Buffalo's Worst Defender

[Randall Flagg]

Franson. Not anywhere near good enough offensively to make up for his wooden legs and awful defending.

He wasn't fast to start the season, not at all. But he's somehow gotten much slower in the last month or so.

[TrueBlueGED]

I think Franson's problem is the niche he was brought in for has been commandeered by Risto a year sooner than expected. If he's not getting big PP minutes, he's not much use and all of his flaws will be on full display without any of the balancing positives.

[PartyZombies]

Nothing but their current play should matter. Why do you care what they make?

You should care what they make because that is money against the cap and makes it difficult to sign impact FAs come the off season. Any FA you would hope to have a real impact on your team comes with a price tag. I know we aren't having any cap issues now, but that stuff could mean something even just 2 seasons from now.

[TheAud]

If Weber is at the top of his game he's a decent bottom pairing option. He's had a few good games recently. So long as we don't get crazy and think he's more than a 6/7 guy at best I'm alright with him. 

I took the poll to mean 'worst defenseman.' So I still voted for Weber as I haven't seen enough of Carlo to develop an overly negative opinion yet and he can move the puck some. If the poll is 'worst defenseman at playing defense' I'd change it to Franson as he is slow as molasses and even good positioning and strength on the puck can't overcome it. However his offensive contributions have me rate him higher than Weber as an overall defenseman. Weber contributes in preventing goals but is a total liability in terms of trying to move the puck up ice and then actually score goals. 

[inkman]

You should care what they make because that is money against the cap and makes it difficult to sign impact FAs come the off season. Any FA you would hope to have a real impact on your team comes with a price tag. I know we aren't having any cap issues now, but that stuff could mean something even just 2 seasons from now.

2seasons from now Gorges, Legwand, Gionta and Weber all off the books. What's that $15 mill?

[Wyldnwoody44]

Man, when we signed franson people were talking about how slow he was, and I never really followed him before.... Wow was I shocked when I saw him on the ice..... How can a D man actually be that slow?!?! It's mind boggling really. For that fact alone he gets my vote.

 

We have a lot of work to do on the back end, and front end, but this team can't be taken legit until we have 2/3 upgrades

[Drunkard]

2seasons from now Gorges, Legwand, Gionta and Weber all off the books. What's that $15 mill?

 

Just under $13 million (I looked it up on that General Fanager site). It still sounds like a good chunk of change but we'll still have to replace them with other players as well so unless they are replaced by young players on ELC's or cheap veterans that won't necessarily be upgrades it is something that we'll need to be concerned about, especially once Eichel, Reinhart, and Ristolainen come off their entry level deals.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Drunkard

[Bruce Smith]

The loser gets traded at the deadline and resigned on July 1.

All things being equal. Gorges' current play isn't better than anyone else. He's makes $4mil though and he cost the Sabres a 2nd rounder, so he gets my vote for worst Dman.

[qwksndmonster]

All things being equal. Gorges' current play isn't better than anyone else. He's makes $4mil though and he cost the Sabres a 2nd rounder, so he gets my vote for worst Dman.

I agree, I don't even see him out there.

 

In all seriousness, Gorges has been one of the most consistent D-men in his own zone.  How people can honestly believe that he's worse than McCabe, Pysyk, Weber, and Franson is beyond me. I also think he's better than Bogosian.

[Bruce Smith]

I agree, I don't even see him out there.

 

In all seriousness, Gorges has been one of the most consistent D-men in his own zone.  How people can honestly believe that he's worse than McCabe, Pysyk, Weber, and Franson is beyond me. I also think he's better than Bogosian.

Hit up NHL.com and watch some of the highlights of goals against from games from a few weeks before he was injured. He's in on all the bad ones either being in the wrong place or getting shed. I think he's been terrible since he's been here. I think playing with Risto is the only thing that has shielded his terrible play from a lot of people.

[qwksndmonster]

Hit up NHL.com and watch some of the highlights of goals against from games from a few weeks before he was injured. He's in on all the bad ones either being in the wrong place or getting shed. I think he's been terrible since he's been here. I think playing with Risto is the only thing that has shielded his terrible play from a lot of people.

He was playing 1st pairing minutes with Risto against the toughest competition.  Every defenseman is going to give up goals.  I'll grant that he had a tough week or two before his injury but that doesn't change the fact that he's been largely good for us this year.

[...]

Going with the herd, here and voted for Franson.  I've always defended Weber more than not and I like Gorges despite his penalties.  Dunno if I'd want Weber on a contending team because, although I love his heart, he is prone to making stupid mistakes under pressure.  But, Franson is slow and he scares me when he has to handle anything but basic D-man duties.

[BetterDays06]

Risto has 31 points and our other 6 defenseman have 43 total. We need a revamp on D badly. People want to say franson is bad, he at least has 14 points. Looking at that makes me sick. We need a Yandle type d-man badly. We cant be having just one good scoring dman.

Edited January 28, 2016 by EICH15

[Marvelo]

they should bring up Guhle and release Carlo and/or Franson.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Marvelo

[WildCard]

they should bring up Guhle and release Carlo and/or Franson.

You're not seeing Guhle next year either. I'm happy with letting our guys marinate

[inkman]

they should bring up Guhle and release Carlo and/or Franson.

I'd be curious to see how often a team has pulled a kid out of juniors before their season ends

[Thorner]

I'd be curious to see how often a team has pulled a kid out of juniors before their season ends

 

I believe this is against the rules and cannot be done. Once a junior eligible player is sent down, they can't be called back up that season. Until their junior season is completed, I believe.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I'm not sure, but at least we don't have this jackass on the roster ...

 

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/dennis-wideman-suspension-1.3424298

 

I have not been around and able to read a lot on the board lately, but I just finished up my latest teaching contract yesterday, so you slobs will likely have to put up with me more now.

 

So, it has probably been discussed already, but IMO, that hit looks deliberate to me, so that for me would = lifetime ban.

[MattPie]

I believe this is against the rules and cannot be done. Once a junior eligible player is sent down, they can't be called back up that season. Until their junior season is completed, I believe.

 

I'm pretty sure this is correct. Even more, burning a season of his eligibility on a season that's all but "over" is a poor way to become a good team down the road.

[Weave]

I'm pretty sure this is correct. Even more, burning a season of his eligibility on a season that's all but "over" is a poor way to become a good team down the road.

 

There used to be a rule that allowed recall of a junior player in an "emergency" situation.  The team had to be down to X number of skaters.  I don't recall what X was, though.  I'd imagine the rule still exists today.

 

Last Sabre I remember being recalled form juniors in this way was John Tucker.