Craig Rivet is a Sabre

[djwilli3]

I'll take Bernier and Orpik over Rivet any day and everyday.

 

While I think Rivet is an okay player, I totally agree with this. And by no means does this let the FO off the hook for not getting a good D-Man back there. This guy is definitely a vet and brings some leadership, but he is not a top D-man. Maybe an upgrade over Kalinin, but then again, what wouldn't have been? The FO made a move. A halfway decent one. They are a long way from where they need to be in getting us to the cup. I hope we're still going to go after Bouwmeester or another top D-Man. That would restore some faith for me, but the odds are low.

[Bmwolf21]

I want him back, too. I base all this on the last game he played, so I'm not going on a lot of information. But in that game he looked quick and fast and seemed to fit right in. A very smart player.

Honestly, this may seem "out there" but I'd sign Smith, re-sign Teppo and trade Lydman.

 

But that's just me.

[SabresFan526]

I like this pickup. Would have preferred Orpik, but I'll take Rivet. Rivet's pretty good. He's got a very good shot from the point, so he bring something on the PP as he was on the PP in San Jose. He's pretty good defensively and an upgrade over the rest of the crew. As of right now, he comes in as the best defenseman in the defensive zone, but that doesn't say a whole lot. I like the pickup.

 

Clearly Bernier was getting an offer sheet. The question really was, would the Sabres get more out of Vancouver in a trade or in compensation from the offer sheet. I think how this plays out is that Darcy felt he would get a better deal out of a trade than what he would have gotten from the offer sheet compensation, so net-net, you get Bernier for Rivet, so that works for me.

[RuffRuff]

If you have spent any time on this board you would know what an a$$ that comment makes you look like.

 

You take pretty much the same roster as last season, remove Campbell and and Rivet and suddenly the Sabres are a playoff team? I doubt it. They move one of the 10 quality forwards they have on the roster. One of the few with any size and toughness and I am supposed to be happy. There is a ton of dead weight on the forward ranks. Rivet brings some size and toughness. Is there a team rule where you can't have more than two on the roster at one time. They could have made the Rivet trade and kept Bernier.

 

Maybe the Sabres will sign Jason Smith. They didn't have to deal what little size and toughness they have upfront to do either moves.

 

 

Who is the "dead weight" in your view? Just curious.

 

I do think it's sort of funny that Bernier is suddenly highly valued now that he has been traded away. I haven't read much in the way of Bernier support around here until now. But that seems to be the way of it.

 

The key thing about Bernier is this: He hasn't improved much, year to year, in multiple seasons in the league. When it comes to young talent, GMs place a premium on the guys who have gotten better each year. Guys like Roy, Pomminstein, Sekera, etc.

 

SJS decided they didn't need him right when their games became most critical, and we acquired him for his health and his size. The value we got for him is what the market would bear for a guy who hasn't shown steady development. He's seen as a guy whose ceiling has already been reached. He's a solid 3rd line winger, nothing more nothing less.

[X. Benedict]

I like this pickup. Would have preferred Orpik, but I'll take Rivet. Rivet's pretty good. He's got a very good shot from the point, so he bring something on the PP as he was on the PP in San Jose. He's pretty good defensively and an upgrade over the rest of the crew. As of right now, he comes in as the best defenseman in the defensive zone, but that doesn't say a whole lot. I like the pickup.

 

Clearly Bernier was getting an offer sheet. The question really was, would the Sabres get more out of Vancouver in a trade or in compensation from the offer sheet. I think how this plays out is that Darcy felt he would get a better deal out of a trade than what he would have gotten from the offer sheet compensation, so net-net, you get Bernier for Rivet, so that works for me.

 

I'm not so sure. Remember that Bernier is still an RFA....somebody could still make an offer.

But I'm sure this doesn't get done unless he wanted to be out West.

[FogBat]

If you have spent any time on this board you would know what an a$$ that comment makes you look like.

 

You take pretty much the same roster as last season, remove Campbell and and Rivet and suddenly the Sabres are a playoff team? I doubt it. They move one of the 10 quality forwards they have on the roster. One of the few with any size and toughness and I am supposed to be happy. There is a ton of dead weight on the forward ranks. Rivet brings some size and toughness. Is there a team rule where you can't have more than two on the roster at one time. They could have made the Rivet trade and kept Bernier.

