Michael Pachla: Plenty of positives as the Sabres close out the preseason with a win

If it was cold enough later today, my entire yard could be an ice rink!!

Grant makes the opening night roster.

Grant makes the opening night roster.
- 50GinosIn07

he earned it

I thought Lehner played three Preseason games , 2 Shutouts , and last night's game in Ottawa.

Wouldn't that be 2 GA in 9 periods ?

If it was cold enough later today, my entire yard could be an ice rink!!
- stashu

is the house ok?

How could I forget to mention,

Mr. Pach and the superb writing he continues to provide us.

Thank You!

is the house ok?
- mhp

Yeah, thanks, we have a crawl space so no flooding, would need to come up a lot more for any issues. Last 2-3 hours the water levels have seemed steady so I don't think anything too drastic will happen.

Had to move my car from directly in front of my house to a slightly "higher" spot in my yard where I can still see grass.

The beach is gonna get crazy, it's not even high tide and most of the beaches are covered in water, 3 hours til high tide yet

I thought Lehner played three Preseason games , 2 Shutouts , and last night's game in Ottawa.

Wouldn't that be 2 GA in 9 periods ?
- MEBSabresFAN

he allowed 2 goals in the first game against Ottawa and two last night

and...

thx for the props

WERE going to be good this year.

What are the odds of risto signing before the season starts?

What are the odds of risto signing before the season starts?
- bigolbig

nice avatar...

they're saying all the right things but from what I've gathered it seems as if they're a million-plus apart on salary...they said on gr that the latest offer from buffalo was around $4.5m with risto looking at $6+...

not sure how it will all pan out

Nice article as usual. Looking forward to the season starting.

nice avatar...

they're saying all the right things but from what I've gathered it seems as if they're a million-plus apart on salary...they said on gr that the latest offer from buffalo was around $4.5m with risto looking at $6+...

not sure how it will all pan out
- Michael Pachla

This is the test for Murray. His reputation around the league is "profligate spender" for the targets he wants. Murray has quite a few wins on contracts for supporting roles, but Risto is definitely a target, and definitely a guy Murray HAS to get signed.
I think it gets done at 5.25-5.5 in the next short while.

This is the test for Murray. His reputation around the league is "profligate spender" for the targets he wants. Murray has quite a few wins on contracts for supporting roles, but Risto is definitely a target, and definitely a guy Murray HAS to get signed.
I think it gets done at 5.25-5.5 in the next short while.
- Der Kaiser

i'm pretty sure mark jakubowski is handling the negotiations...not 100% sure but he's been involved in that aspect for years....

as for risto's celery?...anything less than $6m, imo, is a real good deal for the sabres

Excellent write-up Pach. I can feel your positive vibes about the Sabres all the way out here in B.C.

As you point out, there are a lot of positives to build off of. Lehner looking rock solid is the best thing coming out of the pre-season. If he plays 60 games, we're in the playoffs. Grant's play has come out of nowhere. In 40 NHL games, he hasn't scored a goal. Hopefully he is the true definition of "late bloomer". Nelson has looked good and Ennis appears to have left his concussions behind him. Even Marcus Foligno had a nice one last night.

On the injury front, i am most concerned about Bogo and ROR. Pulled groins and back spasms are the types of nagging injuries that stay with a player all year. Kuli and Okposo will be in pain when they get back in but those types of injuries shouldn't be with them for long.

Overall, a positive close-out to the pre-season and a positive article on the team. Let's start the season!

i'm pretty sure mark jakubowski is handling the negotiations...not 100% sure but he's been involved in that aspect for years....

as for risto's celery?...anything less than $6m, imo, is a real good deal for the sabres
- Michael Pachla

$5.5 is the sweet spot to me.

This is the test for Murray. His reputation around the league is "profligate spender" for the targets he wants. Murray has quite a few wins on contracts for supporting roles, but Risto is definitely a target, and definitely a guy Murray HAS to get signed.
I think it gets done at 5.25-5.5 in the next short while.
- Der Kaiser

Signing a restricted free agent is "the test"??

This is a good post.

GMTM needs to get Risto signed...that, clearly is priority #1.
I see 4 at 5.65 each. ... Risto caves a bit on salary, Sabres cave on term.

So if Kane is on LW with Eichel and Reinhart .. Who fills the "#1" LW? ... Must be Ennis, but he didn't fare so well when that experiment was conducted last year.

Signing a restricted free agent is "the test"??
- sbroads24

At a team friendly rate, I would say yes. I think we would all agree that he over-paid on Moulson and Ennis's contracts but did well with McCabe, Foligno, Larsson and Girgs. Risto's contract is going to set the tone for Jack, Samson and Nylander's agents moving forward.

What I don't understand about Murray is he can pay Moulson 5, Gionta and Gorges 4 and not pay Risto.

I could see either of these scenarios:

Ennis, ROR, Okposo
Kane, Eichel, Reinhart
Moulson, Girgenson, Grant
Foligno, Larson, Gionta

Or

Grant, ROR, Okposo
Kane, Eichel, Reinhart
Moulson, Girgenson, Ennis
Foligno, Larson, Gionta

I see DeLo rotating in to whomever is slumping.

So I haven't been on much stupid hurricane crap.

So has Lehner looked good?

Kane Eichel and Reinhart line I like as long as it stays at the rink and those 3 do not go out together.

Grant has played well so it seems. How has Ennis looked?

ROR injured? Okposo?

If I had to guess these would be the lines:

Ennis ROR Okposo
Kane Eichel Reinhart
Moulson Girgensons Grant/Gionta
Foligno Larsson Gionta/Grant

Any news about Risto?

What I don't understand about Murray is he can pay Moulson 5, Gionta and Gorges 4 and not pay Risto.
- mhp

He can also trade 3rd round picks to talk to Vesey, 2nd for Josh Gorges, but won't trade one to take a chance on a 1st overall pick

He can also trade 3rd round picks to talk to Vesey, 2nd for Josh Gorges, but won't trade one to take a chance on a 1st overall pick
- sbroads24

I agree. But it appears that he and 28 other GM's wouldn't take that risk. Good on the Blues for making that trade. Low risk with a potential high reward. I wish he would have rolled the dice on Yak for what the Oilers ended up getting for him.