2014 Unrestricted Free Agency - Sabres Strategy

[nfreeman]

I like Stasny at 6 million. It's not like Buffalo has a cap problem. If he comes on at 5, 6, or 7 million it doesn't much matter. Center is a position to overpay for.

 

Make that move and Nolan can make some lines. The lines he has to throw out there now are a joke. Everyone is playing a line/ or a league above their level.

 

Me too.

 

Stastny is 28, talented, experienced and a good playoff performer.

 

In a thin UFA crop and with the cap rising, he'll probably get a $45MM contract from someone. If I'm a GM with $$ to spend, I'd rather give it to Stastny than to Vanek.

[thewookie1]

 

 

 

 

I don't think Orpik is going to a last place team. If you want to pay Callahan over 5 million a season which I don't think he's worth considering all the injuries he has already had. I could see bring back Ott for a leadership role but I see guys getting signed for cheap. Why try to improve that much when this is the key draft year.

 

 

 

I agree that's why I hope Murray stands pat this year. After the 2015 draft then we can sign some key free agents.

 

 

Orpik would come here to play at home, that would be his reasoning.

 

Callahan, even if overpriced, will be useful for the locker room

 

 

I'd be ok with standing pat if it weren't for our need to bring on salary, the need in getting rid of Leino, and the UFA period isn't what it used to be. We'll need at least a couple years worth of UFAs and I'd rather start sooner than later.

[Kristian]

Orpik would come here to play at home, that would be his reasoning.

 

Callahan, even if overpriced, will be useful for the locker room

 

 

I'd be ok with standing pat if it weren't for our need to bring on salary, the need in getting rid of Leino, and the UFA period isn't what it used to be. We'll need at least a couple years worth of UFAs and I'd rather start sooner than later.

 

Salary floor or no salary floor - Ville Leino CANNOT be a Sabre next year.

 

I'd prefer it if they traded for Tim Connolly and Derek Roy instead, and I'm not kidding.

[IKnowPhysics]

As far as the making space for youngsters goes, any player whom the coaches think is ready for the Nhl, bring Em I'm. As long as they're actually ready and we don't burn off the first couple years of their ETC when they're in the nhl

 

A reasonable plan, but there is one rub. You might have to know who's ready now before training camp, before the UFA period starts, if you want to fill your roster gaps with players that are at least decent. Otherwise, you get to camp, maybe decide you want more of the kids in Rochester, and then the only UFA players available are the plugs that didn't get signed in July. That may work great for option B of question 1, but not much else.

 

This is a very strange time for the Sabres roster, it'll be interesting to see what GMTM does.

Edited May 25, 2014 by IKnowPhysics

[ubkev]

 

 

Salary floor or no salary floor - Ville Leino CANNOT be a Sabre next year.

 

I'd prefer it if they traded for Tim Connolly and Derek Roy instead, and I'm not kidding.

 

I love this idea!

[Andrew Amerk]

I'm all for one more tank year. Another year of the prospects developing, and go into the next draft with those 3 first rounders.

 

I think they need to add a couple vets for the development, either this off-season or next. Ott and/or Callahan. Wouldn't mind Gionta, Penner, Morrow, or Moore.

[Norcal]

I think they should try to sign Stastny and Ott or Callahan this year in FA and trade for a young nhl ready player or top six player someone is willing to move. With 3 top 20 picks in 2015 and most likely 2 being top 10s or better isn't it reasonable that along with the talent they have and free agency next year (Patrick Kane) they could build the type of squad needed to be capable of competing by next year. Rather than wait on a chance for the #1 or 2 pick, play it out. Let the players scrap and learn and decide what happens on the ice. If they finish low in the standings then the chances of picking a superstar in a deep draft increase. Plenty of good players are picked after the top 5 although I realize those 5 players each year are usually superstar types. The team as constructed could see as many as 12 new players in the lineup by next year, that should bring about some change in the results one would think.

