Byron and Allard still not signed

[tom webster]

Like everyone else, I'm bored.

 

In all seriousness, I think Buffalo may have decided to pass on both. Byron is an interesting prospect but they may decide they just don't need another small, finesse forward.

On the other hand, I would expect them to announce the signing of Ennis and Myers this off season.

I have a question for Schrader, since Ennis's birthday makes him ineligible to return to Juniors, do they have to sign him by June 1st even though its only been one year since they drafted him?

[LabattBlue]

In all seriousness, I think Buffalo may have decided to pass on both. Byron is an interesting prospect but they may decide they just don't need another small, finesse forward.

Then maybe they should stop drafting them. :doh:

[shrader]

Who is this schrader character? Anyway, I think this should cover him if I'm reading his situation right:

 

8.6 b) iii) If a Player who is drafted for the first time as a 19-year-old ceases to play in the Juniors in the first League Year after he has been drafted, his Club shall have exclusive right of negotiation for his services until the third June 1 following his initial selection in the Entry Draft. His selecting Club may retain exclusive rights of negotiation for a fourth year by tendering the Player a Bona Fide Offer in accordance with 8.6(a)(ii), provided that such Bona Fide Offer may be made at any time prior to the third June 1 following his initial selection in the Entry Draft.

 

So it looks like there's no rush to sign him with regard to losing his rights. They do need to worry where he'd be playing though. I don't think he has any serious options other than turning pro somewhere, so it might as well be with the Sabres organization.

 

As for the others, if they think they have NHL potential, sign them. I'm sure there's plenty of space in the system and if nothing else, they might be able to pawn them off on another team that may be interested.

[tom webster]

Who is this schrader character? Anyway, I think this should cover him if I'm reading his situation right:

So it looks like there's no rush to sign him with regard to losing his rights. They do need to worry where he'd be playing though. I don't think he has any serious options other than turning pro somewhere, so it might as well be with the Sabres organization.

 

As for the others, if they think they have NHL potential, sign them. I'm sure there's plenty of space in the system and if nothing else, they might be able to pawn them off on another team that may be interested.

 

I'm not sure about plenty of space. They have to be within 5 or so of the 50 man limit. There are probably guys they can lop off but you know how much this organization hates to admit its mistakes.

 

Sorry for giving you the extra letter.

[LabattBlue]

They have to be within 5 or so of the 50 man limit.

Without knowing which of the Portland "vets" are Sabres property, it is hard to tell.

[shrader]

There are plenty of guys that they can dump without falling into that "admitting it's mistakes" category. It might return to that whole AHL veteran argument from last year though.

[MajorMinotaur]

i'd be surprised if we didn't sign byron. Allard...not so much. Front office is still probably doing their 'audit'

[Two or less]

i'd be surprised if we didn't sign byron. Allard...not so much. Front office is still probably doing their 'audit'

 

I don't know much about Allard and i never really ever read much about him. However, i agree with your statement about Paul Byron. I know he's another small player, but he may have real potential in the NHL. Maybe not with Buffalo, but somewhere. I think they will sign him and let him play in Portland to see if his game can translate into the AHL where people actually hit and theres much less space, then in the Quebec league. He can always be used as trade bait later on. I'm sure he has value now, but if he can nearly the same play maker in AHL, he will have massive potential. He almost made the Canadian WJC team last year.

[tom webster]

I don't know much about Allard and i never really ever read much about him. However, i agree with your statement about Paul Byron. I know he's another small player, but he may have real potential in the NHL. Maybe not with Buffalo, but somewhere. I think they will sign him and let him play in Portland to see if his game can translate into the AHL where people actually hit and theres much less space, then in the Quebec league. He can always be used as trade bait later on. I'm sure he has value now, but if he can nearly the same play maker in AHL, he will have massive potential. He almost made the Canadian WJC team last year.

 

I was waiting for you to chime in. I agree that its still likely they sign Byron but I don't think they will go to the max to do it. I have heard Darcy talk three times now about signing prospects this summer and his name hasn't come up once.

[tom webster]

There are plenty of guys that they can dump without falling into that "admitting it's mistakes" category. It might return to that whole AHL veteran argument from last year though.

