Buffalo Sabres and NHL 2021-2022

[BillsFan4]

Aw man, what a terrible time for a penalty. 2:58 left, down by a goal. 
 

Bummer. Well, win or lose at least they made it an exciting game. 
 

edit - are you kidding. Another penalty against Buffalo. I think that pretty much seals it. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by BillsFan4

[Beerball]

On 4/2/2022 at 3:58 PM, That's No Moon said:

I've watched them play a couple times this month. I'm not going to argue that it isn't better. It is. It needs to continue. You don't wipe away a decade of garbage with 3 weeks of tolerable hockey.

Levi is going back to school so he is 2023 at the soonest, more likely 2024.

Man you're a sour puss. Did Ted Nolan hit on your mom?

[That's No Moon]

5 hours ago, Beerball said:

Man you're a sour puss. Did Ted Nolan hit on your mom?

I think it would be more insulting if he DIDN'T hit on your mom.

 

FWIW, they got outworked, outshot, and outchanced by a team who played 4 times in 6 days. They also gave up 5 goals again.  Was it nice that they scored on two power plays to make it closer in the 3rd? Sure. Does it change that they got worked for the vast majority of that game? Nope.

 

It's easy to blame the goaltending but the defense in general continues to give up far far too many grade A chances.

 

Let's see how they respond.  In previous years they'd respond to the end of a long run of good by going on a corresponding or longer run of losing.  They were 6-1-3 in their last 10 coming into today.  In the next 10 they have 6 in a row against good teams and then 4 against mediocre to bad teams. Let's see what they do. 

 

In my eye .500 would be a benchmark.  Can they be .500 over that stretch against the schedule they have.  Being .500 just means beating Philly twice, the Islanders, the Devils and then just one of the Leafs, Panthers, Lightning, Blues, or Hurricanes x2.  That's not a crazy bar to cross if they've turned a corner.  Of course, it's also not that long since they lost 6 straight to Ottawa, Colorado, Montreal, St. Louis, Columbus, and Dallas which isn't exactly murderer's row.  More important than .500 over the whole 10 game stretch tbh would be not losing 7 in a row including today because each of the next 6 games is against someone much better than them, several are on the road and in places they have not done well historically.  Go 3-3 over THOSE games.

 

I'm to the point with them where TELLING me they are better doesn't do anything for me.  I'm in show me status.  You want me to believe you aren't the same old crap team then you need to show me you aren't and that takes more than what they've just done, for a much longer time. They were 7-1-3 over 11 games before today.  Outstanding.  They were 3-8 in the 11 before that.  Not outstanding.

 

I get it, you desperately want them to be better.  That's fine. You do that.  They are somewhat better.  I will once again acknowledge that.  It is difficult to be worse than what they were. However, to declare them, "On the right track" with the gaping holes they still have on the roster and the lack of near term fixes for the largest of those holes makes it difficult to buy in.  Luukkonen is going to be the goalie next year, they intentionally structured it that way, and if he doesn't pan out there isn't anyone else until at least 2023.  They've already said they want Anderson back. OK fine, he can back up.  Even if Portillo and Levi BOTH sign (which isn't likely IMO) neither one of them is going to play in Buffalo next year short of prime Hasek like performance in Rochester.  They haven't rushed any of their prospects recently (which is a GOOD thing) why would you expect them to start doing it now with Portillo and/or Levi?  The defense is atrocious apart from the goaltending and is more than a rookie Owen Power away from being acceptable.

Edited April 4, 2022 by That's No Moon

[4merper4mer]

8 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

I think it would be more insulting if he DIDN'T hit on your mom.

 

FWIW, they got outworked, outshot, and outchanced by a team who played 4 times in 6 days. They also gave up 5 goals again.  Was it nice that they scored on two power plays to make it closer in the 3rd? Sure. Does it change that they got worked for the vast majority of that game? Nope.

 

It's easy to blame the goaltending but the defense in general continues to give up far far too many grade A chances.

 

Let's see how they respond.  In previous years they'd respond to the end of a long run of good by going on a corresponding or longer run of losing.  They were 6-1-3 in their last 10 coming into today.  In the next 10 they have 6 in a row against good teams and then 4 against mediocre to bad teams. Let's see what they do. 

 

In my eye .500 would be a benchmark.  Can they be .500 over that stretch against the schedule they have.  Being .500 just means beating Philly twice, the Islanders, the Devils and then just one of the Leafs, Panthers, Lightning, Blues, or Hurricanes x2.  That's not a crazy bar to cross if they've turned a corner.  Of course, it's also not that long since they lost 6 straight to Ottawa, Colorado, Montreal, St. Louis, Columbus, and Dallas which isn't exactly murderer's row.  More important than .500 over the whole 10 game stretch tbh would be not losing 7 in a row including today because each of the next 6 games is against someone much better than them, several are on the road and in places they have not done well historically.  Go 3-3 over THOSE games.

