Predictions for July 1st

[tom webster]

As someone else suggested, here are my predictions for the free agency period;

 

1) Hossa will get over $9 million per year

2) Campbell will sign for between $7.5 and $8 and will not be the highest offer

3) Gaustad, Paille, Bernier and MacArthur will re-up for total cap hit of less then $5.5 million

4) The Sabres will sign a third or fourth line center, maybe two veteran forwards

5) The Sabres will sign a "power play specialist" defensemen

6) The Sabres will later surprise by acquiring a stud defensemen

[Sherman]

I think the Sabres will be somewhat aggresive. Every team in our division got better. I think they have some targets and they will go after them. I don't expect a Hossa type of signing but I think maybe a Liles or Orpik on D and a Rolston or Ryder on O. I also wouldn't rule out a trade. There will be some teams like Calgary or Vancouver who promised their fans offense that Max is attractive to.

[mis3384]

Sounds Great!!!

 

I really think Buffalo has a shot as re-signing Campbell...

[X. Benedict]

1) I think Hossa will get 9

 

2) Campbell will get 7.8 - (no chance he comes back to the Sabres at over 6)

 

3) If Orpik or Liles isn't signed, Sabres will go after Rosival (right handed shot). Dark-Dark-Dark horse Brad Stuart.

 

4) Sabres will sign a piss and vinegar LW'er.

 

5) Sabres will come up empty/at for a Free Agent center.

 

6) Look for a goaltender signing that is over 30 and has years of starting and preparation experience to get signed to a 1-year.

Somebody that knows shooters - the type of guy that can be consulted during shootouts.

[nfreeman]

As someone else suggested, here are my predictions for the free agency period;

 

1) Hossa will get over $9 million per year

2) Campbell will sign for between $7.5 and $8 and will not be the highest offer

3) Gaustad, Paille, Bernier and MacArthur will re-up for total cap hit of less then $5.5 million

4) The Sabres will sign a third or fourth line center, maybe two veteran forwards

5) The Sabres will sign a "power play specialist" defensemen

6) The Sabres will later surprise by acquiring a stud defensemen

 

Thanks for starting the thread (if I may say so, it was my suggestion). Here goes:

 

1. Hossa will get $8.5 million per year

2. Soupy will get $7.25 million per year. The Sabres will not make a serious offer.

3. I'll agree that all 4 of these RFAs will get re-signed, and your number looks good.

4. I see only one veteran forward coming in due to our glut of forwards, and I agree with XB as to his temperament. I want this to be a #1 or #2 center but you are more likely right that it will be a #3 or #4. This will probably be a FA signing.

5. I don't see a FA signing of any type of defenseman. Too expensive.

6. I do see a trade for a defenseman that will include Max plus some combination of Paille/Stafford/MacArthur/prospects/draft picks. I dearly hope you're right that this will be a good defenseman, and I am clinging to a slim hope that it will be Bouwmeester.

7. Teppo will be back.

8. Neither Connolly nor Kotalik will be traded.

9. Miller will sign an extension for 6 years, $40 million.

10. Pominville will sign an extension for 6 years, $30 million.

11. We will 11 of our first 14 out of the gate.

 

Go Sabres.

[wjag]

1-- Hossa, who cares... He ain't coming to the thrifty Sabres. He'll probably somehow fit under the cap in NY.

2-- Orphik will resign with the Penns

3-- Max will be a Sabre

4-- Campbell will be playing for some WC team and he'll be paid handsomely.

5-- Sundin will retire

6-- The Sabres will insult Pomminstein with a low offer sealing the deal for his eventual departure

7-- Sabres will sign a puzzling back-up goalie.

8-- Teppo will retire

9-- Bernier will sign with someone else

 

 

By the way, Melrose to coach the 'ning starting today..

[shrader]

I predict that on July 1st, none of these Sabres related issues will be resolved. Can we change the name of the thread to "Predictions for August 6th"? :D

[carpandean]

3) If Orpik or Liles isn't signed

I really wish people would stop saying "Orpik or Liles" like they are substitutes for eachother. Orpik is one option to fill our big defensive need for a hard-nose, physical top-4 defenseman. Liles is an option for a small upgrade to our PP and a third-pair defenseman. If we only sign Liles on defense, then the FO has failed on the blue line. If they sign Orpik or someone similar, then signing Liles in addition would be a bonus.

