Derrico Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I'm going to start with defense and get to forwards later when I have more time... DO NOT TRADE: Leopold/Montador, which is a top-notch pairing IMO; Myers, whom we all hope will be the face of the blueline for the next decade; Weber, who has been terrific. TRADE ONLY IF they can improve at D: Sekera, Morrisonn. I generally like these guys--they're not the best in the NHL by any means, but they certainly are a LOT better than what the Sabres have in Portland. TRADE for decent return: Butler--the kids in Portland can do what he does. TRADE for any return: Rivet--I can do what he does, and in fact, I currently pay to do what he does, which is sit in the stands and watch games. Generally, I don't think the Sabres have a big problem at the blueline. I would not be upset at all if they kept the same starting six. Really?! Buffalo is ranked 21st in the league in goals against! That is with the defending vezina winning goaltender. On the flip side, the Sabres are 10th in the NHL in goals for. I'm pretty sure it's our blue line that is in need of the upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Really?! Buffalo is ranked 21st in the league in goals against! That is with the defending vezina winning goaltender. On the flip side, the Sabres are 10th in the NHL in goals for. I'm pretty sure it's our blue line that is in need of the upgrade. Yep, really. This team's bigger needs are up front, not on the blueline. Remember that those wings and centers play defense, too; in the Sabres' case, many of them play it poorly. And getting a backup so that said defending vez winner doesn't have to start 29 in a row might help, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunkard Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Yep, really. This team's bigger needs are up front, not on the blueline. Remember that those wings and centers play defense, too; in the Sabres' case, many of them play it poorly. And getting a backup so that said defending vez winner doesn't have to start 29 in a row might help, too. I agree. Leopold has been a stud this year, Myers had a slow start but has managed to really put it together since then. Montador has been incredibly reliable and Weber has really come into his own and also leads us in +/-. Sekera has been inconsistent along with Butler but if you can get one of them to continue to develop and find a replacement for Rivet we'd have the makings of solid defensive corp along with a 7th who can step in without killing you most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craze Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I'm seeing a lot of the usual on this thread from we the fans. A guy is playing well (Leopold, Stafford, Vanek) - keep him. A guy is playing like crap (Connolly, Rivet, list goes on) - trade him. I am sticking to my original opinion that Stafford should be moved ASAP! He will never produce like this again (who has produced like this over the course of their career?). There is actually some buzz about him around the league. He will actually get some return! I still think that, based what we have seen from him in the past, makes this likely the most value he will ever have. I feel similarly about Leopold. He has been a great surprise. But I don't think he is going to approach this goal total again so trade him now while he has great value. Yes you also trade Connolly and Rivet for a pile of oily rags just to get rid of them but if the right offer comes along for players that are playing above their value, you have to investigate that. If a great offer doesn't come for Stafford, then you could absolutely do worse than a player with his size and skill. Just don't be surprised if after he lands a new contract, he goes back to being timid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I'm seeing a lot of the usual on this thread from we the fans. A guy is playing well (Leopold, Stafford, Vanek) - keep him. A guy is playing like crap (Connolly, Rivet, list goes on) - trade him. I am sticking to my original opinion that Stafford should be moved ASAP! He will never produce like this again (who has produced like this over the course of their career?). There is actually some buzz about him around the league. He will actually get some return! I still think that, based what we have seen from him in the past, makes this likely the most value he will ever have. I feel similarly about Leopold. He has been a great surprise. But I don't think he is going to approach this goal total again so trade him now while he has great value. Yes you also trade Connolly and Rivet for a pile of oily rags just to get rid of them but if the right offer comes along for players that are playing above their value, you have to investigate that. If a great offer doesn't come for Stafford, then you could absolutely do worse than a player with his size and skill. Just don't be surprised if after he lands a new contract, he goes back to being timid. I still don't love Stafford's play without the puck, so I'm hardly going to be upset if he's traded for a good return. And I agree on the "contract year" phenomenon. Trading the either of the team's top two D-pair is insane. Leopold has not been a surprise; he has always been a solid player (I remember watching him and Montador with Calgary). They will get more for Connolly than a pile of oily rags. They will not get much more for Rivet than that, but he's doing nothing here, so they should let him play somewhere and get what they can for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Really?! Buffalo is ranked 21st in the league in goals against! That is with the defending vezina winning goaltender. On the flip side, the Sabres are 10th in the NHL in goals for. I'm pretty sure it's our blue line that is in need of the upgrade. Yep, really. This team's bigger needs are up front, not on the blueline. Remember that those wings and centers play defense, too; in the Sabres' case, many of them play it poorly. And getting a backup so that said defending vez winner doesn't have to start 29 in a row might help, too. IMHO, the D started off the season in the basement, as Myers struggled to adjust to opponents better prepared to attack him, heightened expectations and a new partner, Rivet fell off the table and the team as a whole struggled to