DarthEbriate

Does the run on defensemen start early?

That was adorable from Price.

"veteran leadership" = continuing tank When expected in playoffs? "I have no clue." = going for #1 again next season. The Oilers and Sabres (though #2, #2 back-to-back) way.

Wedge was Red 2. (Biggs was Red 3. John D = 4. Luke 5, Porkins 6... etc.) Did y'all know that Lego is finally releasing a set with an official Red Leader (Garven Dreis) minifig this summer? The more you know. All that will be missing of the original Star Wars fighter crew will be a Pops (Gold 5).

The Concept of Kassian is strong with this one.

Not heartless enough? They tanked. Then they cut Ruff and Regier. They kicked every goalie including their face-of-franchise goalie to the curb. Then they shipped out their best skater because he was despondent in a season-ending interview. Then they whacked their entire minor-league coaching staff and half their scouts simply for cost savings. Then they shipped out their captain and face of the franchise who was getting better year over year and was a point-per-game guy. Then they shipped out the other guy they tanked for. They whacked 3 GMs and 4 or 5 head coaches in 10 years. They haven't re-signed a single goalie, even the good ones (ones? no, just one). They got rid of everyone who was blocking anyone under the age of 21. The only person they've been buddy-buddy with is their captain who all the players respect and whose play is perfectly suitable for a 4W and his cap hit is a fraction of what it was last year. And Bjork. I think they liked the name. And you don't want to move someone you just acquired in a trade because it doesn't look good for future UFA signees. They were a bit too buddy-buddy with Bjork.

Don't disparage the good name of Darth by tying it to HCRK.

This note came up in several of the NJD threads last season. They may have been in the same spots in the standings a couple years back, but the team cores are at quite different ages. Part of that was the nice pickups in NJD's d-corps... but you don't sign a Hamilton if you already have Dahlin. NJD got great contributions from F Hughes (future superstar) and F Mercer (excellent player). But otherwise, their only two players under 24 who did much were G Schmid and D Bahl (by games played). By contrast, the Sabres entire top 4 of D were 23 or under. Cozens, Dahlin, Joker, Krebs, UPL, JJP, Power, Quinn, and Samuelsson were all under 24 last year. And that doesn't include Levi. When the Sabres d-corp is 24-27... this is where the fun begins. The window hasn't even opened yet.

Just posting this here for closure. Reading through some of the comments... we didn't really have Dahlin finishing 8th, did we? Bunch of homers. Making the playoffs (and not getting injured during the playoff chase) matters. Don't worry! In the future we can comment on how Power was stealing all of Dahlin's votes and vice versa.

I don't think we'll trade the pick. However... r-e-l-a-x. They've still got 25-26 hours. ROR wasn't acquired the day before Eichel was drafted.

In a way... Hall is now once again aligned with the #1 overall pick. It's a bit backwards this time. But that said, there's a really good chance that Hall helps the Blackhawks win the lottery again this season.

I put on my CGY GM helmet... I kind of like this, but I'm reluctant to swap for someone who might walk, or if we're good enough at the deadline to make the playoffs I won't be willing to sell off. A bunch of that team is ready to be rentals or walk at the end of the season and VO would be another. I'd counter by asking Jost and his RFA control and the 2nd for Tanev; then I'd maybe have a replacement for Lindholm for more than a single season.

It looks like he's on an AHL-only deal that was traded this past season and is likely expired. So if he wants to be here, all his agent has to do is give the Amerks a call.

Dominating the Laaksonen trade.

Barbashev was playing 17 min/g with Vegas and 15:30 min/g in the playoffs with the blowout victories (and a misconduct eating into his time), including skating on Eichel's wing. He became top-6 in STL last year (60 points) and Vegas was deploying him similarly.

GMTM dealing his second round picks. If this had gone through it would have been five 2nds (+ McNabb and Parker's roster slot) for Tuch, Deslauriers, and Fasching.

A Darth never reveals secrets. But that said...

I like it. Two years to solidify from 12/13F to contributing bottom 6 fixture. Listed as 171# on this release. I'm guessing his training camp weight is a bit higher than that. He feels sturdier.

Of note: Beggar's Banquet is playing. Street Fighting Man just kicked on. Zemgus is the strumming guitar of this team.

Well... maybe a little more than that one play. Maybe giving that consistent effort game-in and -out for a team that was alternately trying to stink, and scuffling by reshaping its coaching and front office every 2 years, and finally sticking with a plan... has something to do with it. The Locomotive kept churning through it all.

Just as Eichel wasn't a good playoff player until he was. It's possible to be a good player on a bad team and for a bad franchise. Skinner also fits into this mold. But if you're a not-so-great player on a good team, you likely don't stick around (Leino on Detroit, and then again on Philly). Leaguewide (and Sabres fan) perception on all these players could shift with one good playoff round.

Considering GMTM selected Lemieux, Cornel, and Karabacek... that could have been nice.

The other benefit of OK and Z on the 4th line and not playing PP time... when you bench JJP and Quinn nearly the entire 3rd period while in the lead, you finish the season with an excellent "leading after 2 periods" record. Yes, the opponents came back and tied some games and the Sabres would win in OT, but overall the Sabres were great in the 3rd last season because of the old guys. It's why I'm not keen on Kulich and Savoie both in the lineup this season -- I expect to have to protect 3rd period leads all season. This year, JJP and Quinn will play more 3rd minutes. (As will Greenway, as he's taken the minutes from VO.) But the steadiness of Z and Okposo to close out games after the high-flying attack took the lead in the 2nd is still a good thing to have.

If Jim Benning were still employed, he'd have signed Z to a 4x$3M contract. The Beagle Treatment. Girgs has been around forever, but still has his speed. He'll probably lose a step in the next few seasons, so 1-year deals are fine. But that gives others the opportunity to grow their games and frames in the meantime. One thing also we mustn't forget: Zemgus Girgensons is a phenomenal hockey name.

Precisely. Is it an overpay? Sure, but it's a veteran overpay and there's no cap issue for a couple more seasons. He's a 4W and he's better than some 4th liners in the league and worse than others. He still hustles and has the speed to outracing people to loose pucks and negate the occasional icing. He's sturdy enough to absorb damage and win board battles. Can his PK numbers get better, or will getting a full season of Levi and maybe a veteran #4D do enough on the PK without Zemgus changing a thing? I do like the signing of Zemgus for the continuity and it locks a 4W spot up so Kulich and Savoie can keep marinating and gaining strength at the lower leagues, rather than be forced into the long haul of the Sabres season and find themselves against the opposition's top forwards in the defensive zone night after night. One note: I do expect Savoie to center Z and OK early this season like Krebs got last year. It's Krebs' spot, but give Savoie 4 games between the veterans to see what he needs to do at the NHL-level while the games are still wide open.