300 faceoffs isn't an insignificant number. I think his 52% would scale from that number. If we're talking about 25 faceoffs, sure. But if he's winning over 50% of his 300 draws, he can do that at 500 or 600
- jcragcrumple

That's an average of less than 4 a game. It's relatively insignificant.

Yes, there is an agreement with the CHL as to when players are eligible to move up to the AHL.

It's to protect the quality of play in the CHL so that there's skilled players there as well. Here's the general rules behind it:



In some ways, I get it. In others, its frustrating because I feel like it possibly holds guys back from there development. Some guys are ready to make the jump from Jr, but not quite ready to make the jump to the NHL yet. Reinhart was a good example of this. I highly doubt we see too much of a change to this rule overall though.
- HonkFortheGoose

Thanks. I appreciate the info. I get it now. But maybe a small tweak. A one prospect exemption per team, if that prospect hits certain milestones? Basically the “this guy is probably to good to be in juniors”... there should be something for the Reinharts, Couzens, Grigerankos of the world... other than the Austin Mathews approach of playing overseas... and I’m honestly not sure if that was a too good for juniors end around or just the path he took....

The agreement is between the NHL and the CHL, and the idea is to keep that league, which is still the sport's top developmental league (though the gap is closing), as competitive as possible.


- buffalofan19

Not sure if I have seen it before, but I wonder if a team would be inclined to encourage a draft pick (ie Cozens) to leave their team and go to college. I don't know if they would then be able to leave college and go to the AHL earlier than if they stayed in the CHL. May be a loophole for teams to consider.

That's an average of less than 4 a game. It's relatively insignificant.
- HonkFortheGoose

If he's over 50% on 300 draws, the sample size is large enough to say that's who he is on draws, and that number should scale imo. He's good on the left side. Find a physical guy who can do that on the right side, while potting the occasional goal, and the 2nd line is really in business

Thanks. I appreciate the info. I get it now. But maybe a small tweak. A one prospect exemption per team, if that prospect hits certain milestones? Basically the “this guy is probably to good to be in juniors”... there should be something for the Reinharts, Couzens, Grigerankos of the world... other than the Austin Mathews approach of playing overseas... and I’m honestly not sure if that was a too good for juniors end around or just the path he took....
- Gr8daygo

It's a tough spot because the NHL doesn't want to decimate the CHL teams in some ways because you want all the guys to be able to develop and having high skilled players there forces the others to step up their game. So essentially it's a cycle.

If players aren't ever being challenged by players better than them, how do they become better?

But I do think the rule could be tweaked some. Like if a guy is picked in the top 10 or something He only needs to play 3 years max or something.

300 faceoffs isn't an insignificant number. I think his 52% would scale from that number. If we're talking about 25 faceoffs, sure. But if he's winning over 50% of his 300 draws, he can do that at 500 or 600
- jcragcrumple

Not saying it's insignificant at all. Just pointing out that he was not there to take the faceoffs for Jack.

Edit:
Also over his entire career he is 45.6%, and in 10 years his total faceoffs taken is around 400 less than Jack took last year.

I was thinking 2014 David Backes, to be honest.
- TheSabresTaco

Yeah, someone like that

Not sure if I have seen it before, but I wonder if a team would be inclined to encourage a draft pick (ie Cozens) to leave their team and go to college. I don't know if they would then be able to leave college and go to the AHL earlier than if they stayed in the CHL. May be a loophole for teams to consider.
- adambuffalo

They can't. Once they're playing in the CHL, they're not eligible for NCAA play.

Because the CHL includes players who have signed professional contracts, the NCAA considers it a professional league. Therefore, players who have played a game - even an exhibition game - in the CHL are deemed ineligible for NCAA competition.

Not saying it's insignificant at all. Just pointing out that he was not there to take the faceoffs for Jack.
- adambuffalo

Anecdotally - just from memory - it seems to me that most of those came on the left side in the offensive zone. I think he basically always took that faceoff for Eichel. On the right side, Eichel did it to try to win it back for the one timer or do the dipsy doodle forward move

sobotka has been good the last few games. there i said it.

Anecdotally - just from memory - it seems to me that most of those came on the left side in the offensive zone. I think he basically always took that faceoff for Eichel. On the right side, Eichel did it to try to win it back for the one timer or do the dipsy doodle forward move
- jcragcrumple

Will be curious to see the breakdown at the end of the year now that there are rules that allow the team which side the faceoff is on in certain situations.

Pick Your Faceoff Dot
Offensive teams will now be able to pick the faceoff dot for all draws that start a power play or that come after an icing, as well as in newly-added situations with a dislodged net or a shot frozen from over the red line.

Teams will be able to favor the handedness of their centerman, or create favorable positioning for the draw. Have a guy who’s got a great one-timer from the left circle? Now you can pick the right one every time.

Just to note, Chicago was able to send Dach down to the AHL for a 3 game 'conditioning' stint, then called him up to play this weekend. Not sure how that rule works but I thought when the Sabres tried that with Grigorenko, the league wouldn't allow it. Anyway, do the 3 AHL games count towards the 9 game tryout or does he still get 9 NHL games before they have to decide if they want to send him back?

Just to note, Chicago was able to send Dach down to the AHL for a 3 game 'conditioning' stint, then called him up to play this weekend. Not sure how that rule works but I thought when the Sabres tried that with Grigorenko, the league wouldn't allow it. Anyway, do the 3 AHL games count towards the 9 game tryout or does he still get 9 NHL games before they have to decide if they want to send him back?
- Chris16

If memory serves me correctly, Grigorenko didn't have an injury. In this case, Dach did. He was coming back from a concussion sustained during the prospect tournament they participated in. And no, the 3 games don't count. It has to be 9 NHL games.

