DarthEbriate

I'm just going by points totals. Prime: 100, 72, 82, 75, 70, 76, 70, 53 (in 48 games lockout) Turns age 29: 61, 53, 39 (traded in-season), 65, 76, 52, 47 (in 66 games) He's going down, but still above 50 points each season that he isn't traded or ends in COVID. It's not a precipitous drop, but overall gradual and right in line with a 2C (edit: he's either 1C/2C on a defensive-minded MIN squad the last X years, but he's not been a PP specialist to stockpile points in those years). That trade season is a serious outlier in his career. (The recent 76 as well.)

Hmmm. I would kind of look from a certain a different, nearly opposite, point-of-view. Gionta was small and fast, when he lost his step, he was still good but not at his peak level and it was a steeper drop. Staal is big and hasn't been considered "fast" in years. His decline has been slow and steady from his 1PPG point days. If Staal had 4 years remaining I'd worry that by the end he'd be a shell, but for this year I'm thinking he'll still do just fine.

Much obliged, thank you. So over the course of the season no one truly schemed against him as MInn's 1C, just handled more-or-less as average. Which is good in my mind, because Eichel will draw the opposition's primary attention.

Yeah.... I don't fault the trade from Minn's point-of-view. I just wouldn't use mixing things up as a reason to make it. Unless "mixing things up" is a shorthand code for rebuild, which is kind of where I see the Wild heading.

When you get right down to it, there isn't one. I just was thinking it went from the probability of Minn drafting a center from 80% to 99% as they're likely replacing Koivu/Staal with Bjugstad/MoJo, particularly since no UFA center really excites. I only wanted to point out that that increase in probability can be used to our advantage next month. Particularly if GM Kheevyn likes a Jarvis/Quinn (+ a 3rd?) more than Lundell.

Well yes, but his linemates and his Off% starts and such has already been shared. I hadn't seen anything yet if other teams planned around his line. Like if ROR jumped onto the ice when the Staal line goes over the boards, that would color my view of Staal's 5-on-5 numbers from last season (which are good).

Vanek had a full year in Rochester (42/36/68) with Roy during the lockout. And Max was already 26 years old. A more similar age-based combination would be something like Kahun-Mitts-Tage, but only if Mitts and Tage had torn up the AHL last season. Stay on target --- has any research been done/shared yet on the competition Staal faced in Minnesota? Did opponents treat his line as the top line or did their best D take on the Parise/Ek/Kunin line?

Always the caveat to pick the BAP. But every team's BAP is different once you're a few picks into the draft. I believe Minnesota was going to pick a center at #9 anyway, but now especially that they've got Eriksson Ek and Kunin who could be... solid? Beyond that they've acquired Bjugstad whose health is greatly in question, MoJo (not a center), and a UFA in Koivu. Their prospect pool needs centers and ASAP - they can't hang their hat on Khovanov only. That's like us hanging our hat on Cozens if we didn't have Eichel. The Sabres are also in the market for a center at #8, but it's not as critical to them as MN. And that can be used to an advantage.

Execute... order 4! Save cap space, get trade value at the deadline, no need to protect him in the expansion draft, mentor for Cozens, can play in all situations, can handle 2nd PP minutes, not an undersized/lightweight center like Ruotsalainen, and although he has declined statistically he hasn't fallen off a cliff statistically---he can still play, and we only need him to play well for one year, maybe two. It's a really solid single move. Now... stack a couple more good moves. You may fire at will, GM Kheevyn.

Unless MN also believes in MoJo as a center, they're now definitely taking a center at #9 (Koivu also will be leaving soon). If we don't love the best player available on draft day, we've got to be willing to listen to teams who want to move up ahead of the Wild, particularly if it's just a couple spots and we can net another pick and get someone we value at that later spot.

11 the Hutt: At last we have the mighty @thewookie1's trade request for Cirelli. Threepio: The illustrious @Eleven bids you welcome and will gladly pay you the reward of Cirelli and a 2021 lottery-protected 1st... for 8th overall, Cozens, Joker, and a conditional 3rd/4th. Wookie1: I will give you 8th overall. No more. <11 the Hutt goes into a rage> Threepio: What did I say? The mighty Eleven asks why he must trade you Cirelli. Wookie1 holds up a cap hit list. Threepio: Because he’s holding a Salary Cap Detonator! 11 the Hutt: Whoa-ho-ho! Ah-ha-ha! This proposal is my kind of scum.

I don't know RJ's preferred bevvie, but a Bloody buddy with a beer chaser yes.

