IKnowPhysics

Bright sides, man.

Chad Johnson could be done for the year before ever playing a game for us.

Obviously trying not to be obvious?

I'm (as usual, for some reason) also with Blue. Furthermore, it is as yet undetermined whether an intentional tank of this magnitude is an act of sheer incompetence on a massive scale. It hasn't been proven to work... yet. If it's proven to not work, we screwed ourselves big time and the righteous will damn us for intentionally losing toward unintentional massive failure. If it's proven to work, can it really be considered intentional losing if you intentionally end up winning long term?

Holy tank move.

I made a table for the draft odds soes we can piss and moan about how much it blows to finish 29th: If we finish 29th instead of 30th, the chance of landing McEichel drops from 100% to 33.5%.

Welp, combine that with Mark Giordano being out for the season, Kyle Okposo still out on IR, and Gustav Nyquist being bumped to the 3rd line with Cole's arrival, my fantasy season should take a marked turn for the worse.

I don't normally do this. Prediction: space monkeys construct a space bulldozer to push the earf into the nearest black hole. Sabres win. Sabrespace.com implodes because gravity. For all eternity, neutrons from what was formerly D4rk's tongue are pressed up against quarks that were formerly PA's hairy nipple.

For me, that was the excitement of Rex. The defensive mastermind combined with the high-talent defense. If we dismantle one or the other, we gain no ground.

I blame Sean Connery for shooting the tail.

I have the weirdest right now.

DON'T JUMP

Well, if you believe the old company line, it did, sort of. Paul Gaustad would be traded at the trade deadline that year for a first round pick, mentioned by Regier as the beginning of the rebuild.

Heh. Beatings will continue until morale improves.

We're one game past an apocalyptic deadline. Throw out the trends and save the hysterics for games 77-82.

How's Evander Kane? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa2tJdtKQ-o

#beerleague

Still on a 2.61P/GP pace. If my math was right over in the CHL thread, a month ago, he still could be looking at a 70-95 point rookie NHL season.

All of it.

Could be the call ups. Could be the enormous weight of the deadline off some shoulders. Could be the zero--given attitude of the season.

For folks that hadn't figured this out, Kiko Alonso was the defensive leader of the 2012 Rose Bowl-winning Oregon Ducks when Chip Kelly was coach. Kelly just took over the personnel department of the Eagles.

McCoy to start between Moulson and Ennis.

Fair. But it's only a year or two, and we have $Pegula to spend, within reason. If he's out, I would think it's not because he wouldn't move away from CT, but rather that he wants to win another Cup before he's 43. Also fair. And, oops, forgot Samson. Put him on 2nd line. I don't mind passing on Fisher if he's Nashville-tied and putting Girgensens on 3rd line duty. Maybe mix 2nd and 3rd lines somewhat to mix up size and skill. Not overly concerned about it, especially with: Their age. Gionta and St Louis are transition pieces. The size of the other forwards. Kane, Grigensens, Foligno, (Fisher), (Stewart), Deslauriers, McCormick, and Kaleta have zero problem holding their own. Same with the D- Bogosian, Risto, Zadorov, and Weber haven't seemed to be in good moods lately. I hope that's not the case. Not because the Buffalo lineup is in desperate need, but really for Patty's sake. I feel like he'd be willing to die for us.

I don't normally play the EA Sports GM UFA game on the forum, but just for fun: 1) Offer Marty St Louis a two year deal. Great inspiration. Awesome off-ice leader for the kids. Still produces as a top-six right winger. Trade him at the end to TBL to retire as a Bolt, if he wants. 2) Do some analytics and determine if Niemi or Fasth or Ramo or Gustavsson are worth going after. If so, sign one to a three year deal. Don't consider offer sheeting Holtby, despite his recent upturn. If all else fails, we must trade for a goaltender. 3) Figure out what Cody Hodgson's role is. If he's not a top-three center, consider signing Mike Fisher. 4) If we still need 3rd line depth, maybe depending on Kaleta's role, have a conversation with Stewart, This is what you get: Kane-McEichel-St Louis Moulson-Girgensens-Ennis Foligno-Fisher-Stewart Deslauriers-Hodgson/Grigorenko-Gionta (plus McCormick and Kaleta) (not in order:) McCabe-Bogosian Gorges-Pysyk Ristolainen-Zadorov (plus Weber) Niemi/Fasth/Ramo/Gustavsson/trade Johnson Very loosely, about $15M in new UFA contracts (if we sign a goalie). That's a very young and very physical defense behind a gritty, veteran group of forwards leading highly talented young forwards.