

What's that word I'm looking for?

Oh yeah:

But seriously, was there a better director for action movies in the 80's and 90's other than McTiernan? The Hunt for Red October, Die Hard, Die Hard: With a Vengeance, Predator. We will not talk about Rollerball, though he did follow it up with Basic which was solid if unspectacular. So what if he went to prison for a teensy bit of lying to the FBI?

What's that word I'm looking for?
- Wetbandit1

Bailey?

As in Justin who just signed a 1yr/2-way deal with the 'Nucks?

kuemper got one vote this year, arizona writer

https://www.hockey-refere...m/awards/voting-2020.html


9 votes the year before

https://www.hockey-refere...m/awards/voting-2019.html


so he got 10 votes from over 550 voters in 2 years
- homiedclown

people can agree or disagree with me if they want but the majority of goalies are good or bad based upon whats in front of them.. Obviously there are elite goalies like hasek price and Roy that were just ridiculous but there are a lot of goalies out there that are lifted by the defense in front of them.

IMO (wrong or right) we need to fix the defensive zone more than we need to fix goaltending. as long as hutton can see he has been fine if he isn't getting peppered with high risk chances.. i think we need to ship out one or two of our "offensive" d men and get some stay at home solid d defenseman..

Where does one buy football cards in WNY anymore?

Interesting back reading to say the least.

I think most of us would agree that the Sabres finished 25th out of 24 playoff teams, were tracking in a bad way towards the end of the season, finished with 69 points in 69 games, and were on track (due to declining play late in the season) for about 78 points...while playing a full 30 other teams...out of the normal Playoffs by about 18 poi ts (using 96 as a target break point).

According to several WAR models, elite players deliver about 3 wins above replacement level, very good about 2, and good about 1 win.

The Sabres added
1 Elite player in Hall
2 Good players for their position in Staal and Eakin
That's about it...so 3 +1+1 = 5 wins.

Add in a couple, three for improved PK and for improved PP each, gives you say 5.
Factor in improved play by Skinner (benefiting from Staal and Cozens) and that gives say 3 or 4 more

That is an aggressive improvement of say 14 wins = 28 points.

Now factor in playing in the elite division...not playing cupcake teams across the League...cut that win rate by 50% .... maybe more

7 extra wins max

Interesting back reading to say the least.

I think most of us would agree that the Sabres finished 25th out of 24 playoff teams, were tracking in a bad way towards the end of the season, finished with 69 points in 69 games, and were on track (due to declining play late in the season) for about 78 points...while playing a full 30 other teams...out of the normal Playoffs by about 18 poi ts (using 96 as a target break point).

According to several WAR models, elite players deliver about 3 wins above replacement level, very good about 2, and good about 1 win.

The Sabres added
1 Elite player in Hall
2 Good players for their position in Staal and Eakin
That's about it...so 3 +1+1 = 5 wins.

Add in a couple, three for improved PK and for improved PP each, gives you say 5.
Factor in improved play by Skinner (benefiting from Staal and Cozens) and that gives say 3 or 4 more

That is an aggressive improvement of say 14 wins = 28 points.

Now factor in playing in the elite division...not playing cupcake teams across the League...cut that win rate by 50% .... maybe more

7 extra wins max
- IonSabres

Adding another center is like adding Skinner again. That shouldn't be overlooked. He's gonna score (a prorated) 30

Adding another center is like adding Skinner again. That shouldn't be overlooked. He's gonna score (a prorated) 30
- jcragcrumple

thats the hope.....

who knows what cozens will be as well.

still need to upgrade the D.. even if dahlin and joker improve there is still too much dead weight back there in your own end

Interesting back reading to say the least.

I think most of us would agree that the Sabres finished 25th out of 24 playoff teams, were tracking in a bad way towards the end of the season, finished with 69 points in 69 games, and were on track (due to declining play late in the season) for about 78 points...while playing a full 30 other teams...out of the normal Playoffs by about 18 poi ts (using 96 as a target break point).

According to several WAR models, elite players deliver about 3 wins above replacement level, very good about 2, and good about 1 win.

The Sabres added
1 Elite player in Hall
2 Good players for their position in Staal and Eakin
That's about it...so 3 +1+1 = 5 wins.

