The Instigator Podcast

The Sabres took both games in Boston and return home with a commanding 3-1 series lead. They have the opportunity to close out a series on home ice and we talk about the keys to Buffalo's game that will be imperative to earning a 4-1 series win. We break down Buffalo's relentless forecheck, how their defense has played a major role in their success and where they've taken advantage of the Bruins. We also share some of our favorite ...

Oxford Pennant Co-Founer Dave Horesh joins the show to talk about the deep Buffalo roots of Oxford Pennant and the unique set of offerings they have produced for the Sabres playoff run. We also talk about Dave's love of the Sabres, what it's meant for Oxford Pennant to work so closely with the organization (including the production of retired number banners) and, of course, how he has been celebrating the end of the drought and the...

Buffalo's power play has been an issue all season and it's been particularly awful in the month of April. The power play woes have continued into the playoffs and could derail Buffalo's efforts to take down the Bruins in round one. We discuss games one and two, what worked well for the Sabres in their thrilling game one victory and what didn't work as the Bruins returned the favor in game two. We spend time talking about the choice...

The Sabres are Atlantic Division champs, an amazing result considering where they came from in early December. We break down the Atlantic Division title and how it will shape expectations for the postseason. We also break down Buffalo's matchup with the Bruins and the pros and cons of the round one series for both clubs. 

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The drought is officially over. The Sabres clinched a playoff spot over the weekend and celebrated inside a raucous KeyBank Center on Monday. We talk through the end of the drought, Monday's win and the remaining work to be done in the playoff race. We also float who could get the biggest pop for banging the drum for game one and discuss which drought-era Sabres we would add to the current roster.  We also touch on the slew of firi...

Jordan Greenway, like Conor Timmins last week, has returned from injury. Zach Metsa is back from Rochester. Buffalo's roster is as close to 100% as it has been all season (though they will likely lose Sam Carrick for a period), how Lindy Ruff refines his lineup now that he's spoiled for choice will be telling. Timmins and Logan Stanley had their ups and downs as a pair, but with Metsa back, is he the best choice for Stanley's partn...

Who do you think is the best matchup for the Sabres in round one? There are still upwards of eight teams that could wind up playing the Sabres in the first round. We spend this week's episode talking through Buffalo's potential opponents in round one, providing insight into the strengths and weaknesses of each team and which we feel would be best for the Sabres to avoid and which would be favorable to draw. 

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It's been quite the week for the Sabres. Under normal circumstances, the trade deadline would have offered more than enough fodder for an episode, but then the Sabres and Lightning put on the most exciting game of the season. We talk through the aftermath of Sunday's barnburner, dig in on Buffalo's deadline acquisitions and look at the road ahead. We also talk about Lindy Ruff's bonafides as a coach of the year candidate and whethe...

The Sabres didn't land any big fish at this year's deadline but they brought in depth at forward and the blue line. Logan Stanley and Sam Carrick will likely be the most heavily deployed acquisitions while Tanner Pearson and Luke Schenn offer addition depth. This quick episode runs down Buffalo's additions at the deadline, the prices they paid and what we can expect from the quartet of new faces who will don blue and gold this spri...

Colton Parayko may be a Sabre if he opts to waive his no trade clause. Robert Thomas was very nearly a Sabre, based on reporting on Tuesday. Both big names out of St. Louis are our primary talking points this week as Thomas would represent a monumental blockbuster deal while Parayko is a seasoned top four defender who would further strengthen an already impressive unit. We break down what Parayko could mean for the Sabres as we awa...

For the first time in 46 years the U.S. has won gold in Olympic Hockey. Meanwhile, the U.S. women brought home yet another gold medal, cementing themselves as the global power in the women's game. We break down both gold medals in addition to addressing the discourse that has followed in the wake of the double championships. In this episode we debate if USA Hockey will learn the wrong lessons from hanging on for dear life in the go...

The Olympic hockey tournament is here and we take a look at the tournament favorites on the men's side. We break down the Canadian and U.S. line combos and share what we think separates the two gold medal favorites. We offer thoughts on what countries we think will make some noise at the tournament and pick our podium.

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With the men's Olympic hockey tournament set to begin and the women's Olympic hockey tournament already underway, Parker McLean of On The Fly joined the show to give a host of insights on this year's Olympic hockey tournament. Parker provides some great, in-depth talking points on the women's tournament, the teams who will be competing behind the U.S. and Canada and which of the two big rivals will walk away with gold. We also brea...

Big news broke in Buffalo on Tuesday as it was announced the Bills will bringing their radio production in-house for the coming season. Shortly after, The Buffalo News reported that the Sabres will follow suit. This represents a big shift in how both teams present themselves to their fanbase and will have a broad impact for fans. We discuss some of the more fascinating points of the process and what may be on the horizon in Western...

Four point games are all the rage as the Sabres press on. The next week is filled with high-stakes games as the Sabres look to strengthen their hold on an Eastern Conference playoff spot. We touch on the upcoming schedule, whether or not Buffalo's dip in underlying numbers are cause for concern and offer a few thoughts on last week's Josh Doan extension. Along the way, we touch on the pair of trades made by the Islanders and share ...

We take a detour from hockey talk to break down the seismic news of Sean McDermott's firing from the Bills. We touch on that news before digging in to the latest with the Sabres as they continue their push to end the playoff drought with a few impressive showings as they head out on the road. We also talk about how rejuvenating the Olympic break may be for the players who are dealing with injuries like Josh Norris and Michael Kesse...

The meat of the NHL's condensed schedule has arrived. The Sabres face a daunting set of games as they head towards the Olympic break and it doesn't get any easier in March. We talk though the challenges the Sabres face as they work to stay in the thick of the playoff race. Along the way, we touch on Buffalo's need for one more scorer and share some thoughts on what else needs to be shored up as they creep towards the stretch run.

This week's episode tackles the tricky topic of scoreboard watching along with a discussion of the Sabres line combinations upon Jason Zucker's return. We break down the pros and cons of Peyton Krebs remaining with Tage Thompson, Noah Ostlund's apparent demotion and whether Jack Quinn should remain in the lineup. We wrap up with an in-depth look at some potential options on the blueline as the Sabres try to navigate the absence of ...