Free Agent Frenzy

[carpandean]

Basically, said:

-Market paid surprisingly large contracts, again

-Lalime is a decent back-up, who played many games last year with a winning record and decent stats

-They wanted Orpik, but price will be too high

-They are still working today

-Dmen's agents are actually calling them now to try to work a deal

-Don't need anyone down the middle, at least in the short-term

[BetweenThePipes00]

OK so what is the limit for orpik where we won't be pissed ... I say it's $5 million ... if he goes for less than that, I will be bummed they gave up and got out so early ... if it goes beyond $5 milllion, he is being overpaid for a good playoff ... just my opinion.

[tom webster]

OK I caught some of it on SabresTV through NHL.com. And I can't say I'm happy about what I just heard. First off, it's official that Darcy's new favorite word is "marketplace". He must have said it at least 20 times.

 

Here are some highlights, w/ my comments of course :) :

 

"It surprises me every year, this marketplace."

No reason you should be surprised at this point, especially with the growth of the salary cap yet again.

 

Q: Any concerns about our RFAs, specifically Paille?

 

"I talked to Blues yesterday." Darcy was hoping St. Louis would sit on the offer all week before deciding to match. He thought they were going to do that so Vancouver couldn't "reload", but obviously St. Louis didn't do that. He said it's part of the game now to sign RFAs and agents do what's best for their client, etc.

I would have liked to hear Darcy say progress was being made with Paille at least.

 

On Orpik:

"Certainly we had an interest in Brooks. What he's going to do in the marketplace is going to exceed where we're going to go".

There's the new favorite word, "marketplace". No surprise here IMO.

 

"We're worried about long-term first, but still trying to take care of short term needs."

 

- Nothing on Pomminstein contract talks. No progress.

 

Q: Are you content down the middle (center position)?

 

"A lot of that is going to hinge on Tim Connolly and his health". "I think we're OK down the middle."

This is what really bugs me. Haven't you learned that you just can't count on Connolly to stay healthy? IMO it is borderline idiotic to assume that Connolly can be relied on to play.

 

"Patrice Lalime has, as i said, a terrific track record and now as a backup and an older player...great team guy...really works at his game and is good with the young players."

 

I've been preaching patience and I still believe they will do something to improve, but if;

a) They really were surprised for the fourth year in a role, and

b) He really "thinks" they are ok in the middle and a lot depends on Tim's health, then

 

this is just plain pathetic. We have no choice at this point to believe that he is not really telling us everything. I just don't get why they would even have this press conference.

[carpandean]

"It surprises me every year, this marketplace."

No reason you should be surprised at this point, especially with the growth of the salary cap yet again.

I think he meant it like "every year some moron GMs manage to surprise me with just how much cash they are willing to throw at one guy with youtube highlights and known flaws." I'm sure that he knows about where the market will be, but those 2 or 3 top guys always end up getting such a large contract that is hard to believe (e.g., Campbell.)

[Strow]

OK so what is the limit for orpik where we won't be pissed ... I say it's $5 million ... if he goes for less than that, I will be bummed they gave up and got out so early ... if it goes beyond $5 milllion, he is being overpaid for a good playoff ... just my opinion.

Im gonna have to say 4.5 (price is right bidding). I think orpik is gonna go high and we all should have known this going in. No way we fork over that kind of money. I agree too that last season was a little more than what he has done in the past and I don't think he will play as well this season. Remember the PENS played a D system at the end of the season when his name kept coming up in the media.

[Team Strike Force]

Hm, I guess I'll wait until they put the archive up on the Sabres website.

 

Darcy said that they're all right at center? Sounds like someone put the wacky tobaccy in his hookah pipe.

[carpandean]

OK so what is the limit for orpik where we won't be pissed ... I say it's $5 million ... if he goes for less than that, I will be bummed they gave up and got out so early ... if it goes beyond $5 million, he is being overpaid for a good playoff ... just my opinion.

Honestly, if you asked this question before the playoffs, the answer would have been much lower. That's the danger here. Were the playoffs a fluke (so, he's really worth about $2.5 - $3 million per year) or were they indicative of his future performance (making him worth maybe $5 million.) If the market goes to $5 million or above, you are paying for best-case performance based on a small sample. I'd be willing to take a chance on him, but not sure I'd take that much of a chance.

[tom webster]

Honestly, if you asked this question before the playoffs, the answer would have been much lower. That's the danger here. Were the playoffs a fluke (so, he's really worth about $2.5 - $3 million per year) or were they indicative of his future performance (making him worth maybe $5 million.) If the market goes to $5 million or above, you are paying for best-case performance based on a small sample. I'd be willing to take a chance on him, but not sure I'd take that much of a chance.

 

 

I agree with this post and I hope you are right about your last post. I was in a calm place before that presser.

[Team Strike Force]

Im gonna have to say 4.5 (price is right bidding). I think orpik is gonna go high and we all should have known this going in. No way we fork over that kind of money. I agree too that last season was a little more than what he has done in the past and I don't think he will play as well this season. Remember the PENS played a D system at the end of the season when his name kept coming up in the media.

 

I think most of us knew this, but as fans we dare to dream. And Darcy certainly should have known it, and as a GM he has a say in it.

