PerreaultForever

"we don't know what" would be the key words in that for me. If you don't know by now, I kind of think you never will. We were shut out by the worst team in hockey tonight, so I guess really that makes us the worst team in hockey, only this time not nearly as good a draft pick (likely) so in many ways this is worse than the tank cause some things were supposed to have been fixed, but clearly aren't. The list of things wrong with this team is a long one and not worth bothering with right now cause at the moment none of it will matter.

Blues had 94 points last year. This year they have 90 with 6 games to go. Not that different really. So I guess that means ROR is neutral? Gonna say the same thing as before, since all the ROR fans say the same thing over and over, we didn't win with him, we were worse, so thinking we'd be winning if we still had him is ridiculous.

Fair enough. I think some teams bend the rules better than others. I guess I'd just say they should have given looks to more prospects this year than they did. Many teams find ways to do that - but I'm not sure this team knows how to do anything right.

Pretty clear they didn't bother to show up for this one. Arguably worst game of the year so far and just as awful as tank hockey. No pride at all.

The "emergency situations" are pretty easy to use and abuse I think. Risto's sick, Borgen's up. Teams can take any little ache or pain and get around that rule if they want to.

Been wanting to see this guy. Really the only reason to watch tonight.

It's not a huge issue, but I don't see how this is a bad thing. Networking, building relationships, seeing other players, gaining knowledge. It's good for him and it can't hurt us. Nothing for him to really do here at that time that he can't do on his phone.

So then we can call up anybody we want.

well this will probably be a yawner but if we can't beat that sorry lot of leftovers in Ottawa we won't beat anyone. They are the only franchise definitely in worse shape than ours.

lol - good one, but can someone point me to this actual rule. I'm sure I've seen more call ups than 4 on many teams.

Wait, don't you get as many as you want for injury replacements? What's the exact rule(s)?

Well that was..............a turd.

Certainly could be, but I'd still rather take a look at any of the other D prospects we have just to give them a taste. Olofsson and the main forwards should all be rotated through as well for a few games imo.

I'm not sure it can be assessed properly at this stage so wait for next year, but the thing that really stood out for me in the Montreal game (and it's a recurrent issue) is the lack of teamwork on this team defensively. Good defensive teams like Boston know where they are supposed to be and players do THEIR JOB and expect the other guy to do his. Too many times this team doesn't seem to know what to do and players either watch and do nothing or group chase a guy and leave an area open. This is why Risto's fallen apart. All over the ice, but rarely where he actually should be, just doing that thing. Trying to do too many things has made him into a player who can't do anything. Take the Gallagher goal for example. Eichel said "I thought Weber would come to the net" but that's not his responsibility. His job is to cover Gallagher and take away that area. This sort of thing happens over and over. I honestly cant' decide if that's on the coach, or on a team with too many weak players and so the better ones always try to do too much and also fail as a result. Got to change that next year though that's for sure.

I actually think this is dumb and don't see the point of it. Might have made sense earlier but we are OUT OF IT now so why bring back the guy you've already seen for a bunch of meaningless games? They trying to teach him the losing culture? (kidding - sort of) Doesn't it make more sense to let him be an integral part down there and take a look at one or two of the other prospects like Borgen for example. Give him a taste. Also we should see the forward prospects rotated through instead of Pommer or Okposo or other guys that have nothing to show or prove. I thought maybe things were improving in this organization but I question whether they have a clue.

Ummm.......we were talking about the player(s) we'd get FROM Tampa for Risto.

Who are you talking about? That team is loaded with talent and the favorite to win it all by far.

That's a pessimistic way of looking at it. I don't think it'll be a short leash at all. I think we will finally have some success. Just saying if that's wrong and we are terrible again, well then that's the end of that plan. Another year of "next year" is not for me.

No, I'm saying they have too many good players with pricey contracts already and they have younger guys who are going to want big contracts and they cannot keep them all. Not talking Moulsons and Okposos here, good players. No idea who they are willing to move and want to keep but they cannot keep them all.

All these closet Montreal fans, no wonder Buffalo culture is a problem! Rico and Gilbert are crying somewhere................ F**k the Habs. Always hated them always will as all Buffalo fans should. I actually don't think they are any better than us aside from goaltending. Likely they win, but if we get good goaltending it's a toss up.

Can you say Philadelphia? More likely, you fire him mid way (from the GM's perspective) simply for the optics. It makes you look like you are doing something and can possibly make it look like it was the coach's fault. The expectation has to be higher next year and if we fail early the blame has to go somewhere and the coach is always the first to go. If JBot stands by Housley next year (if it's bad) he will fall on his sword like Hextall did - even though everyone agrees that Hextall fixed their cap issues and stocked their prospect cupboard to the max.

Easy, because they wouldn't use him as a 1-2 D he'd be a 3-4 and he adds a little more grit than they have. Risto would be a great 3-4 guy here too. That's what he is, a situation not totally unlike what happened with Myers. It wouldn't be a deal so much to get him from their perspective but a way for them to get better control on their rising cap issues. The player(s) coming back would have to be players with cap burdens or soon to be cap burdens.

True, but the Laughs were so bad in those days the real rival was Montreal vs. the French Connection. Lots of Ontario Montreal fans in those days.

Corsi or not, I think he will be traded and it's likely to Tampa in a move that helps them with their cap. Now how about a fantasy scenario where we trade him to fix our 2C problem and then turn around and sign Karlsson to take Risto's spot and full Swede our blueline. Just a thought, but whatever happens if we trade Risto this team could look radically different next year.

Yup, and the Flyers play the Hawks in Prague for Vorachek.