DarthEbriate

Rich Stadium capacity 72,000. Tim Hortons Field capacity 24,000. They'll need to set the ticket value 3x higher to turn the same profit, especially since they'll need to rent THF instead of just using their own Bills Stadium. I wonder when we'll see what other compensation the Pegulas are getting to go to Hamilton. Now, if they absolutely need an outdoor game with Toronto, how about a home-and-home at THF? And then the next season a home-and-home at Ralph Wilson Stadium? It seems wasteful to go through all the setup to only use the rink for 1 NHL game. Or set it up and then host a few games for a week in your NFL stadium against some division rivals. Then the next season, go do the same thing in Boston, then Toronto, etc. Just roll it around the northern end of the division in February.

Rodgers doesn't have to listen to anyone. It's fine. He's very cognizant of peoples' perception and his reputation. He'll play this year in GB, then get dealt for some picks and play elsewhere next year when the cap hit isn't crippling. That's not good or bad. This year, he'll play his heart out. And if the defense shows up (and doesn't fold or slide after making an interception with 4 minutes to go) they'll be contenders.

I'm a Packers fan and we are absolutely contenders because of the offense as long as Rodgers' clavicles and hammys stay strong. Get a win in the division, win 1 playoff game and let's see where it goes. The Bills are also contenders. Anyone who says otherwise is being purposefully contrarian for the effect. The Bills' offense is dynamite, the defense is solid. They may be the most well-rounded team in the AFC. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's preseason game. The Packers' 2nd string was even with the Jets starters. Then, the 3rd-4th started turning the ball over vs. the Jets' 2nd string in the 2nd half. I'm curious to see how the Packers' 2nd string does against the Bills starters (if Allen and Co. are truly going to play tomorrow) and backups. Note: A couple Packers' starters will play. Rookie center Myers is going to play a series or two. A couple other vets might work off some rust if they've been injured. But no name you really know will be dressed. Note:Note: Packers message boards are pathetic with the amount of foolishness, vitriol, and trolling. Oddly enough, the most reasoned NFL thread is also on the most reasoned hockey message board.

It's semantics at this point. We're not tanking; we've already tanked. We finished last and we're the worst team over the last 5 years and we're the worst team over the last 10 years. We aren't blowing up anything of value to plummet in the standings. Now --- if we get off to a great start, we could tank this season if we start selling off good or overachieving players in an effort to keep pace with... say... Arizona. (I mean, they signed Hutton. Dell is at least better than Hutton, right?) If we're 5 games better than Arizona and we trade Dahlin (our lone All-Star representative) for futures, then that would be tanking again.

To the OP: They'll definitely need a new 3rd jersey to increase revenue. Some new threads for "the next newest newer-than-next generation of the rebuild" to hype the lottery pick in the 2023 Entry Draft. To the more recent thread conversation of blocking. The problem management is creating is that the players we're losing because they aren't wanted here (a.k.a. didn't emphatically say they want to stay on for 5 more years of rebuild)... aren't blocking anyone. Until UPL is better than Linus, there's no blocking taking place. And when it does happen, then you can worry about moving Ullmark. Likewise, Reinhart isn't blocking anyone at either RW or C because he's solid at either position. In the offensive zone, no one on the roster is blocked by Eichel. Heck, Skinner keeps dropping to the 3rd/4th line every season, so he's not blocking anyone except financially. The GM's goal should be putting a roster together that is deep enough to raise hell line-by-line, survive injuries, and have roles for everyone. (And don't so massively overpay a player that they're unmovable.) Let the coach and the players sort out ice time via their own competition. You don't eliminate internal competition from your roster by getting rid of the better player today and bank solely on hope. It's up to the prospect to play to the level that there's no decision to be made. Play so that there is no conflict. That's not to say we haven't had some blockages in the past (Staal blocked Mitts once we saw Staal was done and Eichel was broken; Eakin blocked either Cozens/Asplund depending on time of year; Girgensons blocked Angry Larry at center for a season). But that's on the coach to sort those out in season, not the GM on the roadmap of a rebuild.

He’s more vaccine than man.

So... this is the year I break down and get one of those nice new sweaters? (and retire the black 19 Holzinger? Never!)

Y-wing

Execute Order... Sixty-One. That's right, if all goes according to plan, the Great Eichel Purge will take place in just five more transactions. That's on schedule to be before the season begins. Of course... his trade value is unlikely to be maxi-big before proving his health.

This thread is too strong for blasters credibility. 'Space Group, use your rumors and unverified Twitter handles. Bet the over on the poll. It might be our only chance of stopping them to get over 400 pages. (We'll one day look back at the reward of the Eichel trade being the threads we made along the way.)

