Marvin

When I listened to fans for years, you would have assumed the Sabres never had anyone who would fight. Yet I can spend 2 hours looking at them.

That's a bargain. I would have preferred keeping him at numbers well above this.

The first American-born Black player in the NHL. https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/val-james-historic-achievement/t-277437090/c-6880467 Part of the "Hockey Is for Everyone", which were discussing recently.

I experienced incidents that were very similar. I am with you.

It's not just me, is it? GMKA's already had a better off-season on paper than any of GMJB's, right?

Welcome, @chloewoj.

For the last several years, through my fingers in a mixture of disbelief and disgust, why?

Until COVID-19 is under control, IMHO, the NHL should try to get 1/3 capacity with social distancing and masks with all the games outdoors if they play a season.

A Stanley Cup is was he's hoping to retire on. Playoffs are what we need him to do again.

@Mods -- feel free to move this to wherever it belongs. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-nhl-says-hockey-is-for-everyone-black-players-arent-so-sure/ Yeah, I know, I know. <stereotype="DonCherry">"Where's the article about white players being discriminated against in the NBA, NFL, MLB, etc.?"</stereotype> <stereotype="SourGrapes">Next time a white player has mayonnaise thrown at him by a rowdy mob of of exclusively non-white fans at the arena, I might ask that as well.</stereotype> Apparently, not much has changed in 45 years. I remember hockey school from ages 9-11. The race-baiting was so bad at the first one that when Jim Schoenfeld and Jerry Korab called me over after morning practise, I thought I was about to die: the other kids told me that the stuff they had been threatened me with would be meted out by Joe Crozier and the players. I went over with my stick up and told them that if they did what the other kids said they would do, I would try to kill them and would die fighting for my life. They gave me an angry look, glared at the exit from the rink, and then called over two other players, I think Doug Rombough and Hughie Harris. Rombough and Harris got Joe Crozier and I think Jim Lorentz and the 4 of them went to the locker room. Schoenfeld and Korab sat on the ice so that they were below my height. Korab spoke first. "We heard them. Crow is going to give it to them. We don't believe in that $#!+. He's going to send a note home with the kids that they will get kicked out and lose their money if this happens again." Schoenfeld then asked me if this had happened to me before. I answered that it was normal at school.. Schoenfeld then said, "I know this won't make any sense to you, but if anyone does that to you again, you can always get back at him with three things: his manhood, his woman, or his mother." I thanked them and then they got up and told me to wait because they had a question. I conquered my fear as best I could because teachers had turned against me once kids were out of earshot, so I just stood there. Schoenfeld spoke first this time, "the kids who have been really bad to you -- when they are in front of you in the corner or in front of the net, they tend to lose their balance even if you don't trip them. What's up?" "Oh, I have been taking Judo for two years. I use a choke to cut off the blood to their brains." They both leaned back in complete surprise. Then, Korab told me, "Let us take care of them. You don't have to do that any more." Joe Crozier and the other 3 players returned at that point. Joe said to me, "it's not tattling if they break the rules and they threaten you. Don't believe their crap. I personally will punish anyone who goes after you." Korab and Schoenfeld told them about the judo chokes. Joe Crozier said to me, "and I hate to say this, but don't do that again either." This was the early-mid 1970's.

Several things. 1. I think it is partly a reward for being willing to stay. 2. They were trying to signal Larry what he could get if he stayed. (IMHO, this was the biggest point.) 3. He was on pace for about 14-11-25 from an essentially defence-only deployment. 4. His teammates apparently like him. 5. He and Kyle are good examples of embracing a role you have rather than the one you wanted and were drafted for. Is it too much? I think so, but I think all of the above helped.

I remember them in an interview after The Stank Season. I can not find the references. But my wife and I remember them distinctly. We wondered what Moulson, Gionta, Ennis, Foligno, Myers, et al. had thought of this. Should I find the quote, I will follow this up.

Huh? We can't swap one of Risto, Montour, and Miller for an LHD?

If a Buffalo sports team wins a championship, will there be price gouging on table purchases for months afterward?

I would have been OK with Eichel with Larry, and another pair of #4 actual NHL centres with NHL-calibre wingers. That is a trivial ask and GMJB could not even do that.

There is a part of me that wonders if the Pegulas put too much trust in the NHL Ol' Boyz Grapevine -- both TM and JB were very highly regarded when the Sabres hired them. Indeed, there are people in NHL media who put no blame on JB for the Sabres the last three years; it's almost as if they take PA's criticism of the Pegulas' meddling to an extreme.

I gather a Veloute Mushroom Sauce is the best for crow. Looks like asparagus, multi-coloured carrots, small multi-coloured potatoes, and parsnips are good sides. Add a pears and apples with a Waldorf-like salad, except that I substitute balsamic vinaigrette for mayonnaise. White wine, semi-dry. Who else is joining us?

Welcome!

To be fair, Gorges was so slow that it only *looked* like he was lollygagging.

Are you Silas P, Happiness Patrol Undercover?

What is the best way to prepare crow? I have to eat some. Also, advice on the sides would be welcome.

Sing with me; sing for the year. Sing for the laughter; sing for the year. Sing with me, if just for today -- Maybe tomorrow, the Good Lord will take you away.

Sure it does. Every time someone did something that made the team win, the GM traded them. According to Zemgus, Larry, Risto, and others, whenever they made a good play, the players on the bench joked, "what are you trying to do, get yourself traded?" That mentally becomes, "if I am here, I am a failure." We need Larry, Zemgus, Risto, McCabe, Sam, and anyone else from the tank teams out of the organisation pronto. That attitude is just visible when the team faces adversity. The two times they dug themselves out of it, GMJB undermined them by not helping, whence it affects everyone else like Jack, Jeff, Rasmus, and the rest who were on those teams. That stink stays on the team until all these players are gone or the GM gets lucky multiple times in ONE off-season: this one. Otherwise, we are doomed. Addendum: you are correct: we broke them.

Let us face facts: because of how the Sabres executed The Tank, how impatient GMTM was, and how bad GMJB was, the Sabres have to pay 50% more to get 50% less than other teams. Eichel and Dahlin are idiots if they don't force their way out now. You who wanted to tank earned this. You wanted losing to be the mindset and a habit, so here you are. No excuses about ROR et al.: deliberate losing begot habitual losing. I hope you are all spending 50% more on Sabres merchandise to show your pride. Congratulations.

I think they make a lot of small-to-mid sized moves. Any big move is a little further in the future as we see the teams' budgets shake out. HOWEVER - expect the big market teams to grab the biggest names and everyone else in the bargain bins.