DR has ANOTHER tough offseason ahead...

[LabattBlue]

1. Rebuild the defense. Chances are Teppo is not coming back(nor do I want him to) and I'm not sure the infusion of Sekera and/or Weber is enough. They really need to add a top 4 defensive defenseman.

 

2. Paille, Gaustad, Bernier and MacArthur are all RFA's. They are all poachable Darcy...be forewarned.

 

3. Make decisions on Kotalik, Max, Spacek & Connolly. All 3 are 1 year away from being UFA's and 1 or more would probably have to be dealt to upgrade other areas(blueliner mentioned above and a 2nd line center) and provide cap relief. I'd like to keep Spacek, but the other 3 can be moved ASAP IMO. I've seen the best they have to offer and I'm ready to turn the page.

 

4.Find a backup goalie.

 

5.Lock up Pominville & Miller.

[tom webster]

1. Rebuild the defense. Chances are Teppo is not coming back(nor do I want him to) and I'm not sure the infusion of Sekera and/or Weber is enough. They really need to add a top 4 defensive defenseman.

 

2. Paille, Gaustad, Bernier and MacArthur are all RFA's. They are all poachable Darcy...be forewarned.

 

3. Make decisions on Kotalik, Max, Spacek & Connolly. All 3 are 1 year away from being UFA's and 1 or more would probably have to be dealt to upgrade other areas(blueliner mentioned above and a 2nd line center) and provide cap relief. I'd like to keep Spacek, but the other 3 can be moved ASAP IMO. I've seen the best they have to offer and I'm ready to turn the page.

 

4.Find a backup goalie.

 

5.Lock up Pominville & Miller.

 

While I agree with most of the post,the RFA's,while poachable,shouldn't be that difficult to lock up. I especially agree with number 3 and I believe it is directly correlated to #1. This team could be a championship contender with a number2 center and a number 1 or 2 defensemen but they can only fit those pieces if they are prepared to part with Ales, Tim and Max.

[LabattBlue]

This team could be a championship contender with a number2 center and a number 1 or 2 defensemen

I don't know about a top pairing dman(they are tough to come by and expensive), but I think that DR could go out and find a second pairing physical dman who only dreams of offense. :D

[FogBat]

1. Rebuild the defense. Chances are Teppo is not coming back(nor do I want him to) and I'm not sure the infusion of Sekera and/or Weber is enough. They really need to add a top 4 defensive defenseman.

 

2. Paille, Gaustad, Bernier and MacArthur are all RFA's. They are all poachable Darcy...be forewarned.

 

3. Make decisions on Kotalik, Max, Spacek & Connolly. All 3 are 1 year away from being UFA's and 1 or more would probably have to be dealt to upgrade other areas(blueliner mentioned above and a 2nd line center) and provide cap relief. I'd like to keep Spacek, but the other 3 can be moved ASAP IMO. I've seen the best they have to offer and I'm ready to turn the page.

 

4.Find a backup goalie.

 

5.Lock up Pominville & Miller.

On #1. I admit that it's a shame that Teppo couldn't go out in a blaze of glory. He seemed to be a really classy guy on and off the ice (unless there's something out there about him that I don't know about). If he goes into coaching, I hope he goes behind the bench with his original team -- Tappara.

 

On #2: Losing any of those 4 players (and hopefully none of them leave) would be a devastating blow when DR needs to build around them. Hopefully the albatross killer won't get in the way.

 

On #3: I'm scratching my head on what DR saw in Kalinin that we didn't see.

 

#4: Please, please, PLEASE don't get Ray Emery. He's having some serious character issues, and that can disrupt the chemistry in any locker room. Just ask Ottawa.

 

#5. Agreed wholeheartedly.

[stuhast41]

1. Rebuild the defense. Chances are Teppo is not coming back(nor do I want him to) and I'm not sure the infusion of Sekera and/or Weber is enough. They really need to add a top 4 defensive defenseman.

 

2. Paille, Gaustad, Bernier and MacArthur are all RFA's. They are all poachable Darcy...be forewarned.

 

3. Make decisions on Kotalik, Max, Spacek & Connolly. All 3 are 1 year away from being UFA's and 1 or more would probably have to be dealt to upgrade other areas(blueliner mentioned above and a 2nd line center) and provide cap relief. I'd like to keep Spacek, but the other 3 can be moved ASAP IMO. I've seen the best they have to offer and I'm ready to turn the page.

