Who would you trade first from the core?

[Barnabov]

If you the fan had to choose, who would you trade away right now to try and improve the Sabres? Maybe Darcy only has the gumption to make one trade and see how it goes from there so we'll limit this discussion to one player and get your reasons...

 

I'll start it off: Tim Connolly

 

Of all the players on the roster, I think he is the biggest cancer that's dragging down the whole organization. Bumping him down to the 4th line doesn't send enough of a message and his entire career as a Sabre has been one big up & down (mostly down). Unfortunately I still think Darcy is trying to justify the Mike Peca holdout response by keeping Connolly to prove what a great return they got for sticking to their position.

 

Personally, I would take any kind of return for Connolly - even waive him if that's what it took. He's going to be a UFA after this year and I'd make the argument now that keeping him for the rest of the season to play out the contract outweighs the benefits of sending a message to the other players on the team and getting some fresh passion in the locker room.

 

Luckily I think there is some team out there willing to take a chance on Connolly benefiting from the proverbial "change of scenery" to resurrect his career (a la Clark MacArthur / Rafi Torres). Yes he makes a lot of money but if a team can fit him under their cap, it's only for this season.

 

Hope Regier doesn't wait until the trade deadline as usual!

[Tyrannustyrannus]

Isnt there some point that the Sabres can buy out Connolly at 2/3 of his remaining contract, call someone up from Portland (Luke Adam) and end up saving money?

[spndnchz]

Isnt there some point that the Sabres can buy out Connolly at 2/3 of his remaining contract, call someone up from Portland (Luke Adam) and end up saving money?

 

Can't buyout a player during the year. His contract ends this year. Best you could hope for is

a) he gets better at his shortfalls quickly

b) he gets traded at the deadline for a great player/deal

c) combo of a +b

[Stoner]

The Tim Connolly group sexual assault continues. Jump right in. Bucky's smoking a cigarette in the corner.

[Eleven]

Depends on the return. All things being equal? Connolly.

[shrader]

Luckily I think there is some team out there willing to take a chance on Connolly benefiting from the proverbial "change of scenery" to resurrect his career (a la Clark MacArthur / Rafi Torres). Yes he makes a lot of money but if a team can fit him under their cap, it's only for this season.

 

I'll channel PA and his defense of all the crap Kovalchuk is getting by saying this. They haven't even played 20 games yet. Can we please hold up on comments like those career resurrections for MacArthur and Torres?

[nfreeman]

For me it's Pommer, beating Vanek by a hair and Hecht by a nose, because their contracts are so awful and long. I'd have TC in there if his contract wasn't expiring after this year.

 

I think this is fantasy talk, though, because it's highly unlikely anyone would take any of those 3 contracts without making the Sabres take back an equally horrible one in return.

[Weave]

Obviously it depends on the return coming back, but my list begins with....

 

1. Connolly

2. Stafford

 

Connolly seems to be the move Sabres could most afford to make with Luke Adam seemingly ready for the next step. Stafford is more problematic unless a top 6 RW comes back as part of the deal.

 

I could also do without Neidermayer and Grier. They make up what has to be the slowest non-goon line in the league. If Hecht doesn't change things around you could add him to my list as well. And Kaleta has become neutered by the refs and the league office so he's lost alot of his usefulness.

 

And now lets talk about moving defensemen. :wacko:

 

 

 

If I had to keep it to just one player it would be Connolly. But IMO moving only one player isn't going to have enough impact.

[Eleven]

Obviously it depends on the return coming back, but my list begins with....

 

1. Connolly

2. Stafford

 

Connolly seems to be the move Sabres could most afford to make with Luke Adam seemingly ready for the next step. Stafford is more problematic unless a top 6 RW comes back as part of the deal.

 

I could also do without Neidermayer and Grier. They make up what has to be the slowest non-goon line in the league. If Hecht doesn't change things around you could add him to my list as well. And Kaleta has become neutered by the refs and the league office so he's lost alot of his usefulness.

 

And now lets talk about moving defensemen. :wacko:

 

 

 

If I had to keep it to just one player it would be Connolly. But IMO moving only one player isn't going to have enough impact.

 

I've never thought of Stafford as part of the "core," but then again, I've never known that he's not. Can anyone shed light on that? 'cause if he is, I'm changing my answer above.

[Weave]

I've never thought of Stafford as part of the "core," but then again, I've never known that he's not. Can anyone shed light on that? 'cause if he is, I'm changing my answer above.

 

 

I'm sure that if you asked everyone here who the core is you would get as many answers as we have members here.

 

IMO core = the vets who've been here since the lockout and Rivet

[shoveldog]

You want to make an immediate and meaningful change to the core right now... CUT Tiny Tim. If I were the owner of this team, I would have called down to Darcy last week when Tiny gave the puck away twice on the power play for goals.

 

This team has the players to get the job done. We saw that last year. The team is not that significantly different. Sending the message by cutting one of your "favored" players outright without concern for value or return would send a HUGE message to the guys in the locker room.

 

Phase two of this would be to send more guys to the press box to sit alongside Rivet.

 

The bottom line is we want guys who CARE to be here and WANT to work hard. If you are a soft player or not playing to your potential, you sit. Still suck after sitting... there's the door.

[SabresOnTheWarpath]

Stafford. No question.

[Eleven]

Stafford. No question.

 

Is Stafford considered part of the core? If so, please change my answer.

