Question to ponder...

If Larsons and Grierenko turn out to be top 6 players, will Ted Nolan get credit for his tough love approach in getting them to play harder such that their talent and high compete level COMBINED enables them to be competitent NHLers?
- IonSabres

At this point if Larsson and Grigorenko become top 6 players it will be in spite of Nolan not because of him.

Question to ponder...

If Larsons and Grierenko turn out to be top 6 players, will Ted Nolan get credit for his tough love approach in getting them to play harder such that their talent and high compete level COMBINED enables them to be competitent NHLers?
- IonSabres

Will he get it? Probably.

Should he? No.

Both are a product of Nolan and company having no choice but to put them with players that can skate, nothing more. The credit should go to Tim Murray.

If you want to solve the problem of perceived tanking then just get rid of the draft all together. Make a day that all 18 or older players can be signed as free agents. With a salary cap in place the fear of certain teams hoarding talent won't be possible. Just imagine the excitement surrounding "rookie free agent" day.
- jkuczkowski

That would be so dumb

At this point if Larsson and Grigorenko become top 6 players it will be in spite of Nolan not because of him.
- sskkoo1

if Larsson is a top 6 player, we are not good

not a dig on Larsson, I see him as a 3rd/4th line player with pk time when we are good

Will he get it? Probably.

Should he? No.

Both are a product of Nolan and company having no choice but to put them with players that can skate, nothing more. The credit should go to Tim Murray.
- buffalofan19

darcy disagrees

if Larsson is a top 6 player, we are not good

not a dig on Larsson, I see him as a 3rd/4th line player with pk time when we are good
- homiedclown

Agreed. I always thought he would end up being a great PK center on the 4th line between 82 and 44.

Its not ...the end
- gerbe75pts

You're like a unicorn lately.

Preds are all over the Caps in the first period... Forsberg is a beast.

That would be so dumb
- gerbe75pts

Please explain.

I think Toronto finishes 28th. Imagine us finishing last, and Toronto winning the Lottery. It will turn into one of the NHLs marque rivalries.

I have read countless pages of half baked ways to prevent tanking from inverse order to a non playoff playoff to points gained after elimination. All of them have loopholes and don't prevent tanking. Just eliminate the draft. Why is it necessary? Other than to reward losing. Everything we all agree are having difficulty dealing with emotionally this season. Free agency makes me want my team to do their absolute best all the time so they are attractive to free agents.

I have read countless pages of half baked ways to prevent tanking from inverse order to a non playoff playoff to points gained after elimination. All of them have loopholes and don't prevent tanking. Just eliminate the draft. Why is it necessary? Other than to reward losing. Everything we all agree are having difficulty dealing with emotionally this season. Free agency makes me want my team to do their absolute best all the time so they are attractive to free agents.
- jkuczkowski

If an owner is willing to be horrible, not make any money and possibly get better in the future by getting the first pick, all the power to him. IMO if there is a salary cap with a floor then there shouldn't be a lottery at all, where you finish is where you pick just like the NFL.

Yotes on a 5 minute PP. Still scoreless.

Yotes on a 5 minute PP. Still scoreless.
- Pierceme69

If we lose tonight, and the Yotes sneak out with just a point. Its pretty much a lock

I have read countless pages of half baked ways to prevent tanking from inverse order to a non playoff playoff to points gained after elimination. All of them have loopholes and don't prevent tanking. Just eliminate the draft. Why is it necessary? Other than to reward losing. Everything we all agree are having difficulty dealing with emotionally this season. Free agency makes me want my team to do their absolute best all the time so they are attractive to free agents.
- jkuczkowski

I like the nba proposed draft wheel. Over 30 years each team picks in every spot. So every team gets a 1st overall pick and every 4-5 years will likely pick top 5. Makes trading picks easier as well. Also, no tanking.

I have read countless pages of half baked ways to prevent tanking from inverse order to a non playoff playoff to points gained after elimination. All of them have loopholes and don't prevent tanking. Just eliminate the draft. Why is it necessary? Other than to reward losing. Everything we all agree are having difficulty dealing with emotionally this season. Free agency makes me want my team to do their absolute best all the time so they are attractive to free agents.
- jkuczkowski

I get what u r saying but It won't work. Players will discount themselves to play in preferred markets.

The only reason tanking is an issue is because Majority of the best hockey markets are cellar dwellers.

Fans are more interested in the draft than Columbus, Washington, LA, NJ, Boston etc making the playoffs.

If we lose tonight, and the Yotes sneak out with just a point. Its pretty much a lock
- Mentalorgasm5

Pens killed it. No score after 1. Shots are 14-13 in favor of the Pens. Smith looks sharp. Greiss is in net for Pittsburgh.

Rumor mill continues as
Pegula is looking into staring his own tv network for the Sabres.

I have a question since I enjoy reading (most of) your guys' take on things.

Last year if the Islanders decided to keep their pick for 2015 draft instead of 2014. Who would you have liked the Sabres to take? Is it obvious? Jake Virtanen? Im curious what you guys think?

I get what u r saying but It won't work. Players will discount themselves to play in preferred markets.

The only reason tanking is an issue is because Majority of the best hockey markets are cellar dwellers.

Fans are more interested in the draft than Columbus, Washington, LA, NJ, Boston etc making the playoffs.
- joshs

Agreed. I'm just tired of reading/listening to the all the talk about the draft and oddly hoping my team losses. Drafts don't exist in any other profession in the world. Competence is what success should be about.

Last placed team should get the first pick on so-on. The lottery is ridiculous, tanking has been around forever, and who cares if its ethical. Players don't tank, but GM's and owners might and that's on them. It's their reputations on the line. It's their loss of revenue by not having a fan base that wants to buy tickets, that should be punishment enough. At the end of the day it's just sports (A GAME!) and it is meant to be entertainment. I for one have been thoroughly entertained by this season has difficult as it has been to watch sometimes. And the race to the bottom has been almost as much fun as our typical race for the 8th spot, but at least this time we'll be winning something meaningful instead of mediocre 1st rd. pick. At the end of this season I won't be hanging my head saying, "Maybe next year." I'll be stoked and saying, "I can't wait till next year!"

So some ideas to ponder...

Sabres draft McEichel. That's pretty much a given (almost)

What to do with the other first? All of this ROR talk is out there. The late 1st and Grigorenko get it done? The Sabres are weak on RW O'Reilly can start at center and move to RW when Reinhart is ready.

Would LA be interested in a Hodgson and a 2nd swap for Richards and Jones?

July 1st go after Neuvirth

Kane and Moulson are the top 2 LW next year.

Kane McEichel ROR
Moulson Reinhart Ennis
Girgensons Richards Gionta
Foligno Larsson Deslauriers

Risto Bogosian
Gorges Pysyk?
FA McCabe
Weber

Neuvirth
Jones

Babcock as coach keep Irbe as goalie coach and go from there?

Zadorov goes to Rochester

Please explain.
- jkuczkowski

So a team would make a power house team and teams like us would get (frank)ed that sounds like fun

You're like a unicorn lately.
- Der Kaiser

Too much beer I'm done for ever I think

Too much beer I'm done for ever I think
- gerbe75pts

Still not ready jr?