nfreeman

Well, we're well into beating a dead horse here, but to be clear, I did indeed compliment his post, because I was agreeing with him that a certain group of posters was panicking. I was joking in using the word "incisive" because that seems to me to be a bit over-generous when describing his use of the word "hormonal." Having said that, I still think forum decorum (which really isn't bad, btw) isn't breached by telling posters that they are panicking -- i.e. reacting emotionally, and not rationally, to an early loss and demanding a new coach -- but it is breached by calling someone dishonest. I.e. I think "you're reacting emotionally and not rationally" is not on the same level as "you're lying." The first implies a mistake; the 2nd implies intentional wrongdoing.

I certainly did not mean it in the "like a woman" context. And how is it beside the point? Look at your post, including the parts of my post that you bolded. Was your point in making your post that I misused the word "incisive" (leaving alone the fact that I was obviously joking in using that word)? Was it not to equate my (indirectly) calling a group of posters "hormonal" (ironically enough, because they were panicking after an early-season loss) with qwk calling me dishonest?

Do you think calling someone "hormonal" is on the same level of offensiveness as calling him/her dishonest?

...or maybe I just don't think that Eichel is the kind of transformative player that lifts a team out of a tank. Like many children who think they know everything, you need to internalize the fact that those who disagree with you aren't necessarily bigots or liars or scoundrels.

Qwk -- I'm hoping you meant "premature" or "half-baked" here, as your word (even when spelled correctly) implies dishonesty. In any case, the 2 of you make a more-than-fair point -- IF you can reasonably believe that Jackie boy is on the same level as those other dudes. I kinda doubt it, and the evidence we have points much more to a potential all-star-level player than to a Crosby-McDavid generational talent, but certainly the jury's still out.

You and others are probably right that I am jumping the gun here. But after years of misery and a summer of hopenchange, we are looking hard at 1-4 to start the season. That is a poop sandwich, no matter how you slice it. And while some here think that all we need is the right fancystats-based coach to turn the Sabres into a contender, I continue to believe that once the stench of losing permeates a franchise, it takes a Jim Kelly or a Connor McDavid or a Bill Parcells (or, perhaps, Mike Babcock) to eradicate it and right the ship -- i.e. it takes a commodity so precious and rare as to make it foolish to rely on the slim possibility of obtaining it. And when that commodity doesn't arrive -- which is usually the case -- you're just nowhere for a very, very long time.

Well, Vancouver was picked by many real NHL observers to be bottom-5 in the NHL, Montreal was lousy last year without Price, and Calgary was lousy too -- and the Sabres blew 2 third-period leads against them.

I agree that it's early. But history shows that when bubble teams fail early on to bank points that are very bankable, it generally comes back to bite them. Here's a positive note: I went to bed before the 3rd period, but in the 2nd period, Zemgus looked better to me than he has in over a year, and the Zemgus-Moulson-Ennis line created a number of good chances. In an ideal world, that line will start burying those chances and emerge as a respectable 2nd scoring line until Jackie boy and Evander return. I will feel much better if they beat Philly, which is always good for the soul.

And now we get to the reason that many of us disagreed with the tank: it usually doesn't work. Teams can't stink for an extended period, then get a couple of high draft picks, swing a couple of trades, and flip the switch into contender status. The Sabres are 1-3, with losses to 3 likely non-playoff teams (the Habs w/o Price are decidedly non-playoff). If we soberly assess their odds of making the playoffs right now, we have to admit that they are -- what? 25%? 15%? The most likely outcome appears to be 10th-13th place in the EC and out of the playoffs again. And then what? Hope for a FA addition this summer that is a major difference-maker? We're running out of cap space. Hope Risto, Lehner, Eichel and Reino become real NHL stars? Hope! Change! Tank! High picks! Many drank the intoxicating tank Kool-Aid. We're now entering the hangover period. Let's hope it doesn't last 5 years. But it really freaking might.

Losing McCoy is a killer. He is a huge part of the offense. They need to win this game if they are going to make a run at the playoffs.

Well, the fact that it didn't happen at the draft doesn't mean that GMTM isn't now willing to do so -- i.e. Anaheim at that point might've wanted a player who could help them right away, but now might be willing to take a high-end prospect like Nylander. Having said that, I am kinda skeptical that GMTM would trade Nylander for Fowler, but I wouldn't be shocked if it happens -- remember that GMTM has mentioned a number of times that he thinks it's strange that NHL #1 picks don't get traded after being drafted like they do in the NBA.

We can give them Nylander. Again: I'm not saying I want to do so, but we shouldn't pretend that this isn't an option -- I assume Anaheim isn't either.

Just so we're clear: everyone saying "let's trade Bailey/Foligno/Zemgus/Fasching/picks for Fowler" is really saying "let's not trade for Fowler."

