Who do you want?

[ROC Sabres]

Free agency related and all in good fun

 

on the night before free agency

at HBSC

the front office was stirring

over free agents to be

 

they've checked their roster

the waivers they've cleared

the phones are on ready

for agents to hear

 

When noon struck, there arose such a clatter,

Darcy sprang to the phone to see what was the matter,

When he put down the phone, the news was no good

Two defensemen were gone, Hank and Luds

 

Now he knew he must jump in, make a splash

Not just pick up some free agent trash

he finished a call and replied to all "F*ck"

We almost landed Ilya Kovalchuk

 

On centers, on wingers, on defensemen of plenty

we gave them calls but offers taken, not many

So no new players have answered our beckon

Darcy shrugs, at least we still have July 2nd

 

Throughout free agency a pick here and there

nothing of importance for any to care

the big guns are gone and all is at calm

happy free agency to all and Darcy, face palm

[2ForTripping]

I would really like Darcy to make each and every one of the folks here eat our words and make us all liars.

[Bullwinkle]

O'Sullivan and Nilsson have been put on waivers. Either one any good as a top 6 winger? Just curious.

 

 

I would look very carefully at these two guys if I were Darcy - particularly O'Sullivan.

[CallawaySabres]

What do I want? A first line Center with the trade of Connolly somewhere, a partner for Myers

 

What will happen? A third line center and a top 4 Dman - not bad when considering who we are talking about

[nobody]

Perhaps we sign Paul Martin. He'd be solid.

 

 

I'd like the Sabres to sign him.

[deluca67]

What I really want is for Regier to call Calgary. They are in desperate need of a center with any offensive ability. Call Calgary and offer Tim Connolly and whatever else it takes to get Robyn Regehr and set him next to Myers for the next 10 years. Sign Volchenkov and suddenly you have one of the top defensive units in all of hockey.

[wonderbread]

What I really want is for Regier to call Calgary. They are in desperate need of a center with any offensive ability. Call Calgary and offer Tim Connolly and whatever else it takes to get Robyn Regehr and set him next to Myers for the next 10 years. Sign Volchenkov and suddenly you have one of the top defensive units in all of hockey.

 

 

You sir are a genius. To bad the FO doesn't have the mustard to pull it off. :wallbash:

 

Plus who likes shut outs and defensive hockey anyways its not for "the common sports fan". :angry:

[tom webster]

What I really want is for Regier to call Calgary. They are in desperate need of a center with any offensive ability. Call Calgary and offer Tim Connolly and whatever else it takes to get Robyn Regehr and set him next to Myers for the next 10 years. Sign Volchenkov and suddenly you have one of the top defensive units in all of hockey.

 

 

You do realize Regher's 30 years old, right?

[deluca67]

You sir are a genius. To bad the FO doesn't have the mustard to pull it off. :wallbash:

 

Plus who likes shut outs and defensive hockey anyways its not for "the common sports fan". :angry:

Having a great blue-line unit doesn't mean "defensive hockey." A team like Buffalo that needs to create offense off of the transition game would actually be boosting their offense by improving their defense.

[deluca67]

You do realize Regher's 30 years old, right?

I do. 10 is a nice round number. If it ends up only being 5 or 6 I am still happy and I would still have Volchenkov.

[wonderbread]

Having a great blue-line unit doesn't mean "defensive hockey." A team like Buffalo that needs to create offense off of the transition game would actually be boosting their offense by improving their defense.

 

Your first statement is pure opinion. The 2nd opinion in your second comment is a rational conclusion. I agree with one of them.

[VansTheMans]

I do. 10 is a nice round number. If it ends up only being 5 or 6 I am still happy and I would still have Volchenkov.

 

:worthy:

[spndnchz]

Names all over the place, let's put them in one thread. The I wants and why's.

 

I want Centers:

Matt Cullen, 2.875 last year, 6'-1" 200 lbs, vet leader at 33, still putting up 40+ pts, 58.7% FO%

Manny Malhotra, 700k last year, 6'-2" 220lbs, 62.5% FO

 

I want Right wing:

Lee Stempniak, 3.5 mill last year, 6'-0" 195 lbs, 16 PPP past 2 seasons

Colby Armstrong, 2.4M last year, PP and PK

Owen Nolan, vet, 26 PPP over last two years

Niclas Bergfors, 14 PPP 09-10

 

I want Left Wing:

Alex Frolov, 4M last year, 6'-2" 204lbs, over 50 pts/yr since 05-06

Alexei Ponikarovsky, 6'-4", 220 lbs, 2.5M last year, iffy I know.

