Yes, because they have one of the biggest fan bases in the NHL. More than that, they have a lot of people who hate them, which means people will tune in to see them lose.

NBC doesn't care about "showcasing talent." NBC cares about getting viewers to make money.
- jmatchett383

Well I don't watch teams I hate to see them lose, I could care less. Flyers have one of the biggest fan bases........... well I disagree.

He wasn't making it to free agency.

If we didn't put up the assets to get him, another team was going to.
- dadeadhead

I have a feeling they trade for Stamkos' rights.

I think Murray and Pegula want some "alone time" with him to sell him on Buffalo.

I would have no issue using 2 of the 3rd round picks or even a 2nd and 3rd to get a couple days to negotiate something.

And this is from someone who hated how Murray rolled through picks

Well I don't watch teams I hate to see them lose, I could care less. Flyers have one of the biggest fan bases........... well I disagree.
- SABRES 89

Cool.

You never read anything written by Matthew Berry or Garth then.
- dadeadhead

More Cow Bell

I have a feeling they trade for Stamkos' rights.

I think Murray and Pegula want some "alone time" with him to sell him on Buffalo.

I would have no issue using 2 of the 3rd round picks or even a 2nd and 3rd to get a couple days to negotiate something.

And this is from someone who hated how Murray rolled through picks
- sbroads24

Thing is he has to ok a trade.

If he has his heart set on Buffalo, Toronto, or any other team for that matter; you probably need not have to offer anything more than a 4th or prospect in the Grabovski mold(what Montreal gave Toronto in order to talk to Sundin) to talk to him.

IMO the writing is on the wall that he's not staying in Tampa.

Side note what a little c u next Tuesday Drouin is. I hope they just let him rot for the rest of the time they own his rights.

I'm a little shocked we got completely worked over at home against the worst team in the league. It looked like we were on the PK most of the game. The Oilers had us on our heels the entire game. Horrible defense on the goal to end the second period (Off sides and called back) but it was a complete lack of effort defensively that caused that goal.
We looked like the Sabres of last year last night. Terrible!

I am starting to sound like a broken record but we are too slow of a team to compete.
If we don't make a big splash at the draft and in the off season heads need to roll in management.

Only keepers should be ROR, Kane, Eichel, Reinhart, Lehner, Ristolainen

The rest can be offered for trade

Re-post from yesterday (minor changes)

I would not target Stamkos this off season. Focus my efforts to build a complete lineup.

Offer a 2017 2nd to NYR for the rights to Kreider.
2016 first for Lindholm
Moulson ($1.1MM Retained) and a 6th for a pick
Pysyk Foligno Larsson for Drouin
Ennis and a 2nd for Brodin
Bogosian(hold 150K) for Yakupov

Sign Lindholm to a 3 year $15MM bridge deal
Sign Kreider to a 5 year $25MM deal
Risto gets a 4 year $21MM deal
Girgensons gets a 3 year $8.25MM deal

Waits for the masses
- ImThatGuy[]

totally seems possible

serious question now...after the prices GMTM paid out this last summer...whta makes you think he can get that done?

Yes, because they have one of the biggest fan bases in the NHL. More than that, they have a lot of people who hate them, which means people will tune in to see them lose.

NBC doesn't care about "showcasing talent." NBC cares about getting viewers to make money.
- jmatchett383

This.

The reason NBC dropped the game is that it really had no relevance to the national viewer. Nobody cares about Buffalo except natives and transplants, and the average American probably couldn't point out Edmonton on a map. Plus, both teams are at or near the bottom of the standings.

From a business standpoint, the Washington-Pittsburgh game was absolutely the right call. Both Eichel and McDavid need to help make their teams relevant before they get the national spotlight.

You never read anything written by Matthew Berry or Garth then.
- dadeadhead

LMAO

Thing is he has to ok a trade.

If he has his heart set on Buffalo, Toronto, or any other team for that matter; you probably need not have to offer anything more than a 4th or prospect in the Grabovski mold(what Montreal gave Toronto in order to talk to Sundin) to talk to him.

IMO the writing is on the wall that he's not staying in Tampa.

Side note what a little c u next Tuesday Drouin is. I hope they just let him rot for the rest of the time they own his rights.
- dadeadhead

If the writing on the wall that he is out of Tampa, I highly doubt he stands in the way of a trade for his rights after the season. Even if he has no interest in the team acquiring his rights, all he has to do is nothing at that point. At the very least, he is doing Tampa a little favor on his way out.

I'm a little shocked we got completely worked over at home against the worst team in the league. It looked like we were on the PK most of the game. The Oilers had us on our heels the entire game. Horrible defense on the goal to end the second period (Off sides and called back) but it was a complete lack of effort defensively that caused that goal.
We looked like the Sabres of last year last night. Terrible!

I am starting to sound like a broken record but we are too slow of a team to compete.
If we don't make a big splash at the draft and in the off season heads need to roll in management.

Only keepers should be ROR, Kane, Eichel, Reinhart, Lehner, Ristolainen

The rest can be offered for trade
- lulags

would like to add McCabe to that group as well

If the writing on the wall that he is out of Tampa, I highly doubt he stands in the way of a trade for his rights after the season. Even if he has no interest in the team acquiring his rights, all he has to do is nothing at that point. At the very least, he is doing Tampa a little favor on his way out.
- buffalofan19

If the rumors are true that he feels disrespected then telling Tampa to go pound salt isn't to far out of the question.

This.

