qwksndmonster

I think you need elite players in general. At least one high end center seems vital, but P. Kane and Tarasenko can carry lines all by themselves with just pretty good centers. Bergeron was that good in 2011. He, Thomas, and Chara carried that team. Krejci is a great #2 center option as well.

Chicago's centers aren't all that special outside of Toews. The Rags made it to the finals with Stepan as their best center.

If the Blues were in the east, I have no doubt they would've seen a finals or two.

The play at center ice was definitely a factor, but having to compete with Anaheim, LA, and Chicago also didn't help.

Old Sabres had nobody even close to the level of Shattenkirk, Petrangelo, or Tarasenko. But I do agree that their time as one of the best franchises in the west seems to be coming to a close. It's a shame (for them) that they never got to the finals in the past 5 years.

Bwahahaha. Okay Matt.

Fair price for Steen.

I'm in! No preference.

Franson's not an ambi-turner!

I just watched a few minutes of the original Mag 7 with my Dad and it was boring and sucky with really awful acting. The part I saw featured a couple jews tryna be mexicans. I'm ready for the Denzel version.

It's almost like Belicheck is still cheating his pants off and it doesn't matter who the qb is if you know the other team's plays.

It was reported today that Jack is wondering why Samson never wants to play Nightcrawlers anymore.

The joke that Aud made up about himself? Yeah it's hilarious. 10/10

Seriously, what are you even talking about?

Sir is the new silly. A bad, bad word.

Pi, why do you keep using completely useless statistical data to back your arguments? Context matters. Saying Vanek peaked statistically means absolutely nothing because he was on a stacked team in the relatively wide open run and gun post lockout seasons. I just mentioned that and you ignored it. Vanek's peak pretty much lasted him until he was 28-29 or so if I remember correctly. Foot speed? Agility? Hand-eye? Does anybody know what he's even talking about?

Oh that's sooo coool.

Right. Your tone is very "adult" circa 1950.

New thread?Can this please be a new thread?

Vanek scored 40 goals in the 2 run and gun post lock out seasons of ancient legend. Then he had one kind of bad season- 53 points in 71 games and then produced at the level of a legit 1st liner for the rest of his Sabres career despite having a meh supporting cast. It's not Vanek's fault that Darcy failed to build a forward core. Vanek was our best forward when he should've been our 3rd or 4th best. Not to mention that his contract was forced onto us by black sunday and the offer sheet. It wasn't a GM navigating a Myers/Risto type extension, like your comparison makes it seem. Vanek made faces. He was a weirdo Euro gambler dude. He didn't play lots of defence. But (and this goes to anybody that wants to talk about Thommy V), stop trying to pretend that Vanek didn't try or wasn't good. The dude sacrificed his body in front of the net nightly, and no doubt shortened his career in the proccess. Thomas Vanek lived through Darcy purgatory and took it like a man. Like the depressed, compulsive gambling weird man that he was.

Really? Vanek? Talk about apples and Apple Jacks.

Wow. Can we not?

The Myers comparison is so terrible. Myers had a terrific rookie season and then regressed big time. Risto has had a much smoother trajectory, getting better every year. Going a step further, I don't think I can name two more different defensemen in the way these guys mentally approach the game. Risto is confident, smooth, and implacable. Myers, after his rookie year, was inconstant and nervous. You could see Myers trying to think whereas Risto just does. Ever see Myers get a point shot through? Now think of how Risto floats backwards at the blue line with the puck just waiting for the opposing forwards to move one inch out place.

Hehehe best X-files scene ever.

I saw When the Bough Breaks and the new Blair Witch. Both are awwwwwwful. When the Bough Breaks was at least wildy entertaining. Sully looks like they tried to jam the plot of Flight in there.