LTS

Just because a timeline does not agree with you does not mean it's wrong. It doesn't mean it's settling. Your narrative is full of logistical holes. The ability to move players is being handcuffed by the planning that every GM has to do to prepare for a) a playoff run and B) the expansion draft. Yet, for some reason, despite this being stated over and over again by GMs, the media, and people on this board, people want to ignore the fact that there is a new team in Vegas next year. You want change but refuse to accept that the environment is not right for change. Keep pushing that rock. So, let's say you throw away your pending UFA's for nothing. You have to pull up a few D from the Amerks. Granted the Amerks aren't very good but you pull their top talent away and they are even worse. That's okay right because it's just the Amerks right? Except you still have Nylander down there, you have Ullmark down there. Do you want them playing minutes on the Amerks with a team that is even worse because you wanted to move out two D for a draft pick that won't turn into anything? So, then we talk about how Ullmark is shell-shocked and Nylander is frustrated because they spend all their time in their end. These things are all interconnected, it's more complex than you want to admit. As for your school reference, the star pupil, Mr. Eichel has decided to also take some shifts off here and there and failed his class in the Odyssey of the Mind competition. It's being explained quite well. It might be unexplainable to you, but it's certainly not inexplicable. Murray is widely regarded to be a judge of talent by people who live in the hockey world. You can choose to think they are all wrong. It's not unheard of these days for people who are completely outside of a particular discipline to disregard experts and judge them to be incorrect. Murray could have signed Kulikov at any point this season. If he wanted to sign him, why wouldn't he have done it? Is it because he hoped someone would offer a big trade for a UFA defenseman?

Absolutely respect Murray for that. As for Kulikov... that's the way it goes sometimes. Of course Kulikov's UFA value is taking a hit as well and he might be able to be re-signed by the Sabres for a lower amount. He might not, who knows. You can always hold out hope that some team wants to trade a 5th round pick prior to the draft for the rights to negotiate with Kulikov before signing begins. :)

Gionta wasn't going to move unless he agreed to it and a lot of people in the hockey world will respect that. You don't have to respect it as a fan. I look at the trade deadline deals and can't find one deal where Franson or Kulikov are the piece that was missed out on. Why not trade them for a 5th round pick? What freakin' good does that do? What does a 5th round pick do? It moved a D off the roster in a year when the D depth is already too shallow. I guess it's a difference in patience level with people. Being able to fix everything immediately is almost never achievable. I'm fine with Murray... and as far as the Bylsma situation we already know that Murray does not act alone in that regard.

As unspectacular as expected.

I'd be up for that.. I don't think I have anything going on and since I live in Rochester... :)

But but but... narrative. :) I think the way Murray operates is that he has a value for his players in mind. He holds to that value for as long as possible. It's possible that another team has a similar asset and let's it go for lower than he's willing to accept. He plays the waiting game and when the timeline is drawing near he either chooses to accept less or the other team chooses to pay more. It's a game of chicken for him.

Looks like a lineup to show how Gio can play alongside good players. Maybe someone wants Rodrigues and they hope Sam can up his scoring potential tonight? Hey.. you never know who is on the move.

There isn't a player or coach or equipment manager or anyone who sets out at the start of a game with the idea that they want to lose. Anyone who has the mentality is never going to make it to the NHL and be part of a professional team. Even when the talent level was reduced to poise for the rebuild no one was out there actively trying to lose. This concept that losing somehow imbues an acceptance of losing and creates a loser atmosphere just doesn't fly. This is the time when the players who mean the most need to step up the most. If you watch a game and you see one of your "core" players dogging it then you should be questioning that players work ethic and whether you should have faith in them. Those players who only try when the team is winning are not the players who will lead you to victory. They are followers. The players usually have a good idea of the probability of them winning any particular game but I am certain they all believe in the possibility of them winning the game. I still want this team to win, every night. I don't care if it means Bylsma is still here because if they are winning who would care? If they lose, then I trust that someone in the organization will begin taking a look at why and make the appropriate changes. If not, then I can question whether I invest my time in a team. Go Sabres. Play the game that is outlined and let the chips fall where they may. If the team decides to battle the coach or each other then it creates dysfunction and that makes it harder to identify where a real problem lies.

My one time experiencing Andrew Peters in person was enough for me. Plenty of arrogance for a guy whose primary job was a fist stop in the NHL.

No interest from me. The problem is not with the offense.

Wearing my Coyotes sweater tonight. Can't hurt right? I didn't really see last nights game but given that most teams lose coming off their bye week it was no surprise.

Of course its stupid.. but it didn't cause long term career pain for Mike Milbury when he assaulted a 12 year old.

