Return of Teppo...Now Done

[WayneGibbous]

I need a late pass but is Pratt officially out of the fold for next year?

[Corp000085]

I need a late pass but is Pratt officially out of the fold for next year?

 

 

 

I'd bet he's as good as gone, unless he agrees to play for portland.

[Corp000085]

I'm a team guy too, and I like the additions of Rivet and Teppo quite a bit, but this is a bit over the top. Tom W. is correct about Drury and Briere. Moreover, Darcy's job this offseason won't be done unless and until he gets us a tough veteran center in exchange for one or more of our upcoming UFAs AND re-signs Pommer. We need some leadership and clutch production up front, not to mention faceoff wins. If Darcy lets us sail into the season just keeping our fingers crossed that Connolly is going to stay healthy and be our #1 or #2 center all year, it will be sheer negligence.

 

Moreover, I can't agree that a good trade for Rivet and re-signing Teppo and Miller should "erase" the doubts created by the July 2007 CF, which was inexcusable and led directly to a President's trophy team crashing and burning. Were these moves a good start? Absolutely. But they have a long way to go to atone for that sin.

 

 

 

Agree 100%.

 

 

 

fair enough, but i still think that the lack of defense hurt the team far worse than the lack of offense last year. Remember all those "soft" goals that miller let in last year? They were soft cause the guy was left WIDE open for the shot. No defensive pressure at all. I hate arguing about briere and drury, but I personally think that the void was partially filled by roy and pominville. The void left by teppo was torn wider by the lack of defensive skill by campbell, the deer in headlights of kalinin, the soft pair of tallinder and lydman and the cement skate pratt.

[nfreeman]

I need a late pass but is Pratt officially out of the fold for next year?

 

 

I'd bet he's as good as gone, unless he agrees to play for portland.

 

I agree and would just add that we might sign him if we trade Spacek. Otherwise only if he goes to Portland.

 

 

fair enough, but i still think that the lack of defense hurt the team far worse than the lack of offense last year. Remember all those "soft" goals that miller let in last year? They were soft cause the guy was left WIDE open for the shot. No defensive pressure at all. I hate arguing about briere and drury, but I personally think that the void was partially filled by roy and pominville. The void left by teppo was torn wider by the lack of defensive skill by campbell, the deer in headlights of kalinin, the soft pair of tallinder and lydman and the cement skate pratt.

 

Respectfully, the problem with our offensive production last year wasn't lack of overall production, it was -- as was the case with the whole team -- lack of clutch scoring, leadership and mental toughness. That's why we had something like 37 games last year with 2 or fewer goals and why we were something like 2-14 against good teams from xmas onward. That's what we lost when Drury and Briere left. Now, I agree that we also lost plenty of it by losing Teppo, but my point is that saying that "our offense was fine last year, the problem was the defense" is an oversimplification that misses the point of what the team as a whole lost by losing Drury and Briere.

 

In any case, I think we agree that bringing Teppo back is a good move that is potentially a great move.

 

One side note: I think it's interesting that his deal is a $1.1 million salary plus an undisclosed settlement of Teppo's grievance from last year. I wonder whether the injury settlement counts against the cap? If not, it's a pretty clever move by Darcy -- ie we'd be saving that amount of cap space for our deadline pickups of Hossa and Bouwmeester for the Cup run...

 

Go Sabres.

[Corp000085]

I agree and would just add that we might sign him if we trade Spacek. Otherwise only if he goes to Portland.

 

 

 

 

Respectfully, the problem with our offensive production last year wasn't lack of overall production, it was -- as was the case with the whole team -- lack of clutch scoring, leadership and mental toughness. That's why we had something like 37 games last year with 2 or fewer goals and why we were something like 2-14 against good teams from xmas onward. That's what we lost when Drury and Briere left. Now, I agree that we also lost plenty of it by losing Teppo, but my point is that saying that "our offense was fine last year, the problem was the defense" is an oversimplification that misses the point of what the team as a whole lost by losing Drury and Briere.

 

In any case, I think we agree that bringing Teppo back is a good move that is potentially a great move.

 

One side note: I think it's interesting that his deal is a $1.1 million salary plus an undisclosed settlement of Teppo's grievance from last year. I wonder whether the injury settlement counts against the cap? If not, it's a pretty clever move by Darcy -- ie we'd be saving that amount of cap space for our deadline pickups of Hossa and Bouwmeester for the Cup run...

 

Go Sabres.

 

 

 

knowing very little about the cap, i'd think that he got his full 2.9 million from last year plus the 1.1 million for this year, with only the 1.1 counting against the cap, since the 2.9 wasn't technically a salary but a legal payout.

[shrader]

knowing very little about the cap, i'd think that he got his full 2.9 million from last year plus the 1.1 million for this year, with only the 1.1 counting against the cap, since the 2.9 wasn't technically a salary but a legal payout.

 

They were still well below the cap last year anyway, even if the 2.6 (that's the right number, right?) had been included. It really doesn't matter.

[wjag]

Who is this Teppo guy? NHL.com only has him playing one game last year... Surely he can't be a the savior were looking for... He's older than Brett Favre for pete's sake. :rolleyes:

[inkman]

That would probably be preferable if he was hanging out with you and your crew eating wings...

 

FWIW, I don't have a crew, smoke weed or eat wings all that often. All of which I wish was not true.

[LabattBlue]

Teppo for 1.1 mil... :thumbsup: He can log some time on the PP, doesn't make a ton of mental mistakes and will give Weber at least another 1/2 season in the AHL to hone his skills.

