2016 NHL Free Agency

[LGR4GM]

Ouch. That's gotta hurt.

 

[Thorner]

His legacy is having failed to plant Brett Hull on his arse early in the morning (mourning) of June 20, 1999.

Fair deuce.

 

---

 

Can't hear the name "Umberger" without thinking of that hit.

[That Aud Smell]

UMBERGER!

[Thorner]

HIT.

 

Also, obviously, HAMBURGER.

[Hoss]

Alex Goligoski's rights traded to Arizona

[TrueBlueGED]

Alex Goligoski's rights traded to Arizona

Son of a...

 

Hopefully he pulls an Ehrhoff and doesn't sign.

[Taro T]

Son of a...

Hopefully he pulls an Ehrhoff and doesn't sign.

Or, better, he does sign & the Sabres end up w/ their choice of any D-man in this year's draft. ;)

[TrueBlueGED]

Or, better, he does sign & the Sabres end up w/ their choice of any D-man in this year's draft. ;)

That may very well be for the best long term. Just doesn't help us fill our gaping top-4 hole :(

[Taro T]

That may very well be for the best long term. Just doesn't help us fill our gaping top-4 hole :(

I'm expecting that answer comes in the form of a trade.

[Thorner]

Alex Goligoski's rights traded to Arizona

Ahh fiddle-sticks.

 

That may very well be for the best long term. Just doesn't help us fill our gaping top-4 hole :(

Indeed. I said earlier I was worried about our ability to get one of the two big UFA D, Goligoski and Yandle. Goligoski most likely signing in Arizona now. That leaves Yandle. It's a crap shoot. I get that it may help us get a D of our choice in the draft, but like you said, we need to address the D for now, as well.

 

I'm expecting that answer comes in the form of a trade.

I'm really hoping this is the case now. Unless we are able to get Yandle, which would also be acceptable.

 

Failing those options, there's always Colaiacovo :/

Edited June 16, 2016 by Thorny

[WildCard]

Alex Goligoski's rights traded to Arizona

me

[Hoss]

Or, better, he does sign & the Sabres end up w/ their choice of any D-man in this year's draft. ;)

I don't think you're changing draft plans because you acquired the rights to Alex Goligoski. Especially considering, if signed, Goligoski will be just the third NHL dman under contract by Arizona. They have immediate and long-term needs there.

 

Will be interesting to see if he's willing to sign in Arizona.

[kas23]

I'm sure it's in the forebrain of GMTM, but I would be looking to sign an expansion draft decoy, someone LV wouldn't be able to look past. I don't like the prospect of losing Ennis, Bogo, or Pysyk for nothing. But, I like the idea of losing a player GMTM wouldn't want playing for his team.

[Hoss]

I think there's a lot of overthinking going on about the expansion draft.

Teams will mainly need to ensure they can fulfill the requirements which will likely mean we see two-year deals for veterans that would normally get one-year deals (Cam Ward) but there won't be a need for a "decoy" in Buffalo. Especially because there's just no way to know that it would be a worthwhile effort.

The new team will be taking one player from each team but that doesn't mean they'll be taking the best player left available from each team. They've got to build a team and fulfill salary, contract and positional requirements. The Sabres best bet is to get as many good players as they can that fill needs and their plan which will require moving out certain players in deals... If they do this they will have plenty of protection slots to maintain any core they desire and won't be in danger of losing any major difference makers.

[Thorner]

I think there's a lot of overthinking going on about the expansion draft.

Teams will mainly need to ensure they can fulfill the requirements which will likely mean we see two-year deals for veterans that would normally get one-year deals (Cam Ward) but there won't be a need for a "decoy" in Buffalo. Especially because there's just no way to know that it would be a worthwhile effort.

The new team will be taking one player from each team but that doesn't mean they'll be taking the best player left available from each team. They've got to build a team and fulfill salary, contract and positional requirements. The Sabres best bet is to get as many good players as they can that fill needs and their plan which will require moving out certain players in deals... If they do this they will have plenty of protection slots to maintain any core they desire and won't be in danger of losing any major difference makers.

But what if the Sabres forget to protect Ryan O'Reilly, and Vegas notices and he's claimed?? It could happen.

[Taro T]

I don't think you're changing draft plans because you acquired the rights to Alex Goligoski. Especially considering, if signed, Goligoski will be just the third NHL dman under contract by Arizona. They have immediate and long-term needs there.

Will be interesting to see if he's willing to sign in Arizona.

Probably not, but it's a nice thought. Would be sweet if it worked that way. :)

[kas23]

I think there's a lot of overthinking going on about the expansion draft.

Teams will mainly need to ensure they can fulfill the requirements which will likely mean we see two-year deals for veterans that would normally get one-year deals (Cam Ward) but there won't be a need for a "decoy" in Buffalo. Especially because there's just no way to know that it would be a worthwhile effort.

The new team will be taking one player from each team but that doesn't mean they'll be taking the best player left available from each team. They've got to build a team and fulfill salary, contract and positional requirements. The Sabres best bet is to get as many good players as they can that fill needs and their plan which will require moving out certain players in deals... If they do this they will have plenty of protection slots to maintain any core they desire and won't be in danger of losing any major difference makers.

I'm unsure if Vegas will be trying to build a "team" the same way we would look at building a team. They need bodies to field a product and a draft is the fastest way of doing this. Of course, they're not going to draft just wingers, but I would suspect they're going to take the best players they have a chance to get and then they'll think about forming the "team identity" in subsequent years. Sort of like our tank years, but just without the worst player available.

[pi2000]

Alex Goligoski's rights traded to Arizona

 

 

...for a fifth-round pick?   That's it?

[inkman]

...for a fifth-round pick? That's it?

It's his rights. Which means they can talk to him, before they supposedly couldn't.

But what if the Sabres forget to protect Ryan O'Reilly, and Vegas notices and he's claimed?? It could happen.

/Sarcasm? :Unsure:

[Thorner]

It's his rights. Which means they can talk to him, before they supposedly couldn't.

/Sarcasm? :Unsure:

Hahahaha. Of course.

 

 

 

Although............

 

 

.... ;)

[pi2000]

It's his rights. Which means they can talk to him, before they supposedly couldn't.

 

But why even trade anything for him if you have no idea if he's willing to sign.    

[Taro T]

But why even trade anything for him if you have no idea if he's willing to sign.

 

Ask Garth Snow & DR. They both traded for Ehrhoff's rights. Other GM's have made similar moves as well.

 

These guys typically expect they'll give close enough to the max or what the player wants (& more than the player's last team wanted to offer) that they can get the guy signed before FA opens. The other GM tells them what the guy was asking for.

[sodbuster]

But what if the Sabres forget to protect Ryan O'Reilly, and Vegas notices and he's claimed?? It could happen.

Let's hope they make sure the fax machine is working.

[WildCard]

...for a fifth-round pick? That's it?

Yeah, how did we not jump on that train? We have 4 3rds ffs

But why even trade anything for him if you have no idea if he's willing to sign.

Got us Ehrhoff

[Hoss]

Cam Ward will make $3.5 mill this year and $3.1 mill next...