tom webster

How can you continue to belittle Stafford's play? How many other forwards had 20 goals and 100 hits? Isn't hits one of your holy grail stats? Or is that only when the results lead to the conclusion that validates your anecdotal opinion?

I would be willing to bet that sports owners make a higher percentage of the gross then the studios.

My simplistic answer, players are both the employees and the resouces used to make the product. Most business would kill for the percentage of the gross that owners of professional sports teams get. That being said, they are assuming all the risk.

If Don Fehr is as smart as I think he is, he should trade an amnesty clause with a "reverse" amnesty clause allowing 1 player from each team to opt out of a bad deal.

Actually I think it was the positives that were exaggerated.

Kelvin Sheppard will be twice the LB that Poz is or ever was. Three times if he reaches his potential.

If you are looking for pure speed and skating ability Rob McClanahan and Brian Holzinger weren't bad. I like the word explosive for Mogilny but I agree with X, Housley was something special. I remember Mogilny's first shift but how about Housley scoring 2 goals while two men short against the Nordiques?

This move really wasn't much out of line for Wilson. Certain seminal events push him to react. First there was Saban, then Knox before the list of events you listed. Who knows what event pushed him to act but it's far more likely Detroits successhad mire impact then Pegula.

Agree with all of this. One other counter point, I don't remember Housley being particularly skinny.

Now there is a big assumption on what the rest of Myers career will be like.

If you are looking for a Sabre example you can go back to Stu Barnes who did nothing when he got here and then made a nice career for himself. Hodgson is not like past deadline day failures. He is here long term and has the ability to be a star.

I've tried to point that out whenever someone makes up some trade package that involves their defensive prospects. None of their guys, even McNabb and Pysyk are considered can't miss, top pairing prospects. Most of them are depth guys at best and most teams have their share. Up front, only Arnia is considered top 6 although a couple guys may be on the fringe. As for Catnasty, as long as Ennis is at center, no other center can be that small.

Would Myers points have decreased if; a) Roy, Stafford and others were putting the puck in the net? b) he hadn't missed 20 games this year His goals are about the same. He only gets assists if the other guy puts the puck in the net. Also, as far as everyone else's offensive regression, do you realize that only 10 guys that played more then 59 games will average a point per game and that only 2 guys are likely to top 40 goals in the entire league? It's just a different game. For all their other problems that have been discussed here ad nauseum, if the Sabres got any production this year out of the Roy line they would be in the top half of the Conference and everyone, even TSC, would be discussing what one or two players could put them over the top. By the way, if Myers turns out to be a combination of Svoboda and Hajt he will be well worth the price. I think he will be better, but again, who knows?

For the record, it was Chara 4th season when he was 22 that saw a dramatic upturn in his physical play but he was far from feared.

I beg to differ. I think both players were questioned as to how their physical game would develop. With Myers it's far too early to conclude where his game will end up.

I think this sentence needs to be concluded with, in my opinion. No one knows how either player will progress. Hell Chara and Pronger weren't sure things in their third years. Right now there is no doubt that Karlsson is having a special year but will he be Housley or will he be Lidstrom? Who knows? Myers hasn't reached those lofty expectations that he conjured up in his first year but he has progressed nicely. Look it how Doughty has stepped back. What about Jay Bo in Calgary? Is Phaneuf a stud or is the player poll valid? To use any absolutes when evaluating players at this early stage is pure folly.

I understand what you are saying and in no way am accusing you of anything. The point I am making, though, is that since this is not a keeper league there is no benefit for a team out of the playoffs to make a deal other then to help a team in the playoffs which logically hurts another team. The only truly fair trades are trades that can at least potentially help both parties. Since there are no future rewards in this type of league none of the type of trades I am talking about can be fair to all parties effected. Again, just my opinion.

I have to admit that I have a big problem with trades this late in the season between teams well out of contention and teams fighting for playoffs or playoff positioning. If I wasn't completely out of it I'd being screaming. What benefit is there to the 16th seeded team to make a trade other then to help one team at the expense of another? I have quit several leagues over this issue. Just my two cents and hopefully for something to be considered for next year.

OK, 1 more last word. 1) I follow events pretty closely and PA always said I knew the parking ramp attendant, he keeps me informed as well 2) I saw his fights against the Islanders and Flyers and didn't get the feel he was really willing to go untill forced into it and I think the one against the Flyers gained more notoriety because the Flyer got hurt when losing his balance.

Last word from me cause I really got get back to making a living, but its good thing you aren't trying to prove anything with stats cause you are not. Mostly, however, I want to say, that its not your specific posts but the aggregate of your posts that leave me amazed. You talk about how you point out some of the good things, and I agree you do, but then you change your argument when a contrary valid answer is given and you say stuff like 40% of the roster needs to be replaced. You assume the rest of the league shares your view of Kassian yet seem to take it as a given that he was being shopped since December. Shouldn't we then assume that Darcy offered him to Anaheim and Calgary and they weren't interested? Can you accept the possibility that he is just another weak bully who picked on smaller players in Junior but isn't so keen on it when someone fights back?

First, you again take liberty with statistics. Having an aggregate number three times another player does not make you three times more physical. Mostly, though, we agree that the Sabres need to be more physical but vehemently disagree over the importance of a stat that is calculated by retired off ice officials with very little standardized training that as Brian Burke himself varies dramatically from city to city. It makes shot totals look like an exact science.

Detroit, Boston and New Jersey all are in the bottom 10 in the league in hits. How many guys can they have and how important can hits be when two of the top 4 favorites to win the Cup(Boston and Detroit) are 24th and 25th in the league in hits?

Of course you do. The only way you can keep up the everything sucks routine is if the team is completly blown up and spends three years rebuilding.

The only reason its so hard to paint you in a corner is because you debate with no desire or expectation to lear anything.. First its the player, then its the coach, then its the players contract. These last few pages demonstrate it clearly. One thing I have learned in my 52 years is that I'm not always right. I grew up a Broad Street Bully fan. I love the way the Bruins play hockey. I personally detest Drew Stafford. I want Darcy Reiger fired and while I am a Lindy Ruff fan, wouldn't have hated it if TP fired him. And yet, I have been thoroughly entertained by the team since Reiger took over and not only selfishly hope he is right in order to maximize my satisfaction this year, I know that its entirely possible, if not likely, that in a year when the Cardinals came from death to win the Series, the Giants won the Bowl with a 9 and 7 record and the Clippers are actually relevant, that this team could make a run. One good thing about getting old, you've seen just about everything and unless your are senial, you've been horribly wrong before. And if players hating his coach is how you rate a coach then Scotty Bowman must be the worst coach of all time.

First,you are taking liberties with the hit stats because there is only one official year where he matched your criteria. Second, Pyatt left here after recording 41 hits and 6 goals in half season and continued to develop as he got older? Sounds like Lindy gave him a good foundation and provided him with a strong work ethic so he could succeed when he went to teams that he fit in better. Third, I have already acknowledged that Pyatt may be the only forward your case can intelligently be made for. And when Stafford scores 30 and records 100 hits next year, what do I get?