Kassian to Vancouver for Hodgson

[rickshaw]

 

If he did that as a Sabre, he might still be one.

 

I think the canucks will let him be himself more than Buffalo did. He won't be asked to play nice but play his game while in control and not hurting the team.

 

Buffalo pussied him after his court date. I'm sure it will be made clear to him that he will be counted on to stand up for his mates in vancouver.

 

In Buffalo he didn't even dress for the sabs/ b's rematch. That told me something on the sabres' front.

Edited February 28, 2012 by rickshaw

[bunomatic]

And you could have gone!!!!

 

Really glad we're still going.

 

Sabres win this trade. But Kassian will make sure liberties aren't taken and that could be enuf for the nucks to win it all. They were a game away last year and their team is much better this year.

 

I hope you and your boy enjoy the game. I'll be watching from a barstool. :doh:

[rickshaw]

It'll be fun.

What you think of this deal?

[bunomatic]

It'll be fun.

What you think of this deal?

 

I had high hopes for Zack and I kind of hate to see that type of player go but from what I've seen of Cody this year I'm really excited Regier was able to land him. You can't teach what he has as far as I'm concerned. As far as hockey instinct goes.

Edited February 28, 2012 by bunomatic

[rickshaw]

I agree Bun.

 

 

[pablobaby]

So, I think in the end this was a good move for both teams. Letting go of Kassian isn't going to be easy. For those that are acting like he stepped in a giant piece of crap since the trade was announced I assure you, his presence will be missed. There isn't a heavyweight in the league that would take Kassian lightly; we arguably gave up 2 of our top 3 toughest players. We can easily address that concern in the offseason though. I think Van gave us something we desperately needed while they received the toughness they were in need of.

 

I think MAG was thrown in to sweeten the deal and not much has been said about him. I think MAG has all the potential in the world. Yes I've seen the amazingly bad giveaways but that guy is going to be a great powerplay quarterback someday soon. Remember last year when our PP couldn't even gain the zone and he came in and did great scoring 7 points in 7 games (i think)? I wouldn't be surprised if he's racking up 50 to 60 points a season in a couple years....I would rather have thrown Sekera in as a sweetener.

[IKnowPhysics]

Kinda interesting behind-the-scenes bit: the conference call to the league informing of the trade.

[billsrcursed]

So, I think in the end this was a good move for both teams. Letting go of Kassian isn't going to be easy. For those that are acting like he stepped in a giant piece of crap since the trade was announced I assure you, his presence will be missed. There isn't a heavyweight in the league that would take Kassian lightly; we arguably gave up 2 of our top 3 toughest players. We can easily address that concern in the offseason though. I think Van gave us something we desperately needed while they received the toughness they were in need of. I think MAG was thrown in to sweeten the deal and not much has been said about him. I think MAG has all the potential in the world. Yes I've seen the amazingly bad giveaways but that guy is going to be a great powerplay quarterback someday soon. Remember last year when our PP couldn't even gain the zone and he came in and did great scoring 7 points in 7 games (i think)? I wouldn't be surprised if he's racking up 50 to 60 points a season in a couple years....I would rather have thrown Sekera in as a sweetener.

 

I was with you up until the MAG loving.... Sekera is leaps and bounds ahead of MAG and inserting him instead would have changed the entire balance of this trade.

[kishoph]

I think the canucks will let him be himself more than Buffalo did. He won't be asked to play nice but play his game while in control and not hurting the team.

 

Buffalo pussied him after his court date. I'm sure it will be made clear to him that he will be counted on to stand up for his mates in vancouver.

 

In Buffalo he didn't even dress for the sabs/ b's rematch. That told me something on the sabres' front.

 

I agree, I think it'll all depend on what role they want him to play, I think the Sabres were looking to turn him into more of a goal scorer than a disrupting force that could add points, of course this is all conjecture , because I really don't know what Lindy thinks, or if he thinks.

[qwksndmonster]

So, I think in the end this was a good move for both teams. Letting go of Kassian isn't going to be easy. For those that are acting like he stepped in a giant piece of crap since the trade was announced I assure you, his presence will be missed. There isn't a heavyweight in the league that would take Kassian lightly; we arguably gave up 2 of our top 3 toughest players. We can easily address that concern in the offseason though. I think Van gave us something we desperately needed while they received the toughness they were in need of.

 

I think MAG was thrown in to sweeten the deal and not much has been said about him. I think MAG has all the potential in the world. Yes I've seen the amazingly bad giveaways but that guy is going to be a great powerplay quarterback someday soon. Remember last year when our PP couldn't even gain the zone and he came in and did great scoring 7 points in 7 games (i think)? I wouldn't be surprised if he's racking up 50 to 60 points a season in a couple years....I would rather have thrown Sekera in as a sweetener.

