The coyotes, flyers and blackhawks are top 10 in xga/60 at 5v5 this pre-season. Sabres are in the bottom 5, with the lightning and bruins.

The defense may very well be bad again this year, but the pre season is not an indicator of that.
- Michael Ghofrani

Preseason is mostly mismatches, but last night was a bad sign. They brought a reasonable squad. It's just a game, but one that looked a lot like last year.

Jeremy White's preseason pledge might be the wisest thing he ever came up with. The gap between that and the 2nd wisest is really, really wide though.
- buffalofan19

I actually didn't know that was a thing or that he said that.

Preseason is mostly mismatches, but last night was a bad sign. They brought a reasonable squad. It's just a game, but one that looked a lot like last year.
- Lunaion

If they had crushed columbus would it have changed your mind, probably not right? I guess in my mind id rather they look like this now and work it out ahead of the regular season.

Irbe could coach up the shooter tooter … UPL needs a coach….
- Gr8daygo

Hopefully they keep Craig Anderson in the fold in some capacity. It seems like he's been around at least a little bit during training camp. He knows puck

If they had crushed columbus would it have changed your mind, probably not right? I guess in my mind id rather they look like this now and work it out ahead of the regular season.
- Michael Ghofrani

It's just a preseason game, I'm not trying to blow it out of proportion.

Point from the start was, have they fundamentally changed anything?

It's just a preseason game, I'm not trying to blow it out of proportion.

Point from the start was, have they fundamentally changed anything?
- Lunaion

It seems like they're going to a collapse system vs an active zone in the defensive end. I'd want to watch the game Friday before swearing to that tho

It's just a preseason game, I'm not trying to blow it out of proportion.

Point from the start was, have they fundamentally changed anything?
- Lunaion

That I've noticed, no. But I'm not paying attention all that carefully so there's that.

The one thing I noticed is using the bumper a bit higher up the slot as a way to break down the PK.

I hope it works/they stick to it.

Hopefully they keep Craig Anderson in the fold in some capacity. It seems like he's been around at least a little bit during training camp. He knows puck
- Hank Balling

So the goalie that couldn’t help UPL last year as a player, is going to help UPL as a coach?

Anderson seems like a good dude, love the vibes being around, but I didn’t see any growth in UPLs game last year and his weakness are carrying into preseason.

Is it coaching? Is it UPL still isn’t confident after surgery? Does he need more time until the switch flips? Or is he simply not good enough and will always play like the littlest big goalie out there?

@ByMHarrington
·
14m
Changes for #Sabres are departures of Murray-Kulich-Rosen.
--
Skinner-Thompson-Benson
Peterka-Cozens-Olofsson
Greenway-Mittelstadt-Tuch
Girgensons-Krebs-Okposo
Rousek-Jost-Biro
---
Dahlin-Clifton
Power-Jokiharju
Samuelsson-E.Johnson
Stillman-Clague
R.Johnson-Bryson
---
3 goalies
- Lunaion

How do u think Tuch feels being on the third line??

How do u think Tuch feels being on the third line??
- Da_Cashman

He's just happy to be here, hopes he can help the ball club.

How do u think Tuch feels being on the third line??
- Da_Cashman

Yeah, think it's getting overthunk. That's our best forward by far, needs maximum time which is typically line 1. I get spreading it out, but you are competing against other teams with full NHL rosters. Next year.....

What about UPL + Savoie ~> Stamkos

Benson has really impressed and Savoie is kinda similar to him but maybe not as good… and most of our talented youngsters are of the same build and skill set.

Stamkos- I could see him coming here bc it’s close enough to Toronto without being Toronto. Skinner wants all his sisters to come watch him and that is probably why he signed here (other than the over payment and Lowe expectations + never have to waste summer golf season playing hockey)

I think that we just have too many guys that are duplicate of each other and some moves need to be made.

What about UPL + Savoie ~> Stamkos

Benson has really impressed and Savoie is kinda similar to him but maybe not as good… and most of our talented youngsters are of the same build and skill set.

Stamkos- I could see him coming here bc it’s close enough to Toronto without being Toronto. Skinner wants all his sisters to come watch him and that is probably why he signed here (other than the over payment and Lowe expectations + never have to waste summer golf season playing hockey)

I think that we just have too many guys that are duplicate of each other and some moves need to be made.
- Da_Cashman

Too many injuries and old and slowing down

No thanks. That would be a move the leafs do and it flops

They tried, it was denied.
- Lunaion

Tried to find where it was said the request was denied for Savoie to get an exemption to play in the AHL again last night and could not.

