I would love to see Botts make a hockey trade before the 25th.
- mhp

yes. And for the right player I would be open to including picks as part of that trade. But lets not go back to yesterday.

pommer for a 3rd
scandella for a 5th
beaulieu for a 5th


call up nylander and let pilut and nelson play the bottom pair on D
- homiedclown

Those aren't hockey trades. Although I can see Beaulieau being the first player traded probably for a pick.

yes. And for the right player I would be open to including picks as part of that trade. But lets not go back to yesterday.
- Der Kaiser

I don't want to go back to the mindless banter of certain posters yesterday but I would be open to a trade that involves players, not necessarily picks. I'm on the record that I want to keep our 1sts but with the right deal I would be open to the possibility of moving the SJ pick.

solid road win vs a probable playoff team

aside from a few glitches from scandella and risto the D played really well

no b@tching until faceoff tonight you f@ckers
- homiedclown

Tage is fun to watch. Mittelstadt needs an ugly one, he’s playing tight.

Dahlin is better than Eichel

Ullmark is better than Hutton

PP is so atrocious, coaching is a growing issue

I don't want to go back to the mindless banter of certain posters yesterday but I would be open to a trade that involves players, not necessarily picks. I'm on the record that I want to keep our 1sts but with the right deal I would be open to the possibility of moving the SJ pick.
- mhp

move the 2 higher first round picks to move up in the draft and get Cozens, Boldy or Zegras

Tage is fun to watch. Mittelstadt needs an ugly one, he’s playing tight.

Dahlin is better than Eichel

Ullmark is better than Hutton

PP is so atrocious, coaching is a growing issue
- washedup20

move the 2 higher first round picks to move up in the draft and get Cozens, Boldy or Zegras
- homiedclown

I think the Blues pick will defer to 2020 so we'll have ours and the SJ pick, which could be around 27-29. I'm not sure they'll move up too high since they don't have a 2nd to add in a trade to get a top 10 pick.

If we keep the picks, and I know it's early but I would use our own 1st to pick Soderstrom or Kaliyev, if he slides down and Brink with the SJ pick.

I think the Blues pick will defer to 2020 so we'll have ours and the SJ pick, which could be around 27-29. I'm not sure they'll move up too high since they don't have a 2nd to add in a trade to get a top 10 pick.

If we keep the picks, and I know it's early but I would use our own 1st to pick Soderstrom or Kaliyev, if he slides down and Brink with the SJ pick.
- mhp

Kaliyev

Kaliyev
- RhinoFan

If we are picking 17, it might be tough to get him as the mocks have him anywhere from 11-14. He would be awesome, him and Brink, yeah!!

If we are picking 17, it might be tough to get him as the mocks have him anywhere from 11-14. He would be awesome, him and Brink, yeah!!
- mhp

I know 0 about the prospects this year because i didnt feel like i needed to do any research.

I probably should.

Lidstrom won a Norris at 41 years old
- homiedclown

lidstrom was a God.. not sure Karlsson is in his realm.. Lidstrom was way more solid defensively

Age would scare me with him.

he will be 29.

7 year deal brings him to 36.

33-36 could be tough for $11MM a year.

A team will do it, beause of like you said, Karlsson is that good.

So sign Karlsson.
Move Scandella
Move Hunwick (retain if needed)

Dahlin-Karlsson
Risto-McCabe
Bogo- Pilut
- ImThatGuy

I want no part of Karlsson for 7 years

but
but
but
but
but
but


dot dot dot




- homiedclown

I don't think he goes for him but he is keeping tabs on his situation.

I think the Blues pick will defer to 2020 so we'll have ours and the SJ pick, which could be around 27-29. I'm not sure they'll move up too high since they don't have a 2nd to add in a trade to get a top 10 pick.

If we keep the picks, and I know it's early but I would use our own 1st to pick Soderstrom or Kaliyev, if he slides down and Brink with the SJ pick.
- mhp

Hopefully the blues finish with the 11th pick then.

Sabres miss playoffs, win 1 of the top 3 spots, pushing st louis back to 11.

