DarthEbriate

And to be at the floor so you have flexibility in trades. As an example, if VO ends up getting traded at the deadline and the return is some top draft futures and a UFA with a bit less salary, you don't need to go find additional (unwanted) players/salary to get back to the floor.

Number nine! (meaning they're likely gone by 16) Jiricek RHD - Smuggler. https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jiri_Sools Savoie C - Force-sensitive human who is seduced by the dark side of the Concept. Lekkerimaki RW - A Mon Calamari crewmember on a Rebel starcruiser bridge. Mmmm, delicious calamari roll. Gauthier LW - An alien race-horse variant that trashes local gambling facilities at the slightest opportunity. Marty Biron is going to enjoy telling you about his odds in the next race during intermission reports. And then the Imperials... three of them! They're fun to target. Previous Imperials include: Dylan Cozens (2019), Seth Jarvis (2020), Brandt Clarke (2021) Nemec RHD - Imperial officer. Commander Nemet of the ISD Avenger said: "Captain Needa, the ship no longer appears on our scopes." Needa apologized. Kemell RW - Imperial admiral. He worked to cover up the destruction of Alderaan through misinformation. https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kemel_Trowe Nazar C - Imperial... ship! A Lambda class T-4a shuttle stolen during the Sepan Civil War. Total video game wildcard. https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Nazaar

In the #16 range... Yurov RW - The Yurov is a system, not a man. Located in the Outer Rim. Miroshnichenko LW - Unlike Yurov, Miro isn't a system, he is a man (well, a Piton). Like Yurov, Miro is also a system and also located in the Outer Rim. You've got to be pretty special to be both a system and a man (Piton). https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Miro_Daroon ; https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Miro_system Geekie C - A protocol droid Lambert C - A lightsaber-capable energy fruit. I'm not making this up. "Lambents were the fruits of a certain Yuuzhan Vong plant..." that can be used as "communication crystals or light sources" and in one case "[Anakin] Solo used a personally-harvested lambent as a lightsaber crystal." https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lambent Kasper C - A Ghost, if you will. A modified VCX-100 light freighter. Infinite possibilities and storylines and a drunken, ornery astromech. Ohgren C - An antagonist for the Ewoks on Endor. Did you know ogres are a thing in Star Wars (Legends)? I didn't, either. https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ogre Korchinski LHD - Probably a senator. Probably from a core system. Mintyukov LHD - Itchy, Chewie, Lumpy... Minty. A wookiee nickname if ever one there was. Let the wookiee win! Mateychuk LHD - Matey like Minty? No, not a wookiee. A weapon associated with Bothans. He's probably a spy. Lian Bichsel LHD -- Smuggler Kulich C -- An asteroid belt in the Inner Rim McGroarty RW - "Yes, I'll bet you have." "Mc Groarty!" A blaster bolt ensues. (Or more than one. Who's keeping track anymore?)

We're less than a month until the draft. Final rankings lists are being locked. It's time for the 2022 edition of the all-important-useless-Star-Wars-reference/character-based-on-player-name draft rankings: 2022 edition. I didn't want to hijack a real thread with my nonsense, so head to this Sabrespace for the real-world discussion. Last year, the Sabres drafted #1 and took the best Star Wars name/reference on the board and probably ever: Uncle Owen Unlimited Power. (At least, until they draft this guy in a couple years.) Three firsts this draft so I'm splitting it into tiers of who could still be available at each selection. In some cases (Nemec/Jiricek) they're likely to already be off the board, but I'm including their names anyway. Note: The sequence of players is in order for groupings and humor (Miro after Yurov), it has no bearing on order of preference within the tiers. Let me know if you need another player researched. Maybe available at #28... Luca Del Bel Belluz C -- "I'm Luca Del Bel Belluz I'm here to rescue you." = You're who? = "I'm Luca Del Bel Belluz." Del is a common name on wookiepedia. Both Del and Bel are clone troopers. Altogether, the most unlikely clone trooper name in the galaxy. Snuggerud RW -- A Snaggletooth! So old-school Star Warsy it just feels right. Chesley RHD -- Moisture farmer. Howard LW -- Luke: What's a duck? Google it. Mesar RW -- Gungan. Agile, quick, jumps really high and flips. Meesa goin' score goals! Jagger Firkus RW -- Perfect Star Wars name. Not a JAG. Total smuggler/gambler/scum pilot of a trash-heap ship that has tons of speed and secret compartments. And you know I play a mean guitar mindharp. Rinzel RHD -- I'll be the first to say it: "Rinzel will be fine." A cantina proprietor. Deeper dive shows that rinzefruit is a type of produce. Hutson LHD -- Part of the crimelord syndicate... Soon you will learn to appreciate him. Whoa-ho-ho! Pickering LHD -- System in the Mid Rim. And another Uncle Owen as a bonus. Ostlund C -- Imperial officer. 2 Osteds are Imperial navy officers! Amazing. Alater and Wermis! https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Osted_Alater ; https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Osted_Wermis Hävelid RHD -- Imperial ship or Imperial (m)officer (moff) https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Havelon ; https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Haveland Beck C -- Rebel pilot's first name. There's totally a Beck Iceslider out there. Cruz Lucius -- C'mon! The parents named their kids Chaz and Cruz? Anyway, Rebel pilot. He yells something like "I've got the shot!" as the path opens to a direct lane to launch proton torpedoes at the ISD shield generator, followed quickly by "Oh no!" as a wave of TIE Interceptors appear and blast him. Cruz disappears in a fireball. Pretty much the most awesome role to have in a movie. Cool helmet. 1 or 2 lines of dialog. He's the Grizz Frix of this draft! A lifetime on the autograph circuit as the "Oh no! Guy".

