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Ep. 50 - Sabres Free Agency and Episode 50 Jamboree
32 Plays1 year ago
Join the boys as we celebrate our 50th episode! We quickly recap the Sabres free agency signings and then we dig in to the McLeod trade that dropped this week. At the end of the episode, we do some reflecting and play a silly little game to celebrate our 50th crack! Thanks for listening!
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Transcript
Milestone Episode and Introduction
00:00:10
Speaker
You're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo Podcast, your new favorite podcast for everything, bills and sabers.
00:00:24
Speaker
What's going on, everybody? You're listening to the Let's Go Buffalo podcast, your favorite podcast for all things bills and sabers with the pals Nigel, Tom and Jake. We're down one Nigel tonight, but Tom and I are holding down the fort. So we got episode number five, zero coming at ya. The half century mark. Before we get into it, quick reminder to everybody, follow our social media accounts. They're all at Let's Go Buff Pod with two Fs, B-U-F-F. Check us out, we're on Instagram, X and YouTube. let's Let's say, hey, Tom, how are you doing today, pal?
00:01:01
Speaker
Buddy, I'm great, dude. How are you? I'm good. Yeah, awesome, dude. It's been the fourth rows of summer. um The heat is on. The humidity is thick.
Summer Activities and Personal Stories
00:01:10
Speaker
um But we're doing fun things. We're taking my little wee baby child to music classes. And we're getting out of the house. ah We're grilling. We're doing all like though the fun like summer things, dude. It's it's on. It's the name of the game. Dude, I saw you went for a run today in the 95 degree humidity and everything. Yeah, i're you're a psycho. I melted. Yes, I absolutely fucking yeah should not. That was a terrible decision. I did it, though. And we survived. You're an insane person, dude. Dude, I went for a walk today and I thought I almost drowned in my own sweat. It was his rough. There is some something to say of like, maybe we should go move to Greenland, you know, like. Yeah, some some cold weather Winnipeg in the January isn't sounding too bad right now. No, no, it is not. One second. My podcast, my ah podcast host co-host here is wanting out. so I'm let the poor dog out. Usually she sits back here. I don't know if anybody ever sees her the Easter egg. She's usually sitting right back up here nice and calm and she does. She's a little worked up about something. So I'm gonna let her out. I'll be right back.
00:02:11
Speaker
Let her out, dude. Let her out. Yeah. So we got 50th episode coming at you today and we are excited to be here. We have a little bit of fun going on later in the episode where we'll throw around some some historical 50 plus year history, perhaps. And we have a little little mad lib surprise at the end. So we'll see what we can get into trouble
Beverage Choices and Episode Teasers
00:02:30
Speaker
there. But I'm really excited for that. Well, for now, Tom, with this fucking weather, we need to get a little a little thirst quencher going. Please, please, please, please. And I'm ready or you if you are. Three, two, one. You go first. What are you drinking this evening? I got a little ah harpoon double IPA, which I think you bought for me last time. a year you will You're welcome. Cheers, pal. Cheers. it's I hope you enjoy it. It's a it's a hefty one. What's that eight, eight, eight and a half. yeah Eight point one. That's up there. Nice.
00:03:03
Speaker
I have a, did you ever have a lava lamp when you were younger? Hell yeah. Yes. There's one up there on top of my shelf up there. Oh, fuck. You're right. You're right. Nice. Well, I have the guava lamp, the guava, the guava lamp. Hell yeah. I can't brewery next door to me. Union street brewing.
Sabres' Roster Changes and Impacts
00:03:20
Speaker
It's a, it's a sour ale and it's, it is sour. What is it about sours? like So good. I don't love it when they're like citric acid, just sprinkle on your tongue, type sour. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yes, yes. or Or if I do, you know, that's like maybe a sip or two, but this one's nice. it's ah its I like guava as a flavor and it's got that nice subtle sourness to kind of balance it out. It's like you're drinking the fruit itself.
00:03:45
Speaker
Yeah, man, so good. So you don't want it to be like the giant bat that Batman villains fall into? No, no. and um i'm I'm all set on that one. fell That's good. Nice, dude. i'll Cheers, buddy. Cheers. Here's the big five. Oh, happy anniversary. You know, hey, look at us. Tom, I always thought I'd be celebrating an anniversary with you way way back. It was about time. and sp yeah Long time coming. So in this segment, you're going to go over what you got me as an anniversary gift. I hope you're ready. Oh, I don't i hope you're ready.
