nfreeman

I like those pairings. I think the 2nd/3rd pairings are reasonably likely to play about the same amount of ES shifts, with fluctuations based on matchups and whoever is playing better.

OK. I did say that Ennis' last 2 seasons have been lost due to injury. The evaluation is really the likelihood of Ennis bouncing back vs the likelihood that Pommer's 18 goals - 11 goals - 13 goals doesn't indicate a Moulson-level plummet in effectiveness. As for goals vs points -- when you're comparing middle 6 wingers, I think goals need to be weighted pretty heavily. On the NMC -- I think I heard that Pommer's deal is that he had to provide a list of 10 teams he would accept, and the Sabres were one of them.

Sounds good. Let's say for the playoffs. One other stipulation: If Ennis has more goals but Pommer has more points, it's a push and we both have to change avatars. I think goals is a better metric of production than points.

Yes, although I don't think the Sabres could've gotten Scandella for Ennis. I also don't think JBott would've (or should've) traded Ennis for Pommer. I should clarify that I like the trade. I think there is a very good possibility that Scandella becomes Risto's partner, and I think the Sabres paid a pretty reasonable price. But part of that price was the spread between Ennis and Pommer, which IMHO worked in Minny's favor, despite the prevailing opinion here.

That is some very nice hockey info there boys.

Those are high stakes. I'll do it if the loser's avatar becomes a photo of the higher-scoring player. Also, it should be their 2-year production, not one year. That is too long to wait though, so we can make it just the first year although it favors you. Ennis has been lost for the past 2 seasons because of a severe concussion in the first of those 2 seasons. He had 21 and 20 goals in the 2 seasons before the concussion. He's a real top 6 forward with elite speed when healthy. He was getting his legs back at the end of last year. If he gets the timing back in his hands, he will be effective.

I agree, but I am also OK with Foligno being the price for Scandella.

I think we need to remember that Pommer's trend indicates that he could go Moulson on us at any moment, while Ennis is cheaper and 7 years younger and had scored 20 goals 3 times in the 5 years prior to his concussion.

Good post.

My two cents: - I too will miss Foligno. His talents were limited but he was still a solid player and a very good soldier and he gave us everything he had. – still, this trade seems like a definitive upgrade for the Sabres. I thought Minnesota was a deep-pocketed team, but this just seems like an asset sale for them. Perhaps they needed to free up cap space for a big move tomorrow. – It is possible that Ennis finds his game and emerges as the best player in the trade, but this is realistically at best a 30% chance. If not, Toni Lydman 2.0 is clearly the best player in the trade. – Speaking of which, Scandella is 6'3", 205, can skate and has played between 18 and 21 minutes per game for a playoff team for the last few years. That sounds like a lock for at least #3 in the Sabres' rotation, and quite likely Risto's partner. – JBott has now turned over three of the Sabres' top six in a few weeks on the job -- and without mortgaging the family farm to do so. Pretty solid work. -- Pommer never should've been made captain here, but he was a good little player for quite a period of time. I sure hope he has something left in the tank. We should not assume that he does – he had 11 and 13 goals in his last two seasons, and it sounds like he's lost a step. Still, I am about a million times happier to bring him back then I would be with bringing back Vanek, especially if this is what it took to get a good defenseman.

Yuck. Hard pass. There's a reason multiple coaches and GMs have had Vanek on their teams for a short period and said no thanks to additional servings.

Good man iTinSn. That was beautiful. God bless you and your family.

BTW: a really good and under-the-radar cop movie was "The Guard" with Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson.

Those are 2 very strong contenders. I would nominate: Chinatown and Speed.

And that's that.

As for why I think Fedun will play more in Buffalo than in Rochester: I think that by New Year's he will be ahead of Gorges and Falk, that he is already ahead of Nelson and will stay there, and that Guhle will play most of the year in Rochester. If those assumptions are correct, then he'd be #6, and even if they add another 2nd pair defenseman, Fedun would be #7.

Me too, and I think he'll end up playing more games with the Sabres this season than with the Amerks.

You were joking in a goofy teenage-girls-up-too-late-at-a-slumber-party way, though, innit?

For the barbarians among us: prediction threads are highly informative. When there is a substantial majority on a prediction, it is almost always correct. So if you want Kane not to be traded, you should be pleased.

Well, we'll be in good shape if the NHL flips back to allowing offense again. Could someone who doesn't like the pick explain his/her specific reasons? And if one of your reasons was that you wanted Liljegren, is your thinking affected by the fact that he fell to #17?

As always, the question is not what you want to have happen -- it's what is going to happen. I voted no. I do not think the Sabres will trade Kane or Reino this weekend. I don't think anyone will deliver enough for Kane without having an extension agreed with Kane to make it worthwhile for the Sabres, and that can't happen until July 1. And I don't think they are going to trade Reino, period. I can certainly see trading up or down in the 1st round, but JBott strikes me as more of a conservative guy, and that type of trade seems like more of a GMTM move.

Hope springs eternal.

This. With which draft pick? The 6th-rounder? That wouldn't have done it. Vegas would have had zero interest in the $2.25MM Foligno (who is an RFA) or the coming-off-a-major-injury Larsson (also an RFA) without a real sweetener.

Vacation starts tomorrow after work!!

Well, Kessel took quite a bit of criticism from the Toronto media for being a "me first" guy who didn't do much on his own time to improve.