For the goalies this contract has no bearing... Bishop isn't blocking either Portillo or Levi. Either of them still has an open path to AHL playing time and perhaps the quickest road to an NHL gig in the entire league for a goalie prospect. They'd all have to sign ELCs here or anywhere regardless. As for enticing UFAs, this deal is fine. There's still plenty of money to overpay anyone.

Maybe just a simple bit of cleanup before they start inking their extensions. Robertson and Oettinger have earned long-term deals if Dallas is willing to lock them up. Honestly, that could kill most of their cap surplus right there. If they want to re-sign Klingberg... he'll get a solid vet contract.

Ah yes. I had a line through the table's row and everything and simply didn't read it. <tip of the cap> Thanks

We must never, ever let JBott live this down. Ever. This is the 2018 BUF 6th (156OA) to Toronto for 2019 TOR 6th (177OV). Traded 1:1 back and down... because clearly the Sabres were going to finish ahead of Toronto in the 2018-19 season standings. Because we'd just hired Coach Krueger. Ultimately, the TOR 6th was packaged with BUF 7th to trade up into the 5th for Cederqvist so the jury is still out.

We're now up to 2 5ths, 2 6ths, and 2 7ths. That's an easy two overagers to restock the Amerks, two collegiate-bound players to see if maybe they can become something (Malone, Weissbach, Willman), and two overseas single-skill (elite shot) lottery picks (Possler, Olofsson) who might someday become something. And maybe 2 of these players are goalies (Miller, Petersen).

Another draft pick simply for staying close to cap-compliant. Dallas is going to be kicking themselves when Jakub Konecny (for Taylor Fedun) and this pick turn into the next Gaustad and Olofsson and help the Sabres win the Cup in game 4 in Dallas in 2027 (defending their 2026 Cup where they won in game 4 on home ice, obviously).

We do it for ... a pick? A 1st maybe? from Dallas (ala Toronto paying a 1st to move Marleau) so that Dallas can sign extensions for Oettinger and Robertson now and not have any worries about the future cornerstones of their team.

I wonder if this was the part of the 3-way trade on deadline day that the 2 primary teams just couldn't get together on... and now it's beginning with Bishop news moving? But of course, Bishop didn't play two years ago and played 1 AHL game last season. The Stars are giving the Sabres something extra for this. Dallas needs all the money it can clear for Robertson's new deal.

Is there a Lesser Buffalo Sports HOF?

What kind of talk is that? To hell with Boston. And all its professional sports teams. And any willing UFA who signs with any of them. They had their chance. Now it's time for them to be has-beens and hacks for another 30 years.

^ this. There are too many perennial playoff teams (or teams who consider themselves perennial playoff teams, one of whom we'll soon be replacing in said playoffs) between 16 and 27 that would be happy to take a flier on a player with his potential. He was a top-5 pick before his diagnosis. Playoff teams give away a late 1st for a playoff rental, they'll be more than happy to nab someone who might join an ELC in a couple seasons and be inserted into their top 6 as their current playoff-caliber players price themselves out of the core. WAS, PIT, STL, MIN, TOR... I doubt he makes it through that gauntlet if the medical records look hopeful.

Loving the conversation in this thread. Now to take it slightly off the rails.... Based on who you've historically really liked (e.g., Jarvis) and those correlations (Jarvis = Imperial officer) and based on my research for my all-important "Star Wars reference" rankings (now there's a teaser!)... I'm really starting to pump up Nazar or Kemell at #9. If Nazar and Kemell are available at 9, whom do your senses and [edit: much more hockey- and stats-based real-world] research tell you to select?