Add in a couple, three for improved PK and for improved PP each, gives you say 5.
Factor in improved play by Skinner (benefiting from Staal and Cozens) and that gives say 3 or 4 more

That is an aggressive improvement of say 14 wins = 28 points.

Now factor in playing in the elite division...not playing cupcake teams across the League...cut that win rate by 50% .... maybe more

7 extra wins max
- IonSabres

i believe there has been talk of doing another expanding playoffs this year.. 7 more wins definitely puts us in that picture.

thats the hope.....

who knows what cozens will be as well.

still need to upgrade the D.. even if dahlin and joker improve there is still too much dead weight back there in your own end
- SabresFaninIndiana

Their only path is to outscore their problems. Only 56 games means Eichel and Hall will be fresh. Realistically they're going to need to get 70 in 56 for us to have any kind of chance

Your daily reminder that the NHL is botching this situation by not dividing the season in half like the NBA. Just announce half the schedule and reevaluate in April you boneheads. Cmon NHL. Act like a professional league

Their only path is to outscore their problems. Only 56 games means Eichel and Hall will be fresh. Realistically they're going to need to get 70 in 56 for us to have any kind of chance
- jcragcrumple

That projects out to 102 points in an 82 game season.

That projects out to 102 points in an 82 game season.
- Michael Pachla

I think that’s possible.

Sky is the limit for those two

That projects out to 102 points in an 82 game season.
- Michael Pachla

Yep. They have to be - if not the best duo in the NHL - top 3

Yep. They have to be - if not the best duo in the NHL - top 3
- jcragcrumple

The 2nd and 3rd lines will be key. Although that duo will be able to overcome much of the intense focus foisted on them, having a robust mid-six will work wonders for them and the team.

Have we ever mentioned secondary scoring here?

The 2nd and 3rd lines will be key. Although that duo will be able to overcome much of the intense focus foisted on them, having a robust mid-six will work wonders for them and the team.

Have we ever mentioned secondary scoring here?
- Michael Pachla

I'm interested to see if Eakin will be used as a Lockport Larry replacement as a 3C with Girgensons and Okposo, or do they throw a Tage and Reinhart/Olofsson there and try to score with that line

Hutton has something like a 12 game winless streak
He was pretty terrible in most of those games
That cost us a playoff spot

Don’t think we should risk it with him again
Why not improve the spot?
- jdfitz77

He had a 12 game winless streak after an 8 game winning streak and in those 12 games we scored more than 2 goals 4 times lol. We let in more than 2 in 10 of those games. If we could of scored and played defense we would of been a much better position but yeah blame the guy who can't score or defend the other players.

Neighbors: If anyone would like to play fantasy hockey this year, please PM me. I'll spam this a few times in the next couple days, apologies in advance.

I'm interested to see if Eakin will be used as a Lockport Larry replacement as a 3C with Girgensons and Okposo, or do they throw a Tage and Reinhart/Olofsson there and try to score with that line
- jcragcrumple

I guess he'll be 3C with PK duties which means high expectations for him to do very well while wearing two different hats--two-way scoring line/ PK

He had a 12 game winless streak after an 8 game winning streak and in those 12 games we scored more than 2 goals 4 times lol. We let in more than 2 in 10 of those games. If we could of scored and played defense we would of been a much better position but yeah blame the guy who can't score or defend the other players.
- Keepcomplaining

Yeah 6 goals 4 times and 5 goals 5 times. Might not have been the best in front of him some games, but he was bad. Maybe I am to hard on him, but I would rather see Jonas then him if it came down to it.

Neighbors: If anyone would like to play fantasy hockey this year, please PM me. I'll spam this a few times in the next couple days, apologies in advance.
- TheSabresTaco

Message sent. And a message will be sent by the erod racers

Neighbors: If anyone would like to play fantasy hockey this year, please PM me. I'll spam this a few times in the next couple days, apologies in advance.
- TheSabresTaco

Tooth69 wants to play. Apologies in advance.

The general know it all experts (we all know who the are) won't risk there "ranking" around here.

Nothing like fielding a last place team, to back up a 2 am post. ....


Get someone smart to play like - uncle ion