Sabre fan

great signing at a price that seems kinda low...oh well great addition and also a great addition by subtraction (as in bye bye Lehner)

Islander fans must be livid...losing him for absolutely nothing...reminds me of us losing Drury and Briere for nothing...that may be a big dagger in that franchise that may just sound the death knell...they have problems getting fans now...now what???

Toronto Marlies win their series 4 straight. Meanwhile, the leafs bowed out to Boston, the Raptors were a huge disappointment and could not even win one game against the Cavs, and Roberto Osuna, the Jays ace reliever, has been arrested and charged with assault (presumably against a female although that has yet to be confirmed). The Jays have been either real good or real bad, with no happy medium. I am no Leaf fan, but respect what they've done there since signing Babcock. Still think most of their success can be directly linked to him.

I love ROR and still applaud EXGMTM for that trade. It was a work of genius and he never got the full credit he deserved for that deal. Of course he also gave a 1st for Lehner but we won;t go there...we've crossed that bridge a hundred times already. having said that, I do wonder if the Sabres will be able to keep him and his salary in say a couple of years when you suddenly have to pay a bunch of young studs big money. the problem of course would be one of moving ROR say 3 years from now when his value has decreased significantly. Now would be the best time to move him no doubt as his value is probably as high is it ever will be. All-in-all, this is a tough decision and one that should only be considered if the return is substantial and clearly helps he Sabres out NOW. I find it hard to believe ROR is a problem or cancer in the dressing room when he gets picked every year to represent Canada in various tournaments and always plays very well and often is Captain or assistant captain. You have to think that there are very good and smart hockey people picking the tournament teams and for them to include ROR year after year tells me he is highly respected and regarded and certainly not a problem in the dressing room.

I find it interesting that it is even speculated that ROR may be a problem or cancer in the dressing room...if that were the case do you really think that he'd be chosen year after year to represent Canada in all the various tournaments he has played in (which is many)? Furthermore, he is named captain or assistant captain every time and is always a leader with class and heart. I really think while we have many avenues to explore when it comes to trades and improving the team, trading ROR simply out of anger or emotion would not turn our good at all. He would be very hard to replace. We already moved a great talent in Kane and unless we get him back that is a huge hole. Moving ROR would leave us with out a shut-down center to play against the other team's top forwards (which most nights is a thankless job ROR did game after game without complaint)

hate to say it but...chances are good Lehner will be back if only because there is no one else available. Not so sure Ullmark is ready and considering what we paid for Lehner we really just can't let him walk for nothing

yeah even Marchant doesn;t do that. Funny Pittsburg had that goon Ryan Reeves for a year or two and I laughed at that and then I heard that he was part of some trade with I think it was Vegas...Pittsburg could use him now. We always talk about how the Sabres do not respond to hits to their players just like that one and as we are seeing there are many other teams that do not respond even Pittsburg...

see Oilers sign some goalie from the KHL who had crazy numbers...still cannot figure out if that league is really bad or what?

Talk about a total lack of class..that ***hole Tom Wilson hits a guy to the head, gets no penalty, breaks the guys jaw and leaves him with a concussion and he laughs! Pathetic...he's a bigger douch hen Marchant and that's pretty bad. Guess the NHL has stopped reviewing obvious hits to the head

can't see Pilut signing with us if he's headed for Rochester. There are many teams that would assure him a starting role on the big club to sign with them just as Butcher did with jersey and we did with Antipin.

Anderson sucked but then again most teams are experiencing goaltending woes...Rinne over there in Nashville hasn;t exactly been lights-out. Philly have been trying to get a number one goalie for, well forever. Maybe I can see us havin gto stick with Lehner just because frankly there is nothing better out there (I am still not sold yet on Ullmark)

as faithful Sabre fans, we have endured countless minutes, of periods, of seasons year after year in misery lamenting neverending frustration and depression. all of a sudden, we win the draft lottery to allow us to draft quite possibly the next coming of Bobby Orr or at least Erik Karlson, and we are told to not have fun with it or enjoy the moment? I really couldn;t care right now if someone started another thread to tell how excited he is we get to draft Dahlin. As the Pointer Sisters would say

They should have got Mathews a Arizona boy...now again get bumped down. On another note, did someone mention WE WON THE LOTTERY!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU!!! totally agree. I absolutely do not want to sign more aging vets when we have young guys that deserve a shot. If we are going to lose lets do it with young players who learn as we go (like the leafs did a few years back). I am so darn tired of bringing in overpaid aging vets who are just putting in time til they retire.

I see where other teams somehow wheel and deal and dump terrible contracts on other teams. Sure wish GMJBotto could actually work some magic and find a way to get somebody, anybody to take Bogo off our hands...

guess winning thsi will make GMJBotto look like a genius...if EXGMTM had won a few of these things we'd have McDavid and Eklblad already. I also think Pilut is apparently really good according to the "experts" at Sportsnet and would assume he has been offered a starting spot on the roster or he would have signed elsewhere who would play him this year

Isn't it safe to assume that Pilut would not have signed with us unless he was assured a spot on the big team? From what the "experts" on Sp[ortsnet say this guy is very good and there were a bunch of teams after him, many of whom I am sure would have offered a sure spot on their roster. Can't see him signing to play in Rochester

not hard to see the grin on his face...

I think it is safe to say that Pilut would not be signing if he was not assured a spot on the roster. If he is anywhere near as good as scouts and "experts" at Sportsnet are saying then he is very good and will also improve the defense. Makes me wonder what we do with Bogo??? Does anybody know what it would result in if we bought him out? I find it hard to believe that they really think he can make the team or even stay healthy for that matter...

we'll be like 5th so you don;t have to wait...to see the Oilers win it again

would much rather see anybody from Rochester (Bailey?) get a shot before re-signing aging vets...if we are going to lose I would rat6her do it with young guys like the Leafs did a few years back

it states that Pilut's contract runs through 2018-`19!!! Does this mean he can't come over til the 2019-20 season? Not sure if he can get out of that contract over there By all accounts, Pilut is a highly-skilled playmaker. He has a smaller frame - 179 lbs, 5’11” - but has been known to play aggressively. Interestingly enough, the reports heading into his draft year were concerned with his offensive ability, but he’s drastically improved in that area. ***Before looking at some film, it’s important to note that his current contract runs through the 2018-19 season.

Gardiner was absolutely awful last night...no question the leafs defense is not much better then the Sabres...having said that, absolutel everything the team (Leafs) did worked out while everything this team (Sabres) has done has pretty much self-imploded. They got babs when we supposedly had him signed and delivered...they won the draft lottery after tanking to get Mathews (funny no one said a thing about the leafs obviously tanking yet we still hear it about he Sabres tanking to get McDavid). If there is one thing I agree with, it is that the leafs basically just threw out all their young guys and let them learn and grow as players as they played. We keep guys forever down and when we bring them up expect miracles right away or send them back destroying any confidence they may have had. Hockey like any sport is so driven by confidence and momentum and the Sabres have none. The players are so down and stuck in a losing mentality that breaking that will be hard. But putting so much pressure on Nylander among others is not going to work. It is destroying any chance he had of growing into a good player. No wonder players go elsewhere to finally reach their potential.

and you haven't started a "we should trade him" thread yet? Give it time...

as we've seen with many teams (including the Sabres) goaltending is a major issue and there just isn;t any hope in sight. I am worried already for next season who will play goal? Toronto got so lucky getting a great young goalie in Anderson but there is nobody else and not sure what the answer is. Kinda wonderif we'll see Lehner back for another shot