Josh Norris made his return from injury and posted an impressive stat line. Combined with Noah Ostlund, the Sabres center group looks much more confidence inspiring than it did just a couple of weeks back. Norris, Ostlund and a few other key performers are the focal point of this week's episode as is our take on the delays with the arena that is suppose to host the Olympic hockey tournament in Milan.
 
<hr />
Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-878-9777 or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-plus age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Josh Norris made his return from injury and posted an impressive stat line. Combined with Noah Ostlund, the Sabres center group looks much more confidence inspiring than it did just a couple of weeks back. Norris, Ostlund and a few other key performers are the focal point of this week's episode as is our take on the delays with the arena that is suppose to host the Olympic hockey tournament in Milan.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;gambling. Call 888-878-9777&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span&gt;or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;plus age and eligibility &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds &lt;br /&gt;required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Josh Norris came back with an impact performance, Noah Ostlund deserves to stick around Buffalo and what's the deal with the Olympic Ice Hockey arena?

Josh Norris Leaves His Mark in Return from Injury

Thanksgiving came and the Sabres sit last in the East. As one of the most notable schedule benchmarks passes with the Sabres facing a daunting climb, what is to be made of the general manager and how are they going to solve the three-headed monster in goal?
 
 
 
<hr />
Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-878-9777 or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-plus age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Thanksgiving came and the Sabres sit last in the East. As one of the most notable schedule benchmarks passes with the Sabres facing a daunting climb, what is to be made of the general manager and how are they going to solve the three-headed monster in goal?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;gambling. Call 888-878-9777&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span&gt;or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;plus age and eligibility &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds &lt;br /&gt;required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Some brief post-Thanksgiving thoughts on the state of the Sabres. 

Another Thanksgiving With the Sabres at the Kid Table

The Sabres may finally be getting some injury relief, which will cause some difficult roster choices to be made once Zach Benson, Josh Norris and Jason Zucker finally return. Buffalo's trio of goaltenders will make the roster choices tighter, unless the team finds a path to running just two goalies. We discuss the pros and cons of Buffalo's three headed goalie monster and the implications in net and on the rest of Buffalo's roster.
 
 
<hr />
Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-878-9777 or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-plus age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved. 
  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;The Sabres may finally be getting some injury relief, which will cause some difficult roster choices to be made once Zach Benson, Josh Norris and Jason Zucker finally return. Buffalo's trio of goaltenders will make the roster choices tighter, unless the team finds a path to running just two goalies. We discuss the pros and cons of Buffalo's three headed goalie monster and the implications in net and on the rest of Buffalo's roster.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;gambling. Call 888-878-9777&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span&gt;or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;plus age and eligibility &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds &lt;br /&gt;required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The Sabres still have three goalies which is problematic in a number of ways. We talk through the pros and cons of Buffalo's three goalie rotation. 

The Trouble With Buffalo's Goaltending Trio

An unbelievable run of injuries and illnesses have hamstrung the Sabres and put them in a monumentally difficult position. Without four key forwards and Rasmus Dahlin, the Sabres are in the midst of a challenging roadtrip that could put the team behind the 8-ball in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. We break down the key aspects of the run of injuries and offer up some views on how the team can dig out of the hole...and whether or not they're positioned to do so.
 
 
<hr />
Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-878-9777 or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-plus age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved. 
  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;An unbelievable run of injuries and illnesses have hamstrung the Sabres and put them in a monumentally difficult position. Without four key forwards and Rasmus Dahlin, the Sabres are in the midst of a challenging roadtrip that could put the team behind the 8-ball in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. We break down the key aspects of the run of injuries and offer up some views on how the team can dig out of the hole...and whether or not they're positioned to do so.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;gambling. Call 888-878-9777&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span&gt;or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;plus age and eligibility &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds &lt;br /&gt;required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Injuries and illnesses have piled up for the Sabres and they are threatening to derail yet another season. 

Can the Sabres Navigate Their Injury Woes?

In addition to a brief update post-OT loss to the Mammoth, I take some listener questions on this week's show. Among the topics are Owen Power, what the Sabres do with their lineup once they're healthy and how to fix their three on three woes. Also on the show, a discussion on the loser points they're racking up and how they're keeping the Sabres alive in a tightly packed Eastern Conference, but also how a few wins stacked up wouldn't just have the Sabres in the hunt, but with a firm grip on a playoff spot.
 
 
<hr />
Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-878-9777 or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-plus age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved. 
  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;In addition to a brief update post-OT loss to the Mammoth, I take some listener questions on this week's show. Among the topics are Owen Power, what the Sabres do with their lineup once they're healthy and how to fix their three on three woes. Also on the show, a discussion on the loser points they're racking up and how they're keeping the Sabres alive in a tightly packed Eastern Conference, but also how a few wins stacked up wouldn't just have the Sabres in the hunt, but with a firm grip on a playoff spot.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler. In &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;gambling. Call 888-878-9777&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span&gt;or visit ccpg dot org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;amp; Resort (Kansas). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in Illinois. 21-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;plus age and eligibility &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;varies by jurisdiction. Void in Ontario. Restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive Bonus Bets which expire in 7 days. Minimum odds &lt;br /&gt;required. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG.co/audio. Limited time offer. Copyright NHL 2025. All Rights Reserved. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The Sabres collected yet another OT point on Tuesday, their fifth straight game to go beyond regulation. How long can they keep up this act before they need to start winning a few of these contests? That and listener questions on this week's episode. 

How Long Can the Sabres Be Loser Point Merchants?

A Buffalo Sabres podcast hosted by Chris and Tyler of the Buffalo blog Two in the Box. The Instigator focuses on Sabres hockey, the NHL and other Buffalo-related topics.

The Instigator Podcast

Details

Recent Episodes