Sabres free agents

[repster]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, Torres, McCormick are the UFA forwards. Kennedy, Kaleta, and Mancari are RFAs.

 

Tallinder, Lydman are the UFA defensemen.

 

Lalime UFA goalie.

 

I'd like to have Grier, and one of the other 3 (goodbye to Torres). Definitely re-sign Kennedy and Kaleta.

 

Wouldn't mind keeping one of Tallinder and Lydman, but would prefer to trade a top six forward for a top 2 defenseman and stick Weber in there for next year.

 

Who would you keep?

[deluca67]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, Torres, McCormick are the UFA forwards.

 

Tallinder, Lydman are the UFA defensemen.

 

Lalime UFA goalie.

 

Who would you keep?

None! Next question.

[PASabreFan]

None! Next question.

 

Seriously. There will be more debate on boards like this about change than ever takes place at the arena.

[frisky]

IMO, I think Grier should be re-signed. May not want to return but should try to re-sign.

 

Don't forget Montador is also UFA.

[Two or less]

IMO, I think Grier should be re-signed. May not want to return but should try to re-sign.

 

Don't forget Montador is also UFA.

 

Monty is signed for next year for $1.55 mill.

[inkman]

I thought McCormicks brief audition warrants another contract, as does Grier.

[deluca67]

Monty is signed for next year for $1.55 mill.

I think I heard "Montador falls down" more than I heard Rick yell "they scoooooooreee" this series. And yet he was the Sabre best defensman. A sad state of affairs indeed.

[inkman]

I think loods and Hank will be priced out of buffalo. I'd like to think rivet played his last game as a sabre but I know better.

[stenbaro]

I think I heard "Montador falls down" more than I heard Rick yell "they scoooooooreee" this series. And yet he was the Sabre best defensman. A sad state of affairs indeed.

LOL..He seemed to fall down more in key situations than I care to remember..Although it was only 2 times in my mind..LOL..More than a NHL defenseman should imo..That was sad tonight..Also why cant our defense make a clean pass out of our zone to break out instead of making the wrong chip to the wrong team 90% of the time..It was my biggest beef this series..We choked under any pressure in our zone moving the puck out.. Sekera has a long way to go..He made bad choices in the o zone and didnt really do much bringing the puck out to make the forecheck back off like Campbell learned to do his last yr and a half..Maybe he will but he hasnt yet..Also how can you expect to advance in a playoff series without scoring a powerplay goal?? I wonder if that is a record???O for ever on the PP..That is a big reason we are done also..You gotta make a goon team pay for dumb penalties and we did not...

[bob_sauve28]

I think loods and Hank will be priced out of buffalo. I'd like to think rivet played his last game as a sabre but I know better.

I think any team would love to have Lydman. He isn't perfect but he sure brings a lot to a team. When Lindy benched him earlier in the season for a game and Lydman complained in the press I figured we had lost him. He will be hard to replace.

 

This thread and what it maens really depresses me. Some good players are going to leave and some of the ones under contract are the ones that should go. Losing Grier is going to hurt. If we can't field some veteran defensamn that will hurt. I love the young players but veterans are so important

[inkman]

I think any team would love to have Lydman. He isn't perfect but he sure brings a lot to a team. When Lindy benched him earlier in the season for a game and Lydman complained in the press I figured we had lost him. He will be hard to replace.

 

This thread and what it maens really depresses me. Some good players are going to leave and some of the ones under contract are the ones that should go. Losing Grier is going to hurt. If we can't field some veteran defensamn that will hurt. I love the young players but veterans are so important

If they lose both ufa dmen, I wouldn't mind finding a vet to pair with myers. Let the other 6 NHL quality dmen fight it out for the other 4 spots.

[sven233]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, Torres, McCormick are the UFA forwards. Kennedy, Kaleta, and Mancari are RFAs.

 

Tallinder, Lydman are the UFA defensemen.

 

Lalime UFA goalie.

 

I'd like to have Grier, and one of the other 3 (goodbye to Torres). Definitely re-sign Kennedy and Kaleta.

 

Wouldn't mind keeping one of Tallinder and Lydman, but would prefer to trade a top six forward for a top 2 defenseman and stick Weber in there for next year.

 

Who would you keep?

 

This one is easy.....

 

Grier, Kennedy, Kaleta stay....

 

Everyone else goes.

