Buyers or Sellers?

[LTS]

This isn't the NFL, outside of the small handful of guys going in the top 2-3 spots (something the Sabres might have to lose out to obtain and still not be guaranteed because they would also have to win a lottery for), theres no guarantee that any of the guys picked are gonna be good, and they will not make a difference on this team for another season or 2 minimum. Who cares about picks right now? This team has a pretty good stock of talent in Rochester right now if what people here are saying is true (Kassian, Foligno, McNabb, etc.). This team needs help to win NOW, not in a few years. They need to dump some of the underachieving "core" (Roy, Stafford, etc), make a move or 2 to upgrade the roster in a few spots (a couple of bettter centres?), keep the current tandem of goaltenders, stay healthy and they can turn things around pretty quickly. They don't need to bottom out any further to rebuild, the roster just needs a few moves to get back to the playoffs and have a chance at the cup. You don't need to scrap your whole car just because the muffler, water pump and alternator need replacing.

 

Having just watched some of those guys play last Friday I can say that overall things aren't that great. Foligno played an inspired game and he was responsible for helping the Amerks get their heads in the game with a few big hits. I like him but he's not a high scoring guy. Kassian is the best hope for high scoring talent outside of Armia. We already know McNabb is on the roster next year, I'm not sure how he could not be there (unless he's traded).

 

I'm not sure who the Sabres are going to get that's worth anything. What team has an extra top 6 playmaking center lying about? Why should we expect anything of great return for Roy? The Sabres ship out a center and get one back?

 

I don't think there's enough to be had at the deadline. The best to hope for is to get someone who projects to be a top 6 center in the next year or two from some other teams prospect pool.

[TrueBlueGED]

I hate wanting the Sabres to lose, but my biggest fear is that they will make just enough of a push pre trade deadline that they back off from being sellers, then end up finishing around 10th. No playoffs, no real change, worse draft pick.

 

I don't think any run before the deadline will change the Sabres' buyer/seller status. Even with 7/8 points they're still 10 points out of a playoff spot; they dug the hole too deep this year, and I think they'll still be sellers as it's the only responsible thing to do. Unless they're within 4 points by the deadline I'd be really surprised if they didn't sell. I expect Boyes and Roy to be moved, with an outside chance of Gaustad and Leopold.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

_{I too would like to see the Sabres be sellers at the deadline. At a minimum they should be active in trading their expiring and 1 year left UFA contracts (Boyes, Leopold, Goose) to get something for them. In addition to these moves I would also like to see a shakeup of top 6 for top 6 type moves to redefine the team personality a little going into next season. Give that new player 30 odd games to get acclimated to the team so they are ready to contribute day 1 in 2012.}

 

If the Sabres trade / don't re-sign Boyes will you change your SS name?

[JohnRobertEichel]

50 points accumulated so far, 10 points behind the 8th seed, and 60 points left on the table. Realistically, the Sabres will have to average 3 points out of 4 for the next 2 months (95 points for the season). That's a pretty intense pace for even the best teams.

 

Conclusion: SELL. The closer we get to the trading deadline, the more desperate other teams will get. Leopold (1yr, $3 mil), Gaustad (UFA), Boyes (UFA), Roy (1yr, $5.5mil), and even Stafford (3 yrs, $4 mil) have trade value. It's time to unload the dead weight and malcontents and look toward next season.

[spndnchz]

I think it will be a combo. We'll be selling guys that don't fit and have expiring contracts. (Boyes, maybe Leopold 2yrs to go) and taking on a player who fits and is signed for a few more years. Stops Sabres from paying too much on July 1st.

 

IMO, a move like that keeps you in the hunt without blowing it up and starting over.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I just want Ted Black to send out playoff invoices for the first 2 rounds with a straight face, and see what the strike rate is.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

I want to be a seller and get rid of dead wood however I dont trust Darcy as a buyer or seller

[Samson's Flow]

If the Sabres trade / don't re-sign Boyes will you change your SS name?

Maybe... I don't want to change my name for fear people would forget who I am. Or hold a SS wide vote for new name :w00t:

[LabattBlue]

I just want Ted Black to send out playoff invoices for the first 2 rounds with a straight face, and see what the strike rate is.

I share season tickets, but I am out for the 1st two rounds of the playoffs...and you know they will be sent the invoices out, no matter how far out they are from 8th place..