integrate 3 new defensemen into the top 6 (one of whom, Morrisson, was in and out of the lineup with injuries). I think team defense and the play of the defensemen has improved substantially. Here's a stat: in the last 32 games, the Sabres are averaging 2.69 goals against per game, which would put them at #13 in the NHL (over the full season they are at #21 with 2.94). Team defense still isn't as good as it was last season, but it's pretty respectable, and I agree with 11 that the major need continues to be a top-line forward with both skill and guts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Crotch Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I hate to rain on the love-fest for Montador and Leopold since they are playing well now, but both can generally be put in the "journeyman" category. Each are on their 5th club already (i.e. 4 other teams have already deemed these guys expendable). My criticism of Leo and Monty is when another team hits our offensive zone with speed, they call "alamo!" and back in past the faceoff circles toward Miller faster than a fat guy can grab an egg roll off a Chinese buffet... Maybe I'm spoiled because living in Nashville I get to see a true #1 pairing, Weber and Suter, play for the Predators... but are Monty and Leo really the #1 pairing that can take us on a deep run through the playoffs? Personally, I think we're "okay" defensively... nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NNYSABRESMAN Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Really?! Buffalo is ranked 21st in the league in goals against! That is with the defending vezina winning goaltender. On the flip side, the Sabres are 10th in the NHL in goals for. I'm pretty sure it's our blue line that is in need of the upgrade. Commonsense tells you that when your d-men are allowed to jump in on the rush that your going to have some goals scored on you. At any rate I think the D on the whole has made steady improvement. I know Meyers is going to be a great defensemen I just wish he'd grow a set. It drives me nuts when he gets challanged and he skates away like a little bitch. He's a physical presence on the ice but only in body mass. I dont want him to be a dick like Pronger but a little more game like Charra would help us defensively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I hate to rain on the love-fest for Montador and Leopold since they are playing well now, but both can generally be put in the "journeyman" category. Each are on their 5th club already (i.e. 4 other teams have already deemed these guys expendable). My criticism of Leo and Monty is when another team hits our offensive zone with speed, they call "alamo!" and back in past the faceoff circles toward Miller faster than a fat guy can grab an egg roll off a Chinese buffet... Maybe I'm spoiled because living in Nashville I get to see a true #1 pairing, Weber and Suter, play for the Predators... but are Monty and Leo really the #1 pairing that can take us on a deep run through the playoffs? Personally, I think we're "okay" defensively... nothing more. Whole lotta truth going on in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I hate to rain on the love-fest for Montador and Leopold since they are playing well now, but both can generally be put in the "journeyman" category. Each are on their 5th club already (i.e. 4 other teams have already deemed these guys expendable). My criticism of Leo and Monty is when another team hits our offensive zone with speed, they call "alamo!" and back in past the faceoff circles toward Miller faster than a fat guy can grab an egg roll off a Chinese buffet... Maybe I'm spoiled because living in Nashville I get to see a true #1 pairing, Weber and Suter, play for the Predators... but are Monty and Leo really the #1 pairing that can take us on a deep run through the playoffs? Personally, I think we're "okay" defensively... nothing more. IMHO, for the Sabres to have a good-to-very-good group of defensemen, Myers and Sekera need to step up and be the top pair. I agree that Monty and Leopold are not top pair material, although I think Leopold at least is a very creditable 2nd pairing guy. For that matter, I think Weber-Morrisson could be a strong 2nd pair. Commonsense tells you that when your d-men are allowed to jump in on the rush that your going to have some goals scored on you. At any rate I think the D on the whole has made steady improvement. I know Meyers is going to be a great defensemen I just wish he'd grow a set. It drives me nuts when he gets challanged and he skates away like a little bitch. He's a physical presence on the ice but only in body mass. I dont want him to be a dick like Pronger but a little more game like Charra would help us defensively. I think Myers has taken his physical game up a notch lately. He really laid out Downie the other night. I'd love to see Myers develop into as physical as Chara, but let's remember that Chara is 33 and in his 13th NHL season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Commonsense tells you that when your d-men are allowed to jump in on the rush that your going to have some goals scored on you. At any rate I think the D on the whole has made steady improvement. I know Meyers is going to be a great defensemen I just wish he'd grow a set. It drives me nuts when he gets challanged and he skates away like a little bitch. He's a physical presence on the ice but only in body mass. I dont want him to be a dick like Pronger but a little more game like Charra would help us defensively. Commonsense also tells you that if you have the defending vezina winning goaltender you should be atleast within the top 10 in goals allowed per game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I love Leopold's play on the point. I hate his play in the d-zone and neutral zone. It is too bad Sekera and Leopold aren't #5 and #6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waldo Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Really?! Buffalo is ranked 21st in the league in goals against! That is with the defending vezina winning goaltender. On the flip side, the Sabres are 10th in the NHL in goals for. I'm pretty sure it's our blue line that is in need of the upgrade. Badly in nedd of an upgrade. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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