Can Sabres End Road Woes & Get Into Holiday Spirit? w/ Joe Yerdon - Sabres Semantics - The Armchair GM's Sports Network

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Time to sharpen those swords. You're listening to Saber Semantics,
a hard hitting interview and discussion show featuring players, alumni,
media and all others who covered the.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
NHL's Buffalo Sabers.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
With interesting stories from the past and current of analysis,
this show is sure to provide an entertaining and unique
perspective for both savers and hockey fans alike. Exclusively on
the Armchair GM Sports Network.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
And welcome into another episode of Saber Semantics right here
on the Armchair GM Sports Network. Thank you everybody that's
tuned in on our video version on YouTube. Make sure
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(01:36):
peeps out there, thank you for your continued support. Brandik
Budo joined alongside Joe Jurden of Noted Hockey and Bleacher
Report to give us a quick update on the Buffalo
Sabers so far here in the month of December again
three months into the season, and again things for the Sabers.
I don't know what we're gonna get, Jose insights there
from what's going on the pulse down there in Buffalo

(01:58):
at Key Banks Center. Make sure you give us a
follow on ex at Saber Semantics. Was on Facebook, Instagram
and TikTok by searching the Armchair GM Sports Neverork for
our ours, short reels and content. Joe, thanks a lot
for joining us again today. I think the last time
you would talk to us here on the show it
was right before the Sabers are going out to Utah
and Colorado. So it's been about a month or so

(02:19):
and again two game losing streak right now lost for
the last six. Obviously some positivity with the way Josh
Norris has played this week and his return. We'll talk
about that a little bit, but just general thoughts here
as we look at where the Sabers are in the
standings once again.

Speaker 4 (02:35):
Yeah, it's the their lack of luck and lack of
solid play on the road is starting to haunt them
a bit here is there there were two to eight
and two on the road have yet to win in
regulation on the road. Haven't won in regulation on the
road since last season, obviously since April first, I believe
was the date.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah, that's a stab.

Speaker 4 (02:57):
That is that is a stat that is true. They uh,
it's it's so tough with them because they're the record
doesn't tell us this, even though the East is a
total schmas right now, like the East.

Speaker 3 (03:13):
Is, the East is a mess.

Speaker 4 (03:15):
Like there's seven out of the wild card as we
speak right now, but like they're five out of third
place in the Atlantic, so you know, there there's there's
there's room to be had if they can catch a
heater and get get right into the mix of this.
But you know, as of right now, they're tied for
last in the Eastern Conference with Florida. But you know,
Florida's getting Matthew could chuck back eventually.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
Here, there's no way there.

Speaker 4 (03:37):
The Panthers are gonna sit quiet for the entire season
and not try to get back into it. But but
this is this has been their battle this year, is
that you know, they win a couple of games in
a row and you're like, all right, maybe they've maybe
they've made the turn, and then they lose two or
three in a row. And it's very similar to how
things have gone in the past couple of years, where

(03:58):
it's like, okay, maybe they've maybe they got things figured out.
Maybe this is where things turn around and can't keep
it together and they can't keep keep the good momentum rolling.

Speaker 3 (04:09):
Crazy part is this team's really good at five on five.

Speaker 4 (04:12):
It's elsewhere that that they struggle with. You know, the
PK has been very good all year, but you know
it's not going to stay that good all year, at
least you don't think it's going to. Uh, and the
power play is still very average, very you know, inefficient, ineffective,
so you want to see that get better, but you
know it's tough. And the goaltending, you know, listen, three
goalies is not not great for any for anybody, and

(04:35):
it's not great for three guys that are trying to
try to each grab the net and trying to get
hot and stay with it.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
And you know, it's it's different things.

Speaker 4 (04:44):
A lot of a lot of this is a lot
of a lot of shooting themselves in the foot and
a lot of it is just you know, just not
staying on top of the game.

Speaker 3 (04:52):
So it's uh, it's a lot.

Speaker 4 (04:54):
That's a long way of saying this has been very
similar to how it's been the last few years for
the Savers.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, and when you look at it, I mean the
most one of the most recent games was against Philadelphia,
who is currently right now in a wildcard spot. You
looked at if the Sabers would have won that game,
they're what two or three points behind Philadelphia for a
wildcard spot. As crazy as that sounds considering how you know,
the Sabers road record has been horrible this year, you know,

(05:21):
like that they were that close to a wildcard spot.
As you mentioned, the East is it's just a mess
right now with some of the teams that we would
expect to be at the top or not, and teams
that we didn't expect to be, you know, at least
in the top three in the Atlantic or the Metro.
You know, are are there that we would not expect,
like Pittsburgh or Montreal or even Austin to it to

(05:41):
a certain extent. And the teams like Florida, Toronto, you know,
even Ottawa you expected to take a step and they're
near the bottom as well. So it's you know, you
got four Atlantic teams at the bottom of the East
right now, which is wild to think about. But the Sabers,
you know, if they would have picked up a couple
of points at they're not losing four or six like
you could have seen a pathway where they're three points

(06:01):
out of a wildcard spot right now. But again, we're
here sitting on December sixth talking about can they stay
alive by the end of December again and again, I
know nobody wants to hear about that, but you know,
when you're going through a fourteen year playoffs drought and
you're wondering if you're still going to be in it
by the time the calendar turns at twenty twenty six,
that's not exactly what you expected from this team going
in no.

Speaker 4 (06:23):
And you know, you look at the road record, I
mean two eight and two is putrid, and it's a
future road record. It's the worst road record in the
league by far, which is wild because you look around
the league and you've got some teams that are just
not playing very good hockey right now, like Vancouver, Calgary.
You know, a couple of teams are playing very soon
here in Nashville. These teams all have better records in

(06:46):
the road than the Sabers do, which is insane. It's
it's crazy, and it's this is very much like last
season where you know, if the you know, we're last
season we were saying, if the power play pulls its
weight just a little, they're they're probably they're probably at
a better spot if they don't lose thirteen games in
a row, if you go five hundred in that in

(07:07):
that time, they're right in the wild card race.

Speaker 3 (07:10):
Right now, you're looking at this two eight and two
on the road.

Speaker 4 (07:12):
I mean that's six points out of quick math, six
points out of a possible twenty four that ain't doing it,
that is not doing it. That is a twenty five
percent point percentage. And if you're doing that on the road,
you're done, Like your season's done. Forget it, pack it in,
get ready for the lottery. There needs that needs to

(07:33):
get fixed, that has to get turned around. And you
know they've got four more games on this road trip.

Speaker 3 (07:38):
It's tough.

