LTS

Hey.. he's that good right? That's all I am saying. I'll assume he'll be playing in the WJHC next year. We shall see. 2004 - Malkin and Barker over Ovechkin? Malkin has 64 points and is +12, Ovechkin has 67 points and is -25. Barker is in the KHL, so no benefit there, but I still take Malkin over Ovechkin. 2007 - Kane - 66 pts, +6 / JVR - 52pts, -2 , Turris - 51 points, +17 - tough call. I love Kane but that's an incredible point differential there. 2009 - Tavares 66 pts, -6 / Duchene - 59pts, +4, Hedman 41pts, +3 - I know Tavares is injured and he's great, but look at the F/D you get there and hte points. 2010 - Hall - 61 pts -12 / Seguin - 66 pts +13, Gudbranson - throw him in... Seguin is outperforming Hall right now. 2013 - too early to tell. It think that a team will do fine having the next two the majority of the time. One player can only play so much.. two slightly lesser players has to provide more benefit. I don't recall the Penguins going into suck mode the year they did not have Crosby and the Capitals have done a fine job of not being great a few times with Ovechkin on the roster. Bottom line.. it would be a good problem to have right?

I think it's an interesting question though. Truthfully I was completely unimpressed with McDavid at the WJHC. He didn't look anywhere near like the best player on the ice. Sure, he's dominating juniors but that's an overall lesser group of talent to go against. I seem to recall him sulking a bit when things weren't going his way, etc. Perhaps I missed a few things in that tournament but I was just not impressed. It seems that a team might benefit even more from have picks #2 and #3 over #1 even with the top talent on display. Just for fun the draft picks from 2004-2013 in order 2004: Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Cam Barker 2005: Sydney Crosby, Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson 2006: Erik Johnson, Jordan Staal, Jonathan Toews 2007: Patrick Kane, James van Riemsdyk, Kyle Turris 2008: Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty, Zach Bogosian 2009: John Tavares, Victor Hedman, Matt Duchene 2010: Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, Erik Gudbranson 2011: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Gabriel Landeskog, Jonathan Huberdeau 2012: Nail Yakupov, Ryan Murray, Alex Galchenyuk 2013: Nathan MacKinnon, Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Druin It seems to me that in many cases, having the next two would be almost better than having the #1. Do you think the Oilers would have preferred next two in 2011 or 2012? I suppose that with Crosby's draft you could say that he's better than having Ryan and Johnson and that might be right, but what we don't know is how good Pittsburgh would be if Malkin was not there as well.

I agree. There are multiple factor at play. Pysyk CAN be in the AHL so send him there. Let him lead a team (like he is doing) - in fact dominating from what I read. Let him experience playoffs. Keep the UFA and other short term guys up in Sabres uniforms, let them showcase themselves for whatever its worth. It's a good move. They were doing the same with McNabb.

And potentially boarding as the player is out from he boards and he'd be crushing him into the boards at that angle. There's just no good decision there. HIs best bet is to keep skating hard and chase the puck into the zone..

Would you rather have first pick or next two?

BEAUTY.. thanks. I think based on that the Sabres could blow the #30 spot and be okay as long as Edmonton gets it. No way they take a forward right? RIGHT? :)

Really. Explain it differently.

That hit is a textbook example of what not to do. If he gets anything LESS than 10 games it would be a joke. (Yea.. I know). He should get to sit out the rest of the season. I mean, his angle was from behind to begin with and then when the guy turns back he gets destroyed into the boards. Awful.

Since we are talking tank... can someone explain how the top pick is determined? I was under the impression that all non-playoff teams have a weighted shot at the #1 pick and then the finishing order kicked in. How do people get a 25% change at the #1? Is that the weight applied to the #30 finisher? Are the weights posted anywhere? Gonna miss this game as my son kick's off this weekend's hockey tournament with a game at 8pm. Can't wait! Umm go Sabres?

That's not really true. McNabb was in Rochester this year because they wanted him and Pysyk to lead a team. He'll be a very good for LA and good for him. I think the players that the Sabres got back offer promise of talent up front. McNabb gave the Kings a big body and a good defender to replace Regehr in the end. The Sabres have Ehrhoff (for now), Myers, Pysyk, Ristolainen, Zadarov. I'm guessing that Murray isn't thinking that McNabb is expendable because of the last two. I liked McNabb but he was a player who could flip D potential for F potential and he brought back two potential F's in the process.

