Buffalo Sabres & NHL 2020-2021

[May Day 10]

18 hours ago, Jrb1979 said:

I think they can get in at the number 4 spot. Pittsburgh isn't as good as they once were and the rest of the division doesn't look good at all. 

 

The Sabres looked like trash against the *two supposed worst teams in the division (excluding buffalo).

 

The Sabres have 2 real wins in their first 10 games.  That is indicative they aren't very good either.  Maybe they can improve and roll a bit... but all the recent body of work shows that this is just more of the same.  

[BillsFan4]

 

yikes. I hope he’s ok. He’s in his 60’s iirc.

[Jrb1979]

5 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

 

The Sabres looked like trash against the *two supposed worst teams in the division (excluding buffalo).

 

The Sabres have 2 real wins in their first 10 games.  That is indicative they aren't very good either.  Maybe they can improve and roll a bit... but all the recent body of work shows that this is just more of the same.  

I will excuse them for their play against New Jersey due to the Covid situation. I'm guessing after hearing about some Devil players going into Covid protocol and still having to play their heads weren't in it. 

 

I don't think it's more of the same. They have played well for the most part. I think Eichel is still dealing with an injury. What gets me is all most seem to do is just look at their record being 4-4-2 and equate that to them being the same team as last year. I look at is them being 1 point out of the last playoff spot with games in hand now and still plenty of games left. 

 

 

[Nextmanup]

17 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I will excuse them for their play against New Jersey due to the Covid situation. I'm guessing after hearing about some Devil players going into Covid protocol and still having to play their heads weren't in it. 

 

I don't think it's more of the same. They have played well for the most part. I think Eichel is still dealing with an injury. What gets me is all most seem to do is just look at their record being 4-4-2 and equate that to them being the same team as last year. I look at is them being 1 point out of the last playoff spot with games in hand now and still plenty of games left. 

 

 

They are chasing the 5th spot at best in our division this year, and are likely to miss it.

 

Only the top 4 teams will make the playoffs; there's the rub.

 

One 3 or 4 game losing streak and the season is over.

 

We won't be able to come back from that and catch the big 4 who will be getting their points steadily all year long.

 

Are we exactly the same team as last year?  No.

 

Are we substantively better or showing that we are clearly moving in the right direction?

 

No.

 

 

 

 

[Jrb1979]

8 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

They are chasing the 5th spot at best in our division this year, and are likely to miss it.

 

Only the top 4 teams will make the playoffs; there's the rub.

 

One 3 or 4 game losing streak and the season is over.

 

We won't be able to come back from that and catch the big 4 who will be getting their points steadily all year long.

 

Are we exactly the same team as last year?  No.

 

Are we substantively better or showing that we are clearly moving in the right direction?

 

No.

 

 

 

 

I don't think the Penguins or the Islanders are better then the Sabres at all. I think they will be fighting with them all season. That's if the season gets finished. 

 

The way they have handled the situation with the Devils has been awful. They should never have played this past weekend. 

[May Day 10]

47 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I will excuse them for their play against New Jersey due to the Covid situation. I'm guessing after hearing about some Devil players going into Covid protocol and still having to play their heads weren't in it. 

 

I don't think it's more of the same. They have played well for the most part. I think Eichel is still dealing with an injury. What gets me is all most seem to do is just look at their record being 4-4-2 and equate that to them being the same team as last year. I look at is them being 1 point out of the last playoff spot with games in hand now and still plenty of games left. 

 

 

 

So were the New Jersey players immune from covid concerns being packed into the same bench amidst an outbreak?  

 

The measure that gets me is 2 regulation wins in 10 games.  That is poor and symptomatic of what we have seen the past number of seasons.  Visually they were awful in the 4 games vs the Rangers and Devils.  Based on the first 10 games, I'm expecting the same movie.  We are likely to see a decent stretch of games at some point, but also a crater that buries the season and then some as the give up.

 

 

They arent far back (nobody is thanks to the terrible 2-2-1-1-0 points system that creates a false sense of closeness).  Its quite possible they go on a nice run of games and jump into playoff seedings, sure.  

[BillsFan4]

 

They are already the 4th team to have to put their season on pause due to covid (all have been American teams btw, no Canadian teams have had major covid outbreaks yet) and we are only 3 weeks into the season. 
 

I think some of this is on the NHL covid protocols and players not following the rules. But I also think some of it is just the nature of hockey in general.

IMO It’s just a higher risk sport vs. the NFL. 
 