[apuszczalowski]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, Torres, McCormick are the UFA forwards. Kennedy, Kaleta, and Mancari are RFAs.

 

Tallinder, Lydman are the UFA defensemen.

 

Lalime UFA goalie.

 

I'd like to have Grier, and one of the other 3 (goodbye to Torres). Definitely re-sign Kennedy and Kaleta.

 

Wouldn't mind keeping one of Tallinder and Lydman, but would prefer to trade a top six forward for a top 2 defenseman and stick Weber in there for next year.

 

Who would you keep?

Grier, Mair, Ellis, McCormick, Kennedy and Kaleta I would bring back. Grier is a true leader and deserves a deal for the way he played in the playoffs. Mair and Ellis are decent 4th liners (not everyline can be top 6 talent) and are worth the small contracts they will cost. McCormick brings some toughness and looked good coming in to the playoffs. Kenedy and Kaleta are good guys that will hopefully get better. The rest can go, although I don't trust Regier to find replacements.

 

Ad too this, I would be trying to deal Roy, Connolly, and Stafford for whatever you can get or just eat their contracts and move on. If you can't get rid of Rivet, strip him of the C and give it to someone like Grier who shows heart

[Swedesessed]

Lalime will be extended...Darcy is enamored with him and his stellar record

[inkman]

Lalime will be extended...Darcy is enamored with him and his stellar record

Um...no.

[inkman]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, McCormick, Kennedy and Kaleta I would bring back. Grier is a true leader and deserves a deal for the way he played in the playoffs. Mair and Ellis are decent 4th liners (not everyline can be top 6 talent) and are worth the small contracts they will cost. McCormick brings some toughness and looked good coming in to the playoffs. Kenedy and Kaleta are good guys that will hopefully get better. The rest can go, although I don't trust Regier to find replacements.

 

Ad too this, I would be trying to deal Roy, Connolly, and Stafford for whatever you can get or just eat their contracts and move on. If you can't get rid of Rivet, strip him of the C and give it to someone like Grier who shows heart

please be wrong about Ellis and mair. Fourth liners look like McCormick. Big, tough mean sob's.

 

You are dreaming with that trade scenario. I can see them moving stafford as he FINALLY fell out of favor, too bad it wasn't 88 games ago.

[SwampD]

It all doesn't matter as long as Lindy is coaching. I'm just done, done watching a Lindy Ruff coached team.

[jwcolour]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, Torres, McCormick are the UFA forwards. Kennedy, Kaleta, and Mancari are RFAs.

 

Tallinder, Lydman are the UFA defensemen.

 

Lalime UFA goalie.

 

I'd like to have Grier, and one of the other 3 (goodbye to Torres). Definitely re-sign Kennedy and Kaleta.

 

Wouldn't mind keeping one of Tallinder and Lydman, but would prefer to trade a top six forward for a top 2 defenseman and stick Weber in there for next year.

 

Who would you keep?

Keeps.

 

UFA's:

Torres, McCormick, Grier

 

RFA's: Kennedy, Kaleta

 

Lalime, I wouldn't mind having back, but there has to be an upgrade around.

 

As far as Tallinder and Lydman... Tallinder relatively well until this last game (though how much of it is being paired with Myers)... Lydman's turnover's to me are just terrible. I could do without either of them but it depends on what we'd replace them with.

 

 

People will get one my list about Torres. The guy has proven time and again to be a good solid player on every team he's been with. Just because he didn't produce in the limited time with us doesn't mean he's a waste. Look at Bernier right now, or how bad we wish we had Moore at times, or Zubris. Guys that have shown they have skill that just haven't gotten the time in Buffalo. There are people on our team (Mair) that have proven time and time again that they DON'T belong.

 

My thoughts anyway still a little pissed/ boozed up.

[carpandean]

Look at Bernier right now

He's having a good series, but he has been on par with Stafford (worse, actually) in the two seasons since he left here.

[billsrcursed]

please be wrong about Ellis and mair. Fourth liners look like McCormick. Big, tough mean sob's.

 

You are dreaming with that trade scenario. I can see them moving stafford as he FINALLY fell out of favor, too bad it wasn't 88 games ago.

 

Agreed. I'd rather see Kassian up than have to deal with another year of Mair/ellis. Not that they did anything wrong, but they aren't what I think of when rolling out the "Meat and Potatoes".

[TheChimp]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, Torres, McCormick are the UFA forwards. Kennedy, Kaleta, and Mancari are RFAs.

