thoughts on the upcoming year

[PASabreFan]

Thus whole myers leaving at some point in the not so distant future needs to stop. He's a franchise player that is not going anywhere. He'll be better than Briere, Drury and Campbell combined.

 

I think the footprint that ownership put down with Tim Kennedy should concern all fans about Myers' future. When the time comes, Tyler and his agent are going to demand a fortune.

[thesportsbuff]

I think the footprint that ownership put down with Tim Kennedy should concern all fans about Myers' future. When the time comes, Tyler and his agent are going to demand a fortune.

 

This needs to stop, man. The Tim Kennedy fiasco is completely different and for the last time, it had nothing to do with money. Darcy didn't buy him out because he "demanded a fortune" by asking for and winning $1.x in arbitration.

 

Myers is THE best player the Sabres have had since Mogilny and LaFontaine, Miller being the only one who even comes close,and that depends on your opinion of goaltenders' value -- some will say you don't need a franchise goalie because any goalie can get hot at the right time and carry a team to a cup.

 

The point is Myers is special. The team isn't going to let him walk, or lowball him, or any of that crap. To even mention the Kennedy situation in the same breath as Myers is laughable. It's almost as bad as those people who got what they asked for in getting rid of the slug once and for all, but have developed it as a foregone conclusion that the slug will return next year. :rolleyes:

[nfreeman]

This needs to stop, man. The Tim Kennedy fiasco is completely different and for the last time, it had nothing to do with money. Darcy didn't buy him out because he "demanded a fortune" by asking for and winning $1.x in arbitration.

 

Myers is THE best player the Sabres have had since Mogilny and LaFontaine, Miller being the only one who even comes close,and that depends on your opinion of goaltenders' value -- some will say you don't need a franchise goalie because any goalie can get hot at the right time and carry a team to a cup.

 

The point is Myers is special. The team isn't going to let him walk, or lowball him, or any of that crap. To even mention the Kennedy situation in the same breath as Myers is laughable. It's almost as bad as those people who got what they asked for in getting rid of the slug once and for all, but have developed it as a foregone conclusion that the slug will return next year. :rolleyes:

You do remember a certain Czech who wore #39, right?

 

Also, the Kennedy situation had everything to do with money.

 

Finally, when the time comes, Myers is going to demand and receive market rates for what he (hopefully) will be -- a franchise player. This can be fairly characterized as a "fortune." However, you are right that PAFan is being alarmist and hysterical, which is how he rolls. There is no reason to think that Myers is going to demand above-market rates.

[bunomatic]

This team lets guys go when they demand market rates. Or more importantly,what other teams are willing to pay.

[thesportsbuff]

You do remember a certain Czech who wore #39, right?

 

Also, the Kennedy situation had everything to do with money.

 

Finally, when the time comes, Myers is going to demand and receive market rates for what he (hopefully) will be -- a franchise player. This can be fairly characterized as a "fortune." However, you are right that PAFan is being alarmist and hysterical, which is how he rolls. There is no reason to think that Myers is going to demand above-market rates.

 

Well I'm not going to start up this argument for the 100th time on here, so this will be my only post on the subject, but if you really think the Sabres front office bought out Kennedy solely because he won more than expected in arbitration, you're simply buying into this board's general negative outlook and the conspiracy theory that Darcy, Quinn and Golisano know nothing about hockey, don't want to win, etc etc. The only way that TK's buyout relates to his arbitration award is that his award was just high enough to allow the organization a buyout. It wasn't a move they planned on making. It wasn't "hey this guy demanded more money than I think he's worth, let's get him out of town!" It was just an easy way out of an extra body who's 1-way deal was going to limit the Sabres' options offensively, having already added Neidermayer and McCormick, Ennis a lock to make the roster, and Gerbe/Kassian/Gragnani/etc all expected to compete for spots in camps. Kennedy just didn't fit the mold anymore.

 

And yes, Hasek would fall into the same category as Miller -- obviously one of our team's best, but again that depends what you think is more important -- a franchise skater or a franchise goalie.

 

Myers will get what he asks for and stay in Buffalo. The only reason anybody would say otherwise is, again, because of this pre-conceived negative attitude that DeLuca and PA have imposed on everybody on the forum, essentially assuming that Regier is too dumb to realize he has world class talent in front of him, or that Golisano will be pinching pennies and try to sign him for cheap. I don't agree with all the decisions they've made, but they own and manage a professional hockey team -- they didn't just luck into that kind of job. I'm sure they're smarter than most of us on here.

