Broken Ankles

Get to know your LTIR formula. Might see a Leafs/Nate Horton situation arise next year if KO does not play the remainder of this year.

Bovada has updated the Sabres odds after tonight’s game. Unofficial.

Brilliant save.

looks to be about $500K over. Line Forwards Pos 2018-19 1 Jeff Skinner LW $ 5,725,000.00 Jack Eichel C $ 10,000,000.00 Sam Reinhart RW $ 3,650,000.00 2 Kane LW $ 7,000,000.00 RO C $ 7,500,000.00 Pominville, Jason RW $ 5,600,000.00 3 Girgensons, Zemgus LW $ 1,600,000.00 Casey Middlestadt C $ 925,000.00 Scott Wilson RW $ 1,050,000.00 4 J. Larsson LW $ 1,475,000.00 Evan Rodriguez C $ 650,000.00 Kyle Okposo RW $ 6,000,000.00 5 M. Moulson 3,975,000 Cody Hodson ($458,333) Defense Pos 2018-19 1 Dahlin D $ 925,000.00 Rasmus Ristolainen D $ 5,600,000.00 2 Scandella D $ 4,000,000.00 Pilut D $ 925,000.00 3 McCabe D $ 1,600,000.00 Zack Bogosian D $5,142,857 4 Beaulieu, Nathan D $2,400,000 Goalies Pos 2018-19 Carter Hutton G $ 2,750,000.00 Linus Uhlmark G 775,000 2017-18 cap $ 80,059,524.00 cap # $ 79,500,000.00 $ (559,524.00)

Do you know something we don’t? I see the logic in a back to back, but he has been less than questionable as of late. The Peg have struggled their last few and I’m worried about them getting a fast start. If Hut plays well, could be a great thing for the locker room but.....

Yes, until Victor, son of Olof takes the ice next year.

What if he is a chip for a full time RD partner for Dahlin? The fact he is the most tradable asset and we have enough young talent at LD is true. We need to strengthen other areas of weakness. Ristolainen with Pilut and Bogosian with Guhle would be solid.

The tank line, funny and well played. The trying not to laugh comeback condescending and Douchey. You see why people don’t like you right?

What are you assuming the AAV would have been for a long term agreement?

Let me add to the plethora of positive transactions JB has made in a short time in Buffalo. These are outside the aforementioned Skinner and and good fortune of Dahlin (which also is understated, Murray was a jinx that lost all his Draft lotteries in Buffalo. Luck matters.) * Signing Lawrence Pilut. * Drafting and more importantly convincing UPL to play in the OHL and eventually Rochester. * D. O'Reagan (for Roch) and a 1st for Kane. * 6th Round Pick to Vegas to take Carrier and not select Linus in Expansion Draft. * Zack Redmond (Roch contributor) for Deslauriers * Brandon Hickey for H. Fasching. * Signing Will Borgen (and developing properly) * Signing Asplund and getting him to develop in Roch. * UFA Carter Hutton to team friendly 3 year deal. (And I think this is undervalued thus far. Lehner is having a nice (Lucky?) year, but Hutton is a true Pro and will serve as a proper role model for Linus and a good back up over the next 2 years. * Equitable Bridge deal for Sam that allows flexibility for trade after 2020 or signing a lucrative long term deal if he continues to ascend. But it was the cogent decision to bridge. * Promising growth on later round selections in 2018 - Samuelsson, Pekar and Kukkonen. Too early to quantify anything. I think deals like Wilson, Sheary, Beaulie, Bailey, Baptiste, Fedun are all a wash. They were either non-factors or involved insignificant and /or lower draft picks. so for each swing and miss: a.) Pominville/Scandella deal b.) Mismanagement of Mittlestadt (I agree with your assessment) there are more positive moves, in my opinion. How do I get there? Both the compete level of the team and the the record of both Rochester and Buffalo is better than it was two years ago or last year. And this includes losing its best Center from last season. While you have already decided the O'Reilly trade is a colossal failure (incorrectly I might add), I need at least two years to decide who wins this trade. And in this two years, Tampa Bay and Toronto will continue to dominate the East. O'Reilly on the Sabres this year or next would not affect this result. By his third season, Dahlin will have the experience and talent (think Drew Doughty year 3/4 in LA) to take this team to the next level. And IF (leap of faith) - Tage can develop, increase his strength, and contribute in top 6 capacity, and JB spends the $7.5M AAV that would have been designated to an aging 30+ Center on other Free Agent(s), and the first and second round picks we receive from St. Louis have moderate success, then he can win that one too. I know Terry Pegs has lots of cash, but money was also a factor in when the trade was made, so there is that. So I'll provide JB enough slack to spend that money this off season and next, and use those 3 first round picks (and properly develop) before I condemn him and suggest he's damaged the team. This jury member needs time to deliberate.

Didn’t you comment on lack of success on 2nd round picks last week? And went through all the examples? Maybe Die by the Blade is scrolling though these posts looking for ideas.

Do you like Gladiator movies?

Those that cannot remember the past .........

And the Sabres could have netted: Jack Boeser Beauviller Aho And Carlo.... but we got “Murried”

Debrusk will contribute. But I agree with the larger point about 3 picks in a loaded draft and coming away with only one. 2016 first rounder was Charlie McAvoy, who looks like a home run. And Pastrnak in 2014. Three years of hitting allowed them to take a chance and trade 2018's 1st round - although not to any success. Also - Drouin was not a Bruin. Seguin?

