How do we acquire 2nd line center?

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, Broken Ankles said:

Agreed.  He could play Center or first line LW if Skinner is not resigned.  But how likely is it that the Isles do not resign their Captain?  That’s a really low number.

You talking this season or last?  The odds weren't low at all last year.

[Broken Ankles]

15 hours ago, Taro T said:

You talking this season or last?  The odds weren't low at all last year.

I'm referring to this off-season.  Last season was unique.  Most players do not get a chance to get a max term agreement @ $11m for the city of their choosing.  Of all the players in UFA for the NYI's (Nelson, Lehner, Eberle) I think Lee is the priority.   If some team goes crazy and offers Anders a $9m *7, don't you think the Isles with their cap space would match or go above this with an extra year to offer?   

[CallawaySabres]

Even though I know it won't happen, I would love to get Lehner back....

Edited April 29, 2019 by CallawaySabres

[Taro T]

40 minutes ago, Broken Ankles said:

I'm referring to this off-season.  Last season was unique.  Most players do not get a chance to get a max term agreement @ $11m for the city of their choosing.  Of all the players in UFA for the NYI's (Nelson, Lehner, Eberle) I think Lee is the priority.   If some team goes crazy and offers Anders a $9m *7, don't you think the Isles with their cap space would match or go above this with an extra year to offer?   

Can't see anybody offering him a deal like that, but could possibly see somebody giving him an offer big enough the Aisles don't match.  My expectation though is that you're correct & they re-sign him.

[bob_sauve28]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Can't see anybody offering him a deal like that, but could possibly see somebody giving him an offer big enough the Aisles don't match.  My expectation though is that you're correct & they re-sign him.

Which would mean Nelson, Eberle, Filppula and/or Lehner might not be. They have some serious decisions to make! 

 

 

[Curt]

8 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Which would mean Nelson, Eberle, Filppula and/or Lehner might not be. They have some serious decisions to make! 

Not really.  The Islanders are in pretty good salary cap shape.  They shouldn't have a problem bringing everyone back.

[inkman]

6 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

Even though I know it won't happen, I would love to get Lehner back....

Umm...no. 

[Broken Ankles]

7 hours ago, CallawaySabres said:

Even though I know it won't happen, I would love to get Lehner back....

[PerreaultForever]

On 4/22/2019 at 8:58 AM, mjd1001 said:

I do and I hate it.  A lot of people say "let them play"....and my favorite "don't let the officials decide the game" by calling a penalty late in a playoff game.   Don't let them decide it?  The argument works the other way around also...but NOT calling a penalty on something that might deserve it..the officials ARE helping to decide the game in the other direction by allowing a player to do something illegal to 'change the play' and get away with it.

Not calling a 'close' penalty in OT or a close game vs calling that penalty and causing a powerplay....either one is the officials helping to decide the game just as much.

ya but the games are way more entertaining when they put the whistles away and let them play. Only thing I want is consistency beginning to end. You let stuff go beginning of OT you should let it go late OT or second OT as well. All too often refs look like they want to go home when they call a penalty in the second OT that they let go in the first.

Most of all, let them hit. I love playoff hockey when it's tough and physical. Wish all hockey was like that all the time. 

[mjd1001]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

ya but the games are way more entertaining when they put the whistles away and let them play. Only thing I want is consistency beginning to end. You let stuff go beginning of OT you should let it go late OT or second OT as well. All too often refs look like they want to go home when they call a penalty in the second OT that they let go in the first.

Most of all, let them hit. I love playoff hockey when it's tough and physical. Wish all hockey was like that all the time. 

I actually disagree that they are more entertaining.  First, I find powerplays entertaining. Second (and most important), when they put away the whistles, most calls that are not made are the obstruction type...holding ,hooking, slashing happen all the time.  Personally, I WANT them calling tripping and hooking and holding all the time....when the refs let that go, the game gets a lot more boring to me.

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

I actually disagree that they are more entertaining.  First, I find powerplays entertaining. Second (and most important), when they put away the whistles, most calls that are not made are the obstruction type...holding ,hooking, slashing happen all the time.  Personally, I WANT them calling tripping and hooking and holding all the time....when the refs let that go, the game gets a lot more boring to me.

We clearly like a different game. Are you younger perhaps? I'm old as dirt and would love to see a bench clearing brawl. 

[Zamboni]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

We clearly like a different game. Are you younger perhaps? I'm old as dirt and would love to see a bench clearing brawl. 

And (unfortunately) since bench clearing brawls are a thing of the past due to rule changes,  you’ll never see that again in the NHL or any pro league. Sad sad sad.

But damn it would be nice to see Larsson do this to a Boston bench. Haha.

 

[Curt]

10 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

And (unfortunately) since bench clearing brawls are a thing of the past due to rule changes,  you’ll never see that again in the NHL or any pro league. Sad sad sad.

Baseball still has bench clearing brawls on a semi regular basis.  Multiple times per year at least.

[Zamboni]

2 minutes ago, Curtisp5286 said:

Baseball still has bench clearing brawls on a semi regular basis.  Multiple times per year at least.

