Sabre fan Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Heck, next we'll be bringing back Peca or maybe Adam Mair (great guys in their time, but really?). Anyways, does anyone really think these guys can help at all? I am not so sure, but UFA's at centre are really thin...I can see us getting defensive help Friday though. Everyone seems to like Wisneiski, and there are other interesting names available. Figures, we finally can do something on free-agency day, and there are not many good names available. It will be cool if we can at least sign one big name!
BuffaloSoldier2010 Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Connolly may be necessary for a season or two. Kotalik will be mancari 2.0 I'd really like to see us try to sign timmer to a 3rd line contract, and pick up pitkanen and handzus. Our forwards do well on a soft team, i imagine they'd do even better when we have a ton of skilled gritty forwards and D men opening the ice up for everyone. The fact that LA just got Richards, leads me to believe Handzus may make it to free agency without being picked up.
carpandean Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 With such a thin center market, they are keeping Connolly in the discussions (not signed; just talking) as a backup plan. Kotalik will almost surely be headed to Rochester. He was a salary dump for Calgary, not a pickup for the Sabres. It's cheaper cap-wise to send him down than buy him out, and there's nothing wrong with saying that he'll compete for a spot, since he doesn't have to be sent down until October.
Eleven Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 I will guarantee you that no one wants Connolly off of this team more than I do. Maybe as much as I do, but not more. And even I recognize that he might be a necessity right now, with the unavailability of centers, as the above two posts note. I'm not really happy about it, though. Kotalik likely will be in Rochester now that the team can afford to stow $3M there.
james duncan Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Heck, next we'll be bringing back Peca or maybe Adam Mair (great guys in their time, but really?). Anyways, does anyone really think these guys can help at all? I am not so sure, but UFA's at centre are really thin...I can see us getting defensive help Friday though. Everyone seems to like Wisneiski, and there are other interesting names available. Figures, we finally can do something on free-agency day, and there are not many good names available. It will be cool if we can at least sign one big name! Kotalik was necessary to land the draft pick next year in what is supposed to be a very deep draft. If he contributes for a year, it's a bonus. Connolly, at the right price, and as mentioned by others would fill needs at a couple levels--penalty kill and depth at center where we currently have none. Neither of these moves would bother me at all.
MattPie Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Kotalik likely will be in Rochester now that the team can afford to stow $3M there. Would he qualify as the AHL-vet the Amerks always wanted? :)
Taro T Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Would he qualify as the AHL-vet the Amerks always wanted? :) Probably not. But he would be a heck of a lot closer to what they wanted than anything the Cats ever gave them.
inkman Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Figures, we finally can do something on free-agency day, and there are not many good names available. It will be cool if we can at least sign one big name! First off, for the most part signing UFA's is not an ideal way to build a team. It's a nice way to supplement parts already in place. Secondly, I think the Sabres best aquisitions will come via trade like Regehr. Lastly, Connolly or not, Kotalik has to beat out Vanek, Stafford, Pominville, Ennis, Boyes, Gerbe and possibly Hecht to make the roster. I highly doubt Lindy will want to use Ales on his "energy" line as his career seems to be the exact opposite of energenic. I suspect we will see a combination of Goose, McCormick, Kaleta, Foligno, Kassian, or a UFA to fill out that line.
Skibum Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 I hope Connolly signs a reasonable contract and stays. He's shown a lot more versatility in his game recently and lord knows the Sabres need depth at center. I just hope that his last season was bad enough to bring his value down. All that said, if I were him I would be looking to test the market. There's a glaring lack of good centers out there, and the cap just went up: this could be his best chance ever to cash in. Plus he's currently playing in a market of fans that routinely crap upon him with gusto. I bet he goes to the market on Friday and signs for unreasonable bucks out of town. Brooks Laich just got $4.5 per, maybe Connolly can, too. As for Kotalik, well, I guess he will have a shot to make the team with Nieds, Grier, and possibly Mancari not coming back. I would rather have Mancari, especially for the cap space, but who knows how this all shakes out. AlKo wouldn't be a bad 4th liner and 2nd-team PP guy to have around if the roster doesn't fill out soon. Crying shame about his salary, though. Maybe they can force him to renegotiate or be forever banished to Rochester.
Taro T Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 First off, for the most part signing UFA's is not an ideal way to build a team. It's a nice way to supplement parts already in place. Secondly, I think the Sabres best aquisitions will come via trade like Regehr. Lastly, Connolly or not, Kotalik has to beat out Vanek, Stafford, Pominville, Ennis, Boyes, Gerbe and possibly Hecht to make the roster. I highly doubt Lindy will want to use Ales on his "energy" line as his career seems to be the exact opposite of energenic. I suspect we will see a combination of Goose, McCormick, Kaleta, Foligno, Kassian, or a UFA to fill out that line. Agree that he doesn't fit the ideal definition of the "energy" player. I would expect to see him there a LOT sooner than on the "checking" line. As it is, I only see him on this squad as a fill in on the 2nd line due to injuries or if they feel they need some help in shootouts or on the pp I could see him playing primarily watching from the bench for a few days on the "energy" line.
LastPommerFan Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 I hope Connolly signs a reasonable contract and stays. He's shown a lot more versatility in his game recently and lord knows the Sabres need depth at center. I just hope that his last season was bad enough to bring his value down. All that said, if I were him I would be looking to test the market. There's a glaring lack of good centers out there, and the cap just went up: this could be his best chance ever to cash in. Plus he's currently playing in a market of fans that routinely crap upon him with gusto. I bet he goes to the market on Friday and signs for unreasonable bucks out of town. Brooks Laich just got $4.5 per, maybe Connolly can, too. As for Kotalik, well, I guess he will have a shot to make the team with Nieds, Grier, and possibly Mancari not coming back. I would rather have Mancari, especially for the cap space, but who knows how this all shakes out. AlKo wouldn't be a bad 4th liner and 2nd-team PP guy to have around if the roster doesn't fill out soon. Crying shame about his salary, though. Maybe they can force him to renegotiate or be forever banished to Rochester. Contract renegotiation specifically banned by the CBA. It is what it is.
OverPowerYou Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Kotalik will probably stay for the first half of the year for powerplay and shootouts, then get benched, then get traded to Florida for a pick
X. Benedict Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Kotalik will probably stay for the first half of the year for powerplay and shootouts, then get benched, then get traded to Florida for a pick While I laugh....I wouldn't be surprised.
Bullwinkle Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 If we don't pick up Richards - and that's doubtful now that Philly is in the mix - my plan would be to get Talbot, sign Connolly, and use TC and Gaustad as trade bait for a top 6 forward, LW or Center.
Lanny Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Kotalik will probably stay for the first half of the year for powerplay and shootouts, then get benched, then get traded to Florida for a pick If Pominville isn't ready for the beginning of the season I could see Kotalik in Buffalo until he is.
Eleven Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 If Pominville isn't ready for the beginning of the season I could see Kotalik in Buffalo until he is. Oooh, good point.
Sterling Archer Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 Tim Connolly isn't a back-up plan. He's a "OH ###### IT" plan.
dEnnis the Menace Posted June 28, 2011 Report Posted June 28, 2011 If Pominville isn't ready for the beginning of the season I could see Kotalik in Buffalo until he is. I forgot that he was down and out for a while. Anyone have a status lately? Tim Connolly isn't a back-up plan. He's a "OH ###### IT" plan. :death:
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