Maintenance Day

Draft picks to the left of us, free agents to the right and here YOU are stuck in the middle (of dates) with Lance and Joe.

The guys dig in about the 11 Sabres draft picks during the 2022 NHL Draft and give their thoughts on their favorite sleeper picks and also taking a goalie in the second round. What the heck was up with that anyway?

The Sabres almost traded for Matt Murray and got the No. 7 pick out of it, too. Sadly, this is the NHL and neither horseshoes or hand grenades. Actually, it's better that it's not those.  Relatedly, the Sabres haven't addressed their NHL goalie issue yet so... what the heck are they going to do about it?

There are other spots that need addressing in free agency, too, and yes they got into the forward and defense stuff as well. And hey, development camp should be fun unless your name is Ryan Johnson or Erik Portillo.


Thanks as always for listening and thank you even more for the positive ratings and feedback.

Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

It's yet another holiday Monday, but Lance and Joe have a big ole firecracker of a show discussing Craig Anderson's new contract and what this means for the Sabres goaltending position for the season. There's plenty of talk about options of who to add (James Reimer? Adin Hill? Petr Mrazek?!)  and what's to come of UPL's future in blue and gold.

Development Camp dates are set and all the Sabres young guns are going to be there? Whaaaaa....?

Oh yeah, the draft is this week. There's some of that talk too. 


Thanks as always for listening and thank you even more for the positive ratings and feedback.

Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

Lance and Joe kept things short and sweet this week as Lance was ready to hit the beach for some well-earned vacation time. But before that, the guys started talking a bit about the Sabres three first-round picks in the 2022 Draft. It's not quite a mock draft, but they both gave their ideas on what GM Kevyn Adams might do and also the areas they'd stress the most. The guys also discussed what it would take to move pick 28 and whether there's a goalie out there worth that or not. 

Thanks as always for listening and thank you even more for the positive ratings and feedback.

Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

Remember back in 2013 when then Sabres GM Darcy Regier said there's going to have to be some suffering? Of course you do and so do Lance and Joe because the layers of suffering Sabres fans have sorted through is worth sorting through.

Another way to suffer from the executive side is not getting out ahead of things and paying your soon-to-be stars in ways to save the team some money and potential future salary cap (not floor!) issues. And boy do the Sabres have some interesting summers ahead if they don't do that.

All that and more we'll let you discover for yourself on this week's episode.

Thanks as always for listening and thank you even more for the positive ratings and feedback. 

Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

This week, Lance and Joe get talking about coaches being fired in tough ways and whether or not things would've been different had Don Granato been an interim coach to end this season as opposed to last season.

If that wasn't enough of a debate topic, would you trade the Sabres three first round picks for the Devils No. 2 pick in this year's draft? The guys also discuss which players would make for chaotic lawful and evil signings or trades this summer.

The guys also discuss the Ben Bishop deal for Buffalo and what it means to retire Ryan Miller's number at long last.

We know we went long this week, way longer than normal but a late-week trade will do that. As always, thank you for listening and thanks to those of you who have rated us on your favorite platform. We wouldn't trade you for the No. 2 pick that's for sure.

Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

Lance and Joe are always good about remembering some guys and this week's episode has them doing just that. Guys who were actually guys (like Lawrence Pilut who wants to come back to the NHL), guys who might be guys in the near future (like 2021 first-round pick Isak Rosén who recently signed his ELC) and some guys that likely never will be (Three 2018 draft picks the Sabres decided not to sign).

The guys also take a look at the NHL Conference Finals to see what, if anything, the Sabres can perhaps model themselves after to maybe one day play in those. Well, let's get them to the playoffs first before we stick them in the final four.

Enjoy the pod, friends, and thank you for listening. FWIW, the podcast sounds much better when sitting in the sunshine.

Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

Sure, the Sabres have been done for about a month, but the Amerks season is over and now the real offseason discussion can begin in earnest. And hey, you know what, Lance and Joe run down how Jack Quinn, J-J Peterka, Peyton Krebs, and Casey Fitzgerald closed out the playoffs; they get a good laugh about how some thought Mattias Samuelsson was going to play anytime soon in the Calder Cup playoffs; UPL's hamstring status and how it may also how his much maligned development might hamstring NHL hopes; and what's the deal with Oskari Laaksonen and Arttu Ruotsalainen's future in red, white, blue, and gold? 

They also go over what the Amerks run means for the players involved and what's ahead for Rochester and how their lineup might have to look next season. 

Thanks as always to all of you listening -- thank you for the kind ratings and comments, too -- we'd sign you all to a one-way deal no matter what.

Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

Lance and Joe know the Sabres aren't playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but there are Sabres playing in the PLAYOFFS OF THE WORLD.

All right so it's just the IIHF World Championships but it's still cool and Rasmuses Asplund and Dahlin are killing it and Dylan Cozens is rocking it on the wing for Canada and it's worth discussing the merits of them doing that.

So... there are former Sabres in the NHL Playoffs and one of them, Sam Reinhart, is doing well for Florida. Sure, the Panthers might be out soon but it won't be his fault. Sounds a little familiar to us...

The Amerks continue to roll along in the Calder Cup Playoffs and you can thank Seth Appert, Michael Peca, and Mike Weber for a lot of that. 

Thanks as always for listening and giving us very kind ratings -- we'd give you five stars, too.


Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

Who doesn't love NHL lottery season? Oh right, Sabres fans don't - at least they don't now! Things are on the upswing and while the Sabres didn't have lottery lady luck on their side this year, it does give Lance and Joe the opportunity to really start prematurely guessing who Buffalo might be interested in with their three first-round picks in the 2022 NHL Draft (and five in the top-100). Amateur Silly Season is a delight so let's get out and running, shall we?

There's also questions of what exactly the Sabres should do with the plethora of picks. Keep them all and try to stock up the farm or maybe swing a deal or two to help right away. Don't worry, there are plenty of past decisions to make you feel anxious about any possibilities!

So the Amerks are playing awfully well and that's got to be good for the future of the Sabres. Right? How can't it be!? J-J Peterka and Arttu Ruotsalainen are killing it and so is Peyton Krebs and there could be some really interesting implications for the future with all of them (and the others rocking it in Rochester).

Thanks as always for listening and giving us very kind ratings -- you're all No. 1 in our lottery list.


Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp  

Lance and Joe roll into the Sabres offseason with a lot to think about based on what Sabres GM Kevyn Adams had to say. Of course, some of it was kind of obvious (they need goaltending and defense) and it leaves a lot of questions about what he'll do in the offseason.

Guess what this leads them to talk about? You got -- what the heck are they going to do in goal.

When it comes to defense though -- Owen Power might not need a big brother chaperone to pair up with him but they're going to look for someone to pair with him anyway, right?

So when they gonna put the "C" on Kyle Okposo's jersey? Because that's totally happening.

Down on the farm, the Amerks won a playoff series for the first time since 2005, but things are going to get a fair bit more difficult in short order... so let's talk about Arttu! We know it's not May the Fourth anymore so we're NOT doing Star Wars puns.

Thanks as always for listening and giving us very kind ratings -- you're all pretty swell.


Follow Lance and Joe on Twitter!
Read Lance's work at The Buffalo News
Read Joe's work at Noted Hockey

Big thanks to our musician friends --
Intro: MerlinBerlin -- "Orbit" - Find them on Bandcamp
Outro: Chips 'N Cellos -- Boss Fight (Sabre Dance, Khachaturian) - Find them on Bandcamp