^ This is my favorite response. I will add that Samson Reinhart will be fine (in the playoffs). He'll throw a check or two his first shift while everyone else doing the same, then settle into his usual good-vision, park-by-the-net and deflect-a-goal, game. Probably have a game-winning goal, probably lose defensive coverage badly on a goal, but overall be a net positive influence on a good Panthers roster in the opening round. I definitely don't see him folding or backing down come playoff time, just as he was often the only guy to stick up for Eichel when anyone took a run at him (as opposed to say, Casey Nelson). Don't know if his contributions will be enough to get by Tampa in the first round, but it would be enough to get by Toronto.

Karmanos filling out the AHL and ECHL lineups. Not in the Sabres pipeline, but uber-veteran-ECHLers Vaive and Schultz are returning to Cincinnati once more after the COVID-cancelled year. So there'll be a couple experienced folks down there to lead the way.

Absolutely he shows up. He has to pass or fail a physical, so he'll be at camp at least for a couple days. His trade value is nil until he plays and shows himself healthy, so he either gets surgery and LTIRs it, or he passes the physical and returns to the Sabres lineup with the goal of getting his trade value back where it should be. No sane GM would meet GMSheevyn's current demands for Jack's contract and upcoming NMC without seeing if he'll be capable of playing again. And Adams shouldn't lower his trade demands for Eichel. Jack Eichwalker can live out the Tank Sabres dream of the goalies before him: play well and get teleported off this rock.

It could also be argued that season was the last time we had a viable center spine where each player was a) an NHL-caliber center at the time, and b) playing in the right place for their development. 1-ROR, 2-Eichel, 3-Larsson, 4-Legwand. XHCDDB also put an end to the charade of Girgs at center over Angry Larry -- who would turn into a capable 4C the next few seasons when his wrist wasn't mangled.

Like the late '90s Sabres. I like it. That's good hockey. But with Anderson/Dell and a rushed UPL instead of Hasek. Oh. Hmmmm.

It was during a WSH game this season (or the end of 2019-20?) where the camera showed Peca up in the boxes for the Caps and we lamented in-thread, "It'd be nice to have him be a player dev guy in our organization instead of the flim-flammin' Capitals". Well, lament no further! ... at least... lament no further regarding Peca in the organization... Other topics are open to the lamentations of the 'Spacers.

'Lach, you were right about me this. Tell your sister 'Spacers, you were right.

^ Clearly this requires a punishment. How about their most recent 1st round pick must be placed on waivers for any team to claim? That seems just.

It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. In my head canon, GM Adams staged a 10-year coup to become Emperor of the Buffalo Sabres, akin to Senator Palpatine's 10-year plan to go from senator to chancellor to Emperor in Star Wars. Palpatine's first name is Sheev. He's totally a Steve, but creepier. Skeevier, really. So therefore, Sheev/Kevyn = GM Sheevyn. They're playing the same role --- doing what they believe is right and taking the Sabres Republic into the dark times.

The good news if Eichel plays is that we don't need to overpay some scrubs to get to the salary floor. Instead, we can just let him play 1C, get PP points with Olofsson and Dahlin and hopefully stay healthy. He should be motivated to play well and get some other GMs to teleport him off this rock.

So the question is --- does the Pegulas' love of GM Sheevyn allow him sufficient time to do his long-term, slow-burn version of a rebuild --- or do they sour on him as well as he plays his cards as he sees fit, and they listen to the churn/noise from folks like us and national media and just axe him in a year or two anyway? That's what makes this a fascinating space soap opera.

Oh I agree it's likelihood of working is approximately 3,720 to 1. But this is the gonna be fun thread, so I figured I'd give it a shot. 🍺

Ritchie would be good. I'd also offer Cizikas a solid overpay on a 1-year deal with the promise that I'll retain the max 1/2 salary and deal him to a contender in the event we're not going to the playoffs. No NMC, but instead a handshake that I'll try to keep it to top teams. Just say I learned NMCs are bad from Hall last year. In the meantime, he gets to play middle six minutes instead of 4th line, and be looked up to by a young squad of centers.

Assuming someone else already made a bad joke is the Matt Ellis of making Matt Ellis jokes. I'm happy Bales is staying. I figured Girardi was going to remain as the bench D coach, but maybe he wants to be out of the spotlight another year or so and focus on development. Nothing alarming in any of the hires.

5-11, 182? That's not physically imposing enough to be a Prowse. Oh? Just a Prow, you say? Carry on, then. Carry on. Hope he can be a Zach Redmond type and provide Laaksonen some competition for being point on the power play.