TrueBlueGED

Murray clearly articulated way too many negatives to make me think Bylsma sticks around. Meanwhile, about the only thing in Bylsma's corner was he said some of what the players said was just excuses...but he didn't go on to detail any of that. Meanwhile, he went into a lot of specifics about problems. Seriously, when was the last time you heard a GM say the players have "valid complaints" about the coach? And then, ya know, talk about them fairly in depth. Bylsma is cooked.

I hope Matthews tears his ACL next game, and Mitch Marner breaks his spine. Suck it Leafs scum. I mean, you come to a Sabres board beating your chest about your team (that we hate) winning in the playoffs. What in the world do you expect?

I R sad.

Caps are gonna score off this icing. I feel it. I was incorrect, but in the event the Caps win at any point, I'm still going to claim victory.

I could tell. Know how? Nobody who has played PC shooters would name Halo as a top-15 game of all time :p I always struggle with these lists because it's hard to rank most influential versus best. Like, a lot of games that launched entire genres...have NOT aged well. Anyway, in no order: Baldur's Gate II (greatest RPG ever made) Zelda: Ocarina of Time Zelda: Link to the Past Chrono Trigger FFVI (7 lovers can suck it. 6 > 7) Mario 3 Mario 64 Quake 3 (I know...I know...but for my money, it's the best competitive shooter ever made) Battlefield 2 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Starcraft Deux Ex Civilization...3 or 4 System Shock 2 The Witcher 3 Honorable mention: The Worms franchise. Dear lord did I love these games at LAN parties.

I'm not sure if I hate him or Marchand more. Actually, does it matter who I hate more? They can both go F themselves. As has Marner.

"I love how they're letting 'em play." Or, ya know, not letting 'em play.

...it's not too late :devil:

Draisaitl had a better season, that's for damn sure. I don't think he was better last season though. In fact, I remember he started hot and fell off a cliff...around the time McDavid went down. His low production away from McDavid can't be ignored. I also think he's a much better winger than Sam, and his board work is a great complement to McDavid (and would be for Jack). Unfortunately we're left to play the "what if" game with what Reinhart's production would have been as a full time center, to say nothing of playing in a better system. Right now, gun to my head, I take Draisaitl. But I don't think it's that clear cut when everything is taken into account.

In a draft without much of the way of sure things (especially in our likely slot), I think it makes sense to roll the dice and go after the high ceiling. When risk is similar, why not chase the home run?

Thanks for the kind words everyone. Haha. I think I've managed to get a place far enough away from the epicenter so that I don't feel like I'm living out the events of The Purge. Then again, it looks a lot farther away on a map than it actually is, soooooo ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Like....you?!?! I'm suddenly feeling I may have made the wrong decision :nana: Congrats! I've heard not a single good thing about the publishing process. Death, taxes, and academics complaining about the publishing process :lol: And assuming a coaching change, I'm definitely going to a Sabres game in Columbus. It's only about an hour drive, so not bad at all. So long as it's on a weekend.

*shrug* Multiple coaches on Winnipeg thought Kane's best spot was on the 3rd line away from the most skilled players. Now most people here consider him a core piece. For sure, which is why I pondered whether they'd be selling low, or if they'd still expect full value. And Tippett would be fine, but would do nothing in the near term to replace the rather sizeable hole that Reinhart's departure would create.

As I sit here watching the Habs giving Galchenyuk 10 minutes of ice time, I can't help but wonder...let's say Reinhart for Hanifin materializes. What's everyone's interest in targeting Galchenyuk to help fill the forward void? What are the chances Montreal sells low on him?

At least a few people are going to think this sounds completely insane, but I think Kane-Eichel-Nylander is too much skill on one line. There's only one puck, after all. My dream lineup is three balanced lines, each having two skill guys and one role player.

Maybe they'll try something radical...like giving Galchenyuk more ice time than Steve Ott.

For the past couple of years I've been pretty dissatisfied with my career choice. Probably more than dissatisfied, but I'll leave it at that. Long story short, I opted to attempt a career change into academic advising/counseling. After trying for about a year to get a job, it became apparent I needed a different degree and more directly applicable experience. So back to grad school I go. I have officially accepted an offer at Ohio University, where I will be pursuing an EdM in College Student Personnel. While there, I'll be working as a graduate assistant in their Student Advising Center, which includes a full tuition waiver and a generous (as far as these things go) stipend. I'll be getting perfect experience for the career I'm pursuing, and incurring minimal additional debt as a bonus (about $7k total over the next two years for mandatory fees & health insurance). Walking away from something I've been working at since 2008, in a field where I now have six years of work experience, with a half-written dissertation to boot, is easily the hardest thing I've ever done, but I'm certain it's the right move for me. For the first time in my life I'll be moving out of the Buffalo area and to a place where I know literally nobody, which is both exciting and a bit scary, but I'm pretty stoked to finally be on the right path and ready to tackle the impending challenges. Offer accepted, lease signed, moving in August. It's a great feeling. Onward!

Awesome :thumbsup:

Kane with Eichel was certainly better this year than last, but I still don't think it's an especially great fit--Kane's still much more of a volume scorer than a true finisher. I'm with Dudacek that Eichel's ideal line includes a skilled plumber (Fasching/Carrier given the current roster) and a high-IQ skill player like Nylander. Nylander may not be ready, but I think Baptiste would be a nice trigger man in the interim. And from a team perspective, I think we're a lot harder to defend if Eichel is driving one line and Kane is free to be more puck dominant.

Yes and yes. In fact, I think it basically eliminates the possibility Murray is fired in the middle of next season, unless we're something absurd like 3-15-2. That said, I don't think Murray's seat is all that hot. Might be warming up, but I don't think he's in the "judge after a quarter of a season" boiling kettle. If we're sitting around 82 points again next season after whiffing on upgrading the blue line, then all bets are off. The only way I see his job being on the line early next year is if Pegula wants a new coach but Murray goes to bat for Bylsma. I don't see that as likely though.

I was thinking along these lines, or that Luke implements the Sith-like rule of two. Basically I think Luke has come to the conclusion that the force demands balance, not purely light side dominance. And if they go with a Kylo Ren redemption arc, I'll be furious. Okay, I don't care enough to be that mad, but it'd be dumb.

Yup. But by the middle of next week, I expect the hammer to drop.

I remember reading a bunch of Leafs fans panicking when they acquired Boyle because they knew Babcock would play him too much :lol:

Canvas > Blackboard.

I'm not really in the mood to litigate his Pittsburgh days, but I'm perfectly comfortable saying he's garbage now. Dan Bylsma is a bad coach. His system is dated and doesn't work in general, it doesn't fit the roster in particular anyway, and he doesn't have the respect of the room. If that's not a bad coach, I don't know what is.

You can't just buy out every contract you don't like. Sure Gorges could save us a few million this year, but then it costs us a few million next year when Eichel, Reinhart, and Kane are all due raises. It doesn't make sense. Moulson's buyout makes even less sense because it only saves a million next year when we really need it, at the expense of two more years of a hit. And let's not forget we're paying Cody Hodgson for awhile longer. Are you really jonesing for $5 million in dead money?