Speaker 4 (07:39):
It's very tough, and like when you're when you're starting
out like this, it's in your head at this point.

Speaker 3 (07:45):
And you know that.

Speaker 4 (07:47):
For this group, it's you know, it's it's a lot
of it is very self inflicted. I mean, you look
at you know, the things that went wrong in the
game in Winnipeg. You know, it's you know, it's Alex
Tuck with a turnover, a bad turnover, it's a bad
line change, it's you know, it's it's little it seems
like microaggressions, but they turn into macro aggressions immediately against

(08:08):
their own team because you know, you can survive a mistake,
you can survive like a turnover, but when it turns
into a two on zero, you know, a breakaway for
Tanner Pearson, well.

Speaker 3 (08:17):
Good luck like that. You might not you might not
get that one back.

Speaker 4 (08:22):
You know, when it's a play where you know one
of your forwards is just diving to try to swat
the puck away because uh oh jail break at the bench,
you know, that's you know, you're kind of stuck in
that spot and you're forcing your goalie to have to
to get maybe too aggressive in a short amount of time.

Speaker 3 (08:39):
And you know, and that's just one game.

Speaker 4 (08:41):
That's just a Winnipeg game, and never mind some of
these other these other road losses. The Philly game, I mean,
you know, the Philly game was a lot of things
they did wrong.

Speaker 3 (08:51):
But a lot of.

Speaker 4 (08:51):
Things that they were victims of too, victim of US two.
So I mean it's you know, it's the it's the
kind of thing where you know, you can see a
way out for this group, but you wonder if they
can find that way out. I think that's I think
that's the issue that sounds profound, it's really not. But
you know, they've got a minus twelve goal differential that's

(09:14):
tied for the worst in the East with Detroit and
minus twelve. I mean, tons of teams in the West
are double figure minus in the West. But but they're
competing with the East, and if they can take some
chunks out of these teams in the West, teams that
are going through it. You know, they've already shown they
can do it to Edmondson. They've got to get it
back against Calgary. You know, Vancouver is the team that
they can beat Seattle. You know, Seattle's going to be

(09:37):
a grind game.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
But but this is.

Speaker 4 (09:39):
You know, this is a this is the thing that
could turn around really quick. But you just you have
to wonder if they can get it out of you know,
get it out of their heads or get it out
of their system to do it.

Speaker 1 (09:49):
And it just seems like as you mentioned, like just
segments of games, right, like Philadelphia give up three goals
in a minute, and again I know they're questionable, some
calls on those power plays that Philadelphia was getting, and
then you know in the Winnipeg game, you know, it's
won one game and then all of a sudden, Winnipeg
just you know, takes over. And and I just I
look at at at these games and like you look

(10:10):
at the whole sixty minute effort, Joe, and it's just
to me, I have not seen a sixty minute team
more times than not this season from from these guys.
And I'm going to get into some of the statistics
that you want to discuss and things like that. But
you know, even like they talk about last night, like
they they posted the article Sabers demand more of themselves
after lost to Jets, Like you know, Lindy Rough, I

(10:31):
feel like, comes out and talks about a lot of
the same things where they they shoot themselves in the
foot for you know, Q plays or bad defensive zone
lapses that cost them. Like I feel like I can
listen to most Lindy Rough post games and come up
with some of the pretty much forty to fifty percent
of what he says is going to be the same
thing that he said the last game.

Speaker 4 (10:49):
Oh, you kind of hope for a game that gets
decided by something completely different, just so you can say, like, well,
what's it gonna say about this one? You know, you
know you're you're rooting for like a different way for
it to come apart, because at least then it's something different.
It's the same thing every time that it's you know,
you like to think that practice can boil that stuff
out or just you know, just this sheer experience of

(11:12):
being like, hey, we got to stop doing this every
game would force guys to to kind of change things
up or do things the way that they're meant to
be done.

Speaker 1 (11:23):
Yeah, And I just like, I look at the way
that this team again, like we beat a dead horse
here when we talk about it. But it's just, you know,
when you've gone through this for so long and the pressure,
the pressure mounts, right, and the pressure on the coaching staff,
the pressure on the management, the pressure on the players.
You've got some big contracts coming up at the end
of the year as well. Joe, like, it just seems

(11:45):
like every loss with this team is magnified times one
hundred because of this of where they've been, where they're
at currently, and where people expect them to be with
the talent that they have. Like we even hear about
it on the national broadcast during the intermissions and things
like that, where they're like, this team has wasted way
too much talent to not be a playoff team and
you know, all these things and what's going on in Buffalo,

(12:06):
and they get analyzed, you know, and scrutinized a lot
on the national broadcast. Would they say that they have
all this talent? But I just feel like with this team,
any little negative, you know, really opens up a wider
hole than maybe some other teams would.

Speaker 4 (12:23):
Yeah, and it's you know, you mentioned big contracts coming up,
and you know with Alex Alex Tuck situation, it's you know,
it's one that you I think ideally wanted to have
settled before the season and have that out of the
way and taken care of so that it's not hanging
over you. And you know, like a sort of damically
is that like once the season gets too far beyond

(12:46):
the reach, then it's like, okay, well where are they
trading him?

Speaker 5 (12:48):
You know?

Speaker 3 (12:48):
What are you getting in return?

Speaker 4 (12:50):
I think with Alex it's it's a heavier thing because
you know, it's the classic Kevin Adams. I only want
guys that want to be here. Well, the guy from
Syracuse once be here, and it's a matter of figuring
out the money and and all that stuff and just
getting it taken care of. And you know, it got
a lot harder after you know, some of these other

(13:11):
guys have signed their contracts, you know, Adrian Kempy and
players like that, where you know it's kind of set
the bar and now it's like, well, you got to
pay a thirty year old tuck you know, ten, eleven,
twelve million dollars a year for X number of years, Like,
is that something you're comfortable with doing? And that's a
question they had to be asking themselves in the off
season to begin with, although they were probably thinking, well,

(13:35):
you know, maybe nine million a year, that'd be that'd
be a good way to settle in. That's probably where
we're looking to end up. And now it's that's not
that's not where that's going to end up. That's just
that's just where it's going to. You know, that's that
would be an ultimate hometown discount if Alex took that,
but I don't see that happening right now. But you know,

(13:55):
if he goes, you then have to wonder, well, what's
the effect on the rest of the roster, how many
how many other guys are gonna be like, well, forget it,
We're we're not sticking around for this, Like that's that's
the question you have to ask, because it's what's already
happened here before, you know, like that, we've seen these
things play out. So it's a it's a matter of

(14:16):
getting this thing turned around for everybody to make the playoffs, obviously,
but also like if you want this group to stick together,
if you you know, if these guys really do enjoy
playing together and all that, well you better get it
figured out because you know, if it's if it's not
the GM or the coach that are going anywhere, it's
gonna be players, or it's gonna be all three and

(14:36):
then you know, and then we're talking about, you know,
twenty years without playoffs at that point.

