trading them is fine...but who are you replacing them with?

and..."we've sucked with them so it can't be any worse" doesn't count
- Michael Pachla

I don't want to trade both of them and go full bore offensively but someone could answer a FA signing for half they make and hope that D is solid.

I’m assuming we’ll lose Miller in the expansion draft. Unless we leave Mitts exposed and they decide to take a chance on his potential.
- Pegullaville

I haven't really given it much thought yet. I wouldn't take Miller. I don't want to lose Borgen, but how upset could you really be? He's not a guy you can protect.

Right, so maybe better to see what he has at the NHL lev then lose him without knowing, unless you believe he is nothing as an NHL player, which means you don't care if Seattle drafts him.
- kingcong39

if you're seattle, would you rather poach a proven player in miller or an unproven younger player in borgen?

Why not? Especially in Risto's case I think we all know exactly what you're going to get. It's like sticking with a mediocre QB because you're afraid the alternative could be worse
- jcragcrumple

because it's a cop-out

I’m assuming we’ll lose Miller in the expansion draft. Unless we leave Mitts exposed and they decide to take a chance on his potential.
- Pegullaville

They drafted a ton of D over the years so I think unless Mitts totally bombs this year, they will protect him because of the depth they have at D in prospects

Right, so maybe better to see what he has at the NHL lev then lose him without knowing, unless you believe he is nothing as an NHL player, which means you don't care if Seattle drafts him.
- kingcong39

It's a fair point, but just not one I think should influence their decision. The #1 call up is going to see plenty of games.

Kulikov has been very solid for the jets


maybe disco sucks had less of a clue behind the bench then housley had
- homiedclown

Kulikov broke his a$$ on unhinged rink door, in preseason, and was never the same until he had a chance to heal... and wasn’t that at harbor center? Did Adams’s cheap out on rink doors? Did Adams give it to Kulikov In the behind?

It's a fair point, but just not one I think should influence their decision. The #1 call up is going to see plenty of games.
- Lunaion

I'd target Jon Merill for the left side and Dylan DeMelo fo the right side, so I'm not just looking to give Borgen a spot, but he's absolutely in contention.

because it's a cop-out
- Michael Pachla

Not in my mind. It's the truth. If you keep Risto, hes gonna keep playing 20 minutes a night and you're gonna get the same thing you've gotten for 8(?) years.

We're just gonna keep bumping our heads on this ceiling. It's the same with most of these guys who have been here since Teddy. Just turn the page and try something new. This is not working

Not in my mind. It's the truth. If you keep Risto, hes gonna keep playing 20 minutes a night and you're gonna get the same thing you've gotten for 8(?) years.

We're just gonna keep bumping our heads on this ceiling. It's the same with most of these guys who have been here since Teddy. Just turn the page and try something new. This is not working
- jcragcrumple

you just said that borgen is a 6/7, yet you want to replace two d-men who played top-four minutes with a 6/7 plus an as of yet unnamed d-man to try something new?

and you expect better results?

not sure i follow

Sabres need one of these steal/gems badly, either at forward or defense.

Last night, John Marino laid down one of the best playoff debuts for a rookie defenseman that I've ever seen.

Full stop, no hyperbole. Cutting video now for some stuff this week. I am downright perplexed. I don't think anyone beat him all night long.

you just said that borgen is a 6/7, yet you want to replace two d-men who played top-four minutes with a 6/7 plus an as of yet unnamed d-man to try something new?

and you expect better results?

not sure i follow
- Michael Pachla

Yes. Because acquiring much needed forwards and replacing average D men should jet better results.

Ristolainen being on this roster in general prevents better players from getting ice time simply because the coach refuses to play him accordingly

Yes. Because acquiring much needed forwards and replacing average D men should jet better results.

Ristolainen being on this roster in general prevents better players from getting ice time simply because the coach refuses to play him accordingly
- sbroads24

and you want to replace two d-men (risto and montour) who played top-four roles on the team with a 6/7 and another unnamed defenseman while believing that a team that has average, at best, goaltending tandem will lead to better results?

you just said that borgen is a 6/7, yet you want to replace two d-men who played top-four minutes with a 6/7 plus an as of yet unnamed d-man to try something new?

and you expect better results?

not sure i follow
- Michael Pachla

Dahlin and Joker are the future. They should be playing top pair minutes. McCabe and either Montour/Miller is a fine 2nd. Borgen is 23, either he can be a 3rd pair d man or not. Sign Cody Franson to play on the 3rd pair 10 minutes for all i care.