Locker rooms are much smaller. They play indoors, on a rink enclosed with glass, with ventilation designed to keep+recirculate all that cold air inside the glass. 

At least the NHL is taking steps to try and correct some of the issues. They’re going to have to be proactive to keep the season going. 
 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/nhl-makes-four-changes-arena-covid-protocols/sn-amp/?__twitter_impression=true

‘NHL makes four changes to in-arena COVID protocols’
 

Seems like another easy thing to do would be to have every player put a full glass face shield on their helmets. It wouldn’t solve the issue but I don’t see how it could hurt.

 

edit- 5th team shut down:

More Sabres added to the list:

 

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by BillsFan4

[K-9]

43 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

So were the New Jersey players immune from covid concerns being packed into the same bench amidst an outbreak?  

 

The measure that gets me is 2 regulation wins in 10 games.  That is poor and symptomatic of what we have seen the past number of seasons.  Visually they were awful in the 4 games vs the Rangers and Devils.  Based on the first 10 games, I'm expecting the same movie.  We are likely to see a decent stretch of games at some point, but also a crater that buries the season and then some as the give up.

 

 

They arent far back (nobody is thanks to the terrible 2-2-1-1-0 points system that creates a false sense of closeness).  Its quite possible they go on a nice run of games and jump into playoff seedings, sure.  

Boston has just 3 regulation wins and Pittsburgh only has 1 so far this year in their 10 games played. There really isn’t all that much disparity in the number of regulation wins for most teams so far. 

[May Day 10]

16 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Boston has just 3 regulation wins and Pittsburgh only has 1 so far this year in their 10 games played. There really isn’t all that much disparity in the number of regulation wins for most teams so far. 

 

Typically, Buffalo hasn't been able to win a lot of games in regulation in recent years.  They still aren't going onto the ice and winning games. They havent for 5 years, and I have seen little to get me hopeful that will change this season.   

Pittsburgh and Boston, you would expect will get their fair share.  We will see though, everything could go in reverse too, its not out of the question.

 

Regulation wins are going to be key this year though as all games are within the Division.

[K-9]

14 minutes ago, May Day 10 said:

 

Typically, Buffalo hasn't been able to win a lot of games in regulation in recent years.  They still aren't going onto the ice and winning games. They havent for 5 years, and I have seen little to get me hopeful that will change this season.   

Pittsburgh and Boston, you would expect will get their fair share.  We will see though, everything could go in reverse too, its not out of the question.

 

Regulation wins are going to be key this year though as all games are within the Division.

I agree entirely that we haven’t been able to win many games in recent years, in regulation or otherwise. My only point is that aside from a handful of teams separating themselves from the pack, the number of regulation wins among teams is closer than we might suspect. And two teams ahead of us in the standings, the Penguins and Bruins, have one less and only one more, respectively, regulation wins with thru 10 games. 
 

Great point about regulation wins being key this year. Every game is divisional game, thus a four point game, and these three point games are gonna screw some teams before it’s over.

Edited February 4, 2021 by K-9

[Mike in Horseheads]

Larry Brooks, NY Post....   If you can point me to a more disastrous contract in the league than that of Jeff Skinner, who has one point (an assist) in 10 games this year and has recorded 24 points (14-10) in 69 games since the Sabres signed the winger to an eight-year extension worth an average annual value of $9 million per year, I am all ears.

[BillsFan4]

On 2/4/2021 at 1:36 PM, BillsFan4 said:

 

They are already the 4th team to have to put their season on pause due to covid (all have been American teams btw, no Canadian teams have had major covid outbreaks yet) and we are only 3 weeks into the season. 
 

I think some of this is on the NHL covid protocols and players not following the rules. But I also think some of it is just the nature of hockey in general.

IMO It’s just a higher risk sport vs. the NFL. 
 

Locker rooms are much smaller. They play indoors, on a rink enclosed with glass, with ventilation designed to keep+recirculate all that cold air inside the glass. 

At least the NHL is taking steps to try and correct some of the issues. They’re going to have to be proactive to keep the season going. 
 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/nhl-makes-four-changes-arena-covid-protocols/sn-amp/?__twitter_impression=true

‘NHL makes four changes to in-arena COVID protocols’
 

Seems like another easy thing to do would be to have every player put a full glass face shield on their helmets. It wouldn’t solve the issue but I don’t see how it could hurt.