[carpandean]

This isn't the NFL, outside of the small handful of guys going in the top 2-3 spots (something the Sabres might have to lose out to obtain and still not be guaranteed because they would also have to win a lottery for), theres no guarantee that any of the guys picked are gonna be good, and they will not make a difference on this team for another season or 2 minimum. Who cares about picks right now? This team has a pretty good stock of talent in Rochester right now if what people here are saying is true (Kassian, Foligno, McNabb, etc.). This team needs help to win NOW, not in a few years. They need to dump some of the underachieving "core" (Roy, Stafford, etc), make a move or 2 to upgrade the roster in a few spots (a couple of bettter centres?), keep the current tandem of goaltenders, stay healthy and they can turn things around pretty quickly. They don't need to bottom out any further to rebuild, the roster just needs a few moves to get back to the playoffs and have a chance at the cup. You don't need to scrap your whole car just because the muffler, water pump and alternator need replacing.

 

1) The Sabres were just out of the bottom three before this run. They weren't getting the #1 spot, but the others were all within easy striking distance.

 

2) You don't have to use your own draft picks. Want talent now, you say? A #2 or #3 overall pick will get you a lot more in trade than a #12 or #13 overall pick. If you're going to miss the playoffs, then it's best to finish as low as possible, whether you want to do a longer-term rebuild or a short-term tweak/overhaul.

[LTS]

Maybe... I don't want to change my name for fear people would forget who I am. Or hold a SS wide vote for new name :w00t:

 

Maybe they can get Boyce from Toronto and then you won't have to do much.

[Samson's Flow]

Maybe they can get Boyce from Toronto and then you won't have to do much.

:lol: One can only hope...

[PromoTheRobot]

I just want Ted Black to send out playoff invoices for the first 2 rounds with a straight face, and see what the strike rate is.

 

Me I'm hoping folks bail. I want to improve my seats.

 

PTR

[Iron Crotch]

Can we sell Darcy? ...No?

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Me I'm hoping folks bail. I want to improve my seats.

 

PTR

 

2 club seats billed for 8 games runs $1600. I want to hear some of those conversations.......

[LGR4GM]

Me I'm hoping folks bail. I want to improve my seats.

 

PTR

Yup I am bailing on this core. It just does not make logical sense to support them after 5 years of pure and total craptastic play. Its rebuild time. Whether that means fire sale or yard sale idk but at the least the Roy's of this team need to be shipped out and you know what? At this point even if you can't get what you think they are worth you need to pull the trigger.

 

Think of it this way. You are at sea in the year 1776 and 4 guys are bringing everybody down. Now they all have skills that are useful but not necessarily irreplaceable. So you can A) put up with their crap because change is scary or B) toss them the hell overboard so they don't use up any more rations and then suffer for a week while everyone adjusts... ITS TIME FOR (B).

 

You can not win a Stanley Cup with this core and feel free to use whatever "potential" argument you want. The fact is after 5 years we know what Roy, Stafford, Hecht, Goose, Miller, Pommers, and Vanek are capable of. Wake up, they can not win a cup.

[deluca67]

I think it will be a combo. We'll be selling guys that don't fit and have expiring contracts. (Boyes, maybe Leopold 2yrs to go) and taking on a player who fits and is signed for a few more years. Stops Sabres from paying too much on July 1st.

 

IMO, a move like that keeps you in the hunt without blowing it up and starting over.

This is the worst thing the Sabres could do. Halfhearted efforts will only hurt this team going forward. Right now the Sabres are not in the "hunt.." They need to be honest with themselves and put what's best for the team at the forefront. Holding on to some long shot dream at the expense of significant change will be extremely damaging. There are plenty of teams actually in the "hunt." The Sabres need to take advantage of that. Value of some of the assets they could deal may never be higher.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Maybe... I don't want to change my name for fear people would forget who I am. Or hold a SS wide vote for new name :w00t:

 

All members can view name history, so that should not be a problem.

[fan2456]

The only problem I have with being a seller at the deadline is the guy who would be in charge of the sale. <_<

 

Which is why I can't picture us being big sellers. I just don't think it's in his makeup to give up on "his" guys. If nothing else, he is loyal and STUBBORN. If it takes people above him telling him to sell, than he shouldn't be the GM. That seems pretty obvious to me.

[bunomatic]

This is the worst thing the Sabres could do. Halfhearted efforts will only hurt this team going forward. Right now the Sabres are not in the "hunt.." They need to be honest with themselves and put what's best for the team at the forefront. Holding on to some long shot dream at the expense of significant change will be extremely damaging. There are plenty of teams actually in the "hunt." The Sabres need to take advantage of that. Value of some of the assets they could deal may never be higher.

 

I agree but half hearted moves at the deadline are Darcys bread and butter. Is Darcy the guy you want finding the solution to this clusterfukc that he designed?