 

 

 

1) Hossa will get a Briere-type (in style, not amount) contract for seven years, maybe $52.5 million (10,9,9,9,7,4.5,4). Giving him a high salary into his mid-30's, then tapered off to reduce the cap hit. Games, games, games.

 

2) Soupy will get $6.5 x 6 years. Sabres will be in the talks for about 5 minutes.

 

3) We'll re-sign the Goose, the Bear and the two kids for reasonably low hits.

 

4) Outside of Orpik taking a home-town discount, we won't sign any top-level UFA's or RFA's.

 

5) We will sign a relatively young (just hit UFA) current third-line center who is stuck somewhere behind two top-line centers and, thus, undervalued. He will be given a chance to take the Pominville/Hecht line and will excel there.

 

6) We will trade for a second-pair, physical defenseman, but give him a top-spot with Spacek, looking for him to over-achieve.

 

7) We will sign a decent back-up goalie, but not someone who could step in full-time if needed. He'll play better than T-bo, but won't wow anyone.

 

8) Teppo will return.

 

9) Miller will sign for 6 years, $39 million.

 

10) Pominville will sign for 7 years, $35 million.

[X. Benedict]

I really wish people would stop saying "Orpik or Liles" like they are substitutes for eachother.

 

Not the skill set - it is the pool of money. So from a money standpoint I think it is indeed "Orpik or Liles" or "other." I'd be very surprised if they went after 2 UFA D-men.

[carpandean]

Not the skill set - it is the pool of money. So from a money standpoint I think it is indeed "Orpik or Liles" or "other." I'd be very surprised if they went after 2 UFA D-men.

If that's the case, then drop Liles from the conversation all together. That money has to go to our main need first (unless they can trade for someone in the same mold as Orpik, in which case, Liles might be an OK signing in addition.)

[X. Benedict]

If that's the case, then drop Liles from the conversation all together. That money has to go to our main need first (unless they can trade for someone in the same mold as Orpik, in which case, Liles might be an OK signing in addition.)

 

I think it goes like this: If they sign Orpik - Teppo is signed (I'm not including him as a UFA)

If they sign Liles - Weber is on the opening day roster.

[That Aud Smell]

I'd be very surprised if they went after 2 UFA D-men.

I'd be even more surprised if they wind up signing one.

 

(I think our best bet is to see something via trade.)

[rickshaw]

Max will be moved and most likely out West. Vancouver is an option for sure. The fans want offense here and they'll "think" they're getting it with Max in the fold. They'll soon see that he isn't the next Bure though.

 

Pommers signs long term. I could care less about predicting numbers.

 

Teppo is 50/50. Ok that is lame. He's gone.

 

We don't sign a Free Agent on July 1/08. We sign one, later on when all the top dogs are gone.

 

Sundin will retire.

[nfreeman]

Max will be moved and most likely out West. Vancouver is an option for sure. The fans want offense here and they'll "think" they're getting it with Max in the fold. They'll soon see that he isn't the next Bure though.

 

Pommers signs long term. I could care less about predicting numbers.

 

Teppo is 50/50. Ok that is lame. He's gone.

 

We don't sign a Free Agent on July 1/08. We sign one, later on when all the top dogs are gone.

 

Sundin will retire.

 

All of your predictions are reasonable, but I'm going to have to call BS on Sundin. Someone will give him $12-$15 million for 2 years. He's going to find a team that has a shot at a deep playoff run and he's not going to decline that money, plus a shot at the cup. As I've said before, I'd love for the Sabres to take a shot at him.

[Buffalo Wings]

I think it goes like this: If they sign Orpik - Teppo is signed (I'm not including him as a UFA)

If they sign Liles - Weber is on the opening day roster.

Bingo. I think this is the most likely situation, but we don't know that Darcy is targeting either Orpik or Liles (though I wouldn't understand why he wouldn't). Bringing back Teppo for 1 year is not a bad thing at all.

 

As for the goalie, isn't Olaf Kolzig available? That's a more-than-reasonable veteran backup to Miller.