Sorry I meant any pro hockey league. MLB bench brawls can be quite delicious haha.

[GASabresIUFAN]

25 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Sorry I meant any pro hockey league. MLB bench brawls can be quite delicious haha.

Like watching the final scene in Blazing Saddles.

[PerreaultForever]

12 hours ago, Zamboni said:

And (unfortunately) since bench clearing brawls are a thing of the past due to rule changes,  you’ll never see that again in the NHL or any pro league. Sad sad sad.

But damn it would be nice to see Larsson do this to a Boston bench. Haha.

 

Oh ya I know, but there's still tons of hitting in this Boston/Columbus series and it's way better hockey than we saw in the regular season where games are often very boring now with just a lot of skating around and perimeter play. 

So hypothetically, say our team had somehow made the post season this year. You have to admit there is absolutely no way they could play this sort of hockey. We absolutely need to get bigger and tougher and not just fast and skilled. (although really, we need just about everything ).

[Zamboni]

10 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Oh ya I know, but there's still tons of hitting in this Boston/Columbus series and it's way better hockey than we saw in the regular season where games are often very boring now with just a lot of skating around and perimeter play. 

So hypothetically, say our team had somehow made the post season this year. You have to admit there is absolutely no way they could play this sort of hockey. We absolutely need to get bigger and tougher and not just fast and skilled. (although really, we need just about everything ).

Oh absolutely! Sabres would have been swept in 4. In today’s NHL as you’re seeing, it’s a fine mix of:

1. guys not afraid to take the body and to lay down and block shots. Every one has to buy into that or they are a weak link and it’ll be exploited. 

2. Deep lines that all must contribute offensively and defensively. Again, if not, they are the weak link.

3. Not to mention goalies who can steal a game or two per round. 

Where you and I differ, is you think almost no one on the team is any good and the team needs a major overhaul and rebuild. I think the Sabres are 3-4 players (and a good coach) away from being a playoff contender. And as a contender, anything can happen in the playoffs *cough Tampa, Toronto, Washington cough* 

as the old adage goes “that’s why they play the game”.

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, Zamboni said:

 

Where you and I differ, is you think almost no one on the team is any good and the team needs a major overhaul and rebuild. I think the Sabres are 3-4 players (and a good coach) away from being a playoff contender.

Not really. I've said before and elsewhere that we are 3-4 players away however, a lot of things have to line up in the right way and those 3-4 players have to be exactly right. I only lose hope for next year if we do little to nothing in free agency. If that happens, it'll take years still of waiting on good draft picks, and that'll also assume good drafts. 

[Hoss]

On 4/21/2019 at 8:55 AM, Gatorman0519 said:

When we trade Risto he will become a legendary top tier defenseman like everyone else does when they leave hockey hell lol

everyone feared that might happen with tyler myers. it didn't.

[French Collection]

Sign Pavel Datsyuk for one year to mentor Casey on the finer points of the 200 foot game. He is done with St. Petersburg of the KHL and is looking at playing.

I know with Steve Yzerman back in Detroit, that would probably be the Magic Man's #1 option but you never know if Pegula throws some serious coin his way. Maybe a 2 year deal with big bonus money. He is 40 after all.

OK, Sportsnet is reporting his agent says Red Wings or nothing.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/agent-pavel-datsyuk-will-play-red-wings-returns-nhl/

 

Edited May 1, 2019 by French Collection

[#freejame]

2 hours ago, French Collection said:

Sign Pavel Datsyuk for one year to mentor Casey on the finer points of the 200 foot game. He is done with St. Petersburg of the KHL and is looking at playing.

I know with Steve Yzerman back in Detroit, that would probably be the Magic Man's #1 option but you never know if Pegula throws some serious coin his way. Maybe a 2 year deal with big bonus money. He is 40 after all.

OK, Sportsnet is reporting his agent says Red Wings or nothing.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/agent-pavel-datsyuk-will-play-red-wings-returns-nhl/

 

Doesn’t Arizona hold his rights still?

[French Collection]

3 minutes ago, #freejame said:

Doesn’t Arizona hold his rights still?

I believe they only took the last year of his deal.

Time flies, he has been in the KHL 3 years.

[shrader]

18 hours ago, French Collection said:

Sign Pavel Datsyuk for one year to mentor Casey on the finer points of the 200 foot game. He is done with St. Petersburg of the KHL and is looking at playing.

I know with Steve Yzerman back in Detroit, that would probably be the Magic Man's #1 option but you never know if Pegula throws some serious coin his way. Maybe a 2 year deal with big bonus money. He is 40 after all.

OK, Sportsnet is reporting his agent says Red Wings or nothing.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/agent-pavel-datsyuk-will-play-red-wings-returns-nhl/

 

It's funny.  I had the same exact thought when I saw that story yesterday.  I'm sure he has a very specific list of teams and mind and it won't happen, but I'd at least make the phone call.  You mention Mittelstadt, but he could have just as much influence on Eichel.

But yeah, not happening, but that's one of the pieces they really need to add, that veteran leader type.  There may have been a couple in the form of Pominville and Okposo, but for whatever reason, those guys aren't the right ones.