All About July 1 wishes

[donteatyellowsnow]

At the end of this season Stasny's wings were David Koci and David Jones. Noone this side of Crosby is going to collect 80 pts with those two as wingers. And he is still rehab-ing a stress fracture in his leg.

 

According to the author of the Avalanche Yahoo!Sports site the Av's biggest offseason needs are for a #1 goalie, a good defensive D-man, size on the wing, and penalty killers. I'm thinking we can start our offer with Enroth, Weber, and Stafford and fill in the whatever other details to make it work. That gives them a goalie prospect, the D-man they need, size upfront and a PK'er.

 

Git 'er done.

 

Or we could give them Miller, Butler and Morrison, Mancari. Git R done! :thumbsup:

[Weave]

Realistically, what top 6 worthy centers might be available, trade or FA?

 

Brad Richards obviously. I think he's every bit the longshot to Buffalo as any trade for a center. IF Dallas doesn't sign him (which is a strong scenario) the front runner seems to be NYR.

 

Spezza- is he off the table now that Fisher was moved? Do we really want to trade within the division and see the guys we traded 6 times a year. (I fear Kassian continuing what Neil started with Drury)

 

Stasny- were the rumors of him being available even true?

 

Malkin- I can't see Pitt moving him. and what would it cost us?

 

Stamkos- Does an offer sheet make sense? 4 draft picks + a huge salary?

 

Mike Ribeiro- If Dallas signs Richards would that make Ribeiro available? Dallas is without an owner right now and the budget is tight. They are looking for inexpensive D and wingers. We have a plethora of youth at both wing and D. Just sayin'...

 

I don't really see anything other than what I've listed that is worth talking about. And even then, some of the above is more fantasy than anything. Just not much that I see short of a knock me over with a feather type deal.

 

I was really hoping that San Jose would crash and burn early in the playoffs, sparking a rebuild over there. Any of their top 3 centers would be welcome on one of my top 2 lines. But alas, they are playing well in round 2.

[deluca67]

Any center that may go on the market is going to have some limitations to his game. He may be not physical enough, not big enough, only a 60-70 point guy, not good defensively, etc...

 

Bottom line...they MUST bring someone in to replace Connolly(Luke Adam showed me little during his call ups to make me believe that he is not ready for a scoring line center role in the NHL), and it is up to Darcy to decide which limitations they can live with the most.

 

I know it has been referenced here before and I believe the source quote was from the Buffalo News from a year or two ago, DR has a reputation for "allegedly" agonizing over even the smallest of decisions and this scares the heck out of me.

 

This off season is either make or break for DR. If he craps the bed in terms of making the wrong moves, he better not be here next summer for another go round. His approval rating during the Pegula era already took a hit with Boyes playoff performance.

Someone needs to wipe the stars from Pegula's eyes for this to be true. Look at what history has taught us. It was more likely the U.S.A. would kill Osama Bin Laden than it was Regier getting fired. :doh:

[X. Benedict]

Any center that may go on the market is going to have some limitations to his game. He may be not physical enough, not big enough, only a 60-70 point guy, not good defensively, etc...

 

Very true. It is not so much that Buffalo needs to go get the top center on the market (that would be nice but...), but they have to get better, and they have to get deeper at the position.

[Lanny]

At the end of this season Stasny's wings were David Koci and David Jones. Noone this side of Crosby is going to collect 80 pts with those two as wingers. And he is still rehab-ing a stress fracture in his leg.

 

According to the author of the Avalanche Yahoo!Sports site the Av's biggest offseason needs are for a #1 goalie, a good defensive D-man, size on the wing, and penalty killers. I'm thinking we can start our offer with Enroth, Weber, and Stafford and fill in the whatever other details to make it work. That gives them a goalie prospect, the D-man they need, size upfront and a PK'er.

 

Git 'er done.

Was going to propose something almost exactly the same. Avs were supposedly after a couple of young goalies (Bernier/Schneider) at the deadline. Add a pick (1st?), and i think we're in business.

 

Or we could give them Miller, Butler and Morrison, Mancari. Git R done! :thumbsup:

That offer isn't nearly as good, for either team.