00:04:17
Speaker
ah He didn't get me anything, folks. no There's fucking nothing. No. gotta ah This pencil for which I'm going to take note. mr Mr. Scrooge didn't get didn't get Tiny Tim a gift this year. Yeah, maybe at 100. We'll see. Let's see. All right, bro. Let's let's get into it. So so Nigel and I met up last week and had a little live podcast. And I realized today that we didn't actually post it. the Did we not? It just went live? Oh, why? It just went live. So important you'll have to believe us that this is truly episode 50. But anyways, so Nigel and I talked a little bit about free agency for the savers. So I wanted to give just a quick little recap, and then go into the trade that happened since then. We haven't had a chance to discuss it yet. we' We're all out of town this weekend. So
00:05:04
Speaker
I say we get into it. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. So what's happened? Give us kind of the overview here of the Sabre's move so far. Yeah. And Tom, you weren't able to join us when we dove into it. So if you have questions or want any more info, you let me know. Absolutely. Yeah, I got it cooking. I got it. For the people. For the people. So to remind everybody and just kind of recap what happened with the free agency signings. Buffalo went out and signed a handful of players, which ah they did not do last year. Last year, they kind of took the stand-pat approach. They signed two defensemen. ah This year, they re-signed Jacob Bryson to a deal. So there's some depth D. They signed Dennis Gilbert to a one-way deal, ah probably plays in Buffalo as ah as an extra defenseman. They signed Sam Lafferty at center. They signed Jason Zucker for one of the wings. They signed Nicholas Abe Cubel from Washington. to play one of the wings or to be a 13th forward type of guy. They signed James Reimer, a goalie, older goalie. I assume if Levi is not ready for the big time, then Reimer's up, but
Strategic Depth in Sabres' Lineup
00:06:10
Speaker
I hope we don't see a single game of him this year. And then finally, not really a signing, but they re-upped Henry Okiharu and we'll get into him a little bit later. He re-signed recently. But
00:06:21
Speaker
So and disclaimer, I read off only the one way contracts. I didn't get into the two way contracts. But to summarize, they signed a good amount of depth defense, which is great. You you cannot have enough depth defense in this league. They're gonna use eight, nine defensemen again this year. um And then finally added a bunch of forwards to the core as well as a goalie So they restocked the goalie depth restocked the bottom six of the lineup is the biggest move to me And then got some goalie depth excuse me defenseman depth to go on top of that
00:06:55
Speaker
Yeah. Nice. Yeah. what what What are you feeling? How are you feel? i'm good that I mean, so it's, it's nice that they made moves. Does so just as in hockey terms, is this so, cause the way I'm kind of looking at this, this Sabers roster is a whole bunch of, wow. We've, we've been trying for multiple years. Over and over again. If it doesn't work, you got to do something different. Does it feel like they're trying something different or are they just doing more of the same with just new names? Good question. No, it does. It does feel like they're doing something different. To me, I think they they took the wrong approach last year by Standing Path. They really didn't bring in anybody impactful. um I think they were hoping for more from Connor Clifton and from Eric Johnson, but that just didn't materialize.
00:07:40
Speaker
so ah Yes, they're doing something differently. they're they're One, changing the head coach will change the way that they play. And I i think Lindy Ruff had a big say in who was brought in yeah and the type of player that was brought in. You would hope so. We'll see how that materializes. um We've talked about him before. like He's an older coach, and he's been around the game for a while. And he had a reputation, not recently, but he had a reputation of being a more defensive minded guy. so you know I think he can coach a very fast and speedy, ah more possession type game. um But we'll have to see how it materializes. So in summary, yes, they're trying a different approach than they did last year. It's a needed approach. um
00:08:28
Speaker
yep ah Look, as as far as the offseason goes, like they've kind of set out to do what they were hoping to do. um Kevin Adams said before the draft even, like the goal was to add a top six forward to restock and reevaluate how the bottom six of the lineup plays and to add defensive depth. So yeah, I mean, I think they did that to a tee. Like I said, we'll we'll have to see where the defense core actually ends up. They're running back the same top six. um
00:09:05
Speaker
So we'll see. I've lost Tom, but we're gonna we're gonna plow ahead. um So one one of the signings that I think is interesting is Jason Zucker. He came over from, I think he played in Nashville. Tom, you're back. oh So we we moved on. I was talking about some of the forwards. So I think i think some of the forwards they brought over are interesting. the The big thing for me is they haven't been able to grab a top six forward. Right. Well, it's not too late. They can still do that. And I think if if that domino falls, the offseason looks a lot better. Like that's the big keystone piece that kind of yeah I think a lot of us were expecting.
00:09:48
Speaker
um
00:09:51
Speaker
if If that falls into place, then I think the other free agency moves will be looked at very favorably. And I think they should be. The draft also, I think they drafted pretty well. I think they picked up good players. I think they added to their pipeline in meaningful ways. So like I said, it's it's it's good moves. like i I do trust Kevin Adams with that aspect, particularly the drafting. He's had really good drafts. it's But it's like we've saw what we've said a lot of times, it's time to kickstart it. so Right. Yeah. So I was good that was a question I was going to have for you. It's like it seems like we've made a ton of we we made a bunch of moves here. We've kind of overhauled some bottom parts of the roster. But that la that missing piece we have this trade is going to talk about in a second, which I think filled one hole right that you were concerned about. But but that top six forward is still the concern. And that's the big domino that could push. OK, we have strong players at the top of our roster as well. Right. That's.
00:10:46
Speaker
Yeah. like Whoever that is, if if they happen to be signed, they're going to have a lot of playing time. Is that would you agree with that and but make an impact? ah Yeah, no, I yeah totally agree with that. I think they have talented pieces at the top of the roster, but they they just bought out a Jeff Skinner who. could be a top six forward. The issue there is like they had to they had to make that decision. ah that There's a buyout window. So they had to make that decision in a time frame. And then I think the plan probably was to buy him out and then go find a top six forward via trade. And the trade part just didn't materialize. verb We can only speculate why. um But I think that was probably the plan. But as it looks right now,
00:11:28
Speaker
it looks a little rough because you buy out a forward like that and then you can't plug that hole. So you're not you're not doing it in free agency. it It's irresponsible to trust a
Sabres Fans' Reactions and Expectations
00:11:41
Speaker
one of the younger kids to come up and fill that hole. So yeah, I don't know. We'll we'll see if they're able to do that, but it's not it's not looking too favorable right now. um But well we'll we'll see. Yeah, I think that the one of the, themes of the free agency signings that they had is that a ah lot all of them, except for Sam Lafferty, were one-year contracts. So they're leaving a lot of breathing room for next season to evaluate how this year goes and re-sign the guys that maybe they want to um and and allow kids to come up. they They're not blocking any of the young talent, which is is good to a degree. You want and need that for a healthy
00:12:24
Speaker
developing organization, but, but boy, it better work this year or else right but a new GM is signing. ah flash Exactly. And you need, you need to make some, you need to make some playoff noise and and and and Buffalo playoff noise means making the playoffs ah beyond that. Okay. It's all that it's gravy, right? Beyond that is gravy. 100% 100% dude. So absolutely. Yeah. So can't it can't just be playing the smart game of development and open and like, okay, we're going to have a nice turning roster with some players coming up. Like ah sure. That's great. But that is good. Like Sue. And I hope that is the case. Yeah. All you need, you need the, you need the pallet cleanser, get rid of the bandaid off, make it. And then, yeah, no, I think I personally think the team is set up in a, uh,
00:13:14
Speaker
great way. They have a lot of talent in yeah on the roster in the NHL and in the ah prospect pool. They're building it the right way, but it it needs it needs to you need to get that critical mass of talent to to pop. it usually It usually happens in the NHL. you you have that transition where you're bad, you're bad, you're bad, you're bad, and then all of a sudden you're good. Like New Jersey did that two years ago. it's It is possible to do. it's It's typically how that progression goes. So it's there, yeah.