Speaker 3 (14:40):
So maybe I don't know.

Speaker 4 (14:43):
Some teams seem to figure out how to get a
how to get a rebuild done and taken care of
in three years but but that's you know, these are
the hard things you're staring at in the face right now.
If you don't get it turned around right now, that's that,
to me is the hardest part, because these guys hate
going through this every year. Well, if you want to
avoid it, figure it out. That's pretty much where it

(15:06):
comes down to.

Speaker 1 (15:07):
And you know, I know they don't want to make
changes again because they've made so many changes over the
last fourteen years. But at the same time, you know,
like you said, you don't want to leave in the
twenty and you having to restart the roster again because
you have to trade away an entire core like they've
already done during this fourteen year rebuild, if you want
to call it that. So like again, like I get

(15:29):
the frustration of wanting the change, but again, it has
to be a change in the right direction. They can't
just go backwards again for five years.

Speaker 4 (15:35):
Yeah, and you know they you know, the one thing
the National people do have right there is way too
much talent on this roster to be.

Speaker 3 (15:44):
Scuffling the way that they are now.

Speaker 4 (15:45):
You know, you could chalk it up to being like, well,
you know it's the first quarter of the season, maybe
you know, maybe once they get hot, they'll stay hot.

Speaker 3 (15:52):
You know, maybe.

Speaker 4 (15:54):
I mean, but we've we haven't really seen that this team,
this franchise get hot and stay hot since twenty eighteen,
twenty eighteen nineteen where they won ten in a row,
you know, and like even then that team went from
being like top in the league to out of the
playoffs in two months.

Speaker 3 (16:12):
So you know, like that's that that's the kind of
thing you're dealing with.

Speaker 4 (16:16):
And you know that maybe that's like you know, fan
bitterness that comes through and saying pointing these things out.

Speaker 3 (16:22):
But you know, I'm not not.

Speaker 4 (16:23):
A Sabers fan, but like you know, when you go
through it, you're covering it, you're right down in the
front of it. You're just kind of like, well, we've
seen this before, seen just about everything before.

Speaker 3 (16:32):
But which is yeah, yeah, right, exactly.

Speaker 4 (16:37):
Well, eighteen game losing streak if you want to go
back to the COVID season when Ralph Kruger was fired
and Don Ronato was hired, like that was seventeen eighteen games.

Speaker 3 (16:47):
So we've seen everything. We've seen it all, man. But
if but if you want this thing to.

Speaker 4 (16:55):
Get turned around, you know there are little areas where
it can improve. The power play certainly won. If the
power play gets going and clicks and scores all the
time great like that's that's a huge help because it'll
help balance things out when the PK cools off, because
it's going to it's it. If it stays great all season,
I think that's an incredible feat of accomplishment for for

(17:17):
Lennie Ruff and Marty Wolford, that would be awesome. But
you have to assume it's got to cool off. And
we've seen some cracks here and there, but you know,
it's still been good. But if that gets fixed, the
goaltending gets steady, which is hard to do with three guys,
that changes things up.

Speaker 3 (17:35):
And you know, just.

Speaker 4 (17:37):
Stay stay strong at five and five because they have
been you know, they've they've been really good at five
and five. And you know, if they could play every
game without any penalties on either side, I think the
Sabers would be happier than anything to have that happen.
But that's the same that is also not how the
game is played.

Speaker 1 (17:53):
No, And yeah, I mean I'm gonna move on here, Joe,
because I don't want to continue just to stay on
that point. But I could go on and on about that,
but I want to get your quick thoughts on the
updated injury report. For you guys watching on video, you
can see it on the screen, but for you listening
in audio, Joe Tyson Kozak still not ready to return

(18:15):
the lineup. Kessel Ring's not on the trip, Yury Kooleach
justin dan Forth. You know the Sabers provide a little
bit of an update there, but what can you tell
us about the latest report there?

Speaker 4 (18:24):
Yeah, Michael kessel Ring, I think well, I think once
the team gets back home, he'll probably be closer to returning.
I would imagine he is skating on his own, which
is a good sign, but he's not practicing with the
team and he's not on the road trip, so it'll
be at least a couple more weeks there. Lindy Ruff
was very quick to say he's not close before they

(18:46):
left town on the trip. So take that at take
that ads as it's worth there, because I think he.

Speaker 3 (18:53):
I think he would know best.

Speaker 4 (18:54):
But yeah, if he if he was going on the trip,
that would have meant that he would probably be practicing
with him and then he maybe a return. What happened,
But I'd say maybe not. I say when they get back.
We're talking like a week till Christmas, so maybe not
till after Christmas. We'll see, we'll see what happens there.
But it would be good to get him back in.

Speaker 1 (19:13):
That.

Speaker 4 (19:13):
I mean, that'd be a huge help Tyson Kozak Uh
probably just like a very day to day kind of
thing with him. You know. Now, with Norris back, I
think that kind of shrinks the lineup down a little
bit for him. But if he gets back in the lineup,
who you take out is going to be the big question.
I know they've been kind of kind of spot starting

(19:37):
Jordan Greenway, just kind of helping him come back because
he had a couple of different I think it was
like you know, mid body surgeries like hernia, hernia type
stuff in the off season that was, you know that
really sapture energy to try to get past that stuff.
So I think they're just trying to manage him better
and get him going. But if but if Kozak's to

(20:00):
get back in, maybe it's Greenway who pops out to
give him a break.

Speaker 3 (20:03):
Maybe in the back they got it back to back
I think coming.

Speaker 4 (20:06):
Up soon, Maybe I'm forgetting the schedule here, But okay,
but yeah, maybe you get to Kozak back in there,
maybe he comes in for Austlin. But I think Austin's
played really well. I think it would be a mistake
to get him out of the lineup he's played. I
think he's played very good given the role that he's
in and that line that he's with now with Tuck
and Doan, I that's a perfect setup for me for me.

