I like Regier's approach

[nfreeman]

 

Ok, but I never sucked no venom out of anything, that must have been someone else

 

 

 

Aha! The truth comes out! No we know why PAFan and APus seem to "have each other's backs" during this strangely passionate argument.

 

In any case, here's what the Toronto Star says today about the Leafs and McKee:

 

"They'll certainly explore the Chara possibilities, but a more likely scenario could see them go after the likes of Jay McKee and/or Willie Mitchell, who will each command upwards of $3 million. "

 

So, all of the bloviating (much of it coming from me) on these boards about whether the sabres are cheapskates if they let McKee go at $3 million vs. $2.5 million is likely to turn out to have been so many wasted pixels. Even the brokeback mountain duo has conceded that it doesn't make sense to bring him back above $3 million.

 

At least it was entertaining hockey talk.

 

I'll predict that we lose a few guys, pick a few guys up and by the time training camp rolls around there are plenty of good reasons for excitement.

 

Go Sabres.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

I think you're off here. Briere's numbers are far supieror to McKee's, as are Drury's, and they're Co-captains. Both Drury and McKee are at least $1 million/year better than McKee . Their agents will make that case. The Sabres offer to McKee was $1 million less than what Drury currently makes, which is probably not a coincidence.

 

Tallinder has better numbers than McKee over the last three seasons, and is an RFA. If McKee gets $3 million a year, why wouldn't his agent start negotiations at $3.8 to $4 million a year?

 

So signing McKee to $3 million a year would make negotiations with other, better players much more difficult.

 

Huet is even more inexperienced than Miller, and Miller performed better in the playoffs, so no doubt Miller's agent will use Huet's new contract as the jumping-off point for negotiations, which is a bit below $3 milllion. That's roughly half of what Luongo signed for, and Luongo has never won a playoff game, so the neighborhood of $3 million seems right for Miller.

 

Lets get realistic, McKee is not a numbers player, winning hockey games takes more then just numbers.

[Stoner]

nfreeman, don't put words in my mouth. I never said it wouldn't make sense to bring McKee back for over 3 million. I think I said before I would consider Drury money for McKee. The length of the deal seems to be the bigger sticking point now. Darcy hates those long-term deals. Well, he has his reasons, I guess, in wanting a shorter term deal for McKee. But when it comes to Miller, please, Dear God, don't sign Miller to a two year deal and let him become an UFA after that! (On the other hand, I guess Miller and his agent could refuse a longer term deal.) All this talk hurts my head. I just want to watch hockey!

[X. Benedict]

Where McKee goes will be interesting.

There is talk of Philly, but I think this is a mismatch. Philly desperately

needs to add speed on the blueline. McKee doesn't do that.

 

Toronto would do well to add speed to its blueline as well.

I just don't think McKee goes there.

 

The place that makes sense is really Pittsburgh, but I don't see

them offering McKee much more than 10% more than Buffalo would

be offering.

 

The sorry thing for McKee are that the teams that he really makes sense for

are not likely to be contenders.

 

The interesting thing about the scenario of McKee not being in Buffalo

is that DR will likely look to get faster on the Blueline - and in a month

there may prove to be some bargains.

 

Maybe somebody will overpay for McKee. But I don't think he is going to

get the juicy multiyear offer much beyond 2.5. I could be wrong but

We'll see.