[nfreeman]

This team lets guys go when they demand market rates. Or more importantly,what other teams are willing to pay.

Has that happened since 2007?

[PASabreFan]

This needs to stop, man. The Tim Kennedy fiasco is completely different and for the last time, it had nothing to do with money. Darcy didn't buy him out because he "demanded a fortune" by asking for and winning $1.x in arbitration.

 

Myers is THE best player the Sabres have had since Mogilny and LaFontaine, Miller being the only one who even comes close,and that depends on your opinion of goaltenders' value -- some will say you don't need a franchise goalie because any goalie can get hot at the right time and carry a team to a cup.

 

The point is Myers is special. The team isn't going to let him walk, or lowball him, or any of that crap. To even mention the Kennedy situation in the same breath as Myers is laughable. It's almost as bad as those people who got what they asked for in getting rid of the slug once and for all, but have developed it as a foregone conclusion that the slug will return next year. :rolleyes:

 

I haven't concluded that about the slug. I just wondered whether it's possible -- and no one has shown me where the the Sabres have actually said the slug isn't coming back.

 

Why did Darcy talk about his internal budget very early in the Kennedy press conference? Why did he -- laughably -- compare his situation with that of the Hawks? Why did he correct Bucky about the money not being 200k, but more like 700k>

 

Anyway, it's fall and we shouldn't have rerun posts. It's time for new episodes. House debuted last night, in disappointing fashion. Now that he's hooked up with Cuddy, the show is destined to follow post-engagement Jim and Pam into the vast TV wasteland. And Thirteen is leaving! I haven't recovered from Eleven leaving! That adds up to Twenty Four, which is also gone!

[PASabreFan]

Well I'm not going to start up this argument for the 100th time on here, so this will be my only post on the subject, but if you really think the Sabres front office bought out Kennedy solely because he won more than expected in arbitration, you're simply buying into this board's general negative outlook and the conspiracy theory that Darcy, Quinn and Golisano know nothing about hockey, don't want to win, etc etc. The only way that TK's buyout relates to his arbitration award is that his award was just high enough to allow the organization a buyout. It wasn't a move they planned on making. It wasn't "hey this guy demanded more money than I think he's worth, let's get him out of town!" It was just an easy way out of an extra body who's 1-way deal was going to limit the Sabres' options offensively, having already added Neidermayer and McCormick, Ennis a lock to make the roster, and Gerbe/Kassian/Gragnani/etc all expected to compete for spots in camps. Kennedy just didn't fit the mold anymore.

 

And yes, Hasek would fall into the same category as Miller -- obviously one of our team's best, but again that depends what you think is more important -- a franchise skater or a franchise goalie.

 

Myers will get what he asks for and stay in Buffalo. The only reason anybody would say otherwise is, again, because of this pre-conceived negative attitude that DeLuca and PA have imposed on everybody on the forum, essentially assuming that Regier is too dumb to realize he has world class talent in front of him, or that Golisano will be pinching pennies and try to sign him for cheap. I don't agree with all the decisions they've made, but they own and manage a professional hockey team -- they didn't just luck into that kind of job. I'm sure they're smarter than most of us on here.

 

I'd like to read your posts when you're old, bald, fat and alcoholic.

[inkman]

Has that happened since 2007?

If anything Sabres fans should be worried they'll overpay Myers, see Vanek, Pominville, Hecht.

[bunomatic]

Nfreeman,well there is the perception throughout the league that as a small market team known for being thrifty that they develope players till they reach potential then let them go. Whether its happened since 2007 or not entirely depends on their rate of success at drafting and developing what most would term high value franchise players. Miller and now Myers being the only ones that come to mind. If they had let Miller go on the heels of Campbell,Drury there would have been blood in the streets. They could have just as easily kept Biron when they were in that situation and that perception thats out there whether you or others believe it would be all the more believable.

[thesportsbuff]

I haven't concluded that about the slug. I just wondered whether it's possible -- and no one has shown me where the the Sabres have actually said the slug isn't coming back.

 

Why did Darcy talk about his internal budget very early in the Kennedy press conference? Why did he -- laughably -- compare his situation with that of the Hawks? Why did he correct Bucky about the money not being 200k, but more like 700k>

 

Anyway, it's fall and we shouldn't have rerun posts. It's time for new episodes. House debuted last night, in disappointing fashion. Now that he's hooked up with Cuddy, the show is destined to follow post-engagement Jim and Pam into the vast TV wasteland. And Thirteen is leaving! I haven't recovered from Eleven leaving! That adds up to Twenty Four, which is also gone!