(20:27):
But we'll see, We'll see where things go, because if
things keep getting a little bit harrier with the results
than you know, maybe some drastic change. We might see
some drastic changes as it is. Lindy seemed to be
talking about that a little bit after the loss of Winnipeg,
So we'll see if the top six gets gets tossed
around a bit there. And Justin dan Forth, I think
it's still gonna be a ways for him, saw him,

(20:51):
seen him around the rink recently. But he's got a
big brace on his legs, so I can't imagine we're
gonna see him anytime soon. But but yeah, I know,
I know a lot of fans forgot that they even
signed him in the off season because he was here
and then he was injured very badly right.

Speaker 1 (21:06):
Away, Yurikol each anything on him.

Speaker 3 (21:09):
And with Uri.

Speaker 4 (21:12):
The blood clot that he's dealing with is I wouldn't
even be thinking about Uri Kally too much right now
until he's like back with teams, you know, team practicing
and all that. I know he's going to try to
do his best because I think he wants to be
ready for the Olympics, because I imagine he'd be on
the check your roster U at the Olympics.

Speaker 3 (21:33):
But a blood clot is out.

Speaker 4 (21:35):
Of your control, like you you can do as much
as you can to try to treat it and make
sure it's right, but those things are finicky and they
take time. So you know, whatever treatments he's getting it's
gonna be it really depends on how that goes. So
it's he's he's he's on a timetable, but like it's
an unknown timetable I guess, which isn't much.

Speaker 1 (21:56):
Of a timetable, right, I mean, hey, that's all that's
you've been given is all you've been given, right, And
it's with those as you mentioned, like it's not like
something where you know, leg injury, Okay, that's gonna take
this amount of time like that, something like that, or
a concussion like it. There is really no given timeline
on you'll be back by X amount of days.

Speaker 4 (22:17):
Right, And you know, he's he's with the team. You know,
he's hanging around the team, you know when they're at home,
and you know, I think he's doing like workouts he's
allowed to do, but I imagine it's nothing strenuous or
even if it's a workout at all, Like guys just want.

Speaker 3 (22:31):
To be around the team.

Speaker 4 (22:32):
So so, but yeah, but you feel for him because
this was gonna this is gonna be a big ear
for him, and you know, having something like this happened,
obviously it was affecting his play on the ice beforehand,
before it was discovered, and now it's you know, put
like an indefinite pause on where he gets to go
from here because we said these things they get settled out,

(22:53):
however they decide to get settled out, and you just
hope that it gets settled out in the right way
and that nothing's more serious comes from it and that
he can get back on the ice as soon as possible.

Speaker 3 (23:04):
But we don't know when that's.

Speaker 1 (23:05):
Going to be right, So, as you mentioned, the Sabers
back to back there, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Seattle. So they're
on the Western road swing right now and sixth straight
on the road currently, so they won't be back at
home until that December eighteenth game against the Philadelphia Flyers,
so we'll have to see if kessel Wring does rejoin
the team at that point. So we're going to take

(23:26):
a quick commercial break on today's show, We're gonna come back.
We're going to discuss Josh Norris's return, and we've got
to a statistic that Joe wants to discuss as well
from the Sabers decore as well. So stay right here,
right back on Saber Semantics, right here on the arm
paer GM Sports Network.

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Speaker 5 (27:07):
Hey.

Speaker 1 (27:08):
Here we call it's talking Died and Buffo.

Speaker 3 (27:11):
Okay, here we call the boys and Blue Wine.

Speaker 2 (27:15):
Here we call me some.

Speaker 3 (27:20):
Let's hear you from your ons.

Speaker 1 (27:31):
And welcome back to part two of today Saber Semantics episode.
Brandik Whitto joined alongside Joe Yrdon of Bleacher Report and
noted Hockey continuing to update us on the Buffalo Sabers
from there in Buffalo, got the pulse on everything down there.
Joe Jarden covering the Sabers for a long time and
friend of the show here. Always appreciate him coming on
to give us an update on the Sabers. Make sure

(27:53):
to give us a follow on x at Saber Semantics
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share GM Sports Network. Thank you as all always to
those watching us on the video version on YouTube. Make
sure it hit like, hit, subscribe, smash that bell and
comment as well. We always want to hear the fan
interaction as well, and thank you to those that chose
to listen to us in your favorite on demand audio platform.
Joe and again, we're in the holiday season, but you know,

(28:16):
I don't know what the Savers are bringing us this year,
if it's going to be good or bad. Under the tree.
You know, we got we still got a couple of
weeks here before Christmas, but you know, Christmas shopping, I
haven't done all mine yet, but that's a we could
have a whole other podcast on that. But regardless, you know,
when you get into these stretches and I know, like
the trade freeze happens and everything like that as well

(28:37):
for the National Hockey League and the World Junior startup,
and with it being an Olympic year, the schedules condensed
already as it is, so like, are you looking at
sort of this December any differently than you would in
a normal year where you know, teams just you know,
you are what you are in December and going into
the new years is really when you start to know
if you're going to be a contender or not or
do you think right now that we're seeing the what

(28:59):
teams are going to be, which teams aren't and if
the Sabers really need to make some drastic moves here
you know, going into I guess January of twenty twenty six.

Speaker 4 (29:08):
I think this season's a little bit different just because
the points are so tight for everybody. I mean even
you know, with Buffalo and Florida being in technically last
in the East twenty six right now, you know you're
a heater away from being right there, you know, like
the wildcard spots are at thirty three points, the division

(29:28):
thirty one is it gets you to third and to
me that you know the door is open I mean,
five points is not easy to make up, especially when
you know you got three point games. You got the
whole thing, and I know, the whole classic thing about
you know, teams in a playoff spot at American Thanksgiving
or you know, seventy.

Speaker 3 (29:49):
Whatever percent make the playoffs.

Speaker 4 (29:51):
But look figuring that out this year because everybody was
really close at you know, just even like a week
or a week or so ago, things are way too tight.
So but I think at this point right now, you're
gonna start to see I think you're gonna start to
see teams separate maybe a little bit. And it's kind

(30:12):
of bold, and it's a little bold to say, given
how given how weird everything's been this season, but I
think you want to see some teams start to surge
and really take over. I mean, not everybody's gonna do
what Colorado's doing. I know the Abs are stupidly good
this year, but but you want to see some teams
kind of like surge forward and take control. We've seen

(30:35):
like Washington, for me, in the East is a team
that hasn't been playing that great, but yet they're you know,
the point totals tell you like they're doing well. Logan
Thompson's having a great season even still, like, you know,
they give up a bunch of goals the other night
and you're like, Okay, well maybe they're not that good.
But you know, you see how how great Tampa's played

(30:55):
this year. They're you know, they're not infallible. Neither's Boston
or even Montreal in the Atlantic. And you know, it's
just the way the Atlantic set up with Detroit and Outawa, Toronto.
I mean, five teams in the bottom five in the
East are all in the Atlantic. And yet you know,
Detroit's technically tied with Montreal, like they're tied for third.

