pi2000

I'll go 5-2 CGY. Moulson 2 PP goals. Gaudreau 3 goals. Power play, even strength, empty net. Bennett/Tkachuk goal each. Johnson 36 saves, Lehner 28 saves. Me... I predicted a 30g season for Moulson, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he'll be rewarded for all the work he put in this offseason. LGR4GM not a Moulson fan. Anyway, yeah Ennis is still searching for his game. He does seem to be working hard and looks fit and fast out there, so hopefully he polishes up the mental side and starts making more plays. I think he'll get there, but it might be another 3 or 4 weeks. Which could be around when Eichel comes back, so theoretically you'd slot Ennis into Reinhart's spot with O'Reilly and Okposo, and put Reinhart back with Eichel and Moulson (who'll have +10 goals by then and moved up to the top 6 :P )

The team has no identity yet. They need to start winning games first... only then we can label them.

I, for one, can't stand listening to Biron's accent.. makes it just about unlistenable.

IMO, it all comes down to the Sabre's playoff hopes at the deadline. If guys like Kulikov, Moulson, Ennis, etc.. are playing well, then it's very likely BUF is in a playoff position and become buyers at the deadline. They'd also have to think long and hard about protecting guys like Moulson, Ennis and Kulikov in the expansion draft. If they're not in playoff contention, guys like Ennis and Kulikov should be traded.... maybe Moulson if he's somewhat productive and some playoff team wants to shore up their power play for a Cup run.

If the Sabres play the same they did against EDM, they'll lose this one. Lehner made some Hasek like stops and Talbot was... well.... Talbot. This is a revenge game for Chad Johnson, I see 2 PP goals from Moulson and that's about it.... Gaudreau is due to explode he's had chances left and right but can't find the net... he get a few tonight.

Here's a still picture of Kulikov on that second goal... ...I'm not gonna make any excuses for that play, he blew it. Don't expect a veteran to get caught flat-footed and turned around like that. Assuming Bogo and McCabe stay together... that leave Gorges with Franson. Kill me now.

...because Kulikov needs to be able to make up for Risto's defensive shortcomings? Impossible!

Haha, cuz we know how much Liger loves Matty Moulson! :w00t:

Kyle Acapulco

FACT: Matt Moulson outscored Connor McDavid head-to-head That said, Moulson keeps up his torid pace tonight scoring 2 PP goals against a poor CGY PK unit which is killing off only 50% of PPs at home this season.

$2200 MTL - W EDM - n/b

Damn! That was a good site. Now what? spotrac.com?

As others have pointed there are a few others you are missing... but I will say this.. this team is close to, or at the point where the "hot garbage" is holding the team back rather than lack of top end talent. Any team is going to struggle when they have to trot out guys like Franson, Gorges, Girgensons, and Deslaurier for a regular shift. I'd say were maybe 2 more offseasons away from having the team GMTM envisions in his head.

Yeah, he gets paid regardless, but that's not what motivates him. He's playing like his hair is on fire out of the gate. If he keeps that up, yeah I want him around for another season or two, don't care that he's 33. It shows me that he's willing to do whatever it takes to stick around... I like that, and I want those guys on my team. There will always be room for a guy like that. ..but what if Ennis AND Moulson scores 30g AND BUF is a in a playoff spot at the deadline. Then what? Let me answer, you protect them. Why? Because you can't lose those guys for nothing. Guys like Foligno, Girgensons are easily replaceable, hell I'd argue we need to upgrade both their spots. It's easy to find faster, more skilled players who are just as big, that can pot 10-15g year. Those guys are a dime a dozen. What's not easy to find are 30g scoring wingers. You have one on your team? You do what you need to do to keep them, and milk everything you can out of them. But I digress.... chances are Moulson doesn't even score 20, Ennis doesn't score 20, and BUF is on the outside looking in again this year.... but consider there infinite parallel universes (there are) in at last one of those universes both Ennis and Moulson score 30 on our way to a lengthy playoff run, I hope that's the universe we live in.

He loves it here and put in a ton of work in the offseason to earn his spot on this team. GMTM gave him that chance, he didn't give up on him because he knows how badly he wants to be here for the rest of his career. He has a young family and so forth.... so yeah Matt Moulson would have every right to be pissed about being exposed after he did everything that was asked of him. Again, which 7 F would you protect? If Moulson regains his form I wouldn't waste that 7th spot on Kane or Girgensons.

