LTS

When it comes to the topic of immigration, I tend to shoot a bit higher. Do we need more people coming into this country? It has nothing to do with who they are or where they come from for me. It simply is a matter of sustainability. If we already have so many below the poverty line. If we have so much homelessness and starvation. What is the point of letting MORE people in? Why should people be allowed to come to the United States to work? The romanticism of United States immigration needs to die. It served a purpose when the country was growing. At some point, there is a limit to what an economy and a geography can sustain. I think United States is well past that point, especially given that we've eliminated so many jobs that solidify an economic base. I realize that comes across as highly nationalistic. I don't intend it to mean it that way. Even if I were not a US citizen I would question the concept. Why should anyone be allowed to go anywhere they please to live and work? To me it's like saying I want to work at Company X and I should have the right to do so. Just stand in line and get a job. But it's not how it works, if I don't add value to that company they aren't going to want me. I suppose you could argue that it should be easy for anyone to apply for a spot in the United States, but that doesn't mean you ever make it past the automatic screener. My mind is hardly set in these ways... but my first thought is that before we go making it easier for people to come into the country that maybe we should put more effort into fixing what is wrong with us first.

Whatever it is... having any political leader, let alone one who continually has his sanity questioned, going off on social media in fits of vaguebooking is not the way to settle the concerns of the world. His comments rank in the same tone and vein as those made by the kinds of leaders the United States usually opposes. Being one of the despots is not going to help the situation. As far as the rest of this, nudging in the MIddle East has long been a tactic used... Middle Eastern reform has yet to ever stand a chance because even when someone rises to power that wants reform it seems that their version of reform comes along with killing all those who oppose them.

Montreal is highly regarded as a top place to play hockey. I'm still trying to put together a trip just to see a hockey game there. That said, Kovalchuk is NOT a player I'd want in Buffalo. I think he'd be a bad locker room fit and questionable to what he'd bring on the ice.

Could be, it seems he just returned from his long injury, came back on the 27th and then missed the 28th.. claimed illness? Perhaps he's not quite ready to go. It would be Thompson, but he's still out too.

The concept of "there isn't anything that could be done" has to go along with the concept "at what price?". That's always the problem. Hell, look at the debate about what they paid Skinner, just to keep him. Acquiring JT Miller would have been a good move, if the price were right. People definitely disagree on what that price should be. Which is perfect for Buffalo frankly. If he comes in here and lights it up and the Sabres flip him in February to a team that offers back a younger prospect or a 2nd round pick then in reality Botterill flipped Scandella for a 2nd pick or another player.

The "need" argument is based on the Tampa Bay Lightning current roster. That roster has 8 players who will have a NMC/NTC in effect in 2021 when the expansion draft occurs. Kucherov, is NOT one of those players. Of those 8 players you have 7 who will be 30 or older at the time of that draft. More young players, coming into their prime in 2021 isn't going to help them as much as a player who might come into his prime in 2022/2023. The Lightning will be forced to protect ALL 8 of those players unless they choose to waive their NMC/NTC. So, how does a team like Tampa protect itself? They go out and get a pick that might slide to the 2021 draft year so they have an extra asset to use in trying to steer Seattle away from Kucherov. It's not difficult saying its a trade that should have been made. If the deal was right, it should have been made. I'm just allowing for the possibilities of why it might not have been made.

Yes, the situations you listed all have interesting scenarios attached to them. No one is claiming that it doesn't happen, but it doesn't mean it's always available to happen either. The strategy was never win now. It was never stated to be that way. So, you are probably not going to like much of anything the team does. You want to go left, they went right. So be it I suppose. Keep fighting the air then man. What can I say? The team had ownership issues, the new owner made mistakes and the impacts of those mistakes don't just disappear overnight. They don't because the NHL is a hard salary cap and that stifles the ability to flip the roster especially when you blow your picks on bad prospects and horrible trades. So, that's how the hell they have not managed to do it. I'm not making excuses. I'm stating what happened. There are no excuses, there are reasons. Again, keep fighting the air..