00:13:45
Speaker
um But i've I've said it before. I'll say it again. Free agency is not the time to overhaul your roster or add a huge impactful piece. You're often overpaying. You're often not getting a player that's that's on the rise. You're getting the player that is there or declining. So it's just it's not responsible to go out and throw big dollars at ah the top free agent, in my opinion. um And that's not what they did. And I don't think that's the way Kevin Adams likes to structure his roster. So free agency is absolutely the time to supplement your roster, add around the fringes, add the the character and role guys like he did. So again, I'm, I'm very happy with the free agency signings, but they need to be in addition to an ad to the top of the roster. So yeah let's move on. Let's move on. Let's talk about the trade that happened. Yes. So, uh,
00:14:39
Speaker
From Edmonton, we acquired Ryan McLeod and a depth, well, an AHL forward named Tyler Tulio. That's about all we're going to talk about, Tyler Tulio. He's going to be shipped off to Rochester and he's going to be a very, very happy passenger on the right wing for one of our centers down there. But um in exchange for Ryan McLeod, we shipped out Matthew Savoie. You've probably heard us say that name before on here. Great prospect, even. um I think just off the rip, i gotta say I've seen a lot of noise from Sabres fans, and NHL fans, lamenting the fact that we gave up the next Conor McDavid and this you know superstar in the making, budding winger extraordinaire.
00:15:28
Speaker
And I just want to say, pump the brakes. He absolutely has the skills to become an effective and NHL player, a great NHL player even. I just don't think it's this year. I don't think it may, maybe it's not even in the next two years. I think he wasn't able to play in the NHL this past year. And so he had to get shipped back to juniors because of the non-compete agreements between the NHL, NHL, and h l and the Canadian Hockey League. None of that's not his fault, but it isn't great for his development. He's he's an overager playing in the WHL and he he dominated there. Absolutely. He put up a ton of points. He looked great doing it.
00:16:12
Speaker
But he's still an overager playing against children. And now I think Edmonton and other, I've seen Sabres fans talking about how he's going to make the NHL roster. He's going to play on McDavid's wing and he's going to put up tons of points and be this elite winger. And if if that's the case, I will gladly eat my shirt, but I just don't see it happening. Um, long-term, sure. But for this year, it wasn't happening. And this is the year you'd need to make progress, like we've said. So they, they move him, they get, uh, I think a good, an excellent defensive center and a good piece for your center spine back. And that's, that's the type of move we were talking about. Move some of the prospects out that you have and get some players for right now into the pipeline. Right. So.
00:17:05
Speaker
um Yeah, like playing against kids. It's it's not ah not exactly the best like representation of how he'll do in the NHL. um So the appeal for Edmonton is they get all three years of Matt Savoie's entry-level contract to keep the contract, keep skill high and dollars low for their cap. So I think it's a great move for them. They lose a good piece up front that Buffalo gains. so
00:17:36
Speaker
Anyways, it makes sense. And finally, just last piece on Savoy. He
Core Strength and Competitive Strategy
00:17:40
Speaker
became expendable to me. He was drafted as a center. He played center in junior. But in the NHL, he was tracking to be a winger. um dude to is His size, he's not a big guy. And his skill set, he plays more he's he's more effective on the perimeter. he's not I don't think he's the speediest guy in the world. um he He was tracking more to be a winger to me. and that type of player in the system is already there and we just didn't really have a huge need for one of those guys. ah With Hellenius getting drafted as a true center in this recent draft, they have a
00:18:20
Speaker
in the way in in the pipeline center to step in and they have plenty of wingers left over still to to come up and make the roster, Roseanne, Wahlberg, et cetera, et cetera. So he was probably the guy that was most likely to get traded and they got ah they got an upgrade for their and NHL roster by using that trade chip, so. all pluses from me. Right. And it's, we're at that point in the roster and in the, where the team's at, like you gotta make big moves sometimes, right? You gotta make moves that might hurt in order to get the piece that you need. And sure, maybe he could in two to three years become a of a productive NHL player, but that doesn't help the Sabres right now who we've spent all off seasons and all this podcast saying you gotta just go do it.
00:19:03
Speaker
You got to win, right? You got to win now. um And that's not the mode that the Sabres are in is like, oh, man, I can't wait for this, you know, player to this winger to to be good in three years. For sure. And so I want to transition over to talking about Ryan McLeod. And I want to do that by saying Matt Savoie was a piece that people were interested in trading this year. And they were talking about I saw a couple you know, mock trades and talk of at trading Matt Savoie plus Buffalo's first round pick number 11 in exchange for somebody like Anthony Sorelli on the Lightning. That was something I saw thrown around quite a bit. And I'm not saying that's a bad deal. Like I i would have i would have been happy with that. Anthony Sorelli is a great player.