 

I think Darcy's comments about the internal budget were more of a way to say "we aren't just pinching pennies, we ARE spending money -- actually more than we're supposed to." I don't agree with having an internal budget to begin with, but even if no internal budget existed, we still would be stuck with 15 or so NHL-ready forwards, and Kennedy would still be the least valuable in my opinion. And besides, the money you all think they saved by buying him out was immediately spent on Morrisson, who I'm guessing most of you would rather have than expecting Weber, Butler and Sekera to be half of our d-core.

 

 

I hate the direction The Office took after season 4 or so. Albeit as lame as any other love story interlaced in comedy TV shows, the story line was much better before they started dating. Everything happened way too fast. It was my favorite show until that point. I'm hoping they find a good way to say farewell to Michael Scott and end the show accordingly rather than trying to continue without the face of the franchise so to speak.

[thesportsbuff]

Nfreeman,well there is the perception throughout the league that as a small market team known for being thrifty that they develope players till they reach potential then let them go. Whether its happened since 2007 or not entirely depends on their rate of success at drafting and developing what most would term high value franchise players. Miller and now Myers being the only ones that come to mind. If they had let Miller go on the heels of Campbell,Drury there would have been blood in the streets. They could have just as easily kept Biron when they were in that situation and that perception thats out there whether you or others believe it would be all the more believable.

 

I don't think letting Miller go was ever an option. And to be quite honest, you could almost look at Drury, Briere, and Campbell now and call Darcy a genius, because NONE of them have lived up to their contracts. None even come close, really, unless Drury's intangible leadership alone is worth 3/4 his paycheck.

[nfreeman]

Well I'm not going to start up this argument for the 100th time on here, so this will be my only post on the subject, but if you really think the Sabres front office bought out Kennedy solely because he won more than expected in arbitration, you're simply buying into this board's general negative outlook and the conspiracy theory that Darcy, Quinn and Golisano know nothing about hockey, don't want to win, etc etc. The only way that TK's buyout relates to his arbitration award is that his award was just high enough to allow the organization a buyout. It wasn't a move they planned on making. It wasn't "hey this guy demanded more money than I think he's worth, let's get him out of town!" It was just an easy way out of an extra body who's 1-way deal was going to limit the Sabres' options offensively, having already added Neidermayer and McCormick, Ennis a lock to make the roster, and Gerbe/Kassian/Gragnani/etc all expected to compete for spots in camps. Kennedy just didn't fit the mold anymore.

 

And yes, Hasek would fall into the same category as Miller -- obviously one of our team's best, but again that depends what you think is more important -- a franchise skater or a franchise goalie.

 

Myers will get what he asks for and stay in Buffalo. The only reason anybody would say otherwise is, again, because of this pre-conceived negative attitude that DeLuca and PA have imposed on everybody on the forum, essentially assuming that Regier is too dumb to realize he has world class talent in front of him, or that Golisano will be pinching pennies and try to sign him for cheap. I don't agree with all the decisions they've made, but they own and manage a professional hockey team -- they didn't just luck into that kind of job. I'm sure they're smarter than most of us on here.

I don't think the Sabres bought out Kennedy because he won more than expected. I think they did it because it was a chance to save $833K this year and use it towards a better player. That is a money decision. The "he demanded more than I want to pay so I'm going to ship him out" scenario is an ego decision, not a money decision.

 

I would love it if either Kassian or Gragnani played his way onto the roster, but realistically, neither has a shot at the NHL roster. Kennedy would have had a much better shot at the NHL roster. Given the year he had last year, there is no reason to say he didn't fit the mold anymore.

 

I understand your point on goalies generally, but the statement you made is nonsense.

 

Myers is THE best player the Sabres have had since Mogilny and LaFontaine, Miller being the only one who even comes close

 

Hasek was a 2-time Hart winner who carried a very weak team to 2 final 4s and a Finals.

 

Anyway, it's fall and we shouldn't have rerun posts. It's time for new episodes. House debuted last night, in disappointing fashion. Now that he's hooked up with Cuddy, the show is destined to follow post-engagement Jim and Pam into the vast TV wasteland. And Thirteen is leaving! I haven't recovered from Eleven leaving! That adds up to Twenty Four, which is also gone!

