dudacek

Didn't Staal play with UFA Mikael Granlund in Minny with they average 70 points apiece between the two of them?

LOL. This is how I felt about acquiring Skinner.

Oh, I don't think they can get that, but they might be able to get the Jochen Hecht version.

I think he stacks up pretty well against final 4 2Cs Stastny and Pageau.

I have no doubt that an NHL source told Seravelli that. I would suspect that source was not from inside the Sabres organization, and likely was repeating chatter being generated across the industry in the wake of the June bloodletting in Buffalo. Every single story I read on this was piggybacking Seravelli's report. Have you seen anyone reporting this independently? Chad D said his source(s) say expect higher. I think Cozens gets the Vesey slot, but I don't think the Sabres should be handing that to him. I sign a cheap vet that he (and Mittelstadt, Asplund and Lazar) will have to beat out to make the team. (Tage gets a spot because of waivers). I think the team's most preferred target for the Sobotka slot would be a veteran defensively elite, offensively fine Craig Ramsey/Jere Lehtonen type with veteran cred and a dose of sandpaper.

I’m praying that the mismanagement of the Botterill-Sexton-Housley-Taylor team has more to do with the lack of success of some of our prospects, and that the new regime can still fix it.

Interestingly enough, Tage outscored Tuch in their D+1 College years, 32 points in 36 games to 28 in 37. Tage’s D3 season he put up 9 points in 8 AHL games after being in over his head in the NHL. Tuch had 37 points in 57 AHL games, and was also over his head in the NHL. D4 Tuch scored 37 as an NHL rookie. Tage blew out his shoulder in his first NHL game.

Ideally, a Johan Larsson who can score 30-plus points.

I'm sorta looking at it as Staal upgrades Mojo's forced role at 2C, Kahun upgrades ERod's role as the swing forward, and Tage fills Sheary's role as the middle-six offensive winger. (Personally, I think Tage will be an upgrade as well.) That leaves the Zemgus, Larry, Vesey, Sobotka/Frolik and 13th forward (Casey/Lazar/Asplund) slots to address. (With Sam, VO, Skinner, Kyle and Jack carrying over)

Yeah, 2nd unit PP and shootouts were the only areas Casey made a marginal contribution. Sheary couldn't even do that.

This move just continues to sit so well with me We now have a viable short-term 2C option. But we also have all of our "good" trade chips still available AND the flexibility of $35 million in cap space to make another significant move .

He's likely to retire at the end of the contract. Guerin was committed to changing the dressing room of a stagnant team. Staal was said to be very comfortable and he certainly had a voice. And maybe they have a Dumba for a centre (Monahan?) deal pending. Meanwhile, what's this chatter about maybe him retiring instead of reporting? Anything to it, or just typical "we can't have nice things" sabre doom and gloom?

Can you remember one Sabres trade ever fixing the team? We improved our 2C position for next season with no long term cost and reduced cap at the same time. We also added a respected veteran former captain with an Olympic gold medal and Stanley Cup ring to help Jack and Ralph in the room while mentoring Casey and Dylan. Where's the downside to this one? Incremental steps, man. Another one or two like this one and we are playoff team. Three or four of them and we're going places.

I'm not sure what you mean here, but Staal finished 37th in NHL scoring for centres. From a production standpoint, he's a good 2C. Johansson had 30 points and isn't a centre. We also gained more than a million cap space. I'm not following at all.

Listening to Schopp and the Bulldog. They are stunned. The whole schtick is the Sabres "the Sabres are broken...but this seems to be a good deal...what are we missing?" 😄

Russo is one of the best-connected writers in hockey. He will eventually have the dirt on this one.

Yep. Considering the price, I don't think I see a downside to this deal. And I like Mojo.

I think I posted about what a good fit he would be weeks ago, but kinda rejected the idea because Minny ain't got any centres. Maybe they are about to move Dumba out for a centre. I'd like to see VO and Cozens on either side, put Jeff back with Jack.

Staal is old as dirt, but he put up 47 points in 66 games last year and 52 and 76 the two years previous. He can still play and as of the last time we saw him he was a solid 2C

One year, $3.25 for Staal, that's a million less than Mojo. He also put up 47 points this year, considerably more than Mojo, and plays a more important position. Are we sure this is one-for-one?

if you're going stopgap, Staal is the perfect player. Not sure why the Wild did it.

Holy *****! That's brilliant.

Well, Crowe was a pro scout, Nightingale's team wasn't integrated with the amateur department and Adams made them re-do their draft board. So we gotta expect different, right?

Nik Hjalmarsson, 33, LD, one year left at $5 million. Coyotes prepared to dump anyone over 25. Interest? How much?

I generally trust Pierre's information, but of all the "Insiders" he is the one who most obviously trades favours.