Breaking News...Sabres trade Pyatt

[Goodfella25]

Per TSN...http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=171296&hubname=nhl

 

 

Sabres trade rights of Pyatt to Canucks

 

 

TSN.ca Staff

7/14/2006 5:06:49 PM

 

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Sabres have traded the rights of forward Taylor Pyatt to the Vancouver Canucks, in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

 

Pyatt, the 6-4, 220-pound left wing played in 41 games for Buffalo during the 2005-06 season. He finished the year with six goals and six assists, including one game-winning goal against Ottawa on April 8. During the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Pyatt appeared in 14 games and collected five assists).

 

Pyatt played 230 games over the last four seasons with the Sabres (2001-2006), totaling 80 points. In his NHL career, Pyatt has appeared in 308 regular season games, collecting 98 points.

[sabregoats]

i dont understand the logic behind that one.

[BetweenThePipes00]

The logic is that they can get the same production from someone who they pay half as much I guess ... he is due to make more than a million bucks ... let's face it, that's about what he was worth, a 4th rounder ... I was hoping they could use him to sweeten a deal with Biron but ...

We'll see if he breaks out and it bites them in the ass ... I'd say it's about 50-50, he's still young.

[Wild Jay]

I think this might be the precursor to something bigger happening. Notice that they didn't get anyone in return. Perhaps this means they are making room for someone else. Plus they now have extra 4th and 7th rounders to package up in a potential deal.

[jwnikita]

my goodness, what ever will the Puck Bunnies think of this?! Who will they cast their affections onto now?

[Wild Jay]

my goodness, what ever will the Puck Bunnies think of this?! Who will they cast their affections onto now?

haha, all those pink uniforms up in flames

[Goodfella25]

It's interesting that he was moved to the Canucks....in another thread, someone was drawing comparisons between Pyatt and Bertuzzi...throw this one into the mix...Vancouver traded for Bert when he was still an underachieving power forward and they got a pretty good player out of it. To me though, the difference is Bertuzzi always had a fire and willingness to compete...I never saw that from Pyatt.

 

For Buffalo, a simple cost-cutting move that means exactly what someone else said...we can drop his contract (he was overpaid at over a million) and someone making half that will come in and be more productive.

[bottlecap]

I am not happy about this. He came into his own in the playoffs.

[Swedesessed]

We will see what the Sabres do after making this move....but this trade is a very low risk/extremely high reward for Vancouver. I am disappointed that the Sabres moved Pyatt, but Ill wait and see versus having a knee jerk reaction

[chileanseabass]

i didn't think they'd move him. i figured they'd want to have another physical presence in the lineup to go along with gaustad.

 

can't say i'm sorry to see him go. kinda glad actually.

[navybillsfan]

A package deal sending him with Biron would of been nice but the deal is not a bad one guys.

 

Pyatt has not done much as a Sabre. Every time I saw that kid hit the ice he looked like $%^&

 

ZERO emotion! Face looked like he found a random booger in his hair and ate it.

 

 

Not a bad move..... So who takes his place?

[ReneRobert]

Ah, ask and ye shall receive...

 

Thank you, mods! :D

[shrader]

There's always the possibility that he didn't want to be here anymore.

[LabattBlue]

I am not happy about this. He came into his own in the playoffs.

Coming into his own? Pyatt scored ZERO goals in the playoffs. Don't get me wrong...

 

The loss of bigger players in McKee, Grier & Pyatt is going to make it even tougher getting the puck out of their zone along the boards. This was a part of their game that they had previously struggled with in the playoffs and getting smaller isn't going to make this task easier. It was time to turn the page though on an underachiever. You have Novotyny, Paille, Stafford and Thorburn waiting in the wings.

[Rayzor32]

6 months ago I would have been thrilled to get a 4th rounder for Pyatt -- but after his playoff performance, I saw a glimmer of hope in him, and felt that he deserved a shot as Grier's replacement. I can only hope this is a precursor to another deal. If we do trade Biron for Lang or Draper, we'll need some cap space...

 

I just feel sorry for the lady at the Kaufmann's makeup counter - who's going to buy as much mascara and eyeliner as Taylor did during his tenure in Buffalo?

[WanderingEye]

He would be due over 1 million this season and probably wouldn't be any higher than a fourth liner again. Maybe the money would be better spent towards getting some of the more important players back on board. Chris Thorburn from Rochester is a physical forward who actually put up some very decent numbers with the Amerks last season, this could be his shot to make it. Mark Mancari's a big kid who put some good numbers too, but he could probably use another season in the A.

