he should play until they land matt O'Connell...then O'connell should play
- Michael Pachla

I have been really busy at work lately and haven't paid too much attention. Are they trying to get him or are you just hoping

agreed until I saw 14 players going straight to the bench from the locker room instead of skating a few laps before the period started


he lost the locker room IMO and his strong arm tactic and refusing to reward players with more ice time has made him the laughing stock in the NHL

after the next 11 games he can go back to latvia and learn that you can only catch lightning in a bottle every other decade
- homiedclown

How can you say he hasn't rewarded players with more ice time..
Girgy
Ennis
Larson
Risto
more to be sure
limited time for Gringo, Foligno (at times)
Sat Risto when playedin bad, benched Z
sat others as well.
Gionta gets time not for skill anymore, but for leaderahip..compwte, hustle....
Gringo deserves his 8 or less.
show some frigging energy on the fist 3 shifts ... each for what 30 seconds
He is doing it right with him

Can't disagree with that Homie.

The question is which one do you trade, assuming the pick is Hanifin, because if that is the pick, there is 0% chance I trade him unless it's a massive return.

Ristolainen is not going anywhere either.

That leaves Zadorov, Pysyk, & McCabe, unless somebody wants one of Florentino, Ruhwedel, or Martin, which I doubt.

My game plan as GM would be to see if there was any way humanly possible that I could get O'Reilly out of Colorado without getting rid of one of the D above while also keeping the 1st round pick in 2016.

If that works, roll with him and Girgensons as your top 2 until Reinhart is ready, and that is your top 3, with the very strong chance the team finishes in the bottom 5 next year while being much improved, and hope to get lucky in the lottery.
- kingcong39

my guess is Z or McCabe gets moved

my guess is Z or McCabe gets moved
- homiedclown

To me, unless it is somebody like Hall coming back, I do not move any of the young D.

I would have no problem using the later 1st they have left along with Grigorenko and other prospects if needed for O'Reilly, but not either of Z, McCabe, or Pysyk.

I like all three way too much.

Added to the list how, improved players?
- Der Kaiser

Yes..Stewie ducked in the 1st half..he was. The only one scoring in 2nd
Myers improved immediately when Nolan took over with the same asst coaches and his play improved ... just not back to rookie campaign...or did it as we have seen in The Peg...
maybe we should be looking at how those two play once they got on a team of talented players....rather than blame the coach who we all know has AHL talent save a couple....and everyone is playing a level above the realistic level....sorry but Girls and Ennis are not 1st line talents.
To your point...he has lost Hodgson...and has sat his as$ because he is a D liability...again flies in the face of his D response system.
say what you will, he has one given the cards he is dealt...wide open hockey with this talent is a cause for blowouts.
just like the Bills aren't going into an Air-Corryell (sp) system thus year either

How can you say he hasn't rewarded players with more ice time..
Girgy
Ennis
Larson
Risto
more to be sure
limited time for Gringo, Foligno (at times)
Sat Risto when playedin bad, benched Z
sat others as well.
Gionta gets time not for skill anymore, but for leaderahip..compwte, hustle....
Gringo deserves his 8 or less.
show some frigging energy on the fist 3 shifts ... each for what 30 seconds
He is doing it right with him
- IonSabres

1. Zadorov
2. Ruhwedel
3. McCabe
4. Schaller
5. Deslauriers
6. Reinhart
7. Pysyk
8. Foligno
9. Coho
10. Gringo


Your coaching a team that is expected to be really descent in a few years yet bury the kids on the bottom lines and in the presser when the season was over when the calender hit 2015.

If Nolan thought he was in it for the long haul, he would not be playing benoit, mes, and allowing bogo to almost collapse on the ice while playing the kids 12 minutes on the blue line

He rewarded staff with crazy ice time, consistently plays Gionta 22 minutes a night and gives none of the young kids a shot, until injuries force them to get more ice time.

and he rides his goalies as if Dom was in net

the hardest working team in the nhl would not fire 3 shots on goal in the 3rd period when trailing

To me, unless it is somebody like Hall coming back, I do not move any of the young D.

I would have no problem using the later 1st they have left along with Grigorenko and other prospects if needed for O'Reilly, but not either of Z, McCabe, or Pysyk.

