apuszczalowski

That depends on the terms of the deal. I thought the Sabres only had about $8 mil in cap space right now?

Is it also possible that the Sabres aren't in on Parise because the cost will be too high and they don't have the cap room without haveing to make corresponding moves? TP isn't the only Billionaire owner in the NHL, and that doesn't mean he will just throw whatever money around to attract a name

To stick with the toughness/gritt/hitting theme we have had going, they could bring Clutterbuck home (or closest to Welland that he can get) for Stafford? But do you really think Pittsburgh can afford that trio for 10 years? (or more then a few seasons?)

His only real decision that he has is what City makes most sense and would he prefer to play in. From a report that I had read, it says almost all the offerss are similar in money and years, so thats not going to be the issue, its about where he wants to play and what kind of team he is looking for and will meet his criterias. I think if its true that money and years is similar, its between sticking in NJ, or going to play at home for the Wild

I don't know, Is Jersey really a contender? Did people really think that Jersey was the best team in the East? I know they made it to the Cup finals, but waws it because they were the better team or a little lucky? (and yes I know that all teams that make it need some luck on their side). They almost were knocked out in the first round against Florida. They are relying on a 40 year old goalie to carry them in net. I think that Minneosota with parise has about the same chance as the Devils with Parise in being a "Contender" As for Pittsburgh, it depends on what he really wants. The salaries on that team are really going to limit the time frame they have to stay together, and the big contracts are really going to restrict what moves the team can make in the future if needed. If he wants to be a star, theres already 2 in front of him there, but if he just wants to get his name on the cup, Pittsburgh is the easier ride. The advantage to Minneosota is that he gets to play at home and be the star of a team with potential

You know what, I have thought about it before and I can honestly say, that straight up, I would make that trade, and I think Buffalo is the winner in the deal. Vanek has just never impressed me when he was given the chance to be the Sabres top forward. Don't get me wrong, he is a good player, just not one that I would consider a star/elite kinda player. He also doesn't seem like the kind of guy who could be a leader or motivator, more of a follower which I think has been the problem with this team, very few Leaders since Drury/Briere, almost all followers. I disagree, you can't just bring in a full team of rookies/prospects and expect that they will become a winner. You need a good mix of experience and veterans to show the rookies/prospects the ropes. Also, 28 is not that old, Vanek could still be a nice piece for a rebuild. The Blue Jackets aren't the ones wanting to trade Nash, Nash requested the trade and wants out. The Blue Jackets I'm sure would rather keep Nash to help with teh rebuild, but he wants out cause he is tired of being part of a rebuild. Thats one of the reasons why the Blue Jackets are demanding a huge ransom for him. If they are going to be forced into trading him away, they better get a solid return. If they were seriously looking at just wanting picks and prospects so they could do a complete rebuild/overhaul, they would have accepted the rumored offer from the Islanders at the draft and taken all thei picks to move down from 2 to 4........

..............To discuss his options on where to sign with his family Nice try though

To be honest, hes a good player, one that wore out his welcome in Buffalo and needed to go. He seemed to lack motivation at time and like others, thought he could just go out and float and things would work out. He has put up points and can play the game. Just don't expect him to be a guy to come in and take charge and lead the team. He isn't going to take over the lockerroom and lead/rally the troops, he is more of a follower then leader. He has a reputation around here as being a bit of a cancer in the lockerroom (you don't actually have to be in the lockerroom to see this) and may not have been liked much by some teammates. He blamed the coach here after the season for some things, and this is the same coach that earlier this year had said he considers Roy to be like a Son to him. He won't fight or throw a hit, he has/had a reputation as a diver and will take bad penalties. He is a superstar player, but he also is much better then average. Basically, If your looking for a Centre to play on the 2nd or 3rd line behind a better player, and not someone who will come in and lead the team and be a leader/mentor, it was a good pickup.

well if gas prices spike again, you never know, they may have too.......... it would also help with the Sabres Blue + Gold = Green environmental promotion thing......... I just hope Darcy is looking into the correct Nash. Toronto is also said to be interested and made an offer to Nash, hopefully Darcy noticed it was the Raptors making the offer to Steve Nash of the NBAs Phoenix Suns

He wouldn't even have to live in Buffalo, its not that far of a drive from Buffalo to Brampton (71 miles)

Getting Boyes was a typical Darcy deadline move. He made a deal to bring in another teams failed high pick that "Might just need a change in scenery" and hope he can turn it around here and make DR look like a genius. The move backfired again and they found out why his previous team gave up on him. No he can be added to the long list of deadline blunders.