00:19:44
Speaker
but I think Anthony Sorelli is a good comparable for Ryan McLeod. so The fact that people are butt hurt about losing Matt Sorelli for Ryan McLeod when they would have been happy about trading first-rounder plus Matt Sorelli for Anthony Sorelli, I think is a little misguided. she What I'm not saying, I don't want to get fucking lit up either. What I'm not saying is Ryan McCloud will be as effective as Anthony Sorelli. I'm saying they're a similar type of player. And Ryan McCloud is a similar type of player that Sorelli was at at his age. McCloud's a couple years younger, but
00:20:20
Speaker
They're both incredibly responsible defensive forwards and good penalty killers. so I'd say the difference is Anthony Sorelli is a bit more prolific of a scorer, whereas Brian McLeod has not really shown that yet. um if If he has a weakness, it's probably his his his shooting abilities. um But you know that's that's not something to focus on. but the the The focus is is that he comes in and he is an excellent, excellent, excellent third line center for your team.
00:20:52
Speaker
right So awesome yeah, it's it's it's great. Yeah, I'm thrilled. He he had 30 points last year in 81 games for Edmonton. Four goals in the playoffs. I think three of them were in the Stanley Cup final. um And then I think. The defining fact, like the defining trait that he has is his speed. He is one of the fastest forwards in the NHL. And that just kind of reinforces what Buffalo has been doing through their free agency acquisitions, adding speed to the front. Yeah. Okay. They're going to be, they were in the bottom half of the league. And as far as foot speed went last year, that's not going to be the case this year. Um, okay.
00:21:33
Speaker
he yeah what he's He's not Nathan McKinnon. I can't stress that enough. But no no one, and I mean no one, comes even close. so He's in the 98th percentile of fastest skaters last year. He was fifth in the NHL as far as 20 plus mile an hour bursts last year. yeah He's fast. And he uses that to get into scoring areas. Like when he does score, it's because he's getting to the front of the net using his speed. It's not because he's a a sniper by any means. But that's OK. If he can come and chip in 30 points again with with our third line, I'd i'd be thrilled. um i think I think he's a solid ad. he's goingnna be He is a great penalty killer, and I believe he'll be on the first penalty killing unit.
00:22:17
Speaker
And he adds speed to that group, too. You need speed speeds lethal on the penalty kill. You can really force some turnovers and get some good chances off of that. So I'm looking forward to watching him. It's a great trade. I'm really happy with it. Well, we we can talk about where he slots in in a few minutes here, but it's it's a it's a good move. It's a good move. Yeah. Yeah, it sounds it it's a it's a piece that can make a immediate impact. Is that true? 100%, yeah. He's been in the league for a couple of years now. So yeah, immediate impact for certain. What's his contract like? Is it digestible? 100%, yeah. So it's the it's one year. This is the last year remaining on it. okay He is set to be a restricted free agent when it ends. So we still have team control of him. For right now, he is signed to a $2.1 million dollars deal. So incredibly digestible.
00:23:11
Speaker
yeah I think you kind of see how he fits in and and see, you know, well but we can talk more about what he what the Sabres might want for an extension as we see how he fits into the team's strategy and long term plan. But for a 24 year old, two point one million dollar defensive minded center, I'm extremely happy with that. That's pretty sweet. All right. Yeah, dude. Awesome. So what else? What else is there any other cleanup on the the offseason moves here? I guess the roster here coming up. Yeah, for sure. So the other cleanup piece is Henry Okiharu, a defenseman, resigned for one year at $3.1 million. Okay. So he'll be back with the team that locks in for the most part that they are running back the same top six group of defenseman that they did last year. Yep. So, you know,
00:24:02
Speaker
Depending on what your mileage on that group was, you should be either whelmed or underwhelmed. um I think he's he's a fine defenseman. He's probably just above replacement level. I don't think he's really moving the needle for the team too much. um you know I think if he can if you can play him with power or Dalian and he can be a net neutral and let the other guy cook a bit, I'm happy with it. If he ends up on the third pair and you know, Samuelson or someone else steps up to the top two pairs, then great. I think he's he's for my money. He's he's a good third pairing defenseman in the and NHL, so I'm not mad about it.
00:24:48
Speaker
small amount of money and then he'll he'll be a UFA after that, which which I saw some confusion about. he He will be a UFA. He will not be an ah RFA after this deal ends. um There was a year where he to get from ah RFA to UFA status, Tom, you need to have X amount of eligible seasons in the league. And to get to an eligible season, you need to play or be dressed for a certain number of games. Sure. And one of his seasons, he was dressed for he he played 38 of the 40 games needed to be an eligible season. But he was he was on the active roster for the additional two games, something along those lines where he did have that count as an eligible season. And so he will be a UFA at the end of the year. OK, cool.
00:25:34
Speaker
You know, convoluted, but for the sake of convoluted sake, but but we got there. So that that that was a cleanup piece. The other piece, like I keep hearing rumors about, you know, Buffalo has a trade in place for Nikolai Ehlers or Martin Nages, but the no trade clauses or no no movement clauses for those guys are a sticking point, which is fair. We've talked about it before. yeah Not many players want to come play. ah for a team that hasn't made the playoffs in 13 years. right So look, we'll we'll see if a deal can get done, but I'm not, I'm not super hopeful. They might have to rely on their own, their own pool to get themselves over the hump. So
00:26:16
Speaker
yeah Anyways, any points you want to make or do you want to look at the, just kind of look at a little state of the roster as of today and go from there and talk about what the, they might, well, we we just did talk about what they might need to do, but. Right, right. Yeah, dude. No, no, man. That's yes. Let's kind of look at the roster here. ah We have and I'm sure they'll have a whole couple of podcasts about projection of lines and things like that. But this is kind of just a rough sketch, would you say?
