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What's gonna happen with Stafford?

nfreeman

By nfreeman
in The Aud Club

Stafford outcome?  

59 members have voted

  1. 1. The Sabres seem to have accumulated a glut of forwards. They also seem to be over their internal budget limit. Stafford is currently an unsigned RFA and will cost at least $2.5MM. It seems like something has to happen. What's it gonna be?

    • Stafford is signed
      33
    • Stafford is traded
      22
    • Stafford is neither signed nor traded and either signs with the KHL or holds out for an extended period
      2

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nfreeman Hall of Famer

nfreeman

Posted
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The Sabres right now are at $52.6MM in payroll for this coming season, not including Grier (who probably pushes them to $54MM) or Stafford. (Salary data is here.) Grier and Stafford gives them 14 forwards, not counting Kennedy or Gerbe.

 

The Sabres had about $50.6MM in payroll (not cap hit) last year. Darcy said their payroll would be in the $50-$51MM range this year. Notwithstanding those who refuse to believe it, I have to believe that the Sabres are not interested in increasing their payroll by $5MM-$6MM this year. I think they want their payroll to be in the $51MM range, maybe $52MM. If Stafford is signed, it brings their payroll well north of $56MM. The cap is only $56.8MM. Leaving aside the issue of having 14 forwards, not including Kennedy and Gerbe, the numbers themselves seem to mandate a salary dump.

 

On the one hand, I think DR really doesn't want to trade Stafford at this point in his career. He scored 20 goals in his 2nd full season, he's young, has good size and good hands, and has 3 more years before he can be a UFA. OTOH, I think the Sabres simply will not just sign Stafford and add him to the payroll without subtracting anyone, and I don't see anyone taking any of the Sabres' overpriced white elephants off of their hands without a sweetener like Stafford (or Kennedy or Gerbe). So the Sabres may be in a corner.

 

I voted that he is signed, but I really wouldn't be surprised at all if he's traded.

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carpandean First Liner

carpandean

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The Sabres had about $50.6MM in payroll (not cap hit) last year.

Actually, if you look at their starting roster (i.e., before injuries/callups) from last year, their total salary was $52.5 million:

 

post-1053-12500004364845_thumb.jpg

(click to enlarge)

 

 

Note: the contract/UFA/RFA categories shown are for this offseason.

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Buffalo Fan Top Prospect

Buffalo Fan

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The Sabres right now are at $52.6MM in payroll for this coming season, not including Grier (who probably pushes them to $54MM) or Stafford. (Salary data is here.) Grier and Stafford gives them 14 forwards, not counting Kennedy or Gerbe.

 

The Sabres had about $50.6MM in payroll (not cap hit) last year. Darcy said their payroll would be in the $50-$51MM range this year. Notwithstanding those who refuse to believe it, I have to believe that the Sabres are not interested in increasing their payroll by $5MM-$6MM this year. I think they want their payroll to be in the $51MM range, maybe $52MM. If Stafford is signed, it brings their payroll well north of $56MM. The cap is only $56.8MM. Leaving aside the issue of having 14 forwards, not including Kennedy and Gerbe, the numbers themselves seem to mandate a salary dump.

 

On the one hand, I think DR really doesn't want to trade Stafford at this point in his career. He scored 20 goals in his 2nd full season, he's young, has good size and good hands, and has 3 more years before he can be a UFA. OTOH, I think the Sabres simply will not just sign Stafford and add him to the payroll without subtracting anyone, and I don't see anyone taking any of the Sabres' overpriced white elephants off of their hands without a sweetener like Stafford (or Kennedy or Gerbe). So the Sabres may be in a corner.

 

I voted that he is signed, but I really wouldn't be surprised at all if he's traded.

 

 

I would be for trading either Gerbe or Kennedy, but do they carry enough value to help get rid of Talinder or others?

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carpandean First Liner

carpandean

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I would be for trading either Gerbe or Kennedy, but do they carry enough value to help get rid of Talinder or others?

Possibly, but I don't think that Darcy would do it. He's not going to give up a young player with "potential" to get rid of a problem that goes away in July. If he's getting value back in return, then maybe, but he wouldn't (I don't think, anyway) combine the two for basically a wash.

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That Aud Smell Hall of Famer

That Aud Smell

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i am thinking he will be traded, in a pre-packaged sort of way (isn't that how we got drury?).

 

my suspicion is that there are a number of takers for stafford, and that the question isn't so much the value coming back to us, but whether the other team is willing to take someone off of our hands as part of the bargain.

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nobody First Liner

nobody

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That would make the Sabres even weaker at the center position, would it not? Having a "soft" 20 goal scoring right winger doesn't make the Sabres better at 2.2 to 2.5 million a season.

 

 

You haven't been here too long. It's called a joke; based on all the love/hate for Connolly. For 2.5; Stafford better learn to play center.

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nobody First Liner

nobody

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According to a couple of people, someone on WGR (I don't know if it was Paul Hamilton or who) actually said that the Stafford to Florida for Horton situation is heating up. That is a big step up from being an Ek rumor.

 

 

Think Darcy is going to try to get Keith Ballard into the deal?

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darksabre Hall of Famer

darksabre

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According to a couple of people, someone on WGR (I don't know if it was Paul Hamilton or who) actually said that the Stafford to Florida for Horton situation is heating up. That is a big step up from being an Ek rumor.

 

gimme gimme gimme, I need, I need.

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ROC Sabres Second Liner

ROC Sabres

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Maybe Paul Hamilton is Eklund and the porn-stash is just a disguise?

As for the poll? The Sabres can't see Stafford a $2+ mil player.

They always pay for what they expect from a player. He should get anywhere from 2.5 - 3.5 according to Hecht's contract. Not my personal opinion but just going by the numbers.

 

Last 4 years

Hecht: 64-18-24-42, 76-19-37-56, 75-22-27-49, 70-12-15-27

 

Last 3 years

Stafford: 41-13-14-27, 64-16-22-38, 79-20-25-45

 

The only thing that awarded Hecht his contract was his consistency before last season. Along with his other abilities on defense as well.

 

I'll be waiting for you to tear me apart DeLuca.

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shrader Hall of Famer

shrader

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Maybe Paul Hamilton is Eklund and the porn-stash is just a disguise?

 

This really feels like Hamilton picking it up directly from Eklund, so I think you just might be right.

 

As for the Welland connection with Horton, I'm waiting for apus to chime in at some point.

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... All Star

...

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This really feels like Hamilton picking it up directly from Eklund, so I think you just might be right.

 

As for the Welland connection with Horton, I'm waiting for apus to chime in at some point.

 

 

I don't think Paul would go there, he has too much integrity for that.

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shrader Hall of Famer

shrader

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ha...my bad. I thought you were actually one of the meatheads that wants to trade him for Gretzky, Messier or Kurri... :thumbsup:

 

I want all 3. That's the only way I make that deal. I'd even be willing to throw in the rights to Mancari and Jordan Southorn.

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