 

edit- 5th team shut down:

More Sabres added to the list:

 

 

 

😡🤬
 

I don’t see how they can play on Thursday.

We only have 2 of our defenseman not on the covid list - Miller & Joker.

 

**** the NJ devils and **** the NHL. 
 

i just pray there are no long term heslth consequences for anyone. Speedy recoveries for all please!

edit - at least the next 2 games postponed.

 

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by BillsFan4

[Nextmanup]

It's going to be a while before we play another game, I think.

 

Wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't happen next week either.

 

[YoloinOhio]

On 1/23/2021 at 2:38 PM, BillsFan4 said:

 

It’s an interesting trade. Both players were unhappy and wanted out. Neither really got what they wanted...

 

PLD (reportedly) wanted to go to a big city. Winnipeg is like NHL’s Siberia.

But I read his dad coaches Winnipeg’s AHL team in Manitoba.

 

Laine (reportedly) wanted to play with a true #1 C and the blue jackets current best center is now Domi(? 😬). 
Supposedly he also wanted to go somewhere he could kind of be the guy and get steady top line minutes.

Laine is definitely the better goal scorer. He’s one of the best pure goal scorers in the NHL (IMO). 
PLD plays a bit better 2 way game (but still isn’t the greatest 2 way player). Laine doesn’t really play much defense from what I’ve seen in my limited viewings. 

So I think it all depends on how Tortorella and Laine mesh. I don’t exactly see Laine as a Tortorella type player but he made it work well with Panarin. 

 

It also depends on what happens with both guys contracts - if either team can get the player signed long term.

 

I think Columbus wins this trade if they can sign Laine and he meshes with Torts. Laine is the better overall player IMO (when he’s playing like he did his 1st two seasons) and Getting Roslovic for a 3rd should help their C depth (assuming he’s able to stick at center). 
If Torts uses Laine similar to Panarin it changes the whole dynamic of that Blue Jackets team. Panarin drove their whole offense. They haven’t really been the same since he left. I don’t know if Laine can drive the offense the same way, but we’ll see. he’s also been somewhat disappointing in recent seasons. And I’m not sure how he looks with CBJ’s current centers. PLD was their best center without a doubt. But CBJ needed an elite goal scorer.
 

PLD could be a nice fit for Winnipeg too, if he’s happy and willing to sign long term there. He was a beast in the playoffs.
They really have some envious depth at center now.

Laine already benched in his 4th game. Torts gonna Torts.

[BillsFan4]

3 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

Laine already benched in his 4th game. Torts gonna Torts.

I’m shocked. SHOCKED I tell you! 😂

[Greg S]

Flyers - Caps game for tonight is PPD as Philly now has virus issues. The Devils next 4 games are PPD and they won't be allowed back into the facility until Feb 16th. This NHL season is a mess.  The NBA seems to be doing a better job managing this. The NHL should look into what they are doing.

[K-9]

5 hours ago, Greg S said:

Flyers - Caps game for tonight is PPD as Philly now has virus issues. The Devils next 4 games are PPD and they won't be allowed back into the facility until Feb 16th. This NHL season is a mess.  The NBA seems to be doing a better job managing this. The NHL should look into what they are doing.

While the NHL needs to provide better testing and monitoring like the NBA, there is nothing they can do about the actual conditions they play in;  namely cold and enclosed playing surfaces. Just today there was an editorial in the BN citing an epidemiologist in Minnesota who has had concerns that the cold air that surrounds the ice surface can trap viral droplets. Teams are removing the glass behind their benches to provide additional ventilation as well.  
 

And yeah, this season is a mess and odds are that it won’t be completed before a serious interruption. 

[snafu]

9 minutes ago, K-9 said:

While the NHL needs to provide better testing and monitoring like the NBA, there is nothing they can do about the actual conditions they play in;  namely cold and enclosed playing surfaces. Just today there was an editorial in the BN citing an epidemiologist in Minnesota who has had concerns that the cold air that surrounds the ice surface can trap viral droplets. Teams are removing the glass behind their benches to provide additional ventilation as well.  
 

And yeah, this season is a mess and odds are that it won’t be completed before a serious interruption. 

 

Maybe they can replace the glass with chain link fencing, old school rink style.

 

[BillsFan4]

Edited February 10, 2021 by BillsFan4

[YoloinOhio]

On 2/9/2021 at 10:13 AM, BillsFan4 said:

I’m shocked. SHOCKED I tell you! 😂

I can’t even with the Cbus media ..