Vanek Traded to NYI for Matt Moulson, 1st in 2014 (or 2015!), 2nd in 2015; 4 Months Later: Moulson to MN for 2014/2016 2nd Rounders

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Players react to the trade of Vanek: http://www.wgrz.com/...-to-Vanek-Trade

 

@BuffNewsVogl

Sabres were willing to make Thomas Vanek highest-paid player in NHL, source says, yet he'd rather have chance to win. http://blogs.buffalo...m-sabres.html …

 

You gotta be F'n Kidding me!!!!!

 

Well, that proves between 1 and 3 things....

 

1) Darcy is out of his mind. There are 50-100 players in skill level and age that are worth more than Vanek.

 

2) Pegula is really meddling. He wants Vanek at all costs and Darcy lets the hand stroke his brush.

 

3) Hockey Heaven was the most arrogant, ridiculous notion possible. You offer a guy who is about to hit the downslope of his career, who has known the city and team for a decade, to be the highest paid hockey player in the world.......and he doesn't even blink.

 

 

Wow! It's nice to see some evidence come public.

[26CornerBlitz]

Ditto.. Top ten, debatable. Top, ludicrous.

 

With TPegs being such a fan, it's no real surprise.

[Taro T]

Vogl just blogged that the Sabres were prepared to make Vanek the league's highest paid player, but he chose to go somewhere where he could compete for a championship.

 

Umm, paging PA to the nearest blue and gold courtesy phone -- we need a comprehensive meddling intervention STAT.

 

(Seriously - is that news not the most confusing and troubling thing you've heard in a long time? As @katebits just tweeted: Are we rebuilding or not?!)

When rebuilding, you still need something to build around. Ideally, they would have retained Vanek, Miller, Ehrhoff, and Ott - their best forward, goalie, D, & leader. The rest could have viewed in a 'can I get something better for you, or are you worth more to me than what I can get.'

 

I don't hate the trade, I just wish if it had to be done (& if TV wouldn't re-sign, then it had to) it would have been somebody else pulling the trigger. (Benning or Campbell perhaps?)

[26CornerBlitz]

Garth Snow Presser on the Vanek-Moulson Trade

[nfreeman]

You gotta be F'n Kidding me!!!!!

 

Well, that proves between 1 and 3 things....

 

1) Darcy is out of his mind. There are 50-100 players in skill level and age that are worth more than Vanek.

 

2) Pegula is really meddling. He wants Vanek at all costs and Darcy lets the hand stroke his brush.

 

3) Hockey Heaven was the most arrogant, ridiculous notion possible. You offer a guy who is about to hit the downslope of his career, who has known the city and team for a decade, to be the highest paid hockey player in the world.......and he doesn't even blink.

 

 

Wow! It's nice to see some evidence come public.

 

I agree that either #1 or #2 is likely true. I don't agree at all with #3. Why would a new owner NOT want to create "Hockey Heaven?" What's wrong with having it as a stated goal? The fact that they haven't succeeded yet in creating that perception doesn't mean that it was arrogant or ridiculous to try -- it just means they aren't there yet. It also doesn't mean that they can't or won't get there -- it just means that the notion is not compatible with having the worst team in the NHL.

[26CornerBlitz]

@Schopptalk

Thomas Vanek jerseys have their own rack here at the Sabres store, both replica and pro-weight. Prices about half what they were yesterday.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

 

I agree that either #1 or #2 is likely true. I don't agree at all with #3. Why would a new owner NOT want to create "Hockey Heaven?" What's wrong with having it as a stated goal? The fact that they haven't succeeded yet in creating that perception doesn't mean that it was arrogant or ridiculous to try -- it just means they aren't there yet. It also doesn't mean that they can't or won't get there -- it just means that the notion is not compatible with having the worst team in the NHL.

 

By definition...#1 OR #2 HAS to be true with this report. My cash is on #2. It could be both.

