Tondas

Sounds like trots is the operative word in that sentence.

We gave them Pu, and we get Aho. Sounds even to me.

Agree. He may have taken that stance to soften up Kessel if Kessel really wanted out of Pittsburgh. Rutherford said fine, Kessel stays. Then Kessel may have determined that Arizona wasn't so bad after all. Or Rutherford could have been turning the screws on Arizona to up their offer. Gamesmanship at all levels. If a GM ain't negotiating, he ain't working.

Both warm, no state tax teams. Coincidence?

I'll concede to point #1. No offer has been good enough yet in Jbot's eyes. #2, not sure there are multiple teams clamoring to get Risto. #3, Risto is all that Risto is going to be after 5 years in the NHL. Kreuger may be a good coach, but he's not a miracle worker.

Agree 100%. Poaching in the business world happens every day without the fear of retribution. It's in the CBA for a reason. FFS use it. Jbot, you owe it to your fans more that you owe it to a rival GM.

Why can't the Sabres just trade Risto to a team less analytically driven now??

Then that's good news for those that want to keep Risto, correct? Expose him and not another D-man knowing that Seattle will pass.

Sorry to be obtuse about this, but could Jbot be looking to trade Risto due to Seattle expansion concerns. Maybe he believes that there will be other D-men on the team that he will protect and leave Risto exposed. Better to get something for him now than to possibly lose him for nothing (or be in a worse bargaining position at that point).

You're correct with buying new and the depreciation. However, for me, buying a new car is my only real indulgence. My wife and I live below our means and have no kids (novel concept) so I feel OK buying new even thought I know it's not smart financially. Since my last 2 vehicles I kept for over 10 years each, I delude myself into thinking it's OK ?. My current 2012 Caddy SRX has only 59k on it so I'm on schedule for 10 years at least.

Sabres are in a poor place even if Jbot wanted to pull the trigger with an offer sheet. Since we don't have our 3rd round choice, we're limited to a contract offer between $2,113,717 - $4,227,437, or greater than $10,568,590 . I left out the zero compensation offers below $1,395,053. Never figured 3rd round choices were so valuable regarding offer sheets.

It's a crap shoot, but the last 4 selections have been rated significantly higher than the slot where we got them. Seems like Jbot is being true to his board.

Lucas Feuk was just selected by Calgary. Christoffer Ehn plays for Detroit. Sebastion Aho plays for the Canes. If there is a hockey god, they will someday play on the same line.

Even Bobby Hull was no one to mess with. Don't sell these old timers short just because they played so long ago.

Gordie even before the world discovered PEDs. I think he'd do alright in today's game.

Generational talent is generational talent. To Rob Ray's assessment, I would say, "No, you're right."

Would Gretzky (of yesteryear) not be drafted first in this years draft?

I'm feeling more and more like this is akin to the Bills last season of clearing out the cap and hoping to just be competitive until the next year (2020). In 2020, the Sabres will clear about $18 mil (Sheary, Bogo, Sobotka, Hunwick, Wilson, Scandella). No one will trade for those guys. I think we have another year of "suffering". Jbot must have already convinced Terry to set his expectations lower this year. Jbot may owe his job next year to McDermott and Beane.

My point is that Brink and Gretzky could get to the same place on the ice at the same time (with a less than ideal stride). Now what they do with the puck at that point is an entirely different story. People never talked about Gretzky's awkward stride because of everything else that he did that was off the charts.

I get it. I like to see a good hockey trade as well. But the Canes did improve their team. For approx. $3.5 million cash, they bought a 1st round pick. And why let excess cap room (which the Canes will not use this year) go to waste. Smart for Canes and a punishment to the Laffs. Keeps the parity alive.

They kept crapping on Brink due to his awkward skating. Did these guys ever see Gretzky skate??

JBot will have to be busy in FA. No way he can ice this team as currently constructed.

As Jbot asks his scouts who's the second rated goalie on their board.

Yep. We might not have to add anything to get Zucker ?.