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00:00That's EJ on NHL Tonight, first shift.
00:02Well, this is what it can sound like when we lose.
00:04Right, that's right, EJ.
00:06That's right.
00:06Just randomness, randomness.
00:08Well, I'll bet your other previous visits did not include any talk about fantasy football
00:12while we were sitting on hold.
00:13Although it's possible a couple of them haven't, well, I wasn't here, so who knows.
00:17That's true.
00:18Well, EJ, welcome back.
00:21Thanks for taking the time again.
00:22I don't know, how bummed out should we be?
00:26I mean, it still was a great year, but, man, they were so good.
00:30Lindy said it.
00:31I felt it.
00:32I was in there.
00:33I thought they were going to win that game.
00:36They had so many chances, it felt like.
00:39Yeah, that's hockey.
00:41That's playoff high.
00:42I mean, that is, right?
00:43I mean, you know it.
00:44And if anybody has watched it for any length of time, I mean, it's the thrill of victory
00:50and the agony of defeat, and there's no rhyme or reason a lot of times to how games end.
00:55It was pretty clear Buffalo had, I thought, the better opportunities
01:00and had played better over the course of the 60 minutes.
01:04But, you know, look at Montreal game seven against Tampa.
01:07They had nine shots on goal and they won.
01:09Why did they win?
01:10Because of Dobish.
01:12And, you know, I thought Dobish was, again, a difference maker, and you've got to credit him.
01:16I mean, he got run out in game six.
01:19I was up in Montreal for game six, and, you know, it didn't look good.
01:23And you started wondering, is this guy just going to be worn out?
01:26Is he tired?
01:27He hasn't played this many games in a row ever in this high-intensity playoff hockey.
01:32And, you know, he came up with a great effort.
01:37And Montreal was able to find a way to get a goal in overtime, and they won it.
01:40So, you know, your original question, yeah, it's heartbreaking in the moment for sure
01:44because the team had just been so lights-out good since that December 9th.
01:51You know, that's the day when they kind of turned it around.
01:56But the beautiful news is that, you know, this team is not going anywhere.
02:00I was joking with different media members during the game six and throughout the series.
02:06I'm like, get used to seeing those colors on the ice in the playoffs against each other
02:10because neither of these teams, Montreal and Buffalo, are really going anywhere.
02:15They both have a lot of really good young players.
02:17And Buffalo Sabres, you know, are positioned really well moving forward.
02:22You know, it's so funny to hear it put that way, EJ, and I'm glad that you did
02:26because when Caulfield and Suzuki first got to Montreal
02:31and the Sabres had Eichel and Reinhardt, I thought we were going to get there.
02:37It just took each team a little bit longer to get to a point where, you know,
02:42this is at the tail end of Eichel and Reinhardt, obviously.
02:44Caulfield and Suzuki are not that old.
02:46But still, like, I thought we were there, and it took another cycle or two.
02:51And, like, now I totally agree with you.
02:52Both teams look pretty low.
02:54Yeah. Yeah, the good – you know, it's funny.
02:57I got the sense, and I think I've talked – we've talked about this in the previous,
03:00you know, conversations we've had, is I just got the sense from afar,
03:05I'm not, you know, in the room, you know, I'm covering the 32 teams
03:09around the National Hockey League, but I've always, for at least the last two years,
03:12going back to that opener in Prague against the Devils two years ago,
03:16I looked at their roster, and I think they had good players then.
03:20And they've made some tweaks.
03:21But, you know, this is a team, and, you know, I think you heard them talk about it
03:25in the aftermath, is they just got tired of losing as a group.
03:32They had that dinner, and they had a really kind of, you know,
03:36they just, you know, realized that, hey, what do we have to do to be better?
03:44And they figured it out, and sometimes, you know, players and teams do that.
03:48You call it maturity, call it what you will, but, you know, give those players a lot of credit
03:54because, you know, they turned that thing completely around, and, you know,
04:00those last several months it was just piling up wins and getting into the second round
04:05of the playoffs, and if it's not for a bounce one way or the other,
04:08they're getting ready for the Eastern Conference Finals.
04:10So I think there's bright skies ahead, but, you know, we'll see where it goes from here.
04:16EJ, you mentioned those colors on the ice together, you know, get ready to see that often.
04:21They're also damn good colors, and together.
04:23Yes.
04:24Right?
04:24I mean, wasn't it a great series aesthetically?
04:27Yes, it was.
04:28Yes, it was.
04:29They're not all that good.
04:30Because, yeah, no, they are not.
04:33Believe me, I had to go watch some highlights of, you know, Anaheim and Edmonton.
04:38I mean, that was ugly.
04:39A lot of orange.
04:40Yeah.
04:41And those two were playing each other.
04:43So, you know, those are, you know, I mean, obviously the Montreal Canadiens are, you know,
04:48an original six team, and the Buffalo Sabres have been in the league.
04:51You know, they're in that next group of a couple of teams, and they have been, you know,
04:58just two different, a couple different iterations of the jerseys.
05:01I always have preferred the blue and the gold there, but, you know, there are people who
05:07like the goat head and the whole thing, so.
05:09It makes it interesting in the building, because you see everything.
05:12Yes.
05:13We had red.
05:14I mean, yellow.
05:16There's a, it's quite a color scheme in there.
05:18We've had it all.
05:18We've had it all.
05:19Pretty much, pretty much.
05:21Well, one topic of conversation here, now that this is all over, is goaltending, and you
05:25mentioned Dobish already.
05:28You know, you have interesting developments around the league and around the playoffs
05:32with teams using more than one goaltender.
05:35Montreal has yet to do that.
05:36They still could, I think, but the Sabres go into the offseason.
05:40In your mind, where?
05:42By the end of this, their goaltending faltered.
05:45It wasn't horrendous, but, man, game five especially, just Lion gets pulled on four shots
05:52in game six.
05:52Do you think they should or will just run back, these two guys, both under contract?
05:59They had a fabulous year.
06:00Or does how it ended prove them something that would change their view on that?
06:06I think what you do is you go through the process of examining the guys and how they played
06:14this year.
06:15And I think that, you know, UPL and Alex Lion played very well, I think, for the most part.
06:22And, you know, and Colton Ellis played well on the occasion he was in.
06:25And there's still the question of, you know, Levy and the minors, right?
06:29Like, you know, what's that going to, what's, you know, I don't think he's the answer, but
06:35that's just, you know, my opinion.
06:37And, you know, we'll see.
06:39But I think you have to look at those guys and then you have to say, okay, what would
06:43be available?
06:45Right.
06:45Because people will say, I've already talked to people about this and they're like, well,
06:48they've got to make some changes.
06:50They got to, like, okay, but, like, who's better?
06:53Who's out there that's available that's better?
06:55I mean, the Edmonton Oilers have been trying to chase that down for a couple of years now.
06:59And while you can blame management there for a couple of very strange decisions, there
07:06haven't been, like, there's not, you know, Jacques Plante isn't on the market or, you
07:11know, Ken Dryden or go through the eras of goaltending or Carey Price or Henrik Lundqvist,
07:17whoever you want to go to.
07:18Like, these guys are just, they're not available.
07:20They're not easy to find.
07:21And so, if you, if Yarrow identifies a goaltender or two that he thinks he can get to come to
07:30Buffalo and to be better than what they have, then I'm sure they'll do it.
07:34But, you know, those are the considerations you have to have.
07:36Now, he had Bogrovsky in Columbus.
07:39Bogrovsky could be a free agent.
07:40But at this stage of the game, is that a direction you want to go?
07:45Because he's older.
07:46And does he want to be in Buffalo?
07:47I have no idea.
07:48He seems to like it in South Florida.
07:50So, you know, you don't want to have a guy that's only there as a mercenary just because
07:55he's getting a bigger contract.
07:58So, that's the direction.
08:00I mean, I think that they need probably to upgrade their goaltending, but you have to
08:04do it in a smart way.
08:05And I don't know who that guy is that's better than what they have right now.
08:11By the way, EJ, both Ruff and Kekalainen yesterday referred to how something to the effect that
08:17next year, teams are all going to have to have the so-called e-bug emergency backup goalie.
08:24Like, Ruff started to talk about it, and I thought maybe he was headed for a punchline.
08:28But, actually, you don't know this, but next year we're going to be required.
08:31And I don't know if you know anything about that.
08:33But I'm wondering just about sort of the different dynamics of that and how that will work.
08:38But that's what came out.
08:39Well, it's not going to be like a third goalie.
08:44It's going to be someone that you have that is – there are certain –
08:53Qualifications or lack thereof, right?
08:55Yes, yes.
08:56It's not – or lack of.
08:57You're right.
08:58I mean, or lack of is a part of it, too.
08:59It's not like you're going to sign a guy who is, you know, an actual goalie.
09:06It's kind of – I think it's a little murky still for me because, like you guys, I know
09:11it was coming, but I don't know all the details.
09:15But, you know, I don't think that's – you know, again, I mean, those are going to be
09:18emergency situations.