He's 24 now. I doubt he grows into a 50-60 point defensemen. Chances are higher that Gerbe turns into a 100 point forward.

[...]

 

 

I agree, I think it'll all depend on what role they want him to play, I think the Sabres were looking to turn him into more of a goal scorer than a disrupting force that could add points, of course this is all conjecture , because I really don't know what Lindy thinks, or if he thinks.

 

I hate to get all TSC, but Kassian looked confused to me as he went along, as if he were getting mixed messages. He was sent back down to work on his game, and he was brought up to be physical.

 

I said before, and Chz brought this up somewhere today, but I think he was seduced into trying to drop the bruiser rep he had coming in. Whether this was his idea, his agent's, or the coaching staff's, who knows, but his role for the Sabres seems to have been indistinct and overwhelming at the same time.

[Punch]

In the post deadline presser, Darcy said something along the lines of "Foligno can do all the things and fulfill the same role as Kassian"... can we not have more than one power forward on the roster? Or is he only referring to the 4th line minutes Kass had been getting in recent call ups? Foligno's development over the past 2 months didn't convince me that Kassian was expendable--- the prospect of having them both in the lineup was positively exhilarating.

 

I can't say I've been disappointed exactly over Kassian's stunted growth this season or with his time in Rochester because he's only 21 years old and still adjusting to the big leagues. I'm sincerely excited about the possibilities with Hodgson, but Jesus ###### Christ, if Darcy doesn't add some muscle to the top 6 this offseason with those draft picks and dump some dead weight...

 

If Kass turns out to be Cam Neely it'll be utterly heartbreaking. Anyway, late night ramble and all.

[Claude Balls]

Actually, it was his left :)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfuU_bay0kE&list=FLiOXQ7hWf_6bCWkSLhdREzg&index=1&feature=plpp_video

This is what's gonna be missed. Kassian can take a few bombs to the face, how many other players on the Sabres would still have been standing after getting popped like that. And how many would have come back to drop the guy and send him to the locker room? There are still two more games against Boston, in Boston and I have a feeling the Bruins aren't gonna play nice. Hopefully Buffalo makes some call-ups, at least for those two games to keep it somewhat fair.

[gregkash]

Kassian is the most over-rated player in what has to be Sabres history. He hit absolutely no one while playing up here, or in Rochester for that matter. He's big and tough blah blah but what good is that if he doesn't use it? You can't tell me you honestly thought he was contributing ANYTHING to the team. Like at all.

 

So you send him off to Vancouver where they said, "he's going to be the answer against Lucic," clearly they watched any Buffalo, Boston games because it was totally Kassian that kept Lucic at bay. Remember when Kassian stepped up and fought Lucic? Yeah, me either, cuz it never happened. Vancouver got fleeced on this deal. They bought into what 95% of you bought into and never actually saw. I'm starting to think Darcy is an evil genius.

 

What we got is a 22 year old Center who's scored 33 points in his ROOKIE year playing on the checking line in Vancouver. Take a look gents, he's playing 12 minutes a night, it's awfully hard for a rookie to get playing time as a center when you got Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler on the team, yet despite this, he's still manage to be more productive than most of our players. Now he gets a chance to play with actual skill and I'm really excited to see what he can do.

 

THis whole board, every off-season and beyond is like We need a Center, We need a center, We need a center, now we got a young center, who is good, and it sets us up to make a run at another center with 4 picks in the top 60 next year, and for the first time since 2006-2007 we could have real depth across the middle. Not just depth, but Talented Depth. It only cost us our most over-rated prospect. We have Foligno in the system who can do everything Kassian can do without the mental baggage. Hell, Tropp was more effective than Kassian.

 

Also, it's a numbers game, good centers are harder to find and aquire than a guy who can hit. Plain and Simple. Great trade.

 

In summation, We got better, you all are crazy for thinking Kassian is good, and I like Nachos.

Edited February 28, 2012 by gregkash

[RazielSabre]

You guys realise he was told to be more physical both in Roch AND by the Sabres staff? There were articles devoted to the damn story. He just wasn't that guy, in the same vain Gausted wasn't. Their big guys who can take and dish hits and while their not Pyatt soft their not playing hockey for the physical side. If we want that we need to get someone with a psycho streak.

[kishoph]

I hate to get all TSC, but Kassian looked confused to me as he went along, as if he were getting mixed messages. He was sent back down to work on his game, and he was brought up to be physical.

