SabresFan526 Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I'm not concerned about Bernier. I think he's got a great future here. I loved how he would go along the boards and battle hard and take out 2 guys with him. He's got a lot of raw talent. For me, I'd like to see Bernier maybe lose a little weight and increase his speed. I'm not talking 20 lbs, maybe 5-10 lbs and improve his speed. Second, once he gets a full training camp in, he'll really know the system well. It's a bit too early to say how good this trade was, but I don't think the Sabres got a bad deal, yet. Give Bernier some time, let him get a full camp with the Sabres, and then let's judge the trade at the end of next year. I see a really great future for Bernier here. He can score and he works hard along the boards and battles, which is a great combination. I think he will turn into a much better player than Kotalik has. It will just take some time, but he will get there with Buffalo in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stenbaro Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Which one will hit it big in freeagency first should be the title..LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted April 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 He'll mix it up. I really like that part, and it looks like he enjoys driving to net. He just runs out of gas. I think it is more an endurance/stamina issue. It looks like he loses his legs about 30-35 seconds into a shift and then you hold your breath until he gets back to the bench. Actually what surprised me about him is the quick release on the shot. Darn! Now I'll have to wait till next season to watch for him getting tired! I missed that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Which one will hit it big in freeagency first should be the title..LOL I'd be surprised if any of our RFA drew attention. Â I can see someone signing Bowmeester to an offer sheet as an RFA. He went to arbitration two years ago IIRC. Â I wouldn't be surprised if somebody gives Shea Webber an offer sheet. There is also Andrej Meszaros. Â Somebody could sign any of those guys to something like 7 X 5 million which would be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd round pick and very much a decent deal. Â I could see somebody making a play at Chris Carter, but I think it is more likely the D-men that might get shopped by their agents because the market is so thin this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted April 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I'm not concerned about Bernier. I think he's got a great future here. I loved how he would go along the boards and battle hard and take out 2 guys with him. He's got a lot of raw talent. For me, I'd like to see Bernier maybe lose a little weight and increase his speed. I'm not talking 20 lbs, maybe 5-10 lbs and improve his speed. Second, once he gets a full training camp in, he'll really know the system well. It's a bit too early to say how good this trade was, but I don't think the Sabres got a bad deal, yet. Give Bernier some time, let him get a full camp with the Sabres, and then let's judge the trade at the end of next year. I see a really great future for Bernier here. He can score and he works hard along the boards and battles, which is a great combination. I think he will turn into a much better player than Kotalik has. It will just take some time, but he will get there with Buffalo in my opinion. Heck, the emergence of Sekera has made me ask, Brian who? Â Sekera is now my favorite player. His skating is so amazing. I played defense in drop in hockey the other night because he makes it look like so much fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I'd be surprised if any of our RFA drew attention. Â I can see someone signing Bowmeester to an offer sheet as an RFA. He went to arbitration two years ago IIRC. Â I wouldn't be surprised if somebody gives Shea Webber an offer sheet. There is also Andrej Meszaros. Â Somebody could sign any of those guys to something like 7 X 5 million which would be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd round pick and very much a decent deal. Â I could see somebody making a play at Chris Carter, but I think it is more likely the D-men that might get shopped by their agents because the market is so thin this year. On HNiC Hotstove discussion a couple of weeks back, the player they mentioned who may be trageted because he wouldn't cost a lot in terms of draft picks.... Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Daniel Paille. Â Â I kid you not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Daniel Paille. If Paille is given an offer sheet, I hope Larry/Darcy would have the intuition to sign there own RFA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpandean Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 He'll mix it up. I really like that part, and it looks like he enjoys driving to net. He just runs out of gas. I think it is more an endurance/stamina issue. It looks like he loses his legs about 30-35 seconds into a shift and then you hold your breath until he gets back to the bench. Actually what surprised me about him is the quick release on the shot. If I'm not mistaken, he was in the dog house in San Jose for coming to training camp in less than great shape. If the Sabres can get him on a cardio training program this summer, that would help a lot. I definitely see him as having more of an impact next year. Â Next year for Stafford will be huge. Bounce back and he can write off this year as a Sophomore slump. Continue the way he did and his tenure as a Sabre could be short. The team has a lot of young forwards with lots of potential and not all of them will pan out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Continue the way he did and his tenure as a Sabre could be short. Like Kotalik and Kalinin? Those guys have had Carte Blanche (sp?) since they entered the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_sauve28 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Like Kotalik and Kalinin? Those guys have had Carte Blanche (sp?) since they entered the league. I give the management credit for that actually. The old Sabres of the 1990's seemed to give up on talent all the time. Ray Sheppard comes to mind. I'd rather take the chance of holding onto a player than letting them go. Ya, Kenny Sutton and Kevin Hollar didn't turn out for much after they left, but Sorich, Bouche and Carney did. Defenseman take a long time to develop. Its a long term crap shoot. Â Oh, and I like Kotalik, he scores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 but Sorich, Bouche and Carney did. Defenseman take a long time to develop. Its a long term crap shoot. Sarich wasn't given up on, he was traded for the guy that eventually landed Briere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 In terms of both stature and play, does Bernier seem a little soft to you guys for a guy his size? Hopefully he'll hit the weight room and hopefully Lindy will be able to light a fire, but sometimes it seems like Bernier is either unable or unwilling to pay the price to make the play.  I hope that's just my left field perception and that he'll be better next season as he feels more a part of the team... I think in terms of physical play, what you see from a player when he comes into the NHL(first couple of years) is about the best you'll get in this regard. Rarely do you see a player become MORE physical as his career unfolds. If anything, physical players because of the toll it takes on their body, tend to become less physical later in their careers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I think in terms of physical play, what you see from a player when he comes into the NHL(first couple of years) is about the best you'll get in this regard. This is somewhat discouraging if true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 On HNiC Hotstove discussion a couple of weeks back, the player they mentioned who may be trageted because he wouldn't cost a lot in terms of draft picks....Daniel Paille. I kid you not. I guess he still has name recognition from the World Juniors. :lol: The trouble with a contract that doesn't require many draft picks is that it is not too hard to match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherman Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I liked what I saw from Bernier. He seemed to disappear for a few games but they were also talking about him with a groin injury at that time. I thought he ended the season well. He fought hard for loose pucks and went hard to the front of the net.  I've said it before but the Sabres really need to have all their RFA's signed before the end of the playoffs. The perception of the team is tha they are cheap and won't pay for their players. All of our RFA's play a huge role on this team in the future.  Paille - Scored 19 goals and was very good on the PK Gaustad - Can win faceoffs, win battles in the corner and adds some toughness Bernier - Wins battles in the corners, can score and add some toughness MacArthur - Can score good special teams player Stafford - (still has 1 yr until he is an RFA) can score, win battles and good on special teams  If these guys are locked up before FA it will change the way free agents look at the team.  This team as it is built is looking like the post lockout team. Several people who score double digit goals, fast skating and getting tougher with the additiions of Bernier and Weber. Add two or three more gritty players and we have the same blueprint.  To answer the question: we need all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 This is somewhat discouraging if true. It may not always be true, but I spent a few minutes trying to think of players who came into the league "soft" and turned into players who play a physical game and nobody popped into my head. Even if there are examples that can be cited, I still think the vast majority of players fall into the description I gave earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Who suggested that about Paille? As a former Team Canada captain for the world juniors, he is going to get more love from certain people up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkman Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 ...but I spent a few minutes trying to think of players who came into the league "soft" and turned into players who play a physical game and nobody popped into my head. The discouraging this is that Bernier isn't supposed to be that guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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