Total exaggeration. You weren't looking 3-4 years down the road in 1999 and you weren't doing it in 2006. You weren't doing it in 1975. The Sabres might not have been successful every year forever. Not many teams can go on a Detroit Red Wings type run of playoff appearances. I get it.. you have to wait, but don't throw this crap out there. It's a complete farce. No. The guy wears 30. Ryan Miller didn't want to sign a contract with Buffalo and people need to realize that. There are no other explanations necessary. The team is what it is. It's his right to leave but he never had to do it. He makes the choice so why should I feel a moment's remorse for him being gone? Neuvirth gets 30 and the rest of the world can bite it. No one complained when Moulson took 26. Really? REALLY? Miller isn't even the best Sabres GOALTENDER in history and you are comparing taking #30 to a guy who was honored by having his number retired throughout baseball? Take a step back.. seriously. As for the trade? The Sabres lined up another goaltender to play through next season. It's worth a shot. They took on a salary that will be gone and gave up a 3rd round pick which they can easily get back by trading away any one of a number of players that we'll likely never care about.

And the unloading of Fasth happens.. and now the Ducks are primed to sign Miller in the off-season.. just as I expected. And the Sabres are left holding the bag with Halak. No big deal either way.

Sigh... who does come close to that standard?

If you bundle Ehrhoff and Moulson together you can achieve an immediate impact player in return. Moulson can replace the scoring any current roster player on a contender may be willing to give up. They only need him this year and it would take a team who thinks they have some other talent coming (or can sign Moulson). So, if Ehrhoff shores up a teams defense and Moulson fills the spot of the scoring that leaves the Sabres get back a 1st, prospect, and top line scoring player I could see it happening. Bah.. we'll see what happens. I think, if nothing else, trades will be creative.

Least Favored Team What did you expect? They just traded away the one guy who calls out the PR department on Twitter. This will likely go on forever, one stitch at a time.

Could be... it's pretty much common knowledge who made Wegman's into what it is.. So, I don't think we are going to hear anything until later tonight. The Stadium Series game is at 8pm and you know the NHL would not like it if the Sabres take interest away from that game.

I guess it really doesn't matter what it is.. I was totally on board with the current management team of the Sabres and clearly something is going kaboom which means something is changing and that can't be good. As for the question as to why Battista was talking to Nolan... it could be that Murray was on the phone with the Blues/NHL and LaFontaine was not at the rink. So, you gotta find someone.

The Sabres are anything but UnPucked right now.

If Ryan Miller wasn't interested in signing an extension then what does it matter what Pegula said? He can't force Miller to sign a contract. He wanted him to sign. Miller did not, apparently.

Yea.. tying down the jersey is stupid. Roussel could have stopped more but he also didn't raise his arm to increase the contact either. The response was warranted I suppose. On the other hand, if the Canes D doesn't get beat to the outside there it's a different story entirely.

Haters gonna hate. He wasn't coming back after this season. You wanted him here for a few more months and gone for good with no return? That's an even worse blueprint to success. Brian Duff showed why he's the man. He poked Stafford at times to comment and definitely empathized with him but then asked him to tell a funny moment to get Stafford to lighten up for a moment. That was a great interview. Brian Duff may not be with the Sabres broadcast crew for very long... someone national is going to want him. So, the home of Anheuser-Busch is pinning it's hopes on Miller Time. That should be interesting! Bottom line, if Ott doesn't re-sign here in the off-season it's safe to say he wasn't going to sign during this season and so the Sabres got value. The market sucked for goaltenders so the Sabres got a pretty good haul for a limited market and given the additions the chances are good that the Sabres get a better pick than a 2016 3rd. The Sabres are on a 3 game win streak, beating Boston and San Jose in that span and people are talking about how bad they are. I love it. They'll be better sooner than the haters think, that much is certain.

2015 1st rounder and a third. That's big.

Finally. Something.

Just to point out that Holmgren dealt Mike Richards and Jeff Carter in less than an hour. The frameworks get set now and once the time comes I don't think it's too much of a distraction to fire them off.

Right.. expanding the scouting department, changes to real scouting from video scouting, etc. They do look different. Only time will tell if they are.