Armia, Grigorenko, Number 1 Draft Pick

[Taro T]

To some of us this is preferable to being perpetually stuck in a boring orbit around Earth.

Not disputing that. Simply pointing out that there are more ways decisions can pan out than those that don't fully think them out expect.

[nfreeman]

After last night's game, I've got one wrinkle to add to my plan for next year: I've decided that keeping Tallinder is essential. (Although I think I was planning to keep him anyway.)

 

Myers looked fantastic last night. Maybe it's a coincidence that his resurgence has occurred during his reunion with Tallinder, but the fact remains that during the 2 years he's played with Tallinder, he's played about a million times better than the 3 years without him.

 

Tallinder is still a competent NHL defenseman, and for whatever reason Myers is flourishing with him as his partner. They can't screw that up again.

 

$3.5MM x 2 years. That will give Risto and Zadorov plenty of low-pressure time to develop and give Myers time to cement his game so that when it's time for Hank to move on, Myers will be solid without him.

 

I say again: they cannot repeat this mistake with Myers.

[qwksndmonster]

If Myers can't continue playing well without Tallinder, then it wasn't meant to last anyways. I am strongly against bringing back Tallinder because 1) He's going to be even slower/older next year and 2) he'll take Zadorov's roster spot away when I think he's ready now.

[dudacek]

I hope to god Myers is beyond needing a veteran crutch, but it's hard to call this a complete coincidence.

I'd like to see that roster spot upgraded by a better veteran free agent (see Orpik, Brooks), but if we fail to sign one, I'm not against giving Hank one more year.

 

 

 

[dudacek]

It may seem like I am a tank advocate; I'm not, exactly.

I am an advocate for acquiring a core of young, front-line players that can carry the team forward for an extended run of legitimate contention.

Given the current status of the team, I think it would be a missed opportunity not to nab a couple forwards at the top end of the draft.

 

But I am all over Eleven's desire to bring in some real players, as long as they aren't sacrificing the long- term goal.

 

Which is why I hope the Sabres are looking very closely at the Evander Kane situation.

Number four pick, a power winger who hits and scored 30 goals as a 21 year old.

Obviously unhappy in the Peg, and may be a bit of a problem child.

 

If we can swoop in and buy low, we may have our first-line winger for the next eight years.

[Iron Crotch]

Okay. Let's just make it more simple. Tanking. In general. You tank to get a high pick. The higher the picks the better the players. That's the general way things work.

 

I have no doubt that higher picks, on average, deliver higher value (there is a 2011 JQAS paper by a guy at St. Lawrence University that used NHL data from 1988 to 1997 to more-or-less show this statistically). But, we're talking about a single draw from a distribution with a range of possible outcomes. There is a ton of uncertainty as to the plight of any one individual draftee. So I'm not sure we can just assume that, for example, the #2 pick in 2014 will turn out to be a better player than the #5 pick that same year.

[Hoss]

After last night's game, I've got one wrinkle to add to my plan for next year: I've decided that keeping Tallinder is essential. (Although I think I was planning to keep him anyway.)

 

Myers looked fantastic last night. Maybe it's a coincidence that his resurgence has occurred during his reunion with Tallinder, but the fact remains that during the 2 years he's played with Tallinder, he's played about a million times better than the 3 years without him.

 

Tallinder is still a competent NHL defenseman, and for whatever reason Myers is flourishing with him as his partner. They can't screw that up again.

 

$3.5MM x 2 years. That will give Risto and Zadorov plenty of low-pressure time to develop and give Myers time to cement his game so that when it's time for Hank to move on, Myers will be solid without him.

 

I say again: they cannot repeat this mistake with Myers.

 

Tallinder can't play forever. And Myers was struggling mightily until Nolan came around. If this is your argument, it'd make more sense to demand that Nolan AND Tallinder are kept.

 

 

 

I have no doubt that higher picks, on average, deliver higher value (there is a 2011 JQAS paper by a guy at St. Lawrence University that used NHL data from 1988 to 1997 to more-or-less show this statistically). But, we're talking about a single draw from a distribution with a range of possible outcomes. There is a ton of uncertainty as to the plight of any one individual draftee. So I'm not sure we can just assume that, for example, the #2 pick in 2014 will turn out to be a better player than the #5 pick that same year.

 

I'm not sure where you're taking the discussion now. So we'll just stop.

[nfreeman]

I hope to god Myers is beyond needing a veteran crutch, but it's hard to call this a complete coincidence.

I'd like to see that roster spot upgraded by a better veteran free agent (see Orpik, Brooks), but if we fail to sign one, I'm not against giving Hank one more year.

 

As in my Phaneuf scenario, there is room for both Tallinder and a FA defenseman:

 

Ehrhoff-new FA defenseman

Myers-Tallinder

McNabb/Pysyk

 

Extra: Weber

Gone: Sulzer, McBain

Rochester/injury callup: Risto, Zadorov

 

Tallinder can't play forever. And Myers was struggling mightily until Nolan came around. If this is your argument, it'd make more sense to demand that Nolan AND Tallinder are kept.

 

I am pretty close to demanding that Nolan be retained. The team looks a million times better than it did before he got here. I could be persuaded otherwise, but there would have to be a pretty GD compelling new coach brought in.

[Hoss]

I am pretty close to demanding that Nolan be retained. The team looks a million times better than it did before he got here. I could be persuaded otherwise, but there would have to be a pretty GD compelling new coach brought in.

 

My view is that he should be kept around unless it's a sticking point for a new GM. If the new GM really wants to bring in his own guy, then let him. But if he wants to keep Nolan for another year then do it.

[LGR4GM]

IF you draft in the top 5 you have an extremely good chance of getting a top player. If you draft in the top 2 it is almost guaranteed. If you go to UFA you might lose out or get a guy who turns into a bust. Trades are always hard to predict. Out of those 3 options the one with the highest likelihood of actually happening and panning out is the draft.

 

Do I want this team to suck this year and tank? Not really no. I wanted them to do it last year when the draft had a plethora of elite forward prospects. This year we are terrible though. Absolutely awful. This team can't score. We need forward scoring talent and the fastest and most efficient way to get it is the draft. As far as tanking multiple years and especially next year for McDavid, I think next year you need to go into the season with the goal of making the playoffs. I think you need to ice a team that has that goal. If the team goes south than clearly there is more work to do. If the team just misses the playoffs there is still more work to do. Planning to tank next season just doesn't make sense. If we do and get McDavid than awesome but I don't think you can go into the season with that as your goal.