What a dream scenario that would be.

2) Hughes/Kakko
11) Krebs,Turcotte,Lavoie, Kaliyev
26-31 ish) ???

I want no part of Karlsson for 7 years
- jcragcrumple

5 year 52.5MM

If we are picking 17, it might be tough to get him as the mocks have him anywhere from 11-14. He would be awesome, him and Brink, yeah!!
- mhp

Yeah, hoping for that Blues pick to fall at 11. I'm inpatient.

Hopefully the blues finish with the 11th pick then.

Sabres miss playoffs, win 1 of the top 3 spots, pushing st louis back to 11.

What a dream scenario that would be.

2) Hughes/Kakko
11) Krebs,Turcotte,Lavoie, Kaliyev
26-31 ish) ???
- ImThatGuy

We won Dahlin and I proceeded to get black out drunk at Pappas in West Seneca. One of those, not sure how I got home but car isn't here type of nights.

This happens, I'll be dead by dawn.

We won Dahlin and I proceeded to get black out drunk at Pappas in West Seneca. One of those, not sure how I got home but car isn't here type of nights.

This happens, I'll be dead by dawn.
- RhinoFan

I feel like in this case we could use Kakko more than Hughes.

but Hughes is just that good.

Skinner - Eichel - Reinhart
Sheary - Middlestadt - Kakko

We won Dahlin and I proceeded to get black out drunk at Pappas in West Seneca. One of those, not sure how I got home but car isn't here type of nights.

This happens, I'll be dead by dawn.
- RhinoFan

stay thirsty my friend

I feel like in this case we could use Kakko more than Hughes.

but Hughes is just that good.

Skinner - Eichel - Reinhart
Sheary - Middlestadt - Kakko
- ImThatGuy

Kakko would be exciting

pommer for a 3rd
scandella for a 5th
beaulieu for a 5th


call up nylander and let pilut and nelson play the bottom pair on D
- homiedclown

Agree with the above except substitute CJ Smith for Nylander. Also, throw Bogo into the "expendables" list. While he is playing decent this year, let's remember that: 1) he is getting paid over $5 million per year and 2) it is inevitable that he gets hurt. Probably soon. Sell high.

Agree with the above except substitute CJ Smith for Nylander. Also, throw Bogo into the "expendables" list. While he is playing decent this year, let's remember that: 1) he is getting paid over $5 million per year and 2) it is inevitable that he gets hurt. Probably soon. Sell high.
- SabreWest

You're underselling the importance of a great locker room DJ. Skinner doesn't sign here if he can't get his sic beats on before the game.

pommer for a 3rd
scandella for a 5th
beaulieu for a 5th


call up nylander and let pilut and nelson play the bottom pair on D
- homiedclown

The reason the Sabres have kept pommer is for playoff experience and helping the young guys.

If we make the playoffs or make a run, wouldn't pommers value be greater to buffalo?

Who's giving us a 3rd for pommer? A playoff team looking for playoff experience?

I feel like in this case we could use Kakko more than Hughes.

but Hughes is just that good.

Skinner - Eichel - Reinhart
Sheary - Middlestadt - Kakko
- ImThatGuy

It's a tough decision, I'd love Botts to have to make haha.

So teams like Tampa have an advantage over teams like buffalo:

For those that argued and said players have very little incentive to play in Florida over new york:



Florida, Texas pro sports teams at recruiting advantage after federal tax overhaul
Ronald Blum
December 22, 2017 at 10:44 am
Categories:Business, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rockies, Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Latest News, Nation World News, National Politics, News, Politics, Sports, Trump Administration
NEW YORK — Teams in Texas, Florida, Nevada and Washington state may have become more attractive destinations for free agents following the enactment of tax law changes.

Deductions for state and local taxes are capped at $10,000 in the year starting Jan. 1 for married couples filing jointly. That has a huge impact for athletes with seven- and eight-figure salaries.

“Obviously, the zero income-tax states have now more of an advantage than before,” said baseball agent Scott Boras, who is negotiating big-money deals this offseason for free agents J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Jake Arrieta and Greg Holland.