Whoever we trade him to can expose him in the expansion draft, or trade him, or do whatever they want with him after their Cup run. They're not "stuck" with his salary for 2 more years unless they can't move him off their roster. That's a chance many teams would be willing to make if it means a chance at the Cup. Which 7 forwards would you protect... and which one of those 7 do you think is more valuable than a +30g Moulson? http://www.generalfanager.com/teams/expansion My 7 would be O'Reilly, Moulson, Ennis, Larsson, Okposo, Carrier, Foligno. That exposes Kane and Girgensons. I think we both agree on Kane. Girgensons don't fit this style of play, he's not quick enough, and he doesn't score (like Moulson does), and he's not a GMTM guy. To your point about using that 5mil in available cap space.... you think you can add 30g for 5mil/yr? Not a chance. Also, what happens if you expose him and he's not picked? Then what? It's basically telling him "we don't want you", then you expect he'll come back with the same vigor he did this season?

Like I said... IF..... IF he scores +30g and GMTM loses him in the expansion draft for nothing, not even a 2nd or 3rd round pick, then he failed. I guarantee there would be teams lining up offers to add a 30g scorer to their team for a playoff run... even if it is just as a power play specialist. Said team can decide expose him in the expansion draft if they choose. (IMO BUF would be better off letting Kane, or Foligno/Girgensons, go in the expansion draft, as opposed to a +30g Moulson). That said, if you consider the possibility that the Sabres are contenders AND Moulson is on pace for +30g (both big IFs)... then you have no choice but to keep him as he's still a valuable piece of your team. Or you trade him in the offseason for whatever you can get.

Who said Bogo was bad? I liked his game last night, can't really put my finger on any glaring mistakes he made. That's the thing about defenseman, when you don't notice them, they're usually playing well. When you notice them it's usually because they missed an assignment, got caught flat footed, or whiffed on a check.

So let me get this straight. You would give up a +30g scorer for absolutely nothing in return simply because he's 33 years old? There's no guarantee Kane/Ennis/Fashcing/Bailey/etc... will ever even sniff 30g. Dave Andreychuk won a cup at age 40 and was 5th on the team in scoring during that playoff run. If Moulson regains his old form, you either trade him for a significant return, or keep him. It would be irresponsible to let him go in the expansion draft for zip. The more I think about this, the most likely scenario is BUF finds themselves once again as sellers at the deadline. If Moulson is on pace for 30g, he could be a valuable piece for a team like ANA looking to add a scoring winger for their Cup run. Does that net Fowler in return? Maybe, maybe not, but if BUF is contending and he's scoring at a regular clip, you need to keep him at least until his contract is up, and even then maybe he's still producing and wants to play another 2-3 years or some Cup contender views him as a missing piece to their puzzle. Either way, you don't let a 30g scorer go in the expansion draft for nothing in return. You either keep him, or trade him for assets. Anything less and GMTM is failing at his job.

How many goals does he need to score before his contract not only becomes a significant value at $5mil, but also one you need to protect in the expansion draft as an integral part of your team? In my mind there are 2 distinct possibilities and neither results in BUF losing him in the expansion draft. 1 - His production tails off and he becomes expendable. No team is willing to take on that contract in any sort of trade, and LV doesn't select him in the draft... why would they? They want young players and older vets that can lead. Moulson is neither. At that point we're talking buyout or waivers and eating his contract. 2 - (and most likely) He loves Buffalo and doesn't want to miss out whats to come. He plays his heart out, has a career year scoring +30g. Now there are decisions to be made.... are the Sabres a playoff contender? If not, trade him for significant assets at the deadline to a contender. If BUF is in the playoff hunt, you not only need to keep him this season, but he's suddenly a integral part of your team moving forward and must be protected in the draft.

He's improving!

Agreed. Ennis needs time to find his game, I'm confident he'll get there. I don't think this team will throw him on the trash heap after only 1/4 season. If Moulson keeps this up, GMTM will need to give serious consideration to protecting him in the expansion draft. He's playing fast(er), and is much much more engaged on the forecheck and getting to loose pucks. He'll continue to score if he keeps doing those little things.

It's been a while since I criticized Risto's game so here it goes.. Risto had a nice offensive game. He moved the puck well out of his end and made good decisions on the power play. However, he still looks lost in his own end at times, especially when things get scrambly by the net. He gets caught staring at and playing the puck instead of engaging a body. He also still lacks that quick first step when transitioning from backwards to forwards skating, or from a stand still, which was very noticeable against a fast team like the Oilers. McCabe has that foot speed and quickness, which is where the NHL is trending these days. Unfortunately, I'm afraid this team will continue to get exploited by faster teams until guys like Gorges, Franson, even Bogo are gone from this team. Sure Bogo is fast at top speed, but he has no quickness, he can't get to loose pucks quick enough in the corners, or make a quick escape with the puck on this stick. That said, Risto can still eventually be a highly effective defender, but we need more McCabe like skaters on the back-end to consistently compete in today's NHL.

we have to keep track of this ourselves?