LTS

I don't see contraction as a way the NHL improves its bottom line. I understand the concept of concentrating talent onto fewer teams with the perception that it will improve the game. At the same time, there are more people playing hockey than ever before and that's likely to boost the overall talent pool making it less necessary. We're just now beginning to see this expansion of talent across the league. In the past it was far less often so many young players rocketed to the top of the leagues each year. Look at the rookie class this year and it's impressive. I hope they cap at the number of teams they will have after Seattle and then just let a few franchises move around as needed. 32 teams is a good number and makes it even all around.

Of course. One of the other things is that Murray was technically hired by LaFontaine and that entire situation went stupid fast. It might have been that Murray was tasked by his owner to try and win NOW and in which case he made the moves to try and make that happen. It's really hard to say how much he enjoyed the entire ownership situation with the Sabres as the whole environment changed around him as soon as he was hired. That said, he had a GM job so it's not like he wanted to just up and walk away from that either right? In some way I think we can pin two years of crap on the entire mishandling of the LaFontaine situation. It was clear Pegula was (and still is) learning how to operate a professional franchise (in multiple sports). It does appear that he might be starting to get it with both organizations but one year with each is hardly enough to say for certain.

I get that you have to try and justify losing to Buffalo. But that’s not even remotely close to goaltender interference. I’ll take it. How can you not? They are playing hard and as a team,

They mentioned that Housley said he earned it after the game in Boston.

I’m totally fine with things right now. Mostly it’s far too soon to expect more. He came in and said Murray did no favors for the team. The Kane situation aside, I think if the right draft picks were there he might have moved some of the RFA/UFA players. But if you weigh keeping them versus pulling up all the Rochester players that would be required it’s probably preferable to keep them in Rochester and keep the UFAs. I would have liked more winning this year, but the team has improved even if it doesn’t show in the scoring and win column. Lately they’ve shown that even with clearly inferior talent they can play a competitive game against some of the best teams in the NHL. I look forward to the improved talent slotting in.

No thanks. More importantly... where to go after? Coles? Bobs? Somewhere else?

Excellent. More hockey. Should be back from shopping for a new stick for my son in time to watch it. He broke his last night and then proceeded to carry it around like it was a badge of honor. I congratulated on him finally hitting a puck hard enough. I'm such a loving parent. :)

That's a brave response. Either you knew better or you were foolish and survived. :) My wife was absolutely fantastic... she really didn't beat me up too bad. I did have to try and reason with her at one point and she did tell me she was going to kill one of the residents if he walked if he entered the room again. The nurse helped me take care of that situation... and with a smile. :) Zoso Okposo is pretty good. As long as it's not Yoko I'm good. And if it is Yoko.. well I'm good anyway because it's not my business.

That would be a hell of a name. Congrats to them. Some of the greatest moments in life is watching your children being born. Some of the most painful too if you get too close to your wife at the wrong time. :)

It's not setting a rule, no one has to follow it. You can make a proclamation and be on your happy way. I could refute your proclamation and be on my way. If that happened we would truly have 5 posts per day on here. Instead, if we want to forge into a deeper conversation I don't think it's out of the realm of reason to ask if there is more information that is helping to shape the aforementioned proclamation. In theory we can then dive deeper on that information and, assuming we are capable of it, have an actual discussion on the topic where both sides present information, discuss its merits and potentially arrive at a mutually agreeable position. Otherwise what's the point? I think we all realize that we're mostly uninformed peons in the overall information game. Every once in awhile there is tangible information that gets released to the public but most of the time its a lot of "media speak" and innuendo. It's so bad that the local sports radio has to deliver information with "I hear reports of" rather than actual information. Of course knowing all that we probably should all stop proclaiming absolutes about the business of hockey. It's more realistic to debate the game because that is played out in front of our eyes. But when it comes to the business aspects, we're all just fish in the pet store aquarium chasing every shadow that walks by the tank with the hope that food might be thrown in.

You know he only evaluates the moves based on statistics right? I'm not sure any of his articles actually ever include an assessment of the business itself. Statistically, yes, the Sabres don't win on this deal. Reality, however, says that the Sabres were unlikely to win on this deal. Moreover, statistics also don't take into account the specifics of a situation but rather apply a broad set of rules to a situation. I think the problem here is that you (and others) continue to consider Kane a prime asset when it has become painfully clear that he was not as much of a prime asset as many of us (and many hockey insiders at times) believed he would be. The bottom line was, and remains, the value of an asset is only as much as someone else is willing to pay for it and in this case the only deal we are aware of for Kane was this one. Until there is evidence that there was a greater value on the table there is nothing to judge the deal against except the value of NOT moving Kane. There's speculation by We've that we should have moved him in the past off-season. There's no evidence that he could have been moved or moved for more than they received today. The option of keeping him to see how he played under a new coach and GM probably also has some merit as well. I think we will understand the value of Evander Kane when he signs his next contract. Until then I will treat the whole deal as one big fluid situation that has yet to be finalized and therefore can't have a final judgment made. There are still significant IFs to be played out on this.

