Like I said, I think a lot of that is in his head

He's played quite a bit on both wings...
so if he can get some confidence back,
I can see him somewhere in the top9 next year
Right now I think he's playing with O'Reilly & Okposo
I'm ok with that
- jdfitz77

Speed kills almost all... That line is like a knife in a gunfight. Still wondeing where he fits in... A year and then two from now.

I was talking more about drawing up plays,
But also the strong side thing

I know they feel that way about defense, but...
Ennis, Girgensons, Foligno & Moulson all have played both wings routinely
Even Okposo & Kane a little bit
Deslauriers as well, but he doesn't really count
Bailey has been working at LW most of the year bc we are heavy on the right side as well
- jdfitz77

Again, agreed. I almost prefer guys that can play the off wing i think it allows for more creativity on the rush.

You beat me to it, mite turn out to be a dejavu-esque situation. If thats the case, isnt selling "low" on him now better than the alternative? If murray gets a buyer, he should listen long and hard...imo
- TheHank

Depends though

If all we can get is say a 3rd rounder for Ennis...
What has the better odds?

That maybe 4-5yrs from now, that pick makes the roster & has an impact
OR
Ennis gets back to scoring 15+ goals

If it's the right trade, then sure, ship him out
If we're just giving him away though,
I'd rather give him next season to see if he can be healthy & perform

I generally just don't be live in selling low
U rarely actually gain anything from doing that
U might not end up losing anything also...
but it's better odds that a guy who has shown he can perform,
Can get back some production
Just how I see it though

Speed kills almost all... That line is like a knife in a gunfight. Still wondeing where he fits in... A year and then two from now.
- TheHank

I'd put it this way...
if he gets surpassed by Bailey, Baptiste, Nylander, etc
that's a good thing
If we miss out on a 3rd or 4th round pick...
Bc we held on to him hoping he'd re-find his game & get better trade value,
then I'm totally ok with that

I really just think he needs to learn how to play this system & he'll get his confidence back & be fine
Maybe not as good as he was...
but maybe good enough that we can get a decent return for him next offseason

Depends though

If all we can get is say a 3rd rounder for Ennis...
What has the better odds?

That maybe 4-5yrs from now, that pick makes the roster & has an impact
OR
Ennis gets back to scoring 15+ goals

If it's the right trade, then sure, ship him out
If we're just giving him away though,
I'd rather give him next season to see if he can be healthy & perform

I generally just don't be live in selling low
U rarely actually gain anything from doing that
U might not end up losing anything also...
but it's better odds that a guy who has shown he can perform,
Can get back some production
Just how I see it though
- jdfitz77

I would want to tend to agree but as has been said here before, a contract isnt a problem until it prevents you from signing or aquiring another player. i dont want that to be the case a year or two from now and i dont see moulson or bogo going anywhere and theyre both guys you want in the bottom half of your roster at best and youre over 10m just with those two. Having 3 guys taking up 15m in cap space after next year and not being part of the core is troubling. Ennis is the most tradeable and i dont think he needs to be here going forward.

I would want to tend to agree but as has been said here before, a contract isnt a problem until it prevents you from signing or aquiring another player. i dont want that to be the case a year or two from now and i dont see moulson or bogo going anywhere and theyre both guys you want in the bottom half of your roster at best and youre over 10m just with those two. Having 3 guys taking up 15m in cap space after next year and not being part of the core is troubling. Ennis is the most tradeable and i dont think he needs to be here going forward.
- TheHank

Thats fair...
But these contracts we don't want will be eventually gone,
One way or another
I'm not overly concerned, but I see your point

I'd put it this way...
if he gets surpassed by Bailey, Baptiste, Nylander, etc
that's a good thing
If we miss out on a 3rd or 4th round pick...
Bc we held on to him hoping he'd re-find his game & get better trade value,
then I'm totally ok with that

I really just think he needs to learn how to play this system & he'll get his confidence back & be fine
Maybe not as good as he was...
but maybe good enough that we can get a decent return for him next offseason
- jdfitz77

All else aside, i am completely in agreement. But what if he doesnt find his game and is completely untradeable/avoidalbe after next year?... It might frank us when it comes to signing another player at that point. Im not screaming "trade him right franking now" but it might be pertinent to do so with tim connolly in mind.