1 Thomas Vanek

2 Tim Connolly

3 Derek Roy

4 Jason Pominville

5 Drew Stafford

6 Adam Mair

7 Jochen Hecht

8 Pat Kaleta

9 Paul Gaustad

10 Dan Paille

11 Clarke MacArthur

12 Matt Ellis

13 Craig Rivet

14 Toni Lydman

15 Chris Butler

16 Hank Tallinder

17 Andrej Sekera

18 Nathan Paestch

19 Ryan Miller

20 Patrick Lalime

21 Nathan Gerbe

22 Tim Kennedy

23 Philip Gogulla

24 Denis Persson

25 Feliz Schutz

26 Marek Zagrapan

27 Derek Whitmore

28 Travis Turnbull

29 Dylan Hunter

30 Mark Mancari

31 Mike Weber

32 Marc Andre-Gragbnani

33 T.J. Brennan

34 Drew Schiestel

35 Mike Kostka

36 Matt Generous

37 Mike Card

38 Mike Funk

39 Jonas Enroth

40 Adam Dennis

 

I guess they are not as close I thought. However, if they add Myers and Ennis and hopefully 2 or 3 guys other then prospects from Partland, they are getting close. On the other hand, there are probably five guys ready for the chopping block in Portland.

[LabattBlue]

I keep forgetting about Gogulla coming over next year. I wonder if he has what it takes to make the jump right to the NHL? Out with one German, in with another? :)

[shrader]

Minor nitpicking: Ellis doesn't belong on that list.

 

Anyway, yeah, there's plenty of space there depending on what they want to do with it. I think it's safe to say that Myers, Ennis, Byron and Allard are the only draft picks they'd consider adding at this point. Well, there is the Corey Tropp wildcard in all of this, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back at MSU. So yeah, there's enough space depending on what they do. And that doesn't even start with the potential roster moves that we may see (better see) this offseason. I'm sure they'll want to grab a couple older guys for Portland too.

 

 

Edit: And I just noticed that Allard is 6'2. I love how I always assumed he was another one of the midgets because of his name.

[tom webster]

Minor nitpicking: Ellis doesn't belong on that list.

 

Anyway, yeah, there's plenty of space there depending on what they want to do with it. I think it's safe to say that Myers, Ennis, Byron and Allard are the only draft picks they'd consider adding at this point. Well, there is the Corey Tropp wildcard in all of this, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back at MSU. So yeah, there's enough space depending on what they do. And that doesn't even start with the potential roster moves that we may see (better see) this offseason. I'm sure they'll want to grab a couple older guys for Portland too.

 

I didn't count AHL vets because I wasn't sure which if any were on two way contracts and/or if any were on multi year deals. I may be wrong but i think you can sign a vet to an AHL only contract and not include him on your 50 man roster. I know this year Darche was on a two way deal but i am not sure about the others.

Also, forgot Ellis is a free agent.

[shrader]

I didn't count AHL vets because I wasn't sure which if any were on two way contracts and/or if any were on multi year deals. I may be wrong but i think you can sign a vet to an AHL only contract and not include him on your 50 man roster. I know this year Darche was on a two way deal but i am not sure about the others.

Also, forgot Ellis is a free agent.

 

I had a site earlier that listed guys in the minors, but I don't remember what it was. Basically, it was a whole bunch of one year deals down there, other than they young guys on entry level deals.

[Two or less]

I was waiting for you to chime in. I agree that its still likely they sign Byron but I don't think they will go to the max to do it. I have heard Darcy talk three times now about signing prospects this summer and his name hasn't come up once.

 

And they shouldn't go to the max to sign Bryon. There has been a lot of red flags about him which makes a lot of people think his highest level will be in Quebec. But, they will never find out unless he plays in the AHL. If he succeeds there, he could be a real gem.

[shrader]

Does anyone actually think Byron getting the max is even remotely possible? This conversation seems completely out of left field.

[LabattBlue]

Does anyone actually think Byron getting the max is even remotely possible? This conversation seems completely out of left field.

What is the max $$$ and does it vary based on where you are drafted?

[Two or less]

Does anyone actually think Byron getting the max is even remotely possible? This conversation seems completely out of left field.

 

i'm not going to speak for tom webster but i don't think he meant max as in terms of what a Tyler Myers will get.... i think what he meant, is, Sabres brass will make a limit on how much they will offer for Byron, if Bryon says no, and wants X more, they shouldn't drop to his demands and give him what he wants. That's how i read his post. In no means do i think he meant the Sabres should or should not throw first round money to lock up Byron, a do-anything to get him signed approach, so to speak.

 

I still think they should sign Byron though.

[shrader]

What is the max $$$ and does it vary based on where you are drafted?

 

It's based on the year you were drafted. They drafted Byron in 2007, so the most he can sign for (minus incentives) would be $875K. It moves up $25k for each draft year after that, until the end of the CBA. Who knows what happens after that (2011).

[tom webster]

i'm not going to speak for tom webster but i don't think he meant max as in terms of what a Tyler Myers will get.... i think what he meant, is, Sabres brass will make a limit on how much they will offer for Byron, if Bryon says no, and wants X more, they shouldn't drop to his demands and give him what he wants. That's how i read his post. In no means do i think he meant the Sabres should or should not throw first round money to lock up Byron, a do-anything to get him signed approach, so to speak.

 

I still think they should sign Byron though.

 

As he said. I used a poor choice of words.