 

 

Forgive my ignorance, what is TSC ?

 

 

Kassian is the most over-rated player in what has to be Sabres history.

 

So you send him off to Vancouver where they said, "he's going to be the answer against Lucic," clearly they watched any Buffalo, Boston games because it was totally Kassian that kept Lucic at bay. Remember when Kassian stepped up and fought Lucic? Yeah, me either, cuz it never happened. Vancouver got fleeced on this deal. They bought into what 95% of you bought into and never actually saw. I'm starting to think Darcy is an evil genius.

 

 

 

The first line has me thinking you are either very young or not in tune to Sabres history (not an insult). As for the 2nd bolded line, I'm pretty sure Kassian was in Rochester when the Lucic/ Miller incident happened.

Edited February 28, 2012 by kishoph

[gregkash]

The first line has me thinking you are either very young or not in tune to Sabres history (not an insult). As for the 2nd bolded line, I'm pretty sure Kassian was in Rochester when the Lucic/ Miller incident happened.

 

I'm 27, I'm sure Morris Titanic may have been over-rated but my hyperbole was intended to generate the point that I'm trying to make that Kassian isn't what people think he is. Kassian was in Rochester when Lucic/Miller happened, he was not the last 2 times we played though, he didn't get involved in anything then. The point is, he's not this physical behemoth that people think he is. He doesn't play like that. He's a big guy, that's where it ends.

[North Buffalo]

 

The first line has me thinking you are either very young or not in tune to Sabres history (not an insult). As for the 2nd bolded line, I'm pretty sure Kassian was in Rochester when the Lucic/ Miller incident happened.

 

I agree the Nuck fans are beside themselves with grief on this deal, but after thinking about it overnight, I think it is good for both sides. Kassian has shown a scoring touch, but has seemed lost at times with how to incorporate his game into the pro-game. Could be Ruff, could be just too many wings and not enough ice time to develop, not sure. Sounds like Hodgson had a similar issue in Coover. I still think Kassian could turn into a Dustin Bufglyn (sp?). But the Sabres need a talented young center and Hogdson seems like that kind of player. Either way it is worth the risk. Getting rid of Grags is addition by subtraction, don't know much about the D guy and if he adds anything to the Sabres that is icing on the cake.

 

All in all fans on both side need to breath and think both sides took calculated risks without giving up the kitchen sink and could get something in return. The Gaustad deal is a steal IMO.

 

Though, I still think Darcy is an infuriating duck with the way he communicates and seems ignore the immediate needs of this team overloading at one or two positions and ignoring others. Finally, he got one center! Duh... However, the Sabres still need a number 1 center and I hope they finish last to get they can after this season appears lost and I am not excited any center potentially out there that won't cost a kitchen sink and a house and whatever.

 

At least Marcy seems to be taking a methodical approach to rebuilding this team and that gives me hope. P.S. Ruff can only do so much with no centers and wingers playing at the position. I think this may have been his most difficult coaching year ever because of the lack of center and all the injuries especially Hecht's.

[kishoph]

I'm 27, I'm sure Morris Titanic may have been over-rated but my hyperbole was intended to generate the point that I'm trying to make that Kassian isn't what people think he is. Kassian was in Rochester when Lucic/Miller happened, he was not the last 2 times we played though, he didn't get involved in anything then. The point is, he's not this physical behemoth that people think he is. He doesn't play like that. He's a big guy, that's where it ends.

 

It did occur to me that it was exaggeration on purpose and I should of stated it in some way, as I said I wasn't trying to insult you in any way. I agree with you that Kassian didn't come close to the expectations of Sabres fans, but I also believe that coaching was a big cause of that and I think we'll see a different player with the Canucks. I also hope that Hodgson's development isn't hampered by what I consider to be inferior coaching. JMO

[Ross Rhea]

what amazes me is the negative critiques of kassian after 1/2 half of a season on 2 different teams for 2 different coachs. apparently because he hasn't gotten into 25 fights, scored 25 goals, gotten 25 assists, have 100 body checks/hits and doesn't play 20+ minutes per night and kill penalties, all before he just turned 21, he is NEVER going to develop and he is what he is SOFT. you people have got to be kidding me, what the hell do you expect from a rookie only half way into his first season. it's amazing how fans want him to act and perform as a 10 year seasoned veteran at 20 years old and when he doesn't and needs experience, cut him loose he is never going to be any good. REALLY!

[Punch]

 

 

I'm 27, I'm sure Morris Titanic may have been over-rated but my hyperbole was intended to generate the point that I'm trying to make that Kassian isn't what people think he is. Kassian was in Rochester when Lucic/Miller happened, he was not the last 2 times we played though, he didn't get involved in anything then. The point is, he's not this physical behemoth that people think he is. He doesn't play like that. He's a big guy, that's where it ends.

