Episode 108 – Bring. Us. Elias. | The Sabre Roundtable

Episode 108 – Bring. Us. Elias. | The Sabre Roundtable

[Music] [Music] well this is awkward welcome back JP I guess it’s nice to be back I um I got rid of the other co-host you won’t be hearing from him for a while what did you do to our new in where is he I don’t know I don’t know I’ve been trying to Tex him all night I didn’t even invite you to this I don’t even know he got the invite to this meeting unbelievable we were just starting to Jail the chemistry was there it was and then JP ripped it all away from us it was a good you you got to do what you got to do I you know he did his best with the positivity but no one can replace my positivity so you know I got to do what I got to do what’s best for me you know no one could replace Jerry Pula on this podcast that’s right that is right yeah there’s there’s a lot to unpack today and some good some bad man has it just been a up and down like 48 72 hours from Saturday to tonight on Monday just like the most Whiplash in terms of Buffalo sports I mean God it’s been it’s been a tough day it’s been a very tough day that happened last night and now you’re making us report record a podcast about the Buffalo Sabers this is what we do can it get any worse this is what we do I think the first thing I said this morning when I woke up was I wish I didn’t wake up this morning Jesus hey if you’re a Bandits fan you’re still riding High though I got my jersey on got my banner on in the background you know it’s only only team in Buffalo you could really trust so you know ride the wave ride the wave I don’t think they’ve lost the game yet they haven’t ah man and it just will it ever end will the torture of the sports for City ever end no I think the amount of times that JP said I thought this was the year after the game ended it was I it was the year I really not to win the Super Bowl I’m not saying they’re going to win it but to at least get there I was really convinced that this year felt different like it it felt different it’s I I had to take two separate walks around my apartment in between the games cuz I just couldn’t had to step away I’m surprised you didn’t just turn it off like usual I almost dead yeah you know what I got a I got a bone to pick with you oh here we go obligation to this podcast and of this brand to follow this hockey team and I I’ve heard I’ve heard rumors you I I may have watched more Sabers hockey than you in the past week and I’ve been studying that is false that is completely false accusation one game ACC you didn’t text at all you definitely fell asleep one of one of the you can always tell when Christian is watching a game which which game was that I need I need receipts on this probably the 10 o’ game yeah it was like the Calgary game or so do you have any recollection of that he’s leaving games early you missed a goalie goal on the Sabers you’re really disappointed me really really disappoint did see the goalie goal and the TV in the lobby disappointed me I did have a valid excuse for the Calgary game I was at a beer league game did you win we did win yes go Eagle Lions disappointed yeah kind Jonah was I thought Jonah would hold you to a higher standard but I had to say something oh so this is all on Jonah now JP I’m I think it’s on both of you yeah he he comes back he comes back and he’s just like who does he think he is JP Jonah was on your side and you attacked him I’m I someone’s got to lay down the law okay someone’s got to do it you’ve taken more excused absences from this P you you’re gam give me a break your pods you’ve set out probably you’re like the kawhai Leonard of this podcast like maintenance Zion Williamson of this [Laughter] podcast it’s like God just that’s the goddamn tests like what’s the hold up here hey Kawhi Leonard’s got some championships though so I like that comparison well too bad we don’t in real life so yeah anyways welcome back to another episode of the saber Round Table my name is Jonah I’m Christian I’m JP and as always we will be talking to you about all things Buffalo Sabers hockey and even a little bit of The Wider NHL and even a little bit of the football team that yet again has suffered a heartbreaking loss that has ended their season but let’s let’s put that behind us we’ll leave the we’ll leave the fellas up at the Buffalo Sports Talk podcast to break that one down I’m sure that they have plenty to say about that one yeah I don’t need to be I don’t want to re rehash what I just watched last night it’s too fresh in Sabers news first of all if there’s any Bills fans H hopping on this and just trying to tune up the band trying to hop on whatever is left of the wagon that the Savers are on I think two wheels might have fallen off one is probably like on its last legs The Carriage is completely shredded apart but we’re still going we’re still going there’s about what 30 33 Games 33 games left in the season uh the early trade deadline is coming soon with the four nations roster freeze that’s kind of being perceived as an early trade deadline and then you got the actual NHL trade deadline which I believe is March 1st or it’s at least the first week of March so uh while this is as I’ve put it a very forgettable stretch of hockey the the Dead season as I I’ve called it it’s just it’s that period that aside from probably Yuri Kulik doing cool things nobody’s going to remember these games and we’re all just kind of biting time until the trade deadline or I guess honestly until right now given some of the crazy that is kind of picked up behind the scenes here uh concerning uh a player in the NHL um but like I said Bills fans welcome aboard it’s we’re not having a fun time but you know we we’ll we’ll take you in welcome you with open arms and uh hopefully we can have some fun with some Swedish Center rumors going around town right now I’ll say if there’s a time to kind of get back into the Sabers it is the perfect time in the season before this weekend there is nothing to talk about like absolutely nothing to talk about there’s at least stuff to talk about now I would just say hockey in general you got the four nations coming up you got uh four nations facing off four nations that damn commercial thank you we we needed you to explain what was going on to us did you see that’s Jay Fresh’s profile picture of him now yes so good as you were saying though Christian didn’t mean to cut you off no I was just going to say you got the four nations maybe you could I don’t know when it starts I was going to say you could use it as an excuse to not watch the Super Bowl but I’d assume they wouldn’t cross dates or maybe they would the NHL’s really bad at marketing so maybe they just accidentally put it on Super Bowl Sunday honestly be surpris I would respect it I would respect it there’s probably people looking for other stuff to watch this year yeah I I I I say it every year when the Chiefs are in because you know it’s just getting annoying but I actually might not not turn it on this year I I might just go out to like a a restaurant and just when’s the Super Bowl what the two weeks from yesterday is it the six 16th no it’ll be like no before 9th the eth the nth the foration starts in the 12th so it starts after that 12th to the 20th anyways as for the sabes it has been a forgettable stretch of hockey they went on on a West CO post swing uh only picking up one win in those four games last time we recorded it was before puck drop uh before the Vancouver game they did win that one but would drop the subsequent two to the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers the Sabers have now lost four of five uh they’re currently 1826 and five and I believe they are second last in the NHL again around even say again I think that