 

Maybe the Sabres will sign Jason Smith. They didn't have to deal what little size and toughness they have upfront to do either moves.

Now what did you say?

[jimiVbaby]

I'm totally OK with this deal.. I'm still holding out hope for a top flight offensive player coming in a trade as well.

[nfreeman]

well, I'm pretty happy with getting Rivet. I always thought he was a good-to-very-good defenseman in Montreal. we needed another true top 4 defenseman and that's exactly what we got. We also got him on a good contract.

 

As for Bernier, this move for obvious reasons reminds me of the Pyatt trade. I would've liked to have seen both Pyatt and bernie develop as Sabres. I think each of them got caught in a numbers game. I also think it's quite possible Vancouver indicated they were going to sign him to a $2 million -plus offer sheet, which only would've gotten us a 2nd rounder up to $2.6 million, and so we agreed to the trade for the extra 3rd-rounder. We weren't going to spend that much just to see whether he was going to cut it -- especially since we're going to try to sign miller and pominville.

 

Also, this probably means the sabres like stafford and paille more than they liked bernier.

 

I think Darcy might trade another forward, but he might not. they would need to do so if they wanted to bring in a FA -- but I think I've heard Darcy say recently that they're satisfied with their forwards.

 

Back to the D -- I think they will bring in either teppo or smith but not both. My preference would be both, but since I think it's going to be one or the other, I'd take Teppo. that would give us:

 

Spacek - Rivet

Tallinder - Lydman

Teppo - Sekera

 

Paetsch

Weber

 

I'm pretty happy with that lineup. I'd like it even better if we traded tallinder, max and stafford for bouwmeester, or, alternatively, kept tallinder, sent sekera down to the minors for more seasoning, and signed smith and put him with teppo. Sekera doesn't really need it but after this season teppo and smith will be a year older and spacek will be a ufa -- so next year there will probably be a spot for sekera even if we signed both smith and teppo.

 

all in all, a pretty good day. I still want one or 2 more new pieces before camp though.

[FogBat]

Wow I like this though...

 

 

And here he tunes up the superpest Steve Ott...

 

Is Steve Ott related to one of these?

[wonderbread]

Hooray Sabres.

[carpandean]

Is it sad that Rivet has just about as many YouTube fight vidoes as Peters and he actually won more of his?

[FogBat]

Is it sad that Rivet has just about as many YouTube fight vidoes as Peters and he actually won more of his?

Hush! Don't give DeLuca67 any more anti-Peters ammo than he already has.

[carpandean]

A fine start for the young (then 23) Rivet:

Little did he know ...

[deluca67]

Who is the "dead weight" in your view? Just curious.

 

I do think it's sort of funny that Bernier is suddenly highly valued now that he has been traded away. I haven't read much in the way of Bernier support around here until now. But that seems to be the way of it.

 

The key thing about Bernier is this: He hasn't improved much, year to year, in multiple seasons in the league. When it comes to young talent, GMs place a premium on the guys who have gotten better each year. Guys like Roy, Pomminstein, Sekera, etc.

 

SJS decided they didn't need him right when their games became most critical, and we acquired him for his health and his size. The value we got for him is what the market would bear for a guy who hasn't shown steady development. He's seen as a guy whose ceiling has already been reached. He's a solid 3rd line winger, nothing more nothing less.

Dead weight? Let me see.

 

Max

Connolly

Peters

MacArthur

Ryan - who I don't see the Sabres bringing back.

 

That leaves the Sabres with only 9 NHL quality forwards. I would consider Mair for the list but as pretty much the only physical player left upfront I see his value rising. I didn't include Kaleta in the 9 because I just don't think he's ready for the full NHL grind.

[HurlyBurly51]

Dead weight? Let me see.

 

Max

Connolly

Peters

MacArthur

Ryan - who I don't see the Sabres bringing back.

 

That leaves the Sabres with only 9 NHL quality forwards. I would consider Mair for the list but as pretty much the only physical player left upfront I see his value rising. I didn't include Kaleta in the 9 because I just don't think he's ready for the full NHL grind.

 

I would take Max and Timmy off that list. But that's just me.

[FogBat]

Dead weight? Let me see.

 

Max

Connolly

Peters

MacArthur

Ryan - who I don't see the Sabres bringing back.

 

That leaves the Sabres with only 9 NHL quality forwards. I would consider Mair for the list but as pretty much the only physical player left upfront I see his value rising. I didn't include Kaleta in the 9 because I just don't think he's ready for the full NHL grind.

Ok, I know I'm going against my own advice, but I'm surprised that you didn't put Peters at the top of your list.

[Swedesessed]

If you have spent any time on this board you would know what an a$$ that comment makes you look like.

 

I see the same patters here and I see over there, so how does that possibly make me look like an a$$? And based on the fact that I did sign up for this board, oh, the very FIRST day it was created, I think I have spent a little time here off and on.

 

You take pretty much the same roster as last season, remove Campbell and and Rivet and suddenly the Sabres are a playoff team? I doubt it. They move one of the 10 quality forwards they have on the roster. One of the few with any size and toughness and I am supposed to be happy. There is a ton of dead weight on the forward ranks. Rivet brings some size and toughness. Is there a team rule where you can't have more than two on the roster at one time. They could have made the Rivet trade and kept Bernier.

 

Perhaps. I'm still not sure what the real thought process was with Bernier, guess the only way we will really know is if Darcy tells us, and even if he does speak about it, would it be the truth?

 

Maybe the Sabres will sign Jason Smith. They didn't have to deal what little size and toughness they have upfront to do either moves.

 

I agree with you there. We really need Smith, he can be a McKee for us, and I know that will help Miller for sure, and give the Sabres more toughness it needs.

[FogBat]

I see the same patters here and I see over there, so how does that possibly make me look like an a$$? And based on the fact that I did sign up for this board, oh, the very FIRST day it was created, I think I have spent a little time here off and on.

Nobody can tell DeLuca67 that he's ever wrong on anything... <_<

 

Humility is not in his vocabulary.

[SabresOnTheWarpath]

I just watched the press conference regarding the rivet trade and it doesn't look like Regeir is too optimistic that we will land Smith

[deluca67]

I see the same patters here and I see over there, so how does that possibly make me look like an a$$? And based on the fact that I did sign up for this board, oh, the very FIRST day it was created, I think I have spent a little time here off and on.

Perhaps. I'm still not sure what the real thought process was with Bernier, guess the only way we will really know is if Darcy tells us, and even if he does speak about it, would it be the truth?

I agree with you there. We really need Smith, he can be a McKee for us, and I know that will help Miller for sure, and give the Sabres more toughness it needs.

If you have been around you would know I have been a advocate for Darcy Regier and the management team for a while now. It has been the disappointments of this off-season that has soured me on the FO. This off-season had the potential to be great for the Buffalo Sabres. I bought into their talk of making this team tougher and grittier. It wasn't until the draft when I started to realize it was all just smoke up our a$$es. They didn't address the need for size and toughness with their first two picks. They followed up with another year of sitting on the sidelines during free agency. When they finally add some toughness to the roster they end up dumping one of the few forwards with size and toughness.

[deluca67]

Nobody can tell DeLuca67 that he's ever wrong on anything... <_<

 

Humility is not in his vocabulary.

Again, you might want to read some posts. I have conceded points int he past. My stance on Regier as one major example. So please do me a favor. If you want to include me in your posts to make yourself more interesting at least try to be accurate.

[deluca67]

I just watched the press conference regarding the rivet trade and it doesn't look like Regeir is too optimistic that we will land Smith

Did he mention any movement with the forwards?

[Vaive22]

I think this is a good move, physical D-man, stand up guy..... definite improvment.

 

I was on the Orpik bandwagon, but I think this is a better fit for the Sabres, and Rivet is a proven commodity... Orpik had a good 1/2 year and playoff - that was it. Good move Darcy (finally!!!)

[Buffalo Fan]

Is he worth two second round picks at age 33 ? Don't know much about him and career durability.

He was a third round pick in 1992.

 

Given his salary, it feels like a lot to give up for him, although he has been steady in his career.

[nfreeman]

Here's a nice little nugget from the SJ Mercury News on Rivet:

(Aside: I can understand the fans who already are bemoaning Rivet?s departure. There was something extremely likable about a regular guy who every now and then would just go nuts on the ice either in defense of a teammate or to stir the pot. Me, I?m going to miss Rivet because he was willing to go beyond the usual cliches in responding to questions. He never gave away state secrets, but he was among the more straightforward. I still remember how, after an October loss in Columbus, he volunteered that nobody should be faulting the coaches, that it was the guys in the room who needed to step it up.)

 

Linkage

 

He really could be a great pickup.