Scottysabres Posted February 15, 2017 Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 So, by my count, that is 13 Sabres games in a row with Pittsburg scouting, including their AGM, Boterill last week. What are we looking at here? Maatta? Or is this just a Kulikov for a late 1st scenario? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted February 15, 2017 Report Share Posted February 15, 2017 So, by my count, that is 13 Sabres games in a row with Pittsburg scouting, including their AGM, Boterill last week. What are we looking at here? Maatta? Or is this just a Kulikov for a late 1st scenario? They like speed and scoring. It's gotta be Kane or someone like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted February 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 10 days to go. The Sabres have won 2 in a row, are 4pts back of the Bruins (plus 3 back in ROW) for 3rd in the Atl and are 3 pts bsck ot Tor for the 2nd wild card but Tor has 2 games in hand and +1 in ROW. We have 2 games left before the break, home against surging Stl and the Hawks. Lose both and it's clear this team isn't a playoff team and the sell is on. What happens if we win both or get 3 pts? Does GMTM try to upgrade the D without giving away a needed forward? What about getting someone like Martin Hanzal and then trying to re-sign him in the offseason as our third line center? Girgensons for Hanzal? Hanzal is still in his prime, a proven playoff guy. Acquiring and signing him would give somes of the prospect, like Cornell more time to mature. 3 yr 10.5? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohicksie Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 I don't see that as much of an upgrade, to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted February 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 He has been a consistent 35-40 pt scorer in the league. Brings real size (6'6" 225) and is a 56% faceoff guy. He is a decent PK guy (especially if you are trying to win a draw in your own zone), Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 10 days to go. The Sabres have won 2 in a row, are 4pts back of the Bruins (plus 3 back in ROW) for 3rd in the Atl and are 3 pts bsck ot Tor for the 2nd wild card but Tor has 2 games in hand and +1 in ROW. We have 2 games left before the break, home against surging Stl and the Hawks. Lose both and it's clear this team isn't a playoff team and the sell is on. What happens if we win both or get 3 pts? Does GMTM try to upgrade the D without giving away a needed forward? What about getting someone like Martin Hanzal and then trying to re-sign him in the offseason as our third line center? Girgensons for Hanzal? Hanzal is still in his prime, a proven playoff guy. Acquiring and signing him would give somes of the prospect, like Cornell more time to mature. 3 yr 10.5? Hanzal's a proven playoff performer? :huh: Honestly would much rather have a 23 YO Girgensons than a 30 YO Hanzal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Hanzal's a proven playoff performer? :huh: Honestly would much rather have a 23 YO Girgensons than a 30 YO Hanzal. I don't know. That Hanzal's so hot right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 I don't know. That Hanzal's so hot right now. 4 in 3 games is impressive. Really not expecting that to last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 He has been a consistent 35-40 pt scorer in the league. Brings real size (6'6" 225) and is a 56% faceoff guy. He is a decent PK guy (especially if you are trying to win a draw in your own zone), Last week on HNIC, Elliott Friedman said the asking price for Brian Boyle is a first round pick plus some. I feel like Hanzal is a better player, and i think Arizona will try to get as much as possible for him because other then him, they don't have much else to trade besides like Micheal Stone. I don't think just Zemgus would get that deal done. How about a deal, something like Zemgus for Thomas Hickey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robviously Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 I don't know. That Hanzal's so hot right now. I love this comment so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted February 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Last week on HNIC, Elliott Friedman said the asking price for Brian Boyle is a first round pick plus some. I feel like Hanzal is a better player, and i think Arizona will try to get as much as possible for him because other then him, they don't have much else to trade besides like Micheal Stone. I don't think just Zemgus would get that deal done. How about a deal, something like Zemgus for Thomas Hickey? Done! Fax the paperwork in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted February 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 This stinker tonight against Chicago as the Sabres were on the threshold of a playoff spot should confirm to GMTM that this team is still not ready for primetime. It should also solidify the Sabres as a seller at the deadline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted February 20, 2017 Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) Can we have our cake and eat it too? Be sellers and chase a playoff spot? I'm perfectly fine rolling E Rod, Baptiste, Bailey, Carrier, Fasching, Falk, Fedun, instead of Ennis, Moulson, Gionta* Grant, Deslauriers, Franson Gorges, Kulikov down the stretch. I don't call it quitting on the season, I call it trimming the dead weight. It's not like I hate the other guys, but they aren't part of where this team is going and if we get one promising defenceman back, then Gionta is the only one we'll really miss. If he or Kulikov is interested in coming back, I wouldn't close the door. Sign Borgen and Florentino to fill the depth holes on D. Call up Guhle when his team is done. The bridge veterans have served their purpose. Time to pass the torch. Edited February 20, 2017 by dudacek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted February 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 I'm on board with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottysabres Posted February 20, 2017 Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 I hadn't thought mucus on ennis outside of Vegas. But I wonder if Tim can get something for him from a bubble team looking to try anything for a spark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Alec Martinez is a name being floated as being out there. 