 

Tallinder, Lydman are the UFA defensemen.

 

Lalime UFA goalie.

 

Who would you keep?

Grier - We need him to be our Checking Line RW until he retires.

Mair - Once we trade useless Goose away, Mair can rightfully take his place Centering the Checking Line

Kennedy - Long-term

Kaleta - Long-term

Ellis - Portland

McCormick - Portland

Mancari - Portland

[Sherman]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, Torres, McCormick are the UFA forwards. Kennedy, Kaleta, and Mancari are RFAs.

 

Tallinder, Lydman are the UFA defensemen.

 

Lalime UFA goalie.

 

I'd like to have Grier, and one of the other 3 (goodbye to Torres). Definitely re-sign Kennedy and Kaleta.

 

Wouldn't mind keeping one of Tallinder and Lydman, but would prefer to trade a top six forward for a top 2 defenseman and stick Weber in there for next year.

 

Who would you keep?

 

Keep: Grier(Leadership was obvious during playoffs), McCormick (Didn't see much but looks like a younger version of Mair), Tallinder (played well with Myers) and resign all the RFA's.

 

My wishlist of FA's: Thomas Plecanic(right side of 30, can score and win some faceoffs), Lee Stempniak(young and can score, good fit for the system), Anton Volchencov(wll probably be resigned and never hit the market), Andy Sutton (Big tough defenseman, can clear the crease), Derek Boogard(Physical presence to put people like Chris Neil and Milan Lucic in ther place) and Marty Biron(let him finish his career as a Sabre).

 

Also, trade: Connolly(he averages just under a point a game in the regular season and as much as we don't like him he has value), Stafford(I believe he scored 20 goals last year, someone will trade for that kind of production.

[North Buffalo]

Let go of Stafford, Connolly, Rivet is too slow, make him a coach, bring up Weber, drop Torres, sign Tallinder and Lydman maybe. I like Montador for the most part and sign Grier. I agree, get Cunneyworth on the bench if not to replace Ruff than as his assistant. Butler and Sekera need some work in the minors or shifting on and off the bench. Sekera could use about 25 lbs, Butler needs to get his head on straight and play more physical.

 

Yes, Keep Kennedy and Kaleta and bring up Zach Kassian and Luke Adam to add some beef. I am not sold on too many mighty mites and if I had to drop one right now it would start with Roy and then Gerbe.

 

I would keep Ennis and Kennedy first. Also Pommer hung in there and played more physical than I have seen him. Not sure why Ruff doesn't change it up and use a two man forecheck more often, it seemed that Buffalo could have used its speed more with an aggressive forecheck.

 

If you want another tough D guy bring up Kostka along with Weber especially if we lose either Lydman or Tallinder. Basically the Sabres need to get stronger up the middle and on the wing...Roy and the Tin Man don't cut it.

 

P.S. Grier looked old toward the end and Pommer did too? Any chance some of that big dig money went to pay off a few of these guys?

 

"Goose needs to get healthy and I say if the young guys can scrap like Ellis and Mair give them a chance. Young legs always do better at the end of the season.

[shrader]

Grier gets the Teppo/Patrick treatment from here on out, signing one year deals until he's ready to call it quits. Kaleta and Kennedy sign their qualifying offers. Another RFA that wasn't mentioned since he didn't actually play any games in Buffalo this year is Mike Weber. He signs his qualifying offer too.

[ntjacks79]

Grier, Mair, Ellis, Torres, McCormick are the UFA forwards. Kennedy, Kaleta, and Mancari are RFAs.

 

Tallinder, Lydman are the UFA defensemen.

 

Lalime UFA goalie.

 

I'd like to have Grier, and one of the other 3 (goodbye to Torres). Definitely re-sign Kennedy and Kaleta.

 

Wouldn't mind keeping one of Tallinder and Lydman, but would prefer to trade a top six forward for a top 2 defenseman and stick Weber in there for next year.

 

Who would you keep?

Other than Torres, I'd keep all of the forwards that you mention above, and of the D-men it would be nice to keep Lydman in my mind. Back to the forwards - these are the guys that have a TON of value... low contracts and deliver decent 3rd-4th line NHL results. The Sabres are where they are because they have horrendous top-two lines... but I will give Vanek credit for what I saw at end of season. I am far more down on the talent on this team than most of you on this board are, but THESE are not the guys to get rid of.