[Rasmus_]

It will be an interesting offseason. I would think Buffalo would have to show some "flash" to get a guy like Stastny to leave Colorado (who claim they want to retain him, but don't need to really?). He's the ideal guy to put on the top line while developing a center core. At 6.6M, his regular cap hit recently something in the 7M is not unreasonable. I love Dave Bolland though his questionable recent injury history bring up issues with him. Setoguchi? Not exactly someone appealing, but he might be able to come in cheap.

[inkman]

I'll drive my car into the foyer of the FN'C if any of these guys sign here.

[Hoss]

Stastny would be the only big free agent that I'd like to see here, but he'll get big money offers elsewhere that will allow him to continue to compete...

[I am Defecting]

Anti-props for no super-wank frenetically about McDavid and do little else option. I think that could have been a contender.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Yuri Olesha

[IKnowPhysics]

Anti-props for no super-wank frenetically about McDavid and do little else option. I think that could have been a contender.

 

Effectively, that's what option three of the first question is.

Edited May 27, 2014 by IKnowPhysics

[Iron Crotch]

Stastny would be the only big free agent that I'd like to see here, but he'll get big money offers elsewhere that will allow him to continue to compete...

 

I'd like Stastny for sure since this roster is begging for another scoring center. Callahan isn't a bad idea. I'd be okay with Ott, but given the choice of the two would prefer Callahan since he is better defensively than Otter. I still like Moulson, although I'm sure he has other destinations in mind at this point. One name no one has mentioned who I think wouldn't be a terrible UFA addition is Lee Stempniak. He is a local guy who can score a bit and wouldn't cost too much.

 

I wouldn't mind another reasonably priced veteran d-man to replace RFA McBain (McBain can go far, far away as far as I'm concerned). With so many kids (Risto, Pysyk, McCabe, Zadarov), adding a steady older UFA d-man for them to learn from isn't a terrible idea. On that note, the only UFA I'd resign is probably Hank as a veteran 7th defenseman (although might as well resign John Scott since he won't cost anything).

[Darryl Shannon's +/-]

Sign Matt Ellis' lunchpail to a decent one year contract to help reach the cap floor. And Hank and John Scott. The goal is to be really, really bad for one more year while putting players around the young kids who will either protect them from severe harm or show them how to play the game the right way. Callahan would be a gigantic mistake.

 

When it's time to play for keeps, we can deal prospects/picks for the veteran help we need. UFA is not the way to get better.

[3putt]

It's not a question of what Ott can teach them from a talent perspective.

 

But he can teach and preach volumes on "hockey character" and what it means to be a pro on and off the ice. This facet of veteran leadership on a young team cannot be overstated.

 

GO BILLS!!!

I get that but I would rather have Dave Bolland, if healthy. Same type of player, maybe more post season success.

[IKnowPhysics]

So, three+ weeks later, its about 3:2 in favor of picking up some supplemental pieces in UFA as opposed to only filling roster gaps. Abandoning the tank now seems to be off most people's radar.

 

By a similar margin, most want the prospects to get some development time instead of immediately competing for an NHL roster spot.

 

 

 

So don't abandon the tank, pick up some pieces that fill roster gaps and may be good supplemental players down the road. Let the prospects develop.

[dudacek]

Ideally, I want a couple dependable veteran forwards who can line up against the other team's top lines, and a veteran defenceman who is better than Hank.

 

But I have frequently been on the record as supporting overpaying for Callahan, good enough to help develop the kids, not good enough to derail the tank, young enough to still be useful when we get good, affordable under the cap, if we can keep it to five years.

Edited June 16, 2014 by dudacek

[MattPie]

Ideally, I want a couple dependable veteran forwards who can line up against the other team's top lines, and a veteran defenceman who is better than Hank.

 

But I have frequently been on the record as supporting overpaying for Callahan, good enough to help develop the kids, not good enough to derail the tank, young enough to still be useful when we get good, affordable under the cap, if we can keep it to five years.

 

But from the sounds of it, Callahan is looking for something more like $6M+/6+ yrs. That's too much and too long.

[dudacek]

But from the sounds of it, Callahan is looking for something more like $6M+/6+ yrs. That's too much and too long.

I'd definitely do $30 million for five years.

$35 million for five years would be pushing it, but I'm not sure anyone would give him that much.

$30 million is overpaying.

 

My logic is simple. He is the only UFA on the market we would have a hope in hell of attracting.

He will help create the culture we need to create.

And the money won't matter much because it will be five years before any of the kids on our roster will be ready for big dollars and start squeezing our cap.

Unless you really think we have a shot at Kane, who else are we going to spend it on?

[nfreeman]

I'd definitely do $30 million for five years.

$35 million for five years would be pushing it, but I'm not sure anyone would give him that much.

$30 million is overpaying.

 

My logic is simple. He is the only UFA on the market we would have a hope in hell of attracting.

He will help create the culture we need to create.

And the money won't matter much because it will be five years before any of the kids on our roster will be ready for big dollars and start squeezing our cap.

Unless you really think we have a shot at Kane, who else are we going to spend it on?

 

Well, I want Callahan too, but we should remember that hopefully, if things go according to plan, next season is the last one of true suckitude and will be rewarded with a franchise player in the June 2015 draft. Beginning in October 2015, the Sabres will be targeting the playoffs and then, shortly thereafter, contender status. When we get to that stage, cementing contender status will include other expensive UFAs.

[dudacek]

Ehrhoff, Myers and Hodgson are locked up. Ennis and Foligno will be soon and we will still have $20 million to spend.

Stafford and Stewart are likely on their way out. No else with experience is worth big dollars.

Younger guys who we hope will eventually be worth big contracts like Grigs, Girgs, Pysyk, Armia etc. are two to five years away from any kind of real money.

Even with Callahan at big money, there is lots of room to add a few expensive free agents, post 2015.

It won't be until 2018 or 19 that things could start to get sticky.

He's the right player at the right time.

[TheMatrix31]

I'm sick of losing and looking bad doing so. Do whatever it takes to win, and if that doesn't work, at least do whatever it takes to look like we're worth even the *slightest* of ######.

[Huckleberry]

still think we'll sign moulson and callahan, but i have a feeling Ott might stay in st louis.

[X. Benedict]

I'm sick of losing and looking bad doing so. Do whatever it takes to win, and if that doesn't work, at least do whatever it takes to look like we're worth even the *slightest* of ######.

 

I don't think we get that this next year.

[thewookie1]

still think we'll sign moulson and callahan, but i have a feeling Ott might stay in st louis.

 

 

I'll take all 3, Orpik and Shawn Thorton and trade Ehrhoff. That'd be a group of good characters for our many youngsters to learn from.

 

1 for each offensive line, Ellis captains Rochester and Orpik would bring a vet leader for the D. Get 1 more vet Dman and then fill the roster with whosever left so we can limit the amount of youngsters on this losing franchise. Plus all the forwards would be of use for the next 5 years or so thus helping the transition.

 

 

 

Moulson-Ennis-Stafford

Hodgson-Girgs-Callahan

Ott-Foligno-Stewart

Thorton-Flynn-Kaleta

 

I can't quite figure out what to do with Stewart or Stafford in the end, we just have so much riffraff that trying to set up a solid group of vets is a tad difficult. The other three players I see future problems with are Hodgson, Foligno, and Kaleta since in the assumption we take Reinhart and "McDavid" I can't fit those 3 + the other two comfortably.

 

Moulson-McDavid- Girgs?

Ennis-Reinhart-(Stafford/Stewart)

Ott- Hodgson- Callahan

Thorton-Foligno-Flynn

Kaleta

 

Risto-Zadorov

Myers-Pysyk

McCabe-Weber/Orpik