I didn't think "Boardwalk Empire" was that great.

[thesportsbuff]

I don't think the Sabres bought out Kennedy because he won more than expected. I think they did it because it was a chance to save $833K this year and use it towards a better player. That is a money decision. The "he demanded more than I want to pay so I'm going to ship him out" scenario is an ego decision, not a money decision.

 

I would love it if either Kassian or Gragnani played his way onto the roster, but realistically, neither has a shot at the NHL roster. Kennedy would have had a much better shot at the NHL roster. Given the year he had last year, there is no reason to say he didn't fit the mold anymore.

 

I understand your point on goalies generally, but the statement you made is nonsense.

 

 

 

Hasek was a 2-time Hart winner who carried a very weak team to 2 final 4s and a Finals.

 

 

 

I don't think Kassian or Gragnani make the roster either, but even without them we'd have been overpopulated at the forward position, especially third/fourth liners. What I mean by Kennedy didn't fit the mold is that he is a small undersized third line player. He didn't fit the mold because the team is loaded with undersized, under-physical forwards, and that has repeatedly proven to be one of their weaknesses. A bigger, stronger, more experience Neidermayer directly addresses that problem. As does the addition of Morrisson on the defensive side, which suffers from basically the same problems -- not strong enough, not physical enough.

 

The Hasek thing was a mental lapse. He slipped my mind. Obviously I don't think Myers' rookie of the year accomplishments add up anywhere close to what Hasek did for the team. But, okay, goalies aside, and my point is still just as valid.

[bunomatic]

You've got a point Jack but had darcy kept Briere,Campbell and Drury who's to say they wouldn't have won a cup here. Hindsights 20/20 and to say he's a genius because they never lived up to potential elsewhere just doesn't make sense. The chemistry they had here may have carried them to a cup,or it might not have. Who knows?

[thesportsbuff]

You've got a point Jack but had darcy kept Briere,Campbell and Drury who's to say they wouldn't have won a cup here. Hindsights 20/20 and to say he's a genius because they never lived up to potential elsewhere just doesn't make sense. The chemistry they had here may have carried them to a cup,or it might not have. Who knows?

 

Their chemistry here was something special, no doubt. I do believe we would have won a cup had the 2005-06 team not suffered through injuries in the playoffs, and if the mostly-the-same 2006-07 team were kept together for another year, we would have competed then, too. BUT, if we had Drury for 5, Briere for 5, Campbell for 6 (and those are actually less than what they got), there's absolutely no way we have the cash for Vanek now or Myers in the future. I was just as pissed and heartbroken as any other Sabres fan on so-called "Black Sunday" July 1st, 2007 -- but it's part of the business. But Myers' value surpasses both Briere, Drury, and Campbell -- he is a franchise player alone where these guys were franchise players together.

[nobody]

Right now I'm just hoping that Myers doesn't have a sophomore slump.

[nfreeman]

Nfreeman,well there is the perception throughout the league that as a small market team known for being thrifty that they develope players till they reach potential then let them go. Whether its happened since 2007 or not entirely depends on their rate of success at drafting and developing what most would term high value franchise players. Miller and now Myers being the only ones that come to mind. If they had let Miller go on the heels of Campbell,Drury there would have been blood in the streets. They could have just as easily kept Biron when they were in that situation and that perception thats out there whether you or others believe it would be all the more believable.

I don't agree. Although none of the Sabres who has come up for a contract extension since 2007 has been as good as those 3, except for Miller, it doesn't make sense to exclude Miller. He's a franchise player who they signed to a market-rate contract as soon as they were permitted to do so under the CBA. Also, Pommer was supposed to be in the ballpark with those 3, and has been a huge disappointment, but they signed him to a fat extension as soon as he was eligible.

 

I also don't understand your point on Marty -- he was clearly the #2 by the time they traded him in 2007, and Miller didn't get his extension until 2008, so they weren't going to keep Marty and let Miller go.

 

I don't think letting Miller go was ever an option. And to be quite honest, you could almost look at Drury, Briere, and Campbell now and call Darcy a genius, because NONE of them have lived up to their contracts. None even come close, really, unless Drury's intangible leadership alone is worth 3/4 his paycheck.

There is no way to look at those 3 situations and call the Sabres anything other than incompetent bozos. The Sabres completely fell off the table without them. Yes, each of them is overpaid, but the Sabres royally screwed themselves and their fans by jerking them around.and thereby losing the opportunity to get them at much more reasonable contracts than what they got as UFAs.

