Robviously

A New Jersey team in a downward spiral means 2 more points for our glorious run to 9th place.

Throw in Philly and Dallas and we're drafting 8th. Then Winnipeg, Edmonton, New Jersey, Columbus, Washington, Phoenix, and Nashville are all within 4 points of us right now. One late meaningless win streak and we're out of the top ten. Imagine that. After enduring this long, boring, and completely hopeless season, we may not even get a top ten draft pick. You know it's coming. Just embrace the nightmare.

Islanders beat the Lightning in regulation. Rangers currently up 3-1 on Carolina with a few minutes left in the 3rd. So the Sabres' teeny tiny chances of making the playoffs get worse and their chances of getting a top five draft pick also get worse. Awesome. So much to be excited about as a fan. [insert suicidal emoticon that we should have by now.]

At which point most fans are shocked that the previous year's late season wins didn't amount to anything in terms of momentum or a winning mentality. Then we spend most of the season talking about who we're going to draft with our (very high) first round pick before the team starts their annual garbage points binge with a few weeks left. We finish the season strong, we draft in the middle of the first round, and fans have high hopes for next season. Nothing ever changes.

Not so far. The Sabres are a friggin' Hockey Hydra. Every year they lose guys and get stronger when it happens.

Baker has him as our "third best center prospect", not necessarily "3rd line center." Pretty much every write-up says he projects as a 2nd or 3rd line guy. A lot of the Wild fans were calling him another Mikko Koivu, which would be just fine with me. If he's "just" a 3rd line center who can shut down other teams' best players and score some goals in the process, that would be pretty great. Obviously nothing is certain though. None of our prospects are "can't miss." Even Grigorenko could fizzle out in the NHL. Who knows?

Kris Baker (Sabres Prospects) puts Hackett as the #1 goalie prospect (Ullmark is #2) and Larsson as the #3 Center (behind Grigorenko and Girgensons).

This. However, if the Sabres do their thing and pile up a bunch of garbage points to end the season and push themselves out of having a good draft pick, I might swing back towards re-signing Vanek. If we're not going to be in a position to draft a new star forward to build around, I'm a lot less excited trading away the best one we have. They can overpay him and I'd be fine with that.

He actually met the new guys and visited with the rest of the team too. Pretty cool move. Kevin Oklobzija ‏@kevinoDandC16h #Sabres (and #Amerks) owner Terry Pegula was in dressing room to say hi to most players and meet the new ones (Johan Larsson, Matt Hackett).

We won't be in a position to draft any of them.

At this point, we'll be lucky if we draft as high as 7th.

Right on time.

Here comes the annual late season win streak!

Gerbe is definitely due for a goal or two to keep the Legend going.

Not sure if Quebec is....

Call it the "Line with the two guys we really, really need to make it." Kevin Oklobzija ‏@kevinoDandC5m New #Sabres prospect Johan Larsson will play center with Zemgus Girgensons and Jacob Lagace tonight for the #Amerks.

I hated the way he sounded when he said that too. I like Miller as a goalie but I hate his interviews.

They'd have to get creative for sure, but Russo made their owner sound a lot like Pegula. He wants to win. The other question is: would they be willing to send over another big package of assets for another Buffalo forward? That is, would they give us their 2014 no.1 when we already have their 2014 2nd round pick? And which of their other prospects would they be willing to part with?

I'm sure they'll put it up on their website by tonight.

Justin Kea ‏@JKea092h Off to rochester today for a little more hockey before the summer #winning

Michael Russo (Minnesota Wild beat reporter) was just on WGR to talk about the trade. He suggested that the Wild might have grabbed Pominville to help bring Vanek to Minnesota eventually (as a free agent?). I really wonder if they might be our trade partner for a Vanek trade as well now. If their farm system is as deep as they say, they might be a fit.

You have the magic touch. Buy a Stafford jersey. Oh, do I need a complaint? Here goes: Chz doesn't own a Stafford jersey and hasn't cosmically nudged him out of town yet.

I don't think the Sabres are going to be able to move into the top 3 in the draft via trade, but if they're supposed to draft 7th or 8th, they could probably move up to 5th to get someone they want (sorta depends on how their trading partner is ranking the prospects though). If Nashville is interested in Vanek, there's an awesome trade out there for the Sabres: Forsberg and Hellberg. Filip Forsberg is a blue chip forward prospect and Hellberg is a big Swedish goalie currently doing great in the AHL as a 19 year old. Fills two holes for the Sabres moving forward (assuming Miller is on his way out too).

True, but if it was "Forsberg and ___________" I'd be pretty interested. I have basically zero interest in watching Stafford play hockey for us anymore and Miller doesn't fit into our long term plans. A blue chip prospect like Forsberg would be huge for us in this rebuild. I wouldn't need a ton more after that.

That's the Washington trade. Supposedly Edmonton was in on him too and decided the price was too high. It's killing me to think that we almost moved Miller and Stafford to Washington today but came up just short. Again, this is where Regier needs to forget about "winning" the trade and just get it done where both teams are OK with it.