Punch

I appreciate your confidence, but with that bet the entertainment value of this board depreciates by 37% if Doan signs elsewhere--- perhaps, so does the migraine factor--- so let's not get crazy here.

Slobberknocker is pretty much an old school American football term but it's applicable in this context. Don't be so melodramatic. You're an interesting character to have around but you get a little miffed too easily over nothing. I actually don't see anyone miserable here at the moment so have another pint and keep bitching. :beer:

Dude, you're almost single-handedly keeping it alive! But seriously, DeLuca had it right a few posts back that it's basically chicken and egg. What you keep doing is insisting whatever it is that you're insisting about "hit stats" not being important as if that's the sole barometer--- it's not. It's an admittedly inaccurate indicator of which teams hit, and furthermore it doesn't define the quality of the physical play or the situation. Guys like Raffi Torres throw their body around with abandon, which can be somewhat effective if generally limited--- DeLuca is also correct in delineating D. Brown's skill and technique from Raffi's caveman tactics. An effective hit is calculated and serves a purpose. Sometimes you need to slobberknocker another skater into oblivion, but for the most part you're just trying to wear down the other team, take the puck away and win every puck battle by hustling--- that part makes sense, right? Because that's what we're saying. The highlight reel open ice hits are mostly just scenery. The best physical hockey is often never seen on TV because it's in the corners or the dirty crowded areas. I already agreed with you on the mental toughness bit and I think I showed why it's a correct assessment.

The Quiz Bowl thing was just a joke. I think it's pretty clear that the one flogging the dead horse in this and every other thread is not on this side of the Atlantic. But you win the pissing match because this is well past old.

It is obvious that he meant available players. There is not a single available player that is more doctor prescribed than Doan. I understand your salary concerns, it's not ideal. Truthfully, available or not, Doan is still what is needed.

And I'm not alone in wishing you weren't a condescending prick. Hey, try watching a hockey game some time--- it's a beautiful sport and you might actually like it.

All hockey players do--- it's called ice ;) But seriously, does he need to? At a certain point a roster is only a select number of specific components away from being a Cup contender. In the opinions of many on this board, Doan represents such a component--- several others are in place as we speak. Literally not a 1 that are "out there". Or do you think Darcy just needs to pick up the phone and he can win them like the 9th caller on an afternoon radio contest?

My previous post about "separating players from pucks" and maintaining puck possession is called Fundamental Hockey 101. If you think that's ludicrous then I don't know what sport you're watching, but it isn't called ice hockey. This isn't about "hit stats" or even necessarily big open ice checks. Your description of fighting and scrapping for pucks is an aspect of physical hockey--- you're absolutely dead on regarding mental toughness. Mental toughness generally goes hand in hand with physical play, and generally mentally tough teams are the ones that advance because they're capable of playing out of character in crunch time. But what that means is laying your body on the line for your team at all costs: blocking shots, taking and dishing out checks in the corners, behind the net and in front of the net at every opportunity. That's the Stanley Cup playoffs and that's why it's a War of Attrition, as it was put earlier. Suggesting the mental aspect is not 100% specifically related to the physical side makes me think they shouldn't even play the actual games but rather just think about them really hard. The Strat-o-matic Stanley Cup Quiz Bowl on NBCSports--- I can see it now!

Is the cap only $7.5mil? Doan is one component of the full roster--- a major component, but only one guy. He will positively impact Vanek, Hodgson, Foligno, Girgensons, Ott, etc.

I literally feel like marching into battle after reading this--- where the hell is my musket?

Don't tap the bear--- I think we finally succeeded in killing this thread! But of course, you're right. Teams that rise up in the playoffs and play out of character can go on surprising runs and that was certainly the case with NJ.

No, in fact I assume several of our young prospects will either not make the NHL or will be traded--- however, if the Sabres can't fill in roster holes within the next 4 years with a few (not all) guys like Foligno, McNabb, Pysyk, Grigorenko, Girgensons, Armia, Brennan, Tropp, etc. (as well as future draft picks during that span) then the organization has much bigger problems than the salary cap or any pending changes to the CBA. I'm not suggesting the entire roster will need to be filled with rookies but the horizon appears to have enough spots with young contracts that this particular contract is feasible. As far as new CBA restrictions are concerned, most other teams are operating under a "business as usual" modus operandi, and there's no reason for Buffalo to take a different approach. The Sabres intelligentsia is privy to all specific changes that are being discussed during negotiations. If they suspected they'd be severely hampered by offering this deal then I'm not sure they'd do it--- but that is educated speculation. FAs are aware they could end up in Hartford with Redden when signing a big contract with the Rangers--- it's a perfectly valid sentiment.

This could mean that if you're on Team Doan, the longer it drags out the more likely he is a Sabre.

Of course there are risks and they are slightly more daunting than the Drury/Redden/Gomez situations, but that's the price. The CBA scares me more than the over 35 thing. The roster will be loaded with young talent on entry level or 2nd contracts. If the new CBA doesn't seriously restrict cap space then I don't see much of an issue with paying out 4 years of that theoretical Doan contract. There's also that--- I've often thought, as you say here, that Regehr could potentially be a big bargaining chip in our favor in getting him to waive the NMC.

