deluca67

That is an obstacle. Would Kesler waive the NTC if faced with a possibly long rebuild? That's an important question.

Trading Bishop is not out of the question. Tampa could sign Miller than move Bishop to fill another need. For example, to Buffalo for Ehrhoff. Just throwing out a crazy scenario. The Sedin twins to Pittsburgh for Malkin and a #1.

Is Kesler out of the question for the Isalnders? As mentioned in another thread, the Canucks need to consider rebuilding, Kesler may be their best option at starting that process. it would give the Canucks the #5 & #6 picks this year which opens up a whole bunch of options including using both picks to move into the top three. If I'm the Florida GM I'm listening if the Canucks offer #5 & #6 for the #1 overall. I originally thought Kesler to the Oilers for the #3 pick made sense. IMO, the same applies for the Islanders.

True. Unfortunately the Sedin contracts will hinder what the Canucks will be able to do going forward.

Agree 100%. The Sabres finished dead last by 15 points and still didn't come away with the #1 pick. Fans may be setting themselves up for some huge disappointment. The Sabres are going into the 2015 draft with three #1 picks, it's up to Tim Murray to maximize those assets which may include moving some of the picks.

I would be shocked if the Islanders executed that #1 pick this year. The move that makes any kind of sense is to keep the pick and move it.

Why would the options be so limited? Trading away the #1 picks doesn't make all the other picks and assets disappear. The Sabres will still have two #1's to make deals with. 1 likely a lottery pick.

Any deal of this magnitude would have to include some type of extension for the player. I would think most would rather see the Sabres make a financial investment in a player like Lucic more so than another smaller soft forward as they have in the past. Lucic at $6-7 million a year is a far greater value than a Hodgson type player at $4.25 mil a year. Lucic brings with him a strong identity which I would love to see become a part of the overall team identity. A top six forward ranks consisting of Lucic, Girgenson, Foligno along with the right mix of "skilled" forwards would be a pretty solid mix. Any "smaller" forwards would find themselves with a lot more room on the ice.

Steve Mason played well, no need for Miller. Miller stock dropped with the Blues getting eliminated and Miller sporting a 2.70 gaa and a .897 save percentage in the process.

I like Dustin Brown, problem is that he is 4 years older than Lucic and over his last 33 playoff games has only 5 goals and 5 assists. Lucic, who some say was a no-show this playoffs has 11 goals and 15 assists over his last 34 playoff games including 7 points in 12 games this year. Is the older, less productive and less intimidating player really the better option?

That's a lot of "IFs." I'd prefer the sure thing that is NHL proven and only 25. We all have our preferences. IMO, my scenario is a step towards building a Cup contender.

Exactly. You build a team piece by piece. Even with the Sabres drafting in the top five this year and next they are still going to need another 10-12 NHL players with skill. The only difference under by scenario is that they would have a 6'3 235 lb monster that can score 25-30 goals on the roster. Reinhart/Bennett and McDavid may have a ton of skills, non of them bring the complete package that Lucic brings.

Now that's funny!

There's no guarantee the Sabres are going to get "2 top line centers" with those picks. There is nothing "stupid" about trading for a known commodity, especially when that player is a dominant and young as Lucic is. This is a franchise changing move.

That's not a "true fan experience" I ever want to be a part of. As a Sabres fan I have great respect for teams like the Bruins and Penguins. As a Red Sox fan I have great respect for a franchise like the New York Yankees. As A Bills fan I have great respect for the New England Patriots. I also have great respect for the great sports cities like New York, Boston and Chicago. I have no need or desire to put other sports teams or cities down to distract from where my teams are at the moment. I don't need to rail on other fan bases or manufacture league wide conspiracy as so many here do. We here claim to be among the best and most knowledgeable hockey.sports fans around. We can't be if we continue as a group to allow our jealousies and inferiority complex rule the day. We should as a group be better than this. It's drags the board as a whole down to a level which is extremely unflattering. "Troll" apparently now means those who drive conversations in a direction that a poster disagrees with. It is a tool used by those who are incapable of effectively countering an argument. It's the John Scott of posting, ineffective and lacking of any skill. Stay classy San Diego!

You can't really compare Crosby and Hawerchuk. When Crosby scored his 120 the highest scoring team in the league was the Sabres with 308. In 1984 12 teams scored over 300 goals. Actually, the worst scoring team in 1984 was the Leafs with 253 goals that would have placed them tied for 11th in 2006.

Goon! ;)

Keep telling yourself that. :doh:

Are you listening to yourself? Not every player drafted at the top of the draft becomes Jonathan Toews. If Girgensons can become a Lucic type player that would be fantastic. I would love to see Girgensons pull a few more stunts like that. It's a great example of the John Scott argument. I have no problem with any Sabre potential top 6 forward showing a dark side. I wish Marcus Foligno would show it and the two monster blueliners the Sabres just drafted as well. There's no point in drafting size if the player isn't going to use it to it's max potential.

There's just no point in any of this, it just comes across as petty and sad. As a "hockey fan" in on the best hockey markets it becomes embarrassing at times.

They would still have a lottery pick in the Islander's #1. I'm willing to gamble that the two players the Sabres could draft, combined, will not have the impact that Lucic could have. I'd still have a #1 and a bunch of other picks. I also have recently drafted players like Girgensson that I can build with or use to bring in other players.

Hawerchuk was one of the better offensive talents to wear a Sabres uniform, I wouldn't consider him one of the top 10 Sabres of all-time. Hawerchuk is comparable to LaFontaine and Briere as where they were here for a short time. I would consider Briere as having the most impact of the three.

There is no other top six forward in the league that brings to the game what Lucic brings at his level. Frankly, two lottery picks wouldn't be enough for the Bruins to let Lucic go. I'm sure they would expect more in return. Like it out not folks, put the bias aside and give Lucic the credit he deserves, he is a game changer for any franchise. Look what he did for the Bruins and look at what he did to the Sabres.

Lucic is as much a part of what Boston has been able to do as Chara or any other player. They are both two valuable pieces of puzzle. They likely wouldn't have the success they have has without Chara just like they wouldn't likely have the same success without Lucic or Marchand or Bergeron or Krejci. It's about building a Cup contender, there is a Contender today, or a team aspiring to become a contender that wouldn't love adding Lucic. Lucic is a UFA after next season, if the Bruins allow him to hit the market, which I doubt, Lucic would be the most sought after free agent in the history of the NHL.

There is no other "Lucic" in the league which makes him so unique and valuable. I can pretty much guarantee if Lucic was available teams like the Blackhawks, Kings and Penguins, teams where the standard has become winning the Stanley Cup, would all be tripping over each other for a chance to land Lucic.