TropicalFruitGirl26

Jake McCabe set the market!

So far, many of these predictions ARE wrong (as per your title...hehe), but I gotta tell ya, Yave...I admire the sheer testicular fortitude it takes to put something out there like this! I can always count on 'true to feelings' stuff from you. No regurgitated 'insider' crap, or processed podcast canned meat from you....no sir! Only authentic, organic, vitamins n minerals postings from you! As always, thank you for your voicing of opinions!

Since the Sabres don't look like they will be making the playoffs, I think they did absolutely wonderfully in that trade. Sure, Mittelstadt is having a career year (or close to it....would have to look more closely at the numbers), but how many times have the Sabres given "the ball" to Mittel, and he hasn't lived up to it yet? Your team did what most GM's SHOULD do.... trade away a still good player when he is on a 'high', like Mittelstadt is, if he has shown in the past that he is inconsistent at best. And when the return is a potential steal in Bown Byram, well now....like I said...Sabres did wonderfully. Dahlin, Power, Byram. Those are three very, very dynamic type defenseman who are still very young, and while Dahlin is obviously the most NHL established of the three, once the other two learn to be true NHL'ers, the Sabres will have a very dangerous potential for offense comeing from that blue line to support the forward lines. If those three young players can do well as part of the Buffalo defensive core, then all the Sabres would need to do is find established stay at home type defensemen (easier to acquire than dynamic puck movers like those guys), to compliment those young players. But I even think those three young players can be more than just offensive types. All three can turn out to be very good two way players. If that happens, then this is a landslide win of a trade for the Sabres.....and Atlantic division rivals will have nightmares trying to contain the Buffalo top six AND attacks from the blue line, while having trouble getting through the neutral zone past those guys as well. Not making the playoffs sucks for your team, I get it, and the regression is disappointing, but I think the team has done very well in trying to reset things moving forward again for next season, and having Byram in there with the two young blueliners you already have helps give optimism.

Sabres at Maple Leafs on at the moment. Buffalo isn't making the playoffs, however, they did trade away their leading scorer, Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche earlier today (getting back Bowan Byram....nicely done BTW, Buffalo...), so I am interested to see if the Sabres suddenly get "revitalized" after trading away one of the players that has been with them for a long while. Amazing how that works, eh? A coach gets fired, or a popular/long time player gets traded away....THEN all of a sudden, the team gets rejuvenated somehow and they start winning (even if only in the short term as is the case most of the time). Still makes you wonder: Where the H-E- double hockey sticks was all that "energy, jump, and gusto" BEFORE the freakin coach got fired or the player got traded away!!?? Anyways, Sabres have a chance to add to their locker room culture and try to smooth over the trading away of Mittelstadt with a win against what some are tabbing a Stanley Cup contender (yea, send me what THEY are smoking....and I don't even smoke ), and also, a border and divisional rival. Toronto, meanwhile, looks to sharpen themselves up as the season winds down, in preparation for what will be the REAL test, and major nemesis for them, the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Playoffs are definitely looking like an unassailable goal at this point, but this game, with about 20 to go, can be used at the measuring point. After what transpired over the last three games or so, if the Wild lose THIS one, to what may be one of the worst teams in the NHL, then Bill Guerin should really start listening real hard on trade offers. Even with a win, the Wild will find it difficult to make the post season, highlighted by getting their face handed to them by the team they need to catch, but without a win against the Sharks, well, no amount of 'fixing or tweaking' will help this particular squad. Minnesota has some players that post season and Cup contenders would love to have on their much deeper squads....Wild lose here, Guerin should do some dealing. Personally...I don't like to watch 'losing'. I want to see the team win. As much as possible. Just saying...if they can't against SJ, then I won't blame anyone for breaking up this 'vaunted' group....

Attempting to 'report' on the acquisition of Ilya Lyubushkin by the Leafs, we get THIS moron, Christopher Smith (is that even a real name??): Maple Leafs acquiring new weapon to skate alongside Auston Matthews in deal with Ducks (clutchpoints.com) Apparently, Lyubushkin has switched from defenseman to center This here, people, is why you don't you don't listen to a guy whose 'primary interest is the NBA and long distance running' about anything hockey. Seriously though...whatever happened to good, responsible and ACCURATE reporting? Seems any ape with a microphone a camera, and/or access to a forum of some sort can run around pretending to be some sort of sports writer now. Getting good things to read or listen to is so difficult nowadays, it's no wonder I prefer the good ol bare bones opinions of regular fans over so-called insiders, in-the-knowers, or sports reporters, particularly of the forum or podcasting variety. I honestly don't know if they are stupid and/or ignorant, or just plain lazy and just want the "ooo, look at me, I know hockey" attention....