I just watched tarasenko play against the wild yesterday here in mn.. And all i kept thinking is "why cant we hit on a stud like that" then i just keep thinking FML we never will. answer to all my franking dreams.

Thats fair...
But these contracts we don't want will be eventually gone,
One way or another
I'm not overly concerned, but I see your point
- jdfitz77

In the end youre right and then we will have a whole new set of "dead weight" players to biotch about... Greener on the other side.

All else aside, i am completely in agreement. But what if he doesnt find his game and is completely untradeable/avoidalbe after next year?... It might frank us when it comes to signing another player at that point. Im not screaming "trade him right franking now" but it might be pertinent to do so with tim connolly in mind.
- TheHank

Buy him out
Offer someone incentive to take him
Etc

Arizona took Datsyuk's contract
Toronto took on a player who I can't remember right now
There's options
And I know we have to pay Jack & Sam,
But their deals are looking more like 7.5 & 5, not 10 each
Even though we have these contracts we don't like,
We are still in good Cap shape

Arent you in turn saying youre cool with the status quo? Are you happy with where theyre at?
- TheHank

That's not at all what I'm saying. Of course I'm not happy about it. I was just simply stating it's not at all unusual for a guy who is a right shot to play on the right side. Every team employs the "strong side rule" we'll call it to some extent, most guys play on their strong side in the NHL, it's just how it is.

I just watched tarasenko play against the wild yesterday here in mn.. And all i kept thinking is "why cant we hit on a stud like that" then i just keep thinking FML we never will. answer to all my franking dreams.
- TheHank

We've got Jack
Kane is looks like the real deal now that he seems to have grown up
Nylander is a flashy type player

Also...
those guys are fun to watch
But if u have a team like that, they usually don't win in the playoffs
We need guys like O'Reilly, Okposo & Reinhart too
Gotta have that balance

Buy him out
Offer someone incentive to take him
Etc

Arizona took Datsyuk's contract
Toronto took on a player who I can't remember right now
There's options
And I know we have to pay Jack & Sam,
But their deals are looking more like 7.5 & 5, not 10 each
Even though we have these contracts we don't like,
We are still in good Cap shape
- jdfitz77

Kucherov and tarasenko both just signed for less than 5m. Is reinhart really going to cost that much? I would think 3 or 4 years at 4m should get it done. I think we are ok on cap space with what we have but if you want to get these two magical dmen its going to cost a good bit. Once again, im not screaming trade ennis right now but if it prevents us from getting the dmen we need, then were going to be kicking ourselves if we didnt get rid of him when that time comes. Its a lot easier to get a new job when you already have one and i think its easier to get rid of a bad contract before you absolutely need to as well. Just my thoughts, i mostly agree with everything youve said here the last hour, i was just throwing a spitball at the wall when i brought up his name and it has more to do with the two other albatross cntracts we have right now and will have for two more years going forward.

We've got Jack
Kane is looks like the real deal now that he seems to have grown up
Nylander is a flashy type player

Also...
those guys are fun to watch
But if u have a team like that, they usually don't win in the playoffs
We need guys like O'Reilly, Okposo & Reinhart too
Gotta have that balance
- jdfitz77

Jack is great and we all expeted him to be great. Tarasenko was drafted 16th overall... That would be like giergensons being that good when i said "hit on a guy" or armia or zadorov or grigorenko... Mit be adifferent story right now if we had.
Also, kane and nylander are not tarasenko like players either.