This is all housekeeping that should have been done last summer when Botterill returned the entire roster with the exception of Pominville and we lost Pilut because of his complacency.

Leverage the RHD to acquire the absolutely necessary 2C

Seems like after watching last nights peg/calgary game, the peg is in trouble. They have some good young talent upfront and need some help on defense.

Perfect trade partner, especially if they get swept.

Gonna need to change something.

This is next level nonsense from Dater, who is a near Tanner level troll.

It's also an example of the old school mentality having little clue about what the new school mentality has to offer.

Regretting my Oilers pick over Chicago. Connor McDavid a brilliant talent but a personality-deficient guy. I think his blandness rubs off too much on teammates. Happy to hear opinions to the contrary but fact is he doesn’t inspire others

https://twitter.com/adate.../1289780468884226051?s=19

might be the rest of the team’s talent deficiency and the sieve they put in net, not the best player in the world’s personality

https://twitter.com/domlu.../1289793051393536000?s=19

Or maybe you only look at spread sheets and nothing else

https://twitter.com/adate.../1289793296814882817?s=19

if i watched zero hockey games this year (for the record, i have! but nice straw man) i’m confident i would never say anything as dumb as these two tweets, so maybe pay attention to what you’re watching

https://twitter.com/domlu.../1289794841996431361?s=19

Dahlin and Joker are the future. They should be playing top pair minutes. McCabe and either Montour/Miller is a fine 2nd. Borgen is 23, either he can be a 3rd pair d man or not. Sign Cody Franson to play on the 3rd pair 10 minutes for all i care.

This is all housekeeping that should have been done last summer when Botterill returned the entire roster with the exception of Pominville and we lost Pilut because of his complacency.

Leverage the RHD to acquire the absolutely necessary 2C
- jcragcrumple

joker's best play was on the third pairing with scandella...bumping him up to the top pair would constitute a huge leap...

i'm not arguing that dahlin and joker represent the future--the former as the team's top d-man and the latter as a key top-four/possible top-pairing d-man--but doing that now would be more of a trainwreck than what we've had...

and i don't think eichel would take too kindly to a situation like that

and you want to replace two d-men (risto and montour) who played top-four roles on the team with a 6/7 and another unnamed defenseman while believing that a team that has average, at best, goaltending tandem will lead to better results?
- Michael Pachla

Yup

joker's best play was on the third pairing with scandella...bumping him up to the top pair would constitute a huge leap...

i'm not arguing that dahlin and joker represent the future--the former as the team's top d-man and the latter as a key top-four/possible top-pairing d-man--but doing that now would be more of a trainwreck than what we've had...

and i don't think eichel would take too kindly to a situation like that
- Michael Pachla

He absolutely would, if the proper trade is made using those two to bring in a real center to pick up some slack.

This team needs to score some damn goals

Seems like after watching last nights peg/calgary game, the peg is in trouble. They have some good young talent upfront and need some help on defense.

Perfect trade partner, especially if they get swept.

Gonna need to change something.
- Boss34

They lost 2 of their top forwards during the game last night. That might have something to do with the result as well.

Sabres need one of these steal/gems badly, either at forward or defense.

Last night, John Marino laid down one of the best playoff debuts for a rookie defenseman that I've ever seen.

Full stop, no hyperbole. Cutting video now for some stuff this week. I am downright perplexed. I don't think anyone beat him all night long.
- kingcong39

Edmonton gave away Petry and Marino for pretty much nothing.

Yup
- sbroads24

nice...i tend to believe that things would be a whole lot worse

He absolutely would, if the proper trade is made using those two to bring in a real center to pick up some slack.

This team needs to score some damn goals
- jcragcrumple

but many on here truly believe that risto and montour are poor defensemen who are worse for this team than a 6/7 or a ???

how would adams get a "real" center for the garbage that those two offer?

They lost 2 of their top forwards during the game last night. That might have something to do with the result as well.
- kingcong39

Even with Schief in the lineup they bled chances Defensively.

connor hellebuyck had an epic regular season for them.

nice...i tend to believe that things would be a whole lot worse
- Michael Pachla

https://youtu.be/mk74WprmZxY

:50

"Worse? How can things get any worse? Take a look around you, Ellen. We're in the threshold of Hell!"