the uh nope 30th 30th the Nashville Predators have passed the Sabers man welcome back welcome back to the basem who’s the first overall pick this year guys is another left-handed defenseman it’s looking like it it is looking that way it is it is Destiny not looking forward to the prospect profiles we’re probably going to be doing soon anyways as for these games we’re not going to go too much into depth about them we’ll start let’s just start with like the one the one good story There’s One Singular good story going around the team right now and his name is Yuri Kulik who is currently the first line Center the first line center for the Sabres and doing a pretty admirable job uh in these three games that he’s cuz I think he’s first suited up for uh first line Center in that Vancouver game obviously he had a goal and assist in that game uh and then he scored another goal against Edmonton he is him and like Zack Benson are like the two guys that just on a constant on a nightly basis just are the only things that I’m really watching for at this point you see just cousins falling off a cliff and then you see Yuri Kulik on this upward trajectory and you you can’t you can’t help being a little Bittersweet about it you know I mean you wish both of them were doing a better job but propsa Kulik stepping up into a first line Center roll especially with Thompson’s still playing the wing because I assume he still has that aggravated injury that he can’t really take face off so um hey you’re out of it this season you might as well give these young younger players more of a litmus test maybe a longer look you’re getting some answers in some departments it’s not the wind department but you’re understanding where your Capital should be allocated maybe going into next season so good for him I’m I’m happy we may have found a new Backbone in the center spine he I just feel like he’s all over the ice like every game like they they is a highlight of him on a big back check like he’s been around the net he’s getting his Hot Shots off he finally had a one-timer goal which I think was the one thing we were probably waiting for him to unleash um it’s it’s it’s encouraging to see I he was one of the players I think coming into the season you know the three of us were like we wish he was on the roster but there’s really not a spot for him right now and you got to kind of commend the Sabers for never sending him down like he did stay up I think the entire time and he wasn’t doing much at first because he was given like third and fourth line minutes but once they elevated him he has taken it and run with it he has been awesome like I love to see his game splits before he was elevated um cuz I know he was even playing good for like probably a week or two before he really broke through with points but his splits these probably like last I don’t know 15 20 games it he’s got to be he’s got to be close to maybe close to a point per game I mean that might be a little extreme but I feel like he’s the one guy who’s consistently on the score sheet at the start of the Season yeah like those first I think those first two prag games he was like third or fourth line but do you remember the two bozos he was playing with in like that subsequent Home Series he was on the he was on the left with Sam laferty no no no no no it was he was remember he was with cousins and Quinn that’s like who we started the year with and yeah it’s just he kind of had to March through the mud to get to this point and it’s been great to see I I think it’s just funny like there is nothing that would have stopped this from happening last year he is really I mean look it’s another year in age but you know his production in the AHL last year didn’t take like a huge step I don’t think he took like massive steps as a player over the last year and a half does was he would he have played as good as he’s doing now I mean maybe not but it feels like you could have gotten some sort of this some sort of version of this kiik last season especially when they were dying for scoring and it’s just a little frustrating to look back on but it’s just it’s so good to watch him flourish now and I think it’s it I I’ve thought like several times during this street streak like how the hell did this guy go 12 spots after after Noah oand like I know passed by what probably 25 teams he got passed by I know the Sabres had him back to back on their boards but like it’s crazy like it’s it’s really nuts looking back at it that he fell all that way and there was really no reason for it and it’s also crazy that they took Yeah well yeah they took osland first and then I remember that uh what was it that Beyond Blue and Gold Series or Sabers and embedded whatever it is Adam was like freaking out he was like ah it’s like I wanted K they tried to trade up for him several got to try and go up and get him and then everyone passed on him hey the drafting is good it’s just it’s a young team still that’s that’s the funny part about it it feels like the team just keeps getting younger and like it or not young teams usually don’t win a lot of games and that’s the thing too Jonah said the two guys he watches every night Zack Benson and Yuri Kik the two youngest guys on the team and anyways aside from Yuri Kulik you know it’s it’s been you know another tough stretch I I didn’t think Rasmus Dalene had the greatest road trip uh the goal tending wasn’t Stellar aside from the Vancouver game I mean you know Levi starting Seattle wasn’t good I didn’t think Lucan was great against Calgary uh Rhymer was fine against Edmonton but you know it’s just just kind of more of the same and it’s not there’s just there’s just not much to extrapolate from this the only I guess the only thing I did want to bring up was against Calgary good God the power play was atrocious they had so many opportunities to I mean win that game or at least tie the game I me what were they 0 for seven I mean over six terrible two short-handed goals the one was was an empty net but still two short-handed goals and just a just a ugly ugly night and probably their worst game of the road trip so truly the Dead season we’re in right now it’s just not there is not much to take away from these games aside from the young guys playing well wasn’t which game was our highest XG game since what 2017 which G I see that that was the Edinson game yeah sa had played like seven right wasn’t it I think seven I think it was like 5.6 expect to goals like Seven’s ridiculous I don’t know I don’t even know if we any teams ever gotten to seven in a normal three period game but 5.6 5.6 expected goals and they only got two out of it a frustrating frustrating night I did I have to say I think I saw J Fresh’s charts the other day they’re expect to goals four they’re like 21st now I mean they’re kind of starting to climb a little bit you know it’s because of Yuri Kik you know yeah because of Yuri Kik but probably uh it’s something I guess some sort of progression I don’t know I really don’t care we all know this season’s a wash there’s only one thing that has breathed any sort of life into like life right now in terms of this organization and we’re going to get into it so let’s just let’s get the concerto meter out of the way JP and I I gota say one thing before we get in the concern leader okay go ahead Jeff Skinner Jeff Skinner scored that was AES automatic who could have seen it coming do you know how many seconds it was after the Sabers scored the opening goal I think it was 15 might have been like 16 or 17 cuz I was watching it I couldn’t even tweet out like the gold tweet they took I got the notification on my Fu cuz I think I don’t know if I was in the car cuz that game was over the weekend Sur surprise hold on hold on I got the spectrum app on my phone just so I could watch these games I got the notific I wasn’t driving I got the notification that said we scored and usually spectrum is like 15 to 20 seconds behind so if I open it quick enough I’ll be able to like see the goal go in so I’m watching it and I see the replay I’m like oh sick all right we’re we’re up one nothing and I’m like all right let me watch a little bit of this game and then they immediately go down I see Jeff Skinner score on us I’m just like all right I think I’m at my destination now I just I was like all right that’s enough yeah that was the lock of the Sentry and honestly I was really happy to see him do it yeah cuz like he’s being brought up in trade rumors and like I’m sorry please don’t trade him do not just let him play in a playoff game please please it was cool to see him he was on the first Power Play unit with McDavid out as well so I don’t know if you want that no no I was kind of laughing at myself he he was he was starting to hover he was hovering a little bit they had him on the wall wasn’t bumper so he you know he wasn’t he wasn’t going too crazy but yeah it uh it was funny to see him out there for the power play brings back memories of me pulling my hair out but yeah I mean speaking of no McDavid I mean they held dry Cal pointless um I they the broadcast said he had like uh like a 12 game point streak at home or it might have been actually way longer uh and he shanked the empty net like he had the empty he had a breakaway or like a a half break and he missed the net that’s how his point streak ended heard footsteps something about the Sabres man and and the oiler star players they just the lights are too bright it’s the one thing we got out of losing McDavid the hockey gods made to deal with us the Oilers will not own you all right it’s America’s favorite segment the concern meter JP welcome back I’m very curious to hear your spin your positive spin on this week of hockey okay I I’m coming back strong I’m at a one because what is there to be concerned about anymore this season’s over there’s nothing to be concerned about like genuinely why would anybody be worried anymore he brings up a good point I mean you do have a good you do have a good point I was kind of getting their last episode I kind of brought mine down because I’m like there’s not really much to play for anymore what yeah what is there to be concerned about to be H that’s how bad this has gone you can’t even have this segment anymore there’s just nothing like to grasp on to this segments turn into a joke we’ll all pick ones yeah 10 out of 10 rage bait everybody just comes screaming into our uh our mentions it’s like what are you talking about all right fine I’ll put a little spin on it this week how about the Elias Pon concero meter cons in what context How concerned How concerned are you that they’re going to botch this because it seems like they are the front runner and it seems like they’ve had real conversations it seems all signs are pointing to them possibly doing this like it seems like a coin flip right now man give me a because fredman reported on it so it’s it’s he doesn’t he doesn’t spin from fiction which is nice there’s been other rumors floating around the Sabres have come up multiple times this is something that seems to be have it’s something that seems to have no Financial repercussion to it but I feel like I’ve heard this song and dance from Kevin Adams so many times and it’s like you get burned so many times and then you get the one like the bym for Middle stat trade you get the one little you know fish thrown at you I’m going to go kind of like Dave poro review style we’re going decimal points I’m going to go 7.8 that’s how concerned I am they’re GNA botch this and by botch I mean not get it done do you think if it doesn’t get done do you think it’ll be their fault yes how so because they’re holding out for that extra piece yes as in they wanted a prospect back and Vancouver said no and then Cavin Adams hung up the phone God it’s much more complex than that I I know but like if that was ever like if it’s like an eers Fisto type situation where like you know the deal was on the table and they said no the I don’t even know what I’m doing with myself it wouldn’t be pretty JP pson conero meter all right I I mean this genuinely I’m gonna say a three oh my God because like Jerry pula’s back folks welcome back back to the Pod like seriously like if we don’t do this and Kevin Adams misses out on this where are we going as an organization there’s there’s nowhere to go like this is the only player that you can actually trade for because there’s no trade there’s no there’s not no move Clause no no trade clause this is like the only player you really can get and it’s like once again if we don’t make this move where are we going like what are you doing this off season like you have no choice you have to make a trade like this like your core is already blowing up in front of you one of the pretty much two of the players you’ve committed long term to are almost sunk assets they’re almost sunk cost at this point cousins and samelson like accounting terminology yeah ex this isn’t this guy knows his stuff this guy knows his stuff folks he’s passing that exam you have to make this move you just have to like I it doesn’t matter what it takes you have to make this move and I will say the last time I said this it was a chicker move I was way out of my league on that one that was wrong like we didn’t need him as much well but I mean was is Chick I feel like like is Chan not literally bow and Byrum true I mean true they basically made the chin trade and honestly at a better cost value sort of I mean cuz remember like then cost them Zack Benson and a second and a third it’s true so no JP you you make a good point too because you’re right it’s like the the other thing that kind of points me in that direction too is that that I don’t know what how this information got out that the that the financial restrictions were off like now you’ve now you’ve shown Adams has shown his hand it’s like he can’t just like behind false accusations anymore it’s like if everyone knows that Terry’s given you the green light for this and you don’t do this you got to start questioning incompetence isn’t it so sad that that’s like it’s like oh my God like we can spend we can spend money we can do this the fact that that’s it’s like oh my God and Meanwhile we’re giving out a $2.5 million bonus to a pass rusher who hasn’t performed nearly as to what we were G to expect hon I don’t I don’t know who you’re talking about because that could apply to a few people yeah it’s V God what did he get a bonus for he got that sack in that last game against against the Jets yeah yeah just congratulations take your $2.5 million and go back to Texas but one of my buddies he’s had it up he’s headed up to here with Greg Russo they okay I I know we’re getting off top we said we were going to talk about the bills but now I guess we are enough with the rotating defensive line get a front four that’s out there every down I don’t need Von Miller coming in on a pitch count on third down to rush the passer and not get home it’s like get four studs and put get Ed Russo and get an Elite pass rusher to just draw a bunch of guys over to him and of and get Elias Pon and go get Elias pon I think I’m just at a straight 10 because this is this is the culmination of years of waiting and waiting and praying and watching the cracks begin to form in the Vancouver organization I’ve wanted this for so long so goddamn long you have no idea this this could be the most legendary hate watch of all time dude I am the biggest Blues fan tonight JT Miller had a had a Gordy how hatrick he did what a like what a great player like honestly