 

I'm to the point with them where TELLING me they are better doesn't do anything for me.  I'm in show me status.  You want me to believe you aren't the same old crap team then you need to show me you aren't and that takes more than what they've just done, for a much longer time. They were 7-1-3 over 11 games before today.  Outstanding.  They were 3-8 in the 11 before that.  Not outstanding.

 

I get it, you desperately want them to be better.  That's fine. You do that.  They are somewhat better.  I will once again acknowledge that.  It is difficult to be worse than what they were. However, to declare them, "On the right track" with the gaping holes they still have on the roster and the lack of near term fixes for the largest of those holes makes it difficult to buy in.  Luukkonen is going to be the goalie next year, they intentionally structured it that way, and if he doesn't pan out there isn't anyone else until at least 2023.  They've already said they want Anderson back. OK fine, he can back up.  Even if Portillo and Levi BOTH sign (which isn't likely IMO) neither one of them is going to play in Buffalo next year short of prime Hasek like performance in Rochester.  They haven't rushed any of their prospects recently (which is a GOOD thing) why would you expect them to start doing it now with Portillo and/or Levi?  The defense is atrocious apart from the goaltending and is more than a rookie Owen Power away from being acceptable.

Were your expectations going in to 21/22 that the team would be a finished product by 22/23.?  Because your whining seems to indicate just that.  
 

If you can’t see the development taking place right in front of you this year I don’t know what to say.  Is Tage better?  Cozens?  Dahlin?  Are Tuch and Krebs viable?  Has team camaraderie improved?  Is their body language improved?  Are the games more fun to watch?  All of the above indicate that they are indeed on the right track but sure…… losing a game to Florida proves your point I guess.

 

If you were to say “there is a lot of track left and they have to stay on the right one”……sure.  But to deny that they look different or to imply that things have moved forward is silly.  
 

[That's No Moon]

15 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Were your expectations going in to 21/22 that the team would be a finished product by 22/23.?  Because your whining seems to indicate just that.  
 

If you can’t see the development taking place right in front of you this year I don’t know what to say.  Is Tage better?  Cozens?  Dahlin?  Are Tuch and Krebs viable?  Has team camaraderie improved?  Is their body language improved?  Are the games more fun to watch?  All of the above indicate that they are indeed on the right track but sure…… losing a game to Florida proves your point I guess.

 

If you were to say “there is a lot of track left and they have to stay on the right one”……sure.  But to deny that they look different or to imply that things have moved forward is silly.  
 

FFS how many actual times do I have to say that they are better. I think I've said it every single post.

 

 

[4merper4mer]

2 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

FFS how many actual times do I have to say that they are better. I think I've said it every single post.

 

 

You’re excoriating people for using the phrase “on the right track”.  What is the point of that?

[That's No Moon]

7 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

You’re excoriating people for using the phrase “on the right track”.  What is the point of that?

Who have I excoriated? I don't think that word means what you think it means. 

 

Let's try it this way and see if it helps you all. Was Bylsma's team that finished with 81 points, ended the season something like 8-3-2, had a ridiculously good power play, Eichel, Reinhart O'Reilly, Ristolainen, two young goalies who looked promising, and had improved nearly 30 points from the year before "on the right track"? At the time I bet you'd have argued yes. Turns out no.

 

Does this current team look better than it has in several years? Yes it does. Is it too soon to declare them "on the right track". Yes it is.

[4merper4mer]

1 hour ago, That's No Moon said:

Who have I excoriated? I don't think that word means what you think it means. 

 

Let's try it this way and see if it helps you all. Was Bylsma's team that finished with 81 points, ended the season something like 8-3-2, had a ridiculously good power play, Eichel, Reinhart O'Reilly, Ristolainen, two young goalies who looked promising, and had improved nearly 30 points from the year before "on the right track"? At the time I bet you'd have argued yes. Turns out no.

 

Does this current team look better than it has in several years? Yes it does. Is it too soon to declare them "on the right track". Yes it is.

The team is on the right track.  That phrase doesn’t mean what you think it means.

 

Is there a guarantee that this or any team will stay on the right track?  No.  

[T&C]

Behind a paywall but this is what I have:

 

BUFFALONEWS.COM
Record-setting goalie prospect Devon Levi informs Sabres he's returning to school
Devon Levi, a record-setting sophomore goaltender at Northeastern University, informed the Buffalo Sabres on Monday that he is returning to school for his junior season, sources told The Buffalo News.

[4merper4mer]

5 hours ago, T&C said:

Behind a paywall but this is what I have:

 

BUFFALONEWS.COM
Record-setting goalie prospect Devon Levi informs Sabres he's returning to school
Devon Levi, a record-setting sophomore goaltender at Northeastern University, informed the Buffalo Sabres on Monday that he is returning to school for his junior season, sources told The Buffalo News.