Vegetarian hamburgers are bullpoop to begin with - if you're going to eat a burger eat a (frank)ing burger - but if you were going to dabble in the horsepoop, anyway, what made you think that A greasy fast food restaurant might possibly get a vegetarian burger right?
- Der Kaiser

I couldn't disagree more your first point, your second I agree with....fast food burgers are all garbage, why wold you expect them to cook/prepare a plant based burger well? Cheap, greasy and garbage ingredients. We've been doing Beyond burgers on the nights we crave a burger (1-2 a month) for a couple years now. Seasoned fresh on the grill with fresh toppings and it is a home run every time. Its not meant to be lower calorie/fat alternative, though they are cholesterol free, it's more to just have the experience of a burger and it's spot on. I could get into all the other facts and evidence which might lead to you to choose one over the other but if you're not already somewhat aware...

Just to note, Chicago was able to send Dach down to the AHL for a 3 game 'conditioning' stint, then called him up to play this weekend. Not sure how that rule works but I thought when the Sabres tried that with Grigorenko, the league wouldn't allow it. Anyway, do the 3 AHL games count towards the 9 game tryout or does he still get 9 NHL games before they have to decide if they want to send him back?
- Chris16

Bc Grigorenko wasn’t actually injured

If memory serves me correctly, Grigorenko didn't have an injury. In this case, Dach did. He was coming back from a concussion sustained during the prospect tournament they participated in. And no, the 3 games don't count. It has to be 9 NHL games.
- HonkFortheGoose

I thought Grigorenko had some type of rare blood disorder that prevented him from working hard.

If memory serves me correctly, Grigorenko didn't have an injury. In this case, Dach did. He was coming back from a concussion sustained during the prospect tournament they participated in. And no, the 3 games don't count. It has to be 9 NHL games.
- HonkFortheGoose

Was thinking the same

I thought Grigorenko had some type of rare blood disorder that prevented him from working hard.
- Chris16

Cody Hodgson

I couldn't disagree more your first point, your second I agree with....fast food burgers are all garbage, why wold you expect them to cook/prepare a plant based burger well? Cheap, greasy and garbage ingredients. We've been doing Beyond burgers on the nights we crave a burger (1-2 a month) for a couple years now. Seasoned fresh on the grill with fresh toppings and it is a home run every time. Its not meant to be lower calorie/fat alternative, though they are cholesterol free, it's more to just have the experience of a burger and it's spot on. I could get into all the other facts and evidence which might lead to you to choose one over the other but if you're not already somewhat aware...
- Bufsaints8

I believe the "impossible" burgers are actually not healthy all the stuff they have to add to it to make it :more like a burger" is just as un healthy. But keep i mind fast food meat no matter where isnt good for you regardless.

Go to Franks or somewhere that provides decent meat

Cody Hodgson
- adambuffalo

Crap I was only kidding but Hodgson did actually have something like that right? Ooops.

I believe the "impossible" burgers are actually not healthy all the stuff they have to add to it to make it :more like a burger" is just as un healthy. But keep i mind fast food meat no matter where isnt good for you regardless.

Go to Franks or somewhere that provides decent meat
- hubie

Still a lot of processed crap in them for sure

It's a tough spot because the NHL doesn't want to decimate the CHL teams in some ways because you want all the guys to be able to develop and having high skilled players there forces the others to step up their game. So essentially it's a cycle.

If players aren't ever being challenged by players better than them, how do they become better?

But I do think the rule could be tweaked some. Like if a guy is picked in the top 10 or something He only needs to play 3 years max or something.
- HonkFortheGoose

I can live with a rule that sends Cozens back this year. Not allowing him in the AHL next year is too much.

Obviously we all know the combined goaltending has been amazing. Interesting to look at the stats split:

Hutton: 5-0, 1.39, .953
Ullmark: 2-1-1, 3.18, .913

Ullmarks GAA is high, but he was also shelled with a lot of shots. .913 is right about at his career sv% (.910). He's playing like a serviceable backup. He could still develop, but at 26 its starting to look like he's just a decent NHL backup. 5/8 points is pretty good for a #2.

Hutton on the other hand is playing insane. I think if Ullmark can maintain his level of play, and Hutton can be somewhere close to the goalie he was in St Louis (obviously he can't keep up 953, but 918-922 or so might be very realistic), the sabres should be just fine in goal for the year.

It still leaves open what the long term plan is. Next year we will have a 35 year old Hutton and an unsigned Ullmark. It will be interesting to see how Ukka's rehab goes.

Obviously we all know the combined goaltending has been amazing. Interesting to look at the stats split:

Hutton: 5-0, 1.39, .953
Ullmark: 2-1-1, 3.18, .913

Ullmarks GAA is high, but he was also shelled with a lot of shots. .913 is right about at his career sv% (.910). He's playing like a serviceable backup. He could still develop, but at 26 its starting to look like he's just a decent NHL backup. 5/8 points is pretty good for a #2.

Hutton on the other hand is playing insane. I think if Ullmark can maintain his level of play, and Hutton can be somewhere close to the goalie he was in St Louis (obviously he can't keep up 953, but 918-922 or so might be very realistic), the sabres should be just fine in goal for the year.

It still leaves open what the long term plan is. Next year we will have a 35 year old Hutton and an unsigned Ullmark. It will be interesting to see how Ukka's rehab goes.
- matty12345

Give Ullmark another one year deal and reassess at the end of next year when both goalies would then be UFA’s.

Give Ullmark another one year deal and reassess at the end of next year when both goalies would then be UFA’s.
- Swedish_Jesus

What's your reasoning? You think Lukkonen needs one more year?

The 2020 free agent pool is pretty bare. Holtby would be the best name, and after that I can't even pick a guy.