 

4.Find a backup goalie.

 

5.Lock up Pominville & Miller.

 

#1- They need to go out and get a physical presence for the backend. Enough of the swift skaters who are afraid to hit anyone.

 

#2- I think all RFAs will be locked up or will accept their qualifing offers.

 

#3 - Trade Max and Al- They are never going to get it. Both have regressed. Spaco is solid and worth the 3.5 mil. Connolly is the Chris Chandler of the NHL.

 

#4 - Agreed. Miller will be 125 lbs next April if they don't.

 

#5 - Pommer will be locked up. I have a bad feeling about Miller - I think he's going to bail - I think he's questioning the direction of the team. That said he's not worth Giguere (5 for 25 mil) or Lundvquist (6 for 41 mil) money.

[FogBat]

#1- They need to go out and get a physical presence for the backend. Enough of the swift skaters who are afraid to hit anyone.

 

#2- I think all RFAs will be locked up or will accept their qualifing offers.

 

#3 - Trade Max and Al- They are never going to get it. Both have regressed. Spaco is solid and worth the 3.5 mil. Connolly is the Chris Chandler of the NHL.

 

#4 - Agreed. Miller will be 125 lbs next April if they don't.

 

#5 - Pommer will be locked up. I have a bad feeling about Miller - I think he's going to bail - I think he's questioning the direction of the team. That said he's not worth Giguere (5 for 25 mil) or Lundvquist (6 for 41 mil) money.

How soon can we get Enroth out of Sweden? That's what we may be looking at in the not too distant future if Miller goes elsewhere.

[stuhast41]

How soon can we get Enroth out of Sweden? That's what we may be looking at in the not too distant future if Miller goes elsewhere.

 

Enroth would be the only hope. Adam Dennis is awful. Ryan needs to sharpen his game a bit in my eyes to justify a 30-35mil contract. Too many mental lapses. Maybe he's wearing down under the workload.

[shrader]

2. Paille, Gaustad, Bernier and MacArthur are all RFA's. They are all poachable Darcy...be forewarned.

 

People go a bit overboard on the RFA talk. How many offer sheets have been signed over the past 2 years, 3? None of these players are anywhere near the status of Vanek and the Penner and Kesler deals were both teams trying to take advantage of a tight salary cap position (as was Vanek), which Buffalo is not in. Gaustad and Paille will go for arbitration but will probably work out deals ahead of time. Bernier and MacArthur aren't yet eligible, so they are the only somewhat interesting situations out of this group.

[Bmwolf21]

Enroth would be the only hope. Adam Dennis is awful. Ryan needs to sharpen his game a bit in my eyes to justify a 30-35mil contract. Too many mental lapses. Maybe he's wearing down under the workload.

How much do you pay a guy that has similar numbers to Lundqvist over the last three years?

Lundy: 186 GP, 99-57-24, .532 win %, 2.30, .916, 16 SO.

Ryan: 179 GP, 102-54-18, .570 win %, 2.63, .911, 7 SO.

 

The only major differences are the GAA and SO, and although many try to paint him as "guaranteed to lose his focus late in a game and blow his own shutout" it's quite evident, as X pointed out earlier, that this team's defensive style doesn't exactly keep opposing coaches up at night. Miller is often left on an island and does what his coach and system asks of him - keep them in the game until the offense gets going. I would bet that if we played a more defensively responsible system, his GAA would drop by about .35-.40 and he would be closer to the league leaders in GAA.

 

Barring some sort of catastrophic injury Miller's going to get his coin, whether from the Sabres or from another team, no doubt about it.

 

I hope to God I am wrong, but if Miller leaves they better have another plan, since Enroth is 19 years old and has yet to play a minute in a North American pro league. Because no matter how good Enroth was at the world championships, I just don't see a 20-21 year old with maybe 1 year of AHL experience stepping in and being a franchise goalie.

 

EDIT: Added a link.

[X. Benedict]

#5 - Pommer will be locked up. I have a bad feeling about Miller - I think he's going to bail - I think he's questioning the direction of the team. That said he's not worth Giguere (5 for 25 mil) or Lundvquist (6 for 41 mil) money.

 

Miller is worth more. I actually think NYR got a deal with Lundquist.

