JP51

I am going way back... Stan Johnathan, Danny Gare, Wendall Clark, even Marchant, Brad May, Barnaby, Ray, etc... not sure any of these guys were over 6 feet, but they brought the nasty... So I love the size, but will they use it... or do we have Mike Wilson, Tyler Myers, Richard Smell Ick, Ken Sutton, etc ... I am not seeing anyone on that list that has anywhere near the nasty of a Samulesson (Ulfy) , Pronger, Chara, Stevens, Robinson, Kasparitis, Hatcher, Zadorov, etc... (just randomly naming nasty players, not even fighting, just nasty) Kesslring I honestly have not seen him play... maybe he is one... but if we are going to get that level of physicality to me a bunch of those guys need to change their spots...

NOV/DEC when we are out of it... at least now no one is enjoying hockey Nov rolls into December we are out of it hope is gone and THEN we get to watch everyone else have fun and look forward to the playoffs while we research draft prospects

I agree 100% but I cant get past the "that pick hit an iceberg" lol.... I remember being a kid being so hyped for Dudacek he was the next Statsny or something like that... and poor Morris never could come back from the back injury... and yeah, Nylander and Grigorenko were horrid picks.

Centering a line of Jiri Dudecek and Morris Titanic... I mean how did we ever draft someone with the last name of Titanic... just sayin...

See John Gurtler... lol

Oh heck yeah its a horrible sell especially when the perception is that you are pinching pennies... people tend to not give you theirs... they dont turn it around this year I see a real attendance issue as well as a player exodus issue... I hate the doom and gloom, but If we thought last year was it... the anger was high and the apathy was starting... this year... I think the apathy ends up being very high and people just wont go....

I agree, I do not think the league is coming to save us, the only thing I see the league doing is looking to force a move or a sale if the attendance gets atrocious and the environment becomes untenable... players wanting out other refusing to come here fans with Billboards and signs etc... the only thing to me is, have another crappy year, dont resign Tuch, have Dahlin looking to get out, attendance consistently below 50% maybe worse... that is a real possibility to me...

1, Goal Levi or UPL 2. Power does he emerge as a dominate 2 pairing with Kesslring 3. Jack Quinn.... does he fill the JJP role

I fear JohnC is right, is that is what it will take internally, but I am with you, I just dont believe that will happen... the league took over once... I dont think they will do it again, they would likely force a move before that... I will be interested if we again flounder to another playoffless season... what will the attendance be like will it look like NBA arenas pre Bird and Magic... or like the Altanta Thrashers or Cleveland Barrons... will it be acrimonious, home team getting booed every night... Palm trees.. Fire Adams, Sell the team Terry signs all over the place, players wanting out demanding trades... if it does and it might... there is likely gonna be pressure... and there we sit.

Truth, NMCs may be a competitive disadvantage, but they are not the problem... you can change whatever you want about them, until the FO drastically reforms and changes there is nothing gonna save them... they will continually flap in the top 5-10 pick range and operate like a row bow set adrift until there are fundamental changes.

I agree... it does slant the league but its an excuse do better adapt overcome the competent teams do ... the problem is we dont have competence. If we did it wouldn't be a problem. It's like players some have more talent than others... you can wah wah or you can work harder... life isn't created equal so figure out how to equalize it or go away

Truth

I think this is a great point... certainly not the players... it would have to be the minority of owners who feel like they cant compete.. or others who hate that they are constricted in their GMing because of these things... but again to your point, I cannot see them dying on this hill as a collective group... so the only way that I see something like this happening is if the NHL itself decides that it is not good for the overall competitiveness of the league... and good luck with that... but I wasnt talking likelihood more what people thought.

I agree here.. I tried not to be jaded when I thought of this... I mean when you are the one sitting out at the kids table while the rest of the league is eating dinner of course you are like hey this is unfair... but look, you are at the kids table for a reason... and using excuses like palm trees and taxes is just loser talk... like why should we change the rules for you because you are grossly incompetent and have been for decades... So, I land NMCs really do tilt the playing field of fair competition in my opinion especially when you see a bunch of teams that no one wants to go to... this is why we have a draft with reverse order and teams just cant go out and sign whom ever they want in a free for all... we have free agency as an outlet that gives players a 100% choice ... So to me the NMCs can stay splitting the difference... Once you become a certain age with a certain amount of vested years you earn that right to have one... So say 32 and 5 years just for arguments sake... this would at least give those veteran players some say... but would not preclude all those teams on the no trade list from access to younger top players via trade...

I think that a lot of people in Buffalo feel that way

THAT is a great idea... depending on the state or country you are in... so, if the average regional tax is 4% and you are in an 8% effective tax region the player gets 4% more for taxes outside of the cap or something like that... that actually is an interesting concept...

agreed, NMC's problems are not the Sabres issue... they are a result of incompetence... they should not resign themselves to futility or use that excuse in combination with taxes to blame their failure on outside influences... thats loser talk and the are the King and Queen Pooba of losers... and yes if they do deem it a problem it would clearly need to be resolved thru negotiation with the NHLPA and the CBA

Exactly, that is why I am looking at them... I just wanna see how long a rebuild take when you have a competent FO ... Others like the Islanders, even Flyers seem to toil in no mans land... not quite as badly as us... but I would like to see what a solid plan and FO does.

I am looking squarely at the Boston Bruins and Penguins right now... I wanna see how long specifically it takes these teams to get back into contention.

Nor am I... Pegula and he did this to themselves... and should not use this as a crutch... its unfortunate, it does create an imbalance... but it doesnt absolve them of their utter mismanagement of the organization and massive damage to their brand.

I do see this as well... especially drafting at 18... its a big crap shoot in the NHL to an extent and you dont improve your team except for rarely for 2 years minimum. I do think it results in a competitive disadvantage.. especially when you are dealing with two separate countries (4 if you count NY and California LOL ) and their tax laws..

this is a fair thought... it definitely is a sticky subject...

NMCs seem to come up alot in discussion... just looking to see if folks are fine with it, think it should change, or some kind of hybrid... I am in between the if you dont like that people wont come to you do better... and putting some kind of age minimum in there... but just interested in peoples thoughts...

Yeah, I think Muel based on his minutes is a major anchor... Gilbert was just an 8th d who was a C minus fighter that was willing... just an Adams failed nod to you need someone to respond.... here lets throw this cannon fodder out there to get beat... cause I know he will jump in when no one else will... Cozens I agree.. as unpopular as this may be I think we see Cozens mature over the years and will become a player that people will want... right now he is just too much of a spaz and head case to be an effective player and leader night in and night out... but in the right situation I think he develops into a guy that will score 25-30 for 50-60 points... and can play two way minutes... and no, I didnt say now... (especially the 2 way minute part) but if he settles down and develops I believe he can be a taller version of a poor mans Mike Peca or a higher scoring Gaustad

Not if you were an announcer LOL