Nick's Degrees Of Separation (blue jax)

blue jax

Nick's Degrees Of Separation

By GARTH'S CORNER

Apr 9, 2015 • 7:06 am

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And then there were two. Games remaining in Buffalo's season from hell, that is.

The Arizona Coyotes didn’t do the Buffalo Sabres any favors by losing in regulation to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. The magic number for the Sabres to clinch #1 seed in the TankDavid Chase is still two points. Be it a Sabres regulation loss or a Coyotes regulation win. Two points. The margin is tight. It’s so tight that it’s squeaking.

They blew a glorious chance to close the show when they beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on home ice on Monday night. Ted Nolan gave his squad the day off on Tuesday. The Sabres went back to work on Wednesday morning. They are idle until they play the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Friday night. It goes without saying that Friday night’s matchup in CBUS is a must-lose game. The Sabres-Blue Jax game is a meaningless game. It will likely have the same tempo and urgency level as Monday night’s no-hitter between the Sabers and Hurricanes. Someone has to win, right? Why not concede the two points to Columbus who have had their own frustrations, fury and follies this season. After a dismal beginning and middle portion to their season, the Jax have poured it on lately. They are 10-0-1 in their past ten games and would like to end their season on a high note. They will rout the hapless Maple Leafs tonight.

I dub Blue Jackets leading scorer Nick Foligno “Tank Valet….

I am entrusting Foligno with the task of parking the Buffalo tank, once and for all. Not only will Foligno park the tank, he will also throw away the keys.

Why Foligno? He’s the perfect candidate.

• He’s a Buffalo kid. He knows firsthand the angst that Buffalo Sabres and Bills fans have endured over the years with “Wide Right…, “No Goal…, “Music City Miracle…. • He’s the oldest son of former Buffalo Sabres captain Mike Foligno. • He’s older brother to Sabres power forward Marcus Foligno. • Nick still has friends and family in his hometown. • Foligno is the Jax leading scorer. He has 30 goals and 41 assists in 76 games played. • He has a four game scoring streak in which he has scored 4 goals and 2 assists. He potted his first career hat trick against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. • Foligno was the 28th overall pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2005.

Foligno’s former Ottawa Senators (95) club is in a fight for their playoff lives right now. He can help them to squeak into the playoffs by defeating the Sabres and then defeating the NY Islanders (98 points) on Saturday night.

The Islanders will play at Penguins (96 points) on Thursday night and will host the Blue Jax on Saturday night in the season finale. If they fail to gain another point in the standings, the Isles will miss the playoffs, assuming that the Bruins (95 points) earn four points in their next three games; the Penguins earn three points in their next two games; and Senators win their two remaining games against the Rangers and Flyers.

Foligno would be the hero in both Buffalo and Ottawa is he and his Blue Jax win their three remaining games.

Firstly, the Buffalo Sabres would receive NYI’s first round draft pick in the 4/18 NHL Draft Lottery. The Sabres would hold a 1 in 15,000 chance of landing both Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel with the first and second overall picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Secondly, the Ottawa Senators would make the playoffs.

Before you poo-poo Foligno’s soft spot for Buffalo, I want you to reflect back to the NHL All Star Game Draft. Eastern team captain Foligno selected Buffalo’s Latvian Locomotive Zemgus Girgensons to play on his squad.

Nick Foligno is a closet Buffalo fan.

Stranger things have happened!

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The fall out from the NY Islanders 5-4 heartbreaking loss to Philly on Tuesday night presents a glorious opportunity for the Buffalo Sabres today.

Its a long shot, however, there is a scenario where the Buffalo Sabres can select Connor McDavid AND Jack Eichel in the June NHL Draft.

Here's how:

* The Sabres finish in 30th place in the NHL standings (need one more loss in final two games). * The NY Islanders miss the playoffs by losing their two remaining games * The NY Islanders then enter and win the lottery * The Islanders' 2015 first round draft pick now belongs to Buffalo * Tim Murray will select first and second in the June NHL Entry Draft.

@IneffectiveMath says that there is a 1 in 15,000 chance for the Sabres to take possession of not only the second overall pick, but the first overall pick as well.

The odds are better than buying a lottery ticket.

So, you're saying there's a chance.

Right?

*Fingers crossed*

SabresNation chanting in unison:

"LOSE ISLANDERS LOSE!!!!!"

________________________________________________________________________

Speaking of McDavid, he joined my friends in hockey Andrew Peters and Matthew Coller on Sabres Hockey Hotline on Wednesday morning.

McDavid spoke openly, confidently and candidly about several topics including:

@cmcdavid97 on his fellow gold medal winningTeam Canada teammate Sam Reinhart:

"His hockey IQ is off the charts"; "He is unbelievable"

Thanks, WGR550

I will be in Erie on Thursady night for Game 1 of round two of the OHL playoffs that will pit two high octane rocket ships against one another in the Erie Otters and London Knight!

Connor McDavid, Dylan Strome, Remie Elie, Alex DeBrincat and the Otters will have to outscore Mitch Marner, Max Domi, and the Knights.

I can't wait!

________________________________________________________________________

News broke Wednesday morning that Erie Otters owner and GM Sherry Bassin has filed for bankruptcy protection for his Erie Otters.

Will this filing have a direct negative impact on the Otters as they attempt to win a Memorial Cup this season?

No. In fact, this filing will have a long term positive effect on the franchise.

Here's why:

Bassin filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to prevent Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz from forcing a sale to get a $4.6 million loan paid immediately.

By filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection now, Otters owner Bassin can operate the team business as usual and continue to vet potential owners and sale attempts without losing control of the franchise.

Read more here:

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