Fair enough but if you do it right, you also need vets surrounded with youth (Detroit model) and we have plenty of youth and I'm sorry but Moulson and Gionta are utter trite. Malkin is a legit superstar, a #1 center on any other team and if we seriously think Playoffs can happen as soon as next year, Malkin would ensure it. All this Kessel talk and I've been saying for at least a few years now (not on the boards here but to anyone willing to listen lol) that Malkin can be had.

Buffalo hasn't had his caliber of player since LaFontaine/Mogilny(/Afinogenov lolz).
- DynamicThreads

It might be worth it if everything else was in place. It isn't, and it would require the pieces we are waiting for to acquire him. Better to stay the course and be ready to compete for the cup in 3 years rather than limiting ourselves down the road.

Guys like Kessel are more attractive (I'm not arguing for him here) because they won't cost the farm to get them. Take the contract and you could have him cheap.

Benoit was a starting Dman for a playoff team last year.
Gorges was a starting Dman for a playoff team last year.
Meszaros was a starting Dman for a playoff team last year.

But, I know. Facts have no place here.
- HonkFortheGoose

And you have watched them 4 dmen play this year right?
C'mon be serious now.
Any way, ciao for now y'all.

I wasn't referring to your posts in particular. I've just seen a lot of female dogging about him. He and Risto have the makings of a top pairing defense for the next decade plus. I like Malkin just fine but I don't make the trade to give up our best D and forward prospects. Also, keep in mind that while Malkin surely has several good years left there is a reason that these teams win when their stars are younger.
- Slump Buster

Have the making and actually doing it are two different things. Zadorov never became a complete player dating back to juniors. He's had consistency issues. It's the reason he fell to 16.

He's either going to develop into a star or just be a mediocre player. IMO it's 50/50

No doubt about that. I think behind the scenes they all know this is ending the day after the season and I think Nolan running Nevy out every game is his final fark you to the organization.
- Slump Buster

A blue collar man would never do such despicable things.

No doubt about that. I think behind the scenes they all know this is ending the day after the season and I think Nolan running Nevy out every game is his final fark you to the organization.
- Slump Buster

It was mentioned on the post game show on Thursday on WGR that Neuvirth was visibly exhausted as that game went on. That's what happens when goalies don't get a game off here or there. But, we'll just keep trucking him out there. I say waive Lindback, bring up Hackett, get him his games and see what he can do. Can't possibly hurt us right now.

Have the making and actually doing it are two different things. Zadorov never became a complete player dating back to juniors. He's had consistency issues. It's the reason he fell to 16.

He's either going to develop into a star or just be a mediocre player. IMO it's 50/50
- sbroads24

It doesn't have to be one or the other. I think he turns into what we hoped Myers would be - a giant that will play rough, move the puck and eat a ton of minutes. By all accounts he is a good kid. Geez, he's 19. It isn't like we're talking about a guy that hasn't developed heart or desire.

Shooting himself in the foot for nothing.
- joshs

Pretty much ensuring he won't be hired for a coaching job of any value ever again. No gm is going to hire a coach who publicly questions him

Not only that, but why not just shut up and take your lumps now for the chance to coach a generational talent next year? If he's trying to get fired, he's doing a damn good job of it.
- HonkFortheGoose

Also didn't like Lindy calling out his goalie last night in his post game presser! Wrong, stays in the room. Lindy did that sh!t here also.

And you have watched them 4 dmen play this year right?
C'mon be serious now.
Any way, ciao for now y'all.
- BuffaloHardHat

Yup. I have. Benoit was a complete tire fire but has looked better since being paired with Bogosian. Sometimes guys just don't work well with other guys. Chemistry makes a difference.

Gorges hasn't been an issue, other than the fact that he's been hurt for most of the year it seems.

Meszaros had an attitude issue at the beginning of the year. Not really sure why, but a few stints in the pressbox seem to have helped that. He actually looked really good the last 3 games paired with Pysyk, but there's not enough room to keep him here right now. so we'll see everyone shuffled around again tonight.

Not only that, but why not just shut up and take your lumps now for the chance to coach a generational talent next year? If he's trying to get fired, he's doing a damn good job of it.
- HonkFortheGoose

Last thing before I go since I read this, I have to reply to it.

The only one that should be canned is Murray.

I hope I am alive the day he is canned is all I will say.

And you have watched them 4 dmen play this year right?
C'mon be serious now.
Any way, ciao for now y'all.
- BuffaloHardHat

Watching them play has nothing to do with it. You only have so many roster spots. This is not one player being better than the other. It is a Numbers thing. If they keep pysyk up they would have to expose another player to waivers.

It doesn't have to be one or the other. I think he turns into what we hoped Myers would be - a giant that will play rough, move the puck and eat a ton of minutes. By all accounts he is a good kid. Geez, he's 19. It isn't like we're talking about a guy that hasn't developed heart or desire.
- Slump Buster

I see what you did there!

