No Roy, no problem.

[LGR4GM]

Hold up a second we are good with getting parise and trading ennis? I'll pass on that.

1) ennis is good and has great potential

2) parise requires much more than just ennis to get

3) wtf are we talking about trading for a lw

[dEnnis the Menace]

I believe Jochen has just next season left, but it could even be one more after.

 

I have no problem using Timmy as a third line center. He's done fine over the course of his career as a #1/#2 (not saying he actually qualifies as a #1 center, but that's where he's been used) and adds some dynamic to the powerplay, too. He would have to take a pay cut -- 2.5 mil tops -- but I'd love to keep him in a third line role. We've finally been reminded the last several weeks how well he can play, and in a third line role where you're not necessarily expected to put up loads of points, I think he would be a dangerous weapon. And the fans would be much more accepting of him, too.

 

That Vanek-Connolly-Pommer line has been wheeling and dealing...

 

 

Very true, well 2/3...Timmy and Pommer have been clicking, Vanek missing.

 

If he took a paycut, and did go down to third line status, I would be more accepting. He definitely shows flashes of "awesome", but there's all those frustrating moments...

[dEnnis the Menace]

Hold up a second we are good with getting parise and trading ennis? I'll pass on that.

1) ennis is good and has great potential

2) parise requires much more than just ennis to get

3) wtf are we talking about trading for a lw

 

+1 I like Ennis way too much to give him away, especially for a LW

[james duncan]

There's gotta be a better third line center around for us...

 

How much longer is Jochen's contract anyways?

 

I think Hecht has two years left?

 

If we paid him/and he'd take third line center money, I'd welcome Connolly back--expect this is not a popular opinion.

 

And getting Richards is a pipedream. IF he is not re-signed by Dallas, there is no way the Rangers don't sign him IMO. He and Tortorella are reportedly very tight.

 

Prospects at center not panning out, veteran centers allowed to walk (with no compensation) and the position being neglected overall is the biggest fault I can place with Darcy and the organization. With the shortage, I wouldn't mind seeing Ennis play center.

[thesportsbuff]

Hold up a second we are good with getting parise and trading ennis? I'll pass on that.

1) ennis is good and has great potential

2) parise requires much more than just ennis to get

3) wtf are we talking about trading for a lw

 

Agreed. Ennis is untouchable at this point, imo.

 

All realism aside, if they somehow swung a deal for Parise without giving up Ennis/Gerbe/Vanek/Roy/Kassian/Foligno/Miller/Myers, I'd be stoked about it whether he's a center or not. But unfortunately we don't have the roster players to make that deal happen without giving up too much, and if we're going to give up too much it has to be for a center. Plain and simple.

[shrader]

Hold up a second we are good with getting parise and trading ennis? I'll pass on that.

1) ennis is good and has great potential

2) parise requires much more than just ennis to get

3) wtf are we talking about trading for a lw

 

The Parise thing was a misunderstanding by someone. He was originally brought up as a comparison to Roy as another injured player. I won't speak for 526's original intention with that post, but it really didn't look like he was suggesting Roy for Parise there.

[LGR4GM]

Joechen Hecht has 1 year left at 3.525 and if you could trade him this summer and get a center I am good with it.

[LabattBlue]

The Parise thing was a misunderstanding by someone. He was originally brought up as a comparison to Roy as another injured player. I won't speak for 526's original intention with that post, but it really didn't look like he was suggesting Roy for Parise there.

If it was a misunderstanding, then I want to start this going...

 

Roy for Parise

Parise for Stamkos

Stamkos for Pavelski

Pavelski for Malkin

 

 

Help! My head is spinning.

[SabresFan526]

The Parise thing was a misunderstanding by someone. He was originally brought up as a comparison to Roy as another injured player. I won't speak for 526's original intention with that post, but it really didn't look like he was suggesting Roy for Parise there.

You are correct. The original point was if Roy is damaged goods, wouldn't Parise also be considered damaged goods? While I would love to swing a Roy for Parise deal, I don't see it happening, and I'm not really suggesting that it should or would happen.

[Robviously]

I don't think it's crazy to talk about trading Roy at all. If this season made one thing clear, it's that the team seemed to defer to him for leadership when he was playing. He was even an alternate captain. You take Roy out of the line-up, and out of the locker room, and suddenly you have guys like Vanek, Stafford, Hecht, and Gaustad stepping up their game.

