PerreaultForever

That's a very good question. My answer would be not yet. Cautiously optimistic perhaps. Risto trade was good. Eichel trade looks good. Reinhart deal to be determined. Goaltender so far totally botched. FA signings pretty much non existent or irrelevant. A lot rides on what he does this year. The scouting definitely remains to be seen. Power was a no brainer. Have to see how the rest pan out. In 2-3 years you can judge them properly. I want the same things as you. Definitely want to raise the bar and be a contender. A real contender. Both those teams built through the draft first. Colorado moved out some big names to bring in multiple picks. If the Eichel trade works out as well for us as the Duchene trade worked for them we will fare well. Can't waste those Vegas picks though. We hit on them we will. Remember Tampa almost lost Stamkos to Toronto (or maybe Buffalo?) but it was great or lucky drafting that got them where they are. We need to land our own version of Pointe and so so forth. Dream of all teams I guess. But first, we need a goalie(s)!!!!!!!!

That's true if it's an extension. I was thinking more along the lines of a renegotiation/extension. There are a number of ways this could play out. With the cap floor and all that I could see them looking at a renegotiation IF they were ready to extend but idk, these things can get complicated.

Avs may have blown their chance. Going to be tough to win a game 6 in Tampa and then a game 7, my money would be on Vasilevsky in that.

This is definitely true. You'd want to be able to sign him long term for a reasonable number. The question would be what his number would be.

There's a price here for waiting in terms of salary cap but not really in the eyes of ownership. You're saving 5 million or something on next year's salary remember so if you have to pay him an extra million a year over 5 years you're kind of even. idk, they will decide, but I imagine ownership will not hand out big contracts easily or quickly at this point.

lol, ya it's pretty impossible to scoop him. Can't count how many times I've thought I had "breaking news" and came here to find it already posted. This site is actually a very informative one, and a lot of that has to do with him.

But you also don't want to walk to the same place you walked with Jeff Skinner. You can start talks mid season if he's doing it again, but he hasn't proven anything yet imo.

Well let's keep it to specifics though. He didn't get along with Tortorella. That's not necessarily on him as Torts has a history with certain players and personalities. The Jets? I will ask again, if you were a younger player going into free agency and played in Winnipeg wouldn't you test free agency? I agree there might be a question or two on him BUT I'm also looking at him showing up to play for Team Canada and playing well (like Cozens) and guys who show up for that always go way up in my book. I mean look at team USA in that thing. Eichel and Matthews both could have been there but weren't. PLD was there. Means a lot.

Rumour has Bergeron signing with the Bruins. https://www.telegram.com/story/sports/pro/2022/06/23/captain-patrice-bergeron-expected-re-sign-boston-bruins-1-year-deal/7719727001/

One year does not a career make.

Not sure this makes him a loser, would you want to play in Winnipeg for your career if you could be paid big to go south? I wouldn't. He's definitely a me first guy, but if he said he'd love to play in Buffalo I'd be all for it.

Pretty much agree with everything Brawndo wrote above, the only thing I'd add is maybe the only other trade for Kane now option would involve multiple players and multiple picks for Kane AND DeBrincat. Something I'd spend time on the phone looking in to if I was KA. If he can convince Chicago we will keep sucking for several years maybe he can entice them with picks from '24, '25, '26.... which I'd be okay with if our cupboard gets sufficiently loaded full with this year and next.

I'd really like to see them sign Copp as well but why can't they do both? Olofsson out Kane in why not? Maybe add a conditional pick and/or Johnson IF we sign Kane to an extension. Johnson I'm not overly concerned with, but I'd be reluctant to let Portillo go unless they have a sense he isn't interested in signing or if they could convince Levi to sign. I'd hate to run the risk of trading one and then having the other not sign. I'd rather we had both and then had 3 young goalies fighting for the starting role until we have to trade one. The bottom line on hockey trades is are you a better team after the deal, and if we added Kane we'd be a better team. He may not be who he was, but he's still got several decent years in him I think and more hometown hero will just help with the rebuild idea.

Cooper claiming it was too many men on the ice. Maybe there was some uncertainty there and refs wanted to check with each other idk. https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/lightnings-cooper-says-avalanches-ot-winner-shouldnt-have-counted/

So I'm guessing Toronto fans are really regretting the Kadri deal at this point.

To reiterate about the 4th liner thing. That's where he was slotted prior to this season (even if people wanted to argue that the Girgs/Okposo/Larsson line wasn't 4th, it was) and pretty much everyone in their line projections or roster predictions for opening day has him with Girgs on a 4th line. But no real point arguing that. I agree with you on the extension and then that's the situation I don't want (but may get). It'll have an interim or temporary feel to it and it'll likely mean we're not making any bold moves to become a contender any time soon. It'll be pin steps forward and playoffs won't be in our future for several years yet. That may very well be the plan, but I personally don't think it's necessary. I think we can start winning NOW with a few additions and so I want a long term captain in there now.