 

Pyatt did have a decent playoff, but I was never all that impressed with his play, he might develop into a good power forward but he's taking his sweet time doing so. Can't say I'm that upset.

[buftex]

I think this might be the precursor to something bigger happening. Notice that they didn't get anyone in return. Perhaps this means they are making room for someone else. Plus they now have extra 4th and 7th rounders to package up in a potential deal.

 

 

It seems, in the NHL, a fourth and 7th round draft pick have even less value than they would in the NFL. Pyatt played well, down the stretch, but has overall, been sort of disappointing. Given his "potential" (which means more in the salary-cap era), I have to believe that this is a precurser to something else. Either a trade, or re-signing one of the Sabres cornerstone guys (Briere, or Tallinder maybe?) I hope so....

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

Reality check: losing Pyatt is not a big deal, in fact, it will help the team. When a player is ineffective and inconsistant as he is, nobody should be getting worked up over his departure. I would have liked to see him blossom into 20 goal-scoring power forward, but didn't we all want the same thing for Grosek when he was on the team too? With Pyatt gone that means other players like Gaustad and Mair will play more. It also frees up salary, and/or makes room for Darcy to make a trade for another forward.

[bob_sauve28]

It was a good move to dump an overpaid player who didn't really help much. Novotny and Paille need to play more, are better and make less money. They have to save hear and there so they can keep Brier, Miller, Afinogenov and others.

 

I am not happy about this. He came into his own in the playoffs.

What???

[nfreeman]

I'm a little disappointed, but I think I understand the move. Bottom line is that we have a glut of forwards, he was expensive, our projected payroll just to keep our core for just next year has gone up significantly, and this was an opportunity to save $600K or so.

 

I would like to think that this was a precursor to a long-term deal for Briere, but in reality I think it is just to be able to afford all of the pricey 1-year deals we are going to come out of arbitration with. I think we're still trying to get those multi-year deals with Briere and others, but this move doesn't necessarily mean those are going to happen.

 

As for Pyatt, I liked him and thought he had a pretty decent season, with the possibility of continued improvement next year. I thought his hustle was pretty consistent. I also thought he'd get a chance to take Griere's spot, but I guess Mair will get first crack at that, with Paille, Novotny, Thorburn, Stafford, etc. also in the mix.

[frisky]

To me it looked like a budget-saving maneuver. They cleared a spot for other young kids they probably believe will be coming up this year like Novotny (who is cheaper). And a fourth-round pick can turn out just as good as even better than the spot that he was picked at this point since the NHL draft is such a crap shoot that you don't really know how they will turn out. He had a lot of potential but didn't seem like he was going to finally turn into the player we hoped. Could be a change of scenery will be good for him in the end.

[X. Benedict]

This trade is pretty even. I think the logic is pretty solid.

Pyatt wasn't going to get more than 14 min a game and was going to be an occasional scratch.

 

He is worth much more to Vancouver - and this is probably the best move for the player. Keep in mind the player scratched for Pyatt to play late in the playoffs was Vanek. It is fair to expect much more from Vanek this year - and Darcy is going to collect picks - so far an extra 4th, and 7th.

 

Good luck Pyatt - I hope it works out for you.

[slugspirit]

This trade did catch me off guard. I agree that Pyatt really came into his own during the playoffs, and his line with Mair and Gaustaud was awesome to watch. But, he wasn't consistent here and we needed to cut some salary.

 

I think he could end up having a decent NHL career and will stay in the league (Erik Rassmussen?). Best of luck Taylor.

[Carmel Corn]

We still need a backup goaltender in case Marty is traded. Hey, maybe we could have gotten Noranen back as part of the deal.

[That Aud Smell]

I just feel sorry for the lady at the Kaufmann's makeup counter - who's going to buy as much mascara and eyeliner as Taylor did during his tenure in Buffalo?

 

Holy cr*p - that sent coffee through my nose. (F'ing Ow!)

 

And while Pyatt's hard-working assist on JP's game 3 winner against Ottawa gives me some pause on the deal, I think it makes good sense because (i) we need the cap space, (ii) he cost too much for what he was going to do (bang on the 4th line and be a healthy scratch from time to time), and (iii) he was clearly in a "needs a change of scenery" phase of a young career.