The 4 Nations Face Off has been a massive success for the NHL, headlined by an excellent USA vs. Canada matchup on Saturday night. We run through the preliminary round results, not just breaking down the fight-filled game between the US and Canada but the results for the Finns and Swedes as well. In addition to our discussion on the hugely positive reaction to the preliminary games, we also offer up a preview for Thursday's rematch between the US and Canada for the 4 Nations championship.

The second episode of Sabres Showdown is here. Once again the Straight Up Sabres team joins us for the conversation over two of the most memorable teams in Sabres history. This time we break down the 2005-06 and 2006-07 Sabres teams, attempting to determine which of the two deserve the honor of moving on in our bracket to face the 1998-99 Cup Finalists. We also give some love to the 2000-01 Sabres team as one of the most notable honorable mentions to miss out on the larger conversation of the best Sabres teams of all time.

The 4 Nations Face Off has arrived and we devote this episode to a breakdown of the four teams and how they may fare in the tournament. We offer up thoughts on how each team has looked in their early practices and how we expect the tournament to go once it gets rolling on Wednesday.

The Sabres were at the center of hockey discourse after failing to step up and respond to the hit taken by Tage Thompson on Sunday. We discuss the lack of response from the Sabres and how the lack thereof has shaped the discourse in the following days. 

We also run through the trades that came down over the weekend, including the JT Miller deal between the Canucks and Rangers. Our discussion covers the movement ahead of the start of 4 Nations Face Off and the implications for the teams in the West (and the Sabres pursuit of Elias Pettersson).

The Canes and Avalanche swung a blockbuster this weeknd as Mikko Rantanen was shipped to Carolina in the biggest trade since the Jack Eichel deal. We run through Saturday's blockbuster before wading into the latest developments on Elias Pettersson and the Canucks. We wrap up this week's episode with a discussion of Jiri Kulich's impressive stretch of hockey and the impact he's had as a rookie.

Would you rather see the Sabres finish with a lottery pick or make a heroic run to 9th place? That's one of our topics on this week's episode. We chat about the potentail outcomes if the Sabres were to finish with a top 3 draft pick vs. a run to 9th or 10th in the East. Prior to that, we talk about reports of a future NHL salary cap at $100 million in addition to the latest on JT Miller's trade saga. We also touch on Connor McDavid's suspension and whether or not the punishment fit the crime. (It did.)

Yet another horrible loss from the Sabres led to damning comments from Lindy Ruff. With the team firmly in the Eastern Confernce basement, all the talk of accountability feels like ancient history now. We talk about the shortcomings behind the bench, in the locker room and the front office. We also touch on how other teams that have struggled this year haven't been shy about improving, while Kevyn Adams sits on his hands.

Rumors are swirling around Vancouver as the reported animosity between JT Miller and Elias Pettersson won't go away. As the Canucks are said to be listening on both, many are wondering whether or not the Sabres can, or should make a play for the former 100-point scorer. We break down Pettersson's credentials, what sort of package the Sabres would need to fork over and where he would fit if the Sabres were to pull the trigger. 

The second half of the show is devoted to a bit of a midseason check in. We hit on a few of the key talking points from the offseason and break down what's gone right and wrong (mostly wrong) for Kevyn Adams and the Sabres.

The rumors of the Sabres and Wings scouting each other have sparked rumors that a deal between the two clubs could be coming. We spend some time talking about what the two teams could be working on and which players could be involved. From big ticket trades to lower stakes swaps, we try and work out what could be on the horizon. 

Beforee getting to the trade discussion, we open the show with a chat about the UNLV vs. Denver game and UNLV's impreessive upset of the defending NCAA champs. Our conversation touches on what the win meant for UNLV and the ACHA along with highlighting some key differences between the two levels that shouldn't be forgotten when discussing the outcome of the game.

Terry Pegula trekked to Montreal for a meeting with the Sabres on Monday. The takeaway from the meeting was that Pegula believes in the group and the team trusts that the solution to their struggles is in the room. They responded to that meeting with a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens. We discuss what the fallout of Monday's meeting could be, especially given the unbelievably flat and underwhelming response from the team in the wake of the highly publicized event. The answers for what ails the Sabres are thin despite the litany of issues they're faking.