North Buffalo

If you saw those two guys play, and yes in a vacuum, you might be able to make that statement, but in real time Lemieux and Gretsky were unbelievable and Gretsky's dominance was not only his ability to score but also to set up goals which made him imminently more dangerous than Lemieux, but both were phenominal. The Lemieux/Jagr combo was sick when Lemieux was healthy.

OT: Dr. Jack Ramsay dead at 89. http://espn.go.com/n...-dr-jack-ramsay Though I am no longer a professional basketball fan because of the selfishness that currently makes up the way it is played, I still remember fondly the old Buffalo Braves with Bob McAdoo, Ernie D, Randy, Randy Smith , Gar Heard, Tom McMillen, Jim McMillan, Adrien Dantley, Moses Malone and others. We use to collect Milk Carton coupons and if you got about 150? you could get free tickets in the nose bleeds. We would go to 2 or 3 games a year based on the milk we drank. I remember Randy Smith dunking, taking off from the foul line. RIP Dr. Jack. We loved your short time in Buffalo until John Y. Brown did his bad thing and destroyed the team and moved it.

IT would be ironic if the Islanders finish just out of the playoffs but win the sweepstakes giving the 1st pick to the Sabres, while the Sabres finish dead last again and lost the sweepstakes... I would luv the result but laugh at the way it went down...

And that is what I get for cutting and pasting... :doh:

On offense Hodgson- Girgensons- Ennis I think Ennis and Hogson have a better chemistry Mitchell - Reinhardt- Stafford (I too hope is is gone, insert a FA equivalent or better even Callahan to help with Cap floor. D'Agostini- Ott- Flynn Deslauriers- Larssons- Foligno (Mitchell looks lazy, send him to Rochester and bring him up if needed.) X-Konopka and Scott Can't see Sabres keeping Conacher, didn't show enough at the end. Any thoughts on Baptiste making it up to the big club if he has a run like he had in last year's preseason? On D Ehrhoff-Ristolainen Pysyk-Myers Weber-McCabe x-Tallinder, Also try out big Z for as many games as he has left before sending him back down. This team still won't be able to score, but can't see them going out to lunch either. If you thought about replacing Erhoff, Zidlicky on the Devils had 30 Assists and is a FA. Trade Erhoff for a young gun and Draft pick in 2015 and sign Zidlicky. There are only two other D with more points and goals and I can't see Niskanen or Markov being able to walk from their respective teams.

Had to think about this topic for a while, though Kane is not the best player in the world, with the word clutch was thrown around quite a bit in this thread, neither description encapsulates Kane's talent fully. I think the question is who do you think is the best pure goal scorer. If I were debating it would between Kane and Ovi. No I don't think either are the best players right now, but if I needed a goal as a coach, those two would be my first choices. Yes, they both go to sleep sometimes especially on defense, but given an opportunity and having all the skill offensively, I would chose one of those two with Cindy coming in a close second. Crosby still seems to be playing a little slow from his injuries. If asked the question 5 years ago, the debate imo would be between Crosby and Datsyuk. I would take Datsyuk first. In his prime he had and still has in short bursts, Kane's stick handling ability with Toews' overall game. I would also answer out of the recent players mentioned Datsyuk as the best player overall ahead of Crosby, Malkin is a lunchbox in his prime. That being said, obviously Gretsky and Lemieux were above all of these guys and on D as far as goal scorers, I am surprised that Phil Housley was not mentioned.

Agreed, but if he hadn't targeted so high it would have just been boarding, still illegal. Seabrook launches himself with his shoulder and connects with Backes head. Backes was just coming up from looking at the puck. What makes it so devastating is the high hit. You can't say he wasn't targeting the head. There was no need to go high. Both guys are pretty tall. The only saving grace is that it was an intense chippy game and both sides were taking liberties, but Seabrook crossed a line and it is too bad, because usually he is a tough but steady player.

Depends on who they need to bring up to Rochester. He is a good AHL player and could even help with the Tank at the NHL level. Can't see Conacher here next season, but if he the "Tank" er Fix is in. We will suck and that is fine. Eleven, call it what you want, sucking because of lack of talent or lacking talent because you are tanking really doesn't matter... Tomatoe.... Tomatoe.... pronounce it like you want, I am hoping the Sabres end up with a top 2 draft pick next year while they develop the young guys in Rochester. Yeh, it is going to be tough to watch even if the effort is there. I just wish it was already next year at this point as far as the Sabres go. So guess we are in for a bit more suffering...

My only question is are there any teams in the East that can compete with the Bruins nasty and still have enough skill to put the puck in the net. The Wings need some more tough D and really miss Zeterberg. Columbus is still too young, but that is the only team I think could give the Bruins a run for their money. Tampa isn't there without Bishop. Maybe the Canadians with the refs helping. I would say the Rangers, but they play one tough game and one soft so not really and the Flyers don't have enough depth scoring to make it happen. The Burgh, while skilled, is sleep walking on this one. Malkin seems wholly uninterested and I can't see them beating Columbus.

I want Montreal to win the series, but the reffing in that game should not have happened. That group should not work another Stanley Cup game. That was pathetic. Wondering how much they were getting to throw the game. Three critical blown calls, two involving Stamkos. The NHL has to do something about the way that game was reffed. That was horrible, I wouldn't want to win a game that way and would be apologizing to other team afterwards if I were on the Canadians. Can a ref be suspended? If so that whole officiating team should be.

Cindy lost... and the Blues won, all is well. Little disappointed Minni lost but Happy Easter folks... Off to church.

Ehlers is a thought. I like his stats and write up.

fixed. Wouldn't trade the 5th, Erhoff imo is probably worth the 3rd. Especially considering the uncertainty of these guys. Wouldn't give up the 5th pick.

Possibly... Suggestion: I'd like to be... under the sea... in my

Yes that is a valid point. I think the Sabres do well either way. I don't have a problem with 2 top 5 picks this year or routing for the Isle's to tank next year if they don't give us the pick. Not a bad position to be in. Trade the Hoff near the deadline next year for another #1 in next year's draft and I think you have something going or trade him this year for Edmonton's #1 this year if the Isles decide to defer. Wonder if Edmonton would go for that. Could through in Stafford or Leino to sweeten er sour the pot.... :devil:

The more I think about it, it doesn't matter so much if the Sabres pick 2 this year other than it perpetuates the curse. More important they get No. 1 next year, either by their own pick from someone else's, the Islanders or... Any chance Snitzle er K-Raut er Erhoff could be traded for a No. 1 next year? Say to a team that looks like it won't be any good next year. Guess the Sabres should probably wait till the first half of the season is over. My other question is are there any Diamonds in the rough in the late 1st early 2nd round this year. I think it is important the Sabres hit on at least 2 players in this year's draft.

Panthers win, Sabres pick 2.

What a tease... So Sabres pick 2nd... to Florida. What is Florida's deal? D or O?

So when do the ping pong balls get chosen?

Wish Konopka was switched for Conacher against the Bruins. I think the Sabres need the toughness.

Thoughts on seeing the game live. Erhoff was horrible, wouldn't shoot... lazy getting back for the puck. Leino is just soft, can't pick the puck out the corners or boards to save his life. Conacher is too small and doesn't have enough to go against the big boys. Risto is impressive, looked like he was double shifting some of the time last nite, Weber had his best game all year, blocked three shots that really hurt. Hacket played great even after taking a puck off net, shoulder? What is wrong with Foligno, he just seemed off... still hurt or infected by Staphyl? Stafford actually played hard in what seemed like limited time. P.S. Though the Refs dominated the Sabres in the second period... the Rangers were slow passing the puck, Sabres played strong D and really they kept hitting Hacket in the chest. To his credit, he didn't give up many rebounds. Stewart was tough and Mitchell looked decent, but glaring hole at center was evident. Guys couldn't get puck out of their own end in the 2nd period. Didn't help with all the cheap penalty call. Girgenson caused lots of trouble, luv that guy!

Going to game tonight. Want to see the young guys up close. Should be fun down in the 5th row, section 214 area.

Guarantees no less than the 5th pick if they are finish 4th, 6th if they finish 5th... etc. So given the top 5 picks are considered a step above the rest, it is significant.

Yeh, last night was hard to watch. Was hoping one of the Sabres would go take a Flyers head off especially after the Renaldo hit, but the way they played on that powerplay and really for the rest of the game it was tough to take. Looks like they have their gold clubs out already... sigh.... guess we should start a 2015 draft thread soon, because I can't see them that much better next year. The young guys have too much growing up to do and the Vets by and large suck.... sigh... shake my head. Wish Sabres hadn't traded McNabb. And Renaldo is being quoted on Philli news pages as saying "these are just unfortunate things that happen to me.... I shouldn't have done it...," kinda like he is the victim. Pulease.... Make him sit for the entire playoffs. That statement is so disingenuous it makes me sick.

Isle's have the tie breaker for 4th place if you are looking at it from a futility standpoint. Calgary has the edge on position in standing... a higher position because of games won in regulation. Last game April 13th with Sabres playing Isles and Calgary playing Vancouver.