09:20You're going to be required to have that.
09:21They just wanted to, you know, have that as – you know, they just found the way they
09:25were doing it was a little bit strange after a while.
09:31So, the bottom line is, can they get someone to come in there that's better than UPL or
09:36get someone that's better than Lyon or Alice?
09:39And, you know, that's going to be the question.
09:41Of the market and the – you know, guys, when I think of the marketplace, I just don't
09:45know that that goalie is out there.
09:47Now, perhaps there's teams that have a couple – that, you know, Buffalo has assets.
09:52Maybe they want to make a trade for somebody.
09:55But, again, you know, that requires, you know, moving somebody out.
09:59So, I – you know, UPL is – he's shown flashes over the years.
10:05He's been their guy for a while.
10:07We've been waiting.
10:08He's had injuries.
10:09He's had moments when he's been really good.
10:11But, you know, again, you're trying to build the Stanley Cup champion, and, you know,
10:16is he the guy that's going to take you there?
10:18I'm not so sure.
10:19Yeah.
10:19You know, I think – I wouldn't argue with anyone, like Mike just said.
10:24Like, the goaltending ultimately, you know, let them down.
10:26Each guy got pulled multiple times through the two series that they played.
10:30But it was so good.
10:32It was a strength of theirs all year long, really all three guys, that off of one playoff run that
10:39it was a weakness,
10:41I don't think – without an obvious upgrade, I don't think I go just change seats, right?
10:47Cam Talbot and Alex Lyon's place does what for me exactly?
10:50I don't know.
10:51Yeah.
10:52Nothing.
10:52Nothing.
10:53Yeah.
10:53You go through another year, and it happens again.
10:56Then I think, okay, well, I've got to try another guy.
10:58Let's hope for better.
10:59But off of one year, I'm inclined to just stand pat, you know,
11:04because I don't think Bobrovsky's a real good idea.
11:07I don't know if the Rangers are going to trade Shusterkin and just go full atomic blast on the rebuild
11:13there or what.
11:14But short of that, living in the vast middle class of goaltending and changing guys out,
11:20to me, doesn't sound like any kind of an idea that's worth –
11:22Yeah.
11:23And I agree with that.
11:25And, you know, also, you still have the opportunity to draft, develop, sign guys.
11:32I mean, look what happened with Brendan Bussey this year in Carolina.
11:35Now, he's not the guy that's playing for them in the playoffs,
11:38but he had a darn good year for the Carolina Hurricanes,
11:43and they were able to find this guy as a waiver pickup.
11:46There's a lot of goalies out there, and I think you want to throw a lot of darts and have
11:50guys, you know,
11:51hopefully have good goalie evaluators in your organization.
11:54And, you know, you're bringing guys in, and you're giving them opportunity to challenge for the job.
12:00I mean, there's a – you know, there's – it's an interesting market for goalies,
12:05and it's an interesting position these days, and it's definitely changed over the last several years.
12:11And so those are other options for the Sabres as well.
12:14I mean, scouting and development is a huge part of all this.
12:17So there's guys out there that, given the opportunity, might be players that can come in and be that person
12:23for you.
12:24E.J., if you can, just a couple more quick things.
12:26The biggest topic here with the Sabres this summer will be Alex Tuck going into free agency.
12:31People tell me he's the clear best free agent going to market, at least among forwards.
12:37Got a take.
12:38It's a pretty classic case.
12:39Sky into his 30s, did not get a point in the second round, had a very good first round in
12:43season.
12:44It's been a lot to the Sabres.
12:45I don't need to tell you that.
12:47What should they be thinking?
12:50Well, I mean, the salary cap is going up.
12:52I'd have to do a deeper dive on all their players.
12:55I know they have a lot of guys that are under contract.
12:57You know, that was one of the things that was noticeable about their team when they weren't performing as well.
13:04They had guys under contract for long periods of time.
13:08As always, you know, it's term and dollars, right, what makes sense.
13:12I would be really inclined to try to keep Alex Tuck if I'm the Buffalo Sabres.
13:17Again, you know, he leaves, try to replace.
13:22Now, they have some younger players in their group that are emerging, getting better, and some that weren't even part
13:27of this this year.
13:27Kulik, hopefully, is going to be back and be a part of things for them.
13:32And, you know, they got some other young guys that, you know, Oslin is another guy.
13:37But, you know, Alex Tuck is a unique player.
13:39He's a big, strong, skates really well.
13:42He's proven that he can score goals in this league.
13:46And he wanted to be there.