 

#Blueprint was once #HockeyHeaven. All I am saying is that they ran full speed ahead with that....and if this isn't the biggest failure of that thought process, I don't know what is. I can forgive Richards, Parise, etc. for not wanting to come here....but a good family guy who has been here since a baby, and was looking at a 7 year, $70 million payday to stay here....and he didn't think twice it seems.....oooff....

[TheMatrix31]

I think it sucks that Moulson will be wearing #26. SMH.

[26CornerBlitz]

I think it sucks that Moulson will be wearing #26. SMH.

 

I'm really not upset at all about Moulson wearing #26 given Vanek's willingness to always do what's in his best interest. Number one being signing the offer sheet with the Oil seven years ago in order to maximize his earnings and secondly not wanting to hang around the organization as they go through rough waters. I totally understand his mindset in each scenario, but he's not an all time beloved Sabre IMO.

 

Truly enjoyed him as a Sabre, but he's always kind of had the mercenary attitude. Next!

[nfreeman]

By definition...#1 OR #2 HAS to be true with this report. My cash is on #2. It could be both.

 

#Blueprint was once #HockeyHeaven. All I am saying is that they ran full speed ahead with that....and if this isn't the biggest failure of that thought process, I don't know what is. I can forgive Richards, Parise, etc. for not wanting to come here....but a good family guy who has been here since a baby, and was looking at a 7 year, $70 million payday to stay here....and he didn't think twice it seems.....oooff....

 

Actually -- #1 or #2 does not need to be true "by definition." Vanek's market value, and timing of hitting FA, is such that he would likely have become one of the 3-4 highest-paid players in the NHL this summer. DR could have decided that it was worth paying that much to keep him. Neither you nor I think he's worth that much, but there are certainly NHL GMs who do.

 

And I don't see how it's a failure of a thought process. I think it's been a huge failure of execution -- maybe that's what you're saying too? In any case, the result of Vanek not wanting to stay is a fairly rational choice on his part. He'll get more or less the same $$ in a few months, and he'll get to pick where he lives and presumably it will be a team with a good shot at a Cup.

 

Now, if you're saying that it's a black eye for the organization, and a huge indicator of how big a failure DR's efforts have been since TP arrived -- I totally agree.

[X. Benedict]

Vanek: "I enjoyed my time there, but I didn’t want to be a part of that.”

 

Thanks Tommy.

I really can't blame him. He is in his prime, and in Buffalo he's never really had the A team of line-mates.

 

He was probably more gracious than he needed to be.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Schoeny.

 

Beat me to it.

 

Ok. You two convinced me.

 

Gare first, Schony second and Peca third ..........

 

 

:P

 

Oh, and thanks for the memories TV.

 

And, there is no way the Sabres sign Callahan, IMO.

[waldo]

 

 

I'm sure that went into Darcy's thinking. He may want to stick around and play with a sh&tty team for 5 years. And since he's fairly local, maybe his relatives will buy tickets. They should have great seats to choose from!!

 

lol..+2 exactly! a perfect way for a 30 goal player in his prime to finish a career.. in the middle of a six year going nowhere rebuild . Now what happens to OTT and others.Does Hoff pick up the phone and ask to go?

 

 

Thank you Darcy for not being able to find OR DEVELOP a true one center OR a power forward for Vanek to play with, not to mention a shut down d pairing or a second and third line of scoring OVER THE PAST SEVEN SEASONS.

Edited October 28, 2013 by waldo

[dudacek]

@ NS

Rangers are struggling on the ice and with the cap.

Pegula will have the dollars, the cap room and a burning need and desire for a leader that is a model of difficult to play against.

No one will outspend him, or will want to. And he will be able to sell hard the idea of bringing Western New York hockey fans to the promised land.

Seven years, $7 million per for Callahan to come home?

 

I don't think it will happen either, but you better believe it is on TPeg's radar.

[nfreeman]

@ NS

Rangers are struggling on the ice and with the cap.

