Search for a Center

[spndnchz]

Listening to the presser and how DR said it's tough to find a center, a good one, at the right price, and the opportunity cost of acquiring one, I did the following.

 

Looked up top paid centers that are becoming FA's next few years and seeing where they came from. 9in no real order)

 

1) Brad Richards, Dallas 6-0 and 198lbs. Signed as free agent to a 5 yr 7.8 mill deal

 

2) Joe Thornton, 6-4 and 235 lbs, traded for Primeau, Brad Stuart, and Sturm. 3yrs 7.2 per

 

3) Patrice Bergeron, picked rd#2 45th pick by Bruins 6-0 190lbs. 5yrs 4.75 mill

 

4) Jeff Carter, Philly, picked rd#1, #11 6-3 and 193 lbs, 3yrs 5 mill per.

 

5) Jason Arnott, 6-3 and 220 lbs, traded with #1 pick (turned out to be Paille) for Nieuwendyk and langenbrunner. 5yrs 4.5 per

 

6) Michal Handzus, 6-5 and 217 lbs. Free agency, 4 yrs 4 mill per.

 

7) Brad Boyes, 6-1 195. traded to Blues for Dennis Wideman (Sabres rd#8 pick in 2002, by the way) 4 yrs, 4 million

 

8) Nathan Horton, 6-2 and 229, picked rd#1, pick 3 by Florida, 6 yr deal, 4 mill cap hit

 

9) Travis Zajac, NJD, NJD gave a rd#1 and rd#3 pick to Stars to get him at #20, rd #1. 4 yrs, 3.888 cap hit.

 

10) Ryan Getzlaf, 6-4, 221 lbs. picked rd#1, #19 by Anaheim. 4 yrs, 5.3 mill cap hit.

 

For those of U counting that's (out of ten) 2 Free Agency, 6 drafted, 2 traded.

 

Carry on...

[static70]

Horton is a Right Winger, not a Center

 

If a trade would be the option, Eric Staal, hands down.

 

If its FA, Lombardi, Plakenec and thats about it.

 

Its a trade to be sure, who and for who is the real question here.

[spndnchz]

Lombardi and Plekanec were both acquired by draft. That was kinda my point. Teams that drafted good centers don't give them up easy.

 

IMO, Zagrapan was supposed to be here. Novotny at 6-4, 210 never panned out either.

[VansTheMans]

Richards, Horton and Carter interest me and are all possibilities.

 

I'm still all aboard the Brad Richards hype train.

[darksabre]

I would take ANYONE on that list over Connolly.

 

Too bad no one else will take Connolly. :(

[LabattBlue]

Too bad no one else will take Connolly. :(

Not so fast. The guy has a 1 year 4.5 deal and put up 65 points in 73 games. I would bet there are many trades/FA moves every year that would be considered a lot more riskier than taking on Connolly for 1 year.

[Robviously]

Not so fast. The guy has a 1 year 4.5 deal and put up 65 points in 73 games. I would bet there are many trades/FA moves every year that would be considered a lot more riskier than taking on Connolly for 1 year.

Not to mention 20 NHL teams didn't score as many goals in 2009-2010 as we did.

 

We should be able to move Connolly for something useful this summer.

[Buffalo Wings]

Richards, Horton and Carter interest me and are all possibilities.

 

I'm still all aboard the Brad Richards hype train.

I am too, but can we conceivably think that the Stars would contribute to his salary? (do NHL teams do that?) I don't see Darcy paying him the full $7.8 million, but I guess it depends on the trade.

 

If a trade for Richards doesn't work by the FA signing period, I really hope they take a chance on Plekanec.

[theend]

Not to mention 20 NHL teams didn't score as many goals in 2009-2010 as we did.

 

We should be able to move Connolly for something useful this summer.

 

Even if we can't get a good return, it's useful as a salary dump. Trade him for a pick if necessary, and then go out and use the money in FA, and it's just as good as a trade for a useful player.

[shrader]

I am too, but can we conceivably think that the Stars would contribute to his salary? (do NHL teams do that?) I don't see Darcy paying him the full $7.8 million, but I guess it depends on the trade.

 

If a trade for Richards doesn't work by the FA signing period, I really hope they take a chance on Plekanec.

 

Picking up part of a salary in a trade is not permitted in the CBA.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I can't get behind the idea of Richards because that is a lot of cash, probably leaving Butler, Sekera AND Weber all playing big minutes next season ... which is kinda scary ... and he's also a UFA after next season, so you are getting very limited return ... can you see them paying him $8 million+ in an extension? I can't.

 

An interesting name on the list is Zajac .... I don't know that he is really a #1 center but wasn't he Stafford's buddy at North Dakota? Would that be good for Stafford? Would it make him even worse? Not that I think he is available ...

[spndnchz]

FWIW, both Roy and Connolly popped up on the list but I left them out.

[Stoner]

So Darcy all but ruled out acquiring a center (in fact, demeaned the questioner, John Wawrow of AP, by shrieking, "Such generalities!"), so naturally this board is going to spend all summer trying to "find" a center. Grow up, kids.

[spndnchz]

So Darcy all but ruled out acquiring a center (in fact, demeaned the questioner, John Wawrow of AP, by shrieking, "Such generalities!"), so naturally this board is going to spend all summer trying to "find" a center. Grow up, kids.

 

Com'on, that was no shriek. And he did say changes had to be made. Just because u didn't get a new coach :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Stoner]

Com'on, that was no shriek. And he did say changes had to be made. Just because u didn't get a new coach :cry: :cry: :cry:

 

It was shrill and made my scrote shrivel. That's a shriek.

 

Are we going to look for a power play QB too? Darcy said he thinks that player is on the roster.

[inkman]

It was shrill and made my scrote shrivel. That's a shriek.

 

Are we going to look for a power play QB too? Darcy said he thinks that player is on the roster.

Well, there's always the Bills to root for...Doh!!

[waldo]

Not to mention 20 NHL teams didn't score as many goals in 2009-2010 as we did.

 

We should be able to move Connolly for something useful this summer.

 

I think we scored all those goals in one game?

[SabresBillsFan]

Lombardi and Plekanec were both acquired by draft. That was kinda my point. Teams that drafted good centers don't give them up easy.

 

IMO, Zagrapan was supposed to be here. Novotny at 6-4, 210 never panned out either.

 

That's why for a small market team like Buffalo that builds their team thru the draft they can't afford to make mistakes on first round picks that don't pan out. Zagrapan and Persson are two wasted first round picks that could have been used for somebody useful.

[deluca67]

Not to mention 20 NHL teams didn't score as many goals in 2009-2010 as we did.

We should be able to move Connolly for something useful this summer.

Too bad the Sabres didn't face the Lightning in the playoffs so that stat would actually mean something. :doh:

[deluca67]

That's why for a small market team like Buffalo that builds their team thru the draft they can't afford to make mistakes on first round picks that don't pan out. Zagrapan and Persson are two wasted first round picks that could have been used for somebody useful.

If only someone were accountable for all these first round failures. Didn't they also give away a first rounder for Zubris. Not to mention throwing a couple of 2nd rounders away for Rivet?

[SouthernSabre]

Listening to the presser and how DR said it's tough to find a center, a good one, at the right price, and the opportunity cost of acquiring one, I did the following.

 

Looked up top paid centers that are becoming FA's next few years and seeing where they came from. 9in no real order)

 

1) Brad Richards, Dallas 6-0 and 198lbs. Signed as free agent to a 5 yr 7.8 mill deal

 

2) Joe Thornton, 6-4 and 235 lbs, traded for Primeau, Brad Stuart, and Sturm. 3yrs 7.2 per

 

3) Patrice Bergeron, picked rd#2 45th pick by Bruins 6-0 190lbs. 5yrs 4.75 mill

 

4) Jeff Carter, Philly, picked rd#1, #11 6-3 and 193 lbs, 3yrs 5 mill per.

 

5) Jason Arnott, 6-3 and 220 lbs, traded with #1 pick (turned out to be Paille) for Nieuwendyk and langenbrunner. 5yrs 4.5 per

 

6) Michal Handzus, 6-5 and 217 lbs. Free agency, 4 yrs 4 mill per.

 

7) Brad Boyes, 6-1 195. traded to Blues for Dennis Wideman (Sabres rd#8 pick in 2002, by the way) 4 yrs, 4 million

 

8) Nathan Horton, 6-2 and 229, picked rd#1, pick 3 by Florida, 6 yr deal, 4 mill cap hit

 

9) Travis Zajac, NJD, NJD gave a rd#1 and rd#3 pick to Stars to get him at #20, rd #1. 4 yrs, 3.888 cap hit.

 

10) Ryan Getzlaf, 6-4, 221 lbs. picked rd#1, #19 by Anaheim. 4 yrs, 5.3 mill cap hit.

 

For those of U counting that's (out of ten) 2 Free Agency, 6 drafted, 2 traded.

 

Carry on...

 

 

Maybe they took away his internet access to cut costs and he doesn't know about any of these players are gonna be available!! :ph34r:

[Kristian]

Not to mention 20 NHL teams didn't score as many goals in 2009-2010 as we did.

 

We should be able to move Connolly for something useful this summer.

 

Darcy will never move Connolly.

 

He traded Mike Peca for him, and will never admit how he got killed in that trade.

 

Can't say I blame him though. Getting fleeced by freakin' Mike Milbury in a trade can't look good on one's resume :wallbash:

[LabattBlue]

If only someone were accountable for all these first round failures. Didn't they also give away a first rounder for Zubris. Not to mention throwing a couple of 2nd rounders away for Rivet?

Actually it's worse...

 

1st round BUSTS...Heisten, Kryukov, Persson, Novotny & Zagrapan(5 misses in a 8 year span)

 

Pissed away draft picks for a team whose motto is "build from within"...

 

1st for Zubrus

2nd for Moore

2nd for Torres

Two 2nd's for Rivet

[spndnchz]

Actually it's worse...

 

1st round BUSTS...Heisten, Kryukov, Persson, Novotny & Zagrapan(5 misses in a 8 year span)

 

Pissed away draft picks for a team whose motto is "build from within"...

 

1st for Zubrus

2nd for Moore

2nd for Kotalik

Two 2nd's for Rivet

 

These are the same aren't they? We got a second for Kotalik and gave it to get Moore.

 

He also got a first, second, and third for Campbell via Bernier. Although that second was given away for Torres.

[rbochan]

...Ryan Getzlaf, 6-4, 221 lbs. picked rd#1, #19 by Anaheim. 4 yrs, 5.3 mill cap hit...

 

 

Get it done Darcy!

 

/droool