[Skibum]

Seems like an awful lot of pessimism out there.

 

I think the team will do great this year. They are defending division champs and I think they made some shrewd moves in the off-season. I predict that fans are going to like Morrisonn and Leopold a lot better than Lydman and Tallinder. Niedermeyer brings good experience and depth at center. There are some good, hungry young guys with promising skill. Connolly and Roy have been popular targets because they had crappy playoffs, but they are good point producers and we could be a lot worse off. Everyone is healthy for once, including Rivet, whom we have hardly seen play a true healthy game in a Sabres uniform. Oh yeah, we also have the best goalie IN THE WORLD.

 

The only major knocks I see against this team are that the weak power play wasn't really addressed, and that Stafford will probably still be underachieving. And with this team it seems like there's always the threat of injuries derailing things. Other than that, I'm thinking another division title is well within reach. Hopefully they can make something out of the opportunity this year.

[Derrico]

Thus whole myers leaving at some point in the not so distant future needs to stop. He's a franchise player that is not going anywhere. He'll be better than Briere, Drury and Campbell combined.

 

No, you clearly misunderstood. I'm not saying that the Sabres will let him go (hopefully ever) but they're going to be paying a huge sum of money for his services. Therefore limiting the ol mighty dollar from being spent elsewhere. I believe he'll be a sabre a long time but if we're already paying huge money for Vanek and then pay a ton for Myers we'll soon end up like Tampa Bay. We need to go for it while Myers contract is much lower than his quality on the ice.

[inkman]

BUT, if we had Drury for 5, Briere for 5, Campbell for 6 (and those are actually less than what they got), there's absolutely no way we have the cash for Vanek now or Myers in the future.

Vanek would have been an Oiler and If the hallowed 5 for 5 rumors were true, at least two if not all three of those contracts would have come off the books by the time the Sabres would be required to offer Myers a long term deal.

[ntjacks79]

Same team, different unis = quiet crowds and early exit.

While I don't really feel on the same page with Sabres management regarding their moves this summer, and I still recall all too well the consistent "mail it in" games of the top two forward lines in 2009-10, I do believe there is talent on this team. I think they've drafted fairly well (which is why I reacted so strongly to the Tim Kennedy thing) and do an excellent job preparing players to play in the NHL once they draft them. I do think there should be optimism in Sabre-land for this reason... and also because it just sucks if you can't even be optimistic about the team you really care about. Anyway, I'm hoping that young guys "take the next step", some vets return to form (Vanek and Connolly in particular), and that Sabres fans have something to be proud of in 2010-11. Cheers to that... :thumbsup:

[mercury]

Unfortunately the only thing worse than our Power Play are the "fans" that post on this site. Not sure if your new or not to this board but this is not a good site to have any kind of sabres discussion because our D is terrible, we have no PP, our top 6 forwards are a joke and we have no heart. Obviously we would prefer the team to actually do something in the postseason but you can't ignore the regular season. About 90% of the posters do ignore this and almost secretly hope that the team struggles so that they can pound their chests and say "See I told you so...." Seriously, unless you want to be more depressed then after a Bills game, not much point in reading the junk and overall negativity on this site. I for one am excited about the year and think that the veterans they brought in will help when push comes to shove in the playoffs.

 

On several occasions, I've attempted to make similar comments. Sadly, in each instance, apathy claimed me before I could click the Add Reply button.

 

Optimism simply isn't in vogue.

[Hawerchuk]

Sabres will win the Stanley Cup in their 40th year!!

 

Hows that for positive thinking? GO SABRES!

[spndnchz]

No, you clearly misunderstood. I'm not saying that the Sabres will let him go (hopefully ever) but they're going to be paying a huge sum of money for his services. Therefore limiting the ol mighty dollar from being spent elsewhere. I believe he'll be a sabre a long time but if we're already paying huge money for Vanek and then pay a ton for Myers we'll soon end up like Tampa Bay. We need to go for it while Myers contract is much lower than his quality on the ice.

 

Myers doesn't need a contract until the 2012-13 season. yeah, we can talk with him in 2011. I've no worries here.

 

We only have 5 players signed in 2012-13 right now.

 

There's plenty of time and plenty of cap expansion (barring new CBA) to get the job done.

 

Plus, he's a RFA in 2012. This shouldn't make a difference for him as I see him locked up for 5 years as soon as they can do it.