Jolt Country

On one hand, I feel like we just keep recycling for nostalgia.

On the other hand, I REALLY liked Lindy as a coach.

I think I welcome this move.

The Bruins knocked the Leafs out of the playoffs in a great game 7 last night.

As a Sabres fans, there was no way to come out ahead in this series. A team that we hate was going on no matter what.

I hate that I have to become a Panthers fan in the next round, but fuck the Bruins.

I'm pulling for Carolina in the East, and anyone but Vegas in the West.

I understand that we did not move up in the draft. Good for the Sharks though. Assuming the first selection which they now officially own is a difference maker - they deserve this. They earned it.

Correct. They EARNED this. By sucking. Slackin' for Macklin.

Congrats to the Florida Panthers. They were an extremely poor hockey team a few years ago, and then made changes to get to the Stanley Cup Finals last year, where they lost, and then won it this last season. They did it against .... what, probably the third best forward on a per-60 basis who has ever played during my lifetime? Gretzky, Lemieux, McDavid? Connor McDavid won the Conn Smythe trophy for playoff MVP on the losing team. I like that those that vote on such things in hockey still do that. Whoever makes similar calls in the NFL are so awful at it, they won't even consider giving their MVP award to a running back any longer.

Buffalo bought out LW Jeff Skinner, which I (so far) don't understand since the money hasn't exactly been used (yet) to get a difference maker. I think that Skinner has been blamed for a lot of problems the last few years because of his salary, which, Christ, he didn't hold a gun to anyone's heads. Hope the team uses the money on someone and it's not just pocketed by ownership. I realize it ain't easy to trade guys to Buffalo, but it shouldn't be this hard.

(But hey, if the money saved on Skinner IS simply pocketed by ownership, that isn't all bad. I honestly and truly would rather the team fold and cease to exist than Kim Peluga's lifestyle be in any way impacted. )

New season! Onward!

The Buffalo Sabres managed to not sign anyone to move the excitement needle during the first few days of free agency. They did, however, build a respectable 4th line, signing Beck Malenstyn, Sam Lafferty and Nicholas Aube-Kubel. They also signed Jason Zucker, a left winger for one of the top two lines, I think. Reddit sucks, but I can't be bothered to extract this video where Jason Zucker talks about his game:



We have been beaten down as Sabres fans, so a guy talking about how he gets loose pucks well is EXCITING. I had never heard of this guy before free agency and now I can't wait to see what he can do.

I like that Lindy knows he needed grit on the team, and I like that they have addressed the need. I think the team is headed in the right direction.

I dont like the Skinner buyout, because, as you said, that money was not used elsewhere. But I am also OK with that, because I dont want to buy out one overpriced free agent to acquire another one. There are some teams with cap problems though (Hello Washington!), so maybe he'll be making a late addition to the team.

I'm not sure I love the Matt Savoie trade. Kid TORE IT UP in juniors the last 2 years. He could be deadly at the NHL level. I have no problem getting McLeod in return (possibly fastest player in the league?). I just wish we could have traded another prospect or combo of prospects. Ah well. Life goes on.

On draft night, you'd never make a trade where Savoie, picked in the 9, 10,11 overall range (I forget exactly where) for a "third line center." So that is the part that hurts and sucks. On the other hand, went from having to sign Eric Stahl to play center on the second line, who is one of the worst players in a Sabres sweater, because there wasn't anyone ready to play center except Eichel, to having numerous centers in the pipeline. So that part is good. Savoie was "expendable." I guess I just wish Adams had gotten more.

But man, reading comments from Oiler fans on the internet is incredible. They are very, very entitled and spoiled. The NHL changed the rules before the draft where they got McDavid, on "merit" or I guess demerit, he would have been ours. So to see them shit talk Ryan McLeod for being scratched for a game in the finals, when Florida had pushed their shit and Edmonton was rightfully trying to mix things up is funny. We're just trying to make the playoffs over here. I hope we get to the point where we are scratching one of the fastest skaters in the NHL in the finals.