(31:18):
And have they impressed me this year? No, Montreal has
been very helter skelter. Ottawa's Ottawa looks great some nights
and then not great the other half of the time.
And you know, Toronto's been messy, They've been better lately.
Florida's you know, missing what three two of their their
top two players at least, and then you know a

(31:39):
handful of others. So the opportunities there for somebody to
get hot bank a bunch of points and then try
to ride through it the rest of the way, play
five hundred hockey. But but I think we're at a
point right now where, you know, teams have played a
ton of games here the first couple of months, and

(31:59):
the edual gets a lot harder in January and February
leading into the Olympic break, and then after that it's
going to be a hardcore sprint to the finish because
there's gonna be a ton of games after the Olympics
and then through March into April. It's gonna be nuts.
And for anybody who maybe doesn't have a lot of
guys going in the Olympics, maybe that break helps them out.

(32:20):
You know, guys get healthy, they get two weeks and
you know, son and fun. That helps out. But you
got to get there, like you got to you gotta
be close by the time we reach that break, because
if you're not close by the break, it's going to
be really hard to get to get through it after.

Speaker 1 (32:35):
That, right And as you mentioned, eleven points separate first
from last in the conference right now in the East.

Speaker 4 (32:41):
So that's I mean, that's that's a that's a huge gap,
mind you, Like eleven doesn't sound like a lot in
the NHL, that's kind of a lot because you got
to jump you know, ten teams ten, you know, a
ton of teams to be able to get there to
do it, which is a bigger problem because you could say, like, hey,
we've got our points. We did it cool, four points

(33:03):
ahead of you also did the same things. You've actually
only jumped three spots.

Speaker 3 (33:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (33:08):
Yeah, you got to leap frog all those teams. And
that's not an easy thing to do because you not
all these teams are all going to lose seven straight
games for you to be able to leap frog them.
So again, the Savers have dug themselves a hole once again.
But as you mentioned, there's a lot of hockey left
to be played. But again we've been saying that for
a lot of years now. But again with this condensed schedule,

(33:28):
to me, is just an intriguing factor. See how how
this sprint goes going to that second half of the
year with teams trying to stay healthy for a lot
of games in a short amount of time. So Joe,
I want to go to something positive. Obviously. The big
news this week was the return of Josh Norris, who
had only played eighteen minutes of the opening game got
injured in a face off play and it was really

(33:49):
unfortunate because we know what Josh Norris is capable of
when he's in the lineup and the reason why Kevin
Adams went out and made that trade to trade Dylan
Cousins in a second round pick to get this guy,
you know, a former round pick at the Ottawa Centators
in twenty seventeen. You know, an incredible first first game
back for him, I must say, you know, basically had
a hat trick, had the one goal changed to an assist,

(34:10):
so it was two goals and an assist. But five
points in four games. Are gonna say five points in
three games because that first game he played eighteen minutes
and got hurt. So what have you thought of the
return of Josh Norris as the number one center on
this team and sort of where you think that the
that his biggest strengths are and how the team can
you know, really rally around a guy like this, and

(34:31):
sort of how he has already injected himself positively into
what they they've been trying to do.

Speaker 4 (34:38):
I think the biggest edition by getting Josh Norris back
in this lineup is speed for for the top for
the top groups, because he is such a great skater.
He is, he is a top tier skater, and he's
quick and he plays the game fast too, like he
reads the game really well, and his his all round.

Speaker 3 (34:58):
Play is really strong.

Speaker 4 (35:02):
That speed and his his hockey smarts allow him to
be a really solid defensive player when called on. But
all of that skill and that ability just make him
stand out as as a guy who can just make
a big difference at both ends of the ice. But
you know, the the area you want to see him
have the biggest effect is offensively, and you know he's

(35:23):
been able to do that so far. We've seen him
help juice things up a little bit there for the
top line. Top line struggled a little bit in Winnipeg,
which you know, if you're dealing with Josh Morrissey every
every shift, yeah it's gonna be a little bit harder.
But but what you want to see from from him though,
is uh, generate shots, play fast, create and create like

(35:46):
that's that's what you want to see out of him.
And we have seen some of that. How he and
and this was a question I posed to Lendy Ruff
I think you know when he when he came back,
was how will that? Well, how will what Norris does?
Which Norris is a is a prolific shooter and he
plays fast. How will that work with Tage Thompson, who
is a prolific shooter, doesn't play as fast, but like

(36:08):
he's you know, in the offensive zone. He wants to
throw bucks the net. And Lindy was basically like, well,
we'll see, We'll see how it goes.

Speaker 3 (36:16):
But he likes that.

Speaker 4 (36:17):
He likes the dynamic of how quick Norris can play
and set them up. I do wonder if maybe we
see a change there with that group against Calgary, or
if maybe he's just gonna say, like, listen, we got
to give this a couple more games and see if
see if this, uh, see if this clicks a little
bit more. But but I think when you've got shooters

(36:37):
like Norris and like Thompson, I think ideally you want
to have them separate just so that they have you know,
you only got one pucket a time, so I know
one guy's gonna shoot it, then you gotta let him
shoot it. But to me, there's no harm in having
a couple of guys that just want to pepper the
pucket the net, because this team doesn't always throw the
puck in the net. So I think any anything that

(36:59):
adds to its good thing. And I've I've really liked
his play and obviously we're rooting for him to stay
healthy because he's dealt with so much over the last
few years with his shoulders, you know, the oblique last
year when he came over was you know, was a
little bit banged up and that held him to what
three games I think last season, three four games last season.

(37:20):
So in Buffalo, I should say, not not in Ottawa.
But but you want to see you want to see
a guy like that succeed because he's just had so many,
so many things that have kept him off the ice
that you want to see him just get back, stay
healthy and then just take over.

Speaker 1 (37:36):
And you mentioned it about Tage, like obviously we've seen
Tage go back to center a little bit this year.
Norris right now and Tage playing together, as you mentioned,
sort of what is the dynamic there long term going forward?
Like in your opinion, as we got the the forward
lines up on the screen, if you guys listening to audio,
will kind of just quickly discuss, you know, would you
move Norris or Tage to that second line center role,

(37:58):
move McCloud down to the third line center, but then
where does that put Auslin?

Speaker 3 (38:02):
Right?

