BillsFan4

At the time, our blue line was Ristolainen, McCabe, Cody Franson, Pysyk (who turned into Kulikov after the draft), Josh gorges, Bogosian and Falk. And Risto was playing 25 minutes a night. I’d probably still make the trade but I get why Murray thought the Sabres couldn’t. Now that we have Dahlin and Montour, it would be a no-brainer if that offer was made again.

It actually hurts buffalo re: a buyout. Front-loaded contracts actually cost more cap space to buy-out in later years than ones with flat year-to-year salaries. A Skinner buy-out after six years would cost $4M in year 7 and $6M in year 8, with $2M each over the two following years. On a contract that paid a flat $9M per year, the buy-out would cost $3M in cap for all four years. Ive read that Botterill is legitimately interested in Duchene and that he even checked into him at the deadline. I can’t remember where I read it, though. I think the deadline thing may have been Jeremy White’s secret source, so grain of salt and all that. Yes, it was reported by legitimate sources that Chiarelli offered Hall for Risto (supposedly 3 separate times) before he was traded to NJ. I do understand why Tim Murray didn’t/couldn’t do it at the time, but man that would be such a perfect trade for Buffalo now. No way I trade for Hall now without an extension, though. Or at least knowing that he’s 100% open to signing here. Way too risky otherwise.

We don’t have our 2nd or our 4th. I believe we do have our 3rd though. But your point still stands... lol

That’s a hell of a lot of money for Skinner. But I’m definitely glad he’s signed. Like I said, the Sabres have plenty of cap space still, and plenty more dead weight to get rid of before thinking about letting one of our better players walk over roughly $1M a year.

$9M was the absolute max I was willing to give Skinner (not that it matter what I was willing to do....lol). Still hoping it falls in just under $9M AAV, but I am definitely glad to hear he is signing. I worry about bout the price tag, but the Sabres are nowhere near being in cap trouble right now. And even if they were, I’d still rather them sign Skinner and figure out a way to get rid of the actual garbage on the roster instead of our best goal scorer.

Nice hire by the Jets. I’m still not scared of the Jets though, as long as Woody Johnson owns the team. I just don’t see them having sustained success under the Johnson’s ownership. Even if they happen to be good for a couple years, someone in that building will do something to mess it up... lol.

I believe they were blocked from interviewing him by the Eagles at the time. https://www.nj.com/eagles/2018/01/eagles_block_texans_request_to_interview_joe_dougl.html

That was great!

Carter Hutton, Ralph Krueger and Jason Botterill all on the instigators today. Hutton - https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/06-06-sabres-goalie-carter-hutton-instigators Krueger - https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/06-06-sabres-head-coach-ralph-krueger-instigators Botterill - https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/06-06-sabres-general-manager-jason-botterill-instigators

here is the full 1 on 1 interview with Krueger - https://www.nhl.com/sabres/video/1-on-1-with-ralph-krueger/t-277437090/c-68394503 Amazing interview! Wow. It gets better as it goes on. Definitely a must listen in my opinion. I love this guy.

sounds good to me!

^ full press conference. Krueger is definitely a talker.... lol. Really liked this answer.

I think the pick could be Trevor Zegras. He’s a center who skates well, plays a 2 way game, has high compete level and he’s headed to Boston University next year. He is also the only player the Sabres have met with twice. They had a private interview at the combine and took him out to dinner (I am not sure if they’ve taken any other player out to dinner? Not that i’m award of but I haven’t heard much about any prospect). Could just be they wanted info on teammates, who knows. As as I said before, I am lucky this year because I like a cluster of players likely to be available to Buffalo. But if I was forced to make a list right now.... I want Byram #1, Turcotte #1A but I know both will be gone. Then I’d want some combo of Zegras/Dach/Podkolzin flowed very closely by Caufield and then Cozens. I am still trying to study up on all these guys, so I reserve the right to change my mind! lol The reason i’d prefer a Center is #1) it gives buffalo a legit backup plan for Mittelstadt. #2) you can always switch a center to wing. If a C fails at C in the NHL, you can move him to the wing. If a winger fails, you can’t really try him in a different position. #3) As far as positional value, I would go with a center over a wing, all things equal. I could definitely see Caufield shooting up the Sabres list if Skinner walks, though. He reminds me quite a bit of a right handed Jeff Skinner. Smaller stature, feisty, pure goal scorers/snipers that are both very good on their edges (and at avoiding contact), and both have those happy-go-lucky, always smiling personalities. I mean... If they feel Caufield is the BPA, they should pick him no matter what. I just mean that if it’s a tie between Caufield and a center, I could see skinner’s decision (to sign or not) factoring in.

