Thorner

That’s right, most don’t go for even a 1st rounder ...and most don’t go to Buffalo, either. Thats the point. This is why you need to bypass the market

If that’s what it takes to get the deal done, and the fall back is UPL, my answer is Yes In terms of measuring worth by the market, you are absolutely right measuring this deal by way of the market rather than the exponential value it would provide *for our specific team* is the error people keep making We need not be held hostage by the market, not if following it to a T presents an obstacle to the goal it’s subservient to: winning

Every time I read his name I just think of Eminem saying “Chris Kirkpatrick”

About as low as the team finishing bottom 4 👀👀

You know what they say, never get full on your own product

Evergreen Agreed, he’s a wiener

Oh now he’s got Kevin Snow on re: his book, The Science of Hockey, that John Vogl actually wrote the Foreword to. Could be interesting

Ben Gotz (Las Vegas review journal) on Marek, talking about how joyful the Knights locker room is, how their “good vibes” are responsible for their success this season. Mentioned the key figure was Eichel, specifically, in easing their mental burden. Said he instituted several things like Elvis wigs in the post game, little traditions they take part in after wins in the locker room. Some won’t like this or think it’s pointless to post or that I mean anything by it but I don’t: I’m just happy for the guy. Sounds like both parties have benefited wildly from the separation

On another note The first Sabres game I ever saw them win live in person, Kane, after getting vindictively boo’ed by 10 000 ass-hats wearing track suits all game, passed up an easy empty net goal to grant Sam his first career hat trick. The silence in the arena brought a tear to my eye. IMO, winning isn’t just a cure all like they say, it also elevates moments like the one I mentioned beyond casual mention by message board lunatic, Sabres fan in Winnipeg to “culture defining” legend. A lot of is is perspective. A lot of it is also, frankly, narrative. The fact Kane passed to Sam more likely because he wanted to subvert the expectations of the crowd in real time (selfish player will take glory), rather than because of his love of teammate and country, is something I’m well aware of and yet, it doesn’t lessen it for me. It was beautiful. Well timed, dude

You are a Sabres fan.

We don’t need hindsight to see what talents we have on the team now, by way of that ROR trade. Hindsight doesn’t serve the argument, because in hindsight the deal still looks terrible: the deal failed under the prism of what it was attempting to accomplish *at the time*. It was a big reason that rebuild crashed and Botterill’s time came to an end. The following GM picking up the pieces doesn’t make it a good trade, it just makes Adams a good GM. This also isn’t the same as saying I’d “reverse the trade”. I honestly don’t know- it’s impossible to see how the past changes if we didn’t maroon our offence beyond Eichel. But Thompson is critical for us now. In the end, a trade can be bad, yet over the ripples of time eventually produce a talent better than given up - both things can in fact be true If Adams dealt Cozens for a 3rd round pick, and the pick became Brayden Point, is it a good trade? We know the answer is no.

Hockey game. 12 left then we get back to working our expectations into a frenzie over a long summer. As of course is tradition. Go team, score goals. My prediction: The devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever wanna try again I done told you once you son of a bitch, I'm the best that's ever been"

I think it’s possible, probably likely that McDavid is the best pure talent we’ve ever seen, ya. But in terms of all around ability, I think there’s an argument to be made (duh, I’m making it) that what Crosby grants to a team is more conducive to greatness within the way the national hockey league, itself, is officiated, run, managed, and coached I think McDavid’s overall stats, all around game included, marks out higher on the back of a marvel card. I think he’s better even all around. Best ever. But Crosby arguably, at slightly less overall, yes, melds better within the context of building a championship roster *in the NHL*. I think being the greatest grinder ever gives him an easier pathway, within the NHL playoffs specifically, if that makes sense, to all time greatness - - - Tl;dr In a hypothetical league that maximizes its best talents - I draft McDavid. In the real world, I honestly draft 18 year old Sid before Connor if constructing a team from scratch

I want absolutely no part in being bad enough that we technically have a claim to Bedard. Reflective of too disappointing of a season, not a good trade off - - - I will also absolutely do a complete 180 publicly should we win the pick, just totally totally betray my argument by freaking out - this is a McDavid-like prospect. No, it’s not a Sidney Crosby and all the generational winning a top 5 all around player of all time brings, but it’s generational talent to the extent it actually might allow for ever so slightly less aptitude from our GM going forward, which, yes, betrays my initial argument we aren’t winning it anyway but ya

Could be in line for a top 10 Norris finish and might outscore Dahlin. Definitely a shame it didn’t work out. Just another piece of evidence for why Botterill’s talent analysis was often reasonable but his team building was awful

Fox leaps Dahlin. Heiskanen, Makar and Montour closing in

Oh so he’s a modest upgrade on Bryson then

There’s actually a rather hilarious extended edition scene in Desolation of Smaug featuring the dwarves and Beorn that plays on all of the above lol

Not only that, but IIRC Botterill was canned not for performance but rather his unwillingness to cut staff. Adams was all too willing, but interestingly enough, as you point out, they spent under Adams that season to the max - once Taylor Hall presented himself as an opportunity. Now the wisdom of making that move remains up for debate, but the point I think is that even after apparently deciding to cut spending Pegula proved himself willing to be flexible / convinced by Adams/Krueger

During the trade deadline coverage on TSN they specifically mentioned teams needing to do the immigration thing IS actually a concern / factor for all teams - it stood out to me b/c they were saying it’s pretty hard line. Ie it’s “not open on weekends” type stuff and in many cases the player themselves has to show up to the immigration office. It’s not athlete preferential treatment type stuff I don’t think we are seeing anything unusual

Honestly always did get THAT vibe from TV

I think a vote of NHL players just named Crosby the league’s best player, too Edit - most complete At his age this is very remarkable. Top 5 all time, imo.

As crazy as the Kulich bit is, Dahlin at 18 (also turning 19 in the April of his first nhl season) did what Kulich is doing, and more, at the *NHL level*. A fact continuously undersold when Dahlin’s early years get lumped in Krueger. Pretty astounding. Dahlin had more points in the nhl as a d-man than Kulich as a F in the A, and as outlined in the OP what Kulich is doing is outstanding

13 playoff games plus 1 regular season game, true, fair enough. But he functionally made the jump from full time Junior one season to full time NHLer the very next, even including the AHL tune up the same year he was a full time junior player. I’m not sure the 14 AHL games were critical in the jump being possible, but, it’s plausible

Definitely agree the trajectory matters. This can all shift again pretty quickly. If they finish strong it still matters