DarthEbriate

That's my thought as well. Koivu and Staal are both going in the next couple years (if Koivu doesn't retire outright before next season, he'd be staying on on 1-year offers from here on out). Steady all around center? That screams Wild. Well, no, not wild exactly. But it absolutely reeks of Minnesota.

RE: Sanderson at 8. We could take him if we're moving Montour/Risto, or if Johnson being the previous GM's guy and is therefore being moved in a package deal as he'd be made redundant. But more appropriately, you consider Sanderson for the leverage of a draft-day trade. Sanderson wouldn't get past Winnipeg is my guess. There are teams who would look to trade up to get one of the top two D-men in the draft. You look for the team that believes Sanderson is the next Heiskanen and if the offer is right, you entertain them and push for more. And if Winnipeg really likes Sanderson and fears the Wild also likes him, maybe it's a simple swap of 8 for 10 + whatever. Unlimited power! (of possibilities.)

So... a franchise tank salesperson peddling tanks to teams.... Friends... you're driving the wrong vehicle! You need safety for your family! You need style for you mid-life crisis! You need all-terrain capabilities for your weekend jaunts into the hills. Friends... you need a tank! Nothing safer. It performs great in collision testing with other midsize sedans! Mid-life crisis? Solve it with a 120 mm cannon! All wheel drive? Hah, you want yourself some treads. ....Is what that guy who wants to tank longer would say. Myself, I'd take the AT-AT. I'm down to take Jarvis/Quinn at 8, I want the person who shoots, scores, and repeats. If trading down closely (10-12) then it's whoever is left and that's where I entertain a Lundell (i.e.: the safer pick), although I think he'll be gone with MIN or WPG.

Agreed. Management overreacted to an end-of-year locker cleanout interview instead of remaining calm, at peace, and passive. Nearly all players are despondent at the end of a losing season; they care, they want to win. It's even worse if they're seen as the leader and best player on the team because it's on their shoulders. They need time to recharge. The offseason has a draft (hope future), free agency (hope now), and plenty of time (healing), and constantly revs up the hype engine. Maybe management makes a coaching change (not that particular offseason, but a possibility), or they bring in Skinner for Pu, or win the lottery (they did! Dahlin!). Give the players a chance to regroup and reset. ROR would have. And this franchise would be in a better spot with him on the roster the last 2 seasons (of course, minus Cozens most likely).

Perhaps, but he was ridiculously good for half a season and long enough to win a Cup (and turn a potential top pick for us into #31). That's a good run even if it doesn't turn into a long career. And... no game sevens this round. Shucks. (Well, unless STL scores 4 in the next two minutes)

Isn't playoff hockey beautiful madness? There may be nothing better. Crack a beer, grab some wings or a pile of poutine, and let go. You must feel the Moulson Ehrhoff Playoffs flow through you. Hockey fans are we, not just Sabres fans. You must unlearn what you have learned with the Sabres. Then, only then, free to enjoy will you be.

I do have issues with that roster (namely: relying on a rookie 2C; relying on two rookies in Eichel/Reino in the top 6; playing Risto into the ground at 25min/game), but I have two contentions. First, the roster had absolutely been gutted to tank for the three previous seasons. This was a known rebuild and several pieces were transition-only (Franson, Colaicacovo). Second, that season remains our best season since the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season. Larry became Angry Larry that year and formed a solid 3rd with Foligno and Gionta (giving up the notion that he was a top 6 LW/C). The 4th line played its role. I’m also not worried about any of those players badmouthing the organization after leaving at this point. They’d been through 2-3 GMs, 2-4 coaches, and constant churns instead of a structured rebuild. And they weren’t winning. Of course they resent losing time here, they want to win and play meaningful hockey. I’d be more worried if ROR and Risto weren’t depressed by their time here.

Factor into 9 that Wilson became Warrener and a 5th that became Miller and that's a pretty nice return on Mogilny.

This is a great forum. The threads and discussions are nearly all well thought out and open. And rarely childish. The problem is the source material/team just grates on us over the years and it's the same discussions on repeat. There's still hope, always hope. All too easy.

Do harder or do not harder.

If Pittsburgh had been as disjointed against the Sabres as they were against the Habs, then maybe the Sabres would be enjoying some playtime with the Flyers. (Though I'd pick the Flyers in a series.) But let's not forget, the Habs had two 8-game losing streaks during the season, had sold off Kovalchuk and Scandella and whoever else at the deadline, and still had more points than the Sabres (2 in hand, sure) at the time the season was cut. The Sabres leadership had all the time in the world to get a Hutton replacement, or help when Olofsson got hurt (even in moving Skinner up), or to go get a rental 3C to play as 2C and did nothing. I won't lament what could have been in this instance; I save that for the times when the team had the potential of greatness.

Part of the old guard, I believe. Saving cash while no hockey was played and a chance for a fresh start with a focus on prospects.

You mean General Tagge? Admiral Motti? Or do you mean Grand Moff Tarkin? Pol Treidum? I... I'll just wait outside for a bit.

If he's USHL-aligned, then on a completely aside tangent I hope we draft the Gunnarwolfe Fontaine kid out of the USHL in whichever round is appropriate. I want all the best names.

Dare I say it? Jedi Academy Sabres University 2.0

This answers the question in that other thread... who is the Matt Ellis of NHL franchise Player Development Directors? That the answer is Matt Ellis is the Matt Ellisest answer. So you're saying that Matt Ellis is prophesied to bring balance to the Moulson?

There are three ways for GM Sheevyn to handle this: 1. You either qualify (or even sign an extension) with Montour and then go forward to next season -- and be willing to trade him for the right deal. That's the commonsense approach (let's call it the Veers). 2. You trade Montour before qualifying because you have an agreement in place with another GM and then he's theirs to do with as they wish (they may be looking to extend at a reasonable offer that Montour and his agent will like, rather than qualifying/bridging). It could even be part of the trade parameters because the other team wants some form of protection or expansion draft set up of their own. (let's call this the Piett.) 3. And then there's the Ozzel. Be as clumsy and as stupid as possible. Let Montour walk for nothing, only to watch him sign a 2-year, $3.5M deal, and get traded for a late 1st again.

-- You must let go (of prospects). + And sacrifice Mittelstadt? -- If you honor the roster goals: yes!

This is in line with everything the 'spacers have been saying for the last 2+ years. Get that 2C (or heck, a 1B if it were ROR), and all the rest of the forwards from this season fall nearly (not completely, but nearly) into place. Everything in it's right place. Risto on the 2nd pair; Bogo on a third; Johansson on a wing; and on and on. We'd still not be very deep and not a top-tier team, but we'd be trending upward nicely as Eichel/Reino/Dahlin start to escalate.

I'm altering the deal...

Merchandising! If there's anything I've learned in this universe it's the power of little plastic figures all manner of team-themed memorabilia for sale to the masses. And I'd like to see the goathead as a fourth. I'll bet we even use them in the playoffs (to great effect) because we'll be superstitious like that.

The most important development. More teams need to rejoin the home whites so that the fans in attendance can see the wave of colors from around the league. Overall -- these new threads look nice.

There goes the communications dish off the top of the Falcon.

Away from the Sabres' ECHL Cyclones. I listened to a couple clips: he's solid. And he describes the scene pretty well; he could do a combo radio/TV spot, if need be.

Old school ping pong ball-logo close-up shot!