I like all three way too much.
- kingcong39

it will be an interesting off season

I'm really confused now.
Having younger players in the A not the N..
1 -isn't his call...that is on Murray
2- is 100% aligned to the desire to build a Detroit style system of letting you gins develop nicely before going to the big shiw...it helps them
3- is aligned to the tank ... which is Murray/Pegula's STRATEGY
riding the hot goalie is Nolan Tactic of winning for the players benefit, period.

Lastly, you have to decide if you are in on the tank or not...if in, then all this is perfect for achieving the prize...except for Nolan getting more out of the team than Murray thought.
if you not in on the tank...welcome to years of runs to 1st round exists

1. Zadorov
2. Ruhwedel
3. McCabe
4. Schaller
5. Deslauriers
6. Reinhart
7. Pysyk
8. Foligno
9. Coho
10. Gringo


Your coaching a team that is expected to be really descent in a few years yet bury the kids on the bottom lines and in the presser when the season was over when the calender hit 2015.

If Nolan thought he was in it for the long haul, he would not be playing benoit, mes, and allowing bogo to almost collapse on the ice while playing the kids 12 minutes on the blue line

He rewarded staff with crazy ice time, consistently plays Gionta 22 minutes a night and gives none of the young kids a shot, until injuries force them to get more ice time.

and he rides his goalies as if Dom was in net

the hardest working team in the nhl would not fire 3 shots on goal in the 3rd period when trailing
- homiedclown

Girgensons is young. He would of improved just by playing and getting older anyway. He will "improve" next year when nolans not coach too


Weber has been good before also. Before his newest contract he looked like our best defenseman at the end of year.

Ennis was awesome the year foligno came up. Ennis is just a solid player no Nolan improvement.

Honestly anyone that thinks he is good doesn't know much about hockey, or at least the coaching aspect at least
- Fattony1187

I'm not saying Nolan is a great coach or even a good one by any stretch. But a few players have improved under him, whether he should be credited or not is up for debate.

Can't disagree with that Homie.

The question is which one do you trade, assuming the pick is Hanifin, because if that is the pick, there is 0% chance I trade him unless it's a massive return.

Ristolainen is not going anywhere either.

That leaves Zadorov, Pysyk, & McCabe, unless somebody wants one of Florentino, Ruhwedel, or Martin, which I doubt.

My game plan as GM would be to see if there was any way humanly possible that I could get O'Reilly out of Colorado without getting rid of one of the D above while also keeping the 1st round pick in 2016.

If that works, roll with him and Girgensons as your top 2 until Reinhart is ready, and that is your top 3, with the very strong chance the team finishes in the bottom 5 next year while being much improved, and hope to get lucky in the lottery.
- kingcong39

I'm really confused now.
Having younger players in the A not the N..
1 -isn't his call...that is on Murray
2- is 100% aligned to the desire to build a Detroit style system of letting you gins develop nicely before going to the big shiw...it helps them
3- is aligned to the tank ... which is Murray/Pegula's STRATEGY
riding the hot goalie is Nolan Tactic of winning for the players benefit, period.

Lastly, you have to decide if you are in on the tank or not...if in, then all this is perfect for achieving the prize...except for Nolan getting more out of the team than Murray thought.
if you not in on the tank...welcome to years of runs to 1st round exists
- IonSabres

Losing games is not inconsistent with developing young players now. The complaint is that all those guys on Homies list could have been given more quality TOI while they were Sabres.

Losing games is not inconsistent with developing young players now. The complaint is that all those guys on Homies list could have been given more quality TOI while they were Sabres.
- Der Kaiser

but it is consistent with tanking, which would put him on the same page as the organization...no?

anytime a "lottery" is done behind closed doors, I expect the worst

leafs or yotes will win the lottery so we better hope for 30th so we get #2
- homiedclown

This.

but it is consistent with tanking, which would put him on the same page as the organization...no?
- Michael Pachla

I'll try it this way.

Murray wants to lose and develop young players.

Nolan is using the players he thinks give him the best chance to win, but can't make it happen given their talent. He's losing by accident, and intentionally not developing the youngins

I'll try it this way.

Murray wants to lose and develop young players.

