Doohickie

Possible but at some point each will plateau and I think it's a crap shoot as to who plateaus at a higher level.

Don't worry. By then the cap will be up to $172 million. It's truly the only way to avoid a cap crunch. I don't know but that's for another thread.

Can he? Yes. Will he? Probably once or twice he'll make a big splash at the deadline or in FA. But his style is to make incremental, steady improvements, the kinds of acquisitions that the league will barely notice, but they will make the team better both in the short term and over the long haul.

To be honest, Power at 19 played at least as good as Dahlin at 21. Dahlin will be ahead Power probably for most of their careers but only because Dahlin is older. Power and Dahlin with both get better and better until they plateau and then in my mind it's a toss-up in terms of who will have the higher ceiling.

Counting Muel they now have 5 long term contracts. If one misses and the other 4 work out, I'd say Kevyn is ahead of the game.

Oh I think he will, but he's gonna have to. If the Sabres win the Cup in the next two years it won't be necessary. But if they plateau that will be the next step in The Plan.

I think this is a very team friendly deal (or it will be in a coupla years). He'd command a much higher cap hit after a bridge deal.

We all know he had an undiagnosed partially dislocated shoulder that day, don't we?

I would consider it. I think the forum's hive mind thinks that VO and Mitts are incompatible. (They didn't mesh well in the past for sure, but there was other stuff going on.)

I just hope that the benching at the end of last season alarmed Olofsson enough that he doesn't take his position on the roster for granted, and his placement on the second line inspires him to play up to that level. Somehow I don't think Cozens and Peterka will tolerate a passenger on their line.

Probably SRO

I'm sure you didn't miss me but I'm glad you're back. Unfortunately I just want to see a hockey game. Honestly, all the pomp of the VGK opening ceremonies make me want to vomit.

...with Krebsie moving up to the 3rd line? That's the way it always begins.

Yes. If they make the playoffs with Helle but then are hamstrung as time goes on with that crap contract as he inevitably declines, I would be pissed as hell.

They did bring Anderson in for camp didn't they? I wouldn't be surprised to find out see him make several other appearances as the season progresses, as a "special goalie development consultant." It won't be as taxing as playing; it'll be more like taking a few business trips during the year but being able to spend time with his family otherwise. I won't be surprised to find out he's helping the goalies, particularly Levi, via virtual link all season long.

Yeah, what he sed.

I really think it comes down to Kevyn likes to find the undervalued player and squeeze the value of out them (by acquiring them for minimal assets or paying them "team friendly" dollars), then develops them into what he wants. I'm pretty sure he looked at several trades for goalies over the summer but decided, for instance, that Hellebuyck wasn't worth the asking price for a one-year rental and didn't want to pay him until he is 38. I mean that's a defensible decision. He probably kicked the tires on other goalie trades too but decided they just didn't work with his long term plans (either in terms of acquisition cost or salary hit). I'm quite sure he sees the situation the same way the forum does but sometimes the best trade is the one you don't make.

What's the fun in that?

I doubt it. How much do you think he will demand on the open market? How much do you think he will settle for to stay with the Sabres (which is, I think, his desire)? And realistically: Other than bragging rights for their agents, does an extra 10% *really* make a difference in their lives?

But Dak is an elite QB!!!

In the other thread I answered that I hoped not, but if Stillman and Bryson were otherwise equal but Bryson is better plugged into the other players on the roster then... maybe? And maybe that's not a bad thing? To me that kind of sounds like you have to lay off one person and you two candidates equal ability and you start looking at things like which one takes more sick days.

The thing is: I think Mitts is a guy that would give a hometown discount to stay here. I think he's finally settling into a niche and right now and while he won't make the coin Cozens and Tage do, neither will be expected to hold up a top 6 line (except as an injury replacement) so it's kind of a "cushy job" as center spots go in the NHL. In Buffalo he'll be slotted possibly a bit below his ceiling ability but also won't have the stress of having to be "the guy" which I think in his case makes it easier for him to actually be the guy... but only on the 3rd line. And having a top-six C injury replacement already on the roster is a big benefit for the Sabres in terms of depth.

I certainly hope not. If you can get him for 8 years at a low enough cap hit, you sign him now. It's a gamble just like it was with Cozens, Tage and Muel.