[Weave]

Anyone catch this article in today's TBN? I like this quote in particular.

"When you get that opportunity, you should go for it even though, most times, you don't win it," Bowman said. "Teams like Philadelphia and Vancouver, they're not both going to win it this year. Neither one might win it. I would have done the exact same thing last year if we missed the playoffs. It was the reality that was coming."

 

That's what Sabres management needs to remember under owner Terry Pegula. GM Darcy Regier last week acknowledged all players are available for the taking, which gives him more options with his own roster. He needs to reevaluate his personnel and take an aggressive approach without sweating about the future. The Sabres have never won it all. That's their reality.

 

And I really like hearing that all players are available for trade. Let's see some magic this Summer.

[LGR4GM]

At the end of this season Stasny's wings were David Koci and David Jones. Noone this side of Crosby is going to collect 80 pts with those two as wingers. And he is still rehab-ing a stress fracture in his leg.

 

According to the author of the Avalanche Yahoo!Sports site the Av's biggest offseason needs are for a #1 goalie, a good defensive D-man, size on the wing, and penalty killers. I'm thinking we can start our offer with Enroth, Weber, and Stafford and fill in the whatever other details to make it work. That gives them a goalie prospect, the D-man they need, size upfront and a PK'er.

 

Git 'er done.

Replace Weber with butler and I am with you but I wouldn't give up more than what you already mentioned. Staffords value is high right now and I think Enroth is going to be a little more high than he was. Statsny however maybe a little lower right now and thats the time to trade. Weber i think is that hardnosed def we have been missing since mckee left so i would rather keep him.

 

Remember that it is stupid to sell off all our young talent for anything because thats how you end up in one of two scenarios A) Win the cup and then suck for a long while B) Dont win the cup but are stuck with guys and are simply mediocre for the next decade while you rebuild your young talent.

 

We need to pick a defender (butler, sekera, morrisonn) that we can ditch along with one of our rw (not pommers IMO) along with a pick and maybe an unknown prospect (kassian?) for something truly great like... Malkin preferably, whether hes available or not who knows but if you wanna go big id start there. Or you can trade probably less and try to get a Pavelski or even a Berglund... Hard decisions need to be made by the sabres before july 1

 

By July 2 we need to have Myers signed for about 10years for 4mil a year average.

[Weave]

Replace Weber with butler and I am with you but I wouldn't give up more than what you already mentioned. Staffords value is high right now and I think Enroth is going to be a little more high than he was. Statsny however maybe a little lower right now and thats the time to trade. Weber i think is that hardnosed def we have been missing since mckee left so i would rather keep him.

 

Remember that it is stupid to sell off all our young talent for anything because thats how you end up in one of two scenarios A) Win the cup and then suck for a long while B) Dont win the cup but are stuck with guys and are simply mediocre for the next decade while you rebuild your young talent.

 

We need to pick a defender (butler, sekera, morrisonn) that we can ditch along with one of our rw (not pommers IMO) along with a pick and maybe an unknown prospect (kassian?) for something truly great like... Malkin preferably, whether hes available or not who knows but if you wanna go big id start there. Or you can trade probably less and try to get a Pavelski or even a Berglund... Hard decisions need to be made by the sabres before july 1

 

By July 2 we need to have Myers signed for about 10years for 4mil a year average.

 

In order to improve the team sometimes you have to move players that you'd rather not have to. Given COL's need for defensive D men I doubt that Butler gets it done. And as much as I;d rather keep Weber, having a #1 C is more important than keeping Weber IMO. If they would take Butler I am good with it, but I expect that COL would need some of our better young players coming back, and that might mean Weber goes. You can't expect a team to accept "a defender that we can ditch" (to use your phrase) in return for a #1 center. It's gonna take giving up some quality talent. Probably several quality players. You gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet.

 

And noone is suggesting selling off all the young talent, just a few in areas where we have plenty of depth.

[X. Benedict]

 

By July 2 we need to have Myers signed for about 10years for 4mil a year average.

 

No need for a deadline like that. That is just one day into free agency.