I really hope Ostlund and Rosen get a lot of NHL minutes this year. I hope they make the club at the same time and then form into a sort of merged single human abomination giving us a power play every time they/it are on the ice.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 8:08 am I really hope Ostlund and Rosen get a lot of NHL minutes this year. I hope they make the club at the same time and then form into a sort of merged single human abomination giving us a power play every time they/it are on the ice.

We didnt get to see enough of Ostlund in Rochester at the end of last season. Lots of potential, but need to see more.

I'm not sold on Rosen... He's a bit of a one-trick pony (a Kevyn Adams special!). He can score, but isn't much defensively, isn't physical, and I dont see a high compete level. I hope I'm wrong.

Jiri Kulich is the guy I really want to see get a chance. His scoring dipped a bit last year, but he became much more responsible defensively. I hope he can figure out how to balance the two, because his one-time could be deadly in the NHL.

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo ... r-contract

$4.75 million for 5 years. Don't get me wrong, I want to see players take Peluga's money, but from a pure salary cap point of view, if you don't like that deal for a 25 year old goalie, you won't like anything the Sabres ever do. Kevyn Adams has FIXED the goalie situation, which has been necessary since Ryan Miller left and Linus Ullmark went mentally insane or whatever his problem was.

I'm a LITTLE bit concerned about committing that much money to a player who has had 1/2 of a good season.

If he keeps progressing like he did last year, it will be a great deal for Buffalo.

If he regresses, they will be stuck with another bad contract that they'll need to buy out.

Lets hope its the former.

I really need this team to be good. My other two are genuinely awful, with the future looking worse and worse.

The Sabres suck, dropping two games to the Devils in Prague of all places.

Buying out Skinner was a mistake since the money was just pocketed. Great job, Terry. Great job, Kevyn.

(Sorry: "pocketed" is not the right word. They did not use the cap savings to get someone else in.)

I think Adams had plans to bring someone in... but there wasnt anyone available. I wouldn't be surprised if he went shopping later in the season.

But I am also demoralized. Game 1 was a mess. Game 2 was better... but 0-2, to start a season with so much promise. Ugh.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2024 8:53 pm https://www.twitter.com/BuffaloEats/sta ... 6380571885

I'm guessing that there will be a lot more people in the 300s eating those than in the 100s.

THANK YOU, GOOD NIGHT!

Buffalo looks a lot better in this game against the Panthers. They have overwhelmed the Panther's goalie across two periods.

I really hope they keep it up and take two points against them tonight. Everyone would have been OK if they - instead of winning this game - got a point against the Kings and in one of the NJ games and lost this one outright. Here's hoping.

Also, as soon as my dog came downstairs and into the office, the Sabres scored three goals. LUCK DOG??

Da King wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:27 pm

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2024 8:53 pm

I'm guessing that there will be a lot more people in the 300s eating those than in the 100s.

THANK YOU, GOOD NIGHT!

I am embarassed to say that it took me until right now to get this joke. I love it. Thank you.

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2024 5:59 pm Buffalo looks a lot better in this game against the Panthers. They have overwhelmed the Panther's goalie across two periods.

I really hope they keep it up and take two points against them tonight. Everyone would have been OK if they - instead of winning this game - got a point against the Kings and in one of the NJ games and lost this one outright. Here's hoping.

I trust Lindy not to let the wheels fall off.

Tough schedule drawing NJ for the first two games of the season. I can live with those losses (especially the 2nd, which was a good effort).

Losing to the Kings, who have not been home in like a month (they have been forced out of their rink due to renovations, which BTW, never happened, and have been road warriors), was unacceptable.

A win against the Panthers is VERY solid. Headed back in teh right direction.

Jesus sports is doing nothing for me

The Bills got Amari Cooper. That is a good thing!

The Yankees lost tonight. I'm sure that makes you happy. I am sad.

The Saints got embarrassed tonight. But they were down QB1, WR1, WR2, and TE1. I dont know if they could've beaten a Pop Warner team.

The Sabres lost. Again. The good news? They are scoring goals! The bad news? Not as many as their opponents.