[LabattBlue]

People go a bit overboard on the RFA talk. How many offer sheets have been signed over the past 2 years, 3? None of these players are anywhere near the status of Vanek and the Penner and Kesler deals were both teams trying to take advantage of a tight salary cap position (as was Vanek), which Buffalo is not in. Gaustad and Paille will go for arbitration but will probably work out deals ahead of time. Bernier and MacArthur aren't yet eligible, so they are the only somewhat interesting situations out of this group.

Maybe a bit of an overstatement on my part regarding them being "poachable", but who knows which way the wind may be blowing in future offseason once Kevin Lowe started the cycle last year.

[shrader]

Maybe a bit of an overstatement on my part regarding them being "poachable", but who knows which way the wind may be blowing in future offseason once Kevin Lowe started the cycle last year.

 

You really have to wonder if he started anything since he's the only one that actually signed someone to an offer sheet. I know there's no connection, but look at what the last guy to sign someone to an offer sheet is doing now.

 

None of these guys are worth the compensation it would take to be lured away from their teams, not to mention the fact that they're not worth the amount of money it would take for Buffalo not to match the contract. Bernier's the most valuable of the group, but I think that far too many times many posters around here over value our own players. Sure, other teams would love to have some of these guys, but they don't want them that much.

[tom webster]

You really have to wonder if he started anything since he's the only one that actually signed someone to an offer sheet. I know there's no connection, but look at what the last guy to sign someone to an offer sheet is doing now.

 

None of these guys are worth the compensation it would take to be lured away from their teams, not to mention the fact that they're not worth the amount of money it would take for Buffalo not to match the contract. Bernier's the most valuable of the group, but I think that far too many times many posters around here over value our own players. Sure, other teams would love to have some of these guys, but they don't want them that much.

 

Exactly, every team has 3 or 4 young guys they think are going to turn into stars. It was like when Buffalo had Biron, Noronen and Miller, everyone was so sure that Buffalo had a gold mine and Darcy was going to turn two of the three into top picks and prospects. Forgot to consider that;

1) The other two aren't that good

2) There were other teams with extra goaltenders

3) It took Darcy too long to decide which was the best

 

In the end, they got two second round picks.

[stuhast41]

How much do you pay a guy that has similar numbers to Lundqvist over the last three years?

Lundy: 186 GP, 99-57-24, .532 win %, 2.30, .916, 16 SO.

Ryan: 179 GP, 102-54-18, .570 win %, 2.63, .911, 7 SO.

 

Agreed they are very similar, and, in the long run Miller will get around the same contract as HL. Hopefully he gets it here as there is NO other option in goal to us. IMO I still think HL is more solid right now - and if I'm pricing Miller I think 6 for 36 sounds about right. My gut feeling is he is going to balloon his value (or should I say his agent or the NHLPA) to the 6 for 42-45 mil range. I just hope these negogations don't go into the season next year because Miller is an extremely emotional guy and I see it affecting his game.

[shrader]

Exactly, every team has 3 or 4 young guys they think are going to turn into stars. It was like when Buffalo had Biron, Noronen and Miller, everyone was so sure that Buffalo had a gold mine and Darcy was going to turn two of the three into top picks and prospects. Forgot to consider that;

1) The other two aren't that good

2) There were other teams with extra goaltenders

3) It took Darcy too long to decide which was the best

 

In the end, they got two second round picks.

 

And cap space to make a run at the cup. Yeah, it didn't work out in the end, but I hate looking at deals in such a narrow sighted way like that. And personally, I look at depth like they had with the 3 young goalies and think, hey, maybe they'll get a franchise player out of that group, which hopefully they do have now. Its funny that it ended up being the lowest pick of the group (it sure would be nice if they strike gold again with last year's drafting of Eidsness and Eno, but that's a huge long shot).

[tom webster]

And cap space to make a run at the cup. Yeah, it didn't work out in the end, but I hate looking at deals in such a narrow sighted way like that. And personally, I look at depth like they had with the 3 young goalies and think, hey, maybe they'll get a franchise player out of that group, which hopefully they do have now. Its funny that it ended up being the lowest pick of the group (it sure would be nice if they strike gold again with last year's drafting of Eidsness and Eno, but that's a huge long shot).

 

I wasn't comdeming the deals, just that I felt people over valued Biron and Noronen.

 

I could comment on that cap space part but that would be bringing up negativity and old wounds again.

[evil_otto]

Because no matter how good Enroth was at the world championships, I just don't see a 20-21 year old with maybe 1 year of AHL experience stepping in and being a franchise goalie.

