#freejame

3 on Pittsburg and 1 on Nashville according to hockey reference

Haven't the Leafs been waiting five years every year since 1967?

Absolutely, however, my understanding is that all 30 GMs (or is it owners?) have to approve his return to the NHL. If you're a team in our division and you hear that Kovalchuk is potentially returning and will be playing against you, why wouldn't you just veto the return?

Yes, he signed a two year deal last season with Frölunda HC Edit: Or did you mean the Sabres?

The Kings didn't lack depth scorers, they lacked offensive talent. Carter and Kopitar can't carry the entire load, which is what they're expected to do with Gaborik, Brown, Toffoli, and Pearson as their wingers. There's maybe one top six forward in that group on a playoff team. Two of those guys (Gaborik/Brown) are on terrible contracts. Lombardi has given the franchise the depth players they need to compete, but the bad contracts and play of Gaborik and Brown has prevented them from getting a stronger top six and forced their bottom six up. Edit: Others have said it, but I'll say it again anyway. If O'Reilly (or whomever) leads us to two cups on their current contract, including the final year of the contract, I'd be fine straddled with his contract until he retires, just like the Kings are. Gaborik has a completely inexcusable contract though. But hey, he's got a ring and the Kings have a second cup so whatever.

Have we already given up on Swedish Stamkos? Looks like he's 5'11" now and still playing really well. He'll be 22 in July and according to this http://www.dobberprospects.com/victor-olofsson-2/he had a pretty good regular season and post season, with 12 points in 13 playoff games. Maybe Modo knows a little more about how he looked this year.

I mentioned in my last post I don't care about lack of bobbleheads, but I feel like having 80 bobbleheads of different Sabres throughout the years would be preferred to a discount at the Sabre store. Besides, how many STH go to the team store unless they are with someone who doesn't normally go to hockey games. I'm sure the discount would be more valuable, but I'm sure the Sabres are saving a whole lot of money by giving out a seldom used discount instead of a "less valuable" bobblehead.

My dad has been a season ticket holder for over twenty years. When he hit the ten year mark, he expected something small, some sort of card or thank you note. Needless to say, no such acknowledgment happened. When he hit 15 years and 20 years, he still thought maybe they'd send him a thank you card or show his name on the jumbotron acknowledging it. Nothing. Not since Rigas owned the team have they cared one bit about the fans. I've got great memories growing up and going to STH skates at the rink, meeting every single Sabre on the team (including waiting in the longest line in history to meet Hasek), playing bubble hockey with Satan and Stu Barnes, hanging out with Geoff Sanderson, and watching the team race RC cars around the rink. It's too bad the younger fans now will never get to experience that. I'm not upset about not having a single bobblehead or any cool collectables from the team. What bothers me is the complete lack of appreciation they have for people who spend their hard earned money year in, and year out. They wouldn't give two shits if a STH cancelled their package, they'd simply call the next person on the waiting list and take their money and run. The past few seasons I've had to talk my dad into keeping his tickets. He's down from going to 20 games a year to less than 5. Every game he goes to they seem to lose, and every season they raise the price on him. I wouldn't want to go either.

Is it out of the realm of possibilities that Okposo has highlypaidgoalscorerwithnagginginjuriesnotwantingtogetfutherhurtandneitherdoeshisgmitous?

1.) Assuming McDavid is healthy all year, playoffs 2.) Playoffs 3.) No difference, still have Bylsma 4.) No, we would just re-sign him. There would be little debate. He seemed hampered all year due to the door incident. 5.) Of course 6.) I forgot about it. Only time I remember is if I see him in a highlight. Seems like he's gotten in a few scraps this year. 7.) Possibly? If we add some defense, Jack doesn't lose his mind, and we stay healthy we should be in even with Bylsma. That being said, I wouldn't bet on it unless he were fired.

Jack centering ROR and Sam playing center on the third line. Defense still sucks though.

Ray was an every time I met him, whether he was playing and I was a kid or he wasn't and we were both adults. He may be a gentle giant, but he's also a douche.

Not much you can do there. .

It must have been unbearable for those poor refs

Am I wrong in thinking that was an awful anthem?

It's easy to believe the Eichel, Kane, and Lehner stats but it still doesn't seem like this team has been playing that well. Maybe it's time for a change of outlooks.

Isn't everyone else too?

RJ is pretty frightening looking in his old age. The broadcast should keep the camera on the ice after goals instead of on his mug.

What do you think Sabres players are resolving to change about their 2017? Will Kane's resolution be to hit the net once in a while? Is Lehner vowing to stop letting in so many softies?

Speaking as someone who's mostly lurked around the past ten years, coming on and seeing no hockey talk on the home page slowly pushed me off the site. Now when I'm on it isn't for long because every thread because polluted with other . Just my opinion, but the board just isn't as fun anymore, and gets less fun when checking in regularly and seeing nothing but senseless arguing in every thread. If people want to talk about things that aren't hockey, add a sub-forum, make all the threads in there, and keep them off the home page.

It only took four years to build the Golden Gate Bridge.

Caring when we lose games. I feel like post-lockout Sabres hockey has zapped the passion out of me as a sports fan, but going in with high expectations this year will probably bring that back during our first three game losing streak.

His pro future has been pretty clear since the start of his Junior year at Harvard. The reason he isn't in the NHL is because he wanted a degree from Harvard. He wasn't going to get that degree until late May, something Nashville knew since last summer. Obviously that contradicts their plans for him to be on the roster for last playoffs. If you (or anyone on this board) had the opportunity to not only get a degree from Harvard but by attaining said degree you then got to pick your next employer, would you take the degree (from Harvard) and the job options or would you go right to the NHL? People here are questioning the character of a man who made it clear from the get-go that he was going to get a complete Harvard education, the Preds should have taken that into account in 2012 during their draft interview. Or maybe they and everyone else did and that's why he went in the third round. This entire (board) saga is getting ridiculous. Vesey will be a Sabre.

I'd make a charity wager that Vesey signs with any of the negative nancys

I believe it's Vee-see (V-C)