I find it hard to blame Cassidy for losing all the road games to a 116-point 1st seed Carolina team in the opening round of the playoffs (even if Ullmark wasn't great in the first 2 games.) Carolina continued to win all their games at home until game 7 against the Rangers & Shesterkin.

Hall + Krueger = miss the playoffs + lottery win = Bedard. Oh! And trade for Eichel this offseason before his NMC kicks in while everyone else is on LTIR. Then LTIR Eichel down the stretch. This is the way.

But in the end, his play did match his contract. Ullmark started the season cold and we all rightfully chortled. But he warmed up and played really solidly. Ullmark also had 2 garbage playoff starts and then Swayman (who started hot, then cooled dramatically, then finished hot) carried them to the next round, so that's some recency bias. [Edit: My bad, Carolina closed out Boston in 7. So Swayman won his home starts.] Here are the regular season numbers: Ullmark 41 GP, .917sv%; Swayman 41 GP, .914sv% It can be argued as a bad contract for the Bruins, but Swayman has one more season and then RFA (where he can be bridged), so is Ullmark really blocking him? If Swayman improves and outplays Ullmark, it's win-win for the Bruins. Ullmark also finished T-9th in the NHL with that .917, where overall goaltending save percentages were lower than normal. 6th .919 Jarry, Husso; 8th .918 Saros; 9th: Ullmark, Forsberg, Stolarz; 12th .916 Vasilevskiy. Ullmark's a good and adequately compensated goalie. By comparison: Anderson 31 GP, .897sv%; Tokarski 29 GP, .899sv% We all loved Anderson and how the team played well better with him. In particular you could see (and hear, depending the broadcast) how well he communicated and directed his young defensemen. But if Anderson had saved .917 instead of .897, he'd have given up 18 fewer goals in his 31 games. That's worth several points in the standings and we're likely drafting 12th-13th right with the Isles/BJs. [Yes, yes, Boston is more solid defensively. But Ullmark rocked a steadily-improving career .912 in Buffalo, regardless of the different coaches/systems and poorer talent/possession in place before him.] The danger was always his injury-history with the 2 previous seasons being shortened by his knees. Any veteran starter in his prime is going to make $5M/year or more -- that was the going rate last summer. Whichever quality veteran starter (not Anderson, not an RFA on a trade/bridge, not a backup's contract) that GM Sheevyn signs this summer is going to make at least $5. We (and Adams) might want less term than the 5 years Ullmark signed, but who exactly would he be blocking? UPL hasn't proven anything and there's no one signed in the pipeline.

With hindsight it looks like Drury's done quite the job (an ECF appearance and Hasek-level goaltending will have that effect). I'm not accustomed to doing Rangers research and it feels a bit gross, but let's delve into the timeline anyway! 5/5/21 - Drury hired/promoted as GM [groomed as AGM for years] 6/16/21 - Hires Gerard Gallant as head coach. [Good call] 7/17 & 7/22/21 - acquires F Goodrow from TB for a 2022 NYR 7th. Goodrow is set to be UFA, but on 7/22 extends 6x$3.6M [this is a magnificent move for playoff contributor, though some might worry on the term]. Also trades F Howden to SJ for DiSimone and a pick. 7/21/21 - F Dryden Hunt 2x$762k [grit... ] 7/23/21 - Buys out D Anthony DeAngelo. [GM Gorton waived DeAngelo during the previous season for incident with G Georgiev. Per article, this was not isolated: "Gorton said waiving DeAngelo was the result of a culmination of incidents this season that was becoming a distraction, including the way the defenseman reacted to being scratched." From <https://www.nhl.com/news/tony-deangelo-of-new-york-rangers-clears-waivers/c-320927558>. Drury follows through on the buyout and getting rid of a rotten, if talented, piece.] 7/23/21 - Trades F Buchnevich to STL for F Blais and a 2022 2nd. [No indication of not liking the player/dressing room aspect here, simply clearing a player they can't extend with Fox's extension kicking in and other offseason extensions to be made. No one generally agrees with return... didn't get enough for a good offensive player.] 7/23-24/2021 NHL DRAFT: 1-16 LW Othmann (OHL), 3-65 C Grubbe (WHL), 3-75 C Korczak (WHL) [I didn't research the picks any further] 7/28/21 - Signs F Greg McKegg 1x$750k [more grit...] 7/28/21 - D Patrik Nemeth 3x$2.5M (M-NTC) [more and more grit... this "Tom Wilson fear" is getting ridiculous... who is going to score for this team now that Buchnevich is gone? Is Chris Kreider going to put up 50??? Getouttahere!] 7/29/21 - Trades 2022 3rd to VGK for F Ryan Reaves (then extended through 22-23 season at $1.75M (same as his acquired contract). [This is absurd and GM Drury is a laughing stock for his fear of Wilson and simply trying to be tougher to play against. No one can take the Rangers seriously.] Summer extensions: F Chytil (2-year bridge); D Lindgren (3 year); G Shesterkin (4x$5.6M), Zibanejad (8x$8.5M), Fox (7x$9.5M) [Can't argue with any of those in hindsight.] [And then Kreider goes off the hook and Shesterkin goes from .916 in 35 games (and some Calder votes, after super-hot "unsustainable" intro season of .932 in 12 games) to .935 in 53 games. Here's where [edit: Drury] really makes hay... the 2022 trade deadline acquisitions that essentially chase all of the offseason "grit" players out of the lineup except for Reaves, who is skating <10 min/game, [edit: and move the kids (LaFreniere/Kaako) into their proper positions in the lineup.]] 3/16/22 Acquires F Frank Vatrano from FLA for a 2022 4th 3/21/22 Acquires D Justin Braun from PHI for a 2023 3rd 3/21/22 Acquires F Nick Merkley from SJ for D Anthony Bitetto 3/21/22 Acquires F Andrew Copp and 2023 6th from WPG for Morgan Barron, 2022 1st (it was conditional 1st/2nd and conditions are met to bump it to a 1st this year - NYR won 2 playoff rounds), 2022 or 2023 2nd (WPG's choice), and a 2023 5th 3/21/22 - Acquires F Tyler Motte from VAN for a 2023 4th 52-24-6 (110 points), 2nd in Metropolitan [They've got home-ice advantage against TB's (matching 110 points but only 51 wins) in the ECF. All-in-all a really good first year as GM.]

