IKnowPhysics

Resign Gio to reasonable one year contracts from here on out. Let him keep the C for as long as he's around (<3 years)... then give it to Eichel, who will have earned it by the time Gio retires.

Better goon it up in beer league. It's the only way the scouts will find you.

Can I Skype into this drinkathon?

I thought it interesting that we called up Hudson Fasching for this game.

Going to both BUF@LAK and BUF@ANA. Bonus: Mom emailed me today and pointed out Harrington's article that mentioned the Sabres are "practicing in suburban El Segundo" today. That's the Kings' practice facility around the corner from work where I play pickup once in a while. I called them up, Sabres are on the ice at 1pm. It has a restaurant/bar upstairs overlooking the ice, and will make for a nice lunch.

NHL Equivalency for the KHL is 0.80(!). Antipin currently has 24 points in 59 KHL games, making his NHLe ~27 points on 82 games. That would be third among defensemen for most teams. 2nd pairing guy sounds right. He also shoots left. He's Kulikov insurance.

Well don't be such a chum guzzler.

Been like that for years, man. I only put up with you when I consciously and deliberately opt into your nonsense.

Qualifying offer would be $3.15M for one year. Bridge contract would be 2 years. It's possible that Lehner attracts an offer sheet, but in order for us to not match, based on compensatory picks, he'd probably have to be offered >$5.5M (1st, 2nd and 3rd rounders, instead of just 1st and 3rd); it's unlikely a team would do that. If GMTM is in on him for the long haul, I'd expect something like $4-5M AAV for 4-5 years; that'd rank Lehner 26th-18th in goalie cap hit. If GMTM's wants to do a wait and see, he may just get a bridge contract, maybe $3.5-4M for two years, but this risks a bigger caphit on a longterm contract two years from now - especially if our defense improves and he really starts to shine. I don't feel that we're pressed for cap space, so going beyond a bridge now to keep costs down later is reasonable. I think Lehner's been a very underrated goalie hidden behind a defense -maybe the league's worst defense- and he shows signs of being a very capable starting goaltender. I'd like to see 4 years at $4.5M. I think that's fair to all involved and could potentially be very good value in those UFA years.

Viagra. I've heard.

1) Meh. It was a move that time showed to be bad. 2) Agreed. 3) Disagree, at least regarding player valuation. He -and GMs never do this- said in a press conference that he offered outgoing players for what other GMs called a fair price and still couldn't get them out the door. I don't think he's to blame for that. What's he gonna do? Make them an offer so low they can't refuse? The market got by the expansion draft. The one deal that was primed and ready, he implied that Gio wanted to stay (read: didn't want to waive his mNTC). Also not his fault.

Lehner will be fine. It's the defense that's terrible.

/thread

Kane's on pace for 35 goals on a 82 game season. He's the leading scorer on the team. That's offense we obviously and definitely shouldn't turn away, unless it's for a serious upgrade at D plus picks. If you take away his 23 goals so far this year, that would move us from 21st in goals for to 29th, only above Colorado's pitiful total.

Tippett points at production of the whole team, OEL cites minor injuries causing off games: http://www.fanragsports.com/nhl/coyotes/coyotes-must-not-waste-prime-of-oliver-ekman-larssons-career/

I just proposed the ol' #23-SWAP to make us a better team and I'd do it again. EVEN KNOWING it took a a full season of tanking to get Reinahorn.

You prioritize fixing the coaching flaws over the roster flaws because the you contend the coaching flaws are eclipsing the roster flaws. I contend that the roster flaws eclipse the coaching flaws, and that the coaching flaws aren't fully known until we have a capable roster with more than 3 serviceable Dmen. It's a bit chicken and egg. But it's easier to make roster changes than coaching changes. And OEL is defenseman Jesus.

Hey, I get it. Sam is and will be a damn good player. But my biggest fear right now is that we're headed towards being Edmonton- a team with a high-talent offense with no ability to possess the puck, stop an opposing offense, or hold a lead. And from the perspective of the fans in ArizonaPhoenix, OEL has been a god. The god. The whole universe. He's it. It's only him. So it's gonna take something special to crowbar OEL out of the desert... something like a 2nd overall selection who is developing quite nicely and is an RFA... And I love how Risto plays. I like how McCabe's been coming along. But OEL is defenseman Jesus. He would completely change the way our rear end operates. edit: I mean PHX fans would say that OEL is untouchable until the end of time. But the PHX front office, more than anything else and maybe more than anyone else, HATES spending money they don't have. They could be convinced to part with OEL for literally the right difference in salary and comparable projected skill.

Trade Sam Reinhart and some pocket change for OEL. Boom. Top pair with Risto that can play 35 minutes a game. Gorges, Bogosian, McCabe, and (I don't care) can split the rest of the time. OEL makes 5.5 through 2018-19. Salary works out with Franson and Kulikov gone. Even lefty-righty works out on this deal. edit: After the expansion draft.

He's 6th in points since Feb 1. If his shooting percentage were 15% (still below average for the top 20 point getters in the league during that time) instead of 4%, he would have lead the league over that period. He's an elite talent. But we're distracted by losses caused by a porous defense that allowed an average of 37 shots per game in those 13 games, the most in the league, by far.

Whoa. Okay. Okay. Okay, okay, my turn. You don't have a crystal ball. You can't look at a kid and predict his future anymore than I can. I've sat at those kitchen tables with you and listened to you tell those parents, "when I know, I know, and when it comes to your son, I know." And you don't. You don't.

There's more. So many more.

BODIE CATENACCI REMATCH!