After offering a recap of Buffalo's first three games, we tackle a topic that's been circulating with Sabres fans for quite some time. Are the Sabres interested in Pat Kane and would he be a good fit with this roster? We dig into Kane's underlying stats, consider how he may look post-surgery and offer up some of the potential positives if he was indeed signed as a free agent in the coming weeks or months.

Let's kick off the opening week of the NHL season with a listener mailbag. On this episode we'll tackle Owen Power's contract, how the Sabres should handle Matt Savoie, what a successful start to the year looks like for Zach Benson and more.

The regular season is nearly here. With the Sabres wrapping up their preseason schedule, we try and determine what Don Granato and Kevyn Adams' final decisions will be in forming Buffalo's roster. We dicsuss the backup goaltending decision, how many defensemen the team will choose to keep and which forwards will earn the precious few spots which are available. We wrap up the show discussing where we see the Sabres finishing the season in a wide open Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Zach Benson has been advertised and then some in the early stages of training camp and the preseason. He's had two impressive games and has looked the part of a player who could threaten for a spot in the lineup. Of course, the Sabres tight pipeline makes that a much tougher feat and we talk about just how well Benson has played, and the opportunity he has to carve out a role on this roster. Our conversation leads us to discuss Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen, Matt Savoie and several others. We wrap up this week's show with a quick update on the Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power contract negotiations and remind you there's no need for panic despite the lack of a deal.

Somehow, Sabres training camp is upon us. While this year's camp isn't loaded with roster battles and opportunities for young players to grab spots, there is still the question of how the Sabres will fill the void left by Jack Quinn's injury. We talk about who could be in contention for the spot, how the defense corps may shake out and sprinkle in a bit about the goaltenders.

We lead into our training camp discussion with a brief chat about this past weekend's Prospect Challenge and the latest developments related to Mike Babcock and his departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Prospect Challenge kicks off this week, which means there is (semi) meaningful Sabres hockey to discuss. We talk about some of the most notable players coming to face Buffalo's prospects and run through the Sabres' Prospects Challenge roster. We talk about which players we're most interested in watching, who we expect to shine, who has a chance to improve their stock and which players might be most likely to surprise. We also touch on the situation unfolding between Paul Bissonnette and Mike Babcock after Bissonnette's comments on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast.

Given the game of musical chairs unfolding in college football, we felt it necessary to play our own version of the game with college hockey programs. This week's show focuses on the different avenues that could be explored to realign and expand college hockey's footprint. We discuss opportunities to further expand the Big Ten, to bring in new programs in the west and taking a deep dive into the machinations necessary for UB to add a D1 program.

Monday was a big news day as it was announced that Pegula Sports and Entertainment has been dissolved and, most notably, the Bills and Sabres will be operating as separate entities moving forward. Pegula will also now serve as president of the Sabres, a title he also holds for the Bills and at PSE prior to its dissolution. We talk about the news, what it means for the Bills and Sabres and how it has helped to fuel rumors surrounding the future ownership of the Sabres.


RJ Night Episode: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/49323198

Patrice Bergeron retired from the NHL this week, ending the career of one of the most decorated and talented players of his generation. We discuss his illustrious career and the impact he had on the game over the last 20 years. We also touch on how his departure will affect the Bruins for the upcoming season and whether or not other teams in the division, most notably the Sabres, can capitalized on the changing of the guard in Boston.

Other topics on this week's podcast include the passing of Rocky Wirtz and which teams we feel had the most successful offseasons around the league.

As we are in the dullest point of the hockey offseason, it felt like a good time to reset and take listener questions once again. This week's episode includes questions on the Bills and red helmets, prospect trade options, goaltending targets and analytics projections. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for this week's show.