Also didn't like Lindy calling out his goalie last night in his post game presser! Wrong, stays in the room. Lindy did that sh!t here also.
- Irish 14

I just saw that as well. To be fair their goaltending has been brutal. They did score 4 goals and only gave up 24 shots.

Last thing before I go since I read this, I have to reply to it.

The only one that should be canned is Murray.

I hope I am alive the day he is canned is all I will say.
- BuffaloHardHat

Disgusted

It might be worth it if everything else was in place. It isn't, and it would require the pieces we are waiting for to acquire him. Better to stay the course and be ready to compete for the cup in 3 years rather than limiting ourselves down the road.

Guys like Kessel are more attractive (I'm not arguing for him here) because they won't cost the farm to get them. Take the contract and you could have him cheap.
- Slump Buster

True, true. But I think with a new coach, the team we have now and a couple of more roster changes, plus a healthy Kane, Reinhart on the NHL roster, that adding Malkin would make us a playoff team by next season and make the transition a lot smoother and happen a lot sooner while giving up only 1 full time roster player in the process. When I say Malkin could be had, I mean he's cheaper to aquire than people think and that contract is every bit as bad as Kessel's with more upside.

With all the Kessel talk, why not hypothesize on Malkin for a change

I just saw that as well. To be fair their goaltending has been brutal. They did score 4 goals and only gave up 24 shots.
- Slump Buster

Stays in the room, you can call out the team (just not 1 individual) IMO

Last thing before I go since I read this, I have to reply to it.

The only one that should be canned is Murray.

I hope I am alive the day he is canned is all I will say.
- BuffaloHardHat

You really are delusional.

It doesn't have to be one or the other. I think he turns into what we hoped Myers would be - a giant that will play rough, move the puck and eat a ton of minutes. By all accounts he is a good kid. Geez, he's 19. It isn't like we're talking about a guy that hasn't developed heart or desire.
- Slump Buster

Which would be perfect. I have just always hesitated calling him a future 1 or 2. Ristolainen is different, I think he is going to be excellent

Pretty much ensuring he won't be hired for a coaching job of any value ever again. No gm is going to hire a coach who publicly questions him
- SabresFaninIndiana

I get that as a coach u just always try to win for the guys in the locker room. But where was this in October, November, December and January when it could have actually mattered. I thought when he was hired that he learned his lesson and will pick his battles better this time around. Smh

It was mentioned on the post game show on Thursday on WGR that Neuvirth was visibly exhausted as that game went on. That's what happens when goalies don't get a game off here or there. But, we'll just keep trucking him out there. I say waive Lindback, bring up Hackett, get him his games and see what he can do. Can't possibly hurt us right now.
- HonkFortheGoose

If this is true, and Nolan in risking a player's health just to extend his own middle finger a bit higher at the club, then it makes Nolan more than just a womanizing boozer in over his head scapegoat, it makes Nolan a Beady-Eyed Bloat-Faced Self-Aggrandizing Menace.

Some men just wanna see the world burn.






If that's true, we need to get to the Batphone:

True, true. But I think with a new coach, the team we have now and a couple of more roster changes, plus a healthy Kane, Reinhart on the NHL roster, that adding Malkin would make us a playoff team by next season and make the transition a lot smoother and happen a lot sooner while giving up only 1 full time roster player in the process. When I say Malkin could be had, I mean he's cheaper to aquire than people think and that contract is every bit as bad as Kessel's with more upside.

With all the Kessel talk, why not hypothesize on Malkin for a change

- DynamicThreads

I've never heard anyone even hint that Malkin has a bad contract. He is a top 10 player in this league and is paid like a franchise player. That's what they cost. It would cost the sun, the moon and the stars to get him. If I were Pitt I would ask for Risto, Reinhart and the "other" first.

Also didn't like Lindy calling out his goalie last night in his post game presser! Wrong, stays in the room. Lindy did that sh!t here also.
- Irish 14

I always loathed Lindy Ruff. And I know a lot of people who hated him as a player were just as mad when they hired him as a coach. The guy's a joke and I don't see him lasting more than another season in the league. All he does is scream at his best players and do things like call out his goaltending.

GEE, maybe its your sh!tty coaching?

Last thing before I go since I read this, I have to reply to it.

The only one that should be canned is Murray.

I hope I am alive the day he is canned is all I will say.
- BuffaloHardHat

Why is that?

Pretty much ensuring he won't be hired for a coaching job of any value ever again. No gm is going to hire a coach who publicly questions him
- SabresFaninIndiana

He'll be back in Latvia soon enough.

I've never heard anyone even hint that Malkin has a bad contract. He is a top 10 player in this league and is paid like a franchise player. That's what they cost. It would cost the sun, the moon and the stars to get him. If I were Pitt I would ask for Risto, Reinhart and the "other" first.
- Slump Buster

I should have put sarcasm tags around the "bad" because people that say Kessel's contract is bad would sh!t a brick at Malkin's. I personally think it is what it is: A fat contract for a star player.

And Pitt needs D not F.