Too many injuries and old and slowing down

No thanks. That would be a move the leafs do and it flops
- Sabretooth9

He went for 30 and 50 last season, and his salary this season is a grand total of $1M.

Cozens should go on strike.
- Lunaion

Amen to that.

How the (frank) is it a good idea to pay Cozens and giant new deal as a core of the team, only to staple the worst forward overall on the team to his line, and plan on giving his line the lowest 5v5 minutes?

That's a ridiculous plan.

I wonder had Savoie not gotten hurt, if he would be riding with Peterka and Cozens right now.

Olofsson is clearly in the lineup for what he can do on special teams, have to think that forward line would get the least even strength time on ice this year like the kid line got last season.

Means that the Mits and Larry line get the matchup minutes, and the Tage line gets predominantly o-zone starts.

Makes sense in theory
- Swedish_Jesus

Paying Cozens like he's of critical importance, then plan on playing his line the least minutes 5v5 due to assigning a black hole forward to his wing makes sense, in theory?

Also true.

Also didn't really happen. Joker is still in the top-4 and Cliffy hockey has never been in this role. EJ and Sammy are an upgrade over Bryson and Lyubushkin on pair 3 so we have that going for us, which is nice
- Hank Balling

They are stapling Jokiharju to Power to start the season.

Prediction on how long that lasts?

He could be another Mitts that needs top 6 minutes/line mates away from reaching his potential. $2.4 for 2 more years and still an RFA at the end.

JJ Cozens Laff would be interesting while Quinn takes the season off to heal
- washedup20

Headline yesterday: Lafreniere unfathomably bad so far in preseason.

He's soft like pudding or jello.

https://nypost.com/2023/1...-after-unfathomable-camp/

Headline yesterday: Lafreniere unfathomably bad so far in preseason.

He's soft like pudding or jello.

https://nypost.com/2023/1...-after-unfathomable-camp/
- kingcong39

Yeah, he is dying in Ny. The idea was to buy low and see if he could reach his potential playing under the prospect whisperer.

Savoie has multiple injuries and is a year away from even competing in the nhl, to me a swap like this would be interesting.

If you could get him for less than obviously do so. If only he played NTDP….

He went for 30 and 50 last season, and his salary this season is a grand total of $1M.
- kingcong39

Stamkos isn’t as good as Kane….and Kane should be buried 6ft under because he had hip surgery.

What about UPL + Savoie ~> Stamkos

Benson has really impressed and Savoie is kinda similar to him but maybe not as good… and most of our talented youngsters are of the same build and skill set.

Stamkos- I could see him coming here bc it’s close enough to Toronto without being Toronto. Skinner wants all his sisters to come watch him and that is probably why he signed here (other than the over payment and Lowe expectations + never have to waste summer golf season playing hockey)

I think that we just have too many guys that are duplicate of each other and some moves need to be made.
- Da_Cashman

Disagree on this specific point.
Can never, never have too many guys who play a 200' game aggressively and hound dog the puck back from the opponent. Go get 14 of them!

I would trade for Stamkos, but not the top 3 young guys.

Disagree on this specific point.
Can never, never have too many guys who play a 200' game aggressively and hound dog the puck back from the opponent. Go get 14 of them!

I would trade for Stamkos, but not the top 3 young guys.
- IonSabres

Maybe Stamkos could show them how to Buy into the System with his leadership. Doesn't seem like the other leadership we have is doing it.

Disagree on this specific point.
Can never, never have too many guys who play a 200' game aggressively and hound dog the puck back from the opponent. Go get 14 of them!

I would trade for Stamkos, but not the top 3 young guys.
- IonSabres

Other than Benson, which prospect has shown this?

Too many injuries and old and slowing down

No thanks. That would be a move the leafs do and it flops
- Sabretooth9

Disagree.
Guy is their Captain and led the team to 3 straight SC's.
Before that, he was instrumental in leading the team to become very defensively sound, rather than play wide open and "cheat" the play by neglecting their defensive responsibilities (sound familiar?). That buy in by the team resulted in 2 SC's and a 3rd straight SC appearance.
He is a 1 PPG player in over 1,000 games, and played in 81 games last season at the same 1 PPG pace. Can you tell us how exactly he is slowing down? He did overcome a significant injury, perhaps that is what you are thinking when looking at the stats?