Derrico

Oh man this. Are we looking at vesey as a top 6 option?? He has maxed out at 35 friggen points over the last three full seasons. Maybe I’ll take him for bottom 6 but if botts is getting him for second line I will start to worry.

I’m not as intuned this year as I normally am but here is my late to the party top 12: Tier 1 1. Hughes 2. Kakko Tier 2 3. Turcotte 4. Byram Tier 3 5. Cousins 6. Dach 7. Zegras Ter 4 8. Boldy 9. Caufield 10. Newhook 11. Krebs 12. Podkolzin

Less than 24 hours to go...... Brayton Wilson mocks Caufield to Sabres with Cousins still on the board. I guess I can’t see a scenario loving Caufield as the pick since I have 8 guys rated ahead of him. Either Dach, Cousins or Zegras will be there as an option. IMO it should be whichever of those three are left (no chance Hughes or Kakko are there and very unlikely Turcotte or Byram). Plus I would take Boldy ahead of him.

Wow were they getting 15 percent of cap year 4. My bad if true. I'll have to look into this too but time is short right now.

Double check but it's true. Guys got the big deals Year 8 under last CBA. It's year 4 now. Crosby entered the league in 2005 and the $8.7 mil deal was signed in 2012 (year 8).

McDavid broke the mold and we're not going back unless the new CBA changes this.

This is right but I think those days are ending. The 'cheap' RFA years are becoming more and more expensive. Crosby, Malkin, Kane, Towes all had much more favorable deals early in their career. Today, starting year 4 the young guns are making huge money.

This is more than fair. Botts has to amend that mistake and get someone like Stastny in for a couple of years. His mistake wasn't necessarily trading ROR. It was the terrible return and lack of thought in having Plan B if Mitts wasn't ready Day 1. I think this year you will see all of these holes plugged.

I know but there were other factors that went into ROR decision I think.

Your right *cough* Skinner *cough*

It's not about losing the impact player. It's about having the ability to surround the impact player.

Yes

If I’m Pitt I’m trading both this offseason but that’s discussion for another day.

If Risto could be moved for a nice second line centre and then we trade Subban for a reasonable buy low then that is a huge offseason for Botts. Some risk with him being 30 but he's still a hell of a player.

That's what concerns me with a Vancouver deal.

Ummm yes please? What's the deal with him? Thought all was good in Nashville? What I miss?

God I need a shower now.

It's coming guys soon

I think with us it's the risk of those 4 unprotected 1sts. I would rather somehow work out a deal with Toronto for more sure assets and a cost slightly less of 4 firsts. You ask why Toronto would do that. If Marner's ask is in that 12.5 to 13 neighborhood and leafs can't/won't go that far and few other teams will then it's possible.

Which means your probably getting to $12.5 to $13 mil per. Then the leafs may be in trouble trying to match and Marner would be enticed to sign. Whether a team and gm think it’s worth it is another question.

Can you even imagine.....

The talent on Toronto scares the hell out of me. The contracts being handed out have me smiling ear to ear. If Marner maxes out what he can make they will be in such a tough spot. Watch for several trades out of Toronto this summer. Some to upgrade the roster and several to shed salary. Consensus seems to be find a way to upgrade the d and if they still suck Babcock could be gone this year.

You forgot Randall didn’t you? ?

Your telling me Skinner wouldn’t have waived it for a playoff run? I could see no thanks to a full season. Then he’s uprooting his family etc. A two month playoff run in a contract year probably would have changed his mind.

Make that change and remove the lottery protection. Would you still do it? Let’s be honest, I would think a sabres non lottery protected first would be pretty friggen valuable ?