GARTH'S CORNER: McDavid Mania Sweeping Buffalo

Hockeybuzz is becoming Sabresbuzz.

This is the third Sabres based blog in the last hour.

Apparently for the Sabres, being bad is good. Or at least it gets people talking.

Hockeybuzz is becoming Sabresbuzz.

This is the third Sabres based blog in the last hour.

Apparently for the Sabres, being bad is good. Or at least it gets people talking.
- The Don

NHL-esque news in August will do that.

Florida picks first next year... book it.

Florida picks first next year... book it.
- TheMussel

Why? NHL will not give them a #1 again are you kidding...they will decide which bottom 5 team will get the #1 pick and that team will be whatever team the NHL can profit the most from...

Why? NHL will not give them a #1 again are you kidding...they will decide which bottom 5 team will get the #1 pick and that team will be whatever team the NHL can profit the most from...
- keithl5633

Don't forget the NHL is a business...what you suggest could be equivalent to insider trading on wall street or fixing fights in boxing. It comes down to the lottery which is televised, odds are shown prior to mixing all the balls together. The winning team shown in plain view.

I am a sabres fan and hoping for top 2 next year, but never have I thought it is fixed. Remember, Edmonton got all those picks in a row. It is just luck.

Don't forget the NHL is a business...what you suggest could be equivalent to insider trading on wall street or fixing fights in boxing. It comes down to the lottery which is televised, odds are shown prior to mixing all the balls together. The winning team shown in plain view.

I am a sabres fan and hoping for top 2 next year, but never have I thought it is fixed. Remember, Edmonton got all those picks in a row. It is just luck.
- badgermilk

Not sure what lottery you've watched, but the draws are never held in plain sight, just envelopes being opened with the results.

That's not to say I believe in the tin-foil hattery, but it's no open to the public thing.

Not sure what lottery you've watched, but the draws are never held in plain sight, just envelopes being opened with the results.

That's not to say I believe in the tin-foil hattery, but it's no open to the public thing.
- stashu

It is pretty ridiculous that they don't draw the balls on live TV. The card thing is completely unwatchable and only makes the whole thing look completely rigged. How have they not figured this out yet?

This should be called tempering ... the guy is playing an OHL game and the team that wants to tank and get him wants to host HIS team.... I though the sabers were becoming the new oilers but I was mistaking ... they are far worst ...

I wish for you fan base that you win no games this year at home ... No team should hope to finish dead last in their conference. Every season the only thing they should think about is Icing a product that hopes to make the playoffs ...

Even better ... team in the east should make sure to lose a couple of games to them so they finish 9th ...

This should be called tempering ... the guy is playing an OHL game and the team that wants to tank and get him wants to host HIS team.... I though the sabers were becoming the new oilers but I was mistaking ... they are far worst ...

I wish for you fan base that you win no games this year at home ... No team should hope to finish dead last in their conference. Every season the only thing they should think about is Icing a product that hopes to make the playoffs ...

Even better ... team in the east should make sure to lose a couple of games to them so they finish 9th ...
- Hemeros

So do you want the Sabres* to win games or lose games?

And how is it tampering? My high school team played in a USHL arena. Is that tampering to get players on that team to sign there? Use that thing between your ears before typing.

So do you want the Sabres* to win games or lose games?

And how is it tampering? My high school team played in a USHL arena. Is that tampering to get players on that team to sign there? Use that thing between your ears before typing.
- SDSabre

There is a big difference between your lowly High school and OHL my friend. The next step here for them is the NHL ...

Basic mind set is why the hell are you guys thinking of tanking this year? ... Personnaly I would love to see the SAbers finish 9th or 10th ... and let the Leafs have Mcdavid ... at least he will play for a real organisation needing star power ... thats right .. A Canadiens fans that wants to see the Leafs getting something before the Sabers ...

To think that they were my team in the past ... with Briere and Pommer ...

There is a big difference between your lowly High school and OHL my friend. The next step here for them is the NHL ...

Basic mind set is why the hell are you guys thinking of tanking this year? ... Personnaly I would love to see the SAbers finish 9th or 10th ... and let the Leafs have Mcdavid ... at least he will play for a real organisation needing star power ... thats right .. A Canadiens fans that wants to see the Leafs getting something before the Sabers ...

To think that they were my team in the past ... with Briere and Pommer ...
- Hemeros

K you missed my point entirely 'buddy'. Do you really think I was comparing myself and my high school to a generational talent like McDavid? All I was saying that it isn't tampering like you said, because they can't "entice" or show any love to get McDavid there. It is simply to reward all the kids on both OHL teams to play in an NHL arena while the Sabres* aren't there. What's so malicious or conniving about that?

And what's an organisation? I think you mean organization. It's also Sabres, not sabers. You think you would know this seeing as they were "your team in the past"
Like I said, use the brain

K you missed my point entirely 'buddy'. Do you really think I was comparing myself and my high school to a generational talent like McDavid? All I was saying that it isn't tampering like you said, because they can't "entice" or show any love to get McDavid there. It is simply to reward all the kids on both OHL teams to play in an NHL arena while the Sabres* aren't there. What's so malicious or conniving about that?

And what's an organisation? I think you mean organization. It's also Sabres, not sabers. You think you would know this seeing as they were "your team in the past"
Like I said, use the brain
- SDSabre

He's Canadian, they spell some words differently....hence organisation. To him, you're wrong.

Stop with the personal insults

He's Canadian, they spell some words differently....hence organisation. To him, you're wrong.