I can only address your edit. Yes, the Sabres need the player. That said, the Lightning don't need a 1st round pick this year. They have their own impending roster issues to deal with and I think them having an extra pick in the first round in 2020 or 2021 helps them more than a late 1st round pick in 2019. Do you think Ryan Johnson helps Tampa? That's essentially that value you are throwing them. Don't focus on the goaltender then. I've argued that. 1. The Sabres would have had to pay more because its in division. 2. The Sabres didn't want to give up a 2020/2021 pick and Tampa wanted a 2020/2021 pick. I would agree with you. Unless it moves a $6M player off the roster at a time you need money cleared. At a time when you've had enough 1st round picks that losing one might not be the end of the world and to a team that you only play twice a year. That late draft pick is where the 2021 pick SHOULD be if the GM is doing his job. I happen to think he is by weeding out the lower end players in the microtransactions we've seen up until now. We are all aware of the cap space available next year. The flexibility with the roster will be then. No one has to like it, but that's how the cards play out. The Sabres get Miller (for probably more than Vancouver had to pay) and they have to protect even more players that they will sign in this off-season. They'll not have a first round pick and that could lead to an unwanted roster decision.

Glad to hear.. hopefully we can assist in the mending and tearing things down on you. Only in discussions of what .500 hockey is. ?

Well, I lost my more detailed reply because I went to see all the new replies posted while I was posting.. that'll learn me. So to sum up: The pick the Lightning got was in the 2020 or 2021 draft, Ryan Johnson is not part of the conversation. (Vancouver doesn't make the playoffs, the pick slides to 2021). If I read in another thread, the 2020 draft is pretty deep in talent, so the first round pick has more value. If the pick was in 2021, the Sabres would be without their 1st round pick. This may impact their ability to control the Seattle expansion draft. For example, a 1st round pick and Okposo allows the Sabres to keep players they could not protect and did not want to lose. Yes, Miller is a worthwhile acquisition. But, I don't think he comes in the same package Vancouver got to begin with, and the Sabres need that pick more than Vancouver does at the moment.

Another E-Rod? Not even a chance.. I think Frolik is an improvement over Rodrigues in every way. He's stuck around the league and is playing at 31, something Rodrigues will be lucky to ever do.

Right-o!. But I do think a 1st round pick gets Okposo to Seattle in 2021.

Tampa doesn't play Vancouver 4 times a season. Which goaltender was Buffalo giving up? I would assume that Buffalo would have to pay more. Not only that, they are giving Tampa a first round pick.. that doesn't help Buffalo out in the long run either.

You make the moves you can make. Assuming there is something else out there is dangerous.. Not only that, but the Sabres have nothing to trade. They have a surplus of mediocre players. You aren't going to get superstars for them. So you try and trade mediocre player A for mediocre player B and hope that the situation the guy ends up in on your team helps him improve some amount more. They are little transactions, but sometimes that's all that can be made.

or ever... But apparently that's possible in the world of the stressed out Sabres fan... ?

The bed he made was made by the GM before him and the owner as well. Let's be real about that. Who says they didn't? Free agents are under no obligation to sign in Buffalo. What does Buffalo have to trade? Would you have traded away the Cozens pick? It's quite possible that Frolik gets a better shot in Buffalo at improving his numbers and he gets bounced to another team at the trade deadline. Scandella wasn't going to be here next year... Frolik doesn't need to be here next year. You think Scandella warrants more than that? Not a chance my friend.

I firmly agree that it was not for the betterment of the US economy. The world, in general, has become more nationalistic. I think it's somewhat of a last stand effort against the youth who certainly are challenging the long held ideals by corporations and governments. Probably a lot more I could go into.. but not at this time and not without more research and thought.

