Weave

I think the whole damned squad is slowing things down. Risto with slow cross ice decisions, Jack with slow decisions, slow to develop entry plays. The whole damned thing is too deliberate.

I need to do this.

Like the rest of the powerplay,our drop pass plays are developing too slowly. No reason it needs to result in 3 playes waiting with dead feet at the blueline.

Technically, I think Sean Tierney is the one saying that.

Was gifted a venison back strap and round roast. My intent this AM was to prep it to make venison bourguignon, and then it occurred to me, venison has alot in common with lamb, flavor-wise. Not earth shattering news, I know, but it never occurred to me to substitute venison in traditional lamb dishes. So, dinner tonight is now Indian food. Venison vindaloo.

I feel slighted. #notreally

If he doesn't make it as a top 6 forward, he doesn't make it at all. He doesn't have a game that lends itself to bottom 6. He really needed to show this season that he has an NHL future and he has been less than consistent in showing it. Better than last season by all accounts, but better enough? 0 shots in last nights game. Matt Tennyson outscoring him over the last 20 games. I don't have much optimism for Nylander ending up a useful Sabres prospect.

Looking for a stream of the all star game. My usual sources are coming up dry.

I don't think he knows how to negotiate at all. He's been all or nothing on pretty much everything I can think of.

Damn, I wasn;t thinking it would happen today. I saw report earlier today that airline traffic on the east coast was snarled due to lack of ATC's and thought to myself, this is how it gets done. No way business execs tolerate this any longer.

Now that there are real issues with airline travel due to the shutdown, it will end soon. Business will NOT tolerate difficulties in getting business done.

This really is the key. It’s perfectly OK to trade away top picks occasionally. Good teams manage to stay good this way every season. The bottom line is you just can’t waste the assets. The problem with GMTMs plan wasn’t that he traded away picks. The problem was the players he traded them for were poor choices. It’s the same story if he kept the picks. If he drafted well... awesome plan. The discussion really boils down to what is more wasteful, a 20-40% shot at a player or a known quantity with a shorter lifespan? You can validly argue either and be correct.

Its a damn shame that this whole conversation, on both sides, continues to be of the when did you stop beating your wife variety. It’s an interesting conversation, but mud wrestling isn’t interesting right now.

If I don’t plan to outlive my retirement savings, I’m geriatric already. Jerk.

An apt description of my Friday evenings.

And we're 2-3 years out from a good playoff run it would seem, so about the time these guys stop being cheap we'll be ready for a one time shot at the prize before having to move expensive talent.

Christmas in your family sounds very different from the Christmas' I remember.

I don't know that Mittlestadt is being stunted, but the biggest crime committed is wasting the cheap years of very good talent. It sure makes the window for contention a whole lot smaller in a cap era.

#tanking

Keith Gretzky. There is a name from our inglorious past.

I think that is exactly what most who want a 2C are looking for. Not gonna lie. I'm concerned about where Casey may peak. He's young, he's got time to develop. By no means would I advocate giving up on him. But I'm a little concerned. The one thing I see in his favor is that he does from time to time make a wow play. I think it's in him. But he does need to start better reacting to the speed the NHL game is played at. Where do I hope he peaks? Roy would be fantastic, really. So would pre-illness level Hodgson. Pre-concussion Connolly? Be still my beating heart. As long as he peaks higher than Curtis Brown I think we'll be OK.

Apparently, this cannot be stated often enough. Plans change as the environment they are conceived in changes. We already know that 2C has not played out as expected and we have a hole where Berglund used to be. The plan should already have modifications made to it.

Yes, but the style is traditionally a spring style. A maibock. A bock beer for May. Hence the Christmas style creep.

Genny Bock is out already too. I feel like beer seasonals are experiencing the same creep that we see with Christmas. They start hyping 2 months before the traditional styles come out.

Depends on the standings and the trend of the team I guess. I honestly believe that a playoff series is more valuable right now than small odds for an NHL player in 3+ seasons.