Latest? What happened now?

Update: Geezus, never mind Kane. What's with the Buffalo area and women.

Correction: What's with the Buffalo area and guys attacking women.
- Glak18

Yeah it's bizarre to say the least. But honestly, I was all about acquiring Kane in his Winnipeg days.

For a guy drafted as a speedy pure scorer, he has never scored 30 even with Tavares around. When not scoring, is limited in other ways.

Don't get me wrong. He is a good player. But not $6M a year, 7 year contract level.
- bmeltzer

In today's market with some guys making 10 mil.....6 isn't far off....perhaps a 25-35 guy or there abouts...as far as the term, at least he's not 30 years old. I actually thought someone would have gone closer to 7 for 7....

Is it me or does Brian Lawton always look like he is high.
- MBFlyerfan

He was drafted too high.

One upon a time maybe, but with the latest allegations against Kane, these players seem to be heading in opposite directions.
- Pelle31Forever

I used to feel Kane got a rough deal in Winnipeg but now he just seems like a guy you don't want on your team. Forget trading Schenn for hm, the only guy I'd swap for Kane now is MacDonald, and only cause Kane has two less years.

So supposedly Kris Russell may receive a contract around 5 mil / 6 years.

Everyone always says he has the stats like AMac. Now he's possibly getting the contract.
- Mononoke

If you're a team after Russell and the asking price is 6 X 5, why not trade a contract you don't want (e.g. Robidas in Toronto) for MacDonald who only has 4 X 5 left?

I certainly enjoyed these signings and our lack of exciting signings. A lot of the teams in the East improved or upgraded but down the road in 3-5 years some of these teams could have some trouble with contracts. I got to listen to Weise phone interview and I'm looking forward to seeing what he brings to our team and who he plays with even. He was thrilled over how our interest in him.

I mean how can you not like the guy already?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq165jYMAkA

I think Philly is gonna like this kid...

If you're a team after Russell and the asking price is 6 X 5, why not trade a contract you don't want (e.g. Robidas in Toronto) for MacDonald who only has 4 X 5 left?
- Feanor

Not sure if hextall wants to deal with that again. But I agree that seems smarter than signing Russell. I'd retain salary too

Soft, one dimensional. Was drafted with vision he would be a 30-35 goal scorer in NHL. Has the size and hands to do it. Yet he has never had as much as a 20-goal season yet. And that is not only because of team/linemates. He plays too much on the perimeter. When he gets to the scoring areas, he scores. Not a two-way player.

That is why the market for him was what it was.
- bmeltzer

I love it when Bill lays the TRUTH on us

When Yuengling says....

"The Sabres have made worse signings"...I consider that a pretty high compliment. I can only imagine how difficult that was to write considering he's answering me.

Some quick thoughts on this and then Ill let you folks enjoy Independence Day in one of the cities this great country started in.

1. When people say "he was playing with Tavares", do they realize hes playing with Eichel now? The two (Eichel and Tavares) had almost identical rookie years and I fully expect Eichel to be as good as Tavares in his career.

2. Ive heard all the pro athletes HATE the Brooklyn set up. I can so see that being a major factor.

3. I'm sure Ill get some blowback for this but.....this city really is turning around. I'm 47 and grew up 10 minutes from "the waterfront". For 40 years I heard what a waste it was..and in the last 3 years its A WORLD OF DIFFERENT. Our downtown (around the arena) is SOOOOOO damn nice now. Some quick info: the city had a deal with BassPro to build where the old Memorial Aud was. The backed out and that became the best thing to ever happen to this city. We hired a planner that took the approach of "baby step, baby step, baby step, baby step."...you CANNOT believe how nice it is around the arena. Condos, apartments, restaurants, water taxis, grain elevator tours, kayaking, concerts....and BEER EVERYWHERE. (yay)


How you folks think of Mr. Snider...is how we will think of Pegula. Hes a saint in this town.


Now make a few deals and get GOOD....I cant think of ANY better banter than the Sabres, the Flyers, and the LEAFS all being good at the same time.


- Ripped Fuel

Did you really just compare Terry Pegula, who has owned the Sabres for a whopping 5 years, to Ed Snider, the man who brought the NHL to Philly and owned them for 50+ years, as well as being one of the most well- respected owners in the history of the NHL?

I'm not saying Pegula is a bad owner or anything. But he has a long way to go to be on Snider's level.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Flyers Sign Two for NHL, Three for AHL
- bmeltzer

Boy, I'm sure glad one guy keeps G from taking as much defensive zone faceoffs. It's not like Couturier and White were ever doing this. G has had to do this because G and White seem to be the only ones strong at the dot. I'm assuming Couturier is over 50% but he's steady defensively, unless the other team gets a quick shot off, it was never that big of a deal. Although one looks back atvthat last Toronto loss where Couturier lost the draw, Leafs score, Coots hurt the next game.

Unless Gordon is exclusively play center, or exclusively take faceoffs, the faceoff thing is not much of a change.

I certainly enjoyed these signings and our lack of exciting signings. A lot of the teams in the East improved or upgraded but down the road in 3-5 years some of these teams could have some trouble with contracts. I got to listen to Weise phone interview and I'm looking forward to seeing what he brings to our team and who he plays with even. He was thrilled over how our interest in him.

