JohnC

I like Rodrigues because of his speed and consistent strong effort. However, I don't see him as a second line forward as either a winger or center. In my view he would make a superb third line versatile winger. My problem isn't with how much he will earn as it is where he is slotted. If he is slotted on a second line then in my estimation the line would be less than average.

Just because charges were not brought does not mean that he didn't commit a crime or that there isn't civil culpability. If the authorities don't have enough evidence to take the case to a criminal court it doesn't mean that her family doesn't have enough evidence to take this case to a civil court. Your comment that I and others are suggesting that the LE covered for Merriman by not charging him is ludicrous. What if it is demonstrated that Merriman had a habit of drugging women he was socializing with? That certainly would support the claim that he might have drugged her. I'm not saying he did or didn't because I don't know. But what I am saying is that her family on her behalf has a right to civilly take him to court if they feel that there is a case.

How do you know that? Just because he wasn't charged with a crime doesn't mean that there isn't a worthy civil case against him. There is a different standard between the criminal and civil side of the law. You are making an assumption based on your assumption. That's a flimsy basis to make a judgment before the case is pursued.

It was reported that all the coaching candidates were asked by the GM what they would do to get better play out of Risto. So there is an indication that the organization believes that he has the talent to be better. The most important calculation by the GM in a prospective trade is whether the team is going to be better or not after the deal. That's a tough question to answer. Sometimes the trade calculation turns out to be right and sometimes not.

In the long run trading Hall was a mistake. Sometimes short term success doesn't reflect smarter long term decisions that result in more sustained success. If you believe that trading Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson was in the long run a good deal then your talent judgment is very odd. Taylor Hall is one of the best forwards in the league. Larsson is a good player but compared to Hall from a talent standpoint he is a pigmy.

That Taylor Hall deal is still mystifying. It is understandable that teams want to reshape their rosters. However, when you give up a significant asset you should be expected to get a comparable or near comparable asset back. As you pointed out Chairrelli wanted to toughen his roster. It didn't work out. So years later the mistakes of the past are being addressed in the present. It's hard to move forward when you have to fix what you did in the past. The consensus in the local media is that Risto is going to be dealt. If you can't get equal value back then I say keep him.

The attached link gives a little more background to the deal. It seems to me that the Oilers got the best of the deal in that if it doesn't work out they have a reasonable buyout option where Calgary doesn't have that escape avenue to take. What is evident is that the Oiler signing of Lucic was an unmitigated disaster. The new GM is in the process of cleaning up the mess of the previous regime. https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2019/07/19/trade-flames-get-lucic-oilers-receive-neal/

Personal injury lawyers have to be aggressive and fearless. They usually have to go against well resourced establishment institutions such as insurance companies, hospitals, doctors, police etc. The case you were describing is a waste of time and plugs up the already slow moving legal system. This is a case that is frivolous and lacks merit. He is a grandstander who I am not going to give much deference to.

You need to stop hanging around these shady hustlers. If his girlfriend finds you more appealing is he going to sue you for emotional damage? One of these days this con friend of yours is going to have a legitimate claim in which he was actually injured, and based on his reputation for fraud the jury is not going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

The attached link is from a NHL site. It gives a summarization of the team moves and what they mean toward breaking the playoff drought. At this point the unknown issue is whether Risto is going to be traded, and if so, what will the return be? If the return results in upgrading the second line then the team's prospects should look brighter. Another unknown factor is how much difference is the coaching change going to mean. I think the consensus is that the Sabres will be an improved team but the more important issue is how much so? And the follow up issue is will our improvement match or surpass the improvement of other teams that our in our strata? https://www.nhl.com/news/behind-the-numbers-buffalo-sabres-eventful-summer-should-provide-spark/c-308292130

I can see Scandella as a third or fourth pairing defenseman. I just don't see where Sobotka fits in. If the Sabres work out a deal to get a second line center then Mitts probably becomes our third center. If Mitts becomes a second line center I still don't see where Sobotka fits in as a third line player. The GM is adverse to buy out players. However, this could be a case where it might come to shipping Sobotka for virtually nothing and paying a portion of his salary just to move him. This seems to be a situation where it is best for the player and the organization to move on from each other.

As you well laid out he was hired because he demonstrated in a number of settings that he was good behind the mike. ESPN wasn't going to hire him out of altruism. They hired him because they believed that he was going to be an asset to their company. They are always looking for talent in a highly competitive business that is known for a lot of staffing movement. I never thought that he would turn around his life because he faltered so many times. He was a prime candidate to have a tragic ending because he was so gripped by his addiction. This is a wonderful and uplifting story that should give hope to so many people who are battling their own demons. What is also very inspiring about his success are the generous and supportive people who helped him along the way. He couldn't have done it by himself. As you stated this is a wonderful story.

If he can give us more net presence in the offensive zone then his value increases. The only player who consistently stands his ground around the net is Reinhart. And the prolific goal scorer within a few yards of the net is Skinner. Okposa is probably the most physically suited to be around the net. He shies away from that tough territory. That is disappointing.

Not that long ago there was a WGR segment on the Instigator Show talking about the Larsson and Girgensons line. Andrew Peters made the point that on a good team where games were meaningful throughout the season and most games were usually close their defensive roles that included the penalty kill would be valued. The assessment of that line is mistakenly devalued because in general the team lacked secondary scoring and thus their performances were associated with that team deficiency. If a credible second line can be assembled that would not only take some scoring pressure off of the first line but also push back players playing roles above their talent level into more proper lower line roles the Girgs/Larsson line and roles would be more appreciated and respected.

It would be an unnatural act. Mother Nature would never allow it.

There was a quote in the article that stuck out for me: "The team just doesn't have the right pieces surrounding its talented core." That's why a Risto and/or McCabe deal is so critical. There is still plenty of time to work out a deal or deals before the season or even during the season to reshuffle some of the pieces. If a good deal for Risto can't be consummated then the GM should just keep him and go on from there. There are a number of critical needs. In my view assembling a credible second line is the biggest priority. If a second line center can't be attained then the next possible route is to secure a good winger and put Mitts (who still has a way to go) in a better position to succeed.

Every thing you said makes sense. One of takeaways from this interview is that a Risto deal may not be a one for one deal, although I would prefer it to be. What's obvious is that deals go beyond talent exchanges. What is also linked to these deals is the exchanging of contracts. Very often that's the basis for the trade an that's what makes a lot of deals complicated. Winnipeg is in a much more cap stressed situation than the Sabres. So for them sending out an onerous contract is important to them. If you look at our two recent acquisitions in Miller and Johansson for the teams letting them go it was more about the contracts than a talent exchange.

You are too freaking rigid! Stop being such an inflexible ogre. I'm much more flexible and open-minded to the changing of circumstances. I pride myself on being able to make adjustments on the fly. Even pilots who rely on the auto-pilot have to sometimes take control when the conditions warrant it. There is nothing worse than dealing with an ideologue.

The attached WGR link is a 11 minute segment with Jeff Hamilton from The Winnipeg Free Press. The discussion is about a trade for Risto and what might come back. https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/07-17-jeff-hamilton-winnipeg-free-press-howard-and-jeremy

We fundamentally disagree about the level of talent on last year's roster and where we were in the rebuilding process. The roster that was assembled last year was not good enough to seriously compete for a playoff spot. That's my opinion. This year's roster will be better but I'm not sure that it is a playoff caliber team. We don't need to again go around in circles for another year. The angry mob is tired of the never ending duels.

I'm sticking with Botts. What this organization doesn't need is another starting over. Whether you want to admit to it or not this was a rebuilding job. It takes time. Housley didn't work out. He was fired. But what I will say to you is what I have said all along much to your dismay: The issue that kept this team mired in the muck of mediocrity was an inadequate level of talent. Why am I less despairing than you? Because steadily talent is being added and the younger player are getting better. There is no other way.

I am flexible. The situation is fluid. Let's get the record straight on the ROR deal. From all the information that came out before and soon after it was made clear that he had to be moved. I had no problem with that sentiment, as did you. The GM got what he could. It turned out to be paltry. As I have stated the problem with the deal, especially as time passed, is not that he was dealt but that it was made in desperation which put the GM in a weak position. Compare that to how the Risto situation is being handled? There is no rush, and if a good deal can't be made now it won't be made until a later time. The ROR trade calculations can't completely be made as of right now. Maybe Tage turns out to be a good second or third line goal scorer? Maybe the lower first round draft pick turns out to be a good defensemen? The GM has made the point (maybe a rationalization) that the Skinner deal would not have been made for cap reasons if ROR wasn't dealt? What is stark obvious is that in the short run the ROR deal was an unmitigated disaster. Again, don't be so excitable and trust the process. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not this train is moving in the right direction. It may not be fast enough for you. In that case I say: Tough! There is no other way.

Please calm down. Don't start to freak out before the season has started. I see an impacting Risto and/or McCabe deal being made before the season starts. The GM is smart enough to understand that the owners are getting itchy for results. Trust me, I won't lead you astray.

Why do you have to show ID when you cash out? I can understand why for high stakes gambling and tax reasons but for the small to medium gamblers what is the purpose of being IDed when cashing out?