 

Myers is already on the roster (not even RFA)...so if big pieces are added, you structure Myers contract in a way that makes sense for the entire roster going forward.

[LGR4GM]

In order to improve the team sometimes you have to move players that you'd rather not have to. Given COL's need for defensive D men I doubt that Butler gets it done. And as much as I;d rather keep Weber, having a #1 C is more important than keeping Weber IMO. If they would take Butler I am good with it, but I expect that COL would need some of our better young players coming back, and that might mean Weber goes. You can't expect a team to accept "a defender that we can ditch" (to use your phrase) in return for a #1 center. It's gonna take giving up some quality talent. Probably several quality players. You gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet.

 

And noone is suggesting selling off all the young talent, just a few in areas where we have plenty of depth.

Agreed we have to get rid of some talent to get some but, Weber is not a depth guy, hes the only guy. We do not have more hard-nosed d-men except sometimes myers. Sekera, Leopold, Butler to an extent, Gragani, Myers, are all puck moving defensmen. I'd be more comfortable moving one of them (not myers). Just a thought and hard choices.

 

As far as the Myers contract we have lost so many good RFA's and UFA's because we waited and waited and waited to sign them. Sign myers in July and be done with it. Hes the center piece of our defense. You work whatever we are getting around his contract IMO. (remember his new cap hit wont take hold til next july either way)

[Weave]

As far as the Myers contract we have lost so many good RFA's and UFA's because we waited and waited and waited to sign them. Sign myers in July and be done with it. Hes the center piece of our defense. You work whatever we are getting around his contract IMO. (remember his new cap hit wont take hold til next july either way)

 

This makes no sense to me. Other than Drury (which was a monster screw up) what FA's have we lost because we waited too long?

 

Myers has almost no leverage for a number of years. He's still on his entry level deal. When that runs out we have the right to match any RFA offer given to him. And we may even have the right to take him to arbitration (which by CBA rules eliminates another teams ability to give him an offer). He's ours. There is no rush. Signing him to a big dollar deal beofre we have to is going to be counterproductive becuase it will eat cap space that doesn't have to get eaten yet.

 

The only reason I can think of to sign him long term before we have to is to lock him into a contract number before he really gets super good and the market value goes through the roof. I am sure his agent will advise him not to sign a long term deal that jeopardizes his ability to cash in on development over the next year or two.

[LGR4GM]

This makes no sense to me. Other than Drury (which was a monster screw up) what FA's have we lost because we waited too long?

 

Myers has almost no leverage for a number of years. He's still on his entry level deal. When that runs out we have the right to match any RFA offer given to him. And we may even have the right to take him to arbitration (which by CBA rules eliminates another teams ability to give him an offer). He's ours. There is no rush. Signing him to a big dollar deal beofre we have to is going to be counterproductive becuase it will eat cap space that doesn't have to get eaten yet.

Drury, Briere, Campbell, Vanek's current salary, possibly stafford right now, signing RFA's early is what smart teams do. Sure maybe 10 years is to much but at least 5 and you watch 5 years from now we will be wishing we had signed him for more. You could add Lydman and tallinder to that list but thats a small stretch.

[Weave]

Drury, Briere, Campbell, Vanek's current salary, possibly stafford right now, signing RFA's early is what smart teams do. Sure maybe 10 years is to much but at least 5 and you watch 5 years from now we will be wishing we had signed him for more. You could add Lydman and tallinder to that list but thats a small stretch.

 

Campbell said he was going to explore free agency. We didn't lose him because we waited too long. He didn't want to sign a contract before he was a free agent. And we lost Briere because we chose Drury over him. We offered a contract to Danny only after it became obvious that Drury wouldn't sign. I guess you could say we waited too long with that one but it really boils down to, they chose Drury over Briere and then lost both. And Vanek is still here so we surely didn't lose him.

 

I think you are minimizing the wants of the player here. Those players are actively looking to go into the free agent market. Even if we offer fair contracts alot of them (maybe most of them) will still go to the free agency market. For many players they only get one shot at a really big payday. You may want to lock them up, but they know they are missing out on their big money chance and actively choose to not accept contract offers so that they can get to free agency. Campbell was definitely one of those cases. The only way you change their minds is with long term deals. And that is risky.

 

I understand that your thought is to lock up Myers so that we are in the drivers seat with his contract for a long time. And I agree that it is wise to do that. But my point is, we don't really risk anything if we don't lock him up this year. We have time because of his age and his time as a pro. The team should fill out next seasons roster with FA's and trades and if it makes sense after that, offer Myers an extention that fits with the roster we are building. maybe it does make sense to sign that extention soon. But maybe it doesn't. No sense rushing when you don't have to is all I'm saying.

[LGR4GM]

^ we really are splitting hairs, you are right. Myers is not a priority I just worry about past mistakes coming around again. Lets go after a center and money for myers will be found when everythings all said and done.

 

ps. i am still opposed to anything involving us losing Weber, kids gritty.

[SwampD]

This makes no sense to me. Other than Drury (which was a monster screw up) what FA's have we lost because we waited too long?

 

Myers has almost no leverage for a number of years. He's still on his entry level deal. When that runs out we have the right to match any RFA offer given to him. And we may even have the right to take him to arbitration (which by CBA rules eliminates another teams ability to give him an offer). He's ours. There is no rush. Signing him to a big dollar deal beofre we have to is going to be counterproductive becuase it will eat cap space that doesn't have to get eaten yet.

 

The only reason I can think of to sign him long term before we have to is to lock him into a contract number before he really gets super good and the market value goes through the roof. I am sure his agent will advise him not to sign a long term deal that jeopardizes his ability to cash in on development over the next year or two.

This might be a little off topic but you opened the door and I have to walk through. I just have to say that I don't really think that losing Drury and Briere was a monster screw up. Even with hindsight, I just don't think we were going to win it all with them anyway. Where the screw up really lies isn't that we lost them, it's that DR got nothing in return for them.

 

Twice the team had assets that they got nothing in return for and each time it took them several years to recover. After losing Hasek it took 3 seasons to get back to the playoffs and after losing CD+DB it took 2. It just shows what a tenuous balance an NHL team is on.

 

I don't mind losing good players, they probably don't fit anyway, but we have to get something in return for them.

[Kristian]

320 pts. in 350 games. If he's not a 1A he's a 1B.

 

And the best we have is a 2B.

 

Yes, please.

[Weave]

This might be a little off topic but you opened the door and I have to walk through. I just have to say that I don't really think that losing Drury and Briere was a monster screw up. Even with hindsight, I just don't think we were going to win it all with them anyway. Where the screw up really lies isn't that we lost them, it's that DR got nothing in return for them.

 

Twice the team had assets that they got nothing in return for and each time it took them several years to recover. After losing Hasek it took 3 seasons to get back to the playoffs and after losing CD+DB it took 2. It just shows what a tenuous balance an NHL team is on.

 

I don't mind losing good players, they probably don't fit anyway, but we have to get something in return for them.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with this line of thought. If you agree with this line of thinking then it should've extended out to advocating that very thing this year with a number of our pending UFA's as well. IMO it is ALWAYS important to get what we can for departing players. It is shortsighted to do otherwise, for the very reason you mention, the thin margin that separates good teams from bad.

 

 

*now THAT ought to open a can of worms* :death:

[LastPommerFan]

I'm tossing around the idea in my head that all the talk about NEEDING a #1 center and adding scoring should be the focus is out of place. We finished 9th in the league in scoring. And that was after we were in 22nd place on january 1. We finished one goal behind SJ for the lead in March and scored the most goals in the month of April (reg season). I think getting Roy back makes us better and Gerbe and MAG for full seasons increase our scoring. We can finish next season in the top 5 in scoring with the current line-up. History says that since the Lockout that's good enough to win the cup.

 

While the D will improve some just with the expirience, bringing in a top D FA would work wonders for our young guys. Myers is good, but he's not in a position to helpp develop the 4 other guys his age. Morrison, Monte and Leopold were to busy working on getting their own game going to help out.

