Free Agent Frenzy

[thesportsbuff]

Drew Stafford has as much potential to score 30-35 goals this year. I'll be curious to follow theirs paths this year.

 

There's no reason to believe Stafford will score anywhere near 30-35 goals. Especially playing with the same players he's played with his whole career and failed to produce with. Zherdev on the other hand has shown promise, scoring around 25 goals three times with a subpar Columbus team. On a team like Philly, he certainly has the potential to score 30 or more. Stafford, not so much.

 

For some reason I thought the Flyers being able to sign another "top six" forward who will probably score about 30-35 goals this season would garner more of a reaction. Is this it? Have we (the fans) finally given up on this off-season?

 

I have.

[shrader]

There's no reason to believe Stafford will score anywhere near 30-35 goals. Especially playing with the same players he's played with his whole career and failed to produce with. Zherdev on the other hand has shown promise, scoring around 25 goals three times with a subpar Columbus team. On a team like Philly, he certainly has the potential to score 30 or more. Stafford, not so much.

 

And on a solid Ranger team he managed to score 23. Zherdev's top goal output was 27 and he did that 5 seasons ago. He's not going to push 30 in Philly.

[thesportsbuff]

And on a solid Ranger team he managed to score 23. Zherdev's top goal output was 27 and he did that 5 seasons ago. He's not going to push 30 in Philly.

 

Speaking in exact numbers, sure his top goal output was 27, five seasons ago. But his last two seasons in the NHL (one with Columbus, one with NY) he enjoyed the two best seasons of his career: 26 goals, 35 assists in 2007/08, and 23 goals, 35 assists in 2008/09. Even Ovechkin's goal total fluctuates by five or six every year -- just because Zherdev scored FOUR less goals with NY than he did the year you're speaking of in Columbus (and just three less than the year prior) doesn't mean he's tailed off and will never push 30 again. Stafford's career HIGH is 20 goals. Zherdev, now playing with a much better team both offensively and defensively in Philadelphia is much more likely to elevate his game and score 30 than Stafford is, playing with the same old crew.

[SabresneedaCup]

And on a solid Ranger team he managed to score 23. Zherdev's top goal output was 27 and he did that 5 seasons ago. He's not going to push 30 in Philly.

psh the rangers solid? no way. they always stink.

[SabresneedaCup]

Hes a good player, he might become a great player, but he is NO WHERE near being an elite player right now

alright maybe not elite, but you get what i mean. anyway, what defines an elite player? vanek had to close the one year 43 goals 41 assists and 84 points. thats pretty good.

[ROC Sabres]

alright maybe not elite, but you get what i mean. anyway, what defines an elite player? vanek had to close the one year 43 goals 41 assists and 84 points. thats pretty good.

He's elite when it comes the Sabres and not the rest of the NHL. :thumbsup:

[SabresneedaCup]

He's elite when it comes the Sabres and not the rest of the NHL. :thumbsup:

that may be so but i disagree. hes a top 5 pick, and given the right scenario he could easily put up 43 again or even 50. thats sounds borderline elite to me.

[thesportsbuff]

alright maybe not elite, but you get what i mean. anyway, what defines an elite player? vanek had to close the one year 43 goals 41 assists and 84 points. thats pretty good.

 

I think it varies depending on who you talk to. I reserve the term "elite" for Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, and maybe theres a case for Kovalchuk. The next level down to me is "Superstar," which includes Patrick Kane, Lecavalier, Hossa, the Sedins, Parise, Datsyuk, etc. And then comes the "Star" level which includes Vanek, Spezza, Cammalleri, and players that have shown flashes of brilliance but without consistency.

 

I don't know exactly HOW I come to this conclusion, I don't go and sort them all out. I just kind of subconsciously draw the line between the groups. lol hard to explain I guess.

[SabresneedaCup]

I think it varies depending on who you talk to. I reserve the term "elite" for Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, and maybe theres a case for Kovalchuk. The next level down to me is "Superstar," which includes Patrick Kane, Lecavalier, Hossa, the Sedins, Parise, Datsyuk, etc. And then comes the "Star" level which includes Vanek, Spezza, Cammalleri, and players that have shown flashes of brilliance but without consistency.

 

I don't know exactly HOW I come to this conclusion, I don't go and sort them all out. I just kind of subconsciously draw the line between the groups. lol hard to explain I guess.

i can agree with this, but i think vanek definately has the potential to be a superstar or even elite someday.

[ROC Sabres]

that may be so but i disagree. hes a top 5 pick, and given the right scenario he could easily put up 43 again or even 50. thats sounds borderline elite to me.

I was just poking fun at the rest of the Sabres. He is definitely a player any GM would want on there team because of what he is capable of putting up in the right scenario.

[thesportsbuff]

i can agree with this, but i think vanek definately has the potential to be a superstar or even elite someday.

 

Potential is definitely there, if Darcy ever gets him a good center to play with. As we all know, it's no fluke that Vanek's career year (43G 41A) was when he was playing with Briere.

 

Edit: Or was it? Haha, I just looked up the stats and Vanek was a +47 (pretty impressive) that year while Briere was only a +17. Roy, on the other hand, was a +37 -- Was Roy actually Vanek's center for most of that season? :blink:

[SabresneedaCup]

Potential is definitely there, if Darcy ever gets him a good center to play with. As we all know, it's no fluke that Vanek's career year (43G 41A) was when he was playing with Briere.

 

Edit: Or was it? Haha, I just looked up the stats and Vanek was a +47 (pretty impressive) that year while Briere was only a +17. Roy, on the other hand, was a +37 -- Was Roy actually Vanek's center for most of that season? :blink:

yeah that was roy, afinoloser and vanek.

[carpandean]

Potential is definitely there, if Darcy ever gets him a good center to play with. As we all know, it's no fluke that Vanek's career year (43G 41A) was when he was playing with Briere.

 

Edit: Or was it? Haha, I just looked up the stats and Vanek was a +47 (pretty impressive) that year while Briere was only a +17. Roy, on the other hand, was a +37 -- Was Roy actually Vanek's center for most of that season? :blink:

RAV, the best third line in the NHL!

 

Hecht was usually Briere's left winger with either Pommer or Dumont on the right.

 

Edit: or was the Dumont version Dumont-Briere-Pominville? My memomry is a little vague, too.

[thesportsbuff]

RAV, the best third line in the NHL!

 

Hecht was usually Briere's left winger with either Pommer or Dumont on the right.

 

memories of recent failures have clouded my brain.

[nfreeman]

RAV, the best third line in the NHL!

 

Hecht was usually Briere's left winger with either Pommer or Dumont on the right.

 

Edit: or was the Dumont version Dumont-Briere-Pominville? My memomry is a little vague, too.

 

in '05-'06, it was Briere-Dumont-Hecht. JP left that summer in a flurry of bad contract decisions by "top management", so it became Briere-Pommer-Hecht in '06-'07. Pommer had a big year that year on Briere's wing (Briere had 95 points in his contract year that year) and the Sabres led the NHL in scoring. I think Pommer started the first 2 months of that season on like a 60-goal pace and then cooled off.

 

Effing management. That was a great team. What an effing debacle.

[thesportsbuff]

in '05-'06, it was Briere-Dumont-Hecht. JP left that summer in a flurry of bad contract decisions by "top management", so it became Briere-Pommer-Hecht in '06-'07. Pommer had a big year that year on Briere's wing (Briere had 95 points in his contract year that year) and the Sabres led the NHL in scoring. I think Pommer started the first 2 months of that season on like a 60-goal pace and then cooled off.

 

Effing management. That was a great team. What an effing debacle.

 

2005-06 was just the best year of my life. That whole season was magical. Even though statistically 2006/07 was a better year, I was far more confident in the 2005/06 team than I was the 06/07 team. I still can't believe what happened against Carolina. :( :cry:

[carpandean]

in '05-'06, it was Briere-Dumont-Hecht. JP left that summer in a flurry of bad contract decisions by "top management", so it became Briere-Pommer-Hecht in '06-'07.

Then maybe all three combinations occurred, because this post in this thread on HFboards from the 2005-06 season includes a now-dead link from WGR saying that Dumont and Pommer would be playing with Briere during one call-up.

[static70]

Patrick Sharp and Brian Campbell in play due to Chicago match? Very Possible.

 

Per LeBrun Twitter:

 

"My ESPNChicago colleague Jesse Rogers believes Patrick Sharp could be in play as well now and he's much more easily moveable... We'll see"

 

"With Hawks deciding to match Hjalmarsson offer, source said today Brian Campbell being shopped. Have hard time seeing that contract moved"

[inkman]

Patrick Sharp and Brian Campbell in play due to Chicago match? Very Possible.

 

Per LeBrun Twitter:

 

"My ESPNChicago colleague Jesse Rogers believes Patrick Sharp could be in play as well now and he's much more easily moveable... We'll see"

 

"With Hawks deciding to match Hjalmarsson offer, source said today Brian Campbell being shopped. Have hard time seeing that contract moved"

I'm thinking they are ripe for the picking now. They are 100k below the cap with 4 forwards, 2 dman and a backup goalie to sign.

 

Campbell, Sharp 1st round pick

 

Stafford, Gerbe, Roy, Butler, Gragnani

 

a man can dream can't he...they gain 3-4 million in cap space, get bodies to fill out their roster.

 

Sabres get puck handling Dman they need. A little more grit up the the middle. Maybe I'm crazy.

[static70]

I'm thinking they are ripe for the picking now. They are 100k below the cap with 4 forwards, 2 dman and a backup goalie to sign.

 

Campbell, Sharp 1st round pick

 

Stafford, Gerbe, Roy, Butler, Gragnani

 

a man can dream can't he...they gain 3-4 million in cap space, get bodies to fill out their roster.

 

Sabres get puck handling Dman they need. A little more grit up the the middle. Maybe I'm crazy.

Your number would be correct and I also 100% agree, they are ready to deal.

 

COME ON DARCY!!!

Don't be a fool, pick up Sharp. He's played LW, Center and RW although his natural position is LW.

OR

How about an up and Coming center? David Bolland.

 

My trade offer:

To Chicago

Tim Connolly 4.5 mil for 1 year (UFA)

Drew Stafford 1.9 mil for 1 year (RFA)

Total: 6.4 mil

 

To Buffalo

David Bolland 3.375 mil (4 years, great price)

Brian Campbell 7.143 mil (6 years, OUCH!)

But

With Rivet and Montador coming off the books next season and Myers contract in 2 years sure to be in the 4 to 5 mil range, and the young talent coming up through Portland on D, I believe the Sabres can do this and Campbell would have the Sabres on his list of 8 I am sure.

1st rd draft pick 2011

3rd rd draft pick 2011

2nd rd draft pick 2012

If we are going to eat Campbells salary for that long, payment should be fair, 3 picks is fair for that amount of money.

[inkman]

Your number would be correct and I also 100% agree, they are ready to deal.

 

COME ON DARCY!!!

Don't be a fool, pick up Sharp. He's played LW, Center and RW although his natural position is LW.

OR

How about an up and Coming center? David Bolland.

 

My trade offer:

To Chicago

Tim Connolly 4.5 mil for 1 year (UFA)

Drew Stafford 1.9 mil for 1 year (RFA)

Total: 6.4 mil

 

To Buffalo

David Bolland 3.375 mil (4 years, great price)

Brian Campbell 7.143 mil (6 years, OUCH!)

But

With Rivet and Montador coming off the books next season and Myers contract in 2 years sure to be in the 4 to 5 mil range, and the young talent coming up through Portland on D, I believe the Sabres can do this and Campbell would have the Sabres on his list of 8 I am sure.

1st rd draft pick 2011

3rd rd draft pick 2011

2nd rd draft pick 2012

If we are going to eat Campbells salary for that long, payment should be fair, 3 picks is fair for that amount of money.

 

...but that doesn't fill their voided roster of desperately needed bodies. With enough fringe NHLers on the Sabres roster, why not offer them up. Why on earth would they take Connolly?

[tom webster]

I'm thinking they are ripe for the picking now. They are 100k below the cap with 4 forwards, 2 dman and a backup goalie to sign.

 

Campbell, Sharp 1st round pick

 

Stafford, Gerbe, Roy, Butler, Gragnani

 

a man can dream can't he...they gain 3-4 million in cap space, get bodies to fill out their roster.

 

Sabres get puck handling Dman they need. A little more grit up the the middle. Maybe I'm crazy.

 

 

Must admit I didn't figure in the year end bonuses when I said Chicago would be alright. Looks like Sharp is back in play but it would be hard for Buffalo to take back Campbell with 5 years left.

[nfreeman]

I'm thinking they are ripe for the picking now. They are 100k below the cap with 4 forwards, 2 dman and a backup goalie to sign.

 

Campbell, Sharp 1st round pick

 

Stafford, Gerbe, Roy, Butler, Gragnani

 

a man can dream can't he...they gain 3-4 million in cap space, get bodies to fill out their roster.

 

Sabres get puck handling Dman they need. A little more grit up the the middle. Maybe I'm crazy.

I guess if they said they're going to match for Hjalmarsson, then they are, but it seems crazy to me to keep him and let Sharp go.

 

If Sharp is indeed put on the market, DR needs to be in the middle of it.

 

 

[static70]

...but that doesn't fill their voided roster of desperately needed bodies. With enough fringe NHLers on the Sabres roster, why not offer them up. Why on earth would they take Connolly?

Well ink, I am looking at from both organizations prespectives.

No way Darcy gives up that much depth in forwards, especially since we already lack.

But the d men we can give, so I'll amend the Sabres to include Sekera or Butler (preferably Butler).

In that case, I would require the 3rd rd pick in 2012 as well as the 2nd rd pick.

 

As for the bodies needed by Chicago. Giving them the 4.5 mil in cap space and they can sign 3 forwards with it I am sure.

[deluca67]

I guess if they said they're going to match for Hjalmarsson, then they are, but it seems crazy to me to keep him and let Sharp go.

 

If Sharp is indeed put on the market, DR needs to be in the middle of it.

:lol: