dudacek

Trying to think of the last time this happened here...?

Interesting thing about Weave’s theory is this year’s Sabres team was loaded with veterans initially Why did it improve when kids like Mittelstadt, Thompson, Asplund, Bjork, Samuelsson and Bryson replaced veterans like Staal, Hall, Reider, Eakin, Montour and Miller?

Friedman had reported he was willing to sign under market if Dundon was willing to pony up for his staff, and we’re talking deeper than just the assistant coaches. Wonder if that happened?

It’ll happen when they retire his jersey. I have a lot of respect for Miller’s intellect, his hockey knowledge and his leadership. I would love to see the Sabres tap him for the front office. I have never said that about a former Sabre. In fact, I think I generally roll my eyes at the idea.

In my scans around the league this is the potential trade that has stood out as most likely to me. Getzlaf, the Ducks signature player, is fading. There isn't a player in the NHL who looks more like a Getzlaf successor than Jack. They are very weak at centre. They have plenty of cap space They are in a tough Southern California market that could use some star power. Jack is still young enough to anchor their rebuild The Sabres are going to want a younger elite talent. Zegras is an elite young (unproven) talent. The Sabres weakest area is in goal. Gibson is considered a top 10 goalie. Gibson is young enough to still be upper-echelon when they're good. The Sabres love their USAHockey players We've heard whispers that Sabres have kicked tires on Gibson We've heard the Ducks didn't make a move at the deadline because they were "keeping their powder dry" for something in the summer I know many on this board think goalies are a dime a dozen and won't be able to get past that, but we don't know the Sabres feel the same way. We do know that Gibson is as highly-ranked a goalie, and Zegras is as highly ranked a prospect as Jack is a centre. I am not endorsing this, and I would expect the deal would have other elements, but I can certainly see those as the main pieces. The fact they will both be picking right at the top of the draft in this, the year of no clear-cut #1 adds some additional intrigue. If they have decided they are moving Jack, I'm not sure we'll get a better offer.

Jack didnt call a press conference, this is regular end-of-season availability The media has been whining since Jack went out for a chance to talk to him. Can you imagine the hissy-fit Harrington would be throwing if he wasn't available? Thank you. Can you remember the last time the captain didn't talk to the press on locker room clean-out day?

I’m saying Jack carries a $10 million ticket. In a cap-tight world, having cap coming back makes the trade market considerably wider. People tend to think that means a cap dump, but it doesn’t have to be. Players of Jack’s calibre and age don’t get traded often. Some of the biggest non-rental names traded in the past few years: Dubois and a 3rd for Laine and Roslovic O’Reilly for 1st, 2nd, Thompson, Berglund Sobotka hamilton, Ferland and Fox for Hanifan and Lindholm Duchene for Bowers, Hammond, Kamenev, Girard, 1st, 2nd, 3rd Hall for Larsson Subban for Webber

I think it’s partially the concept of Borgen - fans desperately want a badass D who can skate - and the desire not to watch Risto any more that have elevated his value in some people’s minds. I haven’t given up on him and I like his game. But objectively he’s closer to having the career of Brendan Guhle than Jake McCabe.

Stanley Sweeney: a pseudonym for Donald Chumsky, a 38-year-old NY city delivery truck driver who lives with his mom, Rita and publishes fantasy trades for his beloved Rangers from a battered Dell in her utility room. Realistically how do you think we can get rid of Skinner now? He’s better than Schiefele, Petterson and today’s Bergeron.

Fine exercise, I found some choice very easy and others nearly impossible. It also helps show off the holes in our organization. Best players, or the coach’s list (how much I would expect to lean in them in a playoff series right now if healthy) Eichel Reinhart Ullmark Ristolainen Dahlin McCabe Mittelstadt Olofsson Girgensons Skinner The top 8 was easy. 9-10 were impossibly hard. We have a ton of JAGs and a ton of unproven kids Risto over Dahlin was hard; I went the way I did because when push came to shove against the Capitals, Risto is going over the boards when Ovi does. Really wanted to include Cozens because of how much I love the kid, but objectively he hasn’t shown what I see in him in any more than glimpses, and it seems like he’s hit a wall. I went with Girgs as the most reliable and relentless of the JAGs and Skinner as the one most likely to explode, even though I suspect I’ll be cutting his ice by game 3. Best assets, or the GM’s list (how much I value them in terms of current production, future potential, position and contract) Eichel Dahlin Reinhart Cozens 1st pick this year Ullmark Mittelstadt Olofsson UPL Quinn I found this one a lot easier. McCabe and Risto drop off the list because of their contract situations and our depth of young blueliners. And Skinner for obvious reasons. Cozens takes a huge jump because he’s going to be a stud. UPL and Quinn got the last two spots over current roster players because they are ours cheap and long-term and they are only other assets we have that could become “core” The 1st this year would be #3 on the list most years, but not this year. Not even if we win the lottery.

