[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

You know you can support the Bruins? There is no need for you to support the Sabres, no doubt they would be devastated, but i feel they would limp on.

 

The Sabres were always going to have a dodgy few years after you lose your two top players, we still made the playoffs twice! Kassian may have had off ice issues, beating a guy up in a pub is not the sign of a tough hockey player, it is the sign of an unhinged thug, perhaps he has off ice issues?

 

Kassian is not the next coming, he is just a hockey prospect, he is not someone you build a club around, he is a component. The bruins need Krejci, Chara and Bergeron more than him. Just like we need Coho (a young talented centre) more than we need Kassian.

 

As for development, i am not sure he is better of in Vancouver, he is playing on the 4th line, so all he is doing is developing his hitting ability, he has skill he should be developing that so when he cracks the NHL full time he can play on a top line and make a difference. 4th line hitters are a dime a dozen.

[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

What do you call reports from inside the team that they were actively shopping him since December? Their 20yo 1st round pick from 2 years ago. Sounds like giving up on to me. The fans seem to have a majority opinion that he wasn't what was advertised and don't mind seeing him go.

 

I would have much rather had them beg Calgary to give up Iginla and make Kassian the centerpiece of that package. Or use it as part of a Getzlaf deal. Both those teams were listening back then, then pulled everyone off the market.

 

You don't know they didn't try and get Getzlaf out of the duck? It could just be the ducks wanted Vanek, Armia and Kassian (look i can speculate as well)

Iginla was never going anywhere, nor should he unless he asks for a trade

[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

You just helped make my point.

 

The only 2 on that list who were original Sabres that were still young when they left "the system" are McArthur and Paille.

 

All the other guys were career Sabres, or had come to Buffalo as established vets...other than Briere, who is just as good in Philly. Lydman was a league leader in +/- when he left. Grier was Grier....Drury was the only guy who tanked, but he was well established before he got to Buffalo.

 

That's why this Kassian/gragnani deal is exciting to watch develop. The team gave up on them and shopped them, yet they are both only slightly tainted by Ruff. Gragnani has been around, but he played so smooth in the playoffs without having been coached by Lindy, that I am sure Vancouver took note of this and view this trade as a potential steal for them.

 

Are you aware how you are twisting things?

So Paille, who is a 4th line player, but who played on the 2nd and 3rd lines whilst with us, managed to get out of the system and has broken out into a good player? Macarthur i will agree has become a decent player. But one guy does not mean anything. Lindy's system didn't work for him, that doesn't mean it doesn't work.

 

The other players who were established when they came to Buffalo and had their best season's here proves that Lindy is a bad coach, might need some help understanding that logic?

 

Briere has not been as good. Not to mention he plays on the second line, against players who are not as good compared to who he played against when here. You forget all the other players i mentioned and pick on Lydman (who btw plays on the 3rd pairing)

[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

Not that many players have had better seasons than they have with the sabres?

 

Drury - No

Grier - No

Briere - No

Afinogenov - Match his season high, but took more games to do it and played on the top line, the previous two seasons he had been horrible - he never had any ability to play defence. He no longer plays in the league. But i presume people will have their cake and eat it to by saying the players who have their best season after leaving Lindy have them due to being away from his suppressive regime, which I have on good authority is the envy of 1942 Germany; and players who fail after leaving Lindy, fail because he had his mitts on them for too long. To put it in simple terms, that is circular logic.

Kotalik - No

Campbell - Didn't do that well with the blackhawks, probably the coaches fault, maybe the GM, now he is having a great season with the panthers, weirdly with the same GM, so almost definitely the coaches fault.

Connolly - No

Kalinin - No

Macarthur - Yes, but there was no room on this team for him, no dissimilar to why Coho should have a 'break out season' with us

Tallinder - I'm not sure, probably not better than with Myers, certainly not a much better player at the very least - no break out

 

Lydman - Same as Tallinder

Spacek - No

Paille - No real room for him, he plays the 4th line of the Bruins

[Good whisky/whiskey]

I am eighteen years old and I live in WNY, so I don't really drink. I've occasionally tried to enjoy different kinds of beers and liquors, but never with success. Next year, I'm going to be a college freshman and it looks like I'm going to McGill University (hopefully). The drinking age in Montreal is 18, so I want to start learning to enjoy alcohol the right way. I humbly ask advice on how to start drinking alcohol and enjoying it.