he’s everything he’s the full package I mean he did everything tonight got his face caved in but came back he didn’t Dylan cousins it he came back and he scored a goal and an assist culture guy like how can you not love him I just I am so nervous because like there’s belief now like there is serious serious serious belief fredman’s talked about it drager’s talked about it I mean I know it’s the fourth period but the fourth period’s talked about it and then obviously you have the Chad article and some of his tweets were my God he said tonight in a tweet it’s 5050 you you can’t tell me that 5050 like I like it’s bad like I I I have belief now you know like is it like I can’t believe in my mind that it’s going to happen but now it’s like I’m G to be waking up every morning being like is today the day is it is today the day that it happens this is like are you talking about a bill Super Bowl or are you talking about shut up this is my this is my Super Bowl this is dude we were still recording in person when we first started like mentioning this I know I know whether it happens or not it sounds like he’s getting moved like no matter what we have to make a montage out of every time Jonas said he’s gonna be a saber I want him to be a saber all you know how much film we’d have to go through we’d have to hire a team to just watch the show yeah I don’t it’s uh it’s crazy because I think the last time I was on too like the rumors sa Us pson episode well yeah or may maybe it was after that episode then but it was like the rumors are completely dead with Pon it was like JT Miller is getting traded like he’s going to the Rangers like it the talk of Pon really was done up until you know the blockbuster trade that happened on Friday like that’s when everything changed because you know supposedly patteron there was people insiders in the NHL who thought Patterson was a Carolina hurricane yeah basically it came down to Carolina who they wanted to choose they chose Ron in that’s what it was you know they didn’t want to sign up for that 11.6 for eight years you know Ranson and sure you gave up NES and Drury but if all if it goes south if Ranson really is like a a McKinnon Merchant he can go to free agency and you you had an all in push with him it’s I get it you know and it’s it’s just like Carolina’s out of the race and like they’ve been the biggest player for Pon for years now I mean they were the ones that tried to trade for him at the deadline before he ined that extension last year and my first thought my it’s funny enough that my first okay maybe not my first thought because it was a insane trade to just drop on a Friday night but like my second thought was that’s one last pson Suitor like Carolina’s one of the few teams that can do it and has wanted to do it who else is there in the NHL I mean like Detroit has sort of been in that conversation it feels like but they can’t add 11.6 million in season and they don’t have the pieces the Sabers have um like I don’t know like yeah you could like you can throw in like the Blackhawks of the sharks like they can do it but are they probably not and I doubt the Canucks want to trade him in conference so man I don’t I’m so nervous man because I want it to happen so bad so so bad I’m I’m still waiting for the the trade to break on the Pod I we need we need a live pod break dud it two things are going to happen it’s going to break during this and I’ll lose my or we’re going to wake up tomorrow and this whole episode’s going to be void but who’s going to care because we’re going to record tomorrow and talk about how Elias ps’s a buffalo saber we are so overdue for something to break on the Pod like I listen to this one baseball podcast baseball’s dead and they had um if anybody follows baseball Anthony sandir signed with the blue jays and that broke during their pod so they kind of going crazy like we are overdue for something to happen we’ve recorded so many episodes like it would be like I would love to see Jonah’s reaction that would be the most insane thing like I’ve only I’ve seen his reaction on one thing and that was a Taylor Hall signing I remember when that happened but P would be insane but this I this is really this the last time that I felt like this where like I can’t put down my phone because it could happen any second was the eel trade era like this is this is reminding me of I don’t know I feel like I feel like we got to a point where we put our phones down well I agree because it took so freaking long but the rumors were crazy forever it’s like it it could happen any day it could happen any day like it’s the same thing with this like you just saw blockbuster trade like if sabes are the front runner the trade has to happen soon or they’re going to lose it basically I think that’s the other thing it’s kind of like the clock here it’s kind of like it’s kind of like that precedent or like I don’t know I don’t know what phrase to use but it it’s sort of like when it I don’t know it’s just like seeing someone do something else so you feel more inclined to do it yourself like we just witnessed one of the biggest trades in NHL history at least of this generation possibly of all time and that happened a week ago so now anything feels fair game and if anything you know that’s one less Suitor for um the Canucks to trade I mean look even besides Pon like they were a Suitor for JT Miller there was times there was times where people thought he was destined for Carolina I think that phrase was used at points so you know like they’re going to feel more inclined to I just I can’t feel like they I feel like after all of this Vancouver has to get a move done here and we know that teams just don’t want to give up a lot for JT Miller and the locations are limited as is and patteron I’m sure he’s just I’m sure he’s just done with everything by this point he’s just sick of the drama sick of the owner calling him out sick of the fans calling him out sick of everything I mean like if if Pon does get dealt here like there’s going to be a lot to break down once we get past all the excitement you know this hasn’t been a good season I think he’s on Pace for less than 60 points this year I mean that’s insane uh you know there’s the injury stuff there’s you know there’s the personality stuff people are going to have problems with that you know it it’s funny seeing the pon and um Miller discourse like it just it just reminds me so much of the power discourse just how some fans treat him and you know there’s going to be things to talk about in that regard uh but kind of forgot where I was going with that but it’s just if you’re not taking chances in organization we’re not going anywhere I don’t think Kevin Adams has really taken any chances these last years he needs to take a big chance here he need like I think you could call the middle stat trade a big chance but I know what you mean yeah this has never been done like CU he’s been in like I’ve defended him like he was like the CH trade came down to the wire he gave the same offer just with different protections and uh Arizona went with ottawa’s offer you know redacted he you know apparently he was in on Robertson when he was in RFA I I don’t know if how deep into those negotiations he was but apparently he called um he was sort of in on team o Meyer at the time but probably not as much like not even close to it he is as as they are now like you’re right like this this is it this is your one Lifeline this is it this could go badly Pon career could really just be forever hindered by whatever injuries he’s had and uh like mental roadblocks whatever it may be but you don’t have this chance and even if Pon is like done for in term like if he never hits that 100 Point plateau again um even for one offseason