Jay Feaster has stated unequivocally that the Flames are not rebuilding and will not be selling off Kipper or Iginla to retool--- he likely didn't hire Bob Hartley to start from scratch, either. As Raziel said, I think it's possible an in-season trade might occur if/when Calgary Flames out in 2012-12 (pardon the pun) but that's a big if. Teams wouldn't be salivating over Doan if Iginla were available right now. I think saying "yeah, get Iginla" is wishful thinking because the cost going the other way will still be relatively astronomical.

It probably can't be overstated or repeated often enough that the big boys way of doing things has rarely, if ever, truly hurt their franchise. I'm sure the Rangers aren't too concerned when they show up on annual lists of biggest, dumbest free agent signings/contracts with the likes of Drury, Gomez and Redden, et al--- they're still paying for those contracts and yet they are loaded with young talent and acquired Richards and Nash this past calendar year. Yes, Doan is over 35 and the looming CBA is hanging over everyone's head like the sword of Domocles, but I'd like to take a stab at the Big Brass Ring even if it's at gold prices.

I half suspected the Regehr trade came about from discussions about Iginla but we'll likely never know for sure. I agree that if Iginla is traded it will be in season and I think the Sabres make a lot of sense as a trading partner for exactly the reasons you suggest.

Honestly, in a sense, that's not far off IMHO. But the fact remains, if Dustin Brown (to name the most obvious example on the Kings) weren't so physical his offensive contribution is non-existent to minimal. His physicality creates loose pucks and turnovers disrupting the opposing team's flow and solidifies his team's puck possession. It's not as though each team gets to have the puck on their stick an equal number of times like a kids t-ball team where everyone gets an at-bat---- the puck needs to be taken away, and while skilled defensive stickwork can account for a number of takeaways, it is ultimately the more physical and aggressive team that wears down the opposition and separates opposing skaters from the puck. Those of us suggesting physicality as a foundation to winning see it as the engine that makes things go but certainly not the only component.

Yeah, this is a really cute idea. But why stop there? If I were Darcy I'd be on the phone with Edmonton and get both Taylor Hall & Jordan Eberle, too. Now that Hall is signed for 7 seasons he can be our Messier for years to come. I'd love Iginla, and I've mentioned it several times, but the fact the Sabres have not traded for him doesn't mean Darcy hasn't made a phone call--- it's because he's not available. The "price" won't be cheaper, either, because someone valuable on the current Buffalo roster that you love will have to go the other way. That's precisely why Doan costs so much.

The Bruins Cup winning roster was certainly a very skilled and balanced team though perhaps not as skilled as the Kings, but I'd say it's pretty close with a healthy Savard. Your list of reasons why LA won are not results that happen in a vacuum. Does Dustin Brown provide all that offense without his physicality? Not a ###### chance, and that aggressiveness was infectious. Why do you keep moving the goalposts in these discussions? Once the Devils 2011-12 run is examined by other posters will you ask about the Panthers without engaging?

There's been no indication that the Rangers or Flyers have lost interest--- they would likely make it work one way or another if they wanted him. Obviously, Doan hasn't signed anywhere due to the Coyotes' ownership snafu, not because teams are not interested or willing to pay.

You must've missed every single media reference to Shane Doan since July 1 that specifically mentions both the Rangers and Flyers having interest---- he met with both teams in the same weekend several weeks ago, BTW. The first two teams with which he met.

That's pretty accurate. Once they adjusted they were a machine. Obviously, they couldn't score for much of the year, but Jeff Carter didn't do much to change that--- it was the guys that were already in place, like Kopitar and D. Brown, who's games elevated. Adding a quality shooter like Carter would theoretically create more balance for the group the Kings' already had in place--- but Carter wouldn't be half as effective on a team of cream puffs like, say, Columbus. It's a pretty simple formula, it's just hard to collect all the ingredients--- balance is the key and I'm not sure anyone is suggesting extremes.

It's a theoretical scenario. You aren't capable of participating in a thought experiment? The point is that physical players wear down skill in every round of the playoffs in every league year for as long there has been a playoff. This is why it is valuable and necessary for any team that is serious about winning. You seem to suggest you understand this and then out of the other side of your mouth you denigrate any posters championing physical play as thugs or goons. If you don't like it, why do you continue participating in this thread whilst flogging a dead horse? What is it you even like about hockey if you want to alter it's core in a fundamental way? As for Peca--- he was a "one dimensional grit player"? Did you watch him during his career? Even following his knee injury in 2006 with the Oilers he was capable of providing offense, but in his Sabres/Islanders heyday he was regularly a top line offensive contributor averaging 20+ goals/year in the trap era. And of course, there's a big difference between being a one dimensional grit player and a blood and guts leader willing to hit anything and capable of scoring or assisting on timely goals. How do you not value that as absolutely essential? One of the great errors in the franchise's history was botching Peca's contract situation. The 2001 team was missing a crucial ingredient which was exactly what he provided. You missed the part with Datsyuk where I said the team physicality was present in other areas of the roster--- I wasn't just singling out Selke winners as there are many types of defensive forwards in the NHL. I'm not sure why you think one dimensional players are a thing of the past--- there are several one dimensional players in specialty roles throughout the league. Ilya Kovalchuk is a higher end offensive talent than Miro but he doesn't play much more defense. Briere's defensive responsibilty has improved slightly but he's still pretty much a liability. The Caps didn't win the SE division last year.

It's definitely a stupid contract. If the Sabres can pay for it and make it work, though, does it matter how much money is doled out?