Zach Benson has been advertised and then some in the early stages of training camp and the preseason. He’s had two impressive games and has looked the part of a player who could threaten for a spot in the lineup. Of course, the Sabres tight pipeline makes that a much tougher feat and we talk about just how well Benson has played, and the opportunity he has to carve out a role on this roster. Our conversation leads us to discuss Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen, Matt Savoie and several others. We wrap up this week’s show with a quick update on the Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power contract negotiations and remind you there’s no need for panic despite the lack of a deal.
Sabres Goaltenders and Custom Pads
Custom goal pads have been revolutionized by the introduction of digitally printed graphics. CCM introduced their printed graphic technology a few short years after Bauer’s digiprint was released. Now, virtually every NHL team features at least one goalie whose equipment uses the technology.
The technology’s applications are practically limitless, Linus Ullmark had a few unique looks of his own, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen does as well (both Bauer wearers) and Devon Levi will be taking advantage of CCM’s feature this season.
One of the most popular utilizations of this technology has been to recreate graphics from years past. It’s a fun way to remember some guys gear, and one day I’d love to see Sabres goalies honor some of the best looks of the team’s past. Especially with the distinctly different looks of the goatheads and the team’s home and away uniforms.
Buffalo Bills Fall 2023 Fan Gift Guide
The kickoff to the Bills season is the best time to show off new swag for the year. If you’re looking for some new and interesting Buffalo Bills apparel, FOCO has got you covered.
They have a good mix of traditional fan gear and some unique items to go along with them. For example, you can get deep into the fall look with their Buffalo Bills Mens & Womens Plaid Bib Overalls. They have a bold Bills design with red and blue plaid and an oversized Bills logo front and center. Another interesting item is the Buffalo Bills Reversible Colorblock Hoodeez. This oversized, reversible hoodie can make for a great top layer for cold, late-season home games, or for lounging around the house. One side has a massive charging buffalo logo and a red and blue split that will look terrific at a tailgate. The reverse is a white fleece material with a smaller Bills logo. A good look if you’re trying to be a little more incognito, but still super comfy.
Continue readingThe Instigator Podcast 12.4 – Gone Campin’
Somehow, Sabres training camp is upon us. While this year’s camp isn’t loaded with roster battles and opportunities for young players to grab spots, there is still the question of how the Sabres will fill the void left by Jack Quinn’s injury. We talk about who could be in contention for the spot, how the defense corps may shake out and sprinkle in a bit about the goaltenders.
We lead into our training camp discussion with a brief chat about this past weekend’s Prospect Challenge and the latest developments related to Mike Babcock and his departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
On the Wire: A Retrospective of Sabres Waiver Claims
In 50-plus years of existence you might think the Sabres would have a litany of waiver acquisitions sprinkled throughout their history. As it turns out, the Sabres have made a tidy 18 claims in their history.
That figure does need an asterisk due to the existence of the NHL’s Waiver Draft, which ran from 1977 to 2003. The Sabres selected nine players in various Waiver Drafts over the years, so depending on how you would categorize those acquisitions, you may feel the club has made 27 waiver claims. You may also wish to consider the Waiver Draft separate from the traditional waiver wire.
The Waiver Draft is a curious entity itself. A relic of the 70s-era NHL, it was introduced when it was determined the Intra-League Draft was no longer viable. As detailed here, the Waiver Draft was meant to carry on the function of the Intra-League Draft; providing teams an avenue to acquire players who could improve the rosters of the league’s worst teams. Each team would have the ability to protect a list of players and the rest of the league could select from each club’s unprotected list. In theory, the league’s worst teams would be able to supplement their roster with quality, but not star-level, talent from the more successful teams around the league. For example, the Sabres selected Tim Horton from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1972 Intra-League Draft.
For a short time there was also an Inter-League Draft, but we don’t need to go down that road today.
The various machinations of a growing league are interesting to examine. The post-expansion NHL was ripe with player movement. Trading players for cash wasn’t unusual and events like the Intra-League or Waiver Draft seem so foreign to today’s highly sanitized offseason. Even considering Buffalo’s selections in the Waiver Draft, the team doesn’t have a lengthy list of acquisitions. Of their true waiver claims, 10 of the 18 have come in the previous 10 years. That is thanks in large part to the rebuilding years of the tank. In fact, if you set aside the Waiver Draft, the Sabres went 12 seasons without making a single waiver claim.
Continue readingThe Instigator Podcast 12.3 – Prospect Challenge Prep
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.
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 readingWelcome Back Your Buffalo Bills to the Field With Your Very Own Josh Allen & Jim Kelly Bighead Bobbleheads
We have waited a long 8 months for Buffalo Bills football to return to our television screens. The Bills
had their first major test of the 2023 NFL Season after facing a revamped New York Jets football team with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback (for a few plays at least). The AFC East just got a whole lot more
competitive as we can easily see 3 of the 4 teams in the division competing for a divisional title this
season.
The 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.
Reel in the NFL Season Bills Mafia Style with The New Stefon Diggs Buffalo Bills Mini Bighead Bobblehead
Just less than a couple weeks away, the Buffalo Bills will travel across the pond to Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ to take on their long time division rivals, the New York Jets, with their brand new hall of fame quarterback addition, Aaron Rodgers, and a newly revamped New York Jet offense. Should be a tougher task than usual against the new regime, but as always, Bills Mafia is always ready for the challenge as their push to a Super Bowl championship starts NOW!
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Two in the Box 