like you’re GNA get interest your core suddenly becomes Dalene Pon Tage Thompson like that’s something that’s something that other teams don’t have something to build off of it’s something it’s not going to you know it’s not going to make you a free agent destination but it’ll create Intrigue and if you couple that with like a Jason Zucker extension and another trade at the deadline I mean even if they make this Pon trade you know this is a cap neutral trade um you’re trading two guys that um supposedly supposed you know if you’re if you’re basing this off the idea that it’s going to be the cousins Byrum template which just it feels like a certainty you know we knew cousins was gone but seemingly they have another second line Center lined up um or at least a two and three C combo in Kulik and McLoud that could maybe work and you know you need a byom replacement you you probably you’re going to need one um like you probably won’t be done at this deadline you’ll probably at least try something I would assume you know who knows what they do with Jack Quinn or you know Isaac rosean you know who knows what else would hold in store for the actual deadline you know like it it it you know people people can live with the rest of this season I mean I’ve already seen people talking about it like if the Sabers get petson people are going to renew their season tickets I mean the next game I mean the first game that Pon plays in even if it’s like um like if it was tomorrow like let’s say it was tomorrow night against the Bruins is that not selling out or at least getting like 18,000 fans in there it’s getting it’s getting a bump I buy tickets I would buy tickets I would go like it’s it’s something it’s a good story it’s just something to create Intrigue around a season that has none nobody cares I mean the bills are you know the season’s over and my God they like I tuned in wgr and and Joe dvas at one point was like you know at least we got that hockey team and obviously sarcastically and that’s how the ended the show it’s sad man it’s very sad and it would be something just something to build on and give you know because we’ve been talking about like how do you build a message for next season what do you promote to fans what do you Market to fans you don’t have anything lined up right now but if you got Elias Patterson that’s something that is something this franchise has not had ever I mean like if they traded for peton tomorrow where does that rank in alltime Sabers trades uh it’s probably close in terms of in terms of Acquisitions it’s probably close to the tier of well okay in terms of acquis well I was originally going to make the the mogil Michael Pekka trade type but I mean Pekka’s great like when P’s at his Peak he is I mean he near he got suy votes in his 100 and plus Point Season at his Peak he’s a better player than Pekka um you know if you go back like you know maybe like I don’t know the day I guess the La Fontaine trade would probably be like the furthest you could go back for an acquisition I mean at his Peak he’s better than Brier he’s better than jewry it’s um it’s just it would be insane and I’m remember I’m saying at his Peak right now is he better than like I mean right now he’s probably no better than you if we’re talking about this season than like ran O’Reilly in 2015 you know but like you’re not you’re not trading cousins and Byram and whatever else with the idea you’re getting a 50 plus a 50 point Center we all know like you’re biting on the upside and it’s something that everyone can look to and be like like I’m going to tune in for the first month of the season next year even if it goes south again and it’s a it’s a path they have not gone down yet they have not had this big trade you know since Taylor Hall like that was the last big acquisition and before that it probably was the Ryan O’Reilly trade that was four years ago or it was longer it’s going on five five feels longer yeah it’s going on five years yeah unrelated I saw I I saw a post it was uh if Beetle Mania started during covid they would break up this summer wow yeah what’s Beetle Mania The Beatles what’s Beetle Mania oh I have never heard it in that terminology before I haven’t either but you know I quick thinking I thought you would if you just said like hey if the Beatles got together and started touring they’d be done by now yeah oh yeah yeah but yeah all in a fiveyear period yeah time FES like Jo this is their one Lifeline if you want any fan interest this is your only Lifeline like es if you miss out on this imagine the discourse yeah cuz now it’s too late people then it’s like get Kevin Adams out of buffalo getting HED like people like me like you got me back you wrote me back in and it’s it’s just more disappointment like if they miss on this even if even if Vancouver says they’re keeping him and I mean God if they trade him to someone else like that’ll be it the only other scenario other than the Sabers getting him is he better be staying in Vancouver that is it I don’t care you you up your offer if he’s going somewhere else yeah you don’t you don’t lose this trade you don’t get out bid this time this time you do not get out bid and if that means giving an extra pick losing protections on a pick giving an extra Prospect you do it we’re we’re we’re done we’re done with the playing it safe here like you gotta do this for the fans you got to do this for the team you have to do this for I know the city the city for the kids for the children for the CH someone think of the children please Kevin Adams think of kids day it could be So Glorious one of these times they could win they don’t have to scar the kids with loss after loss after loss because Elias Pon is going to be putting the puck in the net imagine a center Center spine Pon and Tage or Kik like Tage could be on the wing if we get Pon so ell your Center you could make you could make David dry cidal it yeah yeah exactly that’s what I’m saying your centers at least are your options patteron Tage Kik McLoud I don’t see that actually being their Center spine because I think all three of three of those guys are top two line guys so someone’s going to be thrown with somebody but like imagine that Center spine be nice yeah dreaming big right now I keep refreshing my Twitter as we speak just hoping for a trade who’s going to break it if it’s not bre that’s a good one that is a good oh man I mean dude it was crazy because you know the Taylor Hall trade goes down and you know everybody’s reporting on it like Hey Taylor Hall to Carolina like all this is happening and then it’s breaking Frank sahali it’s like in addition to Taylor Hall The KES are getting moo Ranson like I don’t even know like how do you cuz like when trades get br Bren you can only assume that it’s like the agents sending out that like hey this player’s on the move it’s like how does sahali get like first crack on the Ranson and stuff just you got to be in some very inner circles just to be the first one to break any of that stuff yeah I mean it’s crazy you have to be so sure yeah you know arson judge it with the Giants like arson judge is headed to San Francisco is he still on the way Elias Peterson is headed to uh is headed to to Detroit Elias peanut butter is heading the other the other the other Elias Pon is getting traded oh I know yeah I’ve seen those jokes like oh what if Terry just wanted the other one goofy Antics they accidentally called for the wrong guy they’re like you’re giving up all this for him sure oh you wanted the other no no we’re not sorry not that no take backs no take backbacks we already said yes imagine we mentioned the four nations imagine going into the four nations we trade for peton and we got donene and Pon playing together for the first time but