IKnowPhysics

Love the Sabres' proposal. Total investment at 65% of what it cost to build FNC (in 2012 dollars). I think Paladino's facade choices match the neighborhood better, but they also feel less distinctive than the Sabres' proposal. And yes, as a recreational hockey player who's open to moving back to the Buffalo area, the prospect of a new double sheet downtown only makes me want move there more.

I'm starting to see Carolina's improved chance to get back into the mix for the SE division champ, which is a a little troublesome, because it's getting crowded at the Eastern Conference playoff bubble level. It'd be better if at least three out of the five SE teams just plain stunk in addition to the Leafs and Canadiens.

Sabres University: sometimes you need an old guy at school. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bfgrj_62-Y&feature=related

While the Rangers' scoring has improved, they've taken a hit in forward depth. They've got $13M to fill out their 2nd/3rd lines. Spending $7.5M+ for Doan may not be in their best interest, but no one's ever accused that franchise of being smart with their money.

Understandably, Rangers now have depth issues. When Taylor Pyatt's your sixth-highest paid forward, you start to look like the old one-line Tampa Bay Lightning. But the trade leaves cap space: Rangers have $13M to spend to flesh out their 2nd/3rd lines.

Nash Delisle Conditional 2rd round pick To Rangers, for: Artem Anisimov Brandon Dubinsky Tim Erixon 1st round pick

Me rikey.

Has entirely to do with changing their medical facilities to UPMC, who demanded that they use their medical staff.

Weber may not fix any problems NOW, but he absolutely makes the team better in the long run. Worse case scenario, you get him, and you suddenly have trade bait for the other pieces you're missing.

Phoenix local fiddly###### politics update: the guys trying to overturn the lease agreement made with the potential Coyotes potential buyer couldn't get enough petition signatures in on time to get it on the November ballet. That means that the sale to Greg Jamison could move forward, meaning the Coyotes are a little bit closer to long term stability. Does that affect Shane Doan? Who knows and/or cares. Also, as pictured in the article, the Phoenix Coyotes' three remaining fans:

I vote for "Free Agent Frenzzzzzzzz"

So's the top six potential for Ennis and Hodgson, but that's where we're headed, now isn't it. Hits don't correlate to winning. They don't correlate to anything. But when three players are added to a roster that increase the number of recorded hits by the entire team by 40+%, it could represent a change in the way the game is played by that team and a maybe a change in the way other teams play against that team. Or maybe it's just differently-entertaining hockey than what we're used to. I'd enjoy any of those results.

I'll resurrect one of my stat posts from a different thread a few days ago... If you add Doan and take away somebody, say Ellis, you net another 171 hits. putting you squarely at 5th in the NHL. 29th to 5th? That's one hell of a culture change. Edit: Ah ###### it. Let's do it. Let's go get Doan. Let's be the Eastern Conference badasses. As long as we're not totally rotten down the middle, we'll make the playoffs and we'll turn them into a war zone.

Somehow this ended up being the front page story on NHL.com today. Slow news day.

No argument there. The price that it comes at seems to be pure scoring ability. Hit stats: Pominville 30 Doan 205

I like Doan. His player usage charting shows he's a strong two-way player with offensive talent, akin to Jason Pominville. His history shows consistency as a 50+ point getter and his intangibles demonstrate his veteran leadership. Is he worth $7.5M per year? He could be one of the few Chris Drury-like players still around, a player that the Sabres were willing to match at $7M+ to keep in 2007. If there's a problem, it's that the long-term value may not be there, mostly because of the effect of this year's super-inflated UFA period. Look at who his cap hit peers would be: Franchise-level veteran players and elite scorers in their prime command this level of salary (besides Gomez, lulz). Is Doan a franchise-level veteran a la Zdeno Chara and Jarome Iginla? I think, according to the cap hits of other highly-valued veteran scorers, he's worth closer to $6M per year. And then there's the Sabres' upcoming potential salary commitments. Sabres have $10.5M in cap space before signing Ennis and Kaleta (and Brennan?) this year and will have to think about about resigning Regehr, Leopold, Hodgson, Enroth, among others during this upcoming year for next year. A salary dump may be necessary (Stafford? Leopold? Sekera?). I like Doan, but if this is the move we make, this is the move we make for a while (without salary dumping), because that is a lot of money. And no bitching about his salary or our depth at center. This sort of money makes Bobby Ryan look like a steal.

DR said he's not interested, per interview on WGR this past week.

Photograph that's inspiring the sculpture:

Not sure if troll. In any case, some things are better than winning. Like cupholders on pissers.

Love at first sight?

Statues of image 1 on pedastals of image 2.

Gragnani signs a two-way with Carolina, $800k/$105k. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=400374

Decent interview by Schopp; asked about as direct questions as you can, politely, and received about as direct answers as you can, reasonably. Sounds like Cody Hodgson's playing well. Sounds like FA's mostly a dry hole, save some depth signings. Sounds like they're working hard to construct a big move, but nothing materializing yet. Sounds like they're satisfied with Lindy, and players voicing opposition were whining. Sounds like absolutely no on Semin, and some attempt for Doan. -- TSN says Nash list down to Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks. Any reality about cap space and gutting their team in return aside, please not the ###### Bruins. No Nash in the North East. -- Neil resigns in Ottawa for a few years. I think the Northeast is just going total UFC for the next half-decade. The only team in the NE not saltier than the balls of a fat man at a pretzel eating contest in Miami is the Leafs. Perhaps they could un-buyout Darcy Tucker, who's still on the payroll this year (and next, lol).

Ok then. I'm fine with that. Let's move on.