Pegula will have the dollars, the cap room and a burning need and desire for a leader that is a model of difficult to play against.

No one will outspend him, or will want to. And he will be able to sell hard the idea of bringing Western New York hockey fans to the promised land.

Seven years, $7 million per for Callahan to come home?

 

I don't think it will happen either, but you better believe it is on TPeg's radar.

 

It would be fairly ironic for the Sabres to lure Drury redux away from the Rangers via an overly generous UFA deal, innit?

 

I'd love to see it though.

[TrueBlueGED]

@ NS

Rangers are struggling on the ice and with the cap.

Pegula will have the dollars, the cap room and a burning need and desire for a leader that is a model of difficult to play against.

No one will outspend him, or will want to. And he will be able to sell hard the idea of bringing Western New York hockey fans to the promised land.

Seven years, $7 million per for Callahan to come home?

 

I don't think it will happen either, but you better believe it is on TPeg's radar.

 

That would be a disgusting overpayment for Callahan IMO. He should get the Pominville contract at most. Yea yea grit blah blah...how far is that getting the Rangers? They go from President's Trophy winners, to eking into the playoffs, to barely better than the Sabres this year. Plus he's about as durable as Connolly.

[Member Berries]

Im glad Van got outa here before having to wear that gold monstrosity

[dudacek]

Pegula was apparently willing to spend that kind of cash on Shane Doan.

And, if the purge continues, he will need to spend on somebody to reach the floor.

And he will have to grossly overpay to obtain anyone of substance...

 

#stirringthepot

[nfreeman]

That would be a disgusting overpayment for Callahan IMO. He should get the Pominville contract at most. Yea yea grit blah blah...how far is that getting the Rangers? They go from President's Trophy winners, to eking into the playoffs, to barely better than the Sabres this year. Plus he's about as durable as Connolly.

 

When did the Rangers win the PT?

 

As for durability, Callahan has only missed significant time in 1 season since becoming a regular.

 

It would certainly be an overpayment, but there are a bunch of teams that will give him a Pommer contract.

 

He's the kind of legit top 6 forward the Sabres need to show the kids how to play the game.

[Trettioåtta]

I can't believe we offered Vanek $9 million a year. I am so happy he didn't take that. Vanek is Hossa, a very good but not great player who can contribute a lot but cannot and will never carry a team

[TrueBlueGED]

When did the Rangers win the PT?

 

As for durability, Callahan has only missed significant time in 1 season since becoming a regular.

 

It would certainly be an overpayment, but there are a bunch of teams that will give him a Pommer contract.

 

He's the kind of legit top 6 forward the Sabres need to show the kids how to play the game.

 

My bad. For some reason I thought they won it when they were the #1 seed two years ago. The 'Nucks edged them out by 2 points. The point remains they went from 1st in the East, to 6th, and now to 13th at this moment (and yes, I know he's injured). Pominville regularly got ripped for not elevating the team, and yet it seems Callahan isn't held to that standard--it's enough that he plays a style people want to see here.

[Iron Crotch]

Poor Matt Moulson having to go from a playoff caliber team to Hockey Hell.

 

...sounds like Vanek couldn't wait to get out of town. Tells you, perhaps implicitly, what the players think of Darcy and his ability to rebuild this team.

[deluca67]

Resign moulson, Sign Ryan callahan as UFA during summer and you got yourself a nice 2nd line off Moulson - Hodgson - Callahan

Not even if Luca Brasi attended the negotiations on the Sabres behalf.

[26CornerBlitz]

Vanek for Moulson: Did Garth Snow get fleeced or were his hands tied by ownership?

[deluca67]

I really can't blame him. He is in his prime, and in Buffalo he's never really had the A team of line-mates.

 

He was probably more gracious than he needed to be.

Thanks to the Oliers, Vanek was very well paid for his time here in Buffalo. As much as I would love to see the Sabres and islanders finish 29th & 30th this season, I expect we will all see a different Thomas Vanek in an Islander uniform.