Memorable Buffalo Sports Moments
00:26:40
Speaker
Yeah, for oh for sure. this Yeah, we'll we'll do that much, much closer to the season. Our homework into training camp. Yeah. Let's start. Let's start in an opposite order here. Let's build from the net out. Yeah, cause think that's probably easiest. So okay UPL still needs to be signed. That's a big piece that needs to fall into place. um And Devin Levi is likely that's likely your tandem.
00:26:59
Speaker
As an extra, they got James Reimer. I hope to God he's not in Buffalo. I hope to God he's not on the starting roster for the team on opening night. I think he. should get sent down to Rochester. I don't want them to do a three goalie carousel anymore. Um, but you know, happy with those two goalies. That's, that's ah the bed they've made. Let's let them lie on it. And probably that if, if he is in, in, in Buffalo for, uh, the puck drop, like that means it's probably saying something that didn't go well with UPL definitely buy, right?
00:27:32
Speaker
Yeah, I think so. um I fully anticipate UPL and Levi having every opportunity to make the team. I think it would require one of them to really fumble the bag in training camp and preseason for them to to not open with that tandem. um I think it is possible that if Reimer looks great and is really solid during preseason games, then then they they might toy with the idea of having three goalies again. We'll see. um But he's he's a 36-year-old goalie. like he's He's fine. he's he's
00:28:09
Speaker
he's He's not going to actively hurt you on too many nights. But yeah, I agree with you. I think it would take a bit of a catastrophe in training camp for for Levi, in particular, for him to get sent down. All right. Moving on to defenseman. Yeah. So Bowen Byram, Rasmus Dalin, probably a top pair there. Owen Power and Matias Samuelson. I stuck Samuelson up there. Longest signed guy. like He'll probably slot up there. um And then Connor Clifton and Henry Yokey are your 5'6".
00:28:41
Speaker
Again say not much to say they're same group as last year. They were fine I'm interested to see how they look playing a different Potentially different style with rough instead of Granado coaching and then for your Scratches or your seventh eighth D ah Jacob Bryson's back and Dennis Gilbert who's a hometown Buffalo kid actually shout out Okay, let's Gilbert and his family, but um so you we'll see I don't anticipate those guys will certainly rotate in um but not oh Hopefully not playing more than 30, 40 games. Right. Okay. Onto the forwards. And this is, this is where I think the conversation gets interesting. So top line, you have JJ Paterka, Tage Thompson, Alex Duck. Those guys played a decent amount last year together. I think that is probably what management sees as the opening top line.
00:29:36
Speaker
Next up, second line is is kind of the kid line. That's what it was nicknamed last year. Dylan Cousins at center, Jack Quinn on the wing, and then X winger in the left wing slot. That's where Paterka slotted in last year. He's been kind of bumped up the depth chart with Skinner's decline at the end of last year and his buyout. Sure. So I think this is the spot. Like we said, top six forward, you slot in and you push the wingers down. So Paterka is a top six winger for sure. He's that right now. He will be that next year. Um, whether or not he plays with cousins and Quinn.
00:30:12
Speaker
Great. If he plays with Thompson and Tuck, great. But I'm hoping that they get an impact player. I would, I would, I would, I would pee myself if it was Nikolai Ehlers. ah um Well, you know, all right. Huggies. Uh, we're going to get Huggies brand, um, sponsorship here. Help out the adult size, uh, peer Panner's. ah Exactly. But point being, there's, there's an opening there, right? um I think right now, if they did not make any moves like that, I think they probably toy around with throwing Zach Benson there to see if he can step up, throwing Jason Zucker there, the the vet, to see how he looks. um ah Other ideas I've seen floated, move Ryan McLeod up to your second line center and throw Dylan Cousins to the wing. That's an option. I don't love that as an option, but it is an option.
00:31:10
Speaker
um You know, I've seen other people talk about maybe, maybe one of the kids, Roseanne Coolik comes up and and wows in training camp and makes the team out of camp and you throw them with cousins and Quinn. who Who knows? it's It's too early to say. But the point I'm trying to illustrate, there's a hole there to be filled. And <unk> we'll see what happens. But moving moving on. so So Benson's a winger. Zucker is a winger. Greenway is your winger. I think those guys slot in around the third line. That'd be great. Again, I would love to add a top six forward to push Jordan Greenway down to the fourth line. like he's He's a decent defensive winger, but he's he's shown you who he is offensively. he's he's not
00:31:54
Speaker
he's not dynamic in that end of the rink. And it it drove me fucking nuts when Granado would put him out there to try to score a tie and go late in the game last year. So push him push him down the lineup, please, please. And then I think what you have a completely new reinvented fourth line. I think Beck Malenstein plays a lot. he He should, given how much they paid for him. You signed Sam Lafferty. I think he slots in as probably your fourth-line center. You have Nicholas Abe-Kubel on the right wing. The interesting one for me then, where does Peyton Krebs fit on this team now that you've traded for Ryan McLeod and signed Sam Lafferty? Both both are natural centers. Lafferty can play.
00:32:38
Speaker
anywhere on the line. I'm not too worried about that. Like he doesn't need to be the fourth line winger. So I think Krebs, you could also shift Krebs to the wing, but I think he's a pretty effective center if he's, if he's protected, if he's down your lineup. So right okay I'm asking you a rhetorical question, but like where where do we slot in bait and Krebs in the fall? Yeah. So that's a training crab question. That's ah something looking in training camp of how things are slotting in and where things are fitting. It could be before that. he's He's unsigned right now. He's a restricted free agent. So he could be he could be a trade chip um wrapped up in a deal somewhere.
00:33:12
Speaker
um
00:33:14
Speaker
we'll We'll see. I don't know. The the questions about Peyton Krebs are interesting to to consider where he might fit in. If they
Podcast Journey and Audience Reflections
00:33:20
Speaker
resign him, then he'll definitely be some that you don't re resign somebody like Peyton Krebs to sit as the extra forward, I think, unless he really, really struggles in training camp. yeah If they resign him, you you got to pencil him into the top 12 forward somewhere. um But it's an interesting question. you know I think Jordan Greenway is somebody that could could be traded away. The experiment maybe is over. but We'll see, Tom. A lot of questions. A lot of questions with the yeah the forward group. So we'll have to see where that ends up. Cool, man. So kind of looking forward to the rest of the offseason, the bit we're looking for ah a possible trade for a top six forward. right And then after beyond that, we've kind of seen most of the pieces fall.
00:34:06
Speaker
right Yeah, for sure. ah You know that I think there's there's opportunity for that kind of move in July or so. By the time August hits, it really, really dies down in the NHL. There's not much news at all. People are away hanging out at their cottages and things. um Sounds nice. So yeah, I think if you don't if you don't see a move by August 1st, you can kind of assume that what we got is is what we're going into the season with. Sure. OK. All right, man. It doesn't mean a move can't happen later on. A big a big thing in the NHL is it doesn't it doesn't really matter what your lineup is like on opening night. It matters a lot more what your lineup's like at the trade deadline and towards towards April. right It changes. There's players to pick up on waivers and trades and things like that. It's it's not set in stone when opening night happens. All right. i We'll see.
00:34:59
Speaker
Go sabers, pal. Go sabers. Give me a time. Give me a quick. We've been talking a lot about the sabers in your absence. So so give us a quick like elevator pitch. what What do we have to look forward to for Bill's episodes coming up and like, you know, as far as that timeline goes so put you on the spot. But I'm starting to like wake up dreaming of crisp fall weather and like leaves falling slowly through the through the blue sky and the the the tailgate, just stoves and grills all starting to light up, man. It's coming. It's coming, man. We are less than, I don't, I definitely less than a hundred days to kick off. It's like less than like nine Sundays. So we have NFL football. So, um, yeah, we, we, uh, we're going to do some homework here kind of bleeding into the season. We're of course going to have some roster projections coming up.
00:35:43
Speaker
We're, of course, going to have tons of training camp um reactions, you know, what's going on? What do we see? What are the the interviews from planer interviews from coach interviews? um So there's lots and that lots of preparation there. And we're going to take a little bit of an insight into the roster of who what do we what what are what now that things have mostly settled, what does our offense look like, what does our defense look like, what are some changes going to be made with the new special teams rules, like where are we at and what can we expect from this Buffalo Bills team um that kind of going into a fresh year. This is the freshest look the Bills have ever had in the last
00:36:19
Speaker
and At least a sense, Bean and McDermott have started to really start like to put this moose in building blocks. So it's going to be really cool. It's really exciting to see what will our boys do to to kind of create success this offseason. So um that's that's where we're headed. um We'll have some these next few weeks. You'll you'll definitely be ah entertained. And you can tune in for some some good Bill's content and kind of doing our homework. right now And the offseason is the time to do your homework. Eat your broccoli. Yeah. Good stuff. I can't wait, man. Training camp soon. Yeah, dude, it's coming up and July um training camp starts. So we got a couple of weeks and then boom, we're going to start seeing Josh Allen seven number 17 and some shorts and throwing balls around the other bills players. So it'll be fun. Good. Good. I can't wait for it, man. Yeah, dude.
00:37:07
Speaker
Well, I think even more importantly, ah look at us. We have made it to episode 50. Look at us. Kicking and screaming. Kicking and screaming. A few of you might have listened to more than one episode. So thank you for doing that. We appreciate you. um And yeah, dude, this is pretty wild. We started last summer right about this time. It was July time um that we were kind of shooting the idea around like, hey, can we talk stupid ideas into microphones and maybe somebody listen? um Cause we, we did that already without the microphone. So yeah fuck fuck it. Why not? Like what's, what's the worst that happens? We just talk at each other. Yeah, exactly. Talking to the void and it's so far. Yeah. It's been mostly void and some audience. So we appreciate you guys, but we love you void. We don't love you don't ever change.
00:37:52
Speaker
Uh, it walks out on us. Just like a fuck these guys again, the server the server just crashes and like, get the, get the fuck out of here. You're not, you're not welcome here. Yeah. We're done with you guys. So well, anyway, I, yeah, no, absolutely pretty cool. Honestly, kind of really fun. We're just. three buds who are just kind of shooting the shit and trying to things out and having fun with it and we appreciate anybody who's listened to any amount of episodes or any amount of minutes of episodes so um yeah um this is kind of just a little celebration we have are hoping for another 50 more and maybe 50 more after that who knows um so kind of cool kind of cool to have made it to 50 we're gonna just kind of like jake has a fun game to kind of close our conversation out
00:38:31
Speaker
Um, but just kind of like also in the, in the spirit of like kind of celebration and some fun things to think about Buffalo sports fandom. Um, is there any like particular builds or Sabers moments or even, yeah, I start with moments and, um, like that might be maybe like, like kind of defined your fandom.
