7+6=13

Of course but what's the difference? Sell him low weeks ago or wait until a team gets smitten near the deadline? The only thing that could happen between dumping him then or if we don't get good offers by the deadline is an injury. Seems Kane and the Sabres are doing everything to ensure that doesn't happen.

If Kane isn't being offered for something significant for the future Sabres then why deal him - just because fans are scared of every possible negative thing? What if he gets injured and we get nothing? Then who cares - if we weren't getting something strong in return. It's best to wait until a team gets emotional about the playoffs. Why in the hell would you want the "worst team or might soon be" to finish strong? That's just not smart. Sell sell sell and lets give ourselves every single percentage to make our team better down the line. We don't have to admit to being in full blown rebuild mode for it to be true.

The current players under contract next year and the 2019 season are already conducive to this happening.

For the skilled offensive players - it's definitely harder. You don't get a chance to skate anymore. They grab, lean, hold, push and whack and very little gets called - it's allowed.

He'd still be great but the way you're allowed to lean on offensive players today, he'd have to be willing to be more physical. It's tough treading out there now.

Can you give some examples of players you're talking about hoping they work themselves into the core?

We have 12 players with contracts for next year: Larsson, ERod, O'Reilly, Girgs, Eichel, Okposo, Pommers, Bogo, Risto, Scandella, Beaulieu and Mcabe. We have 6 players with contracts in 2019: O'Reilly, Eichel, Okposo, Risto, Bogo and Scandella. This team in 2 years time will go through a major overhaul. I just don't see the significance of how winning this season carries over to what is going to be a likely 70% turnover on who's on the team. We will likely be terrible for a couple more years because learning to play together is going to go from - learning the system to completely different players very very soon. It'll be a learning to play with someone you haven't played with all over again - just as it is now. Except now doesn't matter, IMO. Right now it is about acquiring assets so that when that time comes our young rochester and abroad players are coming to the Sabres in real numbers. This is the draft that's critical to getting a player ready for the NHL in a couple years. The timing should be perfect as I expect us to be on the rise when this years player is ready.

Why? There's absolutely no evidence this is true. Teams don't know crap. You tell them you're getting calls from 4 of their competitors that want Kane and you're not offering as much as they are. Then see how it plays and take the highest offer. This can't happen until the deadline pushing the urgency on the "teams" from the other end.

"Love don't let me go"?

You can't trade players for food made in the same city.

As apposed to having Ennis at 4.6 Mil instead of Pominville?

So successful teams either what have players that all like to party or none like to party? There can't be some that do and some that don't and still play good hockey? This is crazy, imo.

I saw Trade: Lehner on the main page and freaked out. Got me!

So the FO should keep Kane, Lehner, or anyone else they would trade for future considerations?

It was meant to be so desired affect accomplished. There was a larger point in there though too.

I'll acquiesce on that. So it can go both ways. I see your point - today I can't get you to see mine. Wish I could have articulated it in a better way. You're one of my favorite posters and I agree with you like 90% of the time. Today we don't, so what, right?

Me, then we wouldn't have had to get lucky getting our 8th pick when JBot had him slated 3rd.

I get it but they are. I didn't want this but we're here. Shoot I probably voted in the top 20% for the "how many points will the Sabres have in October". I thought they'd come out hot - mirroring how Jack came out like a cannon after returning from injury. I was stunned the first few Months. I've since caught my breath and thought what's the positive? For me it's Jack getting points and getting the best pick we can. It's the only thing to me worth going through this shockingly awful season in which I thought my team would knock on the playoff door.

Perfectly said. My opinion is, I would rather they lose the extra 5 games and give me the 8%. See erick72 - you don't have to attach the persons love for the team to reach a simple opinion on what you think is best for the team.

Don't spin things by saying "fans who cannot enjoy a win". I've watched almost every game. I just like watching them play and if we lose, I try to find some positive, i.e. Jack got a point, etc. What if you hoping for wins - and wins hurt the team long term? Will you admit you are a hypocrite as you camouflage selfishness by wearing a cloak of "fan"? After all, it's all about you, right?

Obviously fans hoping or not hoping for wins or losses is meaningless. The debate isn't what we want the players to do. They should go out and play to win. The discussion is simple - either wins help this team down the road more or losses help more with the probability of a better draft pick.

I won't speak for Alko - whom you responded to but here's the distinction for me. I believed and wanted them to be a playoff bubble team - and yes, it was to keep moving forward. They didn't - they're worse. It has been a quit shocking season. It's got to be blown up again, I can't believe it. So after a deep breath from enduring this season so far - next steps - we can easily be a completely different roster in 2 years and draft picks can help. edit: Obviously a little harder for me to make this case with how they've been playing the last 3 games. Geesh, where's that been? Tale of 2 different teams. So maybe I'm nuts.

I'm inclined to agree. Conjecture of course on my part, but reading into his comments to the BN Monday - didn't strike me as a player thinking "get me out of here and on a playoff team".

Hard for me to blame him. Effort has never been a complaint associated with Kane and I respect him for that. He did what he needed to do to put up points on a putrid team, made himself valuable to the Sabres and served himself well for his next contract. He deserves to be traded and I'm hoping we get a stockpile in return.

It's not strategic losing it's reality from the re-build gone wrong based on how this team has performed. We're very very lucky though because we're not stuck for more than a couple more years. We have cap relief coming, bad contracts leaving, the asset in Kane, a low pick this year and a reasonable amount of prospects one looking very promising in Casey. Obviously JBot needs to steer the ship properly. We're very fortunate to go from a rebuild that was supposed to be complete last year - to having an opportunity to start fresh this quick is remarkable.