 

Up until this year, Roy was basically a strong personality but a poor leader. And the rest of the team, which has definitely struggled to have a leader and identity since Black Sunday in 2007, just sort of went along with him. Now that he's gone, you have other guys being real leaders for the first time. That, along with young guys like Ennis, Gerbe, Myers, Sekera, and Weber, has given the team some semblance of a real identity.

 

Maybe we don't want to bring him back. Of course, we wouldn't trade him away for nothing. He's about a point-a-gamer now and a bargain salary-wise, which would make him one of our most tradeable assets. We might be able to flip him for someone really good. I don't think anyone is advocating trading him for anyone just to be rid of him.

 

Yes, we need centers, but we could also trade Stafford for a new center. There's no reason we can't make two big trades in one summer. I actually think that's smarter and more realistic than expecting Pegula to start offering crazy contracts to free agents.

[Piercey]

I don't think it's crazy to talk about trading Roy at all. If this season made one thing clear, it's that the team seemed to defer to him for leadership when he was playing. He was even an alternate captain. You take Roy out of the line-up, and out of the locker room, and suddenly you have guys like Vanek, Stafford, Hecht, and Gaustad stepping up their game.

 

Up until this year, Roy was basically a strong personality but a poor leader. And the rest of the team, which has definitely struggled to have a leader and identity since Black Sunday in 2007, just sort of went along with him. Now that he's gone, you have other guys being real leaders for the first time. That, along with young guys like Ennis, Gerbe, Myers, Sekera, and Weber, has given the team some semblance of a real identity.

 

Maybe we don't want to bring him back. Of course, we wouldn't trade him away for nothing. He's about a point-a-gamer now and a bargain salary-wise, which would make him one of our most tradeable assets. We might be able to flip him for someone really good. I don't think anyone is advocating trading him for anyone just to be rid of him.

 

Yes, we need centers, but we could also trade Stafford for a new center. There's no reason we can't make two big trades in one summer. I actually think that's smarter and more realistic than expecting Pegula to start offering crazy contracts to free agents.

 

Agreed!

[Piercey]

If Roy stays on track with rehab and the Sabres make it far enough into the playoffs (if they make it there) does he play and who sits if he's back in the line-up?

[Robviously]

If Roy stays on track with rehab and the Sabres make it far enough into the playoffs (if they make it there) does he play and who sits if he's back in the line-up?

By that point I'm sure we'd have someone else out with an injury.

 

It'd be a nice problem to have. The Sabres lasting long enough for Roy to come back means they're making a significant playoff run.

[X. Benedict]

welcome, piercey.

 

@ x.: this idea was kicked around in another thread. i had become enamored of the notion that the team is doing a better job possessing the puck and sticking to the system without ruff's least favorite dipsy-doodler in the lineup -- that roy had given rise to what bill simmons dubbed "the ewing effect."

 

not true?

 

While Roy has a tendency to overhandle the puck through the middle, he was still quite good at it. While his absense has shown us that Vanek can slide to center during any shift and be very effective as a playmaker and backchecker, the team is still thin through the middle at forward.

 

It has made Ruff make some really creative adjustments, especially sending defensemen up the middle with the puck to center and even carry the puck behind the net (It really is pretty amazing to watch a game and ask who is sliding to center on any given shift, twice last night it was Butler!) The other means was attacking the zone from the wings...which I think most teams had adjusted well to, until they got Boyes.

 

I really think that not having Roy has made the team admit that the only way they can win is to backcheck hard on every shift and cover for each othe defensively. They are.

 

I think they would be in much better shape it they had Roy back at forward. But I also think that without his absence it wouldn't have forced the defense to be as active.

 

If you had Roy back, that wouldn't have to stop.

 

My long answer is that having Roy out has forced the team to develop other parts of the game.

The Sabres are really hard to prepare for right now IMO. Especially for any one game.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

If Roy stays on track with rehab and the Sabres make it far enough into the playoffs (if they make it there) does he play and who sits if he's back in the line-up?

 

Haven't the Sabres been pretty quiet on his situation without any updates? If anyone has any progress on him, I'd like to see it. From what I can tell, he's a reach for training camp let alone the playoffs.

[X. Benedict]

Haven't the Sabres been pretty quiet on his situation without any updates? If anyone has any progress on him, I'd like to see it. From what I can tell, he's a reach for training camp let alone the playoffs.

Last week Ruff said his timeline for full recovery is the middle of May.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

While Roy has a tendency to overhandle the puck through the middle, he was still quite good at it. While his absense has shown us that Vanek can slide to center during any shift and be very effective as a playmaker and backchecker, the team is still thin through the middle at forward.