Wow. Great thread. I wish I'd checked in earlier. My top 10, with break points: Perreault -- IMHO a #1 center who is a top-3 player in the NHL is more vital than an elite GT Dominik -- certainly can't fault anyone for picking him #1 Rico -- He could skate, pass and score in bunches and he had a ton of charisma. He was my favorite player as a kid; as an adult, my dog is named Rico and sports a Sabres name tag. Gare -- Excellent skater and scorer with a huge heart. If he'd been on the ice when Lucic hit Miller, everything would've been different, including the number of teeth Lucic has. Housley -- Yes, he wasn't a hitter. But he pressed the play on offense like a force of nature and was the 2nd-most exciting Sabre with the puck of all time. PLF -- I have a hard time ranking him higher because after netting out the injuries he played less than 3 seasons as a Sabre, and because I had very little access to Sabres games at that point in my life. I can't disagree if anyone wants to rank him higher. Drury -- He only played 3 seasons as a Sabre, but they were transformative, and I feel like if I include PLF, then I should include Drury as well. He was a fantastic 2-way player and leader, he lifted his teammates up and he was freaking clutch. The hockey gods are still making us pay for butchering his contract extension and losing him. Briere -- He also wasn't here long enough (4 seasons), but he was a great scorer -- maybe the 2nd-best the Sabres have ever had -- and also freaking clutch. He's still something like top-2 or top-3 in the NHL in playoff scoring since 2005. Schoenfeld -- I'll give him a very narrow edge over Ramsey because of the fire and guts. Ramsey -- a consistently excellent defenseman for an extended period.

I took delivery yesterday of a bitchen new 65" TV for my man-cave. Its predecessor died about 6 months ago and i was getting by with an older TV that usually lives in the basement and serves as the overflow TV. Now I'm really ready for TV sports season.

This is pretty much where I am on Lehner. Tkachuk's goal was terrible. And the goal that was initially waived off was the result of Lehner giving up a fat rebound a few seconds earlier instead of smothering the puck. The Sabres were unable to clear the zone and Calgary ended up scoring. I've noticed his rebound control as an issue so far this season -- it cost them that goal. Overall, Lehner has been JAG -- and to this point, it's fair to say they'd have been better off with Ocho and the #1. Still, it's way too early to draw any conclusions. Speaking of Tkachuk's goal, I thought Risto gave him way too much room -- he let him cruise down to the faceoff dot, take a long look and fire off a full-power wrister. That was poor defense. Otherwise, I had the following game notes: - While I can see the point of those espousing patience and appreciation for getting 3 out of 4 points on a WC road trip, I still think that the point they let slip away last night is the kind of point that playoff teams lock up. Calgary is a crappy team, and the Sabres blew 2 3rd-period leads. That's a non-playoff-team kinda move. - I really like Okposo. He has a lot of game. - I wasn't unhappy with any of the defensemen last night, notwithstanding Risto's poor play on Tkachuk's goal. - For those unhappy with Grant getting 15 min last night -- I assume you'd like to see Moulson (12 min), Ennis (10 min) or Zemgus (10 min) to get some of Grant's ice time? IMHO Grant was more effective than any of those 3 last night. - I liked what I saw of Baptiste. - Foligno is off to a very good start to the season. - Overall I thought the Sabres played with a fair amount of jump and heart. They made a few mistakes that cost them, and their execution on the 5-on-3 was terrible. But it was a creditable outing. Oh well. If they can get a W against Millsie it will have certainly been a good road trip.

I think you're right. I just thought it was an interesting possibility -- i.e. it's not far-fetched to think that Kulikov will play very well with Risto -- and in that case I agree with Hoss that the right move is to sign him before the expansion draft. And the other possibilities aren't really far-fetched either -- i.e. a trade for Fowler, plus Bogo either playing well enough to protect or the Sabres being required to protect him due to his NMC. The other point about Kulikov that occurs to me is that if he plays well, the Sabres' real risk is losing him in FA, not losing him to Vegas. Why would Vegas draft him if he becomes a UFA 2 weeks later? So, GMTM might think he could expose Kulikov in the expansion draft, but then sign him in the interim period after the draft and before FA starts -- but that would be pretty risky, as Kulikov at that point would probably want to examine his FA options.

Good thread and good post. The decisions on D are particularly interesting IMHO, and depend on a number of unknowns: - How good is Kulikov? If Kulikov has a really good year and he and Risto emerge as a very strong top pair, it's hard to see GMTM letting him get to UFA. That decision most likely will wait until we get close to the trade deadline. - Are the Sabres in fact required to protect Bogo? Based on Ducky's and dudacek's posts, it appears that they do not -- but Bogo could still play well enough to make the Sabres protect him. - What if the Sabres trade for Fowler (or Lindholm!)? If they do, they would protect him. So, it's possible that the Sabres could find themselves wanting to protect Risto, McCabe, Kulikov, Bogo and Fowler -- before we even get to the forwards. As for the forwards, I think there is NFW that they expose Kane unless he gets arrested again or does something terrible. I also think they will probably protect Foligno, and that if they had to decide today they would expose Ennis and Girgensons before exposing Foligno or Larsson.

Pi -- I respect the fact that you've dug yourself into a hole, but you're determined to keep digging. When you get to China, enjoy the dim sum! They eat it for breakfast there (although once you have 25 or 30 pork dumplings for breakfast, you start to get nauseated).

Me too. He's a good 4th liner. I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with him. He hits, he fights, he plays a creditable 4th-line shift, he can kill penalties and he doesn't take up cap space.

Whoa. The odds are greater that Moulson will sprout wings and fly to Vegas than they are that GMTM will protect him.

Hormonals gonna hormone!

FWIW, Kaepernick has been a fairly prominent topic of conversation at my kids' school. I can't agree with this. The Bills earned that loss.

Not the first nuance I've missed and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Lesser of 2 evils. Nelson looked like a deer in the headlights in game 1.