[carpandean]

Whatever you want to call them, our default "top six" since July 1, 2007 have been Roy, Vanek, Stafford, Connolly, Pominville and Hecht. Others have swapped in, due mostly to injuries, and Ennis may be pushing his way into that group, but they have been the biggest constant other than Miller since that dark day. So, when I think of shaking up "the core", I'm thinking of those six. We've added "leadership" and "size" and "grit" to the other 12 starting positions, but left those six untouched. To me, this is the root of the problems with this team and the part that Darcy just doesn't seem to get. This team is "soft" (physically and mentally) primarily because of those six.

[Skibum]

Of course we would all trade Connolly and Stafford first. Problem is they aren't worth anything in trade so it would never happen. These are the type of guys that a GM gambled and lost on, and we're stuck with them until their contracts are up.

 

For a trade to happen, and for it to have any definitive impact on this team, would require unloading someone of real value. Of the core, my vote would be for Miller. His trade value would be off the chart and the truth is that he's only marginally better than most other goalies out there making half as much money as him. That's crazy talk, though, right? The only other core player with any real trade value is Roy, and his contract is way too good of a deal to let him go. Pomminstein, Gaustad, and Vanek make too much money for their performance and Connolly and Stafford are unwanted at any price. Myers is not on the table.

[PotentPowerPlay22]

If you the fan had to choose, who would you trade away right now to try and improve the Sabres? Maybe Darcy only has the gumption to make one trade and see how it goes from there so we'll limit this discussion to one player and get your reasons...

 

I'll start it off: Tim Connolly

 

Of all the players on the roster, I think he is the biggest cancer that's dragging down the whole organization. Bumping him down to the 4th line doesn't send enough of a message and his entire career as a Sabre has been one big up & down (mostly down). Unfortunately I still think Darcy is trying to justify the Mike Peca holdout response by keeping Connolly to prove what a great return they got for sticking to their position.

 

Personally, I would take any kind of return for Connolly - even waive him if that's what it took. He's going to be a UFA after this year and I'd make the argument now that keeping him for the rest of the season to play out the contract outweighs the benefits of sending a message to the other players on the team and getting some fresh passion in the locker room.

 

Luckily I think there is some team out there willing to take a chance on Connolly benefiting from the proverbial "change of scenery" to resurrect his career (a la Clark MacArthur / Rafi Torres). Yes he makes a lot of money but if a team can fit him under their cap, it's only for this season.

 

Hope Regier doesn't wait until the trade deadline as usual!

 

Maybe the better question would be, "Who would you keep from the core?"

 

There are more I would get rid of than keep. Connolly,Hecht,Pominville,Stafford are all pretty much worthless and unproductive. Gaustad can win faceoffs, but otherwise he is not productive. Vanek should be in Edmonton right now if the Sabres had been smart and let him go. The core is pretty weak which might explain last place in the division.

 

I like future prospects like Adam,Kassian,Foligno and McNabb, but that doesn't help right now. I feel the Sabres need to unload the overpaid underachievers who supposedly have talent and acquire a few more hard working team players who give it all every night.

[R_Dudley]

Whatever you want to call them, our default "top six" since July 1, 2007 have been Roy, Vanek, Stafford, Connolly, Pominville and Hecht. Others have swapped in, due mostly to injuries, and Ennis may be pushing his way into that group, but they have been the biggest constant other than Miller since that dark day. So, when I think of shaking up "the core", I'm thinking of those six. We've added "leadership" and "size" and "grit" to the other 12 starting positions, but left those six untouched. To me, this is the root of the problems with this team and the part that Darcy just doesn't seem to get. This team is "soft" (physically and mentally) primarily because those six.

 

 

I would not could not have said it better. QFT

[carpandean]

I would not could not have said it better.

Well, you could have put an "of" between "because" and "those six." :oops:

[Sabre Dance]

Sell Connolly to the gypsies and use the cash to hire some of Detroit's amateur scouts....:lol:

[R_Dudley]

Well, you could have put an "of" between "because" and "those six." :oops:

 

No really ask the rest of the ex english teacher, grammer nazi, washed up/up and coming newsman wannabe's here, I would not have said it any better. ;)

[Stoner]

No really ask the rest of the ex english teacher, grammer nazi, washed up/up and coming newsman wannabe's here, I would not have said it any better. ;)

 

First Poland, then we make chocolate chip cookies, dear! Actually, grandma does have a bit of a mustache. :thumbsup:

[Stoner]

I couldn't make this up.

 

Ace of Sabres is a band.

 

http://www.myspace.com/aceofsabres

 

CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A GUITAR PLAYER. No massive, yet easily bruised egos please.

[Eleven]

I couldn't make this up.

 

Ace of Sabres is a band.

 

http://www.myspace.com/aceofsabres

 

CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A GUITAR PLAYER. No massive, yet easily bruised egos please.

 

If you look closely, that's actually Drew Stafford in between Lynch and Zhitnik in that photo.

[korab rules]

To get this thread back on topic: Tim Connolly and it ain't even close. You could see ruff yelling at him on the bench a couple times tonight. He could be taking a seat when kaleta comes back. Wish butler would give some of those special shrimp he saves for rivet to tiny tim, too.

[Weave]

To get this thread back on topic: Tim Connolly and it ain't even close. You could see ruff yelling at him on the bench a couple times tonight. He could be taking a seat when kaleta comes back. Wish butler would give some of those special shrimp he saves for rivet to tiny tim, too.

 

 

The problem is, who the hell does Lindy use to center the 2nd line? I don't see Adam coming back up without an injury. And Goose, Niedermayer, or McCormick don't really seem like improvements (although any one of them would give a better effort). I suppose Lindy could just slide Hecht over to center but he's not exactly lighting the world on fire this season either.

 

This is a one line team. :wallbash: