nfreeman

I think this is exactly right. Couple of other relevant (IMHO) points on this: - Gaudreau turns 27 this week and Monahan will turn 26 in October, so each of them would, if he doesn't sign an extension before hitting FA, be selling himself as a 29-year-old to UFA bidders. That will probably result in fewer bidders relative to other UFAs, while still giving their pre-FA teams prime years plus contract year motivation. - The cap probably won't rise much if at all by the time Gaudreau hits FA, and perhaps not a year later when Monahan does. This will also reduce the pool of bidders. - Certainly you don't want to trade away the store if you're only getting 2 years of one of the 2 primary pieces coming back. But that risk needs to be weighed against the need to show Eichel that the franchise isn't mailing it in, and the risk of him getting fed up and demanding a trade. A trade for these 2 guys would be a game-changer and would show him that the Sabres mean business.

I don't think teams can give extensions to players until there is 1 year or less remaining on the player's contract. So trading for anyone with 2 years left until UFA means you're trying really hard to sell the player during that first year so he's willing to sign an extension during the summer after that year. If he's not willing to do so, you're in the Skinner situation all over again during that 2nd year, and you have to seriously consider trading him by the deadline.

I would have a hard time giving up Cozens, but would include Mitts and #8 to get it done. This is an issue -- he has 2 more years until UFA. He's from NJ, so would be much closer to home here than in Calgary, but not as close, or desirable, as Philly, Washington or the NYC teams. But maybe if the team takes a couple of big steps and it becomes fun to play here again...

Hockey is less exciting on the bigger olympic ice sheet. The defenses are better than the offenses, so the bigger ice makes it harder for the offense to carry the play.

Barkov seems untouchable similar to Horvat, no?

For me it's the entertainment factor. I find the games more fun to watch when there are amazing players making great plays, when superstars are trying to outdo each other, when you're terrified when the other team's stars are in your d-zone and when your team beats a star-studded team.

Well, I agree that Toronto isn't going to trade Marner, but the proposed trade is far from giving up the farm.

Happy birthday @North Buffalo! There is a 50% chance that one of Pitt, Rangers, Toronto or Edmonton wins it and causes multiple heads to explode. Here's a hot take: I'm hoping for the Rangers. I'd like as many stars as possible in the Eastern Conference, and it's good for the NHL when the Rangers are good.

I paid extra attention to Kerfoot the last couple of games. He looks like a decent enough bottom-6 center, but not like a viable 2C. I wouldn't be interested in trading much for him or in giving him much of a contract.

I was thinking about why the Leafs lost this series and more specifically trying to identify the flaw in this Leafs team. It's not unreasonable to chalk it up to goaltending -- this was a short series, where the outcomes are more volatile, CBJ certainly got better goaltending last night, and Korpy put up 2 shutouts in CBJ's 3 wins. Toronto's problem clearly isn't a lack of skilled forwards. Their top guns are about a million times more dangerous in the o-zone than CBJ's are -- Matthews and Marner are terrifying on pretty much every shift. Meanwhile, CBJ doesn't have anyone scary to work the half-wall on the PP, but they played a smart, tough series, didn't panic when the Leafs were able to maintain o-zone possession and limited the Leafs' scoring chances. I think the Leafs need 2 guys: a top-6 forward or top-4 defenseman who plays with fire and intensity, and a veteran top-6 forward who consistently makes the smart, correct play -- like what they were hoping to get from Marleau. Otherwise they will need to wait until their homegrown guys develop maturity and mental toughness. Hopefully they'll panic as a result of getting bounced and make some dumb moves in the offseason.

The Habs won the PK-for-Weber trade, and it's not even close.

Of course they’re real. The Sabres committed the two most grievous offenses possible, on Black Sunday and then the tank, and for those sins were sentenced, correctly, to a generation in the wilderness. If we are very lucky, Cozens and RK will prove to be the ones sent by the hockey gods to lead us into the promised land, having decided that we’ve suffered enough. But we need to trust the process and not screw it up again.

Pulled the trigger too early you hoser.

I have watched the last couple of games in this series and was thinking the same thing. His line (with Nylander and Caggiula) was terrible. I guess I'd still bring Strome in if the price was cheap and if a better option isn't available, but I would not be confident about substantial improvement in the 2nd line.

I wouldn't say so, but I'm also not the first one to pick up on that kind of thing (or many other kinds of things, for that matter). I'm sure it will get hot again soon though. Just enjoying it while it's here -- it was a pretty hot July here.

First, that is an excellent website you linked to -- thanks. You are right that the UK has a lower death rate currently, but the difference is pretty low in absolute numbers -- about 2 deaths per million. Also, I think rolling 30-day average is probably a bit more accurate than rolling 7-day. In any case, my point was about the states, which are the bodies (along with localities) that set school-opening policy, not the fed. Again, many states have lower death rates, including current death rates, than the UK, and those states are taking a substantially different approach from the UK's. I'm not saying that one is right and the other is wrong, but I find it interesting that credible parties are taking different approaches on a major issue here.

Overall, the per capita death rate in the US is substantially lower than that of the UK. As for current trends, the numbers are more unstable, but certainly there are plenty of US states with lower current cases and death rates than the UK.

Here's something I just learned and found interesting: schools are going to be open in the UK this fall, with no online component, no masks, no social distancing -- essentially business as usual. Meanwhile, it seems like the percentage of US schools that are going to be partially or entirely online this fall is pretty high.

Bumpity bump. Here's a bit of good news on a Friday: it has been much cooler in upstate NY the last couple of mornings, which makes a morning run much more pleasant, which in turn creates a good mood for the rest of the day and facilitates a good night's sleep.

Good. I will say though that I think a decision by an NFL player to opt out would be more justifiable and logical, in terms of virus risk, than a similar decision by an NBA player or an NHL player. I think the NBA and NHL bubbles are safer than living at home, while playing in the NFL, which is going without a bubble, is riskier than living at home.

Well, hopefully Cozens is the Prince who was Promised, and takes over 2C in 2021-22. If Strome can be had for a cheapo price in trade and then a bridge contract (he is RFA after this season), I'd be pretty happy to plug him in as 2C for next season, drop him to 3C the following year, and then decide whether he's worth a long-term deal. It seems fairly likely that Strome will be in more or less the top 3 centers that change teams this offseason. If the Sabres can get someone better? By all means, I hope they do so. But if not, I'd much rather they pick up Strome under the parameters described above than take the JB "hope for the best" approach and waste another year of Eichel's prime.

Minor complaint, but my daughter went to the dentist today for the first time in a while and she has TEN cavities!

So...Reino, Montour, #8 and Samuelsson for Monahan and Gaudreau? I would do that in a second, so I don't think the Sabres are paying enough. I also don't think Calgary will trade Gaudreau. But if they get knocked out in the play-in or in the 1st round, they might panic and trade Monahan.

I can see Strome as the Sabres’ target and I can see Chicago being interested in trading him, but Saad seems too expensive, too short-term and he’s a LW.

Also Venice.