dudacek

I honestly would be shocked if the Sabres don’t acquire a goalie prior to the ExD freeze. That goalie protection slot is a wasted asset if they don’t.

I’d take Rask over Linus on a one-year deal, but otherwise yes. Your post (which isn’t an unusual view) is typical of someone who hasn’t paid enough attention to how well Linus has played the past two years and how mediocre to bad some of the more “name” guys have been. I’ll say it again. The Sabres - the pathetic, horrrible, talentless, embarrassing mess Sabres are a 90+ point team over the past two years with Linus in net: 26/20/6. .916 SP. On Buffalo.

Ullmark is the best available goalie on the free agent market and will be one of the stories of next season. Too bad the story will be about how the Sabres let him get away. UPL needs games and needs to prove he is a top AHL goalie before he makes the leap. Buffalo will have acquired a new goalie by the time the draft is over, and I don’t mean by drafting one.

Goat.

Yes. Cigar-chomping scotch-sipping cattle and grain baron with a corrupt hold over the NHL

Bjork should be the forward exposed. Given the number of times his name gets brought up in terms of growth potential, he won’t be.

I know this is perception, but it’s not supported statistically, at least not strongly. Duchene had broken 60 points once in his career and was coming off a season of 41 points in 77 games when he was traded. At the time he had put up 24 goals and 59 points over 82 games for his career. Right now, Sam’s numbers are 24 goals and 53 points over 82 games for his.

I’m on the Eklund train. I think he projects as a Claude Giroux level wing who can also play centre. Worst-case scenario is a Sam Reinhart level wing who also kills penalties. Smart, tenacious and skilled. Number two for me is Beniers. As I’ve posted many times, he is tailor-made for the identity this team professes to be shooting for. I see a faster, less-mean Mike Peca, who will match up well and tilt the ice against even the most skilled opponent. You win with players like him. And Power slots in at three. I don’t see Norris trophies, but I do see a 15-year all-situations top-four defencemen like Seth Jones and Aaron Ekblad.

Quickness is far more important than speed in hockey and has excellent quickness.

Jones to The Avs for a package centred around Alex Newhook. Newhook/5OA/+ to the Sabres for Jack

The adds are pretty strong. I’d file Krebs/Tuch as comparable to 3OA/Comtois and Turcotte/8OA, with LA’s being the least interesting. Tuch and Comtois are very similar (I like Comtois better age-wise) and I am very high on Krebs. Not as high as I am on Eklund or Beniers, so it depends on who’s at 3. So it’s another inadequate return but something we should be preparing ourselves for. Gotcha. Your context is judging Jack.

I suppose, but that doesn’t change my point. Murray doesn’t know who the Sabres want and risks blowing his opportunity if he picks someone he doesn’t like.

This is semantics at this point, no? Asked for or not, he wants out

Two middle six players (and I like Tuch) and two B prospects is straying into ROR territory.

I’m not in the negotiating business, but I would think a proper strategy would be to get Bob Murray invested enough in the process that he has become committed to the idea of acquiring Eichel, then using the bolded as a pinch point to lever maximum return.

I believe Dreger is a master of trying to make it sound like he knows things when he doesn't and that Lebrun heavily traffics in favour-trading and butt-kissing his sources. I also believe the vast majority of what McKenzie, Friedman, Lebrun and Dreger talk to real NHL sources and what they report is an accurate depiction of what they've been told. As you point out with the WGR example, you have to listen to what they are actually saying. I believe the majority of what they've been told has been relayed by a 2nd-hand source, or a source with an agenda, but I also believe they are trying to inform to the best of their abilities and that their credibility is important to them. So when they say "I'm being told the price is too high" I believe that they have been told that. And when they say "the Kings are still in," I think they have reason to believe it to be true. So the volume of what we are hearing may be, as @nfreeman suggests, the Sabres, or Eichel's camp trying to create the impression of feeding frenzy in an effort to spark one, or it may be other GMs trying to pressure Adams to bend and take a lowball offer. But, either way, at least one party is very actively looking to trade or trade for Eichel. If it is just Eichel's camp leading that push, then there is a pretty good chance Eichel is not traded by the draft because he doesn't have a heckuvalot of power right now. But if there is a team leading that push, then I think there will be a deal soon, and if that team is only the Sabres, I'm skeptical we're going to like the results. I'm praying the buyers are as interested as the sellers and that Adams is able capitalize.

I've seen "Columbus is out" "the Kings were never seriously in" "the Avs are now in" "watch the Ducks" and all kinds of particular specific rumours like that. I have yet to see a report that general interest has cooled, or an "if it happens." The reports have been the Sanres want to trade him, numerous teams have interest, some have serious interest and talks have been/continue to be ongoing. If Minnesota firmly has Rossi off the table and the Sabres are just as firmly not interested in a deal that doesn't include him, then talks won't be ongoing two months later. There must still be common ground with at least one team where a deal can be made.

I'm certainly not saying it's not a concern, or pertinent. But to be clear, Burnside states the obvious, Russo offers his personal opinion, and Friedman was relaying the words of executive indicating his team is ready to deal but not willing to wait for the Sabres forever to make the deal because they want to start Jack rehabbing sooner rather than later. None of them are saying Eichel is probably not going to be traded. The bolded could be the case, but if Adams truly is trying to sell damage goods in bad faith, we're more ***** than ever.

That was a pretty contrived and manipulative piece with a voiceover clip, noticeably spliced out of a larger context, cut off before he finished his sentence, and probably the result of a leading question.

Here's the thing, we've been at this for two straight months of multiple Insiders feeding reports of ongoing talks and more or less guaranteeing he will be traded. These insiders have not backed off from this message in the slightest. As recently as last week, Adams more or less confirmed these rumours with his silence about Jack while talking about the future. The situation with Jack's injury existed when the "auction" started. My question to you is if your scenario is true, why haven't we heard — two months later — that teams' interest has cooled or wasn't high in the first place, or Adams leaking or making a public statement along the lines of "we are preparing to approach this fall as if Jack Eichel is a Sabre?" I'd say it's because there is interest in spite of the injury. And that interest is rich enough to keep Adams at the table. Personally, I think the Sabres are prepared to take Comtois/3OA/+ or Turcotte/8OA/+ or whatever is the best offer currently in front of them, but they are holding out in order to maximize the +, or in hopes they can get another team to beat it.

Should see a handful of trades fairly soon as teams jockey for their optimum protected lists. A week until the freeze kicks in next Saturday afternoon, July 17. It lifts on July 22, with the draft on July 23

One of my favourite people (as opposed to players) on this team over this long, dark period. He will move I to management and I hope it happens here. Separately, how credible is Pagnotta? I’ve always considered him a step above Eklund, but far below the real insiders.

You know what I’m finding very interesting? In that podcast with Millard (in the Granato thread, well worth the listen), Donnie gushed about how helpful four veterans were in helping transform the team’s attitude post-Ralph. Staal is gone, and apparently Reinhart, Risto and Okposo trades are being seriously considered. Seems odd to rob the new coach of all the guys he was leaning on. Taking that a step further, Eichel, McCabe, Okposo, Reinhart and Ristolainen all wore letters last year. There is a good chance all could be gone. Has that ever happened?

Okposo in the expansion draft and 1 for 2, but you gotta promise to take a defenceman.

Might be good for another poll. I’d say a good 2/3rds are against dealing him, it’s just that most of us accept it’s going to happen and are so deadened by losing to put up much of a fight. What @New Scotland (NS) is seeing apathy, not support.