tom webster

Ill put Burke and Duds record up against Darcy's any day. 8 out of 14 certainly sounds better then 4 out of 6, doesn't it. Of course after two more years and its 8 out of 16 and 6 out of 8 you probably will point the "rosey" future and stop dwelling on the past when he led Muckler's team to the Conference finals twice and the Cup once.

The play of the Leafs this year is testament to what he did there. They hired him to rebuild the organization but they then decided they wanted him to take short cuts. Burke was fired because he is just like Bill Polian and he doesn't play nice and suck up to the bosses so the minute they had something on him, they let him go. Before the Leafs he built the foundation for Vancouver and finished the job in Anaheim, Dudley and Luce have substantial track records and if you need, I can send you a three page narrative recounting those.

Reading this whole thread, I come to the conclusion that the new Sabre plan is to lower expectations to take the heat off. The old business adage, Promise less, deliver more. I am starting to believe that they believe that their only problem is that they built unrealistic expectations. Their is really no reason to tear this completely down and start from scratch if they just fire the GM. Burke, Dudley, Nill, they could have it heading in the right direction in a year.

I hope you don't think that Couterier and a #1 is enough for Vanek.

Nice

58% on face-offs and over 52% the last three years. Not that they matter. Given their woes in he shoot out, Leafs may pick him up.

Jussi Jokinen released. Interesting player for a third liner with an ability to win draws.

It's not about being wrong, it's about making something up just to be part of the conversation. Two very different things. This board was always different because it allowed intelligent discourse from people with a wide range of opinions but always held true to the truth and civility.

How can you post this after your previous post? It's crap like this that ruins it for anyone with an ounce of integrity and a desire to use this site for some informed discussion.

Grigorenko cannot play in Rochester next year.

Regier didn't make Satan trade. That would be Muckler.

You can book it unless he resigns with a hometown discount.

No way he signs for less then $5 million and Clarkson will be pushing $6 million.

No way you can fit that third line under cap unless you have one of top two lines entirely on entry level contracts

I could guess. Hodgson line and Porter line remain intact. Vanek for Stafford Gerbe for Scott

Boyle and Clowe for Leopold and Stafford. Oh wait, I don't do this

My question would be how do fans that hate Stafford but idolize the Red Wing franchise reconcile this?

Plus Buffalo gives him a chance to do something he couldn't do in Colorado, beat the hell out of Montreal 6 to 8 times per year.

So if Leino amd Ennis return, will they not have to move someone? They will have 24 players counting Kaletta who I believe has to be counted whiel suspended.

While I agree that you need your role players to contribute, it is my belief that the very good teams thrive because their top 6 forwards and their top 2 defenseman carry them and in turn make the role players better.

And Lindy knew this.

Don't know if this was already brought up but this team gets killed by Carolina largely because Ennis shouldn't be playing center, especially when the other team has the two Stahl's. Power play against doesn't count either and he was on for Hodgson's first so there is two.

And finally, is there any team in desparate need of Miller right now willing to overpay? Ask Vancouver how that's working out.

I understand the infatuation with what Kassian might become, but I cannot understand the lack of pure excitement for Hodgson. If Hodgson was a Sabres' draftee this board would be going gaga at his development and thoughts of what he can become.( I'm not talking specific to you). As we speak he is in the top 20 in scoring and climbing but instead some here in Sabrespace seem more infatuated about Armia or Catennaci(sic?)

Haven't read the rest of this thread so I apologize if it has already been stated, but Vancouver, Anaheim and Toronto are better because of his work there. You can pick apart his successes and his relative input at these three places but just as the Sabres are who there record says they are, so too are these franchises and Burke played a major role in it all.