Geography, family comforts, playing time and winning remain the most important factors for many.

“I understand the tax differential issue but have rarely thought it was outcome determinative in where a player signs,” baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said.

But the teams in states with a higher percentage of take-home pay make their advantage known.

“All teams in tax-free states do,” Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said.

The $10,000 limit also includes deductions for property and sales taxes — large numbers for the most prominent athletes.

At the same time, the top tax rate has been lowered to 37 percent for single filers earning more than $500,000 and married couples filing jointly earning more than $600,000. That is down from 39.6 percent for single filers earning more than $418,400 and married couples filing jointly earning more than $470,700.

For baseball, the AL West becomes the most attractive for tax status. The World Series champion Houston Astros, along with the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners, all have no state income tax. That means a player on one of those teams would play 99 or 100 of 162 games in states with no tax.

Rangers President of Baseball Operations Jon Daniels calls the tax advantage “more of kind of a side benefit than a feature.”

“Some players and some agents care more than others. Some have been more focused on the sticker prices, especially agents that are paid on the gross,” he said. “We try not to make it too much of a focal point of our recruiting efforts. I think when it’s pushed too heavily it can be a turnoff.”

Deals in all four major North American leagues are evaluated for their tax implications.

“The state with no income tax would always win the ties,” said agent Joseph Linta, who negotiated Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco’s contract.

Money doesn’t always dictate the decision, according to Boras and others.

“Kyle Juszczyk chose the 49ers over no state tax offers because he felt it was the right fit — despite the state tax,” Linta said.

Already complex, negotiations could become even more nuanced.

“Teams based in Florida, Washington and Texas will clearly have an additional advantage over other clubs in contract negotiations with free agent players given the new tax code,” baseball agent Jay Reisinger said. “They already had an advantage by virtue of no state income tax, but this will be magnified under the new tax code. Agents will also seek tax-equalization language in the event of a trade.”

Knowing the Marlins have frequently sold off stars, Dee Gordon, Wei-Yin Chen and Christian Yelich had tax equalization provisions as part of their multiyear contracts with Miami.

California has the highest state tax in 2017, a 13.3 percent rate that includes a 1 percent mental health services tax for income over $1 million.

New York has a top tax rate of 8.82 percent, and New York City has a maximum rate of 3.876 percent for a 12.696 percent total.

An athlete making $10 million a season will get a federal tax savings of about $250,000 with the cut in the top rate. But one who plays half his games in California will lose roughly $650,000 in deductions: half the approximately $1.3 million state tax. That wipes out the entire savings of the federal rate cut.

“The new U.S. tax law, in particular the loss of miscellaneous itemized deductions, will have a significant impact on NHL hockey players,” said hockey agent Allan Walsh.

A player who maintains an offseason residence in Florida or one of the other states with no tax — Alaska, South Dakota and Wyoming are in that group — would benefit by having more of his money paid in a signing bonus rather than salary that is attributable to a specific game. Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer’s $210 million, seven-year contract with Washington includes a $50 million signing bonus that he intended to shield from the District of Columbia’s top tax rate — 8.85 percent this year — by establishing Florida residency.

Under the new law, union dues and agent commissions are no longer deductible. An agency employee said players had called at the behest of their financial advisers asking if they could pre-pay commissions before Dec. 31 on deals to be negotiated later this offseason. The employee spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to make public statements.

The Major League Baseball Players Association received nearly $17.6 million in 2016 from daily dues, currently $80 during the season. The NFL Players Association raised just over $33.5 million in dues in the year ending Feb. 28.

The MLBPA may consider moves to lessen the impact of the change in tax treatment for dues.

“It’s unfortunate when looking at ways to cut taxes that things went the other way with respect to those who work under the umbrella of a union or as a union member,” said baseball union head Tony Clark, a former All-Star first baseman.

Owners and management feared a provision in the original version approved by the House of Representatives, which would have prohibited the use of tax-free municipal bonds for stadium financing. That was dropped from the final legislation.

“We were pleased that the bill did not adversely affect the tax issues related to stadium financing,” Manfred said.