it’s on a different team why would like why why would you bring something up like now I’m going to think about that now I’m gonna think about this I mean there’s also I feel like like if I’m Kevin Adams like I’m I’m calling Rasmus dialing into my office and I’m being like you got to sell this guy on Buffalo like I know you don’t have to sell him though well feel like you should though I feel no I know but I feel like you should like get him excited you know if anything like I don’t know like if if if Canuck’s management is fed up with the bad PR they’ve been getting this can be a smooth exit like you can give petson the team that he maybe wanted have him go and play with his country man I don’t know just I’m at least telling if I’m Kevin Adams like I’m telling like I’m telling Rasmus like hey just talk to the guy about the Sabers and try to sell him that this isn’t as bad as it seems even though it very much is tell them about the grass lot Rasmus tell them about how good everything could be if you I me like guys are weird it’s just it just comes down to wins and losses you know it’s what it is like and there’s plenty of one over here I know but it’s like like Jason zooker I like he want like he reportedly wants to stay and it’s like why would he like we talked about this guy is playing the best has in years he’s going to probably up his value if he were to hit the free agent market and he’s playing for Buffalo and like a historically Bad season and he’s just I don’t know chemistry is weird it’s just you know once you guys once you get guys in your locker room Anything Can Happen seems like everyone likes each other even though they’re not winning I remember I don’t know if you guys remember this but there was like a twoe period where it was talked about like Taylor Hall sort of was open to an extension you know went South really fast but he was open to it I mean that they are stuff’s weird you know we we joke about the warm climate stuff but listen this isn’t football where it’s like Southern teams are big like where do you think half these people grew up in Florida or like Minnesota or New York like they grew up in this weather they are displaced fans yeah or Finland or Sweden like all these other foreign guys they’re not living in tropical climates yeah it’s it’s not it’s not UND because like yeah people move to Florida they want to go to warmer climates it exists I’m just saying like it’s not for everybody at the end of the day it’s wins and losses it ain’t for me it ain’t for me I’m Buffalo born or raised I will always be in Buffalo JP will take the 140 M hour winds we got going on outside here tonight I feel like my my room’s about to caveen dude my I was walking between my buildings at work and it was just like a wind it was like getting hit by a tornado like I imagine the Wind Tunnel right now walking to the saber Stadium you already know how bad that wind tunnel is regardless imagine it right now I don’t care if if Elias Pon is suiting up for the Sabers that night nothing will get in my way absolutely nothing keep looking at my phone man I hope this isn’t the peak you know like I really hope it’s not man no God I want it to happen so bad do you think there’s a chance that you know Terry beula was in Kansas City saw the Heartbreak and then he called Kevin right away he was like get this done like you got to do it absolutely think I don’t know man it’s weird how it’s weird how after the loss then you start to hear all the rumors start to come out that Kevin ads is making a push good point Terry lost some playoff Revenue trying to make up for it how much ass kissing he probably had to do to get him to give him the green light to spend well all he had to say was I mean it came out this is a neutral trade I was listening to one of the Canuck’s uh main insiders he had like a segment he’s like the main guy like he knows a ton about the inner workings it’s uh it’s like Dolly wall or something everybody has probably seen his reports even though they can’t put a face to the name but he was saying how like buffalo called in the season like when he was struggling like we’re talking probably mid to late October like they have been in on this from the start I think drer uh confirm that I’m trying to pull up the the notes that that one Canuck’s account was talking about uh yep Buffalo saber sources have acknowledged they’ve been in it from day one and will stay in it until told otherwise like they’ve wanted him from the start and you know you kind of got to think about it like day-to-day like your boss is not always in like the day-to-day operations of your job you know you do your job and then you take something to him and you ask for input so like I I think we’re past that barrier now because apparently the green light’s been given but there’s a very realistic chance like they could have had a trade done and ready in November but the final sign off has to go to the owner and you got to explain the financials and you got to explain the signing bonuses and all then and whatnot and show them the analytics I’m sure Terry loves his analytics you know I’m not you know I’m not I’m willing to bet they never got close like that but it was a possibility you know and I’m sure this has taken time to like sort of sell him and you know it also it works out because cousins and Byrum like that’s a it makes the trade cap neutral right like Terry’s not losing much money aside from the signing bone bonus but you know you dip into your pockets one time or I forget what the signing bonuses are lined up but you know bonuses are weird I think you can pay them like differently I think I I don’t know I’m No Cap Guru but arguably you’re winning like the money go around because cousins is 7.1 Byron’s probably like five or six and P’s 11.5 that’s above Pon like I feel like you’re kind of winning it in in that stance I I if you’re Bow by rum and you’re trying to extend in Buffalo like you’re probably asking for seven you know it’s probably up there and you know you’re playing with Rasmus Dalene and on the top pair so yeah I think he’s no less than like six and a half I can’t believe we have to have these conversations about finances from the guy who was like there will be no Financial restrictions they just have to do it you know like think about it like if they just it still takes a ton of luck cuz like if if you get peton it’s cab neutral but you got to replace Byrum and it’s probably going to be expensive like I don’t know if you know we can talk about like the Pittsburgh rumors um that Freeman brought up in 32 thoughts like that’s a minor thing but you know that’s also not nothing you know he’s bringing up that Pittsburgh’s interested in some young Buffalo guys I mean let’s say you know maybe it’s like a Michael bunting like we’ve talked about numerous times but what if it’s Marcus Pon you know the other Pon you know he needs an extension and he’s very very good he’s not cheap so you know you’re probably talking about cutting Corners somewhere else you know maybe it’s I would imagine Jordan greenway’s on the way out but even then he doesn’t affect next year like if you got somebody like Marcus Pon you’re probably buying out Matias samelson for sure so yeah it sucks like it sucks so bad that you have to dance around these Corners find these loopholes but we all know they just got to do it once you know it’s an awful terrible uh embarrassing uh attitude to have that they have to prove to their owner that they’re worth spending money on it’s I hate it it makes me uh Furious just thinking about it but it’s the re reality they have to play with and this path this path right here is their only path to getting a superstar potentially with Without Really affecting the finances and I think that’s just you