LTS

You shouldn't assume they couldn't or didn't. Aho has to choose whose offer to sign. But my guess is that the massive immediate payout was not something the Sabres wanted to contend with.

Right, my guess is Montreal won the the race on who pays out the fastest. This signing bonus is a huge amount of money to pay out in the next 2 weeks basically. Buffalo would have had to be willing to do that (and of course, if they were, Aho would have had to wanted to sign with Buffalo as well). If he rejected Buffalo then there's nothing to be done about it. It is.. the 1,2,3 picks are easier to absorb than four 1sts. I would trade next years 1,2,3 for any of those players. The 4 firsts? I'd have to hope I develop talent so that I can spin one or two out in a trade to re-acquire a 1st round pick in a year or two.

Thanks... so I guess Aho must have really wanted some money right now? I'd like to think other teams (including Buffalo) were out there offering some kind of contract that might have been spread out more. Well, this should be fun. Also - anyone else think that the signing bonus to salary ratio might be a source of contention in the next collective bargaining agreement?

Not in? or not willing to pay the amount and term he was able to get elsewhere? big difference.

Curious - can the Hurricanes match and then trade Aho? So, Buffalo could call up Waddell and offer a trade for what is now known contract for Aho and offer something that includes a first, a RHD, and some other players?

I think everyone assumed that was your job. On a more serious note, you understand that in Free Agency, the PLAYERS get to choose where they sign, not the GMs right?

Well, like I saw posted somewhere (here or Twitter). He's going into UFA the following season. If he commands more as a trade during the season and the Sabres flip him for better assets, then does it matter? The game isn't over today.

I'm just waiting to see how stupid GMs get. We're seeing some signs already. Should be good.

No, I follow Harrington so I can take pot shots at his ignorant tweets. It provides a mechanism to off-set his bias with an alternate viewpoint for those who do follow him because they actually want to hear what he has to say. And, more importantly, I rarely ever tweet at him.

Spurned though? As I just tweeted at Harrington. Vesey had the option to choose between wings or pizza. He chose pizza. It doesn't mean he hates wings, he just preferred pizza.

No, it starts at noon. There is no deadline. Right now it's all posturing and projecting. It's all buzz and hype. Then... crickets.. because the big names will sign and that will be that. No real fireworks.

So he cost Buffalo 2 3rd round picks? ? Is it really an ugh? I have to just wait and see where everything plays out before I get there.

Right now it's all the big build-up.. and when the clock strikes noon, there won't be any dust to settle because it's all fictional build-up. The big names will get paid, but we won't see the offer sheet. Just can't imagine it will be there right away. It seems like GMs are hell bent on win now and use the expansion draft and lockout as ways to reset their bad decisions.

I agree, but handing them out has a risk. You agree to offer sheet a player and then there is no match the team gets saddled with that contract and loses those draft picks. So, to a certain degree a player would only ask for a reasonable offer sheet. But, given that there have only ever been a few offer sheets... it's clear there is something goofy about them.

No, the Sabres are trading Risto for the rights to retire the Sedin sweaters. Word is that Pegula wanted to give the fans something to cheer about this season. So much of it is just gamesmanship. I wouldn't be surprised if much of it comes from the players/agents just. Hell, most of the chatter out there is accomplishing the goal of GMs knowing what everyone is doing without them talking to each other and arranging it.

You guys really should quote Commodore in here... he's the real treat with his #insiderrr posts.

Scott LaChance - http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=2888

So if the Sabres scratch him in the playoffs you'll be upset? Re-title this thread - "Jbot do everything GASabresIUFAN wants already" ?

Hmmm... I might have to investigate this.

Salary? $4M vs. $1.3M? I think other than salary it would be possible. Is giving up Scandella See, thats the thing. It's easy to say it. But can we propose a trade that would be similar that Colorado would have accepted? I think they were going for a D that's a UFA so they can clear the decks for the following year. They seem like they could take on $4M no problem... the Sabres could retain too. So yeah, you hope if there's something else it would be good or else I think you judge Botterill on missing out on this opportunity (or explain why he would not be interested in Soderberg). I mean, he's a UFA after this year as well.

I like these trades.. because I would think Soderberg wouldn't be a bad choice. So given what Arizona gave up.. what would be the equivalent Sabres offer and would it make sense for Colorado? Clearly the pick is the pick. Who's the Cannaughton equivalent?

My guess is that he's going to get an Okposo like contract... and if that's the case I think you have to steer clear. However, if he's coming in on the right contract I would take him. I remain genuinely curious just how much the expansion draft and the upcoming collective bargaining expiration will have on how GMs are trying to build their teams. Any NMC's handed out now have to be done with care unless you want to get screwed over at the expansion draft (like the Knights were able to do to teams). I'm sure it will be chock full of stupid though.. as usual.

He was drafted by an NHL team. That makes him better than a large majority of hockey players in the world. As for whether or not he'll have an impact? The statistics say it's unlikely. As it is for all players picked in and around this time and later in the draft.

God, I so hope this is true.

Used to be on the board for the baseball league in another town and we used 14/15 year olds for some of the 8U/10U games. The parents would chew them up. We had to police it heavily. It's ridiculous.