Broken Ankles

1. Not this guy. “Are you thirty for more?” Yes Kevin, errr Casey. Responsible play to start. 2.) Tage - and I have a suspicion we won’t need to care who has a better career b/c one will be shipped out. 3.) Tage

From Hockey Viz. Staal seems to have more minutes with the top 3, and defended less (than league average) by the top three of the opposing team. And then on Defenders, pretty much league average, and less than the bottom pairing, which you might expect if Staal is playing with Zuccs, Parise, and Fiala

Agree. AND, Fargo gave us this for Victor.

Hot take. Anthony Cirelli is not worth the 8OA. Let alone 8 +. I’ve watched most of the Isles & Columbus series and have seen nothing special. Tampa is driven by their first and fourth lines. Point and Kuch have 25 points each in 18 games, Cirelli has 5. Thats one more than, yes, you guessed it, Bogo. Corsi is below average, face offs below 50%, and outside superior play on the PK and good stick work in the defensive zone just not enough O-fence. If the Cap control is real, I just can’t see them moving a probable starter (on an ELC) in 2021/22 to pay Cirelli $5-6m.

Well the players signed up for 20% escrow so there’s that. It takes an internal salary cap of $75m to $60m in real money. I’m not suggesting this year will not be incredibly different than most, however with the National and Regional TV contracts, some teams will be above their actual salary before any other HRR. Plus each owner gets a nice fat check of $20m for Seattle? Let’s not feel too bad for T-Pegs and his Billionaire cronies. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some kind of pivot to online sports betting to boost revenue if fans cannot fill these arena in 2021.

Nice to see Robin Clapton (slowhand) playing his greatest hits. Now I can root against Dallas.

It’s close, but TM was worse, no he won’t, and his incompetence could only lessen if any of his draft picks find success. Interesting that both you and @PerreaultForever called for a Conn Smythe for Lehner. He is losing 3-1 to a team that is one of the lowest scoring teams in the league. He has faced considerably fewer shots against than MAF in game one and given up more goals. If the Golden Knights are fortunate enough to get past Dallas, he would get lit up like a Christmas tree against TB. I only hope that KA can extract something from Vegas when they decide to overpay Robin in the off-season.

If Cozens becomes "Point-esque" is that enough to move JB below TM as worst Sabres GM of all-time? What if Joki's acceleration to solidify the right side on the second pairing happens this year? What about Pekar, UPL, Laaksonen, or Sameulsson breaking through within 12-18 months. Or Ryan Johnson's development getting back on track. What combination of these would elevate TM to worst of all-time?

I love the Pens fan comment - "That’s a negative, Ghost Rider!” regarding the Risto/Letang trade. I was thinking the same thing, only I wouldn't want Letang. I guess we're both that girl that refuses to date within her orbit because she has too much self esteem.

Irrelevant. How many 'kills" did each have Season 1 thru Season X?

This is almost never talked about and should be. Olof is never added to these mock trades. The idea of Skinner back on the first line and moving Kahun up is completely plausible.

I agree with the bold, and love the idea of Copp. However I’m off the Ehlers trade, especially if you are keeping Sam. I think Skinner/Olafsson are your LW 1/2 and you are looking to add size to FL#1 on the right. From what I read on this board and other places We certainly don’t want to downgrade this years draft, even two positions. Just think how different things would be this off-season if you didn’t have Cozens in the mix because you moved down two spots last year. I think Risto is ripe to be moved but I don’t think you need sweetener. If traded, his return will surprise some. Keep the #8 And the second rounder. IF Sam is moved for a center, then Ehlers for Risto and Miller or Montour and something.

13 points in 16 games this playoffs. Lead all Flyers in scoring even though as you note, not his forte. UFA’s are always overpaid. The nature of a free market. He has allowed Giroux to slot back to FL#1 and have two complete lines. Which is what the Sabres are desperately lacking. Scoring on a second line.

Buffalo GMs plan post tank.... Uh-yeahhhh.

Who’s to say Larsson wouldn’t have been a bust if he stayed in Minnesota? You’re a big Boston organization guy correct? Tell me how they are developing players so much better than the Sabres? Not drafting well, developing well. Their top flight players like Pasta, Hamilton, Carlo and McAvoy, had Zero to minimal time in the minors just like many of the Sabres i.e. Reinhart, Eichel, Risto and Dahlin. I just don’t see a slew of players “developed” in Providence. In the last 12 years they have....Spooner, Grzelcyz, and Heinen? If we go back 12 years you can add Marcus and Pysyk to the previous list for the Sabres. The best and most complementary thing I can say about their GMs is they convinced all those players and Donato to stay in college. And I give less credit for that in terms of development. I give more to the individual coaching staffs at these universities. Bringing this back to Casey, it seems in hindsight he would have been better served staying all four years at U of M to develop physically and more so mentally.

I would not do that even if you substituted Risto for Reino.

Except for those that we do. Larsson, Ullmark, McNabb, and Armia to name a few recent. Just because a GM decides to move on from a player does not mean the development was not successful. LA and Vegas benefitted from McNabbs development. It would appear that Borgen, Bryson and Murray are on the right track. Casey needs to take a large part of the responsibility for this failure. He (his agent) forced the hand of JB to get paid immediately. He chose to play Fortnite until all hours and play nip with his pals rather than spend every waking hour improving his game. Yes, a massive black eye for the Sabres and surely a factor in the decision to cut ties with JB, but not an indictment of the entire organization.

Adding a 2C in Kevin Hayes seemed to help.

Yeah, we certainly would not want a Conn Symthe or Vezina winner on this team.😏 Just because the AAV might be higher than Ullmark, this doesn’t mean Darcy is penciled in as the #1. This plan would qualify as upgrading the 2.

Three options: Holtby UFA. Costs nothing other than higher than desired AAV. Kuemper (or equivalence) trade. Lower AAV but cost is somewhere north of a three and south of a one. Fluery. Higher AAV, more than proven, and due to Cap issues in Vegas you can probably obtain another asset for taking this contract. Thinking the equivalent of a low first. (This is the only way Vegas can sign Lehner). I suppose keeping the status quo is an option but I’ve moved on from Hutts and presume KA has too. What is best for the Sabres in 2021?

So that’s a No?

And don’t forget the space for a number 2 Goalie. I hear more and more about Arizona and Pittsburgh floating names out there. How many others are we not hearing about? I have to think KA is considering a change and we should be allocating about $3-5m for the upgrade. Obviously you would love to have move Hutts back as part of a deal but you might be better served burying his number or buying him out. Love to know what Arizona is asking for Keumper. If Allen is a third round, what is Darcy?

It's a good thing PLAYERS win championships, and not organizations. I wish my entire marketing department would quit. When Marketing, as a department becomes essential to what it is that you produce, the quality and sustainability of that product becomes questionable.

Question. Are you entertaining Chad rumors?

Take off, eh!