So what!! I would rather strike out swinging then looking.... Swing for the fences!!
- hehateme

Keep drafting and finishing bottom 10.

You can’t acquire guys because you have rfas to pay 3,4,5,6 years down the line.

There are so many teams in cap trouble.

Vegas
Toronto
Tampa
Winnipeg

Plus you would absolutely have a bidding war for 7OA if the draft is “this good”
- ImThatGuy

If Botts can use #31 and whatever reasonable assets needed to land a proven player from one of those teams, great. But that #7 is almost untouchable, imo

So the Murray way?
- Stripes77

Yeah that’s what everyone is saying go out and overpay for the wrong talent.

Just because Mary was a complete (frank) up doesn’t mean the next GM is.

Based on this logic Edmonton should never make a trade, draft pick or free-agent signing ever again because of Chia.

So the Murray way?
- Stripes77

I applaud Murray for taking chances. They did not work out but we were not in any cap hell...

So what!! I would rather strike out swinging then looking.... Swing for the fences!!
- hehateme

Not looking at it long term gets you in cap hell like Vegas who is going to lose at least one major piece of their team without the Championship.

Same goes for Tampa
- Stripes77

You have a window... you have to shoot for it.

Toronto Raptors just did it... they had a very small window... they gave up a TON for it and they won a championship for their efforts.

The Raptors traded franchise piece DeRozan and got Kawhi.... now they have Free Agents of Lowry, VanVleet, Kawhi, Green, Ibaka, & Gasol. Their stud young Siakam is a RFA.

THEIR ENTIRE TEAM THAT PLAYED IN THE FINALS ARE UFAs minus Siakam and Powell

So never acquire anyone ever then?

Next Year you have contracts up.
The year after that you have contracts up
The year after that you have contracts up
Any player you draft this year is up in 4 years.
And you have to worry about how much to pay them.

So really you’re just in contract hell always
- ImThatGuy

1st point yes you do but you also have 2 bigger name players due
2nd point you have your franchise defensemen due
3rd point you don't have any big money players coming off
4th point Okposo is finally done after that

You're in cap hell if you're not smart about it.

Tampa is in cap hell but they at least have had a great team

Buffalo is going to be in cap hell with a bunch of 1st round exits in their future like Toronto if they aren't smart about it.

I applaud Murray for taking chances. They did not work out but we were not in any cap hell...
- hehateme

Because all the players he traded for are gone

Why?

The farm team exists to provide good players to the NHL club. If you can skip the farm club step with a first rounder trade for an NHL player, the outcome is the same as restocking the farm club.

If they want to get a better product in Rochester, they should try hitting on a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th round pick, which the Sabres have largely proven incompetent at doing
- jcragcrumple

Didn't GMTM try that route?

You have a window... you have to shoot for it.

Toronto Raptors just did it... they had a very small window... they gave up a TON for it and they won a championship for their efforts.

The Raptors traded franchise piece DeRozan and got Kawhi.... now they have Free Agents of Lowry, VanVleet, Kawhi, Green, Ibaka, & Gasol. Their stud young Siakam is a RFA.

THEIR ENTIRE TEAM THAT PLAYED IN THE FINALS ARE UFAs minus Siakam and Powell
- JVince11

Basketball is MUCH different than hockey.

2 studs can carry a team in basketball

3 studs cannot carry a team in hockey

1st point yes you do but you also have 2 bigger name players due
2nd point you have your franchise defensemen due
3rd point you don't have any big money players coming off
4th point Okposo is finally done after that

You're in cap hell if you're not smart about it.

Tampa is in cap hell but they at least have had a great team

Buffalo is going to be in cap hell with a bunch of 1st round exits in their future like Toronto if they aren't smart about it.
- Stripes77

Let’s ask Toronto fans how they feel about having all these great players. That must be so unenjoyable.

Didn't GMTM try that route?
- Michael Pachla

Can we stop bringing him up the guy was a complete drunk and he overpaid for everything.

He was a bad GM. A good gm doesn’t do that.

Let’s ask Toronto fans how they feel about having all these great players. That must be so unenjoyable.
- ImThatGuy

And they haven't won a playoff series since the 90's

They're happy during the regular season and then miserable when they get bounced in the 1st round every year

I don't want playoff appearances

I want deep cup runs and a damn championship

Let’s ask Toronto fans how they feel about having all these great players. That must be so unenjoyable.
- ImThatGuy

Even if ALL the UFA's leave for new teams they still have a CHAMPIONSHIP. the horror....

Basketball is MUCH different than hockey.

2 studs can carry a team in basketball

3 studs cannot carry a team in hockey
- Stripes77

Worked pretty well for quite a few NHL teams.... WSH, VAN, PIT, CHI, etc.

Didn't GMTM try that route?
- Michael Pachla

He kept all of his high picks

He traded low firsts and prospcts.

I'm talking about trading 1 high pick

Even if ALL the UFA's leave for new teams they still have a CHAMPIONSHIP. the horror....
- hehateme

Wrong sport

Comparing basketball and hockey just doesn't work

And they haven't won a playoff series since the 90's

They're happy during the regular season and then miserable when they get bounced in the 1st round every year

I don't want playoff appearances

I want deep cup runs and a damn championship
- Stripes77

Toronto won a series in 07 I think it was.

But since 2002, we have won 4 series to their 1.

He kept all of his high picks

He traded low firsts and prospcts.

I'm talking about trading 1 high pick
- jcragcrumple

No no we have to overpay for every single thing ever because that’s what Tim Murray did which means every other GM is going to do the same.

7, 31 and next years first for Willam Karlsson, Ryan Callahan and Nathan Horton.

Can we stop bringing him up the guy was a complete drunk and he overpaid for everything.

He was a bad GM. A good gm doesn’t do that.
- ImThatGuy

We would have been better off if Murray traded for a good player with the pick used to select Nylander

He kept all of his high picks

He traded low firsts and prospcts.

I'm talking about trading 1 high pick
- jcragcrumple

So you’re saying you want to trade Dahlin?

Can we stop bringing him up the guy was a complete drunk and he overpaid for everything.

He was a bad GM. A good gm doesn’t do that.
- ImThatGuy

He traded for a Conn Smythe winner and a Vezina finalist. Just not on Buffalo

He traded for a Conn Smythe winner and a Vezina finalist. Just not on Buffalo
- Michael Pachla

Worked pretty well for quite a few NHL teams.... WSH, VAN, PIT, CHI, etc.
- JVince11

Vince...look at their entire teams

Pittsburgh:

Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Letang, Guentzel, MAF

Washington:

Ovi, Backstrom, Oshie, Kuz, Carlsson, Holtby (and took forever to break through)

Chicago:

Kane, Toews, Hossa, Saad, Keith, Seabrook

Vancouver hasn't won anything

Those teams you mentioned that won a cup have 6 studs (or were studs when they won the Cup)

He traded for a Conn Smythe winner and a Vezina finalist. Just not on Buffalo
- Michael Pachla

BAZINGA