 

Few tips from a student (i am from the UK, but i presume student life is similar all over):

1) Get used to cheaper stuff, whilst it is nice and a treat to use a named brand, supermarket's own is the standard stuff we lash on

2) Get used to wine, it is cheap for what is does for £5 (like $8?) you can get a drinkable bottle and it will do the job nicely

3) Fanta fruit twist is an amazing mixer for getting drunk, you can't taste the alcohol

4) Ginger ale and whiskey is a delicious drink, though i would not pre-drink on it as i actually like the taste

5) Student moderation is different from normal person moderation, after you have thrown up you learn the line pretty quickly (unless you are one of those weird people who can continue to party after throwing up)

 

In other news, I really like Dalmore 12 year old single malt. It has a sort of honey taste and is yummy

[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

Gaustad for a first was exciting.

 

If the Sabres would have given up a Stafford for Hodgson I would be ecstatic. Kassian represents so much of what this franchise is missing. I have real concerns for Foligno and McNabb going forward. Do they really have a future here in Buffalo or will they eventually be shipped out because they don't fit the Status Quo mold? It's a valid concern.

 

They have a future here if they cannot be sold for a product that is better/more urgently required. It is that simple. We are not the leafs and we are not the bruins; Lindy's system is not a heavy hitting one, this doesn't matter - if they play his system and hit that is fine, if they just want to hit and slow the game down then we have no need for them in this team. However, based on what i have seen of their game, they will fit in fine.

 

Hell, the Bruins should not even be the champs. There was a reason Vancouver burnt the night they lost and it was because of their overpayed goalie. Detroit, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Vancouver play a skilled system based around the centre position. I would rather emulate them than the Bruins. And yes, Vancouver traded for Kassian despite this, however, when you have a glut of centre you can afford and need to trade for the final piece - which they HOPE is Kassian.

 

Everyone would be happier if we traded Stafford for Hodgson. Why is this relevant? I would have been even happier if had traded Kotalik for Hodgson! They wanted Kassian, they got Kassian, they gave up a lot to get him.

[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

I think the folks in TSC (sorry but that is lame, just saying) fail to appreciate two things:

 

1) There is something called enjoying the moment

2) We have not 'forgiven' Darcy

 

As for point one, people are excited something happened, especially when it did not seem likely, he got a damn good prospect out of it and gave up a lot to get him. It is exciting, trades are exciting, that is what is getting people chatting. This brings me onto the second point, which is that you seem to think that because we are excited about getting hodgson that we now think we are a cup contender? That is moronic. We are on our ways to being one, Darcy's job is not done, no-one thinks it is. I expect a hell of a lot of movement on draft day.

 

As for people talking about rebuild mode: TP might have refused to allow a full rebuild - i know if i was spending ###### loads of money on Leino, Vanek, Myers etc. i would not want someone asking for me to shell it out for nothing.

[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

Right now Cody should have mixed feelings because he will get more ice time, but at the cost of a shot at the cup.

 

Kassian should be every happy. He has pretty much been told he will get NHL ice time and he gets a shot at the cup.

[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

I really wanted us to draft Hodgie in 08, now he is hear, i am psyched.

 

Ennis

Vanek

Leino

Adam

Stafford

Roy

Gerbe

Hodgie

'Boyes'

'Hecht'

 

That list could use some trimming, which gives us some chips to play with (along with our extra draft picks). We can pick up a solid few players and i am hoping for a Leino rebound season next year, which would help.

 

First positive thing that has happened all season :)

 

That

[Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson]

I think i like this. I agree with other people on the fact that size is easier to add than top centres. I think with more playing time he will blossom. He is also a good 2-way player (which is something i like)

 

I don't care about MAG, glad he is gone, never liked him.

 

Ennis/Hodgie/Adam gives us a nice young core all from the same draft. I also wanna resign Goose.