JohnC

Are you advising Plezmd1 to break his ankle to get some relief from his allergies? https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=movie+scene+with+breaking+ankle+&view=detail&mid=9C5E77B4328F22AC19B69C5E77B4328F22AC19B6&FORM=VIRE

Even at this late stage in his career he is a good pass blocker and can adeptly pick up the blitz. He is still top tier as a receiver. On the other hand he is not a ghost who can magically go through a nonexistent hole or seam. Hopefully, with an upgraded line he will have some room to work with. I see him being used as much as an outlet receiver as he will be as a runner.

Do you know what the definition of gobbledygook is? https://www.dictionary.com/browse/gobbledygook

For a fat guy he has small boobs.

He should connect with Krueger, the Sabres new coach. That's the coach's specialty.

Where did you hear about the story of the conflict of Cal and Nylander? I'm not saying you are wrong or your instincts are off kilter. It's just I never heard about that story.

It is not surprising that a veteran AHL player be moved in order for better and younger prospects be given more playing time. Player development is more of a priority than team standings. At this stage of his hockey career Cal was an entrenched minor league lifer. And as far as how the O'Reilly's treated Nylander I can't comment because I have no knowledge of that situation. You bring up an interesting issue regarding Nylander and some of the other young prospects in the system. If Krueger who is known for adeptness in working with young players can accelerate their development then his value to the organization is even higher.

What is self-evident is that you are making up stuff based on your own ugly bias. The GM wanted to change the mix in the room and roster for a losing team. He was determined not to maintain the status quo for a flagging team. So he dealt one of his better players who "privately" expressed his frustration and unhappiness. You act as if ROR acted seditiously when he candidly expressed his feelings. He was honest about how he felt. Are you saying that he should have insincerely proclaim his devotion and happiness to a lost cause? What do you think exit interviews are for? To not be candid? The GM is not a dope. He knew that what he got in return was not an even deal. I'm not criticizing him for it because sometimes when making a deal you are not in a position of strength. So he got what he could get. In the short term this deal set this team back. But without this deal does the GM deal for Skinner knowing that in the next year he will have to offer him a bonanza contract to keep him? Probably not. And who knows maybe in the not too distant future Tage turns into a consistent 20-25 goal scorer? And maybe with the extra first round pick it can used to acquire a very good player as the extra first round pick in the Kane deal was used to acquire Montour? In the NHL it's not unusual for good players to be moved for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is instigated by the players and more often it is instigated by the teams. It happens in all pro sports. You just have to deal with it as best as you can and then move on. You act as if it is a moral cataclysm unique to the Sabres. It's not. It's simply an inescapable part of the business.

The issue of fraudulence relates to you saying that he didn't give effort and work hard in his preparations. I asked you to cite an example where the organization or other players made that scathing claim. You have not cited one example. I'm still waiting.

That's so sad. What's most disturbing about the example you cite is the holes punched into the walls. As you stated kids deserve a better environment and chance for success.

I always had prurient thoughts about you when people accused you of being a freak. Now I'm disappointed knowing that they were referring to your neat fetish.

Human beings are not machines. They have emotions and feelings. You bring up this fraudulent issue that he didn't give maximum effort on the ice. I challenge you to find any mention by the organization or other players on his team who criticized him for lack of effort during the games and in preparation for games. You are creating a vicious personal fiction based on nothing but your own prejudices. The losing and future prospects for the team was getting to him. So he expressed his true feelings. Where is the malignant behavior that you attribute to him? He was honest how he felt. Did you want him to lie and give a dishonest response at the exit interview? It's not unusual that in all pro sports that it is best for players and teams to execute a departure.

Krueger shows his cerebral superiority to all the HCs and GMs in the league. He is type of person who could give an economic presentation at Davos with no notes and end with him getting a standing ovation from the well credentialed crowd.

It's not about this group as it is adding to this group. If the GM doesn't add some required pieces to the roster he will not be fully utilizing the talents of this smart coach. I'm not talking about bringing in elite players who will probably be unattainable. I'm talking about bringing in a some good players who play right and elevate the play of the others. My sense of this new coach is that he is not going to tolerate repeated mistakes by the same players. He is going to be more willing to yank players and reduce playing time to players who continue to lag.

On the radio these guys aren't the smoothest but they do have good chemistry in the booth. There are times when Rivet is simply not in the mood to talk and then Peters knows how to cajole him back into the conversation. I also like Marty Biron when he is added to the mix. Marty has such an engaging personality that when he is being ribbed he is able to maintain his charming composure and keep going on while facing the onslaught. You can tell that these guys genuinely like each other. Although Marty is very talkative he is an excellent analyst and is knowledgeable about the players in the league. So is Rivet and to a lesser extent is Peters.

It's agreed that the Sabres were one of the worst teams in the league when ROR was here. But that doesn't mean that he was a reason for its ineptitude. He played on a team that lacked talent. He's not a miracle man. Jack Eichel played on the same wretched team. Does that mean that he was the reason why the team was bad or is a reflection on his talent level? Your logic is oddly illogical. ROR never admitted that he didn't give full effort last year. Where did you come up with that distorted assessment? He stated that he lost his passion for the game. And that was because of the constant losing and the unlikely near term avenue to succeed for this bedraggled team. It may be surprising to you but most people do understand that constant losing can suck the juice out of the most committed competitors. My standards are high enough to allow me to understand that not liking a player shouldn't prejudice me to the point where I can't fairly judge how a player actually plays. Your assessment of him as a player is not only way off the mark but it is simply zany.