 

He's 21 years old and has played 60 or so professional games. Are we all sure we know what he is yet? A rare combination of size and skill was sent out for a rare combination of vision and hockey smarts. Both brimming with potential but as of yet unproven (certainly, Hodgson has shown more to this point). I do, however, have a hard time with Darcy's caveat that since we have Foligno then we don't need Kassian because they're so similar. Why wouldn't having both be desirable? The mythology of Kassian is definitely greater than the reality right now, but that's often the case with 21 year old rookies. There are plenty of Vancouver fans saying the same about Hodgson.

Edited February 28, 2012 by Punch

[RazielSabre]

I agree the Nuck fans are beside themselves with grief on this deal, but after thinking about it overnight, I think it is good for both sides. Kassian has shown a scoring touch, but has seemed lost at times with how to incorporate his game into the pro-game. Could be Ruff, could be just too many wings and not enough ice time to develop, not sure. Sounds like Hodgson had a similar issue in Coover. I still think Kassian could turn into a Dustin Bufglyn (sp?). But the Sabres need a talented young center and Hogdson seems like that kind of player. Either way it is worth the risk. Getting rid of Grags is addition by subtraction, don't know much about the D guy and if he adds anything to the Sabres that is icing on the cake.

 

All in all fans on both side need to breath and think both sides took calculated risks without giving up the kitchen sink and could get something in return. The Gaustad deal is a steal IMO.

 

Though, I still think Darcy is an infuriating duck with the way he communicates and seems ignore the immediate needs of this team overloading at one or two positions and ignoring others. Finally, he got one center! Duh... However, the Sabres still need a number 1 center and I hope they finish last to get they can after this season appears lost and I am not excited any center potentially out there that won't cost a kitchen sink and a house and whatever.

 

At least Marcy seems to be taking a methodical approach to rebuilding this team and that gives me hope. P.S. Ruff can only do so much with no centers and wingers playing at the position. I think this may have been his most difficult coaching year ever because of the lack of center and all the injuries especially Hecht's.

 

1st Bolded: CLJ have a lock on no.1 overall. We have 4 picks in the 1st two rounds plus centerman in the system to sign. I'm not too worried. Also Hodgson is supposed to be a good top two center. Remember originally neither Drury or Briere were no.1 centers yet they worked well as a tandem. Maybe, just maybe, Roy and Hodgson could work as well.

 

2nd Bolded: Yer, centers do actually cost a bucket in this day and age. That was Darcys point. Hodgson was perfect for us. Sure someone of Myers size and mobility at center would be amazing but it's not going to happen unless we give up a massive amount.

 

We were weak at center, we're not a little stronger. With Roy, Hodgson, Ennis, Boyes, Hecht and/or one ofthe 4th liners able to play center we should be ok.

[Jsixspd]

Actually, it was his left :)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfuU_bay0kE&list=FLiOXQ7hWf_6bCWkSLhdREzg&index=1&feature=plpp_video

 

Kassian should always have a fond spot in our hearts for that moment. Sestito won't forget that for a while - LOL Doubt he would ever mess with Kassian again.... not if he's sane.

 

That being said, I think we got the better deal here by far. I hope that Hodgson will add some real spark to our offense. We need to score more goals - and Kassian wasn't the answer to that particular problem.

[deluca67]

I hate to get all TSC, but Kassian looked confused to me as he went along, as if he were getting mixed messages. He was sent back down to work on his game, and he was brought up to be physical.

 

I said before, and Chz brought this up somewhere today, but I think he was seduced into trying to drop the bruiser rep he had coming in. Whether this was his idea, his agent's, or the coaching staff's, who knows, but his role for the Sabres seems to have been indistinct and overwhelming at the same time.

I go back to a few weeks ago when he was asked if he was told to stop fighting and responded "you're not to coach" and stormed off. That there told be that Lindy got into his head and tried to change him. The Sabres never knew what to do with Kassian and Vancouver will benefit from it.

[LabattBlue]

We have Foligno in the system who can do everything Kassian can do without the mental baggage. Hell, Tropp was more effective than Kassian.

I like the trade a lot. That being said, you are way off base with the above comment . Neither Tropp or Foligno have anywhere near the offensive skills that Kassian brings to the table. Unless there is a dramatic change in their development, Foligno and Tropp are both bottom 6 guys.

 

1st Bolded: CLJ have a lock on no.1 overall.

You do know that the NHL holds a lottery prior to the draft, correct?