DarthEbriate

I can hypocritically state that although I don't want to wish ill-health upon anyone, I also wouldn't mind if Marchand and Wilson licked and punched each other into injuries that resulted in lost time from both the hurt as well as the suspensions and ridicule.

Talent is the most important thing. But it isn't just the culture of the core, it's culture of the entire team. It's attention to detail on the ice, off the ice, in communication, etc. The players can all hate each other and be completely dysfunctional off the ice and sufficient talent can overcome that. Having everyone bought in and going in the same direction can make up a little of a talent gap. As to why? What other choice do we have? Onward and upward! This is where the fun begins.

Screw you, Hall. We didn't see that type of zone entry from him in a Sabres jersey after January. (But I hope if it was COVID-related that he's fully healthy. No health wishes against anyone unless I want to see their face pounded. Hatred and Dark Side and all... I'm a polite darth.)

Ouch. Losing Vanecek. If he's out with a groin, and Samsonov isn't ready, that's advantage: Bruins.

Opening line shifts of the Caps-Bruins series had two or three checks delivered harder than any Sabre forward doled out all season (I specify forwards because Ristolainen had hits to match). We need our skill forwards to also be able to withstand this level of game and elevate to it. Note: these were the top lines, the skill guys, setting the tone.

Re: the bolded: If they do well in the playoffs I can see something very much like that happening. Krejci's made his money and I'm guessing he'd be OK with a bit of a paycut to keep the band together. Obviously, complete speculation there, but with the flat cap I think anywhere he would try to sign would be less than his current contract. Kuraly would be a solid pickup for the Sabres. Gotta convince him that a lateral movement (I mean, if Eichel and Reinhart are both dealt, then he could see time as 2C here) would be worth it going from a great franchise to... well... hockey heaven. If Eichel is here, certainly Mitts or Cozens keeps Kuraly's minutes down to his same current role in Boston behind Bergeron and Krejci.

Great hire. I'd have liked to see Grier either in Buffalo, or here in Seattle to help a fledgling franchise get up to speed.

Feels kind of gross, doesn't it? That TBL was able to waive Tyler Johnson (and he still played 55 games for them this season), but also able to afford to re-sign Cernak, Sergachev, and Cirelli because they didn't have to count Kucherov on the cap. Seems like the next CBA should either a) enforce the cap even in the playoffs, or more appropriately, if you shut someone down for LTIR, you're shutting them down until the the next open UFA period at the start of the next season.

More of just clearing out the seemingly discontent player while the next one grows up and develops. I know it's not an apples to apples comparison as ROR also wanted a big shiny new contract and Colorado was not interested in giving him top-line money, Colorado also had Landeskog as the captain, etc.

It's only nuts because no one ever does it. It'd definitely have to be the right team and situation. If you're a really good team picking late in the 1st round every year, you have an older player on a big expiring contract, it might be just fine to plug and play a Reinhart right into that gap. As an example, Boston loses Krejci to UFA. They've got 7.2M to throw to a 2C. Reinhart's bottom-end 20-30-50 (likely more with the consistency/quality of Boston) and continuing to win is much better than the 26th pick overall, and a 2nd/3rd that are 50/50 to even reach 100 games. I'm not saying another team would do it, but it's a tool that really should be explored with the flat cap to acquire good player now who are in bad situations. Note: Boston lacks the 1st to do any appreciable salary for an offer sheet. I simply nabbed Krejci as an expensive contract coming off the books where Reinhart would really fit nicely in as a replacement. While not player initiated, all it takes is a call to the agent to gauge interest. And of course, if Reino really wants UFA status next year, he doesn't sign it (unless it's a 1-year deal, but that would make no sense for the picks).

However, they did trade ROR for a cast of supporting players to help build around for the next few seasons while MacKinnon developed (and they drafted other studs). Maybe Eichel is the ROR and Cozens is the MacKinnon. (Play style-wise they're likely reversed.)

The other option available to Sam (as well as Dahlin, Joker, Mitts, Asplund, half the team it seems) is the tool that no one uses and is really unlikely to use in flat cap world. But, signing an offer sheet elsewhere would be a very easy shot-across-the-bow of intent for anyone wanting to get away. Let's say a middle-of-the-pack team like Dallas loses Pavelski and offers Sam $7M for one year. The compensation is a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. It's mid-to-late first round so the 1st round pick won't be in the NHL for 2 years, there's no NHL-ready player coming back, you can still deal Sam at the deadline if you match. Might be easiest just to match it. Or what if some random contending team loses a veteran bottom-six guy to Seattle and offers Asplund $2M as a replacement - do we match or take the 3rd-round pick? But, I'm curious if any of the RFAs look to sign offer sheets as a ticket out. We've not locked up anyone long-term, just strung them along on one-year deals. Tampa could have been gutted by offer sheets, but their players clearly want to be there. If I'm an RFA who doesn't want to be here....

After this season, Sam has added center and top-20 goal scorer in the league to his resume, in addition to 20 goals every year and durability. What if arbitration gives him almost a a Mark Stone level deal ($9.5M)? Yes, that's a bit excessive and Stone is better, but he also has linemates to pass to and a really solid roster. What if arbitration says $8M? Sam says sure to 1 year. Does the team agree to pay that? Or did they just walk themselves into a one-year corner? There's also the risk of what can we get at the trade deadline for a rental of such a contract when the cap is still flat and no contender has cap space and we have to retain half his salary ala Hall just to get a 2nd? It's risky, but we might get nothing holding on longer.

