nfreeman

I think it's less than 25% likely that Cozens makes the team. I also think it's less than 25% likely that Mitts doesn't make the team. So I think there's about a 5% chance that Cozens makes it and Mitts doesn't. Anything is possible, of course, but if this were true I don't think he would've hired RK.

Bob and Doug! Take off, eh?

And more forceful.

I agree that it would be a major slap in the face for Mitts. But when I watch him, I just don't see a guy who's ready to be an effective NHL player. I kinda like the idea of him battling against a lower level of pro hockey for half a season (or more) before throwing him in over his head again. Also, I freaking love the idea of Cozens blowing in like Tormund Giantsbane and seizing the 2C spot.

So, if we were to tweak today's lines to my liking, we'd have: Skinner - Eichel - ERod Vesey - Cozens - Reino Johansson - Asplund - Olofsson Girgensons - Larsson - Ruotsalainen ...putting KO and Sheary in the press box as extras and Mittsie and TT in Rochester for further seasoning. I could talk myself into liking that setup pretty easily.

...until the 2nd half of last season, although if we're going to quibble about "point producer" vs "mainstay who shows up when his team needs him and should be locked up to a fat long-term deal" I suppose there is room for disagreement.

Reino was terrible (in the context of expectations) in the 1st half of 2017-18.

Not sure why the whining on this is necessary, but just to be clear: copying a brief excerpt is OK. Copying an entire article, or most of it, is not OK. We don't have a strict word count limit here -- posters are expected to use their better judgment.

"Schitt's Creek" is low-key a really funny show.

Well, I still want Skinner with Eichel and Reino on his own line. But I love the kronor line.

Holy major unfounded assumptions Batman!

I didn't say that I wanted to give Laine an 8-year deal though.

Here's the key question IMHO: If you think that a team can have 4 or maybe 5 highly-paid guys, since Skinner, Eichel and Dahlin are locks for 3 of those slots -- do you want to commit to Reino as being the 4th? i.e. are you willing to lock in your core for the next 5 years as Skinner, Eichel, Dahlin and Reino? Or do you want to wait and see if you can find someone better? Because once you give Reino that 7- or 8-year deal -- you are married to him and married to that core.

...which is kinda what JB did this year with Nylander, although not quite early enough to be a major surprise. Trading Mitts, his own guy, a year earlier than Nylander was traded (relative to draft year) would be a major surprise and, yes, Belichikean.

I agree on Cozens being the best prospect. Winnipeg isn't trading Connor for any Sabres package that doesn't include Dahlin. Laine for Risto+ is probably the best return the Sabres could get for Risto. Many here, including me, are probably overreacting to a lousy rookie year and last night's game, but I wouldn't be crushed if JB cut bait on Mitts and included him in a Risto deal if the return included, say, Laine and Ehlers.

This I think is a key point. For those criticizing JB for not bringing in a real 2C: which guys were available this summer that JB should've gotten? Kevin Hayes is a fair response -- but we should remember that he got 7 years x $7.14MM to go to Philly. How much would he have required to go to Buffalo instead? 7 years x $8MM? Would anyone have wanted to give him that much? Having said that, it's not unfair to criticize JB for failing to solve the problem, especially after he traded ROR. Nor is it unfair to criticize JB for having Mittsie be the plan to fill the hole -- especially if Mittsie is a washout, which is distinctly possible. I just think it's also fair to expect the JB critics to be able to name some guys that JB should've brought in.

But this was better. (at about 1:55)

^^^That was some no-BS Brett Favre gold right there.

The lack of urgency here in the 3rd is surprising given how many guys are supposed to be competing for jobs.

Whoa. Joker is really GD fast.

What kind of tough decision will he have to make? Are you seriously speculating that/speculating whether TP will refuse to pay the market rate for, say, Dahlin because he doesn't want incur operating losses -- which TG was quite open about wanting to avoid? As for "he hasn't spent close to the cap" -- are you interested in the facts, or just in lobbing hysterical "he's ripping us off" allegations? Last year the Sabres' cap hit was $76.6MM, or about $2.9MM under the $79.5MM cap (i.e. 3.6% under). In 2016-7, their cap hit was $71.7MM, or about $1.3MM under the $73MM cap (i.e. 1.8% under). This year, the Sabres are at $82.5MM, or about $1MM over the cap. Of course, your reference to Black Sunday completely (and, I expect, intentionally) elides the crux of the matter -- that TG and LQ chose not to negotiate a deal with Briere until it was too late, and that they had a deal with Drury that they chose not to finalize until it was too late.

Taken from us far too soon. Sometimes the hockey gods are cruel.

There is NFW that Florida is trading either Hubie or Vinny.

Outstanding. The bolded IMHO begins and ends any "which owner was better" discussion. We are still paying for Black Sunday. I'll also point out that the OP had plenty of fear and loathing for TG when he was the owner.

I think it's worth noting that JA made a number of plays that only a very good QB makes, and a few that only a star QB makes. He's still got a ways to go but he might just be the one.