[jimiVbaby]

Hossa gets 8mm average per in Boston

Campbell gets 7mm average per in Chicago

Max is shipped to Calgary for a 4th and a C level prospect

Hard hitting 6th d-man brought in via trade

3rd line veteran center brought in via trade

 

Needless to say I don't expect much.

[tom webster]

All of your predictions are reasonable, but I'm going to have to call BS on Sundin. Someone will give him $12-$15 million for 2 years. He's going to find a team that has a shot at a deep playoff run and he's not going to decline that money, plus a shot at the cup. As I've said before, I'd love for the Sabres to take a shot at him.

 

I, too, would love Sundin. I, too, think he retires although a late season comeback wouldn't surprise me either.

[bob_sauve28]

1) I think Hossa will get 9

 

2) Campbell will get 7.8 - (no chance he comes back to the Sabres at over 6)

 

3) If Orpik or Liles isn't signed, Sabres will go after Rosival (right handed shot). Dark-Dark-Dark horse Brad Stuart.

 

4) Sabres will sign a piss and vinegar LW'er.

 

5) Sabres will come up empty/at for a Free Agent center.

6) Look for a goaltender signing that is over 30 and has years of starting and preparation experience to get signed to a 1-year.

Somebody that knows shooters - the type of guy that can be consulted during shootouts.

Not Bob Essena!!! :ph34r:

 

Backup goalie is the most important need for us

[X. Benedict]

Not Bob Essena!!! :ph34r:

 

Backup goalie is the most important need for us

 

I don't know why exactly, but I was thinking Hedburg or Lalime.

 

Somebody that could start 15 games easily.

[Goodfella25]

The Sabres won't be making any moves at the forward position come July 1st unless they get rid of some of the bodies they already have. No way we take on more weight at forward--Darcy isn't the kind of GM to act now and ask questions later. Like I said, that isn't his style. He's going to make sure some players are gone whether it's through trades or waivers, then he can go after UFAs.

 

I do expect movement on the defense. I trust that Darcy and co. recognize this as the major weakness of the team and will address it. I still expect the Max trade to go down too--I'd look for him to go to one of the losers of the Hossa sweepstakes. Not saying he's anywhere near the kind of player Hossa is, but he may seem like more of an option when the big name wingers are off the market.

 

Oh yea, Campbell will be offered lots of money by Ottawa, but will decline and sign in Chicago.

[darksabre]

I don't know why exactly, but I was thinking Hedburg or Lalime.

 

Somebody that could start 15 games easily.

 

You just want Hedberg so we can have The Moose, The Goose, and The Bear.

 

:chris:

[sabr_fn]

As someone else suggested, here are my predictions for the free agency period;

 

1) Hossa will get over $9 million per year

2) Campbell will sign for between $7.5 and $8 and will not be the highest offer

3) Gaustad, Paille, Bernier and MacArthur will re-up for total cap hit of less then $5.5 million

4) The Sabres will sign a third or fourth line center, maybe two veteran forwards

5) The Sabres will sign a "power play specialist" defensemen

6) The Sabres will later surprise by acquiring a stud defensemen

 

 

new guy response:

 

1-Hossa will probably get a Briere type as mentioned somewhere but definitely not in Buff

2-Campbell, I guess the high 6's low 7's over 6 yrs in the East, but not Buff

3-Goose,Paile,Bernie,& Mac re-up at reasonable amount, i agree, total cap below 5.5

4-Sabres sign a 3-4 line, as mentioned, has been overlooked because of better centers on their former team

5-the only D signed is Teppo because they feel he is in great shape and will lead the defense. Sekera is will be full-time, Paetsch will be full-time, Weber will float between Sabres & Pirates and maybe they pick-up someone similar to Pratt.

6-Max is still with the team this season for the 1st. half, then traded for a 3-4 line L-winger.

[shrader]

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Bernier pulls a Paille and eventually signs his QO, hoping to have a big season and cash out next year.

[bob_sauve28]

You just want Hedberg so we can have The Moose, The Goose, and The Bear.

 

:chris:

:lol:

 

Not exactly Lions and Tigers and Bears, but close enough!

[tom webster]

I don't know why exactly, but I was thinking Hedburg or Lalime.

 

Somebody that could start 15 games easily.

 

 

Only problem, Hedberg re-upped with Atlanta last week.

 

I think Enroth was on to something when he meantioned Aebescheir(sic?).