 

I want Defense:

Joe Corvo, age 33, 2.75 last year, PP guy

Kurtis Foster, 6'-5" 223 lbs, 26 PPP, 20minutes/game, 28 yr old ufa 900k last year.

Andrei Markov, not UFA, but still want.

Kaberle, blah blah blah

 

I girl can dream can't she?

 

Updated.

[Marvelo]

Anaheim ishaving a tough time negotiating with Bobby ryan, who just turned down $25/5 yr. I want ryan.

I'd probably take Olli Jokinen too despite the bad rep. Oh yea and Volenchkov. Why not? Let's see some big deals for a change.

 

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326286

[spndnchz]

Names all over the place, let's put them in one thread. The I wants and why's.

 

I want Centers:

Matt Cullen, 2.875 last year, 6'-1" 200 lbs, vet leader at 33, still putting up 40+ pts, 58.7% FO%

Manny Malhotra, 700k last year, 6'-2" 220lbs, 62.5% FO

 

I want Right wing:

Lee Stempniak, 3.5 mill last year, 6'-0" 195 lbs, 16 PPP past 2 seasons

Colby Armstrong, 2.4M last year, PP and PK

Owen Nolan, vet, 26 PPP over last two years

Niclas Bergfors, 14 PPP 09-10

 

I want Left Wing:

Alex Frolov, 4M last year, 6'-2" 204lbs, over 50 pts/yr since 05-06

Alexei Ponikarovsky, 6'-4", 220 lbs, 2.5M last year, iffy I know.

 

I want Defense:

Joe Corvo, age 33, 2.75 last year, PP guy

Kurtis Foster, 6'-5" 223 lbs, 26 PPP, 20minutes/game, 28 yr old ufa 900k last year.

Andrei Markov, not UFA, but still want.

Kaberle, blah blah blah

 

I girl can dream can't she?

 

Corvo gone.

 

Updated.

[Two or less]

They also need defense, and Willie Mitchell is available still. I think he'd be a great signing. He's not exactly the most stable guy in the world but Sabres have a good depth with Chris Butler and Mike Weber both who will be hungry to get ice time.

[BuffaloBeliever]

Well, we have approx 10 million in capspace which is tons compared to teams like Toronto, Philly and Chi-Town and to me, Darcy seriously needs to make some moves. I'm not suggesting going after the big name by default, but going after players that can contribute; I have a couple of guys in mind:

 

1) Sign Defenseman, Andy Sutton - what this team so desperately needs is physical presence and DAMN Sutton would add that. In fact, I'd say he's the most physically intimidating player after Chara and perhaps Phaneuf. He's not much of an offensive guy and that might just be why we won't sign him, but his incredible toughness would be so vital in the playoffs and particularly as counter-answer to Chara, if we meet the Bruins again in playoffs.

 

Or...

 

2) Trade for Tomas Kaberle - we all know it's difficult to make trades within a division, particularly with such a significant player like Kaberle. However, Burke needs to shed some salary and Regier needs a power play-QB on defense. Burke wants players, not picks, and Regier hates trading picks, so maybe there's a fit. I could imagine Regier will offer Stafford, Chris Butler and a second rounder; Burke probably wants more in return, we'll see...

 

And when option 1) or 2) has happened....

 

3) Sign Alexei Ponikarovsky to a one- or two-year deal; again, like I said, the Sabres seriously need size on this team and Poni is a 6-4, 220 pounder, who can be the power forward we've been looking for. A lot of people in the hockey world accuse him of being a lazy guy, who quits when things get tough. That being said, he should be quite affordable on the open market and he's a guy that can score you 20-25 goals and 50-60 points and, of course, adds size to the Sabres. A low-risk, high-rewards signing imo.

 

 

Say, Regier did option 1) and 3), this is how our lineup would look in my opinion:

 

Thomas Vanek - Derek Roy - Tyler Ennis

 

Alexei Ponikarovsky - Tim Connolly - Jason Pominville

 

Tim Kennedy - Rob Niedermayer - Jochen Hecht

 

Mike Grier - Paul Gaustad - Patrick Kaleta

 

 

Jordan Leopold - Tyler Myers

 

Andy Sutton - Andrej Sekera

 

Steve Montador - Craig Rivet

 

 

Reserves: Drew Stafford, Cody McCormick, Mike Weber

[jpgr909]

Just me, but I've never been impressed with Sutton. Physical sure, but when not playing physical (negated by speed or space) he was a liability at times. And Ponikarovsky is a known floater, though there is a potential upside. That said, I look at your projected line-up and there are some things to like. Our D there would be too slow IMO, but there's added nastiness (which we need a bit more of on D). At least you're proposing some upgrades, unlike the DR, who right now I assume is on a wine-tasting tour of Tuscany.