You love to ignore the differences... You've made your point and despite people bringing up additional items to consider you're completely unwilling to listen or consider them. What's the point of continuing to comment? Given no evidence that a better option EVER existed you are willing to hang onto this mantra. Find evidence there was a better trade out there and bring it to the thread. I'll talk about it. Provide some evidence to support your assertions. You have none. You are just trying to stir up controversy even if none exists. If you want to bring up a serious subject then at least come to the table with some evidence that would indicate that Evander Kane is being targeted because of his race. You mention ROR. ROR does not have the legal trouble Evander Kane has nor does he have the same locker room issues. ROR has a potential locker room issue with some players and had one incident at a Tim Hortons. He has not tried to create the same persona that Evander Kane certainly has by posting pictures of himself on social media with stacks of cash. He has not been accused of assault, choking a woman, etc. Has he? Patrick Kane wasn't on the open market so we have no idea if it would compare. If Evander Kane gets his FA signing of $8M are you going to claim he should have received $10M like Patrick Kane did and it's racism if he does not? Evander Kane and Patrick Kane are not equals on the ice, not even close. Kane was listed as a party boy at one point but I haven't heard his name in a few years now. We'll see if Evander can keep his name out of the press. He did a great job of it this year and maybe he's turned a corner as well. Either way, you need to find a true comparable before you can really compare. Patrick Kane isn't it and neither is ROR. But to claim pariah status because of race? Chris Stewart was claimed off waivers as was Johnny Oduya. How does that fit your narrative? Or because they haven't had the kind of past that Kane was it doesn't quite work? I'm not here to say racism doesn't exist or that it's not relevant. However, just because Evander Kane is black does not make this a race issue. Injecting the discussion of racial discrimination into a conversation without any evidence of it not only undermines the conversation but also undermines the integrity of actual, serious, racial discrimination discussion.

Perspective I suppose. I feel more confident about this team and it's more immediate prospects than most. I could get all Eeyore over the whole thing but why should I?

Yes, but that's where we were at in November. The trade deadline was just a stop along the way.

I would encourage you to view Kane as the most easily moved bargaining chip, not necessarily the biggest. I firmly believe that the value for Kane went downhill when the Blues decided to dump Stastny. It might have been waivering if people knew the Jets were going after a 3rd line center that would solidify their lineup and make them a strong favorite for reaching the conference finals. They whiffed on Brassard, they missed out on Plekanec and ended up with Stastny and ultimately I think they ended up with the best player of the three. I suppose my view on where the Sabres are at is more optimistic at this point than others and that might play into it. I am sure Botterill can move a few players if he wants to do so in the off-season. There are players on this roster than can improve the team in trades made in the off-season. Improve the team far more than what Kane was going to get the team today.

Here's where I am at.. There were 2-3 teams in each conference that said they are all in on the Finals. The rest decided that rather than make stupid moves to try and compete it would be wiser to make moves in moderation and see if they can be competitive. If not, well, then let's give ourselves a shot for next year. There were a LOT of names out there and I think that make it more difficult. Very few all out buyers and a lot of "I could go either way". I look at the Blues dumping Stastny and basically signaling to their fans that this year probably is not it. The Kings made no moves. Calgary basically nothing. Dallas, nothing. Anaheim got Chimera. San Jose got Kane but they were unlikely to want to give up too much to try and compete with Nashville, Winnipeg, and Vegas. Any surprise that Nashville thumped St. Louis on Sunday and the Blues decide to basically pack it in for this year? The East has become a race between Boston, Toronto, and Tampa. Pittsburgh is hoping that Brassard can get them there and Washington pretty much passed. The Islanders appear willing to waste a season as one of the highest scoring teams when they could have shored up their D and goaltending. What does that say? They've pretty much written off their chances of beating Washington/Pittsburgh this year. Let the countdown to the draft begin.

And we wonder why politics threads aren't allowed here? I swear some of you would shoot your dog the first time it crapped on the carpet all the while ignoring the fact that you fed it 6 bowls of food and didn't let it leave the house for 24 hours.

If Dan O'Regan becomes the equivalent of Jake Guentzal or Conor Sheary are you all as upset about the deal? He's basically the same size as those two. Here's what you need to know about Tatar. He's signed for $5.3M for another 4 years. The 2nd round is next year and the 3rd is in 2021. Totally comparable... 100%.

So you want to ignore the differences and just compare the two deals? He's a salary commitment of $5.3M for 4 more years. The 2nd round pick is 2019 and 3rd is 2021.

Perhaps they can believe he can be the Sheary or Guentzal for the Sabres?

Tatar is a controlled player for many more years. He was going to get more than Kane.

Are you hoping that people say it would have been better to keep Kane around for the rest of the season? I am glad he's moved him. I'll have faith he did the best he could. There's not enough body of work to suggest otherwise.

And a lot of upcoming pain... Vesey chose wisely. ;)

Yes.. you should have known better. You should know that half of what gets reported is BS and posturing. We've spoken about this on all the lead up to this day. Because I don't worry too much about who says what.. did those words actually come out of Botterill's mouth or was that what was "reported"? I honestly don't care too much what people say.

Inexcusable? If a "real prospect" wasn't available then what do you say to that? Do you refuse to believe that possibility? As for a pick this year.. I guess a 7th this year would have been better for you? Kane is not the "one asset" this team has. He was the most available asset this team had. He was leaving one way or another. It was going to be basically nothing or nothing. There are other pieces of this team that can and might move before next year.