mjd1001

I was making a point about message boards in general, which happens here on a rare occasion, but does happen a lot with the Bills forum. Not all the time, but most of the time I go out of my way (especially on the Bills side of things) to not say anything offensive, to not 'go at' anyone or demean their point. Yet often times, especially after a Bills loss, people are just full-speed-ahead with extreme comments that if you even slightly disagree with them you get attacked back. Again, happens here on occasion, happens there a lot, and I was making a general point about it.

I guess it makes sense to not read the forums for 24 hours after a loss....and I guess with this response I am going to complain myself. And I understand that the reason message boards exist is for people to say what they want...give their opinions...weather I or anyone else agree with it. I get that. Its just that some people seem to get so bent out of shape, i really don't understand the "They lost one game-the team is terrible-the coach should have been fired years ago-this team will never win again unless they do what I say-you better not challenge my opinion or I will respond to you with all the more hate and self righteousness than anyone has ever seen " type of attitude. I just don't get it.

I was responding directly to your post where you said "a year or two from the draft, where he was selected, outside of 1st rd picks" I kinda figured going up to 7 years was going to cover the yea or two that you mentioned, and I compared 'higher picks' to 6th and 7th rounders because you referenced the 05/06 Sabres and how many of those players were after the 2nd round. So, My view is for sure not to limited, unless you want to move the goal posts on your argument, which it appears you do. To me looking at things at least 10 years in the past or more...well, the NHL was different then. Player development was different then. Things were much different back then compared to how development is viewed now. But even if you do that...I looked at the 2000, 2001 and 2002 NHL draft now just to see what late round picks were and how they did....and I saw a total of 2 players (out of more than 250) that were taken in the last 3 rounds of all of those drafts who had an entire career where they scored even 100 goals...and those 3 guys were P.A Parenteau, Marek Svatos, and Matthew Lombardi...all of those barely had over 100 goals for their entire career and none were exactly difference makers. I agree later round picks are just throwaway picks, and I hope the Sabres can have players that can be impact players (you mentioned Olofsson, and he is a good example of this), but my point is that it sure does matter where a player was drafted. With equal development of a 'higher round' draft pick compared to someone taken at the back of the draft, you are much, much more likely to get a productive player with that middle to late 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round pick than you are with a later round guy.

Kozak will be interesting to watch, and I'm not going to say lower round draft picks cannot be good players or make the team, but the numbers show that where a player is drafted does have a lot to do with where they will end up being, at least in recent history decade: 2015 NHL Draft: 62% of players drafted in rounds 2-3 have played NHL games, 25% of players drafted in rounds 6-7 have. 2016 NHL Draft: 70% of players drafted in rounds 2-3 have played NHL games, 18% taken in rounds 6-7 have. 2017 NHL Draft: 55% of players drafted in rounds 2-3 have played NHL games, 15% taken in rounds 6-7 have. 2018 NHL Draft: 40% of players drafted in rounds 2-3 have played NHL games, 8% taken in rounds 6-7 have. Obviously as we get closer to 2022, the numbers keep trending lower. In addition to that, a total of 309 goals have been scored in the NHL by all players drafted in those years from 6-7 rounds, while over 1400 goals have been scored in the same years from players drafted in rounds 2-3. If you go back a decade, all the way to the 2012 NHL draft, only a total of 7 players picked have a career total of over 50 goals, and not one of them has reached 100 career goals.

The Bills lost. Players made mistakes. Injuries were a bigger issue than normal. Coaches made some bad decisions. It happens to every team, each and every week in the NFL. Did I like that the Bills lost? of course not. But the last 12-16 hours I have had a hard time reading the Bills forums. It is becoming harder and harder for me to read/engage in conversation where many posters want to place blame on 'their favorite place or topic' for a loss. They lost. They will lose again. The team that wins the superbowl will likely have a number of losses throughout the year. Leading up to the Sabres season, the Sabres are likely to be a LOT less successful than the Bills this year, but I'm looking forward to the Sabres season more. Why? When fans have such high expectations like they do for the Bills this year, then every loss, every bad QUARTER leads to non-stop whining and complaining by some fans that takes away the enjoyment from the season.

Agree, A bills wouldn't be wrong to look at this game in a similar way to the Buffalo/New England game in Orchard park last year in the wind storm. A lot of things happened (weather, injuries) that will not be the same going forward. It is a loss and it counts, just like New England beating the Bills last year.....but this loss isn't a good predictor of the future.