When he was last on WGR he stated that while he always wants to add scoring and skill he did not want to trade draft picks (not specific rounds but picks in general) OR Young players. He said that while this might add immediate scoring it would only push the problem down a few years. I have a feeling this is partially true. He is against a rental, but might walk back his comment about trading a pick or a player come June. If we were playing ‘Card Sharks’, I’d say the likelihood JB trades for any rental is low. 18%. I also look to see if Nylander is given a real look after the break. If he doesn’t get a sniff I think his chances for being part of a package increase.

I’m a fan of Sam but he is not better than Leon. Like 100 points less with only 20 less games played. Leon can play FL#1 and put up gaudy numbers. He can also Center FL#2 and provide secondary scoring with average forwards. Neither are elite at much else.

Are you still high from last night? Because I am now and still know Leon > Ristolainen straight up. Don’t want RNH but..... both for Risto is kind of, you know Ludicrous.

Bovada had this game with the Canuck' as a slight favorite this morning, changing to even money (-110) by Noon. This includes a Goaltender with exactly one NHL start and their star rookie Elias Pettersson still out. The road trip is not excessive in length, nor does Vancouver a superior Home record. Or the Sabres a poor road record. I'm in for a dime on the Sabres tonight. I expect at least 3 goals from FL#1 with maybe another few chipping in. If this team is in the discussion for an 8 seed or higher, they win this game.

I think the concern many have regarding statistics is how many posters use them to justify or contend a position, often times without ever seeing that player or team over a period of time. Obviously the tools are more robust and should be used "in addition to", not "in replacement of" game management by Coaches and GM's. Most of which have far more experience than any of us. I personally dislike when some throw Corsi/Fenwick/HDCF% stats as an absolute or empirical truth in rating a player. Empirical data is acquired by observation or experimentation. Often times the data is anecdotal, but those that quote the stats are reticent to accept it as such. I think your observations on the scoring chances inside the high danger zones are valid, and definitely a concern on the PP. But I would argue that our shots from the point are not a problem. Our problem is deflections (or lack thereof) and rebounds. Weak players like Casey Middlestadt, Tage Thompson and Conor Sheary contribute to this. In EDM, their first two goals were from inside, but both deflections. Buffalo tries, but their not as effecitve in execution based on talent or net front presence? Their last goal was a rebound, slammed home by Leon, as was Johnny Hockey's first period goal last night. I can think of a dozen more that did not result in a goal due to luck, good saves or missed shots by the opposition. Hopefully these charts can help identify the gaps and improve our Defensive positioning, and recognizing other teams strengths when game planning. But I refuse to accept these as absolute truths when things like how a goaltender can impact this number, or how a failed clear in the D-zone by a player that should not be on the team 30 seconds before this shot/goal was made affected it. And with respect to the PP, I have watched a fair amount of Calgary games, and their passing inside is a function of size and skill. The Sabres had to have seen this in video before the game as CGY has scored like this the entire year, and yet teams still struggle agaisnt it. Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk are better suited than Skinner/Eichel or Skinner/Reinhart to execute these plays. But to your point, maybe the Sabres should try to replicate. At this point, our PP needs to try something new. Lastly to your Pilut point. Data and more importantly the eye test says he should be playing over Scandella. But we don't know what Phil has been told. I myself think the conspiracy theory that Botts wants to trade Macro has legs, so the decision was to sit Pilut over Nate so he could showcase Scandella could be valid. In saying this, I also cannot simply have my stat department tell my head coach who should be playing each night.

Great shift

Memo to Phil Housley: do not have Scandella on the ice or let Zach Bogosian pinch when the first line is out there for Calgary

Depth scoring? FL#2 - Beauvillier, Barzal, & Josh Bailey vs Rodriguez, Sobotka and TT.

This is an excellent point. Largely overlooked when you review the history of trades at the deadline. Either a prospect that becomes something, or an additional lower round draft selection in addition to the player that eventually becomes something. I'm also confused by the discussion that it's a buyers’ market. It’s always been a sellers’ market. Last year saw trades of Nash, Brassard, McDonough and JT Miller, Tatar, Kane, Stastny and Hartman all yield a first round pick plus more. Every year some GM get stupid. If we agree we are not going “all in” on a top-flight UFA rental that will cost at least a first round plus, then let’s look at the secondary rentals from last year. Michael Grabner, Ian Cole, Tomas Plekanec, Vanek, Maroon, Brandon Davidson, Frank Vatrano, Nick Holden, Petr Mrazek, Michal Kempny are all 2nd or 3rd round (or equal value). Outside of Thomas Vanek having a very strong finish to 2018, how did the others perform? Spoiler alert. Not well. Then you get down to the low-end market. These hockey trades/rentals returned a fourth round or lower. Joe Morrow, Nick Shore, Mike Reilly, Ryan Graves, Mark Letestu, Eric Fehr, Nikita Soshnikov, and Scott Wilson. Reality check time - no one is getting any immediate value trading or 4-7th round pick. These guys are 4th liners who grind or a seventh D man that serves as a just in case. Looking at this year’s UFA’s/Trade bait, and excluding those like Duchene, Steen, Simmonds, Carter, Hayes, Panarin and Nyquist as they would appear to require a First round +, who on this secondary market are you willing to part with Guehle or Pecar and a 3rd, 4th or 5th ? Ferland, Silverberg, Nemestnikov, Zuccarello, Coyle? For my money, I would rather us try to bundle a player (Scandella, Beaulieu), prospect (Guhele) and a First round pick for a younger player under our control for at least three more years that is considered bottom six but could grow into a top six. If at all. As I’m convinced that a call up from Rochester for Bailey, Olofsson, or Nylander might deliver the same results.

Or equidistant to Buffalo. It’s ok, my geography of Canada ?? is a little rusty too. And I agree with your sports take that a tie is acceptable under the current circumstances.