Into your pan, get all eggs in there. They all whack away with the whisk. One egg slips free... not out! The pan's got it and hangs on.

So... you're saying JBot built the best playoff roster ever assembled with the 2018-19 Sabres? 🍺

I imagine it'd be a variation on a Benedict: Eggs sunny side top-shelf, served atop a cookie (biscuit) hidden by mama's fried chicken with some celery slaw. Buffalo sauce drizzled over top of it all (to help clean your clock nose). (Or, you know, bleu cheese dressing on the side if you want to mind your heartburn or if you're into that sort of thing.)

This is where the fun begins.

Steer clear of the Packers in week 2. The Packers never led a second of either game against Detroit last year (GW kicks as time expired each game) and one of those games was without Stafford and the Packers were still hunting for a first-round bye in the playoffs. Add to that Kenny Clark is hurt so they now have 0 legit DL in a scheme that doesn't bother with run stops in the first place. Add to that the Vikings were playing 3 new CBs, no Danielle Hunter, no Linval Joseph or his free-agent replacement who opted out. The Lions like to fold at the weirdest times, but in recent years it has not been against Green Bay. Sure, the Packers probably win 24-23 or something, but this is not the lock you are looking for.

Here's to another circuit around your Sun! Thanks for all you do.

First, all teams should have some form of self-imposed cap of about 2-3M in spare below the limit for in-season flexibility. Factor in loss of gate revenues league-wide and it's good business to save some bucks here and there. These are the right questions to ask! But yes! The Fear of Arbitration. What a season to be a RFA! Those AAVs being tossed about by models for Reino to get 8x8 are simply out of the picture for this season. He can go to arbitration all he wants but no team should make that deal if we're looking at a three-year period of flat cap/ threatened lost gate revenue. This is the offseason for players to choose Colorado on the cheap, or glom onto some other contender on a prove-it deal. And to make a bid on an RFA --- TBL can't sign a player to even a modest $5M deal because they self-impose a cap. Nab him! Will draft picks even have great value in the next few years if WHL, NCAA, and European leagues all also have consistent and prolonged stoppages?

Precisely. We've had back-to-back hot-start seasons where .500 hockey the rest of the way would've resulted in playoffs. The glaring need each time was a two-way 2C to lighten the burden on the top line and push the right players to their appropriate spots in the lineup. (And also, last year we had a goalie with an eye condition.) But the 2C was always necessary. And JBot did nothing, waiting it out on the youth movement of puck-moving RHD to carry the team. (And I like the idea of stockpiling D prospects when your cupboard is barren because they take time to develop... but of 18 picks made by JBot, 8 of them were defensemen (and 6 of his final 12 picks). Granted, you always take Dahlin. But still, it went from prudent to overkill when you also factor in Antipin, Pilut, Beaulieu, Fedun, Redmond, Hunwick, Montour, Miller, Joker, Dougherty... I mean, where were they all going to play, JBot?

JBott made tons of little moves. Sadly, they all amounted to "sign 3/4th liner or AHL-tweener" and hope that he'll achieve some previously untapped potential and become one with the Moulson. But from Antipin to Vesey to Lazar to Ruotsalainen, none of them have done that, (yet, because Arttu is still pending). We really need a combination of 1 big move (the 2C) and probably 3 savvy minor moves that solidify the roster. GM Sheevyn can do all those things in one offseason, but it's a very tall order given that we also need to build around the top youth we have because we're not stocked with other desirable assets.

This thread is eerily similar to the "JBot, do something!" thread of last rotation. I will say that although I find the lack of moves disturbing, I don't expect anything to happen until the Cup is claimed and we're closing in on the (10/6 ?) draft or even on draft day for the theatrics of watching a televised Zoom call get broken up by Bettman saying "Buffalo trades pick #8...."

Then the thread does belong to you. Very interesting.... We'd better read some responses. The Sabrespacer posters will soon be back... and in greater numbers.

It's true, people forget Maxim was polished player when the league came back from the lockout. He actually started on a speed line with Sanderson and Holzinger waaay back before we even had lost Hasek and started the mini-dip of the early 00's before rebounding to the Drury-Briere-led teams.

GM Sheevyn: Execute Order... What number are we on? Senator Amigula: Did you axe the JBot Academy? GM Sheevyn: Yes. Senator Amigula: Sign Brett Murray and hire an AHL coach? GM Sheevyn: Done and done. Senator Amigula: Four. GM Sheevyn: Very good! Execute Order... Four!