Girgs had .32ppg game last year. Take a look at this article: https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/analysis/2017/6/13/15759364/the-modern-4th-line-in-the-nhl-more-than-just-treading-water-analysis-fourth-line The point about production: The players examined here averaged 0.30 PPG, which pro-rates to 24.6 points over 82 games. These numbers aligned relatively well with a raw analysis of NHL scoring: the forwards ranking between 271st and 360th in the regular season points standings averaged 0.26 PPG (21.3 points over 82). Looking at the distribution: The bottom 25% produced between 0.00 and 0.19 PPG (0 to 15.6 points over 82) 26-50% produced between 0.20 and 0.28 PPG (16.4 to 23.0 points over 82) 51-75% produced between 0.29 and 0.42 PPG (23.8 to 34.4 points over 82) The top 25% were between 0.43 and 0.62 PPG (35.3 to 51.7 points over 82) So Girgs is slightly above average in terms of points, and it the 2nd out of 4 quarters (2nd highest) I haven't run all the stats but if you look at most NHL 4th liners he is even better ranked among those players in goals per 60 than he is in points. Add to that the fact that he is good at penalty killing, is a great locker room guy, and all the things I mentioned in my previous post, and I'm not sure he is as replaceable as some thing, or that there is a good reason to just expect he should be replaced.

That is where I disagree with you. He is better than that. As I said earlier, what I see, he isnt just a guy 'good enough' for penalty killing....to me is is good at it, which gives him a role on this team. Also, while not super productive, he is pretty good for a 4th liner at actually scoring. This team has had too many players on the 4th line since they have last been good, who just couldn't score at all over the last decade or so (Kaletta, Flynn, Deslaurier, Legwand, Larsson, and many others who played full seasons with 5 goals or less). While Zemgus isn't a first liner of course, he does score at a .5 goals 5v5 per 60 rate....which is in the same area as players like Oloffsson and Okposo over that same period. That isn't insignificant. I just don't see the hungry young guy who is going to play a role on the 4th line that will be better at penalty killing, better at scoring in that role, and will be so much better that you push a guy out like Zemgus who is also a team leader (as much as his position allows). Unless he suffers a major injury, I want him in this team for at least a few more years in his role.

You don't trade him. He is actually decent in terms of scoring 5v5 per 60. Every indication is he is a great locker room guy. And he doesn't just kill penalties, from what I can tell he is actually very, very good at it. He can fill in on a higher line for short periods of time in case you need him to due to injury, and he may not produce much there but he won't embarrass himself like other 4th liners do. You need a guy like that on your 4th line, so keep him.

On 590 radio out of Toronto a couple years ago (after he signed his current deal) there were some of their 'experts' talking about Matthews. They did no come to the conclusion that he would not stay in Toronto long term, but a lot of the things they brought up pointed that way. At the time he wasn't spending much time at all in Toronto in the offseason. They said he had a VERY close group of friends that were from Arizona where he grew up and he spends a lot of time with him. They said he loves his hometown and loves the desert. Again, they drew no conclusions, but it really REALLY sounded like, if the Coyotes were on the upswing he would want to play there for sure when his current deal is up, or anyplace in the US southwest at least (L.A., Arizona, Vegas, Dallas, etc. There is also some speculation out there (prosportsfanatics web sites, Coyotes fans social media) where they seem to be thinking he will be offered $16 million per year to 'come home' to AZ in 2024. Again, this was a couple years ago and things can change, but at the time it really sounded like hocky "in Toronto" was nothing more than a job until he had the ability to choose exactly where he wants to play.

I don't see how Philly has any chance of getting anywhere other than one of the worst teams in the league and worse than the Sabres. The only way I see the Sabres with less points than Philly is a combination of big time injuries in Buffalo, Philly having some unknown emerge into a star, AND a lot of luck on their part also.

To be honest, like reading others opinions on these prospects, but I don't follow the team enough to really have much of an opinion on them myself. 80% of my focus is on who will be on the Sabres this year, 15% on who will be in rochester...5% on every single other player drafted or under contract that will not be in Roch or Buffalo. Again, thanks to those who follow all these young guys and post their thoughts because its something I have a hard time following myself.

I am having more and more of a problem with that. VPNs solved a lot of issues in the past, but in the last 6-12 months, other than for security issues, I am finding them pretty much useless. Many services identify them as a VPN and block all access. Want to write a review using a VPN an it likely won't even show up. Want to stream content from out of the country...used to work with a VPN, MOST sites have them blocked now.