[TrueBlueGED]

I agree but half hearted moves at the deadline are Darcys bread and butter. Is Darcy the guy you want finding the solution to this clusterfukc that he designed?

 

No, and probably 90% of Sabres fans feel the same way. But I think we need to just start accepting reality: Darcy is going to be the guy making moves AT LEAST until the end of the season, and most likely through next season (or most of it) as well. And frankly, I feel more confident in Darcy selling at the deadline than buying, given his history of rentals.

[LabattBlue]

Is Darcy the guy you want finding the solution to this clusterfukc that he designed?

NO!

[Samson's Flow]

All members can view name history, so that should not be a problem.

Oh I know, but I would lose my street cred. Last time I changed my name it caused a tizzy (albeit minor) and I don't want to go through that again. Maybe I should stop hitching my proverbial wagon to 3rd and 4th liners on this team :wallbash:

 

On the topic at hand, it would do this team a great disservice if they attempt to play both sides of the sellers/buyers fence. You have to sell off all the guys that aren't in the long term plans. Get value and move on. If they aren't going to be an integral part of the team in 2 years - then there's no point in playing them next season and then getting nothing. Sell now while there are a ton of teams fighting for a playoff spot. (and by now I mean the deadline)

[...]

No, and probably 90% of Sabres fans feel the same way. But I think we need to just start accepting reality: Darcy is going to be the guy making moves AT LEAST until the end of the season, and most likely through next season (or most of it) as well. And frankly, I feel more confident in Darcy selling at the deadline than buying, given his history of rentals.

 

I agree we need to accept the reality that DR is going to be the guy making the moves at the deadline, and that he would be better at selling than buying. Unless there is something fantastic he can do, I hope he stops at selling.

 

As for the bolded, while, obviously, no one knows what will happen with DR at the end of the season, I tend to think his job may be more on the line than it seems. The reason I think that is because I simply don't believe that the Pegula regime is the same as the Golisano regime and will accept medocrity long-term.

 

Direct evidence being the window-dressings they changed immediately - those things at the arena they could change immediately. Indirectly, I think Pegula is more of an "honorable" person and his words carry more weight with himself than it appears presently, and we have his word that this team will be a cup contender, if not a cup winner. He's directly put his reputation on the line not only with the coming-out media party when he bought the team, but also by personally making promises to players and their families (ie: Regehr).

 

With the Time-Warner debacle, the team is losing advertising income and public presence; with the the season record, the team's reputation is shot; with the lack of action, the management is losing respect; these add up to a huge publicity hit that will take some aggressive activity to reverse. If nothing is done, all of the initial work in trying to create an environment that attracts quality players will have no cache, and could lead to a loss in ticket sales. The latter two points are dangerously close to being reality if any of the anecdotal evidence is an indication.

 

So, DR's position, I think, is on very shaky ground, because what he does in the next five (5) months is critical to what happens with organization in the near and long term. Pegula may be patient, but every person has their limits and there are already indications he's reached his (comments about goal-tending, traveling with Cliff Benson and Ken Sawyer), but just can not express it publickly.

[nfreeman]

I agree we need to accept the reality that DR is going to be the guy making the moves at the deadline, and that he would be better at selling than buying. Unless there is something fantastic he can do, I hope he stops at selling.

 

As for the bolded, while, obviously, no one knows what will happen with DR at the end of the season, I tend to think his job may be more on the line than it seems. The reason I think that is because I simply don't believe that the Pegula regime is the same as the Golisano regime and will accept medocrity long-term.

 

Direct evidence being the window-dressings they changed immediately - those things at the arena they could change immediately. Indirectly, I think Pegula is more of an "honorable" person and his words carry more weight with himself than it appears presently, and we have his word that this team will be a cup contender, if not a cup winner. He's directly put his reputation on the line not only with the coming-out media party when he bought the team, but also by personally making promises to players and their families (ie: Regehr).

 

With the Time-Warner debacle, the team is losing advertising income and public presence; with the the season record, the team's reputation is shot; with the lack of action, the management is losing respect; these add up to a huge publicity hit that will take some aggressive activity to reverse. If nothing is done, all of the initial work in trying to create an environment that attracts quality players will have no cache, and could lead to a loss in ticket sales. The latter two points are dangerously close to being reality if any of the anecdotal evidence is an indication.

 

So, DR's position, I think, is on very shaky ground, because what he does in the next five (5) months is critical to what happens with organization in the near and long term. Pegula may be patient, but every person has their limits and there are already indications he's reached his (comments about goal-tending, traveling with Cliff Benson and Ken Sawyer), but just can not express it publickly.

 

Great post.