Taro T

Looks like the Bills will be going with plan B at KO/P returner. Bummer.

Why, because there are always late adds to the or-gan-eye-zay-shun, when camps are ready to open and then as teams shuffle around to set their lineups. Am not expecting a lot (1-3 is the expectation) but there will still be some more. And as stated in the OP, no idea if they'll be moves for the Sabres, the Amerks, or both. E.g., should Adams find that 4C faceoff/PK specialist that would be a very nice piece to add that would improve both rosters as either Rousek or Jost would find himself starting the year in Ra-cha-cha.

Expecting, though don't know for certain, that the league is allowing the players that ended the season on BF-LTIR to still be considered to be on BF-LTIR so they aren't being included in a calculation of the Loafs current cap hit. If they were included, they Loafs would be more than $11MM over the cap when they're only allowed to be ~$8.4MM over the cap. Though that is in direct contradiction to how the CBA is written, it does seem to be the way the league is handling injured players. As long as the NHLPA is buying off on it (and they seem to be), then expect that is how the league will continue to handle this moving forward.

They did miss by 1 point last year. But am hoping and expecting that they know they need to be 7-8 points better to be a playoff team. (1 point better MIGHT be good enough. But would be willing to make a small wager that 92 points won't be good enough again.)

That may be the view some here have, but am quite certain that Adams doesn't agree with that. Playoffs this year are a goal of his. (Note, said they are A goal, not THE goal.) And completely agree that Adams knows that nobody will find an 86 point season acceptable. Am nearly certain that there will still be more moves this summer. Just have no good feel whatsoever whether they're moves that'll help Ra-cha-cha, Buffalo, or both.

Oldest would likely be Gionta. For a long time, Schoenfeld was the youngest. Not sure if Eichel tops him. Would guess that Jack has him by a few days but don't honestly know. Audette was the captain for 1 game in B&G but then was captain again a few times in his second stint w/ the Sabres.

True. But he'll get more than either McDavid's or MacKinnon's current deals. Which will put him closer to that than any other player currently in the league.

And unlike that duo that both were pretty far into their careers when they got to play together briefly; these 2 aren't to their primes yet and could be staples like the Hawks had with Keith and Seabrook. The future sure looks bright, but how soon is now?

For people with severe sensitivity to it, they've probably got even less than that to avoid any reaction to it. But, personally, even though am now susceptible to it, a good thorough shower washing essentially all skin twice will prevent any rashes provided that shower comes within an hour or 2 of contact. Never was allergic to it when younger. Of course, didn't have seasonal allergies until about 10 years ago either. Sucks getting old. Beats the alternative.

That Transit Rd Store (presume you're referring to the one between Clinton and French) has been there since at least the early 80's and likely even longer.

Well, it is possible that Raccuia did sell a majority stake to the Pegulas, that he stayed the managing partner/owner and that now it is getting sold to Jones' Legends. (All part of the scratching of each other's backs by the boys (and girls) in the club. And like Carlin said "it's a big club, and you aren't in it.")

Likewise. And then slowly started to get it if it was on my skin for a few hours. Now need to get it off my skin within an hour or will break out.

Yzerman is a great example. Was going to go with Bobby Carpenter as the poster boy who turned his game from goal scoring to serious 2 way player, but youe example is better. And no, not putting Olofsson in that category, but occassionally you can teach an old dog a new trick. (And also, not saying it'll work with him, but until there's a better option that's what is hoped for.)

But are they legit or are they more Loaf fan fiction? "Well, of course he wants to stay. It's DREAMY here. And who DOESN'T like Hall and Oates?"

Hoping you're right, but not expecting it. Want Willie to have a very long career and retire as a Loaf all while never seeing any other organization.

No doubt we shouldn't. But sometimes we still do. Like mentioned above, have adjusted some of the video settings on the laptop and the quality of streaming is much better.

True. But expected a writer to be further aligned with the fans' view of the situation than the GM's. (We want the writer to be coming up with what likely might really happen, but when the gnashing of teeth has been so loud for so long; kind of expected to see a bone tossed out. And again, said that personally don't see either on the trade block nor would they be on the block (though obviously would ALWAYS listen to offers) were this kid GM for a day.