I wouldn't mind either of those players. Walker, on the Bolts would simply need to mind his own end, but he most certainly will get some offensive opportunity given how the Bolts play. Seeler, I remember him from his Minnesota days, and while most find him to be "meh", fact is, he is the type of defensive defenseman who never gets any recognition, but just does the dirty, thankless work of solidifying the defense zone....and can throw some nasty hits now and again. While neither of those players is worth the Bolts gutting anything to acquire them, if somehow, some median deal could be reached, I'd be happy with either.

Sounds like the type of guy the Lightning could have used. Then again, the Bolts likely didn't have the picks to make this happen and they likely would have had to part with a current roster player they'd prefer not to give up. While Hanifin to Dallas probably helps their offense, it's likely he costs a lot more than Tanev did. Pretty sure there are a number of teams circling the Flames about Hanifin....driving the cost of acquisition up as well.

Good win for your Flyers guys. Of course, I would have liked my Bolts to not only win, but show they still have Cup chops left in them, but my team, even as talented as they are still are, are missing ingredients it looks like. But that doesn't take away from the heart the Flyers showed not only this game, but in most games I've watched them play this season. And I expect nothing less from a Tortorella coached team. If the Flyers make the playoffs, I will root FOR them against whomever a division leader is (if they are a WC), or against either Carolina or the NY Rangers if Philly finishes 3rd in the Metro. Some good work being done in that front office so far too. Interesting to see what will Briere and his administration do over the Summer to increase long term competitiveness from the group.

Glad they called that on Bunting! I was gonna lose it...EEK was clearly hauled down and it looked for split second the refs were gonna let that go! 4 on 4, then a Wild PP through hard work in that defensive zone!

Just DEWAR it!! Big props to Chisholm though...he kept the play alive, kept his positioning to make that goal possible!

Maybe a 'parting gift' from Duhaime? Word is, several teams have inquired about him....and Guerin is listening

Man...it's ALWAYS the mascot, isn't it?? I KNEW there was a reason the Bolts fired the original Lightning Bug...

He's unavailable. He volunteered to be the stowaway on that last Artemis mission to the Moon..... Word is he will broadcast live when he gets to the far side...

Crowd at Wells Fargo seems awfully quiet since the arena dimmed. Especially since their team is leading. My guess is, they are too busy safeguarding their wallets purses and other valuables

Well, yea, sure, but NOW you are no longer just a regular, but a COMMUNITY regular. There is a decrease in pay but better parking space...

now the arena clock not working? They are gonna have to have a guy sitting at ice level going, "1 alligator... 2 alligator.... 3 alligator..."

They are gonna play with dimmed lighting... Time for the forwards to start peppering the goalies.....vision will be compromised

That's what happens when more n more people start storing their money in their mattresses....

I bet the prisoners in the jail cells below are terrified....judgement day has truly come!

Dammit! Which one of you jokers was in charge of paying the Wells Fargo energy bill!??

And there we are...dagger! Played with fire (or knives!), and got burnt/stabbed. RNH with the insurance goal....Oilers now lead 4-2 with just over 3 minutes left to play.

Kings losing it now as the game comes down to the last 5 or 6 minutes. With the Oilers already up 3-2, Los Angeles keeps taking one penalty after another, and granted, they've been killing them off, but it sure doesn't help their bid to try and tie the game. And with all the PP time given to the Oilers, that is simply fueling the offensive confidence of McDavid and company. Right now, that 3-2 lead may look like 5-2 to the Kings!

Well, their big win against the Sens puts them just 4 points behind Philly, and 6 behind TB. Games in hand are fine....as long as they win them of course. I just wonder though....the wild n woolly type of defense they played against the Sens (or some might say lack thereof), if they get away with a more structured team. There were times when I thought Ottawa SHOULD have gotten a goal here, there, and there again, only to come up Senator Empty, then give one up the other way. But yea....Caps do seem to have a realistic shot at catching either The Fly or The Bolts....although, if TB ever squares away their turnovers, they could be hard to catch, and perhaps shoot further up the standings.