tom webster

Well hopefully we will get to find out because if they end up using all four of those picks their season ticket base may shrink to 5,000. Also, the Sabre’s just traded a strong number two center for a first round pick and Tage and took on salary so the notion they couldn’t acquire one that fit better for two picks seems dubious. I’m not going to get into names because I don’t go there but I believe it can be done and with that top nine and other prospects in the system there is plenty of time to restock the cupboard before they have room for anyone else.

So, if the Sabre’s could turn 4 number one draft choices into Sam- Jack- Skinner Sheary - Legit 26 year old center- Legit 26 yo winger Olafsson- Mitts- Thompson Erod- Larry- Girgs you are telling me no because draft choices and third line depth are sacred and we’d rather wait two more years. and I have crunched numbers but all would fit for at least three years. and you have a team that could stay together for 3-5 years, keep all prospects youbpresently have, still have 2nd through 7th round picks hoping to find 1 diamond in the rough to surprise, but, no first round picks for two years?

It’s almost impossible to contend Year in and year out. You build a strong core and there should be only one or two spots open every year. You try and time it right but it’s almost impossible, Chicago has done a great job. Win a few Cups, make the playoffs a few years and then hopefully get back to the top of the draft while your stars still have a couple years left. the days of teams trading Sam Pollock the top picks in the draft are over. Who the hell cares about three years from now.

Depth is overrated. It’s about the top 4-5 forwards, 2-3 defenseman and solid goaltending. Waiting on draft picks that have less then a 25% chance of being impact players within three years and added to the fact that 4 of the forwards, 2 of the defenseman and the goaltender are already be part of the organization and all under 26, most under 23 is puzzling to me. I’ll bet that not one player drafted in the top two rounds over the next three years means anything to anyone if the team acquires a true number two center and is challenging for the Cup within the next two years.

Something is fine if all you want is to contend for the playoffs and hope for a fortunate, miracle run. if you truly want to compete for the Cup then Matthews, Tavares and Kadri is the third best team in the East. I’m

If you use all your picks the next couple years you are conceding the next 3 or 4 years to Tampa, Toronto and Washington at least. They need to swing for the fences in order to acquire a number two center or you are accepting that you won’t be a true contender till Jack is in his 7th or 8th year.

Tyreke Hill was a 5th rounder but obviously extenuating circumstances.

I’m sure someone mentioned this but I’m too lazy to go back and read. Skinner only waived his no trade clause for Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Toronto. He clearly has a preference to stay near this area, Toronto is highly unlikely to sign another high end forward unless they trade one and Buffalo is the only place that can offer eight years. This gets done and a lot easier then a lot of people think.

In days gone by, when you had two scoring lines, a checking line and an energy line guys like Sheary would move around a lot. Never good enough to stick top six, but capable of exploding with proper linemates. Vinny Prospal comes to mind. Now with teams going with more balanced lines, a guy like Sheary can stick around longer bouncing along lines as needed

If I’m not mistaken, only Bobby Orr and Phil Houskey exceeded 40 points as 18 year old defenseman.

I’m sorry, I just don’t get how everyone takes him at his word. Last year he was adamant that he wouldn’t settle for anything less then a first for Kane. He ended up with a conditional first, two or three years down the road. (OK, before someone corrects me 15 or 27 months down the road) He really isn’t going to give his game plan on national air waves. I really hope you guys know when that car salesman tells you it’s his final offer, it probably isn’t.

I’m just predicting here but they know how many people came close to cancelling. Like it or not, they are in the entertainment business, they won’t go New York Rangers crazy but they also know this team needs a second line. I’m convinced JB has a soft deadline for the other forwards to join the party.

Somebody not on the roster unless Casey has a Pierre Turgeon like coming out party. There is no way JB is allowed to waste this start and Eichel’s fourth year without adding a number two center.

How about those 1974 Sabre’s, 6 thirty goals scores, another 3 twenty goal scorers and an additional 3 with twelve goals each!

Just to clarify, I’m not sure one way or the other just believe it’s hard to judge. I watch a lot of other games and see receivers routinely catch passes that I can’t remember a Bill catching. On top of that, there were at least four third down drops yesterday.

Russel Groy Wyatt Teller Jordan Mills Charles Clay Zay Jones Isaiah McKenzie Robert Foster Chris Ivory This team could/should have 13 different players in their top 16 offensive players in the next year or two. I’m not sure how anyone can make a call on Allen while he’s playing with this group.

A) don’t sleep on Malone B) if they want to compete with Toronto Casey has to make a quantum leap or needs to be third center. C) you all may laugh but Patrick Kane 2020 wouldn’t shock me.

Yeah, in all seriousness, I couldn’t see an owner assuming the mantle the way the positions have evolved. My “get” out of this is just how fast she has moved up the chain. A friend at the NHL office mentioned to me six months ago how respected she was and how people were already discussing how Lafontaine’s stock had taken a little hit because of his fractured relationship with her.

Al Davis

She’s mentioned in an article published on The Athletic. Someone will have to post link but I found this interesting. I once mentioned that Russ Brandon was on the NFL short list and of course he blew that up but I keep hearing how well respected Mrs. Pegula is now. Just thought it was interesting.

No way the league opts out. There will not be a lockout. Strike maybe.

So allow me some vindication, I took a lot of heat from some of this board’s most respected members when I suggested that the salary cap would approach $90 million by 2020. Well, they just announced its going to be somewhere near $83 million next year.

Speaking of the 1’s, and I know it’s much too early but with St. Louis above only LA in the overall standings, what were the conditions on that pick? I know it was lottery protected but can someone refresh my memory?

I would like everyone who purchased a ticket to pm me so I can ask a question or two before issuing tickets.

Three or four of the second rounders from that draft will be anything more then a JAG and likely only one will be a top 4 forward or a top 3 defender. I am not dismissing the value of depth and I don’t want to over simplify but it’s those top 8(4F, 3D, 1G) that drive the bus. The teams that contend are the ones that time it right with the top 8 joined by 3 or 4 ready to take over and 1 or 2 surprises. No matter how refined and detailed, numbers can only project and there is nothing I’ve seen yet that makes scouting an exact science. It’s educated guessing mixed in with a ton of luck.