A lie? I really don't think so. Adams is also all about building for the future and Tuch is the local guy that Adams brought in. Everything I saw from Tuch also spoke leader, even being one of the guys bringing RJ onto the ice on appreciation night. Giving Tuch the C enhances that idea about "guys who want to be here". Not saying Kyle doesn't, just saying Kyle is not the future. As for the 4th line objection, I'd say look over just about everyone's projections for next year's line up. Pretty much everybody has Kyle and Girgs on the 4th line. Neither one is the future of this hockey team. As for re-signing, that's a question of how much you think he has left. I'd rather move on than watch the struggling fade out like a Nick Foligno. A 2 year deal in a diminished role sure, no problem. A longer deal at mid to higher level money no thank you, that'll end up going bad.

ikr. If it helps, Bruins were my first team when I was a kid. Bobby Orr and all that. Matter of fact first game I ever watched was the St.Louis cup game with the flying through the air goal. How can you not love that? But the Sabres won me over after that with the French Connection when I could get the games on local tv from Buffalo. So the Bruins took the back seat. Only been a few years where it was a tough to watch playoff. For the most part there's been no decision to make, but when we make the playoffs again (sooner than later hopefully) and if we ever play Boston, it'll be Sabres for me. But otherwise ya, I know. Seemingly incompatible.

I've told you before, Bruins are my B team that I follow when the Sabres suck (so a lot in the last decade). The Ullmark Swayman thing is well documented. I do know what has gone on with the Sabres, and I know what Kyle wrote and said, I know all of it. I'm thinking ahead though. Projecting the team forward. Long term stability and a captain who is here long term. What happens if you give Kyle an extension. You name him captain and his play drops way off as he's too old and too slow and wants to but just can't. He's knocked right out of the starting line up by Quinn and Peterka and whoever else. So your captain, for all his heart and desire, is sitting in the press box in 2 years and you what? strip him of the C? Brian Gionta all over again. Not a scenario I want to see. Give it to the homeboy. Give it to Tuch. Let the team evolve and grow around that stable locked in piece who has already shown his leadership.

I still think this would be a big mistake. The guy might be a respected veteran but naming a 4th line player on the downside of his career as team captain would be a huge mistake for team progress. He's not a core player and he's likely deadline trade material. I still say it should be Tuch.

I don't find either odd myself. These are teams that have set the bar very high and demand more than just a good season. It's a high standard, but I'd love it if one day the Sabres could become a team with a bar set that high too. Paul Maurice is a good coach. It's a good hire. Boston's choice might be hinging on Bergeron. They can't decide if they want to go for it again (if Bergeron returns) or move into rebuild, and the coaching choice might be related to that decision.

I really don't know why some people think Ullmark would come back or that Boston wants to even move him. It's nonsense. First, I think he has a NMC. Second, Boston was not unhappy with their goaltending. The consensus view is that he will be Swayman's back up, but they have become best friends, not rivals, and it's a complimentary relationship, hugs and all. Ullmark IS NOT coming back. Sabres have to over pay Campbell and/or Husso but if neither is interested you go with best available option and hope they are adequate while also hoping they become the over paid back up to UPL in time, same as Boston's situation. The idea that Levi or Portello wouldn't sign if Buffalo has a good goalie on the roster seems weird to me and is something you don't really want. Almost every team has an established starting goalie so where does any rookie get off demanding an open spot? I don't buy that argument for a second. They will both sign. The one thing you do not do though is offer a NMC to the guy you over pay to come here. Maybe a short list of crap teams he doesn't want to go to, but not a full NMC. That could be a big mistake.

I actually think Bylsma could do a good job there and come back to the NHL in a few years the same way Cassidy did. He was good with team D and team structure. Also constructed a decent PP, if he's learned to adapt to the offensive side of the game a little he could do well. Definitely a good fit for the AHL. I know he's hated here, but I never thought it was his fault myself.

idk, maybe, but do you really think it's that difficult? Now first off, he should know better than us as he gets to talk to them one to one and can know them better than we can but some of it is kind of obvious from what we see and hear. From the top line Thompson and Tuch are no brainers. Skinner because of the contract is also here to stay (debate his core value as you see fit). Add Cozens to that for sure. On D it's Power and Dahlin and you can extend it to add Samuelsson and Jokiharju if you want. I'd also add in Krebs because of his proven leadership in junior although he isn't quite there yet at an NHL level. It would take a very good offer to pry away Quinn or Peterka so that'd be my list of no moves. That's 11 guys. I don't hate Mitts, VO or Asplund, but I don't consider them core and for the right deal they, and all others on the roster are replaceable. Give or take a name that's pretty much it. I don't particularly want to move out any other prospects or picks but none of them are proven and if we can get better now it's a consideration. Not advocating any kind of Murray style shift in philosophy, more of strategic moves balancing a roster around that core.

I wouldn't give up any real assets for him unless they were allowed to negotiate a home town friendly contract extension. I would presume IF they were actually looking to move Kane they'd have their eyes on free agency and signing others for a more immediate rebuild. They have a lot of RFAs coming up too. Which brings me to a more intriguing concept, which would be a multi player deal perhaps for Kane AND DeBrincat . If that was on the table then I'd consider some picks or prospects, maybe Mitts and/or VO or any number of possibilities. Dach might also be an interesting player to add in to a multi player deal. Chicago might not part with him but if they are impatient they might not want to re-sign him for what he wants. How to make that sort of trade work is almost impossible to speculate on as there are too many possibilities BUT the key for me would be for KA to properly identify what he sees as the true core of the team, definitely not move any of them, and then work around that with the rest. And by true core of the team you can't throw every decent player in, it's just the leaders and the ones you are relatively sure will keep developing into greatness. About 10-12 players at most.