Speaker 1 (38:02):
So it's you know, like right now, like, do you
do you mind having Tage on the right wing with
Norris and Benson as that line to see how that
continues to work? I know, whenever cool each comes back,
he gets into this conversation as well. So you think
that there's really a define how this is gonna work
right now? Or do you think Lindy Ruff is really
just going to take it game by game, you know,
depending on who's hot with who and seeing what works,

(38:24):
you know, throw it on the wall and see what
lineup sticks. And this is the one that they've got
right now.

Speaker 4 (38:29):
I think if you're determined to have Norris at center,
I think you almost have to put him either have
him be the first or second line center, either one.
But I think Thompson, I mean, Thompson's in like what
a five six game goald rout right now, and you
know he's a goal scorer, he's going to be streaky,
but he was scoring goals at center, and I think

(38:50):
I'd want to get him back to center to get
him to get him back, you know, more fully involved
in the game. I know it may leave a little
something left to be desired to find h with Thompson.
But like you know, if you're if you've got him
at center and he's able to do more and generate more,
I think that's a net positive, you know, defensive stuff aside,

(39:12):
maybe you can change who his wingers are to help
out defensively. I know they value McLeod's ability to win
draws a lot, so you want to keep him at center.
This all seems to like point towards. You know, maybe
Austlin's a guy who gets you know, gets kind of
pushed down or even out of the lineup, which I
don't think they want to do that either. Or maybe

(39:36):
you put him on the wing where he's never really
played before. I mean, Austlin size wise not great for
the wing. But maybe you do something a little funky.
Maybe Thompson goes to center and the Norris plays on
the wing and that way, like you know, situationally, you
can use him on the face offs and whatnot. But
because the draws do mean a lot to this team,

(39:57):
and you know, we've seen it cost them a lot
of possession time, you know, on on in zone draws
where it either hurts them defensively or kills them offensively
from being able to create something.

Speaker 3 (40:08):
But that to me might be the way you go
about it. I know McLeod and Austlin kind of switched
off onlines against Winnipeg. I think Austlin was was playing
a little bit with Quinn and Zucker and then he
was with Don and Tuck and then you know, vice versa.

Speaker 4 (40:23):
But to me, I think the the the I think
the first thing you do is to switch Thompson and
Norris and see the way that works. Because they've had
Norris playing on the flank on the power play over
in the over in the circle, and I think that's
that's a that's the right spot for him.

Speaker 3 (40:40):
But yeah, it's.

Speaker 4 (40:42):
It's a nice problem to have, but unfortunately, you know,
they're they're at a spot in the standings where they
can't really you know, fritter around and and try to
figure it out.

Speaker 3 (40:51):
Over the course of a few games.

Speaker 1 (40:53):
And you mentioned the power play. What have you seen
from that unit? Right now? It's Don, Norris, Zuoker with
Dollene and Tage tom and but again, whether that sticks
or not even at tomorrow's practice, we'll see. But what
have you seen there? And have you seen Norris make
a positive impact on that power play unit as well,
not just five on five.

Speaker 4 (41:11):
Yeah, I think Norris is a net positive on the
power play because he gives them somebody gives the the
opposing PK somebody else to mind in that circle to shoot.
When we've seen you know, Ryan McLeod in that spot
sometimes and he's there sometimes in the second Union, they
don't respect that shot.

Speaker 2 (41:29):
You know.

Speaker 4 (41:29):
There's certain guys that who's shot you're like, oh, we've
got to be mindful of that. Norris is a guy
you have to respect because he can rip it, he
can put it past goalies from there.

Speaker 3 (41:39):
When it's Zach Benson, it's.

Speaker 4 (41:40):
A little bit more you're worried about him crashing the
net and get it, you know, getting in there, mucking
things up a little bit. But that's where you've got
a guy like Zucker in the in the bumper spot
where you know he can tip pucks, he can shoot
from there, and then also he's digging in and around
the net. When the puck's in close, he's going to
jump right in on it with don to try to

(42:02):
create goals.

Speaker 3 (42:03):
That way, to me, that's having Zucker and done there
is really good.

Speaker 4 (42:08):
Obviously, Doleene up top is solid and Thompson at the
at the opposite circle is I mean, that's that's where.

Speaker 3 (42:14):
He's going to be.

Speaker 4 (42:16):
Unfortunately, that makes it a little easier for pks to
shadow because because you know Doleen and Thompson will shoot,
so guys are going to come out and get after them.
But that's we're having Norris on the other side. Makes
things a little bit a little bit more anxious for
opposing teams because you know you've only got four and

(42:36):
if you're gonna double up on somebody, somebody else is
going to get open. And if it's Norris, he's gotta
rip it. So to me, if you've got shooters on
both sides, it's good. But I think the biggest thing
for the Sabers penalty power play is to keep moving
because once they get static, it's so easy to camp
out on everybody and prevent shots from getting to the net.

Speaker 1 (42:56):
Yeah, and we've kind of seen that the last two
games against Philadelphia and Winnipeg, although they did score a
goal on the power play in the Winnipeg game, but
just again, when they take a step forward in that
game against Winnipeg back at home, and then the last
two games you've seen is just it leaves a sour
taste because you see the positive with Norris coming back
and how much that injected some life into the lineup,

(43:18):
and then now you know you've seen it kind of
just fizzle out the last couple of games, and you
hope that that is not a trend going in the
wrong direction.

Speaker 4 (43:26):
Yeah, And unfortunately the road record kind of kind of
belies that because it's you know, they've shown that on
the on the road, whether it's they're not getting the
matchups they want or whatever, it's a problem. Although the
matchups thing, I mean that's only on face offs. I mean,
flow a play, get your guys on and off and

(43:46):
try to try to make things work. I mean, it's
it's not like you're prevented from from switching guys out
when you want. Although we've seen the last couple of games,
line changes have not looked easy for this team because
they've got caught with her caught with her pants down
a couple of times, and it's caused problems.

Speaker 1 (44:03):
Yeah, and Lindy obviously can't be happy about those things.
Very animated on the bench, as you could see, he's
not gonna accept those things. So again, that's something that
they're gonna have to work on in practice. Line changes
crazy to think about at the nast Hockey League level.
But the last thing we want to touch on today, Joe,
because you wanted to bring it up on today's show.
I'm going to pull it up on the video version
for you guys watching, but for you listening, just pulling

(44:27):
up a quick statistic, Joe wants to go over here,
goals against per sixty minutes for the Sabers decor.

Speaker 4 (44:33):
Yeah, this is this was something that I've been keeping
an eye on this year, and it's, uh, you know,
because Owen Power is such a guy that gets hyper
fixated on by the fans because they say, what's this
guy doing out here?

