carpandean

I was worried that we'd be seeing a backup, since Crawford played tonight (in a 3-1 win over Vancouver), but Chicago's backups have better numbers (though, smaller sample sizes) than he does. We'll probably see Scott Darling. While I'd love to see Makarov, I'm betting on a battle of the 6'6"-ers.

Oilers getting smoked by the Kings (8-1 with half a period left.) If the Sabres really go on a run, 28th may still be possible. As bad as 33.5% would be, 11.5% would be much, much worse.

Yeah, at 18, I was 5' 11", 155 lbs (and a collegiate athlete). By 20, I was 6' 2", 190 lbs.

... beats his ace high. :P

I just realized that they passed last year. In fact, unless they lose out (wouldn't that be nice*), they won't match last years badness. * My ideal would actually be four regulation losses, then close out the season with a win (would not affect 30th.)

McDavid or Eichel would be your dominant #1 center in a year, if not sooner. Reinhart would be a very strong #2. If you end up with the third pick and choose a center, then he would probably spend another year in juniors before coming up and being your #2 behind Reinhart. Big difference. He talked about it on WGR. Nolan told him it was his for the rest of the season and he said (basically) that it almost brought him to tears.

Pretty sure that was an April Fools Day post. It would be bigger news than it was and would be so far from what Central Scouting says. I have no doubt that #3 and #4 wouldn't get you either #1 or #2. I can't imagine what, if anything, could get it done, but I can all but guarantee that you wouldn't want to pay it.

Well ... yeah. Let's not do that, then. ;) Edit: I just realized that my sig line quote may prove particularly relevant.

If they finish 29th behind Arizona, then it would also be fine for the 'Yotes to win the lottery.

Ristolainen, Girgensons, Ennis, Moulson, Bogosian are the five that I definitely see Deslauriers, Foligno, Zadorov, Larsson are probably staying Grigorenko is a big question mark and the rest will likely be gone this year or the next.

Do you happen to know who was on the ice? I remember the play, but not exactly who was there. It wasn't Girgensons or Ristolainen, because they are out. I'm pretty sure that it wasn't Moulson or Ennis. It may have been Bogosian, but I'm not sure. My point: will any of those players be in a Sabres' uniform next year? In two or three years, when we could be a real contender? Also, when was the last time that you actually saw something build in April that carried over to October? I can appreciate them playing as a team, but with the exception of Moulson, will anyone who has scored in the last two games part of the long-term plans?

Not yet, but it could by Saturday. (Actually, that's just to get passed. It can't officially suck until the 4/9.)

In the last 7 games, the Coyotes gained one point on the Sabres (basically, the difference between the late goal to force OT here and the EN goals to prevent it there); in the last 15 games, they've gained two points on them. Unfortunately, in the last 2 games, they gained 4. However, to this point, the Sabres have still tanked better. We'll see how it works out over the last 5.

Hockey InsiderS ;)

It's ESPN, so I'm guessing Hockey Insiders S_____

God, I hope that it is clinched (either way, but preferably with us in last) before that game. Finish the season on a happy-happy note.

Oh, have no doubt ...

:doh: :censored: :w00t:

Four possibilities: 1) Finish 30th pre or post-lottery: NFW we make that trade. 2) Finish 29th pre-lottery: do we trade 1/3 chance at McEichel for that? I doubt it. 3) Finish 29th post-lottery w/ Arizona/Buffalo win: See #1 4) Finish 29th post-lottery w/ any other winner: I'd be fine with something like that. #2 is the tough one. You would certainly require more value than the #3 pick after the lottery would command (else, you'd just wait), but it would still be a tough pill to swallow.

That's why I suggested a pre-lottery trade if we end up 29th: Arizona gets Sabres 2016 first-round pick plus either their 2015 first-round pick if they win the lottery or the Sabres' 2015 first-round pick, if they don't. Sabres get their own 2015 first-round pick if Arizona wins the lottery or the Coyotes' first-round pick if they don't. Result: Arizona gets another (likely) Austin Matthews pick, plus a 33.5% chance (their 20%, plus the Sabres' 13.5%) at McDavid and the third pick otherwise; Sabres get Eichel (20% chance that it's with their own pick; 80% with the Coyotes' pick.) Would be a heck of gamble for the Coyote's GM and perhaps it would take our other first-rounder (getting too rich for us?), but I'd take the certainty of it (definitely for one first-rounder, don't know about two.)

By "lose" do you mean win and by "win" do you mean lose? If we lose, then we stay four points behind with five to go. If we win, the lead is down to two points. Edmonton could officially be eliminated by earning a point more than we do.

After winning two in a row, it's looking less like they will fall below the Oilers, so the whole building (Sabres and Leafs fans, alike) may be cheering for them. Definitely predicting an ugly scene if the Sabres get a lead.

Yikes.

I'd like to think that fans would take the moral high ground if the team has already been eliminated, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Your only hope is that the Sabres clinch ahead of time.

The worst part is that whether or not they finish 30th (but especially if they don't), this is going to be ugly at home down the stretch. They have two home games before they could possibly clinch and almost certainly one more before they realistically could. The soonest that Arizona could clinch would be in their second-to-last game in Vancouver, so it very well all could come down to the final night at home against Pittsburgh ('Yotes at home against the Ducks). Can you imagine what a "must lose" (to get 30th) game would be like? Mike Weber didn't like fans cheering against them with 8 games left, how is he going to feel about it in the final game of a terrible season when 90% of the building would desperately want them to get blown out?