Stop with the personal insults
- stashu

Makes sense, and I apologize and am wrong. There's just no tampering that's being done. That was my point.

Makes sense, and I apologize and am wrong. There's just no tampering that's being done. That was my point.
- SDSabre

That's fine, just realize there are other cultures.

I agree though on the tampering. If they weren't playing a local team, then maybe it would be fishy, but you also can't tamper in this case since the kid has to go through a draft, so even if the Sabres paid him millions of dollars, it doesn't mean anything since another team is likely to draft him.

There is a big difference between your lowly High school and OHL my friend. The next step here for them is the NHL ...

Basic mind set is why the hell are you guys thinking of tanking this year? ... Personnaly I would love to see the SAbers finish 9th or 10th ... and let the Leafs have Mcdavid ... at least he will play for a real organisation needing star power ... thats right .. A Canadiens fans that wants to see the Leafs getting something before the Sabers ...

To think that they were my team in the past ... with Briere and Pommer ...
- Hemeros

So how does hosting an OHL team for a game change or alter the chances of a ping pong ball falling for that host team?

According to capgeek, the sabres are only about 2mil apart from the Habs in salary next year.

If Buffalo really wanted to tank they would have paid Brooks Orpik 5mil a year instead of Matt Moulson.

That's fine, just realize there are other cultures.

I agree though on the tampering. If they weren't playing a local team, then maybe it would be fishy, but you also can't tamper in this case since the kid has to go through a draft, so even if the Sabres paid him millions of dollars, it doesn't mean anything since another team is likely to draft him.
- stashu

Exactly. I don't know for certain, but it wouldn't surprise me if other CHL teams played in the NHL arenas in Canada on occasion. It's not tampering then, because like you said they have to go through the draft process.

He's Canadian, they spell some words differently....hence organisation. To him, you're wrong.

Stop with the personal insults
- stashu

Canadians spell organization the same as Americans . He just made a mistake , like tempering . It is all jibberish anyways . The real reason for the game is to get interest up in Major A hockey in Buffalo . Pegula is thinking about purchasing a Major A team . This way he sees if it has a chance of working in the market .

How is it manipulating McDavid anyways ? . Not like we can sign him to a contract before the draft under some secret clause that says we can sign him if he plays in our arena . I guess we are tampering with all the US prospects as well because USA hockey is having their prospects game here.

Canadians spell organization the same as Americans . He just made a mistake , like tempering . It is all jibberish anyways . The real reason for the game is to get interest up in Major A hockey in Buffalo . Pegula is thinking about purchasing a Major A team . This way he sees if it has a chance of working in the market .

How is it manipulating McDavid anyways ? . Not like we can sign him to a contract before the draft under some secret clause that says we can sign him if he plays in our arena . I guess we are tampering with all the US prospects as well because USA hockey is having their prospects game here.
- Maximum Signal

Gotcha. I just know "organisation" is a legit word so chalked it up to crazy canuck language.

This should be called tempering ... the guy is playing an OHL game and the team that wants to tank and get him wants to host HIS team.... I though the sabers were becoming the new oilers but I was mistaking ... they are far worst ...

I wish for you fan base that you win no games this year at home ... No team should hope to finish dead last in their conference. Every season the only thing they should think about is Icing a product that hopes to make the playoffs ...

Even better ... team in the east should make sure to lose a couple of games to them so they finish 9th ...
- Hemeros

1) It is in no way tampering, considering there's a lottery-based draft.

2) Considering we got one of your top defensemen (arguably 3rd best) and signed your Captain, I think the tanking accusation for next season is a bit absurd. We cleared out our old core players that weren't working for us, which is our right

3) Then you go on to promote something that actually IS collusion as your remedy for your bad feelings about the organization.

Other than that, great post.

1) It is in no way tampering, considering there's a lottery-based draft.

2) Considering we got one of your top defensemen (arguably 3rd best) and signed your Captain, I think the tanking accusation for next season is a bit absurd. We cleared out our old core players that weren't working for us, which is our right

3) Then you go on to promote something that actually IS collusion as your remedy for your bad feelings about the organization.

Other than that, great post.
- nfph

there you go again...making perfect sense...are you familiar with a band called Talking Heads and their live album?

there you go again...making perfect sense...are you familiar with a band called Talking Heads and their live album?
- Michael Pachla

Top 5

Gotcha. I just know "organisation" is a legit word so chalked it up to crazy canuck language.
- stashu

British and Australian spelling.

Not going to lie but I love all this stuff pegula is doing and I think the new owners need to be doing similar things as the whole goal of this seems to me to get future players to sign there. No these jr players can't avoid the draft and just sign but they get a good experience with the organization and when they hit f/a or do what Hayes just did then those players are going to have that organization in the back of their heads ! It's going to draw more hockey talent to the city and that's smart now I'm not sure how we'll all this would work in nj as they are two completely different markets but I hope something similar can be accomplished

Not going to lie but I love all this stuff pegula is doing and I think the new owners need to be doing similar things as the whole goal of this seems to me to get future players to sign there. No these jr players can't avoid the draft and just sign but they get a good experience with the organization and when they hit f/a or do what Hayes just did then those players are going to have that organization in the back of their heads ! It's going to draw more hockey talent to the city and that's smart now I'm not sure how we'll all this would work in nj as they are two completely different markets but I hope something similar can be accomplished
- blizzzard

Thanks for this . Maybe all owners should take the initiative like Mr Pegula to grow the game they make money off.