That Aud Smell

Chris Ivory in for a visit with the Bills.

He chooses to prepare by spending the least amount of time possible on the ice? K. Last on, first off is not indicative of a guy who thinks (correctly) to himself, "the difference between success and mediocrity in this league is how you do dozens of the little things; I should get some extra time on the ice to work on those things." No. That is consistent with him being a guy who has supreme physical gifts -- like, probably, top 10% in the league -- and a motor that pretty reliably runs at 110 mph. And that's it. He thinks that's enough. And, honestly, he may not be capable of doing more or different than that. I can't recall which game it was that I attended this season -- first half (third?) for sure. I know I posted this take at the time - maybe in the game thread. I sat in a section with which I've become familiar over the past 3 years. There's a good, fun collection of long-time STHs there -- people dating back to the 70s and 80s. Smart fans. Kane was skating on Eichel's line. The third time that Kane got needlessly gummed up with Eichel by moving to space that Eichel was moving to occupy (with the puck), one of those fans just screamed in frustration "GET OUT OF HIS DAMN WAY, KANE!" This section is about 15 rows up in the lower bowl, shoots twice end, between the face-off dots and the end line. The play was right in front of us. I am SURE the players heard this guy. Anyhoo. If you've been watching Sabres hockey and have not concluded that Kane has really low hockey IQ, then I'm not sure what to say. Yes, he can score at even strength. He's fast, strong, and generally gives a full effort. That's how and why he's had some success in the league.

Missed this. It squares with my main beef with the guy: One of the lowest-hockey-IQ NHL hockey players I’ve seen.

Huh - no kidding?

I think that JBOTS adding a really, really good piece for Rochester reinforces (yet again) his vision: Success in Roch will lead to success in Buffalo.

now that's funny

Well, then he's coming through crystal clear.

Link?

The fact that the Sabres didn't take on bad money is something that's probably not getting enough consideration right now.

This is about where I am. I thought the team would get a 2nd for him and a prospect/good young player. I'd hoped the 2nd would be in 2018, but whatever. They pushed it to 2019 on the hope it might be a 1st? Sure. :huh:

Indeed - there were better players available on waivers today. The idea that JBOTS should have traded Kane when he was tearing it up back in December is one that has some appeal to it. But, again. We have no way of knowing whether JBOTS was getting better deals offered to him at that time. We just don't know. Maybe there'll be some leaks about how JBOTS missed the boat? I dunno. I feel like if he'd been offered an unconditional 2018 1st and a prospect in December, Kane would've been gone.

JBOTS was had? How on earth can that be posited? Are we to believe that San Jose (and co-conspiring franchises?!) duped JBOTS into trading Kane for less than full value? It makes no sense. Walking away and getting nothing for Kane would be cutting the nose to spite the face — nothing more.

So you think he'd have got more if he waited another 35 minutes? Troof. Question is: Did JBOTS cash in before he should have. There's really no way of knowing.

O'Reagan sounds like he could be a quality depth addition. ROY in the AHL?

Another Terrier.

So if San Jose were to somehow free-fall into the lottery, then what?

Twittering says San Jose has no prospects worth wanting (?). Also: Is the 1st conditional or nah?

Yep. Wait - Kane's done to SJ?! Prospect, conditional 1st, and conditional 4th.

Ah, okay. Fwiw, I don't think my characterization translates to "smug."

Sabres are apparently in on Wild d-man Mike Reilly. An NCAA product, it appears.

Ohhhh - 50 internet points to you, sir. Very different players, I take it. Interesting, if so.

Sorry for the poor multiquote format. Here's how the overall issue was first raised. And then in response to something d4rk posted (which I have had dropped from my multiquote for some reason), there was this from Promo: So, Promo was the one who raised it as an issue. Said that "others" call Kane smug. No one on here, though.

Flames also just claimed Stewart off waivers, fwiw.

Mike Harrington: Still the worst, evidently.

No idea who he is, but I sympathize with his position (as a non-MSM reporter who's getting dogged for being a blogger). Fwiw - Lehner himself tells Hamilton "I don't want to be traded." Okay. But Straw doesn't say Lehner is his source. Says he has two sources. And Lehner may have reasons for wanting to deny that he made a request. In theory, it's a fair criticism to claim that a GM's unacknowledged racism can cloud a clear assessment of who and what a player is. I'm just unconvinced that's what's going on here, for the reasons you've detailed.