Keeping Montour over Risto is the better option.
They are the same player in their own zone, which is to say they're not real good there.
They both have the same game in the Ozone, Mountour might be a bit better.
Montour has good Hockey IQ, Risto might have negative score on a scale of 1-5
Montour is far superior in the Transition game.

Why the Sabres would create a further imbalance on the right side by trading a LhD, would be a head scratcher unless is was for Scandella who they likely won't resign anyway...so get value for him. That is the only LhD I would see going. McCabe should be relegated to 3rd pairing if the pairings were optimized.

Risto looking a bit better under Krueger...does Montour take a step up as well? Would be dumb not to see. If so, it is a no brainer that Risto goes.

So trade Scandella to capture value vs walking as a ufa.
Trade Risto as Montour is better.
Package another player with each to get maximum value.
- IonSabres

The way botts sounded last night it appears they are not going to make a trade and Ralphy will rotate the lineup to make sure everyone is fresh and get their orange slices and participation medals

Super side thought, I bet Ruotsalainen plays in Rochester next year if we're not fighting the cap.

The way botts sounded last night it appears they are not going to make a trade and Ralphy will rotate the lineup to make sure everyone is fresh and get their orange slices and participation medals
- hubie

IDGAF what he does, as long as it works. Not doing morning skates, coincidentally, the team has looked fresher, more often. That Columbus game seems to be an abberation.

The Sabres don't need to do anything honestly. When Bogo comes back, if you don't think Gilmour slips through waivers, you get an asset for him and move on. With Montour, puts our roster at 23.

This part is always right, when a negative connotation follows.
- TheSabresTaco

I always got yelled at when I would say "yeah, but..." growing up.

I had to learn other ways to place the blame elsewhere.

mark my words, Evander Kane's contract will look worse than Skinner's, sooner.
- TheSabresTaco

I think this is true if for no other reason than he plays a heavy game. Those guys generally don't hold up well after 30 (Ovi being the ridiculous exception).

IDGAF what he does, as long as it works. Not doing morning skates, coincidentally, the team has looked fresher, more often. That Columbus game seems to be an abberation.
- TheSabresTaco

I'm guessing the need/want to have as many NHL capable bodies for the trip to Sweden is also there.

I wonder if there's an exception for Buffalo and Tampa in terms of how many players they can take, since call ups would be literally impossible in case of an injury.

Mittelstadt has 7 points in 10 games and a plus 6.

Also had a huge backcheck in overtime last night.

I think the light is starting to go on
- Sabretooth9

Fun fact. Mittelstadt through the first five games played an average of 10:02 a night. The last five games he has played 12:53. So he's slowly getting more ice time.

It's hard to score points playing those kind of minutes, and he's not on the first PP either. If he can make Krueger play him 14-15 minutes a night, he could be like a 55-60 point center. To get there though he has to prove he is reliable defensively, as he would be taking minutes from the GLO line. Plus 6 is a good start to that. So was the backcheck last night.

well sobotka had a couple nice games but he was back to furiously destroying any offensive possession last night

I always got yelled at when I would say "yeah, but..." growing up.

I had to learn other ways to place the blame elsewhere.
- thatsapickle

I've grown to hate it. Dr. Phil hates it too. Dr. Phil is awesome.

Eichel needs to get it together here. This is lasting games now
- sbroads24

Did he get it together?

Some of you need to watch the secret and just chill the f*** out

Did he get it together?
- jochfr

i don't personally think he played that great last night

Some of you need to watch the secret and just chill the f*** out
- gerbe75pts

Nine years...


Of Skinner

Did he get it together?
- jochfr

He did

IDGAF what he does, as long as it works. Not doing morning skates, coincidentally, the team has looked fresher, more often. That Columbus game seems to be an abberation.

The Sabres don't need to do anything honestly. When Bogo comes back, if you don't think Gilmour slips through waivers, you get an asset for him and move on. With Montour, puts our roster at 23.
- TheSabresTaco

ID(o)GAF because they have a 2nd liner on pace for 10 points and 1,000,000 offensive possessions ruined

well sobotka had a couple nice games but he was back to furiously destroying any offensive possession last night
- robz228

One could also put some blame on him for the Vlassic goal, if someone were so inclined.

One could also put some blame on him for the Vlassic goal, if someone were so inclined.
- jcragcrumple

you could, but mccabe missed 2 breakout passes while under 0 pressure and the second one he missed so horribly that i'm not gonna blame anyone but him

10 games in, so we can start to see the trends
a few takes


1. Jack is turning into the hype, took over the game and put the team and city on his shoulders and delivered

2. Olofsson is going to make a case for the calder

3. casey and johansson are both on pace for 56 points

4. the addition of miller and joker really allows this to be more of an upbeat north/south team

5. hutton was not as good as his ungodly numbers before last night, ullmark is not as bad as his numbers, they will make a very good 1-2 punch in net

6. f the leafs
- homiedclown

I think points three and four, if they sustain, is what makes this team possibly playoff bound.

There, I said it. The roof didn't cave in....

Some of you need to watch the secret and just chill the f*** out
- gerbe75pts

I will slap your girls ass if you don't shut yo mouf!

well sobotka had a couple nice games but he was back to furiously destroying any offensive possession last night
- robz228

And what about in the D zone right in front of me where he possessed the puck and very cool calm and collected cleared the zone to forwards to move up ice?
If you only want to see his negatives then your missing out on a lot of good plays.

And what about in the D zone right in front of me where he possessed the puck and very cool calm and collected cleared the zone to forwards to move up ice?
If you only want to see his negatives then your missing out on a lot of good plays.
- hubie

And what about in the D zone right in front of me where he possessed the puck and very cool calm and collected cleared the zone to forwards to move up ice?
If you only want to see his negatives then your missing out on a lot of good plays.
- hubie

so your reasoning for 2nd line sobotka is he got out of his zone that one time

i don't personally think he played that great last night
- robz228

He had 2 goals and 2 assists. What kind of expectation do you have? He literally had something to do with every single goal scored. He won more than half of his faceoffs and was a +2 in 22 mins of ice time. How much more can you realistically ask for?

so your reasoning for 2nd line sobotka is he got out of his zone that one time
- robz228

He's also on pace for a blistering 8 points, I dont know what more you could possibly want from him.

He had 2 goals and 2 assists. What kind of expectation do you have? He literally had something to do with every single goal scored. He won more than half of his faceoffs and was a +2 in 22 mins of ice time. How much more can you realistically ask for?
- HonkFortheGoose

Cancer isn't cured yet.

Stop settling, he's being paid 10 million.

There's world hunger, wars, etc.

Bottom line, he isn't living up to that contract.