pi2000

Kane is fast, aggressive and can score. That's a player that fits in any scheme. It's not standard stuff when you're trying to build a playoff contender. Keep your best players. It signals a rebuild because we don't have a guy on the roster who can fill in for Kane's offensive output. It's a step backwards in the goal scoring department... and then trade away your starting goalie with nobody in place to take his spot? How is that not taking a step back?

Buyer beware... Muzzin was one of the reasons the Kings failed to make the playoffs this eason... he was a -21, and put up only 28 points... vs 40 points and a +7 the previous season. He also was fined by the NHL for embellishment. That's not what you want for $4mil/yr... let alone trade away your top scoring winger.

exactly

But I thought J-BOT was a cap wizard! The Sabres have $38m in space after next season, and only $24m committed in 2019-20. That's a ton of room to maneuver... signing Kane to a $5.5-6m/yr isn't going to put this team in cap jail... even with Eichel getting paid. I'd make an effort to trade Reinhart before I'd look to move Kane.

I, for one, hope they keep him. He's fast, big, a relentless forechecker and can score. How does that not fit in the "long term vision" of any team? He'd leave a huge void.

If Lehner and Kane go, I'll be disappointed because that signals another rebuild. I'd keep them and try to launch guys like Girgensons, Foligno, Larsson, Bogo, for whatever I can get. Replace them internally or with UFA's like Matt Cullen, Kunitz, etc... guys J-BOT is familiar with who are still servicable and would actually provide an upgrade (IMO) for a year or two while guys like Bailey, Baptiste, etc.. develop in Roch. It's true that Lehner probably isn't very well like in the locker room, but winning changes that immediately.

He'd go on LTIR and wouldn't count against the cap.

Paul Hamilton... saying BUF didn't want him. Who really believes anything out of this guys mouth anyway.

semantics

Auston Matthews

Deadline was today right?

Good point, yeah I vaguely remember that now. His draft year he improved from 33 points and -11 to 49 points and +23. He didn't score as many goals though.

I miss the days when prospects were just that.... prospects. When guys had to earn their shot at the show.... be realistic about their abilities and develop at the AHL level rather than perusing NHL rosters to find where they might have the best chance to immediately play in the NHL. BUF took a chance on the kid by drafting him, and developing him at dev camps, giving him nutrition, strength and conditioning guidance throughout his college career. And he returns the favor by choosing to become a FA.... what a douche. I blame agents for putting that thought in their head that they're ready for the NHL.

I still can't figure out why Chychrun fell. He was a top prospect, outstanding character, great skater, physically mature, no injury concerns that I'm aware of. He checked all the boxes, I was hoping he would be BUFs pick at the time. When it's all said and done, Nylander may end up the better player, but thought Chychrun was exactly the type of guy they were looking for.

Miller put up some excellent numbers his final two seasons at MSU: GAA: 1.23 / 1.77 SV%: 0.950 / 0.936 Let's compare that Petersen: GAA: 2.20 / 2.21 SV%: 0.927 / 0.926 You want to compare someone to Miller? Try Connor Hellebuyck. His final two years at UMass-Lowell: GAA: 1.37 / 1.79 SV%: 0.952 / 0.941 Petersen just isn't at that same level IMO.

Eichel basically told him to hire somebody who will stroke his massive..... I mean fire Paul Hamilton.

yeah, he produces points when he plays with the Eichel.... put just about anybody with decent hands and hockey sense with Eichel and they'll produce. Imagine the production of somebody with his hockey sense and hands who can actually keep up with Eichel on the rush.... I've soured on Vatanen after the NSH series where he was completely physically outmatched.

He's a clone of Matt Hackett.

he don't skate good

I project Petersen as a career AHL goaltender. He's not that good folks.

tail wagging the dog

As a young player (13-18 years old) you need to be very very talented AND lucky. You need opportunity, and that opportunity only happens if you happen to know the right people and get necessary breaks to latch onto a program/coach/agent who can get you exposure for the next level. This could be just missing out on a scholarship, or not making a junior team because a spot wasn't open, or your coach didn't know the right people to get you on the national team etc, etc... There's a ton that happens off the ice when deciding who gets to move on to the next level of play.... and much of that involves luck.... is there a spot opening up at your position? injuries? trades, etc.. So much out of the players control that must fall the just the right way in order to get that opportunity to showcase your abilities. For each guy in the NHL there are probably hundreds of players who were at equal ability level when they were younger but just didn't get things to fall their way... maybe they suffered injury? maybe they choose to play for a different team that didn't have success? maybe the coach just liked the other guy a little better because of some previous relationship? I feel lucky that I got the opportunity to play in college. I had a well connected junior coach who knew the right people to get me a look. There were other kids my age who had ability but didn't have the right connections or didn't make the junior team because of an untimely injury, etc... I was fortunate.

J-Bot needs to pick the right coach for this particular core group (ROR, Eichel, Risto, Lehner)... not necessarily whoever the pundits think the best candidate is on paper. Maybe Housley doesn't have enough experience to lead a young core. Maybe Tocchet does, who knows, but one thing is for certain.... J-Bot needs to connect with the players and get a feeling for what kind of HC they need, then conduct his interviews accordingly and hire whoever he determines to be the best match. As fans we just need to trust that he's doing his due diligence on both fronts.

All NHL players need to have some minimum level of ability. However, from my own experience, what you need more than anything is luck.

..and how many of those were actually drafted by PIT/NSH?