cannot you cannot pass up this opportunity because your only other chances at a star this off season are I mean you’d have to pay Mitch Marner I mean M ranton and Mitch Marner are goingon to probably make a combined $28 million they’re probably going to get like the same contract and you are not dishing out $14 million or you know even if they come under market value like they’re still no less than 12 and a half and you’re not giving that to them there’s just no chance and to get them here you would have to up that offer it sucks but you have to strap Elias Patterson in that straight jacket fly him over to Buffalo and force him to play here and force him to love it you will like it so you will like getting booed so I just man I just want to talk about this all day but like I said I don’t I just I don’t want this to be like the high point I don’t want this to be it the peak the peak of the conversation godamn it make it happen please cuz I I will be realistically I will be very angry if they don’t realistically how long do you think we got before this this starts to come back on the downswing well like we said the four nations is the 15th so you get two weeks pretty much people are pro people are proclaiming four nations as like the trade deadline I don’t really understand the logic of that I guess it’s maybe just because I don’t know I know it’s like a two week like you’re almost like jumping ahead in time like as soon as four nations ends it’s oh we’re basically in March um I don’t know it’s weird I mean maybe all right go ahead sorry I was gonna just say for me it’s going to be like 96 hours like once Rob Ray Night comes around like there there’s been there’s been a lot of talk about this and it seems like it from what I’m hearing it’s heating up or it’s supposed to be I give it until Friday and if if if it was radio silent I’ll probably start to lose some hope yeah I I would agree with that so Freedman didn’t talk about it in 32 thoughts today at all um I don’t think Merrick talked about on his show doesn’t mean it it doesn’t mean I mean we know it’s still heating up it just you know it’s one of those like you know the the rdent thing came out of nowhere absolutely nowhere like we knew they were probably headed for a divorce that he wasn’t going to sign there but it came out of nowhere and then it came out that pson was going to be traded as well so I don’t know don’t look for Insider info or like you know stay obviously stay tuned for it but if it’s not red hot if they’re not talking about it every second over the next few days it uh doesn’t mean this this ship has sailed And Trades are weird you know we trades are like a Snowball Effect you pick them up at you start them here and it rolls down the hill and it ends at a distinct point maybe it goes dead and then maybe at the deadline the Canucks are in a much worse spot and they suddenly call Buffalo and say hey that offer that you made like a month ago can we revisit that and and you’re in business you know the Tomas hurdle trade was was that last year was that last year’s deadline I think it was yeah I mean with minutes remaining in the trade deadline tomash hurdle just out of nowhere get sent to Vegas so don’t lose hope I’m not talking to you guys I’m talking to myself I’m trying to tell myself not to lose hope here you’re spiraling all right um yeah I don’t know I don’t know what else to really touch on um I feel like that’s basically everything Savers related um I’m kind of hockey hockey talked out um I don’t know just uh feeling a bit under the weather too so I don’t know you could tell my voice is sort of feeling it as well but I powered through cuz this was an important episode and that’s that any closing thoughts on the pon discourse do it just get her done just do it all right I had one quick thought on that that blockbuster trade that happened Friday the Fall From Grace for Taylor Hall I mean he was just like thrown in this trade like I mean Chicago got nothing Chicago got I don’t what was Chicago even doing in that I mean you got to remember Man Taylor Hall is no spring chicken anymore he’s been in the league for like 14 years he’s he’s like in his early mid-30s now he’s he’s pass his prime he not what he used to be thought you were getting some of that Prime when he was in uh when he was in Buffalo for that half a season but it is what it is it’s just you know just time so when we you know you look at the past three Taylor Hall trads Sabers got the best trade got true second they got a second round pick and a roster player and we have Bor buor pilled for you know a little bit yeah just wish they picked Unfortunately they picked kov with that second round pick but who cares it’s all about the trade value you know so yeah I mean first game he was on the fourth line which is CRA that’s just not who he is all this I mean honestly like I don’t think it changes much for Carolina I really don’t like I feel like ransen in is just a beefed up Martin hes like I I really like AO is a phenomenal player but he’s not an Nathan McKinnon and I I think I think ransin very much benefited from playing with Nathan McKinnon oh yeah so I don’t know we’ll see probably another second round exit from Carolina or they will get swept in the conf Conference Finals yet again I had another final thought I I feel like I’m J know this reference I feel like I’m Tyler milin with all my final thoughts right now but um call up rosan what like what do something like give him a chance like The Season’s done he’s the best performer on the amirs right now like you got to see what you have with him you have to like I I don’t think any of us thinks he has a future with the sabes but you you have to show what he can do in the other teams yeah exactly like give him a chance like oh legit chance not bring him up throw him on the fourth line for five games and send him back down like they did last year yeah give him a chance like he’s been their best player this year and he’s playing better now I think uh what’s their coach’s name again I Leon Le yeah I’m pretty sure he talked about how he wants more out of rosan and how he has been playing as good as I think he can and I think he’s starting to come around to that recently like give him a chance call him up The Season’s done it doesn’t matter see what you could get out of him and you know what maybe he does shine like maybe if you put him with Kik maybe you have something I don’t know but like give him a chance that’s really the only guy from the amirs that I really think should get a shot this this season other than I think kak should also be up here um and he might be because ABK just got waved um or that could be something else it could be making room question mark i r dude like everything is making like I tweeted about today like Kevin weeks broke the metal staff for bym trade like as I was leaving the house last year and like I just every time I see because he always starts his tweets like it’s super long with the Stars well it’s like stars and then like he has like a super long intro and when you see the notification the end of the Tweet is not in there so just got to open it up you got to hold your breath while the app is loading and then you know today it’s like Fenway Sports Group is selling a minority stake like screw you man screw you report some actual stuff was that true that they’re selling a minority State yeah I think they’re looking into it with the Penguins so why I like to hear that as a Red Sox fan they’re saving up for something oh yeah yeah saving up for a whole lot of that that’s actually good for the Penguins because the Fenway Sports Group has sucked aw the last few years terrible that’s good for the Penguins so bad yeah did we ever answer the question about who we thought