Nolan is using the players he thinks give him the best chance to win, but can't make it happen given their talent. He's losing by accident, and intentionally not developing the youngins
- Der Kaiser

wouldn't that first part be mutually exclusive?...the reason the youngins were sent down last year was to get them away from a losing environment...

and wouldn't that second part indicate that he just doesn't have enough talent to win with?

wouldn't that first part be mutually exclusive?...the reason the youngins were sent down last year was to get them away from a losing environment...

and wouldn't that second part indicate that he just doesn't have enough talent to win with?
- Michael Pachla

We're not talking about the time they spent in the As where Teddy had no control over them. We're talking about when they're on the Big Squad and Teddy still won't use them (except LarsSon)

agreed but I bet one gets dealt to improve scoring in the offseason if this plays out
- homiedclown

If we are 3rd at the draft it wouldn't surprise me at all to see it traded.

People seem to forget, some of Darcy's " trash " is still in the AHL. So some that say we have one of the best farm teams in the league need to remember that.

We're not talking about the time they spent in the As where Teddy had no control over them. We're talking about when they're on the Big Squad and Teddy still won't use them (except LarsSon)
- Der Kaiser

-Schaller is a potential bottom-six who had some time on the top line
-varone was the top-line center before Nolan gave Larsson a chance
-deslauriers is bottom-six max
-Zadorov had games where he played 20+ minutes but made some bad decisions as well as making many rookie mistakes
-hodgson somehow went from slacker king to grossly misused without changing much in his game
-McCabe and ruhwedel were destined for ahl duty from the get-go

about the only one who has a gripe is Pysyk...and he was caught up in a numbers game being waiver-exempt

-Schaller is a potential bottom-six who had some time on the top line
-varone was the top-line center before Nolan gave Larsson a chance
-deslauriers is bottom-six max
-Zadorov had games where he played 20+ minutes but made some bad decisions as well as making many rookie mistakes
-hodgson somehow went from slacker king to grossly misused without changing much in his game
-McCabe and ruhwedel were destined for ahl duty from the get-go

about the only one who has a gripe is Pysyk...and he was caught up in a numbers game being waiver-exempt
- Michael Pachla

If we miss out on McDavid or Eichel, I have a feeling we will see a couple crazy trades with player we wouldn't expect to be dealt. Missing out on either the 1st or 2nd pick will set this team back a few more years if not more.

I'll keep this short:

1) Finish 30th or this year has been a colossal waste of time and energy
2) GMTM needs to tell Nolan to play Hackett/Grigorenko and other youngins' over the next 11 games for evaluation purposes. Less ice time to Bogo, Gionta, Ennis, Moulson etc - everyone already knows what they bring
3) Fire Nolan at the end of the season and bring in a good coach
4) Draft McEichel
5) Clean up the goal-tending and the Top 6 situations

Easy, peesy.

Tank On

If we miss out on McDavid or Eichel, I have a feeling we will see a couple crazy trades with player we wouldn't expect to be dealt. Missing out on either the 1st or 2nd pick will set this team back a few more years if not more.
- SABRES 89

it's gonna take some maneuvering by murray and some good coaching, whether it's Nolan or (probably) somebody else...

that being said, la kings highest pick was doughty at #2 and they've won two of the last three cups...the red wings haven't had a pick higher than the mid-teens in forever and they still compete...the boston bruins cup-team was built more on trades and free agents than it was on homegrown talent...

there's more than one way to skin a cat and if murray's worth his salt, he'll get it done with or without mceichel, imo

People seem to forget, some of Darcy's " trash " is still in the AHL. So some that say we have one of the best farm teams in the league need to remember that.
- SABRES 89

Your point?

Because if you're calling all our Regier-drafted prospects trash, I think you're wrong.

it's gonna take some maneuvering by murray and some good coaching, whether it's Nolan or (probably) somebody else...

that being said, la kings highest pick was doughty at #2 and they've won two of the last three cups...the red wings haven't had a pick higher than the mid-teens in forever and they still compete...the boston bruins cup-team was built more on trades and free agents than it was on homegrown talent...

there's more than one way to skin a cat and if murray's worth his salt, he'll get it done with or without mceichel, imo
- Michael Pachla

I agree, it just harder without one of those two guys. Without McEichel I'd trade my two first round picks this year and bring in more young talent who is ready now. Assuming someone is ready to trade talent for talent I guess.

I agree, it just harder without one of those two guys. Without McEichel I'd trade my two first round picks this year and bring in more young talent who is ready now.
- BigStew

yeah, stewie...and murray's already been quoted as saying the second first-rounder is in play and that he's after top-end talent in the 23-26 yr. old range