DarthEbriate

Seattle has an exclusive window to sign any UFA just before they select their expansion folks. If they elect to sign that player, that's their pick from the team. Here's a good explanation with a timeline (coincidently, Taylor Hall is used as the example): https://soundofhockey.com/2020/11/12/breaking-down-the-seattle-kraken-nhl-expansion-draft-rules/ But after the draft, Seattle can sign any UFAs who are still out there when true league-wide free agency begins after the draft. The problem there is competition drives up the costs. And you're right -- Seattle can do all of those things. It's why Vegas didn't sign any UFAs as their picks that I can recall. EDIT: They did... per the article linked above. And it's complicated**. It's not as good a use of the system. It's better to pick Borgen for free, then also go get Ullmark a couple weeks later. ** the complicated addition --- VGK did pick UFA Chris Thorburn from Winnipeg, but it was part of a trade deal to stay away from other available players. Thorburn didn't sign with VGK and instead played 50 games that season with STL. Then -- from wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_NHL_Expansion_Draft "The Winnipeg Jets traded their first-round pick (13th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Vegas selecting Chris Thorburn and Columbus' first-round pick (24th overall) in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft (previously acquired by Vegas)."

No -- Seattle won't touch our forwards unless they just sign Hall as a UFA. The alternate is Seattle signs Ullmark as UFA. If Seattle elects to use the pick: Borgen/Joker is the dilemma on our side. Borgen can't prove anything if he doesn't play and just rides taxi squad behind Irwin all year. And yes, Joker has been brutal this season, but he's also a good breakout pass, is still super-young, and has potential. We've seen him look really solid with Scandella and Chicago/Quennville saw him look really solid for half a season, too, until Quenneville got fired. He's a verified NHLer and only 21 years old.

That would be slick. When Sheahen was signed it, along with Irwin/Davidson, it seemed perfect that those guys would be on the taxi squad and providing rest days for whenever Cozens/Thompson or Okposo or whomever needed a day off. And any kids who didn't make the big squad would get to go to Rochester and play tons of minutes and PP/PK. But that's not happening. Mitts, Thompson, Asplund, Cozens -- one should be up and the rest in the AHL. Instead, we're not seeing any growth for them. What good is watching this from the press box? If Borgen isn't our #6, let him be #1 with Bryson and play 24 minutes a night with all those AHL rookie D guys.

Definitely, but I think they'll protect Risto, Dahlin, and Joker over Borgen. All have higher offensive upside. They could protect 4F and 4D, but since one of the forwards protected has to be Skinner, I think they'll stick to just three defensemen.

To quote Uncle (Owen) Lars: that's what I'm afraid of. edit/clarification on who this mysterious uncle is.

The hope that Seattle forgets that Borgen exists when it comes time for the expansion draft?

Ray is not going anywhere. He's who we are getting. The question is... how soon do we lose Biron to a national gig or another franchise? Because Marty is solid and has charisma.

Beginning Thursday, the Sabres play 7 games in 10 days. That should be exciting. That should be "wizard". Hey Pegulas ... sadly, it isn't that exciting. I might elect to watch the prequels instead. Or another earlier Star War I've seen hundreds of times. They're more interesting.

That's just it, isn't it? The Isles play a counter game, letting you make mistakes and knowing they won't. They're happy to get a loser point if they don't win. The Caps play to bury you. Both styles are successful over an 82-game (or 56-game) schedule. The Caps are wholly capable of burying us whether or not Ovie and other hotel-room-hangout-players are in the lineup.

Joker has solid last year. This year he looks drunker than... well... than Ebriates.

The 4 on 1 was sad. But sadder was Eakin blowing past Reinhart like he was skating the opposite direction. Okposo... why are you delaying at the blue line when no one is near you? That offsides is not on Rieder. Since the Olofsson goal is off the board... chances of a shutout are about 99.9%. 3-0 with an ENG?

Zero. One. Zero. We... Want one, again! Am I doing that right?

That's not so beautiful. Why are you half a foot offsides... Mr. Captain? On the powerplay... no less.

Olofsson and the PP is this team's only offense. Which... is kinda sad. But yes, that was beautiful.

But why wait? They signed a forward to a 1-year $8M contract in a season with limited income. Ownership clearly said "playoffs". Why are they waiting 50 minutes to begin to attack with any passion?

Big stop on Reinhart... but thankfully we didn't give up the transition goal off of it. We all know the Isles are well-coached and have bought-in... but the way they play you should also bury them in shots every game and attack them until they just simply fold. They're the '90s Sabres... get caved in shots and possession metrics, but counter soooo well.

Do this all game! Just plain attack for once.

Olofsson? Just now. And Reinhart. Mayyybe Rieder/Sheahen?

Ah... my misinterpretation.

No. They don't just need that one. They need three. That's flawed thinking, Mr. Announcer Man.

Are they? There are a lot of veterans on this team who should be talking about pride and you only get so many chances in your career and whatnot. There's a football adage that the coach coaches the beginning of the year, but at some point the coach hands the season to the team. The team needs to take over in the next five games or this season is over. Where is our veteran leadership? Adams brought in vets in the offseason. When do they show up.

So... does any leadership get displayed this period? Whether in tenacity or attack or gumption and grit? Or is it merely a skate around the outside?

Wake up, Sabres! Someone do something. Borgen -- go get selfish and get in a fight. Someone show a spark!

Whoa! Hodgson to Stewart. Also on the ice - Grigs! And Benoit (balls) and Meszaros.