Speaker 3 (44:46):
Why is he played like Dollan. He doesn't look like
a number one.

Speaker 4 (44:50):
Draft pick this whole thing, and he's really good. I
know it doesn't come out in the points, it doesn't
show up in whatever you're trying to do. But these,
you know, the goals against per sixty. This is at
five on five, mind you, which they've been good at
five and five. Owen Power is their best defender and
Doleen is not far behind him, which is not a

(45:11):
surprise with Dolleen because he's just he's all world good.
But seeing Power right there with him and Samuelson as well,
it's stuck at a twisted Samuelson and Doleen as a
pair that's virtually a shutdown pair, which is kind of
wild for fans that have been watching for a while
and waiting for Mattia Samuelson to maybe take a step.
He's taken a massive step this year. But Owen Power

(45:32):
has been doing outstanding and he's been kind of a
guy that's a guy kind of without a partner this
year because he was playing with Connor Timmins for a
little bit. That pairing did not work, and now he's
been with Jacob Brison. Now with kessel Ring out of action,
we were meant to see Power and kessel Ring together
like from the get go, and we finally saw them

(45:53):
get together, and then Kesselring got injured and it was like, well,
all right, well that stinks, But but now you're seeing
him with Bryson and that's been pretty solid, you know,
for a guy that's you know, for a pairing that's
a couple of lefties.

Speaker 3 (46:07):
Power has been awesome.

Speaker 4 (46:08):
And you know, Byron and Timmins. They're high event hockey,
and unfortunately the opposite, the bad side of high event
hockey is you're giving up a lot of chances and
in their case, a lot of goals uh nearly for
a game in Timmins's case, I guess in Byram's case
two three point seven to nine for Byron, three point
nine to six for Timmins.

Speaker 3 (46:28):
That's not getting done. Now.

Speaker 4 (46:30):
Mind you, the goals four is nearly three for both
of them, which is outstanding. Byram's had a great offensive season. Defensively, however,
that pairing's been taken a hit, and you've seen it
the last few If you watch the road games, you
you can tell, which you can tell teams have done
their scouting because they see numbers like this by Byron
and Timmins, and you see the matchups change very quickly.

(46:54):
The Minnesota game, every time Byron and Timmins hit the ice.
Kprizov's line was out there against winn Peg, Shifely and
Connor and those guys and Vallardi were out on the
ice against them right away. And that's that's an issue
that's very difficult to solve because you could try to

(47:15):
break that up you could try to do power in
Timmins again and see if that works, even though you
know it didn't work. I don't know how you fix
that until kessel Ring gets back. Then maybe you kind
of jumble jumble things around with the with those with
those other two pairs. But this is an obvious spot
for other teams to try to to try to go after,

(47:36):
and it's up to those guys, you know, it's up
to Timmins en byrom To to to try to stand
up and be stouter defensively. I know people are going
to pick on the goaltending and say, well, goalies can
make a stop too.

Speaker 3 (47:46):
Yes, I know, I know, I know.

Speaker 4 (47:49):
But it's up to those guys to do their part
as well to try to shut things down and prevent
more shot attempts against more you know things like that
where you kind of take it for granted and you
know it gets lost in the mix because you know,
it's one where if those guys aren't giving up a

(48:09):
lot of shot attempts and the goals are still coming,
then it's you know, tie them up, you know, high
danger all this other stuff where it's like all right, guys,
come on, like let's let's get this figured out, because
Timmins and Byram high danger goals against per sixty not good.
Like two point six for Timmins, two point three for Byrom,
Like that's not good, whereas you know Samuelson and Dollane

(48:31):
are like one point four to one point five in
that neighborhood. Same for Powers at one point four to six.
It's these are like the micro aggressions, like things you're
not even really paying attention to, unless you're like, well,
there are those guys out there again for a goal against,
unless you're noticing that kind of stuff, which I mean
I think at this point a lot of fans maybe are.
But but you want to see that pair get stouter,

(48:55):
get tougher, and try to figure out a way to
get things, get those goals against numbers down when they're
out on the ice, because right now other teams are
attacking them like crazy.

Speaker 1 (49:06):
And clearly they're doing their their due diligence with their scouting.
I don't think it's something that is just a coincidence
that Minnesota and Winnipeg throw at their top line when
they see the Byron and Timmins pairing come out, and
then they just get their teeth kicked in.

Speaker 3 (49:20):
Yeah, and it's not.

Speaker 4 (49:22):
And it's you know, you look at like the high
danger chances against and this is stuff that's in close
to the net. When I say high danger, you know
these are you know, within like thirty twenty thirty feet
of the net. I forget what the official ranges for this,
but but you're talking like thirteen and a half against Byrom,
twelve point four against Timmins, Dolly and Power, like it's
ten and nine for those guys, and you know, Bryson

(49:44):
and Samuelson it's you know, nine to just barely above
nine for Samuelson, like clearing the front of your net,
getting guys out of there, sweeping pucks away, even just
something simple like that, sweep the pucks away from the
from the front of that get it out of get
it out of the way, get it out of trouble,
and that that can make your life a lot easier.
But right now they're that pairing based on the numbers

(50:07):
and based on some of what you can see with
your own eyes, they're not really doing a great job
with that.

Speaker 1 (50:11):
Yeah, And for the the Owen Power Pitchfork people out
there that want to, you know, just hate on the
guy the way that the guy plays. I mean, as
you see for you guys listening in audio only two
point four goals against per sixty five on five. He
leads the Sabers in that with the lowest percentage. Second
dully In two point five to four, Samuelson two point

(50:31):
five to five, Bryson three point h one, kessel Ring
three point two eight, Virum three point seventy nine, as
we've discussed, and Connor timm Is three point nine to six.
So a microcosm of sort of the things that you're
talking about and the concern with the certain pairing there.

Speaker 3 (50:46):
Joe.

Speaker 2 (50:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (50:47):
And you know, if you want to say, all right, well,
where's the points when it comes to power, well scoring
chances four percent, he has the best on the team
fifty six point fifty six point two, and you know
Samuelson dolling or right behind him, and you know, it
just means, I don't know if it's bad luck or
if it's you know, what have you, that he doesn't

(51:07):
have the points that necessarily go along with that, or
he certainly doesn't get the goals because own power needs
to shoot more, period. But but when he's on the ice,
the team team gets stuff done. When Owen's out there,
whether it's keeping the other team off the board or
if it's helping his team score points, he's he's helping
do it.

Speaker 3 (51:27):
I get it. Like he's not as flashy and fun
to watch as as a Dolling is.

