Reiger

[apuszczalowski]

Actually, the team stands a better chance of winning the games down the stretch when Miller sits. Say what you want about Mika, but at this point, he's beyond rusty. These extra wins and the extra rest for Miller should help the team going into the playoffs.

 

Does it help the team more than trading Marty for a body would have? We'll never know, but keeping Marty does have a postive impact on this team.

 

It will help us going into the playoffs, but will it help us in the playoffs? Tough to say. Buffalo is already pretty much guaranteed a playoff spot right now (just not sure what position) so playing up to the playoffs isn't as important (don't get me wrong, the team will have to play strong going in) but in the playoffs I'm sure another goal scorer, another playoff veteran, or a top 4-6 defencemen would help alot more then the insurance of having Marty on the bench.

 

I liked all 3 goalies and liked the idea of having all 3 but I guess I'm happy Mika will finally get to show his stuff somewhere and possibly become a starter rather then rot in the press box. I will be disapointed if marty goes somewhere else next year and we are now stuck looking for another backup.

[Eleven]

I love rooting for this team. I'm glad there were no major changes & I hope that Mika performs well (until June, when Briere and Dumont and Connolly et al. fire puck after puck by him).

[X. Benedict]

Carolina is better today than they were yesterday, but they are worse than they were last week.

 

Ozolinish might help Rangers pp, but I don't look at that as a very significant upgrade.

 

Philly is better, but in general they are still slow with arguably suspect goaltending.

 

Would have been nice to keep up w/ Ottawa, but Ottawa's fortunes are going to hinge on Hasek and Havlat coming back from injury far more than the play of Arnason.

 

 

All well said.

[apuszczalowski]

Sometimes the best deal are the ones you never make..............You don't just make a trade for the sake of making one..........And a second round pick for Mika is pretty good..............Besides the team's chemistry right now should not be messed with............<IMHO

 

I'm not saying they should have made a trade for someone just so they could say they made a trade, but there were a couple of needs the sabres had going into the deadline that could make them contenders, or cost them their chances this year. The Second round pick is good, if they needed more picks, but right now this team has so much young talent that it is creating a logjam of players at positions. Removing one or 2 players and bringing in another 1-2 players is not going to kill team chemistry. Everyone talks about the teams chemistry as if one guy leaves, the team will fall apart. Has losing a player to injury, or bringing a guy up from Rochester hurt the teams chemistry? cause that is what it would be like to bring in another player in a trade. That is also why you make deals with teams for character players who are not "ME first players"

 

But what else can you say, whats done is done

[Rock DJ]

Count me as one of the disappointed ones. I'm not a Darcy basher, as he has made good moves in the past. But this is our first solid chance in some time, and he should have done SOMETHING.

 

Even if Marty wouldn't bring exactly what he wanted, he still should have gotten us something that could put on a uni tomorrow. Now it seems that Marty will play the role of the bench warming rent-a-player. Expect him to be gone at the end of the year with his contract. Only solace is we may actually get something out of it this time.....

[shrader]

Count me as one of the disappointed ones. I'm not a Darcy basher, as he has made good moves in the past. But this is our first solid chance in some time, and he should have done SOMETHING.

 

Even if Marty wouldn't bring exactly what he wanted, he still should have gotten us something that could put on a uni tomorrow. Now it seems that Marty will play the role of the bench warming rent-a-player. Expect him to be gone at the end of the year with his contract. Only solace is we may actually get something out of it this time.....

 

Look around the league at the other deals made. I don't think the value we needed to get in return for Marty was out there today.

[apuszczalowski]

Although, I think Rock DJ's avatar makes up for no moves being made today (don't go changing it now to something stupid to make me look like an idiot cause this comment is refering to the pic with the girls in red and black thongs)

[Rock DJ]

:P I took the pic... not going anywhere.... lol

[Campy]

ya know i think a big win tonight against tampa will help to ease the lack of trade deadline movement... for me anyway.. i would have liked that defenseman we needed but alas its not to be i hope for a win tonight and thats that.

I would have like to have seen that too, but at what cost? You can't get a quality defenseman without giving up something of similiar value. Frankly, I would have hated to see any of our current guys leave.

