Dan Dunleavy coined this term after one of Robin Lehner’s flashy glove saves against Ottawa earlier this year. So, the next player in line for a phone background is none other than the Sabres goaltender. Enjoy. 
Author: Chris Ostrander
The Instigator Podcast 4.17 – Unwinding the Deadline
It was a slow deadline but a few interesting trades were made, including one by the Sabres. Chris and Tyler look back at today’s deadline and look forward from the Sabres perspective.
The Instigator Podcast 4.16 – Deadline Primer
Chris and Tyler look ahead to Monday’s deadline and the players the Sabres will likely move on from. We also visit a few potential targets Tim Murray might consider as he continues to re-shape the roster.
Guest Appearance on the BLTD Extracast
Chris called in to talk Sabres deadline rumors with Ryan from Better Live Than Dead. Hit the link to listen in. http://bltdsports.com/2016/02/17/bltd-extracast-15/
The Instigator Podcast 4.15 – Use Your Head
Chris and Tyler get together to offer thoughts on the Evander Kane news, the report that Jamie McGinn’s price tag is now a 2nd round pick and we close things out with some thoughts on areas the Sabres could improve when it comes to promotions and the like.
Keep up with the Sabres pipeline to end the season
A big part of the Next Chapter in the Sabres rebuild has to do with prospects not named Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen. A handful of Sabres prospects who are at various stages of their development will be on national television over the following weeks and we wanted to provide you with a graphic for easy tracking of the 10 games that are coming up. 
Despite High Prices, Murray Hasn’t Harmed Buffalo’s Depth via Trade Market
Some of Buffalo’s struggles this season can be traced to their man games lost and the general lack of depth through the pipeline which enhanced the losses caused by various injuries.
That lack of depth has been pointed to as a side effect of Tim Murray’s efforts to add NHL talent to Buffalo roster. In some cases it’s being seen as a primary fault of the general manager. However, despite the number of bodies that moved out of the Sabres organization since last February, the overall impact those moves have had on the organization’s depth maybe isn’t as harmful as you may believe.
In acquiring Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, Ryan O’Reilly and Jamie McGinn, Murray surrendered a pair of draft picks (a first and second in the 2015 draft), Tyler Myers, Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko, Joel Armia, Brendan Lemieux and JT Compher. Drew Stafford was also part of the trade with Winnipeg but as a pending unrestricted free agent who appeared to have no future in Buffalo, it’s hard to count him as a direct loss due to those trades. Continue reading
The Instigator Podcast 4.14 – Resetting Expectations
Tyler and Chris discuss Buffalo’s 7-4 loss to the Panthers and whether or not their failure to climb out of the league basement should be the only barometer for success this season.
A memorable All Star weekend, at last
To say I was really into the All Star Game when I was a kid is an understatement. Dominik Hasek had established himself as a bonafide superstar and other things like glowing pucks typically catch the eyes of ten year olds more than, say, adults.
My interest in the event, like most fans, has waned in recent years. As the event itself stagnated there were few things that brought any sort of genuine interest on a yearly basis. This year’s event, however, really brought back an entertaining showcase of the game’s stars in a format that I’m hoping sticks around for years to come. Continue reading
Sabres Pipe Dream: Renovating the 100 Level
At a previous Sabres Blogging Summit Ted Black made mention of the organization preparing to undertake the renovation of the 100 Level of First Niagara Center. Nearly two seasons have passed since he first touched on the possibility and it’s quite possible that the team has put those plans on the back burner.
Exactly what would be on the to-do list is up for debate as there would be some physical challenges posed by the construction of FNC along with whatever budgetary restraints the organization chose to attach to the plan.
As the official pipe dream author of the Basement Brigade I thought I’d toss out my wishlist of what I’d hope to see incorporated into a renovated 100 Level if and when the Sabres finally undertake the project.
Continue reading
