nfreeman

@LGR4GM -- why do you think it will be a Canadian team?

The Cowboys team that spanked the Bills in back—to-back SBs had a decidedly non-choir-boy character, but I think that most of them were very serious about winning and busted their butts to do so.

These write-ups are terrific, but I must admit I’m not clear on how the poll works now. I’ll say that TT has the highest ceiling out of the 2nd group, and that RK is eventually going to nurture it out of him, but that VO is going to have the best 2019-20 out of the group.

This is reasonable. A different but related question is: what if the motivation is that JB (or TP, or whoever the decision-maker is) is legitimately concerned that one more big hit to the head will leave KO with a serious and degenerative condition that will materially impair his life (and his family's) from the age of 33 onward? I appreciate your point about personal freedom, and I'm not sure what I would decide if I were the one who had to make the call for the Sabres, but I can understand someone saying "take the money, but I'm not going to sign off on you getting on the ice again and risking everything."

It's my problem, not yours, but I get more and more agitated each time you suggest this. And this is why! Beat me to it. One of those 2 components absolutely needs to be included, or I am a very firm NFW on Turris. You mean if the worst is true and RK is a snake oil salesman who immediately makes it clear that he hasn't coached in the NHL in 6 years, is in miles over his head and sold JB a bill of goods, bringing JB down in flames with him?

Heartily supported on both @LGR4GM's value-added prospect talk and on the plans for the polls. Maybe Fitzgerald is a sleeper?

Well, I was kinda joking about Joker, but not so much about Mitts. Are you confident that Mitts is going to live up to expectations? As @GASabresIUFAN points out, he hasn't set the world on fire at the sub-NHL levels, and as I and others have stated previously, he did not seem able last year to keep possession and make plays against NHL defenders. That isn't a "he needs to hit the gym so he can win more battles" problem. It's a "he might not be able to handle the speed of the NHL game" problem.

I've got Cozens, mostly because I love the potential story of the kid from the territories coming down like Tormund Giantsbane, not being afraid of anything and attacking like a mighty warrior, relentlessly and at high speed. Also because Dahlin isn't in the competition, Mitts is starting to feel more like Renly Baratheon than Jaime Lannister, goalies are too hard to predict, and we got Joker for Nylander so he can't be that good.

Regarding Wade -- awesome. Separately, I think Ed Oliver is my new favorite Bill.

Vacation starts at COB today!!

The 2 bolded items reminded me of something JB said on WGR yesterday -- in response to a question about extending Reino and Montour now, he was pretty definitive in stating that he believes in paying once the results have been delivered, and that the team hasn't delivered results sufficient to justify giving those guys (or others) fat extensions. I'm going to claim that one as a victory for my "don't pay Reino until he's shown that he can deliver a good full season and help lead the team out of the dumpster" view. I agree that those are the 2 hardest building blocks to find, but in order to get back to real team status, they absolutely gotta have: - goaltending - coaching - real contributions from a number of the unproven young guys None of which they got last year (or the year before that or the year before that, etc.). But I like the optimism and I kinda share it. If RK can justify JB's love, the defense, goaltending, team confidence and youngster development could all harmonically converge in a feedback loop and each factor could contribute to the other factor. It's not impossible, and in fact I think it's JB's plan.

I sure hope this does the trick, because I was deeply disappointed at how frequently and easily the opposing D took the puck from him last year. He was nowhere near ready for the speed and skill of NHL defenders.

I'm terrified about the 2000-word @Randall Flagg post that is going to drop any second now.

Why is that good news? A higher national profile is better for the team’s efforts to emerge from Micky Mouse territory.

I don't agree with your conclusions but reading this post made me happy to be part of this hockey community. Serious question: if the 29 GMs not involved in this trade were polled, how many would take Laine over Reino? I'd guess at least 20.

The 2 guys the Sabres would be giving up haven't exactly contributed to "sustainable, winning hockey" during their careers here. Laine was, in a down year, 4th in ice time among forwards on a 99-pt team last year. He had 15 ES goals last year and 24 the year before. He's maybe the 2nd-best goal-scorer in the NHL at age 21 (won't be 22 until next April), is 6'4", 206 lbs and is materially faster than Reino. I don't want to trade Reino, but IMHO it would unquestionably be a major upgrade.

I don't really see them trading any of their top-6-potential LWs though (Skinner, Vesey, Olofsson or Jojo). I just think some guys are going to play on their off-wing -- and it's a price they'll be happy to pay to get onto Eichel's line. I agree that the composition of the D group indicates that more moves are coming.

Suggested to me off-line by another Sabrespace poster: Risto and Reino for Laine. Who says no? I think Winnipeg says no. I know it subtracts the Sabres' best RW and best trade chip for an upgrade at #1 RW -- but holy mackerel that top line the Sabres would have.

I, too, expect Vesey to be in the mix for Jack's RW slot. For that matter, I think Vesey, Olofsson and Jojo (and maybe TT and CJ Smith) are going to be told in camp that that slot is open for competition and a path to Skinner-esque fame and fortune awaits whoever wins it. I think the competition for that spot is going to be spirited.

This is fair.

This is certainly possible, but I don't think it's generally expected that Marner will hold out to start the season. If he does, though, there are enough high-end RFAs that one of them will sign and set the market for the others, because very few (if any) will hold out. It may take a solid month before it happens. (That list of great RFAs though -- Marner, Point, Connor, Laine, Rantanen, Tkachuk, Boeser, McAvoy -- the contrast between what happens every summer in the NBA with RFAs vs what didn't happen this summer or any other summer in the NHL -- freaking infuriating.)

Yes and I think sending Hunwick down will alleviate both the roster and cap crunches.

Excellent OP and I would just add that quite a few good NHL writers expect a number of dominoes to fall once Marner signs. So let’s hope there is some action and JB is in the middle of it making good decisions (and the same for Josh Allen this year too).

I just saw it and liked it quite a bit. Kind of a departure for QT but very interesting and with great performances and as always some incredible scenes.

Now this is an opportunity to make Sabrespace history.