[Taro T]

Assuming nhlnumbers FA listing is up-to-date, I'd like to see the Sabres sign Stempniak and put in an offersheet on Erik Johnson. I'd also like to see the Sabres inquire into the availability of Brad Richards. If they could sign those 2 and trade say Connolly (or Roy), Stafford, (and if necessary) a pick, & prospect for Richards then the Sabres lineup looks as follows:

 

Vanek - Richards - Pominville

Ennis - Roy - Stempniak

Hecht - Niedermayer - Grier

Kennedy - Gaustad - Kaleta

 

Gerbe & McCormick spares

 

Leopold - Myers

Sekera - Johnson

Butler - Montador

 

Weber spare.

 

When Rivet comes back, Montador becomes a spare or Rivet slides to the left side and bumps whichever is having a worse season Butler or Sekera. Or more realistically, Rivet takes the place of whoever is injured at that time.

 

Considering Dallas doesn't appear to be too strong this year and the team is for sale, they'd possibly be interested in getting an underachieving young power forward (who's an RFA at the end of the year) and a center w/ real soft hands that finally (w/ a full off-season of non-rehabbing) managed to have a decent nearly injury-free regular season. Sabres would finally have the legit ppg center with leadership qualities and would suddenly find themselves w/ 2 SC winners in the dressing room.

 

Would prefer to have Kennedy on something other than the 4th line, but I wouldn't bump any of the other LW's or C's for him. (I'm assuming the Sabres believe Niedermayer has enough in the tank to play on the 3rd line. If he doesn't, Kennedy takes his spot and Goose becomes a winger.) In case of injury on the top 2 lines, Kennedy or Ennis could fill in at center and Gerbe or Kennedy could fill in at wing.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[BuffaloBeliever]

Just me, but I've never been impressed with Sutton. Physical sure, but when not playing physical (negated by speed or space) he was a liability at times. And Ponikarovsky is a known floater, though there is a potential upside. That said, I look at your projected line-up and there are some things to like. Our D there would be too slow IMO, but there's added nastiness (which we need a bit more of on D). At least you're proposing some upgrades, unlike the DR, who right now I assume is on a wine-tasting tour of Tuscany.

 

Yeah, we'd be a bit slow on defense, but very tough as well. Sutton, Rivet, Montador, Weber and to a lesser extent Myers, that's toughness baby. All no-nonsense guys who won't be tossed around like typical Regier-teams.

[shrader]

Yeah, we'd be a bit slow on defense, but very tough as well. Sutton, Rivet, Montador, Weber and to a lesser extent Myers, that's toughness baby. All no-nonsense guys who won't be tossed around like typical Regier-teams.

 

But it suddenly becomes a very slow group as a whole that is going to be beaten on a lot of rushes. Even with the other two spots going to a Sekera/Butler and Leopold type, the balance would probably be a bit off.

[spndnchz]

Bryan Little, Peter Mueller, Andrew Cogliano, Martin Hanzel, Cody Franson, Justin Abdelkater, Matt Niskane, Bobby Ryan, Marc Staal, Carey Price, James Neal, Patric Hornqvist, Steve Downie, Chris Stewart, Niclas Bergfors, Sam Gagner all still available.

[Eleven]

Bryan Little, Peter Mueller, Andrew Cogliano, Martin Hanzel, Cody Franson, Justin Abdelkater, Matt Niskane, Bobby Ryan, Marc Staal, Carey Price, James Neal, Patric Hornqvist, Steve Downie, Chris Stewart, Niclas Bergfors, Sam Gagner all still available.

 

Get it done.

[static70]

Bryan Little, Peter Mueller, Andrew Cogliano, Martin Hanzel, Cody Franson, Justin Abdelkater, Matt Niskane, Bobby Ryan, Marc Staal, Carey Price, James Neal, Patric Hornqvist, Steve Downie, Chris Stewart, Niclas Bergfors, Sam Gagner all still available.

I second this motion, even if it means moving Connolly, Stafford, Sekera, two 1st rd picks and a 3rd rd pick.

 

As is stated above........................................

 

GET IT DONE!!!!!!

[Robviously]

A new owner who actually gives a crap.