apuszczalowski

There will be enough youth and picks in the system after this draft that throwing away another season is not necessary. Its time to start using these prospects and additional picks to improve this team and do something Darcy would never do, move a couple of higher end prospects to get good players that can help now. If I'm Murray, I would be putting in feelers with teams and use guys like Ehrhoff, or Grigorenko as part of deals to obtain some good players that may have fallen out of favour with their current clubs, or be looking for a better deal then their team might be willing to pay (Evander Kane? O'Reilly?). Add this to drafting a player 1 or 2 who should be NHL ready, with possibly someone else in the top 5 if the Islanders give up their pick, sign a better FA or 2 and this team is on the upswing next year.

I have one, picked it up a few weeks ago on sale because it was a Miller jersey to add to my collection of jerseys. Only missing a blue current jersey and a white original jersey to have one of each "Sabres" jersey they have worn

That means nothing, unless your gonna say that Leafs fans embrace not making the playoffs because they sell out every game All it means is that theres a wait list for Season tickets, and no one wants to give up their spot and have to go back on the list when they eventually get better. Look around the rink, no matter what game theres usually large pockets of opposing fans, and fans of other teams that aren't playing too. Last game I was at (Hasek Sabres HOF night) against the Lightning there were lots of Lightning fans, along with groups of Leafs fans in the crowd

Battista is this ownerships Larry Quinn...........

True, but they are also coming off of injuries and are probably not 100% I have a feeling they are under strict orders from management, probably coming from the NHL, not to "goon things up" against teams in the playoffs/playoff hunt We have seen how the NHL treats Sabres players (Kaleta, Scott, etc.) that try and stick up for teammates and fight back

The have assistant coaches who can fill in to ride out the remaining 3 games Yup, Linden is going to come in to help serve the koolaid and appease the fans to keep rioting to a minimum while they hire a new GM and keep Torts around

Problem is that its looking like ownership might be making their GM choice based off of who will work with Torts and keep him around

Well then why fire the GM/President with only 3 games remaining? They could have just let him ride out the remaining couple of games too, he can't really impact anything once the trade deadline is over. This is the first time since the 70's ('73 or '79 IIRC) that there has been only 1 Canadian team making the Playoffs

Detroit can usually get by with decent/good but not great goaltending because their defence has had some elite players.

In their defence, Sabretooths antics can be entertaining............

Well lets not take all the credit here, I think the Leafs themselves eliminated the Leafs.......... You don't know what outfits he has hanging up in his closet............. Doubtful, Ownership was the one that wanted him, and they would have sent both packing yesterday if it was the plan. The radio station yesterday in Toronto was saying they may sign Feaster as the new GM because of his previous relationship with Torts. The fanbase in vancouver is going to riot (again) if Torts sticks around.

Are they going to try and juggle him between the NHL and AHL by sending him back and forth so he can still be part of the team this week?

She probably had it already done, maybe part of a "NHL head coach in tights" fetish?Then she gets to use this thread as an excuse to bring it out and show everyone I do like the Tortorella in a green man suit idea........

Doubtful, does anyone know what his actual role is in the NHL Head office?

I don't think I have ever heard someone say that FA/Trades Don't change draft plans, but I also would never say that a FA signing will mean that a certain position player won't be drafted by a team. Like in the Bills case, just because they traded for Williams, it doesn't mean they don't take Evans or another top WR. There are more then WR positions on a team and having a couple of highly skilled guys isn't going to hurt the offence. As for #2, again its not black and white. BPA isn't always just one player, it can be a couple of players that are all just as good. I would say more often then not a team might draft the BPA that fits their team, even if its not at a position thats a more serious need for them. Where teams get hurt the most in the draft is when they go into it and take guys simply because they need someone for that position, and not try and get the best talent they can. Basically, if the Bills draft spot came up in the 1st and the BPA is a RB, chances are they won't draft that player, and will look at the next BPA that might fit a better position where they don't already have multiple starters to fill one spot.

Hacketts not out, isn't Lieuwen the guy thats out? Also, I don't know how many can really be called long term injuries this late in a garbage season, If they were in the hunt or earlier in the year, these guys would be back much sooner Right now a hang nail could keep you out for the rest of the season.

They could sit Miller and Elliot, just hang a jersey from the goal and I'm sure the Blues would still win the game without issues..........

can the Baby play instead of Leino? it would probably be an upgrade, or atleast have the same effect as leino playing.

Yup, the influence a great goaltender can have on your team is much greater then the influence of one of the better forwards or defencemen who are only on the ice for 30 minutes a game (at the most).

Well, I give Wang credit, he he had no other options (aside from funding a new one 100% that almost no owner would do) except for staying in the current dump they play in. Now they go play in a brand new facility until a new place is agreed upon and finalized, or they can reno Barklays to suit hockey too.

For the Millionth time, THE PENGUINS NEVER TANKED A SEASON IN ORDER TO GET CROSBY.It was impossible for any team to "Tank" in order to get Crosby that year because there was no season and the entire draft order was determined by a lottery that was decided very close to that draft. It can be disputed that there may have been a fix in that draft in order for Crosby to go to Lemieuxs Penguins to help save them from bankruptcy, but there was no one tanking a season for him. I also wouldn't be so sure that the Colts (or even the Sabres) "Know what they are doing" right now. The Colts got lucky that manning got hurt the same year that Luck would be coming up in the draft. If they were lucky enough to get the #1 pick, they would have the choice again of getting a potential franchise QB in Luck or RGIII, and if they didn't they still could get Manning back for a year or 2.

Because you aren't guaranteed the second spot even if you lose, you could end up drafting 10th or laterRight now if your the worst team you may not get #1, but then your assured #2, the change I would make is making the entire order calculated by the lottery system and drawing all of the draft positions for non-playoff teams

I really don't think that the league wants to relocate a team to Seattle, I think they want to hold off a few seasons and go with expansion instead to 2 of the 3 of Seattle, KC, and Quebec

Wait, wasn't hasek supposed to be just as tall as Enroth????

I will be at the game but won't be able to do any meet up, will be there with my wife and don't have much time before or after the game