Yes, quite simply, Johansson, Vesey, Asplund, Lazar are all here and have taken the place of Rodrigues. He had a shot and couldn't stick. You can argue that those improvements aren't making a material difference but that's not the point. The point is, they are, at least at the moment, an improvement over Rodrigues. He earned a shot this year and he failed to capitalize on it. Now he's sour grapes, too bad. Bogosian? - Jokiharju, Miller, Montour - all earning spots over Bogosian. While Miller is probably on pace with Bogosian at this point. And yes, the team doesn't attract big name players. Players want to win and the Sabres haven't been doing that. Botterill can't force a player to sign here without significantly overpaying and that doesn't necessarily help the team win overall. Players know that as well. So, Botterill does what he can to make marginal improvements and draft players that can improve the team so that the team improves and once they are winning more will be able to bring in the bigger players. I'm not sure what homerun you expect the GM to pull off. You say the team is a laughing stock and then blame the GM for not improving the team. If no players wants to play here, how do you improve the team? The draft? That takes time. It's that simple. Mittlestadt might not be developing as fast, Cozens appears to be a great get. But those players weren't going to have immediate impact on their teams. Jack Hughes isn't saving New Jersey, Kakko isn't saving the Rangers. See above. I agree, they aren't knockout improvements. But the problem is, what players WANT to come here at a price tag that will be good for the team overall (assuming they even want to be here). I think a lot gets put on Botterill because of the ROR situation. A situation, that seems apparent, was forced by the owner. I'm not interested in rehashing it (as most would know) but if your hands are tied, they are tied. The one thing I don't see under the current coach is that this team looks lost. They look like they don't have enough talent, something that gets pointed out here all the time. The only problem is that people expected all the talent to be obtainable by the GM. This despite saying, no free agents want to come here, and there's no talent on the team. So, you cant trade them, you can't sign them... how do you improve the team? Draft... and that takes time. Get lucky with a few trades or situations that are favorable to your team (Jokiharju and Skinner).

This team was never going to compete this year anyway. The Lightning, Bruins, and Leafs were all primed to be at the top of the conference. Florida was going to improve. I know I said it at the beginning of the season, but everyone should have realized that this season was going to be a wasted season. There was nothing that could be done about it that would not be an extreme reach and certainly set the team up for falling flat after the Seattle expansion draft. I wouldn't call it a tank, it's reality.

Can't say as I blame you... despite my moderate view on the Sabres, I still have no desire to go see them play at the moment.

I'd go with the sour grapes. When a team gets you down you gotta find the joy where you can and cling to it. Keep yourself sane. ?

I love the takes in here. Let's see if this is how things look right now: Zach Bogosian has not been a favorite around here for a long time, he even has a bunker. Evan Rodrigues has been questioned by many, and stated to be JAG. Sabres GM brings in players to create competition and those players prove to be better than Rodrigues and Bogosian. Rodrigues and Bogosian indicate they would like to be traded because they can't crack the roster anymore. The response here is that the GM has failed the organization and that the organization is a joke. I'm not sure how the GM has failed if that GM has brought in talent that has pushed out players that didn't belong here in the first place. I agree, they've tried to trade Rodrigues, no one wants him. Waive him to Rochester. Let him enjoy his time there. These players think they are more valuable to the team, but when given time on the ice their play fails to show it. I don't want that kind of player on my team, ever. You get your shot, you take it. If you don't succeed you don't turn around and blame the organization. These players are terrible, and whether they are actually terrible or they are upset about their situation so they aren't even trying to play better, it doesn't matter to me. The end result is the same. They suck, they need to go and the good news.. they will be gone soon, no matter what.

I can't explain why anyone likes him. The people who like him can explain it. I could hypothesize, and the hypothesis would focus on the bigotry being related to race and economic status. Every race has their own version of "<race> trash". I'm always open for discussion. I don't support tariffs. I'm not a fan of policies that are designed to make it harder for others to compete. More energy spent on keeping others down as opposed to making yourself better. The American people let the Chinese goods into the country, they ate it up. It's on them to fix it.

Holy hell it's been a busy couple of weeks. Game will be in the background... regardless of what happens tonight, I'll still pop a cork at midnight and be happy for 2020. I liked 2019 as well. Here's to you and the Sabres. Cheers!