 

It has made Ruff make some really creative adjustments, especially sending defensemen up the middle with the puck to center and even carry the puck behind the net (It really is pretty amazing to watch a game and ask who is sliding to center on any given shift, twice last night it was Butler!) The other means was attacking the zone from the wings...which I think most teams had adjusted well to, until they got Boyes.

 

I really think that not having Roy has made the team admit that the only way they can win is to backcheck hard on every shift and cover for each othe defensively. They are.

 

I think they would be in much better shape it they had Roy back at forward. But I also think that without his absence it wouldn't have forced the defense to be as active.

 

If you had Roy back, that wouldn't have to stop.

 

My long answer is that having Roy out has forced the team to develop other parts of the game.

The Sabres are really hard to prepare for right now IMO. Especially for any one game.

 

I think this team is easy to beat come playoff time. Clog the middle, force the wingers to go into the corners, and put pressure on the pointmen. Ottawa played it perfectly against Ruff in the playoffs and Lindy has the same sort of team, minus the talent. They will have to face a very good team if they make it in and I really feel once the refs let anything go minus an obvious gang rape, this team will get frustrated quickly.

 

I am one of the few who like Roy it seems. I have never been a fan of the pretty boy, but if you bring in a few leaders who can play tough, Roy has a chipiness to his game that he will follow with. He just isn't a great leader. Stafford will follow as well. This is the type of synergy that Darcy has failed to see.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Last week Ruff said his timeline for full recovery is the middle of May.

 

I hope they aren't BSing. He didn't look good a month ago, still in a full immobilized getup.

[nfreeman]

In my perfect world, we sign Brad Richards on July 1 or trade two first rounders and one of our d-men (Sekera or Butler ideally) for a #1 center. Keep Roy and re-sign Connolly to center the third line. Bam!

That isn't nearly enough for a #1 center.

 

I'd rather they get a #1 Center in FA (unfortunately, except for Richards the true #1 that I'd like to see may not be there).

 

If they could use FA to add a center and a D, lines could look something like this:

 

Vanek FA-C Boyes

Ennis Hecht Pomminstein

Gerbe Roy Stafford

McCormick Gaustad Kaleta

spares - Ellis, Adam

 

 

FA-D Myers

Leopold Weber

Sekera Morrisonn

spare - Butler

 

Miller

Enroth

 

While I wouldn't be thrilled w/ Hecht centering, I like that he's played w/ Poms a lot and has pretty good chemistry with him. I also like having Stafford w/ Roy and keeping Vanek, Ennis, and Boyes as far from Roy as I can keep them.

 

This would give the Sabres a true #1 line, and a 2nd & 3rd line that could interchangeably be the defensive line or 2nd scoring line. The team would still have the true 'energy' line as the 4th line.

 

I doubt that the team would bring in more than 2 'big' FA's, which is why I put one at center and 1 at D. It'll be interesting to see if they'd make a trade additionally / instead. Either way this off-season should be much better than the past 5 or so.

Good post. That lineup looks very compelling.

 

welcome, piercey.

 

@ x.: this idea was kicked around in another thread. i had become enamored of the notion that the team is doing a better job possessing the puck and sticking to the system without ruff's least favorite dipsy-doodler in the lineup -- that roy had given rise to what bill simmons dubbed "the ewing effect."

 

not true?

I'm a believer. I just think Roy has consistently "led" them to ruin.

 

I don't think it's crazy to talk about trading Roy at all. If this season made one thing clear, it's that the team seemed to defer to him for leadership when he was playing. He was even an alternate captain. You take Roy out of the line-up, and out of the locker room, and suddenly you have guys like Vanek, Stafford, Hecht, and Gaustad stepping up their game.

 

Up until this year, Roy was basically a strong personality but a poor leader. And the rest of the team, which has definitely struggled to have a leader and identity since Black Sunday in 2007, just sort of went along with him. Now that he's gone, you have other guys being real leaders for the first time. That, along with young guys like Ennis, Gerbe, Myers, Sekera, and Weber, has given the team some semblance of a real identity.

 

Maybe we don't want to bring him back. Of course, we wouldn't trade him away for nothing. He's about a point-a-gamer now and a bargain salary-wise, which would make him one of our most tradeable assets. We might be able to flip him for someone really good. I don't think anyone is advocating trading him for anyone just to be rid of him.

 

Yes, we need centers, but we could also trade Stafford for a new center. There's no reason we can't make two big trades in one summer. I actually think that's smarter and more realistic than expecting Pegula to start offering crazy contracts to free agents.