Redford would've made a good Jedi. Also, we might just have a fun conclusion to the series in the East. Palat being playoff Palat.

Oh yes, definitely higher skill than Zemgus. But he's got that similar (locomotive?) engine that I think ends up being a solid complementary player to fill out a mid-6 role for a nice 10-year career. Though I think we'd all prefer him at 16 to 9.

That 14-15 season, wow... My "it couldn't be him, could it?" guess finished third in scoring. But the player who finished second in scoring makes perfect sense in hindsight.

I dig Kasper. The Athletic's Pronman has Kasper rated #9. Based on podcasts and not the linked article, Kasper is in top 10 not because of what Pronman thinks but because of how his contacts in the league are talking. I'm looking at who is drafting 8 and 9 and their needs --- Detroit, Buffalo. They need/crave 200-ft centers who can be a part of a young core and play the high-energy, attacking style, and basically could be plug-and-play contributors in 2023-24 (not this next 22-23 season) like an Anton Lundell. Like you, I really wish he'd be there at 16, but I'm feeling he's an Yzerman or Adams style guy. He's a Zemgus that I see as a center, not a wing. Looking close at Detroit -- they've taken a boatload of D with their rebuild picks, including sneaky good high picks on Seider (several picks higher than expected) and Edvinsson (maybe 2-3 picks higher than expected). But more to the point, they've stockpiled on recent 2nd-rounders on D. At #8, if they do sneak in a D-man that's down the ladder a bit, I could see them looking at Bichsel. Feels like a reach, but with the track record on Seider and Edvinsson, it's hard to argue with any D they take. However, Detroit needs forwards in their pipeline, particularly 2-way centers.

Bergeron status unknown. Marchand out through November. Grzelcyk out to start the season. And now add McAvoy to be out through the first half of the season (6 months https://theathletic.com/news/bruins-charlie-mcavoy-shoulder-out/WRlnWpBcZxLP/ ) with shoulder surgery. They can definitely sign a bunch of folks and LTIR these guys, but then they run the risk of having to move big contracts out to reactivate these players. And... it's one thing for a loaded TB team to lose Kucherov all season and make the playoffs. It's quite another if Bergeron retires and Marchand and McAvoy are out for half the season in a division with TB, TOR, and FLA already locking up the top 3 spots. VGK is now the cautionary tale. Maybe Boston is fine with a mini-tank season and count on Hall to win them the lottery... but I don't believe for a second they'll be bad enough to compete with the teams that will be for-real tanking hard for Bedard. Edit: But for the Sabres (and Wings/Sens/Habs too, I guess)... there's a 4th spot open in the Atlantic... if you can also stay ahead of a wild card Isles/Caps/Jackets squad.