nfreeman

OK, but I said a "good NHL player." The chance of that is much less than 50%. And Tarasenko is not "an older player on the edge of his prime." As I posted upthread, he's 26 and has 4 years on his contract after this one. My willingness to trade those young assets is due to the huge upgrade the Sabres would be getting from KO to VT. The price is different if they don't take KO.

Perhaps, but I don't think JB will make any decisions this summer in reliance on Guhle and Borgen unless one or both of them somehow gets extended time in Buffalo and looks good. After next season, each of Bogo, Scandy, Nelson and Hunwick is a UFA. The more immediate decision is whether to re-sign Beaulieu and McCabe, who are both RFAs this summer. So I guess I don't think they will decide to let Beaulieu go this summer based on Guhle and/or Borgen. I can see them giving Beaulieu another 2-year bridge deal at $2MM per year or so. I agree that McCabe will get a long-term deal. That would mean essentially bringing back the same D group next year, and figuring out what to do thereafter based on the health and effectiveness of Bogo, Scandy and Nelson next season. Bogo is certainly an interesting question. If we knew that he would stay healthy and play at this level, I would definitely want to keep him. He and Dahlin make a very good pair, and I like the big grizzly bear out there protecting Dahlin. In fact, this whole situation is new-thread-worthy, if anyone is so inclined...

Scandy is under contract though.

I will predict that Beaulieu gets re-signed. He's developing into a reasonably good 3rd-pairing guy, which is a useful NHL player, and he won't cost much to keep.

Well, this is pretty generous. And while Reino makes lots of nice plays, I don't see how anyone could prefer watching him to watching the great Swedish gift.

I think the Sabres are much more likely to send Hunwick down and healthy-scratch Beaulieu and Nelson than they are to trade Beaulieu to free up roster space. But I think @dudacek is probably right that Pilut will get sent down for the short (and possibly nonexistent depending on injuries) period between the time that everyone is healthy and the no-roster-limits date. Unless, of course, Pilut is head and shoulders above Beaulieu and Nelson at that point -- which could very likely be the case.

I remember being exasperated at that play too. However, any player that handles the puck a lot in the O-zone as much as the Sabres' top line is doing is going to have some bad cough-ups. I don't think it was out of laziness, either. And Reino and the rest of the top line was very effective last night. OK, but pi's point is still valid -- the overall production isn't there at the level that some here are claiming for Sam. OTOH, his first few years occurred in a highly dysfunctional situation. I'll predict he finishes much higher in assists this year -- he's currently 41st.

When he had the puck and just ran over someone like Earl Campbell? That was a thing of beauty. KO was overall very engaged last night. If his hands could catch up to his legs and heart, it would be great for the Sabres.

Dinner out tonight with friends at a good NYC restaurant. Xmas party tomorrow night with old friends. Son coming home on Sunday from his 1st semester of college and staying for 5 weeks. Fantastic.

A couple of nights ago I was thinking that Pilut is the runner-up for Sabres rookie of the year, behind Dahlin and ahead of Mitts and Tommer. Then I started thinking that that wasn't really fair to Mitts, who has had to carry perhaps a bigger burden than was fair to expect him to carry, and certainly bigger than Pilut's burden. Still: Pilut has pretty seamlessly stepped into a pretty significant role, is playing a top-4 role and top-4 minutes on a decent-to-good NHL team, has played the role of Risto's partner pretty well and generally looks like he belongs. At this point, he's contributing more than Mitts. Thoughts?

That would be interesting, but not alliterative. (And my post, to continue your theme, is kinda...pedantic!)

And McCabe and Nelson. 4 of those 5 were thought by many to be marginal NHL players at best and probably not long for the league. Now 2 of those 4 are rock-solid top-4 guys, the other 2 are legit 3rd pairing guys with skill and the 5th — Risto — is living up to his potential and becoming a star. And that doesn’t even include the gift we got in the lottery. Howie is coaching them up. Yes to all of this, but wasn’t Bergy a healthy scratch? Separately: what a great “This day in Sabres history” — Schoeny with 3 fights vs the Bruins, including 1 against Orr and 1 in the Zamboni tunnel! Great footage too.

Hmmmm. Not sure whether that kind of de-commitment is against the rules.

Totally agree on this. I was able to fix the icemaker in my freezer this way -- and I'm a little handy around the house but not that handy.

Nicely done sir. Separately: didn't someone vow in the Kings GDT to eat poop if the Sabres came back to win that one?

I agree that they wouldn't take KO. But I would make that trade if I were JB. There's a very good possibility that zero good NHL players emerge out of Guhle, Nylander and the 2 first-rounders.

One aspect of Howie's coaching that I've noticed (and appreciated) this season is that he's putting Jack in captain-type situations -- i.e. giving him the chance to grow into the role and demonstrate leadership to his team. Extra shifts when there is an O-zone faceoff, shifts late in the game when the Sabres are protecting a 1-goal lead, leading off in OT and in the shootout, even PK shifts -- Howie is very clearly showing his team that Jack is the man to be looked to in all situations. And Eichel has responded very well to the workload and the responsibility. He's turning into a legit great player.

If they want to make the playoffs, this is the kind of game that they need to win.

@Randall Flagg — FFS, take it down a notch. Thorny is right about your tone. Again — we are never going to get the “evidence” you are demanding for the locker room cancer theory. We also aren’t ever going scientifically test the theory where we hold all other critical variables (and you are certainly right that goaltending is one of them) constant. That doesn’t mean people aren’t allowed to believe the theory. You’re right that we shouldn’t be throwing it around like it’s a settled fact, but I don’t think anyone is doing that. In conclusion, ROR is a locker room cancer.

Welcome LawnWrangler!

Well, I defended Reino upthread but I don't see how any serious observer wouldn't much rather have Drury.

Tarasenko is a RW, age 26, with 4 more years on his contract after this year at a $7.5MM cap hit. In his last 4 seasons, he has 37, 40, 39 and 33 goals. Proposal: KO, Nylander, Guhle, McCabe and the 2 worst first-rounders the Sabres have in the next 2 years for Tarasenko. Does JB say no? Does Armstrong? (I think Armstrong says no.)

But Panarin! Please?

Excellent post GA. I would just add, under the "Good" section, that Dahlin looks like he's going to be a superstar pretty soon and that Risto is playing the best hockey of his career and is pretty close to a star.

Valid question. I suppose it comes down to the following: - I'm pretty close to being willing to do just about anything to be rid of KO's contract, as I think he's almost certainly done as a top-6 forward and can see him entering Moulson territory by next season. - Carter had 22 pts in 27 games last year and 32-34-66 in 82 games the prior year. He also has 2 rings. - The Sabres' middle 6 is dying for a #2 center and I can see a change of scenery to a playoff team (!) rejuvenating Carter and him thriving in that role -- or at least filling it better than the alternatives on the Sabres' roster. - It just seems like no worse than a push with Okposo in terms of on-ice production, and with a reasonable shot at significantly improved production, and at $800K less per year against the cap. - I don't think there have been any locker room issues with Carter since he left Philly.