Good post, although I do expect TP to throw some money around this summer. The bolded part states my theory on Roy very well. There isn't a shred of proof, but I'm a believer.

 

I think this team is easy to beat come playoff time. Clog the middle, force the wingers to go into the corners, and put pressure on the pointmen. Ottawa played it perfectly against Ruff in the playoffs and Lindy has the same sort of team, minus the talent. They will have to face a very good team if they make it in and I really feel once the refs let anything go minus an obvious gang rape, this team will get frustrated quickly.

 

I am one of the few who like Roy it seems. I have never been a fan of the pretty boy, but if you bring in a few leaders who can play tough, Roy has a chipiness to his game that he will follow with. He just isn't a great leader. Stafford will follow as well. This is the type of synergy that Darcy has failed to see.

I can go along with this. However, Roy is going to be one of the most attractive bargaining chips for bringing in the guys that the Sabres really need -- ie guys with both skill and guts. Those guys aren't cheap.

[LabattBlue]

Up until this year, Roy was basically a strong personality but a poor leader.

...and you know this how?

[shrader]

I hope they aren't BSing. He didn't look good a month ago, still in a full immobilized getup.

 

Every single injured player at this time of the year has a "decent chance" at coming back in May. I could even see Vancouver trying to plant seeds of a Malhotra return in the next couple days.

[dscrapj]

I don't see any value in trading Roy. Statisically, his points per game for his salary are a bargain. Point a game centers don't grow on trees. If the Sabres want to build a winner this off season, I think you have to have guys like Roy who are producing more than their salary. While the plan is to spend more it doesn't mean you still don't have to spend wisely. His production outweighs his salary. Guys like him and Ennis and now Gerbe are critical to a team because they are getting good value for what they are spending. Keep a guy like him and spend any "extra" cash that you wouldn't have budgeted elsewhere. Hopefully, that would bring another center somehow. I just don't think you'd find someone out there with his ability and experience for the price they are paying him.

[That Aud Smell]

My long answer is that having Roy out has forced the team to develop other parts of the game.The Sabres are really hard to prepare for right now IMO. Especially for any one game.

appreciate all of that, sir, as always.

[Taro T]

I think this team is easy to beat come playoff time. Clog the middle, force the wingers to go into the corners, and put pressure on the pointmen. Ottawa played it perfectly against Ruff in the playoffs and Lindy has the same sort of team, minus the talent. They will have to face a very good team if they make it in and I really feel once the refs let anything go minus an obvious gang rape, this team will get frustrated quickly.

 

I am one of the few who like Roy it seems. I have never been a fan of the pretty boy, but if you bring in a few leaders who can play tough, Roy has a chipiness to his game that he will follow with. He just isn't a great leader. Stafford will follow as well. This is the type of synergy that Darcy has failed to see.

...

 

I can go along with this. However, Roy is going to be one of the most attractive bargaining chips for bringing in the guys that the Sabres really need -- ie guys with both skill and guts. Those guys aren't cheap.

The bolded is a pretty fair assessment of Roy. I see him as considering himself a leader, but not being a true leader. With the possible exception of Stafford, other players don't seem to raise their level when they are on the ice with him.

 

Now if they bring in a LEADER that can pick up the play of those around him, I expect Roy to be a good fit and be more effective.

 

To n's point, Roy would definitely have value to another team. Perhaps he goes in a package for that true #1 guy that the Sabres haven't had in recent years. If so, I wouldn't be shocked to see Timmy back. Though I would be disappointed as I think both he and the Sabres would be better off if he were plying his trade elsewhere. If he were here, I'd expect he'd center Poms & Ennis w/ Hecht now the '#3 center;' but I could see Vanek & Ennis swapping lines fairly often as well.

 

Unless Luke Adam is really ready for next year, my guess is that Jochen ends up in the middle more often than not next year.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

If so, I wouldn't be shocked to see Timmy back. Though I would be disappointed as I think both he and the Sabres would be better off if he were plying his trade elsewhere. If he were here, I'd expect he'd center Poms & Ennis w/ Hecht now the '#3 center;' but I could see Vanek & Ennis swapping lines fairly often as well.

 

Unless Luke Adam is really ready for next year, my guess is that Jochen ends up in the middle more often than not next year.

 

I can see Connolly back as well. If he is...this is how it goes down. Darcy signs him 2 years for $5.9 million. In his head, Darcy can then say..."We got a $5 million center for $2 million. What a discount!"

 

I begging this organization to make me spend money on it next year...but so far it feels like same old same old. A free program, carpet remnant, and cuddle session with the Pegula girls just isn't going to do it for me.