Primarily I would look at the number of players that come out of NCAA and those of juniors. If fewer players come out of NCAA and they are prolific in the NHL it would skew statistics to favor them over more junior players showing up. Moreover, if you take a highly offensive juniors league (Q) and then bring those players to the NHL the likelihood of there being a drop off is greater. So, it really depends on how you control those factors when you make the league to NHL point comparison. I can't get to the bolded with you.. An all state team going against a top flight college program. I would think the best you get is an All-American HS team going against a top flight college program. I still think the college program wins. However, again, we are now only talking about the TOP of the group. I don't think the age difference is as big a deal from 18-20 or 19-21, or 20-22. If you hold skill equal then absolutely, but there is a point where skill difference overcomes age difference and I think that in general the two years at most difference isn't enough across the board. An interesting point I hadn't thought about so thank you for clarifying the age issue. At the same time, wouldn't it be safe to say that if you are a hockey player and Jr. A is your best option that you might not be on course for an NHL career? If, in any given birth year, only 90 of the world's hockey players have a shot at the NHL (top 3 rounds of the draft) I would think that if you are only playing Jr. A then you are on the extreme outside looking in. Even if you expand that to include competing for spots against 3 birth years you are only talking 270 players in the world. In this case however, Eichel had 1 year of competing against the NCAA talent. Where has that NCAA talent stacked up on the draft board? In his draft year here is the break down.. League(2015) Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 % of picks Juniors 17 19 14 55% NCAA 3 1 0 4% NTDP/USHL 4 4 6 15% European 6 7 8 23% Other 0 0 2 2% Seems to me that Jack was not competing against great talent that year. Now, of course the NCAA players he was playing against could have been drafted a few years prior. So I looked at 2014 and 2013 just to see. League (2014) Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 % of picks Juniors 20 15 13 53% NCAA 0 1 0 1% NTDP/USHL 4 6 4 15% European 6 7 6 21% Other 0 1 7 9% League (2013) Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 % of picks Juniors 22 19 16 63% NCAA 0 2 1 3% NTDP/USHL 1 2 5 9% European 7 5 7 21% Other 0 3 1 4% I just can't get there that the talent in NCAA is anywhere near that of Juniors. In the last draft the NCAA picks were 3 in round 1, 1 each in round 2 and 3. It's 5 overall, but still not swinging like you'd expect. Even if some of the USHL/NTDP kids go to NCAA (not sure how many do) it doesn't raise the bar enough to Juniors for me.

Curious to see how their game back goes. Probably going to miss the game... unless it happens to be on a TV wherever I am tonight and I can sneak in peeks while out with my wife. More likely we end up at a place with no TVs though. Here we go.. the next week will provide us something to talk about either way.

I guess I didn't mind it, but as I understand it you have some grappas that are made the traditional way (the crap leftovers of the grapes being distilled) and then you have some that actually use the grape. So the comparison tends to be like drinking non-premium tequila and premium tequila. Non-premium can be up to 49% non-blue agave, premium is 100% agave. Drinking distilled table sugar is hideous (hell drinking fermented table sugar is)... I'm not saying it's the smoothest stuff out there either way but the cheap stuff is cheap for a reason. More stems and crap than anything else.

I have a hard time accepting a comparison based on points. I think there are some skilled players in NCAA to be certain but top to bottom I'd say the talent in juniors is better. Just curious where your average age of NCAA comes from. Are you saying most players are seniors (and old ones at that?) My senior of college I would have turned 22 near the end of the hockey season. Regardless, playing against lesser skilled "men" doesn't change things. If guys are too slow to keep up with Eichel they are too slow, being stronger won't help. You might get the top NCAA team beating the top Junior team.. but how fast does that fall off? Does #2 vs #2 yield the same results? I think the top to bottom skill level is better in Juniors. After all, does anyone believe overall USA hockey is more talented than Hockey Canada? USA Hockey might be able to put the best 20 skaters together but skaters 21-100 might not compare at all to 21-100 in Canada.

Haven't had grappa in awhile, what do you recommend out of the liquor stores? I think the last time i had it was in Vegas... so who knows what the hell I had then.

I don't think Jack's hockey sense is bad. I think his common sense is bad. I believe he sees everything out there but he believes he's able to do more than he really can. He isn't recognizing that what worked in the past doesn't work the same now. He is making fewer unforced errors, so he's learning. This is, I believe, a byproduct of a single college year and not playing in juniors or a higher tier Swiss league like Matthews. Jack played against medium talent overall in college whereas Matthews and McDavid were playing against med-high talent in the other leagues. They had to adjust sooner than Eichel. The NCAA is not equal in competition yet.

UFA market.. if you have a good UFA you can probably move it for some picks.. after that it gets dicey on handling rosters into next year.

There are probably two things I can think support it. The players enjoy a time away from the rink and can do family/party stuff. Yes, the season gets crammed up elsewhere, but that's okay... because... It helps support the argument of shutting down to play in the Olympics. Which they also want to do...

http://www.diebytheblade.com/2017/2/21/14694648/sabres-trade-phone-anaheim-ducks For what it's worth... I don't see any way that proposal happens from that article.. Fasching and a 2nd for Manson?

I have learned that my son made All County Orchestra so I will be attending that performance in Fairport until about 3pm. Then I plan on hauling butt to get to Buffalo for the game. I'm down with meeting up before (if it aligns) and after. I'll probably consider booking a room anyway.

Mother Nature queued up some seriously good temperatures for you while the Sabres are not playing. Take advantage of it! Besides, given all the complaints around here about how they play you can use this week to watch other teams play and improve your knowledge of what other teams are doing. Where is the downside?

http://www.tsn.ca/can-we-have-a-rational-discussion-about-hits-to-the-head-1.676558 It's a pretty good read on the entire situation.

The problem for Evander at this point in time is that he's not a UFA this year. He's got to get through an off-season without incident and put up points next year before GM's go all in. The Sabres have the control here which is good.