29, four years left at $4 million per. 20-30 point two-way second pair guy having a down year. Interest? What would you pay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJFIVEOH Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 While chances may still be slim, this team is making a push for the playoffs and is done rebuilding. Trading away UFA's is sending a message to the team and the fans that Murray is not concerned about making the playoffs this year. Getting 3rd round picks is only going to hurt the team now and more than likely will not pay off later. And somebody, like Kulikov who might net a slightly higher draft pick, is still important to the team right now. When your weakness is depth at defense, you don't trade Franson and/or Kulikov. And you certainly don't trade your team captain. To answer the thread question, I don't know what Murray is going to do. I'm not even going to predict. I'm sure a lot will depend on the three games after the bye week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAud Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 I don't know. That Hanzal's so hot right now. Just picked this one up. Excellent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radar Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Quite honestly the Sabres are not going to the playoffs this season. The only trade I see is what a previous poster called trimming the fat. If you can get 2-4 picks for your Franson types who aren't in our future do it. Kane,if he's moved, would probably be a draft day or off season move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonHextallsShoulderPads Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) Need a record that looks like: 15-3-4 or 17-5-0 or 16-4-2. Their best 22-game stretch has been: 12-8-2 (which happened in Jan/Feb). If they can sustain their play...they need a damn good run. Then again 94, 93, 88, 93, 92, 93, 98, 93 were the 8th seed over the past ten years. So they made not need 96. Edited February 21, 2017 by RonHextallsShoulderPads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Kane would have to see a big return on defense. He only has one more season here so that has to be weighed. As good as he is, just letting him walk away after next season with nothing in return would be horrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattPie Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Need a record that looks like: 15-3-4 or 17-5-0 or 16-4-2. There best 22-game stretch has been: 12-8-2 (which happened in Jan/Feb). If they can sustain their play...they need a damn good run. Then again 94, 93, 88, 93, 92, 93, 98, 93 were the 8th seed over the past ten years. So they made not need 96. Thanks. The numbers don't look much better getting to 93 points either, so it's moot. What I'm seeing here is the Sabres can only lose 7 games (or miss out on 14 points) tops for the rest of the season before it's very unlikely they're getting in. That's a pretty steep order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustache of God Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 If Kane gets traded, it'll be after the season is over. There's no way Murray trades our most prolific scorer while we still have a faint sniff at the playoffs. I'm in the camp that would not like to see Kane traded. Rivet also made an interesting point on the Instigators today, in between telling a story of how a "smokeshow" once let out her "bazammers" on the jumbotron, that Gionta saying he wants to stay publicly doesn't mean much, rather than it's the right thing to hear from the captain. Gionta saying he'd entertain a trade would have trade rumors fly-off the handle. If there is a trade with him, it'll be a behind the scenes thing. Talk comes in at the 14:50 mark here : http://media.wgr550.com/a/118486769/02-21-the-instigators-hr-1.htm The "bazammers" story comes in at the 43:00 minute mark: http://media.wgr550.com/a/118486769/02-21-the-instigators-hr-1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GASabresIUFAN Posted February 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 In TBN's mailbag they had an interesting stat. That was we earning .517 pts per game, which, despite our small streak, is 13th in the conference. Meaning that with our week off, the teams behind us in the standings should pass us in the standings leaving us with a very very remote shot at the playoffs. Bottomline: Sell. Problem; who do replace Franson and Kulikov with after they get traded? I agree that any Gionta deal with be very quiet until it's announced and GMTM will say" we hadn't planned on trading our Captain, he wanted to stay and we hope to bring him back next year, but when one of the top teams calls and you get another shot a winning a Cup, we wanted to give him that opportunity." Besides Gionta, any other forwards you seeing being moved at the deadline? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kas23 Posted February 21, 2017 Report Share Posted February 21, 2017 Why are people saying Kane would best be dealt in the offseason? Wouldn't a desperate team be more likely to overpay during the season? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts