The Prospect Challenge kicks off this week, which means there is (semi) meaningful Sabres hockey to discuss. We talk about some of the most notable players coming to face Buffalo’s prospects and run through the Sabres’ Prospects Challenge roster. We talk about which players we’re most interested in watching, who we expect to shine, who has a chance to improve their stock and which players might be most likely to surprise. We also touch on the situation unfolding between Paul Bissonnette and Mike Babcock after Bissonnette’s comments on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.
Author: Chris Ostrander
Expanding and Realigning College Hockey
Tyler Roeder contributed to this post.
The tumult of realignment has turned college football inside out in recent seasons and is the most talked about subject in the sport this side of NIL.
As this summer’s round of conference poaching wrapped up, the idea of what this sort of practice might look like in NCAA hockey sprang to mind. Conference realignment isn’t foreign to college hockey either, as the formation of the B1G Conference created a domino effect when plans for the conference were first announced in 2011. The ripple effect of the B1G creation is still being felt after the CCHA’s recent reformation and the subsequent folding of the WCHA. Unlike the TV-money fueled change in football, much of the reshuffling in hockey has been driven by the need for a more manageable geographic region of conference play. Even still, several programs have had to shut down over the last five years due to budgetary constraints, something not felt by revenue sports like football. Interestingly, that hasn’t prevented schools from adding DI hockey programs. In fact, despite the struggles faced by the likes of Alabama-Huntsville, Alaska-Anchorage and Robert Morris, there continue to be reports of schools conducting studies to add the sport to their offerings.
With that in mind and in addition to the recent college football realignment in mind, we put our heads together to come up with ideas for not only conference realignment, but further expansion of college hockey’s footprint. What follows is a combination of the ideas floated on the most recent episode of The Instigator Podcast. It is a blue sky concept for reshaping or creating various conferences, adding schools which we feel would be strong supporters of hockey and creating an ecosystem where every program can thrive in their own right.
Continue readingThe Instigator Podcast 12.2 – NCAA Hockey Realignment Sandbox
Given the game of musical chairs unfolding in college football, we felt it necessary to play our own version of the game with college hockey programs. This week’s show focuses on the different avenues that could be explored to realign and expand college hockey’s footprint. We discuss opportunities to further expand the Big Ten, to bring in new programs in the west and taking a deep dive into the machinations necessary for UB to add a D1 program.
The Instigator Podcast 12.1 – PSE Dissolved and what Comes Next
Monday was a big news day as it was announced that Pegula Sports and Entertainment has been dissolved and, most notably, the Bills and Sabres will be operating as separate entities moving forward. Pegula will also now serve as president of the Sabres, a title he also holds for the Bills and at PSE prior to its dissolution. We talk about the news, what it means for the Bills and Sabres and how it has helped to fuel rumors surrounding the future ownership of the Sabres.
RJ Night Episode: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/49323198
The Instigator Podcast 11.44 – Listener Questions for the Dog Days of Summer
As we are in the dullest point of the hockey offseason, it felt like a good time to reset and take listener questions once again. This week’s episode includes questions on the Bills and red helmets, prospect trade options, goal tending targets and analytics projections. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for this week’s show.
The Instigator Podcast 11.43 – The Future of Women’s Hockey Unfolds
One of the most significant stories in hockey this year is unfolding as the PHF was acquired by the Mark Walter Group in a step that will see professional women’s hockey moove forward under a single banner. This will unify all of the best talent in one league, creating an opportunity for new growth in the women’s game and an exciting outlook for the future of the new league which is set to begin play in January.
The Instigator Podcast 11.42 – Tackling the Sabres Next Steps Beyond Free Agency
We are back breaking down Buffalo’s moves on the opening day of free agency and looking back at the Sabres’ haul from the 2023 Draft. We talk about how Connor Clifton and Erik Johnson will fit on the depth chart and how the selection of Zach Benson and the rest of the 2023 draft class affects the organizational pipeline.
We also dig in to the excess bodies the Sabres have on the roster in the wake of signing Clifton and Johnson. With nine defensemen under contract and questions lingering over Victor Olofsson’s future, we explore what Kevyn Adams faces as the offseason continues.
The Instigator Podcast 11.41 – Sabres Draft Preview
Draft week is here and we dig in on some of the players we think could be targeted by the Sabres with their first round pick and their pair of second round selections. We talk through a number of topcis, including the kick off of the trade activity and whether or not we see the Sabres making a notable move ahead of Wednesday’s draft. Our focus on potential draft picks was mostly on picks 13, 39 and 45, though we explore a few names for mid- and late-round selections as well.
The Instigator Podcast 11.40 – New Deals for Girgensons and Rousek
The Sabres handed out contract extension to Zemgus Girgensons and Lukas Rousek on June 20. We talk about the decision to re-sign both players and dig into where each of them will fit in to the Sabres roster this coming season. Our conversation follows the extensions for both players in addition to how the contracts could affect how Kevyn Adams goes about bringing in new players this summer.
The Instigator Podcast 11.39 – Landing Spots for Olofsson
The Stanley Cup Final has wrapped up and we go deep on the series betwen the Golden Knights and the Panthers. We touch on the dominance Vegas exerted in the series and dig into Jonathan Marchessault’s Conn Smythe winning performance.
We also tackle the report that Victor Olofsson expects to be traded this offseason. We discuss the significance of the report and select a few teams which we feel would be good fits for him in a trade.
Two in the Box 