 

Kalinin may not be the next Bobby Orr but he is a solid (if unspectacular) d-man and his return will provide an immediate boost along the blueline.

[Hank]

Would have been nice to get a D-man

[Campy]

Would have been nice to get a D-man

Who would you have liked to see them acquire?

 

What would you have been willing to give up to get him?

[Tom L.]

I'm not going to fly off the handle and say Regier is a moron or anything ... but I am disappointed they could not find a way to get Carney or Mitchell ... those are the only two guys I would have liked to have of the defensemen traded today ...

But both went to Western Coneference clubs so ... could have been worse.

 

Mitchell apparently wants money in the range of $3.5 million next year and was a UFA. He got traded straight up for Skoula, basically. Way too rich.

 

The Carney deal was probably not on the table for Regier. Burke and Nonis have a history and that likely lowered the price a little.

 

Also, I noticed that the trades that involved D-men for something other than picks had one going back the other way... So, I don't think Regier was willing to part with both a 2nd and Paetsch for Carney.

 

Look at it this way, we got our upgrade on defense... Kalinin came back tonight and immediately made us better defensively. Could you imagine how many more goals the 'ning would have scored tonight if Fitzpatrick had been in the lineup?

 

*shudder*

 

Ta,

 

 

Look around the league at the other deals made. I don't think the value we needed to get in return for Marty was out there today.

 

Certainly not when you compare the potential return to what Marty brings to this team. The most prudent move for this team's potential success in the playoffs this year was to keep Biron exactly where he is. The Boston game the other night proves that he's taking his role on this team seriously and keeping himself sharp.

 

While I would have loved to pick up a defenseman today, I'm not upset that we didn't.

 

Ta,

[Alaska Darin]

The Second round pick is good, if they needed more picks, but right now this team has so much young talent that it is creating a logjam of players at positions.

Wrong. Rochester is NOT brimming with talent and NHL draft picks from the mid-first on are rarely able to contribute at the highest level for at least three seasons (especially the guys Darcy picks - think Derek Roy/Jason Pominville). Do you have any idea what the Sabres are going to look like in three or four seasons?

 

The reality is, there was PLENTY of availability of the one resource (goalie) we had to market and almost none of what we really needed. The two best guys for Buffalo, Sopel and Lukowich, didn't come from teams in the market for goaltending. I'm disappointed we didn't give up the same compensation for Lukowich that NJ did, but that's life.

 

For those of you who think guys like Sandis O would help the Sabres, get a clue.

[Knightrider]

I have a feeling Paetsch may be back in Buffalo before the season ends... He's had a pretty good year with the Amerks, and there is now more room on the roster...

[bflotim1]

Personally, I love our chances with the current line up and didn't see any player traded that I think would put the Sabres over the top. We need to have faith in these young kids and hope there is enough veteran leadership on the ice and in the bench to keep the team focused on the little things great teams do to win championships.

[Taro T]

I have a feeling Paetsch may be back in Buffalo before the season ends... He's had a pretty good year with the Amerks, and there is now more room on the roster...

Unless the Amerks pick up their play soon, he and several others will find themselves on the roster before the regular season ends. Amerks last regular season game is on tax day and they currently are on the outside looking in.

[deluca67]

I'm not the biggest Regier fan. But I can't argue witht the results. 40 wins in 61 wins games. Fourth overall in the entire NHL. Regier didn't make moves because he didn't have to. People are complaining about what other teams have done. Those other teams had to. They're not fourth overall. The teams that made the moves are fighting for their lives. Carolina picked up Recchi because they lost Cole. They over paid for a player who is not close to the one they lost. That's a bad GM. Look at the Lightning. They made Zero moves also, despite their lack of goaltending. They play Sean Burke for god's sake.

 

The Sabres have talent and they have depth. They are on the road to making a profit for the first time in forever. The team is good and the house is full? What part of his job is he failing at? Remember this is the NHL not a video game. :)

[nfreeman]

Now it seems that Marty will play the role of the bench warming rent-a-player. Expect him to be gone at the end of the year with his contract. Only solace is we may actually get something out of it this time.....

 

 

I'm a Darcy fan and a Sabres fan, but this is the one question that is bothering me about keeping Marty and trading Mika. Does anyone know specifically what the rules are on Marty's situation? My understanding is that he is currently making about $2.2 million and that he is a restricted free agent at the end of this year. Does that mean that if we want to keep him, we have to give him a qualifying offer for next year for at least $2.2. million? And that if we don't do so, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign anywhere he wants and we get zero compensation?

 

If all that is true, I'm concerned. I don't think we will pay Marty $2.2 million next year. So, if he leaves, and if we get nothing for him -- suddenly we've let him go for nothing and gotten only a 2nd round pick for Mika.

 

I have a hard time believing that Darcy would let this happen, but I'd love to know what the facts are.

 

PS: I'm getting more nervous about Miller losing his edge/confidence after that game last night. We need Miller at his best to beat Ottawa in the playoffs.

 

Go Sabres.

[GrimFandango]

I'm a Darcy fan and a Sabres fan, but this is the one question that is bothering me about keeping Marty and trading Mika. Does anyone know specifically what the rules are on Marty's situation? My understanding is that he is currently making about $2.2 million and that he is a restricted free agent at the end of this year. Does that mean that if we want to keep him, we have to give him a qualifying offer for next year for at least $2.2. million? And that if we don't do so, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign anywhere he wants and we get zero compensation?

 

If all that is true, I'm concerned. I don't think we will pay Marty $2.2 million next year. So, if he leaves, and if we get nothing for him -- suddenly we've let him go for nothing and gotten only a 2nd round pick for Mika.

 

I have a hard time believing that Darcy would let this happen, but I'd love to know what the facts are.

 

PS: I'm getting more nervous about Miller losing his edge/confidence after that game last night. We need Miller at his best to beat Ottawa in the playoffs.

 

 

Nfreeman - Any Restricted free agent making over 1 million can be offered a qualifying offer as little as 100% of the previous year's salary. I believe the rules under the old CBA still apply in terms of compensation. Players that have been tendered by June 30th with Marty's salary will bring their team significant compensation, that being Two first round choices and a second round choice (part of me hope someone signs him for that). The Sabres also have a choice to match that offer. I heard this talked about on one of the podcasts i believe as well so i think this is still fact.

 

Also, i wouldn't worry about Miller's psyche... that was the knock on him up until this year and he has proven to have gotten over that. He reacts angrily each goal that goes in, but he seems to be able to shut it out of his mind immediately and close the door in the second and third period. I think/hope will be fine.

[shrader]

Even if they don't want to keep Marty next year, they wouldn't let him go for nothing. He would be given the qualifying offer and then would be traded.

[nfreeman]

Nfreeman - Any Restricted free agent making over 1 million can be offered a qualifying offer as little as 100% of the previous year's salary. I believe the rules under the old CBA still apply in terms of compensation. Players that have been tendered by June 30th with Marty's salary will bring their team significant compensation, that being Two first round choices and a second round choice (part of me hope someone signs him for that). The Sabres also have a choice to match that offer. I heard this talked about on one of the podcasts i believe as well so i think this is still fact.

 

Also, i wouldn't worry about Miller's psyche... that was the knock on him up until this year and he has proven to have gotten over that. He reacts angrily each goal that goes in, but he seems to be able to shut it out of his mind immediately and close the door in the second and third period. I think/hope will be fine.

 

 

Thanks GrimFandango. So, playing out the series of events, this is how it will unfold:

 

1. We will have to make a qualifying offer to Marty for at least $2.2 million. If we don't, he can sign with someone else and we get zero compensation.

 

2. If he signs our qualifying offer, then one of 3 things happen:

 

a. someone signs him and has to give us 2 first round picks and a second round pick. this is not going to happen.

 

b. we trade him. this is possible, although it's not clear why we'd get a better offer in the offseason than whatever we were offered before the deadline -- which wasn't good enough for Darcy to accept.

 

c. we keep him next year as a $2.2 million backup. This would probably put him in the top 3-4 highest paid players on the team (right now he is #2 behind Drury, although if we keep Briere I would expect Briere to become the highest paid).

 

I look at these possibilities, and none of them seems particularly appetizing. It just seems highly unlikely that he will be on the team next year as a backup at that salary -- unless Miller goes into the tank, which I don't think will happen.

 

Darcy could be thinking that Miller is young, still hasn't been to the playoffs, we don't know how he's going to react, etc., so it's worth keeping Marty as an insurance policy, both for this year and for the beginning of next year (maybe until next year's trading deadline). Also, everyone on the team likes Marty and we are poised for a run at the cup, so we keep Marty for now as both insurance and to avoid upsetting the chemistry. Also, it seems like Darcy wanted to the right thing for Mika and finally get him his opportunity to be a #1 goalie.

 

I suppose that is reasonable, but it just seems like unless Miller falls off the table, we will have to get rid of Marty by next year's trading deadline, and then we'll have let both Marty and Mika go. At that point I think we'll regret having traded Mika.

 

Am I missing something?

[Taro T]

Thanks GrimFandango. So, playing out the series of events, this is how it will unfold:

 

1. We will have to make a qualifying offer to Marty for at least $2.2 million. If we don't, he can sign with someone else and we get zero compensation.

 

2. If he signs our qualifying offer, then one of 3 things happen:

 

a. someone signs him and has to give us 2 first round picks and a second round pick. this is not going to happen.

 

b. we trade him. this is possible, although it's not clear why we'd get a better offer in the offseason than whatever we were offered before the deadline -- which wasn't good enough for Darcy to accept.

 

c. we keep him next year as a $2.2 million backup. This would probably put him in the top 3-4 highest paid players on the team (right now he is #2 behind Drury, although if we keep Briere I would expect Briere to become the highest paid).

 

I look at these possibilities, and none of them seems particularly appetizing. It just seems highly unlikely that he will be on the team next year as a backup at that salary -- unless Miller goes into the tank, which I don't think will happen.

 

Darcy could be thinking that Miller is young, still hasn't been to the playoffs, we don't know how he's going to react, etc., so it's worth keeping Marty as an insurance policy, both for this year and for the beginning of next year (maybe until next year's trading deadline). Also, everyone on the team likes Marty and we are poised for a run at the cup, so we keep Marty for now as both insurance and to avoid upsetting the chemistry. Also, it seems like Darcy wanted to the right thing for Mika and finally get him his opportunity to be a #1 goalie.

 

I suppose that is reasonable, but it just seems like unless Miller falls off the table, we will have to get rid of Marty by next year's trading deadline, and then we'll have let both Marty and Mika go. At that point I think we'll regret having traded Mika.

 

Am I missing something?

The Sabres will give Marty a qualifying offer for $2.128MM for 1 year. Buffalo will also negotiate with Marty for a long term deal (say 3 years) at LESS than $2.128 per. My guess is that Marty and the Sabres will reach a long term agreement. His contract MAY end up slightly higher than Ryan's, but it won't be nearly as lopsided as it currently is. (Say ~$1.5MM for a deal for Ryan vs. ~$1.8MM for Marty's long term deal.) (Marty likes it in Buffalo and likely wouldn't get (much) more from other teams than the Sabres will offer. Also, contracts are guaranteed in the NHL, so Marty has injury security with a long term deal.)

 

If the Sabres and Marty do not reach a long term agreement, then there are a few possible scenarios.

 

1. Marty signs his 1 year tender offer. I see this as the most likely scenario after Marty signing long term in Buffalo. If this happens, I expect to see the Sabres trade Marty at some point during the season. He would be an UFA at the end of the '06-'07 season and would be making a lot more than the starter in Buffalo. These factors scream "trade me".

 

2. The Sabres realize they will not get a long term deal worked out with Marty and trade his rights this summer.

 

3. Another team signs Marty to a contract. Sabres refuse to match and take roughly 2 1st rounders for Marty. I don't see this as being an overly realistic scenario as no team signed any other team's RFA's this past off season.

 

4. Marty decides to hold out. It doesn't buy him anything as he has no leverage and would have to miss the entire season if he isn't signed by December 1. I see no possibility of this happening.

 

In any case, the Sabres will either get Marty's services or they will get something in trade for him, but I expect him to be here for a few more years.

[nfreeman]

The Sabres will give Marty a qualifying offer for $2.128MM for 1 year. Buffalo will also negotiate with Marty for a long term deal (say 3 years) at LESS than $2.128 per. My guess is that Marty and the Sabres will reach a long term agreement. His contract MAY end up slightly higher than Ryan's, but it won't be nearly as lopsided as it currently is. (Say ~$1.5MM for a deal for Ryan vs. ~$1.8MM for Marty's long term deal.) (Marty likes it in Buffalo and likely wouldn't get (much) more from other teams than the Sabres will offer. Also, contracts are guaranteed in the NHL, so Marty has injury security with a long term deal.)

 

If the Sabres and Marty do not reach a long term agreement, then there are a few possible scenarios.

 

1. Marty signs his 1 year tender offer. I see this as the most likely scenario after Marty signing long term in Buffalo. If this happens, I expect to see the Sabres trade Marty at some point during the season. He would be an UFA at the end of the '06-'07 season and would be making a lot more than the starter in Buffalo. These factors scream "trade me".

 

2. The Sabres realize they will not get a long term deal worked out with Marty and trade his rights this summer.

 

3. Another team signs Marty to a contract. Sabres refuse to match and take roughly 2 1st rounders for Marty. I don't see this as being an overly realistic scenario as no team signed any other team's RFA's this past off season.

 

4. Marty decides to hold out. It doesn't buy him anything as he has no leverage and would have to miss the entire season if he isn't signed by December 1. I see no possibility of this happening.

 

In any case, the Sabres will either get Marty's services or they will get something in trade for him, but I expect him to be here for a few more years.

 

 

Thanks DaveB. I think what this comes down to is whether the Sabres want to keep Marty as a highly paid backup. I think it's quite plausible that Marty would agree to the 3-year deal you predict (although it's also quite likely that he would feel that he should be a starter somewhere and wouldn't sign long-term or would push for a trade).

 

However, I'm not sure the Sabres would go for Marty at $1.8 million per year. That would still make him the 6th highest paid player on the team (salary info is here: http://www.nhlpa.com/WebStats/PlayerSearch...p?OIDTeam=9508) and would eat up 6.4% of the team's budget (assuming the budget is $28 million). Spending that much on your backup goalie just doesn't sound like a smart move or like something Darcy would do.

 

Marty's been here for a long time now, so it's sort of hard to imagine him moving on. However, I think the odds favor that happening before the trade deadline next year. If that is the case, I think we will regret unloading Mika.

[hopeleslyobvious]

Thanks DaveB. I think what this comes down to is whether the Sabres want to keep Marty as a highly paid backup. I think it's quite plausible that Marty would agree to the 3-year deal you predict (although it's also quite likely that he would feel that he should be a starter somewhere and wouldn't sign long-term or would push for a trade).

 

However, I'm not sure the Sabres would go for Marty at $1.8 million per year. That would still make him the 6th highest paid player on the team (salary info is here: http://www.nhlpa.com/WebStats/PlayerSearch...p?OIDTeam=9508) and would eat up 6.4% of the team's budget (assuming the budget is $28 million). Spending that much on your backup goalie just doesn't sound like a smart move or like something Darcy would do.

 

Marty's been here for a long time now, so it's sort of hard to imagine him moving on. However, I think the odds favor that happening before the trade deadline next year. If that is the case, I think we will regret unloading Mika.

 

I would imagine with this year's profits, the budget will go up a couple million next year.

[deluca67]

I would imagine with this year's profits, the budget will go up a couple million next year.

 

It naturaly will because of the built in raises and the qualifing offers. I don't expect the Sabres to say "Hey. We made some money lets go crazy". There are also many off ice employees that will get raises even if there just cost living increases. That "profit" will get eaten up really fast. The hope is in the long term. When this franchise starts to make a profit on a regular basis not just one out of twenty seasons then you may see a change in how the Sabres do business. Right now a plan is in place and it's working.