TrueBlueGED

It's entirely possible we've gone from a GM who couldn't evaluate defensemen to save his life to one who can't evaluate forwards to save his life.

We need a tax attorney. I know player residency can't get them out of state taxes while playing but I remember reading they could escape Canadian taxes based on residency. That was awhile ago though, so the details are fuzzy and/or incorrect.

Pretty sure he can just keep his residency in Florida and pay zero state tax since he's not playing any games.

Why? He was bad last year.

If there's a better of "we desperately need something to happen" than this particular exchange, I don't know what it is.

But "people" is the proper usage here, unlike the rectum it gets pulled from in other contexts. You keep talking about yourself personally, but I'm making a broader point. Edit: How many debates have there been (and will there continue to be) on this specific forum about the value of hitting? I'm quite comfortable using "people" here.

Where did I say anything about teamwork? There are people who prefer an overtly physical brand of hockey. Some of that is because they think it contributes to winning, some of it is simply entertainment. People who fall into either or both of those categories are going to like McCabe more than people who value other hockey traits more.

I played football and lacrosse in high school, never ice hockey (family couldn't afford it growing up) and nothing in college outside of some random rec league roller and floor hockey. So what?

Nope. And I'd venture that 99% of posters here haven't either. More to the point, people are mostly going to believe what they were socialized to believe. People are going to draw causal connections from their experiences. And so in. Just the way humans work. Doesn't make them right. The effects of socialization and personal experiences are why it's important to have a robust debate. But hey, feel free to reject perspectives from those with different experiences if that's your jam.

Ah yes, the "you didn't play, therefore you don't know" rebuttal. Some of the best coaches and GMs never played beyond college/junior, while some of the best players of all time have been lousy coaches and managers. I have no doubt that those who played have a better understanding of what players go through on the day to day, but that's quite a bit different than playing experience translating to actually knowing what produces wins.

He has more and better open-ice hits than the rest of the blue line. People who think those things genuinely contribute to winning are going to like him. I really don't think it's more complicated than that.

Columbus just lost Panarin, Duchene, and Dzingel. Why would they trade one of their few good forwards for two Dmen of questionable value when they have Jones and Werenski?

I dunno, if a GM shows to be clearly as in over his head as Fenton, I think cutting bait is better than letting more damage be done.

As soon as we signed Johansson, our ability to absorb Callahan's contract vanished anyway.

He definitely would as people would focus on his atrocious turnover or two per game instead of all the good stuff he does. Still, he would be a very nice upgrade on the left side and allow McCabe to play 3rd pair where he ideally belongs. My only concern with Gardiner, should he sign to $5M or so, is his back. Contract isn't without risk. That said... Scandella is toast if we add Gardiner. As gone as gone can be.

We need more players who can win pick battles. I don't think it matters one iota whether they win those puck battles with strength or with good stick work.

I'd go streaking through Columbus if this happened.

That was my first legitimate reaction. First major extension negotiated by Brisebois, first Tampa contract that looks less than team-friendly, to say the least.

I don't put stock in what they say publicly in the grand scheme of things, but I do think it's part of team likeability. Granted, a lot of fans eat up that kind of talk, but I think it's both an appeal to the lowest common denominator and not really representative of where Buffalo is (and has been) moving as a city. More importantly, their actions have matched their words with respect to team building. The way they built the team is very old school, and if it works nobody will care, but it's definitely not the way I wanted to see the team built.

I'll never understand putting stock into anything that happens before the regular season starts. When it comes to knowing anything about anything, NFL preseason is as valuable as observing a high school game. Personally, I find the continual "Buffalo weather" and "blue collar" tropes that McDermott spews every other word to be nauseating, and I continue to be terrified he's living in pre-2000 football. But to each their own.

Doesn't most trade talk originate from player agents? That's always been my impression anyway.

Did you read your own post? "The Sabres are going to have to move out..."

Call me crazy, but I think declassifying national security information for political purposes is a bad idea.

I'm 50/50 so I really can't commit for sure. But I am going to make every effort to get back.

This simply isn't true. Stop making it seem like money-in-money-out trades are impossibly rare.