You can describe him in any way you want as a person. That's your business. But regardless what you think of him and how he handled himself in Buffalo he is one of the best two way players in the league now and when he played in Buffalo. His both ends of the ice style of play makes him a perfectly suited second center on even the best teams in the league. You may be reluctant to admit it but he is one of the primary reasons why the Blues are in the Stanley Cup Championship series. There were more than on ice reasons why he was traded. Whatever negative view you have of him as a person to most people who follow the game it's obvious that his departure created a major void on the roster. And after a season this organization is still trying to fill that void. ROR had a drunken driving episode. He owned up to that miscue. You act as if because of that incident that he is a perpetual scourge on the community. You are being ridiculous.

Did someone in the crowd throw you a bra? What cup size was it? Did it fit?

The only time I feel the necessity to shout is when dealing with Plezmd1. He is a hard head and is not always receptive to my reasoning. I continue to work on him but he is exhausting. I'm really excited with the new coach. I'm hoping that the GM adds to the roster and gives him a chance to compete and succeed. This was a very smart and bold hire.

I simply don't have a declarative judgment on the trade right now. I will give you a more declarative statement after the offseason when the GM has made some deals (hopefully) to improve the roster. As I stated in the prior post the Kane deal looks better after Montour was traded for during the season. And if the GM is able to assemble a genuine second line then the deal of ROR won't look so bad. If the St. Louis first round pick is used in a deal to upgrade the roster then that would make the deal less uneven than it currently appears to be. And if Tage develops in the not too distant future then the trade balance becomes better. If you want to make a conclusive judgment on the deal right now then that is your prerogative. I'm not going to do that because for me the calculating is still not concluded. My view is not inconsistent. The Montour deal made much later after the Kane deal improved the return. Using the same reasoning the ROR deal can't be finally determined until we see what transpires before the next season begins. Note: As with other posts I am having problems with the highlighting function. I apologize for what seems to be shouting. That is not my intention.

Entering the third year a receiver, or any player at any position for that matter, should be in a position to demonstrate an ability to play or not. Our OL should be improved, the qb play should be improved and a solid running game should also help in the passing game. Zay Jones is not a #1 receiver, and never will be. What I believe him to be is a possible #2 or more likely a solid #3. With the additions of Cole Beasly and John Brown added to the unit I don't see Zay drawing double coverage. I think that Zay is going to put up some respectable numbers this season and be a contributor. I'm expecting a solid to good season from Zay.

No one disagrees that at this current point the trade has been a disaster. But what Shrader and I are saying is that the final assessment can't be made until later when the tally is more complete. How do you know that the later first round pick acquired in the deal isn't used for a trade deal that brings us a second line player? How do you know that the cap saving from the departure of ROR doesn't result in us bringing in additional players this offseason? None of us here know what fully happened in the ROR situation? Is there more to the story about his relationship with the other players and staff that made it an imperative to deal him? It's not unusual that deals are made more for internal reasons that little to do with talent metrics. Is this such a case? Possibly. If you want to make a declarative judgment on the deal that is your prerogative. I'm going to wait to see what transactions happen this offseason before I come to a conclusion. With respect to the Kane deal that later brought us Montour I am more than happy with that deal. That deal demonstrates that you can't immediately judge a deal until the assets that came are actually utilized, as it was in this case.

I agree with you that it is a risky proposition to prematurely evaluate trades. As you noted sometimes the full tally doesn't come in until more time goes by. What I can say about the trade of ROR is that it will be very damaging if our GM doesn't make some deals this offseason to assemble a genuine second line, including a second line center. It's too early to determine whether Mittelstadt can become a second line center. I believe he will be. But when? I'm confident that he will improve next season but not sure it will be to the point of earning a second center role. With respect to Tage it is not unusual for a tall and lean young prospect to struggle until he physically matures. From a physical standpoint he still has a way to go. It appears that ROR got tired of the losing and didn't see much hope in the near future. My fear is that if this steady losing continues it will create a climate where our young core will end up with the same demoralizing attitude and also want out. Fortunately, the Sabres hired a HC who is a master at instilling a positive attitude in his players. The GM has to be aggressive in addressing the talent deficit and give the coach a reasonable chance to succeed.

I don't think that Tony Robbins is going to be the answer. Because he is currently entangled with his own issues he won't be available to the hockey world. https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/celebrity/four-new-women-accuse-tony-robbins-of-sexual-misconduct-in-buzzfeed-news-investigation/ar-AABNvBe?ocid=spartandhp

The below link is a WGR column written by Paul Hamilton on Rasmus Asplund. Either sometime next year or the following season I see him making the roster and being a third or fourth line center. The greater number of young players who make the roster the more cap room for free agent and traded for players. https://wgr550.radio.com/articles/news/sabres-asplund-thinks-hes-ready-live-his-nhl-dream