See I disagree with you. Yes they can skate with others teams in the league for alittle bit but unfortunately the problem with this team and has been with this squad is they can't put together a full 60 minute game. They are too inconsistent and it has been like this for awhile now. Plus this team isn't as talented as the 06-07 team that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Washington is inconsistent. The only team Buffalo almost can't beat is Philly. One really bad match-up isn't a good enough reason to give up on the playoffs, even if it is the team they'll probably see 1st rd.. I guess the extreme parity hasn't set in for many fans, but now more than ever, anything really can happen once the playoffs start. No team gives up when they are that close in the race, and Buffalo shouldn't be any different. Trading our UFAs won't amount to maybe a grand total of two 2nd rd picks (TC and Monty), a 5th and a 6th (Grier and Nieds). That's not future changing stuff there.

At this point... You keep Timmy and try and add any depth you can at C... and seeing as it has been stated that we won't be in the rental business... we need to start looking at what might else maybe available in the C market outside the top names...

Question - if there is a slug on another team... we will call him Tommy Slug... and Slug was a heck of a player a few years ago, signed a huge deal and ended up being hurt or playing, well like a Slug... can a player restructure a deal? If the team wants to trade a player based on a restructured deal, is that allowed? Not that Tommy Slug would want to take less money, but maybe to get off a non play-off team or change of scenery, maybe he would restructure, if it was allowed.... but im not sure if it is...

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I say trade Hecht and Connolly to any team packaged together if possible. I would also love Stastny and Liles brought in from Colorado. It would be awesome to have two players who played with Miller in the olympics. I think in order to get them two you give up Sekera/Adams/Marcari/1st rounder/2nd rounder and something more not sure what else we have of value that we wouldn't want to lose. I guess we could also use whatever we get for TC and Hecht if we do decide to trade them. Mark Mancari is third in the AHL in points so even though he has never worked well here he has to have some value you would think.

They are not a well conditioned team. No team can bring it for 60 minutes, don't take those quotes so literally. Every team goes hard in spurts, the Sabres spurts are shorter and less sustainable due to a lack of conditioning, stature, and/or heart.

However, they are getting stronger, there are many positive signs starting with their attentive defensive zone coverage. Their back check used to be a joke, it's somewhat respectable now. This teams got potential this season, it will be very interesting to watch how much better they can get.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

Does the acquisition of Brad Boyes from the Blues take us out of the running for Richards and/or Stastny, or is Darcy Regier about to do something big to get them?

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Let's go Buffalo!

Buffalo will have to mortage alot to get Richards or Stastny! Dallas wanted Brayden Schenn and picks for Richards. I would have told them hell no to Dallas.

last i heard, richards was potentially going to the rags

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Do we have the right players in Portland in the way forward? Probably not. If your owner intends to win several Stanley Cup championships over several years here and the players in the system are not the answer, then it is time to move some bodies out. Gerbe and Mancari are the first to leave. Several others will be joining them.

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Let's go Buffalo!

And who's fault is that for not drafting forwards? They are loaded with defensive prospects. Gerbe and Mancari aren't going to fetch you much!

Sabres forward prospects >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sabres defensive prospects.

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mechaphil

We have drafted forwards. The problem is drafting guys of small size and not scoring up to their potential in reasonable time.

If toy claim we have several defensive prospects, might as well sell some of them to a defense starving team with a glut of forwards.

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Let's go Buffalo!

Kassian? Foligno? Adam?

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Wheelhouse

We will need to split with a good player from Portland.

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Let's go Buffalo!

buffalo, apparently DID inquire about foligno.

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Want to add another Foligno to the Sabres? Call Ottawa.

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Let's go Buffalo!

Any trade for Richards (who has a no movement clause) for a team that's not a Cup Contender ... and any team desperate for Richards isn't likely a Cup Contender is a bad trade. Unless you're team like Pittsburgh who's lost both top centers or something like this.

I'm sure Dallas wanted to trade him, and I'm sure Richards wouldn't move his trade clause...why would he just to play for a a team he'll not likely play for after 2 months?


BTW...why are the Rangers seemingly always the team a players is rumored to want to play for...they've been a mess since about 1995.

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If your having goal problems, I feel bad for ya son....we got 99 problems but Vanek ain't one!

The Rangers have been problematic since Neil Smith was their general manager. Sather succeeded him hoping to duplicate the success with the Oilers. They can make playoffs, but an all star lineup that underperforms at the end and limits your cap is not the best direction.

I will make an interesting observation about the Rangers. Neil Smith owns the Rangers and Flyers' ECHL affiliate Greenville Road Warriors in South Carolina, formerly the Johnston Chiefs. The Road Warriors' goaltender Cam Talbot was called up to bakcup Lundqvist against the Sabres, making him the first NHL callup from the Road Warriors.

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Let's go Buffalo!

The Rangers have always had a bottomless well of money to spend, and a very straight forward way of building their team. They see a player or groups of players that they want, and they simply buy them no matter the cost. They wanted to try and resurrect the Oilers so they got Gretzky and all of his friends, they even got Kurri. They tried to grab up all the Penguins, and that mostly failed. They wanted to be the Blackhawks too. They got into a bidding war for Holik, and they paid him a fortune. Even after the lockout they haven't changed much. Drury, seven million, no problem. Jagr, Gaborik, you name it. They just have always aimed high without compromise, no matter the cost. It could be that they have an owner who simply insists on having a nicer car than his neighbor, no matter what. Or it could be that their GM's are just using their full resources, or both.

Back in the day they used to do things differently, they drafted a lot of great players like Zubov and Leetch.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

The rumor that he's waive his no movement clause for the Rangers no seems to be a fabrication at this point. I think that Richards is smart enough to realize that going to the Rangers is a career killer. I mean look what they did to Drury and a number of other good players. I mean is Drury the type of player to just fall off a cliff like he did?

The only thing that the Rags have over the Sabres is that they play in Madison Square Garden and are in NYC....that doesn't seem to go well with star players who take the big check they offer to any name in the league.

Now that's a big thing to have over just about every other team not in or Near NYC, LA, Chicago, etc....but to go from hero to pariah in the tip of a hat...who would want that? I mean what's so f'n special about the Rangers as a franchise other than their location.

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If your having goal problems, I feel bad for ya son....we got 99 problems but Vanek ain't one!