You said everything that needs to be said. Plus I dont miss seeing him over-skate the puck and turn it over 5 times a game.

and no defense system

Exactly, Max couldn’t fit into Lindy’s system as Buffalo has gone more defensive minded over the past couple seasons. We need players who buy into the team concept and not guys who are a liability on the defensive end. I still wouldn’t take Max on this team if Atlanta offered to trade him to us for nothing in return.

Except Stephon Marbury is certifiably insane, and from all i can gather Max is a normal enough guy.

c’mon, that’s just not right. He’s an incredible offensive talent he’s just never put it all together. He’s never figured out how to utilize his teammates. But from a skill standpoint you can’t deny his talents.

You’re forgetting to address the main point of everyone else here – we could have picked Max up for cheap and the 40 points he’s scored (theoretically) but we’d also have to live with the (approximately) 49 points he’d surrender on the ice (depending on how many of his points were scored during PPs, I don’t care enough to figure out the exact stats). You do know how +/- works, right? More goals are scored against his team than for his team when Max is on the ice at even strength. Why would the Sabres want to add that?

Max has never played a physical brand of hockey – ever. MacArthur, who you seem certain will underperform in the playoffs despite the fact that he’s never played a single playoff game in his young career, plays much more physically than Max ever has. In fact, your list of 5 players (Kennedy, Connolly, Roy, Pominville, and MacArthur) who will underperform in the playoffs is pretty ridiculous since two of those (Kennedy and MacArthur) have never played a single playoff game so you have no idea how they will do and two have actually done pretty well in the playoffs (during the 05-06 playoffs Connolly had 11 points in 8 games and Roy had 15 points in 18 games). Hell, even Pominville has done pretty well with 10 points in 16 games.

Calling Max a shootout phenom is plain old absurd. I actually think the only thing you said that was more absurd was the “Max is a playoff player” mostly because you actually follow that sentence with “sure, his stats weren’t great during the postseason”. It’s comical how boldly you contradict yourself while still expecting us to believe your argument.

Ruff and Regier have built a hockey team that is squarely in the playoffs and vying for a potential first place finish. I think you’re the one who doesn’t know crap about hockey.

We could have picked him up on the cheap, placed him on the 3rd line, and hoped he played like he did the past 4 years in Buffalo

Do you really think he would have the team first defensive commitment to play on this teams third line? You know, the commitment that currently has them tied for 2nd in the conference more than halfway through the season?

I still don’t understand what people think is so special with him. He averaged 15 goals a season for the last four years. That doesn’t make me say “wow.” This team is on pace to have between 8-10 of those guys, and it’s regarded as a defensive team.

He’s also on a team playing pond hockey on a line with a superstar heading into UFA. Christ, I could score goals in that situation. I’d probably be a minus 85 now, but I’d put up some points.

we like to pay the big bucks to players who have the bodies of 7th grade boys.

Makes no sense. Whom specifically are you referring to? I’ve met Max several times (and for the record, he is very polite), and he is tiny in my book. Like many athletes, he’s shorter than what he’s listed at, and weighs less (although I didn’t pick him up to verify that, even though I could’ve).

Ruff and Regier don’t know crap about hockey.

Really?

What everybody is saying is, essentially. Based on the last few years it would have been a bad decision to re-sign him (if he would’ve even wanted to stay in Buffalo). He wouldn’t have put up the same numbers in Buffalo as he is in Atlanta because he wouldnt have been playing with Kovy and Antropov and getting a lot of minutes and a lot of time on the power play.

One more thing – you’re not friends with Ron A, are you?

I’m pretty sure this guy was making a joke with this post. I mean if I posted something like “Tim Connolly has been playing like shit for the last 15 games or so” I’d expect to catch some flak, until people realized I was having a laugh.