 

So, rather than going after a #1 C and top Pair D, I'm throwing out the idea that we should go after 2 D a top Pair guy (my choice is Ehrhoff) and a solid 32-33 year old veteran. Better ability to clear our zone would probably increase scoring even more, and would certainly help alleviate the problems we're running into with the long change in the second period.

[shrader]

Enroth is not the kind of guy that Colorado is going to want. They've got their young goalies waiting in the form of previous draft picks. They'll wind up picking up either Bryzgalov or Vokoun and won't be handing the reigns over to some young kid. They'll keep Elliot in the cheap backup role. Now, young defense, on the other hand, we can definitely give that to them if it is indeed what they want.

[Weave]

I'm tossing around the idea in my head that all the talk about NEEDING a #1 center and adding scoring should be the focus is out of place. We finished 9th in the league in scoring. And that was after we were in 22nd place on january 1. We finished one goal behind SJ for the lead in March and scored the most goals in the month of April (reg season). I think getting Roy back makes us better and Gerbe and MAG for full seasons increase our scoring. We can finish next season in the top 5 in scoring with the current line-up. History says that since the Lockout that's good enough to win the cup.

 

While the D will improve some just with the expirience, bringing in a top D FA would work wonders for our young guys. Myers is good, but he's not in a position to helpp develop the 4 other guys his age. Morrison, Monte and Leopold were to busy working on getting their own game going to help out.

 

So, rather than going after a #1 C and top Pair D, I'm throwing out the idea that we should go after 2 D a top Pair guy (my choice is Ehrhoff) and a solid 32-33 year old veteran. Better ability to clear our zone would probably increase scoring even more, and would certainly help alleviate the problems we're running into with the long change in the second period.

 

 

We still need a center. Roy is the only real center on the roster.

[LastPommerFan]

We still need a center. Roy is the only real center on the roster.

 

Right, we definately need to fill the roster, but I'm thinking that we don't necessarily NEED Richards/Malkin/Staal/Dubinsky's Mustache/etc. We just need to replace connolly. Roy/Hecht/Goose/Other.

 

I don't think we need to go spend 10% of our cap on a centerman. The scoring numbers seem to agree.

[Weave]

Right, we definately need to fill the roster, but I'm thinking that we don't necessarily NEED Richards/Malkin/Staal/Dubinsky's Mustache/etc. We just need to replace connolly. Roy/Hecht/Goose/Other.

 

I don't think we need to go spend 10% of our cap on a centerman. The scoring numbers seem to agree.

 

 

the playoff success numbers disagree though.

[Derrico]

This might be a little off topic but you opened the door and I have to walk through. I just have to say that I don't really think that losing Drury and Briere was a monster screw up. Even with hindsight, I just don't think we were going to win it all with them anyway. Where the screw up really lies isn't that we lost them, it's that DR got nothing in return for them.

 

Twice the team had assets that they got nothing in return for and each time it took them several years to recover. After losing Hasek it took 3 seasons to get back to the playoffs and after losing CD+DB it took 2. It just shows what a tenuous balance an NHL team is on.

 

I don't mind losing good players, they probably don't fit anyway, but we have to get something in return for them.

 

I have to disagree with you on this Swamp. The only time we would have gotten value for these guys was Trade Deadline 2007 or maybe summer of 06. The team was a serious contender for the Cup that year and I'm sure most of Sabres Nation would have been pissed if they traded the heart and soul of the team right before the playoffs. Damn, here we are in May 2011 still talking about 2007 lol.

[X. Benedict]

Enroth is not the kind of guy that Colorado is going to want. They've got their young goalies waiting in the form of previous draft picks. They'll wind up picking up either Bryzgalov or Vokoun and won't be handing the reigns over to some young kid. They'll keep Elliot in the cheap backup role. Now, young defense, on the other hand, we can definitely give that to them if it is indeed what they want.

 

I think Enroth's value has been inflated by looking at him with Sabres lenses.

 

He's just graduating from prospect to backup.

[LGR4GM]

I would still rather have a top center than a top d guy after july1 it just seems more beneficial. IDK where you are going to get him but this team needs good, young, big, new, blood down the center or we are in for a few more years of mediocre first round exits.