Carey Price?

[Bmwolf21]

Carey Price?

We're going to find out, aren't we? Montreal is putting all their eggs in his basket, but half a season does not a franchise goalie make...

[shrader]

I wasn't comdeming the deals, just that I felt people over valued Biron and Noronen.

 

I could comment on that cap space part but that would be bringing up negativity and old wounds again.

 

Yeah, I'm not trying to call you out on anything, just wanted to throw out my thoughts on evaluating trades. What can I say, slow day at work.

[tom webster]

Yeah, I'm not trying to call you out on anything, just wanted to throw out my thoughts on evaluating trades. What can I say, slow day at work.

 

 

Slow week. I gues more people are into Easter than I thought.

[shrader]

Slow week. I gues more people are into Easter than I thought.

 

Well that and I'm slowly approaching the superbowl of the college hockey season. The next couple weeks are a yearly booze fest for me that I can barely keep up with.

[inkman]

1. Rebuild the defense. Chances are Teppo is not coming back(nor do I want him to) and I'm not sure the infusion of Sekera and/or Weber is enough. They really need to add a top 4 defensive defenseman.

#1- They need to go out and get a physical presence for the backend. Enough of the swift skaters who are afraid to hit anyone.

 

I have a feeling next year's top 4 is going to be Hank, Toni, Jaro, and Adrej. I know this disappoints the masses but I think that is the direction they will go.

 

2. Paille, Gaustad, Bernier and MacArthur are all RFA's. They are all poachable Darcy...be forewarned.

On #2: Losing any of those 4 players (and hopefully none of them leave) would be a devastating blow when DR needs to build around them. Hopefully the albatross killer won't get in the way.

 

The RFA's aren't going anywhere, and would it be that great of a loss that they couldn't be replaced through trade or FA.

 

3. Make decisions on Kotalik, Max, Spacek & Connolly. All 3 are 1 year away from being UFA's and 1 or more would probably have to be dealt to upgrade other areas(blueliner mentioned above and a 2nd line center) and provide cap relief. I'd like to keep Spacek, but the other 3 can be moved ASAP IMO. I've seen the best they have to offer and I'm ready to turn the page.

#3 - Trade Max and Al- They are never going to get it. Both have regressed. Spaco is solid and worth the 3.5 mil. Connolly is the Chris Chandler of the NHL.

 

I'm hoping Kalinin has played his last game as a Sabre but this franchise makes me scratch my head on an hourly basis. I've been bouncing from thread to thread trying to put out the trade Max, Tim and Ales ideas as I just don't see darcy getting pro-active about their situations at all.

 

4.Find a backup goalie.

#4: Please, please, PLEASE don't get Ray Emery. He's having some serious character issues, and that can disrupt the chemistry in any locker room. Just ask Ottawa.

 

Ray Emery isn't coming and I suspect Darcy will move to get a quality backup.

 

5.Lock up Pominville & Miller.

#5 - Pommer will be locked up. I have a bad feeling about Miller - I think he's going to bail - I think he's questioning the direction of the team. That said he's not worth Giguere (5 for 25 mil) or Lundvquist (6 for 41 mil) money.

 

Pominville and Miller will both be locked up long-term. I have no qualms about this. Hearing all the negative Nancy's trolling around the board frustrates me to no end. What choice do the Sabres have other than lock up Miller? As for him wanting to leave, unless his life partner...errr...family and friends want to move back to Michigan, I just don't se it happening.

[matter2003]

1. Rebuild the defense. Chances are Teppo is not coming back(nor do I want him to) and I'm not sure the infusion of Sekera and/or Weber is enough. They really need to add a top 4 defensive defenseman.

 

2. Paille, Gaustad, Bernier and MacArthur are all RFA's. They are all poachable Darcy...be forewarned.

 

3. Make decisions on Kotalik, Max, Spacek & Connolly. All 3 are 1 year away from being UFA's and 1 or more would probably have to be dealt to upgrade other areas(blueliner mentioned above and a 2nd line center) and provide cap relief. I'd like to keep Spacek, but the other 3 can be moved ASAP IMO. I've seen the best they have to offer and I'm ready to turn the page.

 

4.Find a backup goalie.

 

5.Lock up Pominville & Miller.

 

Yeah, and how much is Pominville gonna ask for after he leads the Sabres in points and sees Vanek sitting on 50 million??