But merely contributing goals is not going to get considered to be "playing well." Unless it is on a 40 goal (or better) pace. And they AREN'T pulling him out of the lineup if he's on a 40 goal pace. He's also not getting pulled out of the lineup if he's on a 25-30 goal pace but actually respectable in his own end and coming back in transition. He had 28 goals last year in roughly 75 games and was routinely bashed around here (typically deservedly so) for NOT playing well. If he's playing like crud in his own end, he's not going to bring much of a return at all as a rental. (Unless he's on that mythical 40 goal pace, and will Adams REALLY trade away a 40 goal scorer right before the playoffs? Personally, can't see that happening.) So, is it better to have an extra 3rd round pick or to have another player in the pressbox that can fill in reasonably well in an injury crunch come playoff time? You know this kid's answer and expect Adams would agree.

Sure, a Nylander Murray combo move makes infinite sense from TO's perspective. But what does the team obtaining them get other than an offensive guy that won't go anywhere near the net and a very expensive injury prone 'meh' goalie. They SHOULD need to add a lot of sweetener to make that appealing to anybody.

Mildly surprised they didn't have Mittelstadt &/or Krebs on the list as potential trade candidates. (Personally wouldn't have either listed as trade bait, but with the angst both of them brought to this place at times last year (and even before that) would've thought the Athletic's writers would have felt some of that angst as well.) And would be surprised if either Stillman or Bryson were traded. Just don't see a value in either on the trade market and if they're going they're likely part of a much larger trade package.

At this time, barring that off-season trade we all expected to see happen prior to Quinn's injury, that seems IMHO to be the most likely scenario of how his situation plays out. And it's one more of the "good team" problems that other contenders deal with every year, but with the Sabres not contending in so long we might tend to forget that the top teams end up having middle 6 guys walk all the time. And the money that gets freed up on the cap is all they get back for it and it's usually enough to take the sting out of the loss. Especially when there's a traffic jam of young talent awaiting opportunities. If the Sabres are in the playoff picture (either in the top 8 or close enough to have a legit chance to make it) and Olofsson "is playing well" then really can't see any scenario in which he gets traded at the deadline. At that point in the year, THE goal is to make a playoff run without "mortgaging the future" (or some other such catch phrase). If VO is playing well, Adams is not going to trade him away for a pick or a prospect to bolster the future at the expense of today. And really can't see him getting traded either outright (or as a part of a package) to bring in a goalie, a D-man, or a PK specialist (which are the likely needs that might remain unfilled in late February/early March) because the teams looking to get rid of guys like that are looking for young players, picks, or prospects to restock their pipeline and 28 yo soon to be a UFA VO is none of those things.

Yeah. If they aren't going to pull the 1st line apart, those almost have to be the 2nd and 3rd lines to get something that can work from line 1 -> line 4.

Was going to say, well with a decade plus of horrible play to go along with moving several key pieces into futures more than half way though that decade plus horrible play that this team absolutely should have that sort of prospect ranking. But then look at the Eulers of the late '00's and early teens and say 'nevermind.' The front office still had to make those selections after getting the picks.

He or Jost. And likely it's Rousek that isn't in the 12 man game day lineup but he could definitely force Granato's hand with a strong camp. Expecting he'll come into camp ready to go knowing his opportunity is so close. But it'll be interesting to see how much weight Kulich has put on over the summer. He's definitely planning on stealing that roster spot from Rousek. That should be a great battle to watch.

And it's not like Thompson is chopped liver. He's a legit #1 center. And the Eulers would still have another one of those in Draisatl. Absolutely expect the Eulers would push for Dahlin because they have a spare #1C, but Thompson is on a very team favorable contract and if the Eulers are in a spot where they are even entertaining offers on McDavid they know that path was chosen by McDavid. The other pieces would all be in line to be upgrades throughout the rest of their lineup. And let's face it, outside the top 5 slots (and even sometimes within the top 5 slots (Yakapov anyone?)) the Eulers are HORRIBLE at drafting. The former 1st rounders all step into their line up. The 2 future 1st rounders probably wash out, but they can still hope they work out. Were the Eulers smart, they'd push for even 1 more high end prospect and leave the 1st round picks to teams that might know how to use them.