Randall Flagg

A lot of them are already doing it though, this is not a Kings basket. Buchnevich is already a very good winger, who has strong numbers etched in the book of NHL statistics, not the projections of optimistic fans. Adam Fox is an outrageously good offensive defenseman, right this second. Shesterkin is killing it behind a shoddy defense, not "could," "is". Lafreniere has a better chance at being good, and great, than any of those Kings prospects. Every single one of them could get a good deal better based on their age and experience level. Tyler Myers had a very nice rookie year next to Tallinder. Tyler Myers never once had the impact on a game that Fox does every single game I've ever seen him play in. Fox will finish higher in the Norris race this year than Myers ever has or ever will Eichel's line is not a "given" for anything, Eichel has been on a line that has scored more goals than they've been scored on while on the ice exactly 1 season in his career, and that number was slipping quickly towards the end of that season and probably would have wound up negative had covid not shortened it. Even if you don't like the positional balance of the return, the sheer volume of very good assets would let you fill the center gap fairly easily. Yeah, you won't get a stud 1C back, but you'll have a better team than you did before if you have some ounce of confidence just because of how lopsided the trade is

Lots of games against good teams coming up - if they hold up well through that stretch, everyone will be much more comfortable making proclamations about next year.

We should start compiling a master list of guys like that. "Which skaters exist, have experience, and could play 2C or any other forward position effectively for us next year, without the age risk of a guy like Staal, the experience/position risk of Johansson etc." The UFAs are easy enough (I doubt there are many) but picture, like the Kadri trade or something. I don't think it was obvious he'd be moving. Who are all possible guys that fit a specific role, and what would it take to get them? I like using the mindset of building the roster like [young guy] doesn't exist or has to play wing. Like you say, pretend Cozens is the 4RW for a moment, how do we build a playoff team? Then, your team suddenly looks great if Cozens takes huge strides at C, and looks great in the case of an injury or two (which has been a consistent problem for the Sabres - every year, the injury bug hits like it does for everyone, and every year, we seem to have the ugliest roster you've ever seen when it does)

Man, now that you mention it, I always got the impression that these guys would move mountains to absolve Botterill of responsibility for the crap he did.

Rake every single Leaf. Leaf referring to canadian citizens in this case, not the hockey team

I want to do this r.e. the mitts line and the top 6 too. Let's get 6 skaters we think can make 2 lines better than what we expect the Mitts line to be, and let's see 'em try and compete.

This is zactly what we need to weigh the pros against. My goodness I have no idea what the answer is I do think the last few weeks of the season can at least give us a bigger sample of games

No doubt, I'm just laying out the assets you could feasibly go into the NHL offseason with under the scenario in which the trade wookie hated was made. It's pretty tantalizing, and we'd have the assets to make sure Cozens wasn't playing 1C yet unless he was ready to somehow. Something tells me we are gonna keep Donny G and he is going to use the common sense and simplicity that has been so endearing to put those two back together, and it works just like it always has. Wouldn't that be something

I was banking on my memory there I thought he was closer to ~72 in ~70, I knew he fell hard. Looking now, it's 1 point in his last 8 games. I think if we had finished the year he'd be looking at barely over a point per game, but I concede that point because I was wrong about what the totals were at when the season was cut short. All told, I still am firm on the point that one player out of that batch is a defenseman who comes reasonably close to Jack's typical NHL point production per season, and has done it in his 2nd season. So I don't understand why wookster is being the way that he is. Whether or not a metric has gone up or down, Jack is still as lost in the defensive zone now as he's ever been, he had some abominable moments back there this year haha Not a response to you, but just thinking aloud: Without any other moves, Buchnevich - Cozens - Olofsson Skinner - Reinhart - Lafreniere Asplund - Mitts - Tage Bjork - Girgensons - Ruotsalainen Eakin, KO Dahlin - Jokiharju Bryson - Fox Borgen - Risto Miller, Samuelsson Shesterkin Under contract for next year with a high first and a bunch of picks in reserve is a pretty decent slate to start the offseason with. I still try to bring in another good center. There are plenty of players/assets with which to do this, especially if you bring in a typical UFA or two at each position. You can find yourself in a situation where you can pair a Risto and an Olofsson or something, for a nice forward or defenseman you like. Versus Skinner - Eichel - Reinhart Bjork - Cozens - Olofsson Asplund - Mitts - Tage Ruotsalainen - Girgensons - KO Eakin Dahlin - Joki Bryson - Risto Borgen - Miller Samuelsson nothing Eichel is real good, but I would have a lot more fun with my dream Rangers return, which we'd probably be lucky to get half of because nobody wants to be the Flyers in the Lindros trade. But I could feel just typing that second scenario out how much thinner we are. This is a dumb thought experiment because the Rangers wouldn't give us that in a million years, I just think it's crazy wookie wouldn't even entertain it

Getting annoyed with this

Wookie is crazy for turning this down. A young 1G who is at .925 behind a team that can't coach or play D, a young virtually rookie defenseman that's a point per game, a 1OA with the tools to be a star, and a near-PPG winger? All for one center who can't play D and who scored at a negligible rate above that rookie D in his best season (a bit above ppg)?

You should focus on those guys next time you watch a rangers game. There is no chance in the world we get a pool of hockey talent that good in an eichel trade, and our team is better overall with that swap before Laf even becomes something. What on earth would be an acceptable return for you?

The Rangers have plenty of assets. Soon to be 1G, Fox, Kakko/Laf, Zib, Miller, Buchnevich. Would anyone not take Shesterkin, Fox, Laf and Buchnevich for Eichel?

ROR didn't have the speed to make some of the plays I've seen Cozens make defensively, and then be at the center of a chance at the other end right after. I've never seen a Sabre forward quite like cozens.

This is the best way to do it. I'm just surprised at the walking through a graveyard at night vibes I get from the idea of moving on to hire someone else

Zemgus would have if healthy

Well considering your general attitude toward the pandemic, that you're still full bore on this, I think I can join without reservation.

I don't think he was a good coach but I think he was less responsible for the state of affairs than the typical fan thinks. And he seems like a nice guy.

I don't know the details of why they'd do that, and I like this sentiment, but would that be a little petty if reasons stem from pandemic? To compromise maybe we could shack them up in Rochester or harbor center hehe

You should see them when you tell them that their offer of Strome, Chytil and a 2nd isn't enough for Jack

The main argument against it, IMO, is that there is an inherent question mark - this would be another live experiment to see if and how a coach will respond when teams "catch on." Ralph was great for a few months too. And it's dangerous to give this group another "unknown" in that sense versus someone who has done it all. But I can't say that feels like something we actually need to worry about with Don

TW isn't pulling that from media quotes.

Something about the guy feels natural and right. Worried that ignoring this will incur another round of wrath from the hockey gods.

Bigger than I remember

First time in a long time it has felt like we aren't wasting the end of the season. There are too many good things to say about Cozens. Dude pushes his boundaries outward each game to see what he can and can't do yet, and he can do more every time he tries it, and he doesn't need to be reminded to try it. I struggle to imagine Bergeron playing the game like this at age 20. All the right guys are showing all the right signs. We're allowed to have this?!