The reason NBC dropped the game is that it really had no relevance to the national viewer. Nobody cares about Buffalo except natives and transplants, and the average American probably couldn't point out Edmonton on a map. Plus, both teams are at or near the bottom of the standings.

From a business standpoint, the Washington-Pittsburgh game was absolutely the right call. Both Eichel and McDavid need to help make their teams relevant before they get the national spotlight.
- buffalofan19

A very reasonable and cogent response. Well done.

This.

The reason NBC dropped the game is that it really had no relevance to the national viewer. Nobody cares about Buffalo except natives and transplants, and the average American probably couldn't point out Edmonton on a map. Plus, both teams are at or near the bottom of the standings.

From a business standpoint, the Washington-Pittsburgh game was absolutely the right call. Both Eichel and McDavid need to help make their teams relevant before they get the national spotlight.
- buffalofan19

totally agree and outside of the two McDavid goals, the game was pretty lame...that said, they'll only meet for the first time once, and this was, imo, an opportunity for nbc to say, "we were there"

Re-post from yesterday (minor changes)

I would not target Stamkos this off season. Focus my efforts to build a complete lineup.

Offer a 2017 2nd to NYR for the rights to Kreider.
2016 first for Lindholm
Moulson ($1.1MM Retained) and a 6th for a pick
Pysyk Foligno Larsson for Drouin
Ennis and a 2nd for Brodin
Bogosian(hold 150K) for Yakupov

Sign Lindholm to a 3 year $15MM bridge deal
Sign Kreider to a 5 year $25MM deal
Risto gets a 4 year $21MM deal
Girgensons gets a 3 year $8.25MM deal

Kane - ROR - Reinhart
Kreider - Eichel - Drouin
Yak - Girgensons - Gionta
Deslauries - COR - Bailey


Risto - Lindholm
McCabe - Brodin
Franson - Gorges

Lehner
Backup


Total Celery ~ $60MM




Waits for the masses
- ImThatGuy[]

Eichel or risto are coming back if you want drouin.

This.

The reason NBC dropped the game is that it really had no relevance to the national viewer. Nobody cares about Buffalo except natives and transplants, and the average American probably couldn't point out Edmonton on a map. Plus, both teams are at or near the bottom of the standings.

From a business standpoint, the Washington-Pittsburgh game was absolutely the right call. Both Eichel and McDavid need to help make their teams relevant before they get the national spotlight.
- buffalofan19

I agree with everything except I'm from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, I have never been to Buffalo, and I have been a Sabres fan for 30 years

totally agree and outside of the two McDavid goals, the game was pretty lame...that said, they'll only meet for the first time once, and this was, imo, an opportunity for nbc to say, "we were there"
- Michael Pachla

And the folks that pay the advertising bills would say "we couldn't care less".

The difference between McDavid-Eichel now and Crosby-Ovechkin back then is that in 2005-2006, the NHL didn't have a TV contract in excess of a billion dollars it needed to make worthwhile. I have zero issue with them dropping the game, and this is coming from maybe the one fan that prefers games on national television. I'm not a fan of MSG's game presentation at all.

Eichel or risto are coming back if you want drouin.
- Feds91Stammer

I agree with everything except I'm from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, I have never been to Buffalo, and I have been a Sabres fan for 30 years
- lulags

And the folks that pay the advertising bills would say "we couldn't care less".
- buffalofan19

I hear ya, b-fan...no question aboot it...but those ad dollars are locked in for this year and one game wouldn't send those clients screaming for the door

Eichel or risto are coming back if you want drouin.
- Feds91Stammer

LOL

Take your Drouin (not sure what you're going to do with him since he doesn't want to play for you) and *in Biff voice* Make like a tree and get out of here

I hear ya, b-fan...no question aboot it...but those ad dollars are locked in for this year and one game wouldn't send those clients screaming for the door
- Michael Pachla

No, it wouldn't necessarily, but the advertisers look at gross numbers at the end of the year when it comes to whether or not they want to renew for the next season. When you are talking about these kinds of figures, yes, even one game makes a difference.

One year from now, everyone, even us, will barely remember this game even happened. When McDavid and Eichel are propelling their teams to the top of the standings, you can bet both games each year will be nationally televised in both countries every year.

No, it wouldn't necessarily, but the advertisers look at gross numbers at the end of the year when it comes to whether or not they want to renew for the next season. When you are talking about these kinds of figures, yes, even one game makes a difference.

One year from now, everyone, even us, will barely remember this game even happened. When McDavid and Eichel are propelling their teams to the top of the standings, you can bet both games each year will be nationally televised in both countries every year.
- buffalofan19

yup...agreed

I'm a little shocked we got completely worked over at home against the worst team in the league. It looked like we were on the PK most of the game. The Oilers had us on our heels the entire game. Horrible defense on the goal to end the second period (Off sides and called back) but it was a complete lack of effort defensively that caused that goal.
We looked like the Sabres of last year last night. Terrible!

I am starting to sound like a broken record but we are too slow of a team to compete.
If we don't make a big splash at the draft and in the off season heads need to roll in management.

Only keepers should be ROR, Kane, Eichel, Reinhart, Lehner, Ristolainen

The rest can be offered for trade
- lulags

Those guys are the only guys people will trade for though. You can't move poop for talent, what is wrong with people like you? 28 is the only one you didn't mention that will get you something of worth. 63 and 3 as well. Other than that, no one is trading for our scraps.

LOL

Take your Drouin (not sure what you're going to do with him since he doesn't want to play for you) and *in Biff voice* Make like a tree and get out of here
- Havic3814

Agreed. Great post.