Neo

For what it’s worth, I thought E4 was sincerely saying KP would bring gender, economic and ethnic diversity to a power group that could use it. I mean, it’s the inter-webs and I miss things ... but I didn't read any snark or sarcasm.

Enjoy, Dads ... they’re off on their own all too soon! You have no greater value, or currency, or gift, then time. Give it to them. You cannot, later on.

You are not.

Hold my beer ... Why is Royal Blue so important, indeed. Why white Stars on a field of blue, and amber waves of grain? Why celery and blue cheese? Why God’s green Earth? Why Le Bleu, Blanc et Rouge? Why The Red Army? Huntley and Brinkley, peanut butter and jelly, Orville and Wilbur, Roosevelt and Churchill, The Buffalo Sabres and Royal Blue. Come sit beside me, beautiful naif, in this hard plastic seat. Mind not the mountain man to your left, pressed against your shoulder and spilling into your seat. I’ll buy you a fizz less Pepsi, served in a waxed paper cup, along with a bag of stale peanuts. Look across the ice and count the buttons on the shirt of the man sitting directly across from you. Sway to the organ in the bosom of our hostess, the sensuous granite Grande Dame. We are 16,433. We are one, living through our heroes in Royal Blue and White. They are new toys and old, generation after generation. Thrills and chills, agony and ecstacy. Our heroes fight our battles until the end inevitably comes, and the Royal Blue is passed on. We remain. More of my life is in the rear view mirror than in the front windshield. I see my Elysium. There, I drink Ambrosia from a cup fashioned in layers, over time. I wear Royal Blue, like I did on day one.

So’s @nfreeman! Me, too.

I don’t know the “ROR” in Buffalo story. That said, if someone told me ROR sardonically scribbled “To Jack, Love Ryan” on photos of himself holding the Cup and the Conn Smythe before mailing them to our Face of the Franchise, I’d not be surprised. I grew tired of the mea culpas and emo angst that came to be ROR in Buffalo’s locker room. I didn’t mind the trade. No revisionist history, here. I miss some boats. Last night, however, I was reminded that ROR is a warrior and leader of men everywhere else he’s been. Whatever insight I have, whatever life lessons I’ve learned, whatever parallel or similar experience has formed me, all lead me to one place. My spider sense is tingling. Ralph Krueger, leader of men and builder of teams, I introduce Captain Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres. I’ve seen this movie. I’ve lived this movie. I wear scars.

Jack can suck a lemon. Go Raptors, and feast my Canadian friends! “And when he opened the Eighth Seal, he saw the device, and the thumbs, and men had lost their minds in 140 characters ...”

Sometimes I imagine myself driving a car, leisurely on a Sunday, Dudacek and TBPHD in the backseat ... with Wagner on the radio and the volume set low.

OT: please suffer and indulge me. I’ve googled unsuccessfully. Just what did Cal do? I am aware of the issue ...

Someone’s pukin’.

I smiled when I read this. We went to school, together! Our eyes found things and trained our hearts and minds. Frankly, it worked pretty darned well. As Dudacek so insightfully pointed out, we’re using the same words to describe different things. Both matter. I’m better for analytics and a deeper understanding. Our eyes once told us the sun orbited the earth. Remember first seeing Gretzky? I do. How did that skinny slow guy get three points last night?

God visited Earth, one day, when I was 12 ....

All different things, of course. the “what I’d like, what’s possible, and over/under”. Skinner has 198 assists in 9 years. He had 23 last year. He’s averaged 50 pts / year-ish for 9 years. I’d be very happy with an 8 year run with 200 assists. Adjusting for the vagaries I mentioned earlier regarding age and injury, I’d set an over under at 200 goals, 170 assists, and 370 points. He averages about 22 assists per year. Little math, no science, lotsa gut. Those numbers seem low if you assume 8 years is 640 games. I do not see 640 games and I don’t see today’s “anybody” in years 6,7 and 8.

Thoughts after a really good night’s sleep .. 1). If I’m the Sabres, I ink the deal. My heartburn at $9/8 says more about the way the league’s structured than Buffalo/JB. 2) My over/under at 200 wasn’t snark, but an honest attempt to find the point at which opinions vary. The number sounds low, but there are so many uncertainties over 8 years, excellent playing, coaching and GMing notwithstanding. I hope he makes it inevitable during the next four years. 3) This is the meat of Skinner’s career. He made himself most attractive at the right time as far as contracts go. He spent a full year with Buffalo, the Pagulas, JB, teammates. He knows what the Sabres are. With more options than he’ll ever have in the world’s top league, he chose Buffalo.

Pi is Lieutenant Kilgore from Apocalypse now. Knowledgeable, single minded, brash, convinced, unabashed, oblivious to the chaos around him, certain, clear in his message. Beautiful ...

I got to 200 for the O/N similarly. 8 x 30 = 240 ..... and took out 40 for injuries ... age, back end longevity, and some injury history.

Others with at least five seasons of 30-plus goals (most recent season doing so in parentheses) are: Sidney Crosby (2016-17) with eight; Patrick Marleau (2013-14) with seven; Phil Kessel (2017-18), Evgeni Malkin (2017-18), Eric Staal (2017-18), Zach Parise (2014-15) and Corey Perry (2015-16) with six; and Max Pacioretty (2016-17), Jason Spezza (2015-16) and Steven Stamkos (2015-16) with five seasons. Some fine names ...

Or he’ll be watching HNIC, barefoot, on his Polish porch

I LOVE me some crow, btw! I do support the deal.

I factored in injuries, history ... look at the list of NHLers with 6,7 or 8 30 goal seasons.

For 8? that tripped me up.

@Brawndo‘s Panarin comparison in the other thread moved me to “do it”, today. excellent question.

Over/Under .... 200 goals during the contract? No criticism of JBot or today, but I’ll take under.

You showed some Haidt! icrackmeup

LOL ... in Buffalo, I see Dark tossing a sticky, misbehaving, four year old named Chet, Jr. to the ice.