The NMC's influence is in what we can get back for Jack if and when we decide to trade him. That's all. Trade him now, the primary factor is health. Trade him next season after he proves his health, that's a good return. Trade him somewhere he doesn't want to be, also rebuilding, and they've got 1 year to figure it out. Trade him after the NMC and it'll be the Hall trade because it limits the teams. And if the NMC requires Jack's approval of the team, rather than just a list of teams, and it'll be a garbage trade of contracts like ROR's.

Oh -- yes, the royal-colored glasses approach hasn't worked in 10 years and there's no reason to expect it start now given how much distance there is between our squad and the true playoff competitors in the East. Precisely. The consequence is keeping Eichel and Skinner at $19M combined for years when the latter is dependent on the former, and the former is both injury-prone and a malcontent. We're paying them to be our Toews and Kane, except of course Toews and Kane got paid as a reward for Stanley Cup championships while our pair has never played in a single playoff game. The other consequence is the future. Keep them, keep losing, and Cozens goes bridge, 1, 1, gone. If I'm Dahlin I'm refusing a long-term deal this offseason. Bridge me, I'll prove myself and get a bigger payout (short-term again from Buffalo), and then I'll hit UFA or you can trade me. No up-and-coming young player should look for stability here because there is no stability here.

... Until it's apparent we're not a playoff contender. Then, his job is to stay healthy until we deal him at the deadline as a rental --- for a fraction of what we can get for him this offseason when he's healthy, proved he's able to play center in the NHL, and still be productive even with Bjork/Olofsson as his wingers. If they can find/afford a top-caliber starting goalie and red-hot backup goalie this offseason to hide this team's scoring deficiencies, it is possible, however unlikely, that they might find a playoff spot and claim it. Full royal-colored glasses approach: Eichel and Reinhart and Ristolainen and new goalie(s) (maybe of which one is Ullmark) help get this team to the playoffs next season, make a big run, and we don't worry whether we lose anyone because the young core is so strong. But if that's to be the case, we'd better get a coach and hockey department in place that wins over the older players the instant this season's playoffs end (or some amazing coach becomes available during the playoffs). But we'd be taking an awful risk. This had better work.

maclunkey.

They'll go right back to where they were when Eichel took over 1C from ROR because Mitts was ready to be a 2/3C after 6 games in the NHL. Eichel was still a one-way 2C, MoJo wasn't a C at all... and Angry Larry was fine as the 4. This time: Cozens isn't even a center yet, Mitts is a 3, and our 4 is Eakin instead of Larsson. They've been spinning our GMs and coaches faster than they can pay them off to work. I would say they should unlearn what they've learned, but it's doubtful they've learned anything.

If we lose Eichel, Reinhart, Ullmark, and Ristolainen in the next few months it'll amount to the same as when we jettisoned the core that they were supposed to replace. So, yes. The difference is that last time the management decided the core was rotten and it was time to enact some suffering. This time, it's the players who've had enough of the suffering and deciding that they'll be less rotten elsewhere.

I don't like this idea, and I don't believe GM Sheevyn has the long-established connections like Yzerman to make something like it work. But if we're going to rebuild the core (again) on a youth movement, we still need some cannon fodder veterans to hold the fort for a couple years. I don't want the ATM line getting caved in head-to-head v. the Bergeron line next season. So... I assume we need a stopgap 1C and a 1G because Ullmark would be foolish to re-sign here if Eichel and Reinhart are gone. Expose Eichel to Seattle in exchange for: 2021 Seattle 1st (3rd-5th overall) - Seattle gets Eichel, oft-injured, but happy and 1C potential C Ryan Johansen + 2021 NSH 1st (20th range, or 2022 1st, whatever) - Nashville is ecstatic to get out from that contract, Seattle doesn't have any great picks from Nashville and... they get Eichel. G Jonathan Quick + 2021 LAK 1st (10th-12th) - LA is ecstatic to get out from that contract, Seattle doesn't have many great selections from LAK and they get Eichel. Add Johansen to the lineup, put the washed-up Quick in net for 40 games... voila, we're in the Top 3 sweepstakes in 2022, plus three firsts. There are other players at 1C or G who'd be better as well, but this is just an example because Quick is so washed-up that LAK might be fine to drop him for a 1st.

No. I want Eichel to play again. I'm still saddened by the losses of Sterling Sharpe, Nick Collins, Jermichael Finley, and even Terrence Murphy and not getting to see them make magic.

Yup. This is a star hasn't said it explicitly publicly, but he's almost guaranteed to have disclosed that he wants out to the leadership. Now, it's on them to do something about it. The major problem is --- this applies to all of our "stars". Risto, Reino, Eichel, Ullmark -- why would any of them want to stick around long-term here? I know I wouldn't, particularly if my injuries are being mistreated in any capacity. I want to go to a legitimate organization.

If I'm Vancouver I laugh at that offer. Horvat and Boeser are that team's heart and soul along with Pettersson (who is due a nice pay bump). And I'm not paying that much for Pettersson, Eichel, and JT Miller to play center and have one of them get limited minutes. But... if you're willing to take 1 year of Loui Eriksson and 1 year of Jay Beagle... or 3 more years of Tyler Myers at $6M per... then maybe we can talk about Horvat or Boeser.

Following this team is so fascinating... in a painful way. I think following the Sabres is the truest, quickest way to the dark side of The Concept Of hockey.

++Let’s reminisce. —Trying not to, kid. ++Good. —Still. Still a lot of spirit. Now what do you think? Do think this roster and a guy like DDB? ++No.