[X. Benedict]

OK so what is the limit for orpik where we won't be pissed ... I say it's $5 million ... if he goes for less than that, I will be bummed they gave up and got out so early ... if it goes beyond $5 milllion, he is being overpaid for a good playoff ... just my opinion.

 

Wherever Orpik goes is going to be initially disappointed.

 

He had a showcase in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year, but nobody's body is going to stand up to that

most of the year, and when he really shined is when Pittsburgh put in the trap and slowed forwards down enough

so he could hit.

 

Also in the finals, Detroit was not forechecking with a lead (which was most of the series). Orpik could calmly turn and hold the puck and had seconds to move it away.

 

I'd still want him. But he is closer to a $2.5 million player than to a $5.

[ROC Sabres]

Is it just me, or does he remind you of "The Count" from Sesame Street.

 

ONE.. ONE MILLION A YEAR, HA HA HA

TWO.. TWO MILLION A YEAR, HA HA HA

[X. Benedict]

Is it just me, or does he remind you of "The Count" from Sesame Street.

 

ONE.. ONE MILLION A YEAR, HA HA HA

TWO.. TWO MILLION A YEAR, HA HA HA

:lol:

5!!! 5!!!!!! 5 wonderful Million dollars!!!!! HA HA HA HA HA

[2ForTripping]

Maybe Orpik and his camp are putting too high a price tag on his services?!? Perhaps the overplayed clip of him kicking ass and taking names in the finals is being seen through? It was one shift. Granted he played very physical all throughout the playoffs , but this was his contract year. Perhaps if he stays available his price may come down? All the chatter on here and many other boards we have all checked in the past 48 hours are hitting the nail on the head.Is he good? Yes. Worth his asking? No. Perhaps if he stays adrift on the UFA sea he will have to come down in price. Who knows?

[BetweenThePipes00]

Is it just me, or does he remind you of "The Count" from Sesame Street.

 

ONE.. ONE MILLION A YEAR, HA HA HA

TWO.. TWO MILLION A YEAR, HA HA HA

he looks a little like the Buffalo '66 guy too ...

[BetweenThePipes00]

Maybe Orpik and his camp are putting too high a price tag on his services?!? Perhaps the overplayed clip of him kicking ass and taking names in the finals is being seen through? It was one shift. Granted he played very physical all throughout the playoffs , but this was his contract year. Perhaps if he stays available his price may come down? All the chatter on here and many other boards we have all checked in the past 48 hours are hitting the nail on the head.Is he good? Yes. Worth his asking? No. Perhaps if he stays adrift on the UFA sea he will have to come down in price. Who knows?

If that happens, then the Sabres really screwed up by just backing out early ... more likely, there are already offers out there for more than Buffalo is willing to spend ... Orpik may be hoping for even more and may have to settle for what is out there, but it's not coming down enough to satisfy Darcy.

[jrsarkov]

redden got 6.5. orpik is going to get less. that is too much.............f'n absurd. call rory back. see if zhitnik has any miles left. anyone heard what bill hajt is up to?

[spndnchz]

11:46AM Carolina Hurricanes sign RFA defenceman Joni Pitkanen to a three-year contract worth $12 million.

[Strow]

11:46AM Carolina Hurricanes sign RFA defenceman Joni Pitkanen to a three-year contract worth $12 million.

WAY too much. It is sad really.

[X. Benedict]

redden got 6.5. orpik is going to get less. that is too much.............f'n absurd. call rory back. see if zhitnik has any miles left. anyone heard what bill hajt is up to?

 

What the hell was Glen Sather thinking. 6 x 6.5 for Redden?

 

Every GM in the east is probably incontinent with joy!

[spndnchz]

That person standing in the corner, saying nothing, but hearing all....

His name is Mr. Lockout. :ph34r:

[awill29]

What the hell was Glen Sather thinking. 6 x 6.5 for Redden?

 

Every GM in the east is probably incontinent with joy!

 

I'm honestly starting to think that the Rags have a checklist when it comes to signing FA's:

 

1) Is he on the down-side of his career? Redden [X]

2) Is he going to be a liability in 3 years? Redden [X]

3) Are we vastly overpaying him? Redden [X]

 

"Here's your sign, Wade! Welcome to New York! Hope you plan on getting booed out of the building by season's end!"

 

:rolleyes:

[X. Benedict]

11:46AM Carolina Hurricanes sign RFA defenceman Joni Pitkanen to a three-year contract worth $12 million.

 

Any real fan in Raleigh is probably heartsick. Erik Cole for Pitkanen?

 

That is hard to take.

[ROC Sabres]

Any real fan in Raleigh is probably heartsick. Erik Cole for Pitkanen?

 

That is hard to take.

Pretty much. I was wondering what they were thinking with that trade.

[Goodfella25]

Any real fan in Raleigh is probably heartsick. Erik Cole for Pitkanen?

 

That is hard to take.

 

Yep, all two of them.

[shrader]

Pretty much. I was wondering what they were thinking with that trade.

 

It's basically a money dump. Yes, Pitkanen now has the same cap hit as Cole, but they have him for 3 more years. Cole's unrestricted next year.