French Collection

15th best. Helle was 4th.

How much value is placed on TOI? Rasmus playing 25:48 per game means you are getting a lot more ice time from him than a 20:00 forward. Rasmus can play almost half of the game while a forward plays a third. Over a season you are getting 400-500 more minutes from a top Dman.

Reilly is one of the few Leafs I don’t mind. TSN radio yesterday were having a discussion of Matthews’ next contract. Bryan Hayes was extremely skeptical of him leaving money on the table for the team. Went on to say that more than $13M indicates he is all about the money and not the team. Term was another talking point, he took 5 years last time so he could be an UFA in his prime. To leave or to max out $$? Every other star is going 7-8 years and if he goes 4-5 again he could get another whopper around the age of 30. That would also show that it isn’t about the Leafs team. I just don’t see all of this drama around Dahlin, which is good.

I don’t know the specifics of Dahlin’s deal yet but if it comes in around $10M for 7 or 8 years that sounds fair. I know their window to earn money is narrow but there is also the balance of team building in play here. He would leave more on the table for KA to lock up talent around him. I know I always bash the Leafs but that is a major problem with the top end guys making so much money. They have to pay 19 players with half the cap.

Lots of fires in every part of Canada. I have been around fire and smoke almost every summer but this seems worse due to how widespread they are. Rain is not in the near term forecast, that is what is needed.

Thanks but you may be better at generating the next question. Besides, you got Leach, I said Watson then changed to MacLeish.

I forgot about Leach, I associated him with the Seals but he was a Bruins pick. I said Watson earlier but I think he’s older, changing my guess to MacLeish

Boston had two picks in a row that early? Jim Watson would be one guess, I think he was a Bruin.

I’m picturing Tkachuk pointing up in the crowd, referee looking for what he’s pointing at. Tkachuk then spears Eichel in the groin.

We don’t know Hart’s ceiling either. The cost control is a pretty big consideration. He’s better than Comrie or UPL so it’s an upgrade at the least. Goalie prime is much later so Hart could be a .915 goalie. Hellebuyck is so good though.

Chicago with Seth Jones is not looking great either.

Maybe UPL turns into Hart who gets flipped for Helle. Hart is a WHL grad.

I was in on one year of Hellebuyck.

So Columbus gets Provorov at 70% of his salary, Flyers 1st (7OA) and a conditional 2nd in 2024. They gave up their 1st (3OA). LAK basically cleared Petersen’s cap hit + Walker +Grans and 2024 2nd. They got 33year old D Connauton, 27 year old depth F Hodgson and had to retain 30% of Provorov’s salary.

I am all for finding out what these guys may develop into. I realize in the big picture they are assets, but until they are dealt they are future Sabres. KA invested a lot of time in scouting, meeting and developing players not just to flip them. There will come a day, soon from what I see, where there may not be room in the top 9 for Östlund, Rosen, Neuchev, Nadeau and Kisakov. If they are good enough to crack someone else’s lineup, they will have trade value and that can be a win-win-win situation.

It is interesting there is no trade protection with TNT, Cozens and Mule. I wonder if KA insisted on it. Those contracts are extremely tradeable, even Gretzky was traded so you are right that no one can be ruled out. Will Dahlin push for it?

Probably play in front of bigger crowds than Arizona too.

I think this is fair. He could play hardball and get more but he is leaving some $$ on the table for quality support. This is how you build a team. Quite the contrast from the Leafs, where Dahlin would be the 4th highest paid player.

Yeah, I think he’s the only former Sabre.

Eric Staal was another.

Bryson can take his spot on the Amerks.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I never liked Keith Tkachuk for the same reasons. I like tough, gritty hockey but these guys cross the line into dirty and then won’t drop the gloves. At least Brady Tkachuk will drop them. If they were Sabres I could probably take their antics a little better.

KO on the HNIC interview with Friedman. There to support Hack and Sam.

Tony Ferrari from The Hockey News top 100. https://thehockeynews.com/news/ferraris-2023-nhl-draft-rankings-the-final-cut Yahoo top 100 list from THN’s Ian Kennedy https://ca.style.yahoo.com/nhl-draft-2023-prospect-rankings-bedard-fantilli-michkov-151638078.html

Another guy like Samuelsson would set the Sabres up really well. Preferably a RHD to balance a pairing with Power but Dahlin/Mule make the 2xLHD thing work.