13:48When other guys didn't want to be there, he wanted to be there.
13:51And he's been part of this whole thing.
13:53And I think he's, you know, I've been around Alex a couple different times.
13:56I wouldn't say I know him all that well, but I can remember seeing him in Vegas when he was
14:01part of that team that went to the final.
14:03And, you know, I think he's a high-end person.
14:08So, you know, we'll see where it goes.
14:09I was under the impression that, you know, they were going to make every effort to keep him.
14:14We'll see what, you know, things have obviously changed.
14:16There's a new manager over the last six months.
14:18So, you know, if he wants some kind of a contract that's out of step with what they can do,
14:25I guess they have to make a hard decision.
14:26But, you know, you don't replace, you know, again, it's the same thing I said about the goalies.
14:31I mean, you can let him go, but, you know, and you hope that some of these younger guys can
14:36come in and do that.
14:37But he's a unique player.
14:38And I know that he didn't have point in the series, and that's disappointing.
14:42I thought he had a lot of chances.
14:45And maybe in a different circumstance, he would have scored a lot more in that series.
14:48It just didn't happen.
14:51But, you know, to me, those guys are hard to replace.
14:53He's a known commodity.
14:55Well, you mentioned his size there.
14:59We've been talking about him, you know, not surprisingly, on and off here for a couple of days.
15:04And, you know, we're high on Helen Euse and Ausland and Benson.
15:12But these are all guys that are little guys.
15:16And talk is 6'4", and scoring 60 points and 30 goals.
15:20Like, that's something that I hadn't really processed into the equation matters.
15:26Yeah, I mean, you know, listen, I love Benson in the playoffs.
15:30I thought he was, I mean, he was, he competed in every minute of every, you know, in every area
15:36of the ice.
15:37But, I mean, again, you know, he's not the biggest guy.
15:42And guys who play like that worry me in terms of the longevity of their career
15:49and their ability to be productive players just because they get banged up.
15:55You know, he's not, that kid doesn't shy away from anything or anyone.
16:00And that's great.
16:02But he's going to take a beating.
16:05You know, that's just the nature of it.
16:08And, you know, I like those other guys that you mentioned as well.
16:11I mean, but like I said, Tuck is a big, strong guy.
16:14You know what he does.
16:15And I think if you're basing it on all he didn't score in that series, I just, I thought he
16:20had chances.
16:21I thought he, I mean, I thought he had some bad luck.
16:23I thought he hit some posts.
16:24I thought Dobish made some really good stops on him.
16:27Was it perfect?
16:28Could he have been better?
16:29Sure.
16:29But, you know, a lot of guys probably could have been better in that series.
16:33I mean, it went back and forth.
16:34It went up and down.
16:35And, you know, even in the goalies, you know, were there some goals that, you know, they should have had?
16:40Sure.
16:40But, you know, what I would tell you is, you know, got to tighten it up a little bit, too.
16:44I mean, I love the way that those guys, I've told you before, those four defensemen, that top four group,
16:49is fantastic.
16:50I put it up against any top four group in the league on defense.
16:54But to me, you know, they still have to get better at some of the details.
17:00And when you get into a playoff series and you get into, you know, in an overtime game, I mean,
17:06like, you know, it's baseline tennis.
17:08Hit it in.
17:08You know, you're just trying to hit the ball over the net and make sure you don't give somebody an
17:13opportunity or an opening.
17:14And, you know, they turn the puck over high in the zone.
17:17And the puck went the other way.
17:19And there's a flash screen.
17:21And a puck hits the net.
17:22I mean, that's one of the things about the Sabres.
17:24I mean, I thought Thompson came in in the overtime.
17:26Shoot the puck.
17:27Like, he won the World Championships coming down the right side on a similar play.
17:31He tried to kind of make a play to the net.
17:34And he never really got a shot off.
17:36And so, these are just simple things to me.
17:38And, like, that new hook just shot the puck.
17:40It wasn't anything great.
17:41It was kind of a knuckle puck.
17:43And it was a flash screen.
17:44And it went in.
17:45So, like, you know, again, it's just little things.
17:48It's details.
17:48And that's where they'll have to try to be better next year when they get into that spot.
17:53But the beauty is they've experienced it now.
17:56They understand it more.
17:58And they've got high skills.
17:59So, if they can fix the details, maybe the goalies they have are just fine.
18:04As long as their details are a little bit better.
18:06EJ, we've had a great time talking to you today and this year.
18:09Thank you very much.
18:10Hey, thank you very much, guys.
18:12And to the Sabre fans.
18:13See you next time.
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