00:38:51
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Well, wait, before before that, I want to say maybe it's a teaser. But if you are watching live and you want to get involved in the fun little game later, please drop in the chat an adjective or a plural noun or anything along those lines. Anything you want, anything you want, profanity included. You can guess what game we're going to play. Yeah, it's really hard. It's really it's really tough to put your finger on that one. But no, dude, yeah, it's just like, you know, reflecting back on the 50 episodes and reflecting back on on the illness that I have, which is watching and cheering for Buffalo sports teams. Yeah. All of us are a little sick in the head. We have to be right. Completely sick in the head. Yeah. No, I mean, just like go go into I mean, I. Moments on the ice are are great and everything, but just the
00:39:41
Speaker
the the memories and there's no specific game, just like the memories of going to games with my dad when I was younger. Yeah. Sabers, Amruks, anything along those lines were were impactful and formed by a specific illness that we've been talking about 40 minutes here. Totally. yeah Yeah, man. It's the
Celebratory Mad Libs and Closing Remarks
00:40:00
Speaker
sights, it's the sounds, it's the you know, the feeling you get with a with a big crowd and yeah, all that kind of stuff. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. And just the I think, yeah, as far as like with the actual team itself. Some of the runs that when we were younger, they went on in 05, 06, 06, 07, and just seeing the the sea of people outside KeyBank Center,
00:40:23
Speaker
um HSBC Arena at that time, I think I was blanking on the name. But yeah, just seeing seeing the passion, like it it it hurts my heart to see empty stands now. And I don't blame fans, but just just seeing what that building and area can be is is contagious. So I just want that back. that though Those are it for me. like just Just that kind of feeling, of of feeling like you're part of something and and cheering for for the same thing.
00:40:54
Speaker
god dude, I want that back so bad. What about you? and what what What do you what do you look back on it? It's common, dude. Um, there's a couple of like, just, I agree. It's the, it's the community. It's like when I've hung with friends or been in amongst the, like Bill's mafia that have like really helped it. The one or a couple of them that stick a stick in my brain is sitting in a Bill's bar in a downtown Rochester, January 8th, 2023. We just watched Demar Hamlin go down with injury and this catastrophic injury that was honestly like a little traumatic watching. And I'm sure you can't imagine being a player or a teammate or a coach or a family member of one of Demar.
00:41:32
Speaker
100% dramatic, dude. Yeah, it was scary. and and And okay, so we spent all week of like, okay, is the guy okay? Is the guy alive? And and okay, he is. And they're starting to be, he's he's woken up, right? he And we had we get some some um some news like what he said to the to the his teammates and things. And he wakes up and say, did we win? You know, like that kind of shit. Like, um And then the next, I think it's got, I think that game got postponed by a day or two to like Monday or something. And bills are hosting the New England england Patriots.
00:42:07
Speaker
So I'm back home. I'm back in Rochester with family, going to see friends. We're in a bills bar, in a bills bar, downtown Rochester, and Naeen Himes rips off a kickoff return on opening kickoff. And the place just erupts. Just, I've, I've never been in a sports bar that is erupted as just, just wildly as at that moment that it was it was truly like a like a transcendent moment it was like wow we are it was a community moment you know um and just it was that was insane yeah i think the the thing with the hamlin situation that was most impactful to me is the the kind of coming together and and supporting
00:42:53
Speaker
a human, not necessarily anything to do with a sport. Like you you see somebody go through that kind of thing and and people banded together to to stick by him. And it it reminds us that, yeah, we we are so privileged to be able to sit here and talk about sports teams. yeah At the end of the day, it it doesn't matter. Like we're talking about sports. it's not It's not like a serious thing. It's something we do for enjoyment. And that's right refreshing to kind of get a reminder of every once in a while. Despite something tragic happening, thank God he's okay. But it just kind of brings you back down to earth that like, yeah, it's it's it's about a game at the end of the day. This this person's livelihood is being impacted. And that's...
00:43:34
Speaker
refreshing and heartwarming for me to see. that was a And it it built one of my favorite things about at least the Buffalo Bills and and becoming more of about the Sabres too is like, this team is people you want to root for. It's not just while they're good and they're fun to watch on the field. It's like, well i i from our my perspective, sitting here at home, like they seem like good people that you want to root for. And that you were like, man, like that's you know like you have you want to believe in. And that moment and the way that they reacted and the way that responded and the way that they gathered around Demar and just, it was it was really cool. um So yeah, so that whole sequence, and then of course, he goes in, Naeem Himes rips another one off later in that game. My poor wife is a Patriots fan, and she was in that bar with us. Boo! Boo! Yeah, yeah, yeah, but, but, but oh oh my God, did i did did the looks that I got of, okay, you're gonna make me sit through this?
00:44:32
Speaker
She has vowed to never go to another bills bar with me and I don't blame her. So that's fine honest ground grounds for divorce. Nicely done Katie. I'm glad you didn't. Um, yeah, dude, so that was wild. Um, what was ah some the other really fun ones? Um, it could be, uh, the perfect also gets the Patriots, the perfect offensive game in the playoffs, which Josh Allen just, just diced them up. It was like negative eight degrees. And, uh, yeah, I actually have a friend up here who works at the school. I work at, and he was at that game.
00:45:03
Speaker
Oh, shit. Yeah. Patriots fan. But he was at that game. And not a good time. Not a good time. But man, was that fun as a Buffalo Bills fan. Um, yeah. And there's more, there's more and stuff. I just, you know, it's, it's just, it's, it's, it's fun to kind of think about and reminisce on some of these moments of like, wow, that that's a defining moment in my fandom, you know, for sure. Yeah. That's what it's about. It's about having fun. Hell yeah, dude. Speaking of having fun. Should we play a quick little game? I would love to. I would love to. i bill I've been, I've done a little research and a little, little, um, I've i've come and come prepared. How about that? Good, good, good. Cause I might need you to rapid fire.