was going to break the pon trade no we kind of just speculated but answers does anybody know if Pon has a younger brother that’s living in Andrew peters’s house I was going to say he broke the last big trade I mean yeah I wonder how I wonder how Luke talk was like taking a residency in his basement like yeah no he heard about at first hey you get your sources that’s right game is game I hope some random I hope it’s like Bob McKenzie give me Bob McKenzie oh dude if we got OG if we got a Bob McKenzie trade break oh that’ be awesome he better be he better be making a video of him making a Margarita and it’s and he’s just like he’s like weeky like breaking it just in a random location he just turns the blender on and you could barely hear him over ites a sip pson to the Sabers now you know you know you know who owes this fan base BCI gross because he broke Taylor Hall trade at like midnight the day before the trade deadline ruined my sleep that night awful awful awful he owes us [Music] any pick we’ll see um I’m gonna say Frank spaghetti I’m gonna say spaghetti he is he is he uh TSN Canada guy might right there uh no he’s just his own thing just daily face off just independent well yeah I’m going to say spaghetti I I don’t he might not say like I think it’ll be similar to the trade Friday he’s not going to be the the one who breaks that there’s a trade happening but that I think he’s going to break what’s actually happening mhm yeah I don’t know or I mean maybe maybe Chad D Dominus Buffalo guy it’s been a bit it’s been a bit since he BR trade I think the it might have been the only trade he broke but he he broke the cahon trade I do remember that the cahon trade oh my God yeah I remember everyone I was so pissed when we didn’t resign him thank God we didn’t do that where is he now probably Germany I about say some German B League yep I hope so I hope it’s a local person even if it’s Lance or Mike even if it’s Paul Hamilton somebody give meak it that’d be incredible just some local local person car or what if it’s Jeremy White’s super secret saber Source super for secret saber Source when was the last time we heard anything from that I don’t think he works for the organization anymore no he went he went radio silent after bloody Tuesday in 2020 oh my god oh jeez hey maybe maybe it’ll be us we did we did have some some Lindy stuff at the time we did just a little bit we did we we had we had a little insight we’re starting to get a few nuggets here and there sources out there heard some stuff this summer some guys they were in on and it’s kind of interesting though it’s kind of cool being on the other side of it just even if it’s like in a very very microscopic scale super small super you know heard it from a friend of a friend but you can still pinpoint it and it’s nice to know all right I think that’s good enough for this one uh not really much else to touch on how about a quick little checking in with old friends will borgan just made $20 million good for him man 5 by 4.1 he was a throw in the capoo trade is he really been that good with the Rangers apparently it might just be PR you want to know something that’s what a Yoki Haru fiveyear deal would look like oh my god get him off my team did you guys like my 2017 18 Sabers to 24 25 Sabers comparison MH yeah it’s it makes sense it makes sense on this is going to be one of those forgotten years not if we trade for Li Pon yeah you’re right well Pon could be equivalent to Tage Thompson because they traed there you go there you go who let me cook the dots are connecting who let me cook dots are connecting Jona was ahead of the curve yep yep yep all right folks I hope to God the next time we talked to Elias Peterson’s a buffalo saber God I hope it happens but until next next time thank you very much for listening be sure to follow us on Twitter atth saer report also on Instagram Tik Tok Tik Tok again Tik tok’s alive don’t delete the app don’t delete it yeah and if you if if you need some cash flow right now and you have Tik Tok on your phone you can sell it for some good money going right get rid of a phone man yeah yeah uh you can follow us on Tik Tok Blue Sky wherever um if you watch us on YouTube thank you very much for listening be sure to like share and subscribe if you want updates for the Pod you can follow us at at saber report pod go give our friends over at the Buffalo Sports Talk podcast a listen um I think they’re recording tonight I think they’re postmortem is tonight or it’s going to be this week uh we did watch the G JP and I watched the game with Hagen and Max they do great stuff over there and ders D regular that’s right I don’t know about regular but ever so often he’s he’s become a regular yeah I feel like he’s more more I mean John’s basically gone so yeah I’m GNA take his SP radio silent uh yeah go give them a listen they’re they’re going to have a lot to say about what the bills do from here and you know I’ll give them credit why you should go listen to them you know last year when they lost to KC uh they put out an episode that night and and it was it wasn’t depressing dark uh pessimistic all they talked about was how hopeful they were for the next year and how they felt really good and you know it ended with another Kansas City loss but how spoton they were about how good of a season it was and how good the team did um so they know their they know what they’re talking about uh and there’s a lot to unpack with this bill’s off season so I would implore you go give them a list and stay tuned with them for the entire offseason and how wrong Jonah was oh my God so for people that don’t know uh their hot take episode uh you know before the season started JP sent hot takes in Christianson hot takes in and I did and these were like my main points I said I think I said they were going to finish third in the division I definitely said they were going to finish 9 and eight and that it just kind of felt right it just they were going to be a 500 team Josh Allen wasn’t going to let them be a losing team but they were going to they’re going to be 9 and eight and the one thing the One Singular thing I said that was going to be great coming out of this year everybody was going to be hyped and excited about moving into next year was Dalton concade and I said he was maybe even going to be a top five tight end by the end of the year ofer oer awful terrible tough and I thought it was working I thought it was just just my Jinx Powers at work in a good way like look at this great season there they might win the Super Bowl because of me and then the last play of the year goes down to the one guy I said was going to be good Awful awful awful so go give them a listen great awesome stuff um and I guess we’ll see you guys next time JP welcome back um it was it was it it was good to have you back it was a little concerned about Jesse’s whereabouts but hopefully he’ll turn up somewhere he is fine he will be back even if he signs off for a little bit he he’ll sign off on here first so good good so with that folks thank you very much for listening we’ll see you next time and as always go Sabers go Sabers go savers

In this episode, the guys discuss some recent Sabres hockey before diving head first into all the Elias Pettersson/Buffalo smoke.

(0:00) Intro
(0:28) JP is Back/The Bills lost
(6:28) Sabres Recap
(10:36) Jiri Kulich
(18:20) Jeff Skinner
(20:48) Concern-O-Meter
(21:51) Concern-O-Pettersson
(28:19) Elias Pettersson Trade Talk
(58:13) Mikko Rantanen Trade
(1:00:05) Isak Rosen
(1:06:19) Checking in With Old Friends
(1:07:16) Closing

Thanks for watching!

Follow us on:
Twitter: @TheSabreReport
Insta: @thesabrereport
TikTok: @TheSabreReport
Bluesky: @thesabrereport.bsky.social

Check out our Patreon!
https://t.co/nfMAcz3CZP