On Thanksgiving Eve we fired up the mailbag to field a few questions from our listeners and run through some hot topics in Sabres nation. We hit on Jiri Kulich, Kevyn Adams trade activity, playoff positioning and more in this holiday special.
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Overthought is a semi-regular series that takes a look at some of the more interesting and notable tidbits shared by Elliotte Friedman in his weekly 32 Thoughts column. Each edition will feature some unique thoughts on the state of the Sabres or league as a whole before digging in on some of the notes from Freidman’s weekly column.
History repeated itself, as Devon Levi was sent to Rochester earlier this week, not far off from his initial demotion last season after a similarly rocky start to the season.
Like last year, the choice to send Levi down is sound. His play wasn’t up to an NHL standard and the Sabres risked bleeding points with every game Levi started. This isn’t a sign of defeat for Levi, however. At 22 years old, he has a lot of runway before any definitive proclamation about his career can be made. He has only played 63 professional games and he will benefit from an increased workload in Rochester; another benefit he enjoyed last year as well.
If the Sabres have made any error with Levi, it has been expecting too much of him too soon. He was steady in his initial seven-game cameo in 2022-23 after signing his entry level contract, but his consistency has waned since. Few, if any, goaltenders are capable of stepping into a full time NHL job from NCAA or junior. Those that have are either developmental exceptions or have had to work their way through regression in their play as teams and shooters have adjusted. Levi appears to be more the rule than exception when it comes to his development track.
Continue readingIt’s time for Sabres After Dark but Devon Levi will have to participate like the rest of us as the goaltender was sent to Rochester. James Reimer will be taking over backup duties while Levi gets to take over as the starter for the Amerks. We talk about how this move is the best option for Levi’s development while also reflecting on how his play led the Sabres to this decision.
We also touch on the need for the Sabres to perform well on this California swing if they hope to make any headway in the standings. Additionally, we discuss Jim Montgomery’s firing in Boston and how Alex Ovechkin’s injury will affect his chase of the goal scoring record.
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Continue readingThe Sabres exited their disappointing loss against the Canadiens with some concerning injury potential but they enter the end of the week with a bit of good news on that front. Both Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Tage Thompson couldn’t finish the game but are considered day-to-day, a huge victory as the pair are among the players the Sabres can’t afford to lose. News wasn’t as strong for Mattias Samuelsson as he will be out long term. We talk through the injury news and dig in on the injury-prone nature of Samuelsson and if it’s time for the Sabres to consider a buyout.
We also touch on Buffalo’s continued efforts to make a splash trade, as Pierre LeBrun was the latest insider to report Kevyn Adams has been burning up the phone lines.
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Elliotte Friedman reported last week that Kevyn Adams is among the busiest GMs in this young season as he likely shops around for a forward who can supplement Buffalo’s offensive attack. We talk about the many challenges Adams will be facing in trying to make a deal at this stage of the season and the (very) short list of players available to him to acquire given how few teams would be willing to shop a higher end piece of their roster.
We talk through some potential scenarios, in terms of players who could theoretically be targted while acknowledging the many struggles Adams faces in trying to fill such a notable hole on his roster.
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The Sabres are getting scary play from their second line and it isn’t scary good either. We talk about the struggles of Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn and Buffalo’s limited options to solve the issue. We also talk about the performance of Buffalo’s goaltenders and how a bit more consistency from the pair could pay dividends through a friendly upcoming schedule.
The show kicks off with a conversation about the recent Sportico team valuations and the Sabres 26% increase to a reported $1.13 billion.
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The Sabres sluggish start has overshadowed some positive play from the roster. It’s also been driven by a few notable, questionable performances from players who many were counting on driving the bus for the Sabres this season. We talk about Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn underperforming and how a resurgence from that pair could push the Sabres into contention in the East. We also discuss how Buffalo’s third line has helped carry the mail for the struggling second line.
Along the way we touch on Frozen Frenzy and the news that a pair of USHL teams approached the OHL about formally joining the league.
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New gear makes for one of the best parts of a new season and goaltenders are always at the center of attention in this department. Devon Levi, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Felix Sandstrom are no exception as all three have picked up new looks for the 2024-25 season.
Levi has the most eye-catching set of the young season, option for a vintage-inspired look from CCM. The brown leather look hearkens back to pads from the 1970s and early 1980s before team colors started to become incorporated into the materials. There is some expectation that he will be receiving a set of pads in Buffalo’s colors and that he is wearing the brown pads in the interim. That would be too bad as the brown pads look especially good with Buffalo’s home and away uniforms. The vintage brown setup is right at home with a set of jerseys that draw their design from the team’s original uniforms. It’s a serendipitous outcome and I hope he keeps rolling with the brown pads when the team is in blue and gold.
Continue readingThe Sabres enjoyed two strong performances upon their return from Europe, though they only came away with one win. One reason is the team’s power play has yet to score this season. We devote this episode to discussing what has and hasn’t worked for Buffalo’s power play and what areas we think could serve to improve the unit’s potential for success.
Along the way we touch on the rumors that the Bills may sell a stake to a group of former athletes with ties to no other city but Toronto and we offer some reflection on the touching tribute to Johnny Gaudreau ahead of the home opener for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
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Two in the Box 