Speaker 4 (51:31):
You know, he's not delivering some kind of you know,
he's not stirring stuff up the way Doleen does. He's
not not boarding Trevor's egres.

Speaker 3 (51:38):
In the corner the way as miss Dahling does. But
he's just quietly does his job.

Speaker 4 (51:44):
And I don't know, I as a guy who just
who can appreciate somebody who just quietly does what they're
supposed to do. I appreciate power for that. But I
understand why fans he's an easy target for fans because
it doesn't show up in the highlights. You know, if
you make a make a nice first pass, or you
make your if you shut down and play at the
blue line, it's not making the highlight reel. It's definitely

(52:04):
not making the highlight reel.

Speaker 3 (52:06):
But this is what he does, and he just does
it very quietly and takes care of business. Now, just
you gotta hope.

Speaker 4 (52:12):
Michael Kessering when he gets back that that's the pairing
and that becomes your number two pairing, because that could
solve a lot of problems if you if you're able
to kind of cut down the minutes that Byron and
Timmins are playing because they're playing a lot of minutes
because they are technically generating goals because you know.

Speaker 3 (52:28):
Byron's been scoring goals, so there's that.

Speaker 4 (52:30):
But but if you can cut down in their minutes
and make it harder for teams on the road, when
when the Sabers are on the road to get those
matchups that they want, because you're playing the other two
pairings like twenty two minutes a.

Speaker 3 (52:43):
Night, you're you're winning.

Speaker 4 (52:44):
You're winning half the battle at that point because because
if if you're cutting down the ice time for the
opposing team, the opposing team's best players because they only
want those matchups, well, okay, fine, you can play that
way if you want, but we're gonna win.

Speaker 1 (52:58):
Interesting to statistic there, Joe and League. Glad you brought
that up, because I found that intriguing when when you
had told me you wanted that for the show. So
really good insight on that there, and definitely something that
the people can look at and you know, make a
determination on the deep pairs that maybe here playing a
little bit better and the ones that maybe need a
little bit of improvement there. So again, as we wrap up,

(53:19):
like the Savers have not won a regulation game on
the road since April first, Joe, I'll leave you. I'll
leave you with this. As we wrap up, Well, they
get one in the next four games.

Speaker 3 (53:30):
I'm gonna I'm gonna be bold.

Speaker 4 (53:32):
I'm gonna say, yes, it's weird to say that that's bold,
but I think they're going new because if they don't,
they're in big trouble. I mean, you can give up
points to teams in the West, that's fine, but you
just needed sometimes you just need to get two your own,
get two for yourself, none for anybody else. That's that's

(53:54):
what you gotta do. And I think that Calgary game
was such a stinker. I think they're going to come
back and really to get after them. Calgary's played much
better ever since that game. Let's not get that twisted.
They've played some much better hockey since then, which the
Evan's numbers kind of pointed towards.

Speaker 3 (54:10):
There's gotta be a aggression for these guys at some point, right.

Speaker 4 (54:13):
And it just happened to be that night against Buffalo
where all the shots that weren't going in all season
were going in. But but I think they'll be much
better against Calgary. I think Vancouver is a game that's
a game they can have. Vancouver has been such a
mess this year. And you know, even the game they
played last night against Utah on Saturday or Friday night,

(54:33):
excuse me, Vancouver played great, still lost fo to one.
So I you know, these things happen, and I think
Vancouver's kind of going through it.

Speaker 3 (54:42):
The same way. Buffalo is not the same way.

Speaker 4 (54:44):
But you know, expansion expansion brothers are are kind of
dealing with it the same way.

Speaker 1 (54:50):
Yeah, to me, I look at Calgary, Winnipeg, I mean,
excuse me, Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle or to me, winnable
games for the Sabers, and again I think even Evan
and you never know what goaltending is going to show
up for them as well, So all four of these
games could technically be victories. The Sabers beat Edmonton earlier
this year back at home, so we'll see. I mean,
I usually like watching them on this Western Canadian road

(55:13):
trip plus Seattle, it's always an interesting trip to see
how they do. But again, you definitely don't want to
see them coming home with no wins in the six
game road trip because they've already started off zero to two.
And when they get back home for that home game
against the Flyers, old boy, will they be on the
hot seat if that happens.

Speaker 4 (55:28):
So fans, fans will be out for blood if they
come back from this road trip without a point, or
if they come back, well, even if they come back
with one.

Speaker 3 (55:36):
Point, it'll be ugly. It will be very ugly.

Speaker 4 (55:40):
And I that Seattle game has Buffalo beaten Seattle yet
in Seattle's history, and now Lane Lambert's the head coach
of Seattle.

Speaker 3 (55:49):
That style of game kills the Sabers.

Speaker 4 (55:53):
That that kind of choking, defensive, you know, old style,
not quite trap, but let's just call it the trap
for modern modern days talk style of hockey. Sabers hate
playing against teams like that, so I don't I don't
like how that one sets up. So they better get
better get it done against Calgary, Edmondson and Vancouver for sure.

Speaker 1 (56:12):
So Joe Yurden is always from noted hockey and Bleacher report.
Joe thanks a lot for coming on. I don't know
if you're gonna be back before unless something drastic happens
or massive trade happens, or they don't win a game
up until Christmas, but always appreciate you and happy holidays
to you and hopefully, uh you know, so you get
something good under your Christmas tree this year if you've
been if you've been good down there at the rink, well.

Speaker 3 (56:34):
You too, Brandon.

Speaker 4 (56:35):
I know you're you're you're working hard there on the
junior side, and then uh and keeping an eye on
the sabers here too. So uh so hope Santa Claus
or anybody else that's tannan out presence is kind.

Speaker 1 (56:46):
Yeah, no, Atlanta Falcons cool for me this year, But
regardless of that, enough I've seen too much of that
over the years. And anyways, I don't want to end
on a on a negative, so I don't want to
talk about them. So that's gonna be it for the
this episode of See Baber Semantics right here on the
Armchair GM Sports Network. Thank you again to those that
tuned in on our video version on YouTube. Make sure
to hit like a subscribe to smash that bell, and

(57:07):
thank you everybody. That tuned in on your favorite on
demand audio platform. So for my guest Joe Jurden, my
name is Brandon Kbuto. That's it for another episode on
the Armchair GM Sports Network. Talk to you again very soon.
You're listening to the Armchair GM Sports Network

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Can Sabres End Road Woes & Get Into Holiday Spirit? w/ Joe Yerdon - Sabres Semantics

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Can Sabres End Road Woes & Get Into Holiday Spirit? w/ Joe Yerdon - Sabres Semantics