Darnell Nurse is one I don't get at all. Of course I know less about hockey than the players/execs/scouts, etc. But to me he seems to be rated so highly because he is paid well, he 'looks' the part of a great D-man (like Risto), and he as the raw skill/athletic ability. When I see him play though, I see a lot of what I do with Risto...out of position, one step behind the play in terms of decision making, etc. Again, maybe I'm missing a lot of what other see, but I think he is one of the most over-rated 'top' D-men in the league. He is very young, and he is rated a lot higher than Dahlin, but even when attempting to take off my 'Sabres fandom hat', I would not trade Dahlin for Nurse even if you throw in a top pick and a top prospect with him.

I have never been to the harborcenter for any kind of game even practice. I'm considering buying a ticket to one of the non-sabres games (hopefully can sit right up front) just to see what the experience is like.

Not quite sure why, but I'm just not into music anymore. As a kid/teenage, I was just as much as anyone else. Didn't drive a single mile in a car without something playing, anytime hanging out where I could I played something. Now, I just don't do it anymore. Background music is OK, but half the time in a vehicle I have nothing on at all, and I don't care for basically anything new (other than background music sometime) and the old stuff I used to like I'm not into either. I know, different than most people here, but thats the way it has become for me.

I have defended the Tage deal saying you need to look at the percentage of the cap hit at the mid-way point of the contract, so I guess that applies here to but I think this is an over-pay. Is he good? Yes. Very good, Yes. But I don't think he is an 8-10% of your cap guy. He has some highlights were he looks skilled beyond belief, but his production, while very good last year, isn't off the charts. I think his playoff performance is what got him this deal . I don't think it will be an awful deal, I just don't think he is a consistent 30-40 goal per season year after year, top line guy.

I agree with just about everything you said. No one really outside Buffalo has any reason to think they will be better and say so. Eventually, one of these years, they will. But there is no huge reason for anyone to make that prediction now. Personally I think this team will be better this coming season, but I have no expectations that most people outside of WNY will think so/predict so, and I hold nothing against them for that.

I have no inside knowledge at all, and we all hate to 'guess' but based on the info available I agree. It appears it might be something like a clot or a stroke, and maybe the reason there are few statements about her condition are her 'road back' might include some speech issues (which happen in a lot of those cases.)

I agree on the first part, never really understood the attention the royal family gets and what they stand for. Technically I DO 'understand' it, but I guess I don't agree with it. With that said, there are a lot of people that this means a lot to, so this is an important/sad day to so many.

Never said it cant wait...as a matter of fact in my post I said I understand the need for a new stadium first. The only point I was making is that newer amenities mean more to me in an arena than a stadium.

I guess the reason I think the amenities/Arena is more important for a hockey game/NBA game rather than an NFL game or baseball game might have to do with the fact many Football games are outside, NHL games are inside. If I'm at an event outdoors, I'm simply less concerned with the things around me other than the game. The 'building' means more for an indoor event.

Yankees roster is just so not balanced. I don't follow the team as much as I used to, but I have this impression that they sign a lot of 'older' guys coming off of career years that are unlikely to reproduce them, and don't use all their assets to really, REALLY fill out and develop a full 9 person lineup. A lot of 'quick fixes' and hoping guys aren't going to fall off of a cliff after just 1-2 good years. Judge isn't resigned obviously, and if he is signed to a long term deal, he is a big guy that isn't young anymore. That team may have a lot of tough rebuilding to do over the next 4-6 years if they want to be a WS contender year after year. I don't see it.

Agreed. That 'one' guy who is the designated fighter is rarely needed, and when he is on the ice he's usually not a good player. I am not a fan of fighting much anymore, at least as much as I used to be. But if you really, REALLY think you need that in your lineup, you better draft/develop a guy that has that as PART of his game that includes enough talent to be an everyday player.

The Sabres ARE getting a discount because he has only shown it for one year. If Tage was a 35-40 goal scorer for 2-3 years in a row and in his mid 20's, you would be seeing him get paid a lot more than he is now. Its about balancing risk. I know there is a chance he regresses, but what if he goes the other way? What if he has a similar year BUT puts in 1-2 more goals per month? If that were to happen and he gets to the 45-50 year range this year, this deal would be thought of as one of the best decisions of any team in the offseason. Likely? Maybe not, but its a possibility.