Free Agency Frenzy

[james duncan]

Well anything besides a 7 or 8 seed probably wasn't going to happen for us last year anyway.

A couple of those teams, and others below us in the standings have gotten better, but I was talking about last year. Some help in front of Miller should go a long way this season, because I think we are set up front.

 

Agreed. And let's not leave a better Miller out of the equation. He's got to be better nightly too.

[Buffalo Wings]

I just fear that if the blueline isn't changed and improved somewhat, that we're in for more of the same. They took a step in the right direction by declining to offer Dmitri a contract. Let's see what they do with other 4-5 spots.

I don't disagree about the defense...I was just pointing out the intangibles.

 

The mere fact that Kalinin won't be around is addition by subtraction to me. Not a major improvement by any means, but it's a start.

[james duncan]

say what you want about soupy; based upon the $$ he got, Redden at 6.5 mill is a steal.

 

Funny. I thought Redden getting that much made Soupy's contract "almost" understandable...

[LabattBlue]

I haven't been on in a few hours and I was thinking that if Orpik had not signed yet, maybe, just maybe, he wants to play for the Sabres and the sugar packet king would pull out his checkbook. Then I saw the Buffalo News link. :(

 

Have no fear, I am sure that there will be a dman for Darcy to choose from in the clearance pile.

[Mbossy]

I haven't been on in a few hours and I was thinking that if Orpik had not signed yet, maybe, just maybe, he wants to play for the Sabres and the sugar packet king would pull out his checkbook. Then I saw the Buffalo News link. :(

 

Have no fear, I am sure that there will be a dman for Darcy to choose from in the clearance pile.

No need to run up Orpiks value, what we say to a reporter and an agent are two different things. And I'm not paying Teppo 2.6 either.

[cdexchange]

You know what they say about "assume," right?

 

A-S-S-U-M-E.

Assume makes an a$ out of u and me.

 

:nana:

 

 

That's really clever, I've never heard that before :doh:

[shrader]

Hopefully we see JP an RM sign soon before they price themselves right out of Buffalo. If they don't sign, I wouldn't mind seeing them booed all season. Let them know if they don't give a sh!t about Buffalo, the feeling is mutual.

 

That seems a bit extreme, especially with Pominville. If he doesn't sign an extension ahead of time, the team still has the final say with him.

[spndnchz]

Ryder to Boston, 3 years 12 million

[FogBat]

That's really clever, I've never heard that before :doh:

You can thank Richard Marcinko, Cmdr. USN (Ret.) BUD/S, for that from his book Leadership Secrets of the Rogue Warrior.

[SabresFan526]

Ryder to Boston, 3 years 12 million

That is the biggest joke I have seen today. Way worse than the Campbell signing. You knew Campbell was going to cash in albeit undeserved. But Ryder at $4 million per year after being a regular healthy scratch for the Habs? Are you kidding me? That's another great decision that Chiarelli made for Darcy. Again, we want to talk about idiot GMs, Chiarelli is proving he's up there in stupidity.

[Knightrider]

That seems a bit extreme, especially with Pominville. If he doesn't sign an extension ahead of time, the team still has the final say with him.

 

You're right about Pominville. Miller is as good as gone though if he does not have an extension in place by October. I certainly don't want to hear all the BS about how he wants to be here.

[connee]

You're right about Pominville. Miller is as good as gone though if he does not have an extension in place by October. I certainly don't want to hear all the BS about how he wants to be here.

If we start hearing from Miller that 'he wants to be here", that's the sign that his agent has instructed him to wait for free agency.

[spndnchz]

[Eleven]

Biggest disappointment of the day: The Sabs not nailing down a top defenseman. Hopefully, that means not YET. But they're running out of options--lots of (mostly overpriced) signings at that position today. Lalime, well, ok, it's an upgrade (not that the bar was set very high). And granted, the Sabres weren't going to "go Tampa" and redesign the whole team (nor do they need to). But they're still a decent defenseman and vet forward shy of doing what they need to do this week.

 

I'm not a guy who rags on the management really hard, but there were a few deals out there today, some VALUE deals, that the Sabres could have made. (Mike Commodore comes to mind.) It isn't over yet, I guess; let's hope we see something.

[FogBat]

SWEET!

 

I like it!

[FogBat]

If we start hearing from Miller that 'he wants to be here", that's the sign that his agent has instructed him to wait for free agency.

Not to rag on Miller, but how many times have we heard this from other players in the past, only to see their loyalties toward the greenbacks being offered by someone else? Countless...

 

It doesn't take a rocket scientist or a Ph.D. in economics to figure this one out.

[Eleven]

Not to rag on Miller, but how many times have we heard this from other players in the past, only to see their loyalties toward the greenbacks being offered by someone else? Countless...

 

It doesn't take a rocket scientist or a Ph.D. in economics to figure this one out.

 

I don't think we'll hear it, anyway, unless the team starts out REALLY well. He's a brutally honest character, and I don't think of Miller as a guy who is particularly loyal to this city (and why should he be...he's only been here for a few years--we're not talking about Perreault, here), and come on, he's got to have some affection for Michigan somewhere, right? If the money isn't right, and if he doesn't feel a Cup is coming on, he's going to jump. Maybe not even to Detroit. Keeping Miller in Buffalo depends on at least one of two things: Show him money, or show him a Cup in his grasp. It's not unreasonable for him to want either.

[BamBam]

It seems like we are putting all of our eggs in the Sekera basket as our puck moving D-man. I think Streit's 5 for 20 was a reasonable deal that Buffalo should have jumped over. Its just my opinion.