He must finally be in Buffalo.

I have a few guys I really like at 7 this year. I would be very happy with Podkolzin, Zegras, Caufield or Dach. I like Cozens too, but not as much (I’ve viewed him the least, though). I can find reasons to get excited about any of those 5. I would take Turcotte or Byram over any of them, but I highly doubt either will be there. I think buffalo may may go with a center over a winger (depending on who’s available), but that’s just a guess. This year in particular I am really trying my best not to get too high or low on any of the players potentially available at 7. This draft just feels so unpredictable. The cluster of players available after the top 2 are all viewed so similarly that I really have no clue what order they will go in, or what direction Buffalo will go in.

I didn’t even know he was writing for a paper again. Thought this paragraph was telling. Sully, even after tons of outcry from his readers (so much outcry that it actually got his column taken away because it was hurting TBN’s business), still views himself as some beacon of honesty in Buffalo sports media, when in reality it’s not honesty. He is just super negative about everything buffalo sports related. Skinner is useless in overtime? I guess someone should tell him Skinner led all Sabres in overtime goals (more than Eichel, Dahlin, Reinhart, Risto etc) even though he got less OT icetime than all the other big name Sabres. And Skinner “reflects too much of what’s wrong with a losing organization”? Really? The first buffalo player to hit 40 goals in a decade (and he also has the most game winning goals in a decade too). He then says if Krueger is the hockey savant everyone say he is, that he could watch the tape and see that Skinner isn’t worth keeping. Hey Jerry, did you ever think that maybe he DID watch tape on Skinner and decide he IS worth keeping? Of course not, because if Sullivan doesn’t think he’s worth keeping, obviously brilliant hockey minds must agree with him (and he doesn’t even consider the possibility that they don’t...lol). Well.... that was the first, and last, new Sully article I’ll click on. You’d think that maybe after everything that happened it would humble him at least a little bit and make him do some serious reflection. But of course not. I’ll bet he views everything that happened as someone else’s fault. Or him just being a victim of circumstance.

Probably not. He didn’t really say a lot about Buffalo, except that he didn’t like a lot of the things they were doing (re:his usage and/or in general, it wasn’t super clear) or something like that. He talked more more about how it will take him a long time to get over what happened in STL and that he has poor representation. I didnt het the impression he was going to make an NHL return next year though. Sounded more like he might play in Sweden or somewhere closer to home. Oh, and he wonders “what if” in regard to if his rep got his no trade list in on time. When I heard that, I said “yea we Sabres fans wonder that too...”. lol I feel the same way. I hold no grudge and look at it as more of a bonus for us getting back that almost $4M x 4yrs. Plus, like you said, better to walk away than half ass it, not produce and eat up cap space. And i I can respect a person putting his happiness and mental well being above money. From everything that came out after he left, it sounds like he’s had mental health issues for years and had a support system in place in STL (the only place he ever played in the nhl). When it was taken away the way it was, it had a huge impact on him. I wish him well.

Here’s the full berglund interview that those quotes came from - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hockeysense/2019/05/31/segment-3--patrik-berglund-53119

Had the same thought. Why would he continue to see her outside of school if he was truly uncomfortable with her continued sexual advances?

I agree, it seems unlikely that the Sabres are the team that takes a shot on him. Especially with Botts on his 3rd year and 2nd coach. He may want someone who can have an impact quicker, instead of in 3yrs from now. I heard an interview on WGR with the Sabres director of amateur scouting yesterday (Ryan Jankowski. I looked for the interview to post here but could not find it anywhere) and he swore up and down that not drafting a CHL prospect was just circumstance. That they have nothing against drafting from the CHL and it could have just as easily worked out the other way. So I guess we will see come draft day... Seeing is believing.

The more I watch of this kid, the more I love him. I know under contract in the KHL for 2 more years, but as long as he is definitely willing to come to North America after that I think it’d be worth the wait. He’d probably be the consensus #3 player in the draft if not for that KHL commitment.

This thread -

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/05-31-tsns-darren-dreger-instigators Cole Caufield on the instigators. I would be ok with the Sabres taking him at #7 depending on who was still on the board. He very well may be the best goal scorer in the draft, and he works his ass off. Elite shot placement/sniper.

Yep... same guy. Seems like he’s probably just throwing it out there because there are lots of rumors a deal with Skinner is very close. Not it sure why I even shared it... lol