Wonder how long until Burke uses that stat at his next press conference to show how great he is at deals? He stole Connolly compared to what the Pens paid Crosby, lol

I don't know weither that is a good thing about him, or really says alot about the quality of the players the Ducks had last year....... As for Brodeur, this is just a negotiating ploy. He is 40 years old and his best chance to start is in NJ. Not many teams are gonna give him a big contract to start at his age. Only way this makes sense is if its the Devils that told him they want to move on and bring in a new starter so he either leaves or becomes a backup, or maybe things are even worse financially for NJ that he has seen the writing on the wall

No idea, that was from my computer at work. For some reason I am having some trouble viewing things like links and buttons on websites

Was this ever said anywhere? Bernier was a 1st round pick who had potential and was viewed as maybe just needing a change of scenery to reach that potential. Thats the exact jkind of player Darcy has been bringing in when making deadline deals. I wouldn't call him a "throw in" for the deal

People are acting here like Crosby is Brett Lindros here and should be hanging up his skates. If this guy was anywhere near that stage, The Pens wouldn't be commiting that much money to him and signing him for that long of a deal. They probably would have been looking to trade him and keep Staal around then. As for the insurance, i don't think the teams go out and have to independently insure each contract. i would think the NHL itself has a policy on the entire league to cover salaries. If the player is as bad as some are making Crosby out to be healthwise, I don't think he could pass a physical and the league probably wouldn't be able to approve the contract if its uninsurable

Then how do you explain guys like Bernier, Boyes, and many of Darcys other wonderful Deadline deals? I won't argue that he didn't know what he was getting, he probably knew exactly what he was getting. A reserve defencemen with some experience whos contract expires at the end of the season and can come in from the press box if necessary and be an extra body on the ice. I would argue that what they ended up with is a pleasant surprise and better then what they expected.....

he was available at #6, but so was the guy they drafted whom they obviously wanted more, they want both. Basically what they are asking for is Adam, Stafford, and the Sabres 1st this year for Ryan. Personally I think that they would have to sweeten the pot a little more to make that deal work. As for the Lou and the Leafs, I think he ends up a Leafs or Vancouver keeps him until a team gets desperate or the deadline. The only other team I have heard that has some interest would be the Panthers, which is who he would like to go back to, but I don't think they are as interested as they would have to be to make this deal. If the Leafs don't get Lou, I think they are in on Nash (but Nash would have to want to come over, and TO isn't much of a step up from Columbus right now in terms of contending), but I can't see them having the resources to get both, unless they give up their entire draft and farm system or include Phaneuf and/or Kessel in the deals, and/or need to include Reimer or Scrivens too. They already gave up one of their top trade pieces in Schenn for JVR, the cupboard isn't overflowing with great prospects right now and theres not too much on the roster right now worth alot. If they gave guys like Kessel, JVR, or Phaneuf for nash and Lou it almost defeats the purpose of getting them because its just creating more holes that need filling instead of adding to the talent. The wildcard in any deal right now is Columbus because you never know what they are going to take and what they would turn down. When you see tehm giving up a bunch of picks for Bobrovsky, then turning down all of the Islanders picks to move down from 2 to 4, it almost impossible to tell what the heck Howson is doing and if he has a clue. For all we know, he could ask for Vanek, Myers, Grigs, Girg, Ennis, Foligno and Miller in a deal for Nash, yet turn around and ask for Connolly, MacArthur, Reimer and a 7th from Toronto for Nash, Mason and next years 1st

I thought Tootoos "off ice drama" was alot better recently. Saw a piece on TSN about it and he was supposed to have been sober for a while and doing much better. He is a physical player (but not what many expected or wanted him to be in the last few years). I can see many begging for the Sabres to pick him off because it might piss Miller off and then he can demand a trade.....

I also wouldn't really call that "Sick"If you break the deal down it looks good for Buffalo, but not exactly "Sick" they pretty much swapped 2nds with Calgary, traded one forward with scoring/physical potential for a Centre with potential, Lucked into a decent bottom pair defencmen, brought in a former physical defencemen who appears to be on the backside of his career and swapping a first round pick, costing them a couple prospects and one of the better faceoff guys in the league. Thats not bad, but its not like they traded away an Brad Boyes for Ovechkin, now that would be Sick....... Thats stretching it a little Lol. he had the usual DR deadline pickup start. Player comes in, everyones excited because of the potential steal of a player that may "just need a change of scenery", he has a good game or 2 to start and then they go back to being the player that the other team gave up on. That was my point about Sulzer. He was a throw in that wasn't expected to play much if any, and injuries put him in a situation to play alot of minutes and he turned out to be a pretty good bottom pairing defencemen. Nothing spectacular, but solid and hopefully he continues to play like that for them instead of regressing

To be fair, Sulzer was putting in those kind of minutes because of injuries to the defence. He was a pleasant surprise when he played and actually looked good out there. The Sulzer part of the deal was more about luck, then the Front Office knowing about a "diamond in the rough" and stealing him away for nothing. If the defence stayed healthy, he probably would have spent as much time as Mags did in the press box.

Apparently when Ovy heard the news he was excited and called to talk to him because he heard that he was known for coaching an offence first type style (or something like that) and is happy with this move because the plan is to "uLet him loose" again with hopes he gets back to the type of play that he made him one of the top scorers.http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=399296 As for the Edmonton coaching job, every time I see the name I think of the Seinfeld episode with George working for Kruegger and the letter fell off the sign. His boss says that it sounds like an old time car horn "K Uegger"

Not according to their owner when he bought them last year. He said they weren't going to go teh FA route to build, they would rely more on building through the draft. They aren't expected to be buyers in teh FA market, they will be similar to what the Sabres were during Golisano. Budget first, resign your own guys, fill the gaps with affordable FAs with potential The Sabres have always struggled against the Thrashers/Jets the last few years.

Well they do have an abundance of 1st round (#1 pick) forwards

A ton of picks for an unproven goalie