 

That being said, Teppo on the roster and Weber in the AHL does nothing to help fix the lack of physical play on the blueline. :(

[carpandean]

That being said, Teppo on the roster and Weber in the AHL does nothing to help fix the lack of physical play on the blueline. :(

True, but we may see some more physical play anyway. Obviously, Rivet was the main pickup for that (though another would be nice). Spacek and Lydman are both capable and, hopefully, will see Rivet having his fun and do even more. Those three, plus Tallinder, will log the most minutes anyway.

[gregkash]

Our D looks very solid right now.

 

I'm happy with it. I really am.

 

I think this toughness thing has been vastly overblown by you all.

[Bmwolf21]

Our D looks very solid right now.

 

I'm happy with it. I really am.

 

I think this toughness thing has been vastly overblown by you all.

I don't think the toughness thing is overblown at all, but if (a BIG if) Tallydman is back to normal, then the D should be better next year. If Tallydman is still soft and injury prone then we will be in trouble.

[bob_sauve28]

Our D looks very solid right now.

 

I'm happy with it. I really am.

 

I think this toughness thing has been vastly overblown by you all.

Me too! I'll be watching Teppo pretty closely to see how he does. If he is ready to go he will be a big improvement back there. He should be good for Sekera, too, coaching him, teaching him this or that, and that's important.

 

Some people have been writing about the "Teppo/Drury/Briere" loss and which is more important. I won't look back but ahead on this. Hopefully Teppo and adding a backup goalie will cut down on bad goals against and reduce the need for timely scoring, though I would hope that Roy, Pomiville, Hecht, Connelly and Vanek have matured enough to where they get the big goals. Remember all those OT loses? Hopefully more of those will go in regulation time win column this year :)

[bob_sauve28]

I don't think the toughness thing is overblown at all, but if (a BIG if) Tallydman is back to normal, then the D should be better next year. If Tallydman is still soft and injury prone then we will be in trouble.

Do you think Rivet makes us tougher?

[inkman]

Do you think Rivet makes us tougher?

 

Yes, but this roster could use 5 more of his type of player. (not just defenseman but forwards as well)

[Fighting Chicken]

Do you think Rivet makes us tougher?

 

Tougher than when Kalinin was here instead.

[Bmwolf21]

Do you think Rivet makes us tougher?

Without a doubt. But ink hit the nail on the head - we need at least 2-3 more, and could use 5 more tough, gritty players.

 

I still think Hank is the X factor. If he returns to his 05-06 form (pre playoffs injury) our D will be much better. If he is still rusty, slow, afraid to hit/be hit, then we're in trouble.

[FogBat]

Smoke'm if U got 'em!

 

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Girl, you got me lost on this one... :huh:

[stenbaro]

Without a doubt. But ink hit the nail on the head - we need at least 2-3 more, and could use 5 more tough, gritty players.

 

I still think Hank is the X factor. If he returns to his 05-06 form (pre playoffs injury) our D will be much better. If he is still rusty, slow, afraid to hit/be hit, then we're in trouble.

I agree and if Weber keeps progressing with playing time in Buffalo the Defense could be ok..

[Bmwolf21]

I agree and if Weber keeps progressing with playing time in Buffalo the Defense could be ok..

Weber could be a huge part of the defense come December and January. Whether he's up with Buffalo or down with Portland, I want him on the ice, playing, learning and developing. I don't want him in Buffalo as the no.7, spending time in the press box and/or getting limited ice time.

[R_Dudley]

Weber could be a huge part of the defense come December and January. Whether he's up with Buffalo or down with Portland, I want him on the ice, playing, learning and developing. I don't want him in Buffalo as the no.7, spending time in the press box and/or getting limited ice time.

 

That defintely needs to be plan, you are right you cannot get better by just watching. I almost want him to spend some time in Portland to see if Dineen can coach any more toughness out of him then he already was showing.

[Bmwolf21]

That defintely needs to be plan, you are right you cannot get better by just watching. I almost want him to spend some time in Portland to see if Dineen can coach any more toughness out of him then he already was showing.

That's not a bad idea. Maybe we should send Hank down to start the season...

[stenbaro]

That defintely needs to be plan, you are right you cannot get better by just watching. I almost want him to spend some time in Portland to see if Dineen can coach any more toughness out of him then he already was showing.

Weber was our best defenseman playing at the end of the season when he came up..I see no reason why he shouldnt be in our top 6 this yr..

[R_Dudley]

That's not a bad idea. Maybe we should send Hank down to start the season...

 

I believe that's called a conditioning assignment. :lol: Why not :thumbsup:

 

Weber was our best defenseman playing at the end of the season when he came up..I see no reason why he shouldnt be in our top 6 this yr..

I agree with that. But it's still just that he hasn't much total experience and for whatever reason allot of young defensemen vanish(don't look as good) in their second season's. Maybe teams get a bit more film and game him a little more so a little more seasoning or not being forced in is not necessarily a bad thing to start.

[Bmwolf21]

Weber was our best defenseman playing at the end of the season when he came up..I see no reason why he shouldnt be in our top 6 this yr..

The question is, based on who is signed and on the Buffalo roster right now, and assuming he is top-6 and not no.7 - who does he bump?

 

Pair 1 - Tallinder - Lydman?

 

Pair 2 - Spacek - Teppo?

 

Pair 3 - Rivet - Sekera?

 

No. 7 - Paetsch?

 

If Weber deserves to be up here, do you send Sekera back down? Do you move someone else (Spacek, Tallinder?) to make room for him? Or do you leave him in Portland for the first month, month and a half and wait for Hank's first injury?

 

(Note - I have no idea how the d-pairings are going to shake out. This was just a quickly thrown-together guesstimate.)