A combination of poor goaltending, injuries and some more poor goaltending has all but dashed Buffalo’s hopes for a playoff push. With the team falling out of the race, and doing so in astonishing fashion, we talk about how this run of play could affect the team’s plans for the offseason. We also discuss how the utterly dismal goaltending performances of late could cause Devon Levi to see a bit more action than previously anticipated, or perhaps get his first look at an NHL game earlier than previously believed. We also have a brief Matthew Savoie update as the Sabres’ prospect has remained red hot for the Winnipeg Ice and ought to be a hot topic of conversation this offseason.
Matthew Savoie
The Instigator Podcast 11.14 – Sabres Status Report After 25 (Plus Three) Games
The Sabres have played 28 games and it feels like a good time to take an assessment of their progress thus far. We talk about our choice for MVP, top rookie and breakout performer through the first portion of the year. We also touch on what’s been the most frustrating and disappointing aspects of the season to this point. Also on this week’s show: a discussion over the Bo Horvat and Jesse Puljujarvi trade speculation and a brief rundown of the potential Sabres attendees at the World Junior Championships. Plus some thoughts on Matt Savoie not receiving an invite to Team Canada’s camp.
The Instigator Podcast 11.3 – Preseason Kicks Off plus Listener Q&A
With preseason underway, we reflect on the Sabres first few games of the preseason and what positives can be gleaned from the early action. We kick things off with a conversation about Jason Robertson and how the Sabres could go about acquiring him should the rumors of the connection between the Sabres and Stars bear fruit. We close this week’s episode with some listener questions covering a number of topics including line predictions, Matt Savoie and our favorite Sabres of all time.
You can catch The Instigator Podcast on these platforms any virtually everywhere else you find your podcasts:
iTunes
Spotify
Spreaker
Audacy
Stitcher
iHeartRadio
TuneIn
The Instigator Podcast 11.2 – Sabres Enjoy Promising Prospect Challenge
Sabres training camp is right around the corner, with their first preseason game fewer than five days away. The club wrapped up a 3-0 showing at the Prospects Challenge, driven mostly by the play of Matthew Savoie, Isak Rosen, Alexander Kisakov and Tyson Kozak. It was a strong showing for some of Buffalo’s most vital prospects, many of whom will be suiting up for Rochester this coming season.
We also discuss Nathan MacKinnon’s new contract in Colorado and the retirement announcements for Zdeno Chara and PK Subban.
You can catch The Instigator Podcast on these platforms any virtually everywhere else you find your podcasts:
iTunes
Spotify
Spreaker
Audacy
Stitcher
iHeartRadio
TuneIn
The Instigator Podcast 11.1 – Diving into the Prospect Challenge
We kick off another season of the podcast with a conversation about the Prospects Challenge. We run through the highlights of the roster expected to play this coming weekend and even dip into the invites who will be helping to round out the roster for the tournament.
Our conversation touches on some of the expected standouts for the tournament, the unknowns in net and closes with our thoughts on some of the players who could be worth watching for when Sabres training camp opens.
You can catch The Instigator Podcast on these platforms any virtually everywhere else you find your podcasts:
iTunes
Spotify
Spreaker
Audacy
Stitcher
iHeartRadio
TuneIn
Rapid Reactions to the Sabres 2022 Draft Picks
The 2022 NHL Draft is in the books and the Sabres made all 11 picks they entered the draft with. Their trio of first rounders are the crown jewel of the Sabres 2022 class, but the latter rounds saw Kevyn Adams fill some thinner areas of the team’s pipeline.
I think there’s a lot to like about the Sabres picks and I’d like to offer up some instant reaction to all 11 selections the Sabres made. If you’re looking for more in-depth scouting reports on these guys, the likes of Kris Baker, Corey Pronman and Chris Peters will have you covered. These are just some quick, off the cuff thoughts on the players the Sabres have brought in.
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Two in the Box 