[FogBat]

I don't think we'll hear it, anyway, unless the team starts out REALLY well. He's a brutally honest character, and I don't think of Miller as a guy who is particularly loyal to this city (and why should he be...he's only been here for a few years--we're not talking about Perreault, here), and come on, he's got to have some affection for Michigan somewhere, right? If the money isn't right, and if he doesn't feel a Cup is coming on, he's going to jump. Maybe not even to Detroit. Keeping Miller in Buffalo depends on at least one of two things: Show him money, or show him a Cup in his grasp. It's not unreasonable for him to want either.

I was quoting connee (and I think I'm already going too far to explain myself on that one).

 

As for trying to keep Miller, I don't think I'll ever forget what Shawn Lavinge said one time on NHL Home Ice during the morning "Two Minute Minor" segment with regards to ownership paying for the right players. While calling out TG personally, he said, "Put up or shut up!" He certainly didn't call out LQ or Darcy on that one.

 

Ok, I'm tangenting somewhat. Nevertheless, TG has to realize that, in spite of the fact that he's not a full blown hockey man, should understand that it pays to pay out to get the players he needs to work toward winning what has been a perpetually elusive title.

[spndnchz]

I was quoting connee (and I think I'm already going too far to explain myself on that one).

 

As for trying to keep Miller, I don't think I'll ever forget what Shawn Lavinge said one time on NHL Home Ice during the morning "Two Minute Minor" segment with regards to ownership paying for the right players. While calling out TG personally, he said, "Put up or shut up!" He certainly didn't call out LQ or Darcy on that one.

 

Ok, I'm tangenting somewhat. Nevertheless, TG has to realize that, in spite of the fact that he's not a full blown hockey man, should understand that it pays to pay out to get the players he needs to work toward winning what has been a perpetually elusive title.

An over weight dude on XM isn't our GM, thank God. And I'm pretty sure thru many posts today that it's been proven paying for players doesn't buy you a cup.

[Eleven]

I was quoting connee

 

I know. Just trying to keep the whole chain of thought together. I didn't do it well.

[Eleven]

An over weight dude on XM isn't our GM, thank God. And I'm pretty sure thru many posts today that it's been proven paying for players doesn't buy you a cup.

 

Demonstrated through many posts. Proven by the continued existence of the Leaves. (And the Rangers, except for that blip fourteen years ago.)

[FogBat]

An over weight dude on XM isn't our GM, thank God. And I'm pretty sure thru many posts today that it's been proven paying for players doesn't buy you a cup.

Ok, you got me on that one. :worthy:

 

After all, he's what I could call a "statueless critic."

[deluca67]

Does anyone else remember when Draft Day and the Start of Free Agency were happy days full of excitement and anticipation. I guess it still is for other teams.

 

The Sabres go the entire day and make one meaningless move and end up overpaying for a garbage backup goaltender. They should have kept T-Bo around. At least they could have saved a few bucks since T-Bo already has the uniform and the locker sign.

 

I have to wonder. How many players/agents did the Sabres actually make contact with. I then wonder how many told the Sabres "Thanks, but no thanks." There were many players signed today at every position that could have helped the Sabres and were not overpriced.

 

I am going to guess :

 

Teppo resigns.

 

Max plays the season with the Sabres, disappoints, and is allowed to leave next summer.

 

The Sabres count on Tim Connolly again and are shocked when he plays the same amount of games as Bob Corkum, oops, I meant Lalime.

 

If you throw in Peters wasted $500 grand that is $7 million of dead cap space. That's inexcusable, take that $7 mil and see how many players that signed today that could actually have contributed to the Sabres this season.

[Goodfella25]

Does anyone else remember when Draft Day and the Start of Free Agency were happy days full of excitement and anticipation. I guess it still is for other teams.

 

The Sabres go the entire day and make one meaningless move and end up overpaying for a garbage backup goaltender. They should have kept T-Bo around. At least they could have saved a few bucks since T-Bo already has the uniform and the locker sign.

 

I have to wonder. How many players/agents did the Sabres actually make contact with. I then wonder how many told the Sabres "Thanks, but no thanks." There were many players signed today at every position that could have helped the Sabres and were not overpriced.

 

I am going to guess :

 

Teppo resigns.

 

Max plays the season with the Sabres, disappoints, and is allowed to leave next summer.

 

The Sabres count on Tim Connolly again and are shocked when he plays the same amount of games as Bob Corkum, oops, I meant Lalime.

 

If you throw in Peters wasted $500 grand that is $7 million of dead cap space. That's inexcusable, take that $7 mil and see how many players that signed today that could actually have contributed to the Sabres this season.

 

Good post. All of these things have crossed my mind today, which is why I am frustrated with the lack of movement, news, anything from the Sabres. I think there were players that could have been had today, for reasonable prices. Streit, Commodore, Zidlicky in a trade--all could have helped our defense, and two could have QBed the PP. I think Hainsey is the best guy left, and I know I'm going to see his name come off the list tomorrow to some rival city.

 

Going off of something I said earlier, to me it's really a clash of mindsets:

 

1) People who rip management no matter what. You can basically dismiss anything coming from them.

2) Those who feel one or two little tweaks will fix the team and help us get back to the playoffs.

3) People who think this team sleepwalked through most of last season and needs a serious jolt, or "splash" if you will.

 

I'm in category #3, so obviously I'm not gonna be happy with Lalime and a Numminen resigning as our only moves. It's early, but already I'm thinking ahead if those are the only moves we make, what exactly can you expect from this team? Another season watching 16 other teams compete for the cup in the spring.