He's totally won me over. Hell of a player. Feel very much handicapped in this, in that I barely watched 3/4s of the league this year and it was impossible to tell how the standard on play in each division compared against each other.

Since those the players and roles GA listed started happening, the Sabres have not been dead last. They are 9/10/2 for 20 points, tied with the Canadiens and the Islanders for 15th in points, 19th in Pts%

Just because you think you aren’t getting a player as good as Jack does not mean you can’t make a good trade. And it certainly doesn’t mean that kind of trade isn’t better - or easier to pull off - than a basket full of lottery tickets

. I think Mittelstadt at a 70 point pace with two other kids is much, much more remarkable than Skinner at a 40-point pace with our two most proven offensive forwards. The latter is definitely a positive given his first half, but it’s hardly impressive. He has similar points and half the goals of Thompson in that period and some people want to expose Thompson in the expansion draft. Skinner has improved his production - in my view largely due to his improved usage, not his improved play, but potato, potahto. But he’s not having a Renaissance. If Thompson had 3 goals and 8 assists on red-hot Sam’s flank over 21 games would you not wonder if there were coattails involved, and maybe suggest someone else (Skinner?) should get a shot? To your other points, I don’t recall a single poster - maybe GA? - thinking Casey is indisputably for real. And I do think Skinner should be paired with Jack to start and hope to good he does something with it, because 40-points on the first line are the numbers of a player you want to upgrade.

The kids do need support, but the bold isn’t automatically, or even usually, the case. More often underutilized people are put into feature roles by circumstance and they crash. And sometimes they blossom into something you never imagined. Dominik Hasek, the goofy backup you acquired for a declining 3rd liner being the most prominent example around here.

Why does this have to be the case? Why cant this be a hockey trade between two teams shaking up their cores?

While I agree with your point, the bold is because of the way the season unfolded. COVID, Hutton, injured Eichel, injured Ullmark, injured McCabe, snakebit then listless Hall, terrible Staal and especially Krueger put us into a hole. Dumping those guys led to a notable improvement. Some of the kids showed us they could play. The team had a playoff-calibre record with Ullmark in goal. A healthy Eichel is about the best upgrade the current team could make. With Eichel and Ullmark, maybe we're not that far away. Personally, I think we need more, but you can see the argument.

I think a playoff team needs better production from a first-line winger, especially when that winger isn't bringing an element of defence or hard-to-play-against I'm not sure why you are so convinced Skinner is the same player he was in his first 40 games in Buffalo. He wasn't that player the season before that, or the 2 1/2 seasons since. Isn't it possible that his game has declined, or that he caught lightning in a bottle?

How much production would Skinner need to put up with Jack to hang on to a spot on his line? Would jumping from a 20-point producer to a 40-point producer be enough?

Don't know enough about the service to the community, but the on-ice excellence, dedication and resiliency are no-brainers.

Yeah, it's like going back to 2017 and imagining Jack Eichel would only have 2 goals in his 6th post-draft season. 😘

Casey's got 12 assists, including a gorgeous one last night. Cozens has 9. Production aside, I see Casey doing a good job seeing open teammates and getting them puck, and also creating open space for them with his stickhandling. I have no worries about that area of the game for him. Reinhart is only one doing these things better currently among our forwards. He has 8 assists in his past 20 games and I don't have a problem projecting him as a 30-assist guy going forward (with allowances for small sample size) I agree Dylan is underrated in this area, or at least he's better than I thought he was when we picked him. He does these things much differently than Casey but should be at least as effective when both mature. I think what we are seeing is a lot closer to peak Casey than peak Dylan

So, not Skinner then?

Do you think that ship has sailed? I don't, given suggestions of Rutherford's Pittsburgh contract, and his statements about maybe getting back into things in June.

I like the Reinhart comparison and the implication (production-wise) that he is behind him at the same age. I think Dylan's approach could mean his development is more linear than Casey's and will ultimately mean he will be a better all-around player. I'm not sure he will be more productive. I do believe some people should temper their expectations. Anyone who was comparing young Cozens to young Jack shouldn't have been. Different tiers of talent.