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Defensive Depth


gregkash

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Posted

Right now the Sabres have 10 NHL ready defensemen signed, 11 if you count John Scott. For the record TJ Brennan counts as an NHL defensemen because he signed a one-way contract. For the purposes of this let's just say 10 NHL defensemen.

 

Myers

Regehr

Ehrhoff

Leopold

Sekera

Pardy

Weber

Sulzer

Brennan

McNabb

 

Lindy never really dresses 7 defensemen unless he's playing one of them up at wing, so it's safe to say 6 defense a night will dress. We always have one on the scratch list. So at any given time we can expect 7 Defense to be on the Roster.

 

Myers, Regehr, Ehrhoff are locks. They play no matter what. So who are your next 3? Brennan is on a 1 way contract which means he has to go through waivers to be sent to the AHL. I don't believe he will get through without being claimed, McNabb can play in the AHL but we saw last year that he is ready for the NHL. Sekera signed a new contract, Weber is there, and Sulzer played pretty well with Ehrhoff. Pardy imo is the obvious to be waived and sent to the AHL.

 

I just don't see how this team goes into the season Without making a trade that involves the defense. The most tradeable Defenseman is Myers, but I think the Sabres would be foolish to do that, Regehr and Ehrhoff both have NMC/NTC So the most likely candidates to be moved are Leopold, Sekera, Weber, and Brennan. I don't think that brings us a lot in return.

 

So I guess my question to you is how do you see this playing out?

Posted

Myers

Sekera

Ehrhoff

Sulzer

Weber

Regehr

7th:McNabb

 

At this stage we have to do whats best, I'm wondering if Ott will have a positive effect on Weber so I'd like to keep him in the lineup. Regehr should really be a bottom 4 Dman as his great at shutdown but he is slowing down. Ehrhoff and Sulzer played well together so I'd like to see if they continue that. We don't really have a suitable match for Myers other than Sekera (until McNabb deserves top 2 minutes, if he ever does). I see Leopold as an odd man out, needing moving. Maybe move him to Edmondon for picks or package him up for the rights to Gagner.

Posted

Myers

Regehr

Ehrhoff

Leopold

Sekera

Weber

Sulzer

 

 

I see them waiving Brennan and hoping he makes it through waivers. McNabb starts the season in Roch and Pardy becomes the new Morrisson. The only possible change I see is if McNabb plays great in preseason and forces his way onto the roster, but then perhaps they carry 8 D for awhile.

Posted

I don't understand the lovefest with a marginal player like Weber. Why do we discount Leopold, he always pulled big minutes and plays all the situations. The Weber/Ott relationship may be the only thing that keeps Weber in Buffalo as a 7th defensemen. Who do you want in the line-up Mcnabb or Weber?

Posted

For the record TJ Brennan counts as an NHL defensemen because he signed a one-way contract.

 

Not to get away from your argument, but Brennan counts as an NHL defenseman because he is no longer waiver exempt. A one-way contract simply means that he would not receive a lower salary were he to play in the AHL rather than the NHL. This might imply that they expect him to play in the NHL -- under Golisano, that certainly would have been the case -- but it could just have been a negotiating point or even a deterrent from another team picking him up on waivers (i.e., that team would be risking that if they didn't want to keep him in the NHL, then they may have to pay him an NHL salary to play in the AHL if no team claimed him.)

Posted

As it stands, probably Sekera is the best trade bait. He plays a fairly complete game, is a great skater, and can log a ton of minutes if need be.

 

There is a good chance Brennan will not clear waivers. I doubt Sulzer would. That depth could disappear in a hurry.

Posted

Barring any trades Myers, Sekera, Erhoff, Regehr, and Leopold are your locks. Everyone else fights for 6 and 7.

 

That is the truth.

Darcy is undoubtedly dangling one of Sekera, Leopold or McNabb as part of a package for a top-six forward.

Failing that, one of Leopold, Sulzer, Weber, or Brennan will be moved after training camp, likely for a pick.

Which one will be based on who generates the best offer. But it's unlikely Leopold, unless one of the bottom five really ups his game.

McNabb and Pardy start in the minors, unless McNabb dominates in camp.

 

And Rico is right, Leopold does not get enough respect here, and Sekera is still underrated by many.

In fact our D doesn't get enough respect period. The board has been so focused on our flaws up front, we tend to discount our strength on D and in goal.

If Myers plays to his contract this year, there won't be many better corps in the league.

Posted

Barring any trades Myers, Sekera, Erhoff, Regehr, and Leopold are your locks. Everyone else fights for 6 and 7.

I don't understand the lovefest with a marginal player like Weber. Why do we discount Leopold, he always pulled big minutes and plays all the situations. The Weber/Ott relationship may be the only thing that keeps Weber in Buffalo as a 7th defensemen. Who do you want in the line-up Mcnabb or Weber?

 

I don't understand why people discount Leo, either. He's absolutely in there unless he's traded.

Posted

Myers

Regehr

Ehrhoff

Leopold

Sekera

Weber

Sulzer

 

 

I see them waiving Brennan and hoping he makes it through waivers. McNabb starts the season in Roch and Pardy becomes the new Morrisson. The only possible change I see is if McNabb plays great in preseason and forces his way onto the roster, but then perhaps they carry 8 D for awhile.

As it stands, probably Sekera is the best trade bait. He plays a fairly complete game, is a great skater, and can log a ton of minutes if need be.

 

There is a good chance Brennan will not clear waivers. I doubt Sulzer would. That depth could disappear in a hurry.

 

I agree with all of this except that I don't think they'll waive Brennan or Sulzer. I think they'll keep both of them up with the Sabres and just carry 8 defensemen unless and until they trade one. I'd guess they'll put Pardy through waivers and not care if someone takes him (and they'll probably hope someone does to get rid of his contract).

 

That is the truth.

Darcy is undoubtedly dangling one of Sekera, Leopold or McNabb as part of a package for a top-six forward.

Failing that, one of Leopold, Sulzer, Weber, or Brennan will be moved after training camp, likely for a pick.

Which one will be based on who generates the best offer. But it's unlikely Leopold, unless one of the bottom five really ups his game.

McNabb and Pardy start in the minors, unless McNabb dominates in camp.

 

And Rico is right, Leopold does not get enough respect here, and Sekera is still underrated by many.

In fact our D doesn't get enough respect period. The board has been so focused on our flaws up front, we tend to discount our strength on D and in goal.

If Myers plays to his contract this year, there won't be many better corps in the league.

 

I agree with all of this too, except that I don't think DR will dump a defenseman for a low pick. It would have to be a 2nd- or 3rd-rounder. And I doubt Weber will be traded in light of DR's new focus on toughness as well as bringing in Weber's homie Ott.

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