Does that mean they have lost him?

[K-9]

12 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Does that mean they have lost him?

No. They hold his rights until summer of 2024. They own Portillo’s until summer of 2023. 

[BillsFan4]

11 hours ago, T&C said:

Behind a paywall but this is what I have:

 

BUFFALONEWS.COM
Record-setting goalie prospect Devon Levi informs Sabres he's returning to school
Devon Levi, a record-setting sophomore goaltender at Northeastern University, informed the Buffalo Sabres on Monday that he is returning to school for his junior season, sources told The Buffalo News.

Well that sucks.

 

If I were Adams, I’d be trying my best to find out if actually he’s willing to sign here at all. If not, I think they obviously need to trade him sooner rather than later.
 

I still want to see the Sabres try to sign him next offseason if he’s interested in signing here though. They’d still have all of next season to trade him.

 

I hate this stupid college free agent rule. IMO if they choose not to sign with the team that holds their rights, they should have to re-enter the draft. They shouldn’t get to turn UFA. They haven’t earned that right IMO. NHL players have to put in 7 seasons before they get UFA rights.

[PetermansRedemption]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

Well that sucks.

 

If I were Adams, I’d be trying my best to find out if actually he’s willing to sign here at all. If not, I think they obviously need to trade him sooner rather than later.
 

I still want to see the Sabres try to sign him next offseason if he’s interested in signing here though. They’d still have all of next season to trade him.

 

I hate this stupid college free agent rule. IMO if they choose not to sign with the team that holds their rights, they should have to re-enter the draft. They shouldn’t get to turn UFA. They haven’t earned that right IMO. NHL players have to put in 7 seasons before they get UFA rights.

I don’t even think they should get that choice. Want to play in the league? Sign with the team that drafted you or get them to trade you. Otherwise, have fun playing overseas. 

[BillsFan4]

Now they need to make sure they get Portillo signed.

Its actually more important they get him signed this offseason than Levi anyway. Portillo can choose to turn UFA after next season (if he leaves college). 
 

It would actually be for the best if they can get Portillo signed this year and Levi next year. Signing both this offseason would have made it difficult to get both playing time in Rochester. One maybe would’ve had to go to the ECHL.

 

It could still be complicated next year too. But that would be a good problem to have.

[T&C]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

Well that sucks.

 

If I were Adams, I’d be trying my best to find out if actually he’s willing to sign here at all. If not, I think they obviously need to trade him sooner rather than later.
 

I still want to see the Sabres try to sign him next offseason if he’s interested in signing here though. They’d still have all of next season to trade him.

 

I hate this stupid college free agent rule. IMO if they choose not to sign with the team that holds their rights, they should have to re-enter the draft. They shouldn’t get to turn UFA. They haven’t earned that right IMO. NHL players have to put in 7 seasons before they get UFA rights.

1,000% agree that this whole setup is stupid. Still, I can't fault someone for furthering their education, its not really his fault, its the system in place.

[Doc]

Portillo will sign when his season is done.  Especially now that he knows Levi will (foolishly, but hey, it's his choice) return to school.

[K-9]

 

[That's No Moon]

1 hour ago, BillsFan4 said:

It could still be complicated next year too. But that would be a good problem to have.

It's complicated if Luukkonen plays well in Buffalo and Portillo also plays well in Rochester. As you said, a good problem.

 

It's also slightly complicated if they both stink next year.

[BillsFan4]

17 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

It's complicated if Luukkonen plays well in Buffalo and Portillo also plays well in Rochester. As you said, a good problem.

 

It's also slightly complicated if they both stink next year.

I mean, if Luukkonen plays well enough in Buffalo to hold down a starting role, and Portillo plays so well in Rochester that he earns a chance to compete for the backup role in Buffalo, that would at least open a spot for Levi in Rochester. It might make things more complicated in the future though.

 

But I don’t really see Portillo being ready for Buffalo after 1 season in Rochester.

Nor do I see Levi being ready to go right from college to the NHL (in a backup role).

 

So I think most likely you just Let Portillo and Levi battle for the starting role in Rochester and whoever loses can be the back up or go to Cincinnati (ECHL) to start.

 

[That's No Moon]

2 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

I mean, if Luukkonen plays well enough in Buffalo to hold down a starting role, and Portillo plays so well in Rochester that he earns a chance to compete for the backup role in Buffalo, that would at least open a spot for Levi in Rochester. It might make things more complicated in the future though.

 

But I don’t really see Portillo being ready for Buffalo after 1 season in Rochester.

Nor do I see Levi being ready to go right from college to the NHL (in a backup role).

 

So I think most likely you just Let Portillo and Levi battle for the starting role in Rochester and whoever loses can be the back up or go to Cincinnati (ECHL) to start.

 

Agree with all of this