I mean how can you not like the guy already?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq165jYMAkA

I think Philly is gonna like this kid...
- WhirlingDervish

This is a whole lot of nothing.

Jimmy Vesey still plans on testing FA, says he wants to explore all of his options. Its gonna be tough to be beat out Toronto and Boston but man would be awesome to get him in Philly.

If you're a team after Russell and the asking price is 6 X 5, why not trade a contract you don't want (e.g. Robidas in Toronto) for MacDonald who only has 4 X 5 left?
- Feanor

Russell is deployed in more offensive roles typically. They aren't the same d man -- they're just similarly overvalued while having very poor advanced stats.

It's like comparing Boedker and Schenn. We see them as possessing many of the same flaws and strengths, but they go about it a bit differently. A team could value one higher than the other. Russell still has more sheen to him, I reckon. His league value, at least to some GMs, is higher than AMac's after the last 2 years. But hey Hexy should give a call -- we can even eat salary.

Soft, one dimensional. Was drafted with vision he would be a 30-35 goal scorer in NHL. Has the size and hands to do it. Yet he has never had as much as a 20-goal season yet. And that is not only because of team/linemates. He plays too much on the perimeter. When he gets to the scoring areas, he scores. Not a two-way player.

That is why the market for him was what it was.
- bmeltzer

Average points scored per game:

Second line offensive savior Mikkel Boedker: 0.49 PPG
No better than third line, piece of poop shut down center Sean Couturier: 0.45 PPG

I do not get the fascination with Flyers fans and media types over Boedker's unimpressive body of work as a NHLer

I used to feel Kane got a rough deal in Winnipeg but now he just seems like a guy you don't want on your team. Forget trading Schenn for hm, the only guy I'd swap for Kane now is MacDonald, and only cause Kane has two less years.
- Feanor

I'm always willing to give a guy the benefit of the doubt, especially when the local media is as vindictive as the Winnipeg guys seemed towards Kane. The thing is, the trouble followed him to Buffalo. At some point a kid needs to grow the Hell up and start avoiding the trouble.

Kane hasn't.

easiest way to explain my thoughts on the Gordon signing is like this:

It feels like we signed the C/RW version of Nick Schultz. schultz has obviously shown some value to the team, although it's debatable what that value is. I think Gordon can help out Giroux in the same way Schultz can help out Ghost. Either way I have doubts as to how much better it makes the team and really it just doesn't fit with what I would like the team to look like
- YuenglingJagr

Cool, he's only signed for one season. It was an important signing.

Boy, I'm sure glad one guy keeps G from taking as much defensive zone faceoffs. It's not like Couturier and White were ever doing this. G has had to do this because G and White seem to be the only ones strong at the dot. I'm assuming Couturier is over 50% but he's steady defensively, unless the other team gets a quick shot off, it was never that big of a deal. Although one looks back atvthat last Toronto loss where Couturier lost the draw, Leafs score, Coots hurt the next game.

Unless Gordon is exclusively play center, or exclusively take faceoffs, the faceoff thing is not much of a change.
- roenick97

It's a significant change. There are two faceoff dots on the ice in each defensive zone. So you ideally want a LH and a RH faceoff guy for D zone draws. Couturier is LH, and Giroux is RH. Adding Gordon as a faceoff guy, who is also RH, takes some of the load off of Giroux. The Flyers were wearing Giroux down, and limiting his effectiveness, by having to use him so much on D zone draws.

It's a significant change. There are two faceoff dots on the ice in each defensive zone. So you ideally want a LH and a RH faceoff guy for D zone draws. Couturier is LH, and Giroux is RH. Adding Gordon as a faceoff guy, who is also RH, takes some of the load off of Giroux. The Flyers were wearing Giroux down, and limiting his effectiveness, by having to use him so much on D zone draws.
- MJL

White was right handed too, right?

Jimmy Vesey still plans on testing FA, says he wants to explore all of his options. Its gonna be tough to be beat out Toronto and Boston but man would be awesome to get him in Philly.
- flyerfan28

I've read around the other blogs here and supposedly Chicago is also tied with him. Rangers fans also think they are saving a spot in hopes of landin him

White was right handed too, right?
- roenick97

Yes he was, but not remotely as good as Gordon is on faceoffs.

36 adults, 16 hooligans under 8 years old
6 cases of beer
2 gallons of homemade hard lemonade
11 of the best fried chicken on the planet
Gonna be rained out
F U nature

Yes he was, but not remotely as good as Gordon is on faceoffs.
- MJL

White was pretty good at the dot.
I was always surprised by that.
Wish they would have kept him somehow.
A guy that can play wing and win 53+% of his draws is kind of nice

White was pretty good at the dot.
I was always surprised by that.
Wish they would have kept him somehow.
A guy that can play wing and win 53+% of his draws is kind of nice
- nails

Ryan White won 46% of his defensive zone draws last season. Gordon won 58%

Ryan White won 46% of his defensive zone draws last season. Gordon won 58%
- MJL

Yeah, that further down the stats rabbit hOle than I can deal with right now.
I swear he was +50% on the season.
Maybe that was the year before. Either way, that means his o zone draws were through the roof.
We miss used him!

Now with Demers signing to a pretty solid deal, Florida has really turned their d corps into a potential monster.

Yandle-Ekblad
Matheson-Demers
Pysyk-Petrovic


Hot damn. Praise to the new nerds.