Kucherov and tarasenko both just signed for less than 5m. Is reinhart really going to cost that much? I would think 3 or 4 years at 4m should get it done. I think we are ok on cap space with what we have but if you want to get these two magical dmen its going to cost a good bit. Once again, im not screaming trade ennis right now but if it prevents us from getting the dmen we need, then were going to be kicking ourselves if we didnt get rid of him when that time comes. Its a lot easier to get a new job when you already have one and i think its easier to get rid of a bad contract before you absolutely need to as well. Just my thoughts, i mostly agree with everything youve said here the last hour, i was just throwing a spitball at the wall when i brought up his name and it has more to do with the two other albatross cntracts we have right now and will have for two more years going forward.
- TheHank

Not sure
I was just guessing at those numbers
Probably depends on how long their deals go for

Like I said,
Those contacts are a bummer
Be we are still in good Cap shape
And if we really need to get rid of anyof them,
There are ways to do so

I do hear what you're saying...
I just think you're overly concerned

I do hear what you're saying...
I just think you're overly concerned
- jdfitz77

Not overly concerned yet.. Just dont want to be when the time comes. Hopefully gmtm has a plan for it.

Jack is great and we all expeted him to be great. Tarasenko was drafted 16th overall... That would be like giergensons being that good when i said "hit on a guy" or armia or zadorov or grigorenko... Mit be adifferent story right now if we had.
Also, kane and nylander are not tarasenko like players either.
- TheHank

Well who is?!

I know what ya mean though

Maybe Pu?
He looks pretty great so far

Not overly concerned yet.. Just dont want to be when the time comes. Hopefully gmtm has a plan for it.
- TheHank

I'm SURE it'll work out ok

Anyways, I'm out
Good chatting with ya

Well who is?!

I know what ya mean though

Maybe Pu?
He looks pretty great so far
- jdfitz77

Nobody.
Thats why im lamenting.
Pu?... Tarasenko is a guy that cam right into the league and tore it up... Literally tore it up. Nobody we have other that jack (which is expected with that pick) is even in the same sentence. Im just dreaming and wishing someone is/was. Guess its just the buffalo in me. If Pu or anyone else in our system right now has a quarter of the impact tarasenko has had in the nhl i will be tickled pink.

I'm SURE it'll work out ok

Anyways, I'm out
Good chatting with ya
- jdfitz77

Same goes here. Glad i got a little late night banter in here for once.
Take it easy.

I'm SURE it'll work out ok

Anyways, I'm out
Good chatting with ya
- jdfitz77

Same goes here. Glad i got a little late night banter in here for once.
Take it easy.

Hmmmm....

On one hand, I supposed you remove the games bc u want it to be an atmosphere about work and without distractions
That makes sense

But on the other hand, team chemistry is also important
And that's developed by guys hanging out after practice,
spending time together

I guess idk if I like the idea or not
- jdfitz77

Guys who. Are $$$M's per year can pool their own money and buy a couple pool tables for their own houses...then play games there

Just can't help but shake my head in disbelief about the Sabres...A team mired in sub mediocrity with it's tires spinning uncontrollably in 3 feet of mud.....

Anyone still around this time o night?
Who wants to talk expansion draft?
- TheHank

Speaking of which the NHL decided during the meetings that the expansion draft will not be public.

Those who are protected V unprotected will not be made public either.

Good job NHL.

Something that could have been fun for your fans you decided to do you best to hide it as much as possible.

Speaking of which the NHL decided during the meetings that the expansion draft will not be public.

Those who are protected V unprotected will not be made public either.

Good job NHL.

Something that could have been fun for your fans you decided to do you best to hide it as much as possible.
- ImThatGuy

I think it's more to keep the peace in the locker room.

I would love to see the lists as would every fan but I think it's more for the players and team protection.

It's bad enough when the trade deadline comes around but an expansion draft where you basically tell another team you don't want this guy but if they aren't picked by the new team the players current team and him could have bad blood.