nfreeman

Well, Pittsburgh traded for Kessel 1 year into an $8MM x 8 year contract, when Kessel was about to turn 28 so that’s pretty much the same ballpark as the Sabres 4 years later giving Skinner $8.75MM x 8 before he turns 27.

Just so we’re all clear: if you’re saying you wouldn’t give him 8 years x $8.5MM, then you’re saying the Sabres should let him walk. He’s not going to take less term or less AAV.

Well, expensive UFAs are certainly a risky proposition, but I don't think the KO experience means that all high-end UFAs should be avoided. Toronto seems pretty happy with Tavares, for example. A high-end center to supplement Jack and move Mitts down the rotation seems like it could unlock all kinds of benefits in the forward group.

I too expect JB to take a few big swings this summer, both in trade and the UFA market. Of course, success will largely depend on the willingness of the other side. It sounds like if they walk away from a couple of RFAs and/or trade Risto, they will have cap room for a high-end UFA. Holy mackerel would it be amazing if they landed Duchene (who will turn 29 next January) or Karlsson (who will turn 29 this May).

How about some deets please??

Good question! I suppose the answer is that he can only get what the market will bear, and I'm skeptical that someone will pay him that much at this point -- he turns 31 in September and his numbers are in decline (2.81 GAA, .905 SV% this year vs 2.42 and .921 last year).

It's an interesting question. If, say, Bobrovsky indicated to JB that he'd be willing to sign for, say, $6MM x 5 years -- are ya interested?

The #fancystats on the goalies are worrisome and believable IMHO, especially when one considers that it's highly likely that the same 2 guys are back in net next year. JB's decision to bring in Hutton, and the lousy results, also remind of @dudacek's concerns about JB's talent evaluation chops.

I don't think Ullmark played well enough vs the Leafs to get another start. Is Hutton injured?

Per the Athletic, Nylander has 8 goals in 45 games this year, including 1 in his last 19 games. If he's not officially a washout yet, we can all see it from here.

This is a very good and interesting post, but it has to be pointed out that you are really pumping daugherty’s tires to an unnatural degree. It will be a big Sabrespace win for you if he turns out to be a good player.

The first paragraph is right on, but not sure about the 2nd.

I agree with @Derrico — would just add that neither goalie has seized the job IMHO.

I like those pairs and Pilut very well could beat Scandy out for a spot (if Scandy or someone else isn’t traded).

I wouldn't be opposed to giving Reino another whirl at C, but I agree that he's found a home and has played well to very well (not sure I'm all the way to "outstanding" though) at RW. I also agree with your point about several coaches having taken his measure and determined that his best spot is RW. Among other things, I don't see him being able to come all the way back and support the D like a center needs to do, while he does very well in getting the puck out of the zone from the half-wall in the RW spot. Having said that, I also think Reino is a very good playmaker from the wing, and thus fulfilling a lot of what the team needs from the C position. I think if Sheary could play as well as he did last night, then Reino, Sheary and Erod or other good-but-not-great #2C could form a good 2nd line. (Unfortunately, I have a hard time seeing Sheary suddenly flipping the switch and becoming a 22-26-48 guy -- he doesn't seem to have enough game for that -- but I hope I'm wrong.)

Men’s ski trip with one of my best friends in the world and some other good guys as well. Here’s the view from the lunch place. F’n fantastic.

@Taro T-- I hope you're right, and I'm OK with Jack and Skinner on the top line and Reino and ERod on the 2nd line, but I don't see anything for the other 2 slots in the top 6 or any of the 3 slots on the 3rd line that gives me any optimism. Mitts and TT both have a ton of upside, but I'm not confident they will be consistent contributors next year, even in 3rd line roles. Perhaps more disturbingly, the heart and mental toughness they showed in the first half of the season has completely evaporated. They've lost I think 16 out of 19 on the road, they give up "loser goals" by being completely unprepared to start games and periods and they just seem like the fragile little children of days gone by. It doesn't seem like the kind of malaise that can be remedied by one solid #2 center.

It is indeed hard to see how this team is going to make significant upgrades this summer. They need both talent and leadership. Big test for JB.

How so?

The bold text is a straw man. As you know, it's not a font issue. There is a general problem with your tone. The nuggets below are all from the last few hours in just this thread. All of them are obnoxious and not OK. I'm glad you are proofreading posts and trying to improve. Hopefully that will address the situation. We are not going to have valued members of the community get fed up and leave because you are incapable of friendly and respectful communication.

No thank you. @Doohickie is out to lunch on this.

First, I appreciate your feedback. If you see a situation where someone is consistently targeting someone else, please let the mods know. Second, it's important that everyone here have a generally respectful and polite manner of communication. If someone can't live up to that standard -- that's his problem to improve on, not everyone else's to have to live with. This is a straw man. As I'm sure you understand, the different POV is not the issue.

Myers will probably get at least $6MM x 6 years and will probably get the biggest UFA deal for a defenseman (unless Karlsson leaves SJ). Not sure what the rest of this post means. It's a question of degrees.

Couple more like this and you're gone again.

Historical validation is arguable, especially since Myers is going to get a huge contract this summer while Bogo may or may not get another NHL contract that is more than a "prove it" deal. More to the point though, historical validation isn't relevant to what the discussion was, which was value given up in trade by TM vs value given up by JB at the time of the trade. There is no question that Myers was a much more valuable asset than Bogo was, or that Lemieux was a valuable chip at that time.