IKnowPhysics

Agreed. Cash-strapped Yotes shipped Klesla to Caps because they didn't want to pay his salary to play in the minors. Caps had to dump some salary take Halak. Klesla was headed to Rochester. No loss to let him go. No consequence to the trade. There will probably be better, cheaper college free agents we can pick up to boost the Amerks.

VICTORY!

But there's no way he's learning at a geometric rate. No way.

I found this article to be really informative; http://www.wingingit...earing-up-a-faq Effectively, not meeting the cap floor is bound by the same punishments as exceeding the salary cap (non-compliance), and a team can get crushed by that (fines, forfeited picks, forfeited games, employee suspensions, and more). And the first offense carries the penalty of a mandatory fine of at least $1M (plus the $ discrepancy) and forfeiture of a first round pick. So we shouldn't do that, by any means. HOWEVER, the article points out that it's pretty easy to remain compliant, without actually spending the money. How teams can do that is detailed here: http://theleafsnatio...t-the-cap-floor The simplest way to do this is to sign entry level contracts and contracts to guys over age 35 and completely lade them with unattainable performance bonuses. Those bonuses count agaisnt the cap. The ELCs have a limit on bonuses, but it looks like the over-35 guys don't. So look for Hank Tallinder to get signed to a contract that gives him a payout if he wins MVP of the NHL All-Star Game and the Lady Byng. Personally, I think we should just throw ridiculous contracts at Ott and Callahan, and "include them in the build" as leaders. They can die on the 3rd and 4th lines at the end of their contract, for all I care, but they'll demonstrate a good level of compete as long as they can still skate.

So what's the story here? Do we root for the Blues to win to convert the pick into the first rounder, but that first rounder pick ends up being bottom-four? Or do we root for Ryan Miller to sign before the draft and root against the Blues in order to bump up that pick a bit?

VICTORY! Big credit to the secret weapon: Attack Zebras.

Scott playing defense and Deslaurier playing wing? BWHAAA?

His hand is busted up, he might be on LTIR or something. TSN lists him as "out indefinitely." Don't know why that immediately kicks him off the team roster on their page.

TANK ON! Previous tanks haven't worked, time to use the old ingenuity. AA and minesweeping assets have only been partially successful. Army Air Combat Controller has tasked air assets to the theater. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQObWW06VAM

DEFEAT, ###### IT.

Because Moulson took 26 in Minnesota? OOPS. Josh Gorges.

For ######'s sake, the answer is TIM HORTON.

Maybe the racial overtones of my post were too subtle that it wasn't obvious that no response was warranted.

Yeah, that's ######. Kovy retiring in no way influenced the intent on the part of the Devils to circumvent the cap the first (or second) time. They're unrelated. Yet the NHL bought the argument that the situation had changed, and therefore so should the punishment for the infraction.

How?

My point was more that if someone likes watching hockey games more than drafts and trade deadlines and UFA days, I get that. All that excites me somewhat, but if you're only excited by watching actual hockey, then I get that too. It truly is an exciting time to be a Sabres fan, but only if one can derive enjoyment from watching trades, drafts, signings, etc, just about anything but the on-ice product.

That's a neat behind-the-scenes twitter account.

It's all about the next two drafts now. But if that doesn't get you going, I get it.

Yeah, but all they can do is rig the lottery and force an expansion draft. What are they going to do? Make the refs give us powerplays? We'll show them what true tanking really looks like!

THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE IS RUINED!

In my mind, we're definitely tanking at least through the end of next season. Trade the UFAs we're not interested in at the deadline. Maximize the 2015 draft picks. At that point, we can get the geiger counter out and see how much radioactive fallout is left. If it looks all clear, we can crack open the lead-lined doors of our emotional bunkers. If it still looks like we need even more picks/prospects, etc, then we'll have to get creative. Trading the UFAs we picked up this year and next year. Examining Myers, Ehrhoff, and Weber, etc. Things could get really dark then, especially if the kids aren't ready yet.

With those hipster thick-rimmed glasses? You better believe it.

Ott and Callahan are good leaders and don't subvert the tank. I'm fine with that. Moulson... is probably alright. Seems like he liked playing here.