00:45:43
Speaker
Are you ready? Okay. I am ready. sorry ah Let's go Buffalo podcast, Mad Libs. Yes, exactly. If you haven't guessed it by now, we're playing Mad Libs. So if this show had any production value, I would have written this and came up with things and I did edit it and and make it a little bit more interesting, but I have to have a big shout out to chat GPT for the framework. on this Hey, you know what? Let's go our AI overlords. Hey, hopefully she's funny. ah Exactly. We'll see. All right, Tom, hit me. but They, they, they, they, they, they, please, please don't hit me. And also, I apologize to everyone for my key, key clacking. But it's it is what it is. Tom, hit me with an adjective. um Diabolical. Silly name for a team. The crotch rockets. Oh, I like it. A plural noun. Pineapples. Sure. Another plural noun. Tailgates.
00:46:38
Speaker
Come up with another one. A little two on the nose. OK.
00:46:44
Speaker
um um Bananas. We're going with fruit. we're We're on a fruit kick. Tom, I need four adjectives in a row. Rapid fire. Quickly. Quickly. Obnoxious. Stinky. Stinky. Also me. Loud. Oh, not me, actually. um And fruity. What is it with you and fruit? I don't know. I don't know. I'm inspired here. Give me and a verb that ends in I.N.G. A verb that ends in I.N.G. um Bounding. Bounding. All right. And a food, a food object.
00:47:24
Speaker
um Guacamole. Guacamole. How about a noun? um
00:47:33
Speaker
Give me a chin strap, chin strap, adjective. Um. Uh, ferocious, ferocious, funny costume. ah This one, I was good. Oscar Meyer Wiener. OK, I love it. Another noun. Um, oh boy. Um, ah um, baseball hat. Okay. Two plural nouns. Okay. Um, um, bottles ah huh and, um,
00:48:16
Speaker
cleats. How about a silly object? Um, A silly object. A slinky. Uh-huh, uh-huh. adjectives. OK. Fun. Yep. Sure. OK. And um um slimy. Slimy. I like it. A silly dance move. um The shopping cart. Oh, I like it. I like it. An adjective.
00:48:47
Speaker
um um
00:48:54
Speaker
Don't strain yourself too much. Oh, Jesus. Yeah, my brain is working. An adjective. um Give me ah fluffy. Fluff. Oh, yeah. How about a body part? Buttocks. Noun. OK. um i
00:49:16
Speaker
Quickly, Tom. OK, OK. That doesn't make me go faster. um Give me a beer can. who A food. um A garbage plate. here Adjective. You're almost done. Thank God. Nigel, I blame you for this. um Give me an adjective. Give me quickly. Three verbs ending in ING. OK, give me um placing. hu Give me undulating. Oh, and give me.
00:49:54
Speaker
um ah Shooting, shooting. OK, and a plural noun, a plural noun. um Give me so help me God, if it's another fruit. and i want it to be OK, give give me a tennis rackets. OK. Sure. Adjective. Oh, God. Sweaty. And last one, a silly word, the silliest word that you can come up with right now. Poppy cack. But excellent. Excellent. All right, Tom, are you ready to hear? I would love to. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. All right. In celebration.
00:50:38
Speaker
See, again, if we had any production value, now would be the time for like some sound effects or something. Oh.
00:50:48
Speaker
Thank you, Tom. All right. One diabolical day in Buffalo, Nigel, Tom, and Jake decided to attend a Buffalo Bills game against the crotch rockets. They arrived at Highmark Stadium wearing pineapples on their heads and carrying bananas in their hands. As they found their seats, they noticed a slimy Josh Allen warming up with his obnoxious throws and Dalton Kincaid practicing his stinky catches. The crowd, the crowd was loud. You actually came up with that one, Dom. That was nice. okay The crowd was loud with excitement and the announcer's voice boomed. Welcome to the most fruity game of the season.
00:51:31
Speaker
Well yeah yeah it makes out yeah, it makes sense. During the game, Jake couldn't stop bounding his favorite buffalo guacamole while Tom was busy trying to start a chin strap wave. Nigel, always the ferocious one, decided to dress up as an Oscar Meyer wiener to cheer on the team. Yes! I know for missing this episode, you have to do that. In a surprising twist, the mascot Billy the Buffalo invited them onto onto the field for a halftime baseball hat competition. Hey, Nigel Tom and Jake had to race across the field while wearing bottles on their feet and juggling cleats. The crowd went wild as Nigel tripped over a
00:52:19
Speaker
Shit, sorry. As Nigel tripped over mycha over a slinky, Tom collided with a fun fan and Jake performed a shopping cart at the finish line after the race. McDermott came over to the boys and gave them a fluffy slap on the buttocks and told them that he made them proud. perfect Back in the stands for the second half, the boys cheered as Tyler Bass prepared for a beer can game winning beer can. the crowd held i fucked that up The crowd held their breath as he kicked the ball, which flew through the air and landed in a giant bowl of garbage plates. The stadium erupted in cheers and Billy the Buffalo did a
00:53:02
Speaker
quick victory dance After the game, Nigel, Tom and Jake celebrated by placing and undulating with the fans. They ended the night by shooting in a big pile of tennis rackets and declaring it the most sweaty day in Buffalo sports history. It was truly a day to remember in the land of poppycock. Thank you all for 50 episodes. We love you all. Thank you for tuning in and even entertaining us at all. Tom, take us out of here. Yeah, that was good. I love the sign out. Yeah. We love you guys so much. Thank you so much. We, uh, my name is Tom. That is Jake. Please give us a follow an Instagram X tick tock and YouTube at let's go buff pod. These are my pals. We're thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. Let's go Buffalo.