from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

- Mark Stone signed for $76 million over eight years in Las Vegas ($9.5M per), and about the very first thing an agent I’d called about an entirely different subject said was, “That’s about $95 million in New York with the taxes.”

Don’t the Rangers know it.

That is not only what New York franchises have to contend with in trying to compete for players with the Golden Knights, Lightning, Panthers, Stars and Predators — the five NHL teams operating in no state-tax states — but, to varying degrees, that is what every other team in the league confronts....

- Over the past eight drafts beginning with 2013, the Sabres have held the eighth-overall selection three times, second-overall twice and first-overall once and entered Saturday tied with the Rangers in points.

This after having been shut out three straight times, winning one of the past nine (1-7-1) — “Points in two!” — and going 9-20-4 since Christmas after entering the holiday hiatus 21-11-5.

That despite coming away with Jack Eichel, Rasmus Dahlin, Sam Reinhart (at two, one pick ahead of Leon Draisaitl’s selection by Edmonton in 2014, the year the Islanders took Michael Dal Colle at five, three slots ahead of William Nylander going to Toronto), Rasmus Ristolainen, Alex Nylander and Casey Mittelstadt with those top-end picks....

more on each of the above plus additional topics too...