PerreaultForever

Aside from goalies, that is true, it is a team sport and any roster that relies on one guy (perhaps named Jack) will have problems. Tavares was overrated in the sense that he was supposed to have made everyone around him better, but it would seem that some of those guys were pretty good on their own.

I really don't think so. I think they just got lucky. What I'm really thinking is Tavares was/is over rated. he's good, but not that good.

ya but the games are way more entertaining when they put the whistles away and let them play. Only thing I want is consistency beginning to end. You let stuff go beginning of OT you should let it go late OT or second OT as well. All too often refs look like they want to go home when they call a penalty in the second OT that they let go in the first. Most of all, let them hit. I love playoff hockey when it's tough and physical. Wish all hockey was like that all the time.

I think you have too much hope for Olofsson. I fully expect him to be on the roster, but I expect nothing more than what we got out of Mitts this year. Maybe a few more goals if he gets PP time but not much more. I still think a 3rd line kid line is a good idea Olofsson Mittlestadt Nylander. Let them run and grow together, but also let them all have their ice time limited when needed. This idea requires solid additions up front AND Skinner. As for JBot having a plan B.........dunno. Did the Islanders? They gambled on Lehner and won, but I think their only plan B was boring shut down hockey and plan for the future.

Wtf you talking about, he plays beside Tyson Barrie. He is exactly what our D is missing. Big strong walls to play beside our slighter puck movers. This is why I have issues with the Montour/Dahlin idea. As he develops, Dahlin should be paired with a solid defender, not an offensive guy.

I don't really follow that argument. Players today all know there is a "business" side to things and they don't get their feelings hurt by business decisions. It's totally reasonable for JBot to say "we want you here, but this is as high as we can go and we need to know by this time or we have no choice but to move on. We hope you say yes." Nobody wants to get Tavares'd. Remember (and I hope JBot does too) that he told the Islanders he wanted to sign with them and then tweeted out his kid Maple Leaf PJs the day he signed with them. So we can't assume any of Skinner's I like Buffalo stuff is real. Hope it is, but.........

Not necessarily. If I were a GM I would make him my max offer but put a time limit on it so that I could plan for plan B should he turn it down. Any offer I made after that would be for less or none at all.

lol. In a sense, we as fans can do absolutely nothing about anything. I suppose you can make an argument that we should be more demanding. Really stop going to games, stop watching. Demand more. (bruins fans do have their bar set much higher) But ultimately, it won't matter. We flock back quickly, and when the bar is as low as it is here it doesn't take much and they know it. I would just like to have a team more like that. Not the most skilled by any stretch, but one that gives you the maximum they have. One that is focused, determined, resolute. Where players want to be there and stick up for each other every single night. You want a winning culture, there's your role model.

I know this won't be popular, but I'm going to throw this thought out there anyway. Maybe it's time to stop hating Boston and try to be a little more like them.

Probably true. It is also possible Taylor will be fired. At this point who knows.

You are going to be run out of the rink come playoff time with that roster (if you make the playoffs). Eichel can hold his own as a skill forward, but we need some size up front. Some grit. That is a really really soft line up you want. I'm not going to get anything I want, but I'd want to transform this line up and the whole philosophy.

My own view (if I was GM) has always been that you should draft at least one goalie in every draft. Not always top rounds, but you need so many goalies in the system you have to loan them out to find room for them to play. They are funny creatures and take weird and sometimes twisted development paths. You gamble. JBot needs to start drafting more goalies, that is all.

In this day and age it is hard to say. there are a lot of competing philosophies and JBot may not have full autonomy on the choice of direction or the hire. It might depend on Pegula. Heck it might depend on Jack. He may have a budget. It's rarely simple or straight forward any more. Personally I think he should wait as long as possible. Babcock might still become available. Whatever the hire, I don't want an analytics guy. Anyone else, well good luck to them. Just my bias.

A definite possibility.

Sooooooooo, you are saying I'm wrong? Not sure what your point is.

Type of players JBot has been going for. If by some miracle the Sabres make the playoffs next year they will be bounced early as well as the small fast thing they have been trying to create doesn't get it done when the going gets tougher. Somebody has to remind JBot we do not have Sid.

So our next GM is Ron Francis? All 4 wild cards go figure. This should push the nhl to move on changing the format that the Leaf fans will be clamoring for.

lol when I first heard the name I have to admit I mixed him up in my mind with Jacques Demers (who was the coach who couldn't read but faked it for years) and thought wtf? why? Now I know who he is and remember him and my reaction is wtf? why?

That would be the point of contention. I personally don't think you write that off as incidental contact. Stastny hit him deliberately and it was unnecessary so you can argue who deserves the penalty if you want but it was a dirty play all around and deserved to be penalized. Doesn't matter though, if you allow 4 goals on a 5 minute penalty your PK ain't worth s**t and you deserve to lose. Personally glad Vegas is out. Sick of them from last year already. Would be great if Carolina pulled the upset, but right now it looks like a Washington repeat to me. Long shot to Columbus. Boston can never beat the Caps for some reason.

Really happy Leafs lost. Consolation in a dismal year. Now a summer of laughing at their panic, complaints and cap problems.

Stratford Ontario, not really close, but Leafs would be the closest team.

We agree almost entirely but my view is also that we need a coach who will rebuild Risto and make him into (demand he be) the grittier stay at home guy. I think he could be very very good in a role where he is not the main guy and not the guy expected to carry the play. Is it too late for him? Maybe, and if we can trade him for a solid 2C ok, but otherwise I'd like to see that philosophy or attempt. Where we disagree is on Pilut. Defensive liability and I'm not really convinced he is the best option. A newer option, skilled puck mover, but not necessarily the best option. Definitely hoping for Borgen to emerge. Definitely.

I'd definitely consider it. For the right price. I think he'd pair better with Dahlin than Montour does. Ultimately I'd like to see some more solid defenders on our pairings and create some stability. One of the issues I had with Housley was the constant pair switchings. Now maybe it helped develop Dahlin as he was exposed to different guys (maybe) but I think it'd be better to have solid pairs (when healthy) that can communicate better and know their responsibilities. Myers isn't perfect, but he's not bad either.

I know. My point is they should take playoffs into consideration. One playoff mvp award isn't enough. Playoffs separates the men from the boys. Tells you who you really want on your team.

I think you move ahead as if he wasn't there. If he comes back and you get a good year out of him great, it's a bonus, but you expect nothing. He's a character guy, but there should be better options for the future than resigning him and his injured body.