GAME DISCUSSION THREAD

[DR HOLLIDAY]

I'm looking at Roy being out as being to similar to when Devlin & Smerlas left the Bills. Those 2 had been THE leaders in the room and simply due to who they were, what they'd done, and how long they'd been there seemed to keep the team from becoming Kelly's and Bruce's and Talley's and ...

 

Roy, from a production standpoint (he was a ppg player on a team which now after a nearly full season only has 1 player above 60 points) was leading the team, but guys like Vanek weren't leading the team; quite likely out of deference to Roy. When Roy went out, it gave some other guys the chance to step up. And guys like Vanek & Stafford rose to the occassion. The D has been gelling since then as well.

 

Hopefully the dynamics in the room won't be such that Roy NEEDS to 'take the team back.' If he can live w/ it now being Vanek's (or somebody other than Roy's) team, then he could be a real good fit as the #2/3 center & occassional top line wing and I want him back in b&g. If he can't, I want to see him gone in a package for a top center or top D-man. He's a skilled player at a reasonable contract; I expect he'd have a lot of value on the trade market.

 

The past couple of months is the 1st time this team has exhibited any chemistry since that fateful day in July. The chemistry is key to moving forward next year, IMHO.

 

Great post Taro......... :beer:

[LGR4GM]

Not Mike Weber -- Shea Weber.

 

I agree that there are other good defensemen out there. My point was simply that I would only trade Roy for an elite defenseman (or an elite forward).

 

 

Correct.

First dont insult my hockey knowledge by assuming I meant Mike Weber. Shea Weber of Nashville who was injured earlier in the season and typical plays with Ryan Suter. Yes I know who you meant. I do not think that Ehrhoff is worse than him as a def. Maybe overall points output but Ehrhoff has 1 season where he was a negative and he is consistent thats gotta got for somethng. If you and it seems a majority feel that Doughty and Weber are elite that is fine but remember we have Tyler Myers and potentially andre sekera for our elite youngsters so I am goood with going with stable very reliable vet. I still think UFA defensmen this summer have some depth. We need a vet over the age of 25 to help our extremely young def corp I think should be my point. It is senseless for us to argue over who we think is elite or what not but I will agree Doughty, Weber, and Yandle are very very goood.

[nfreeman]

First dont insult my hockey knowledge by assuming I meant Mike Weber. Shea Weber of Nashville who was injured earlier in the season and typical plays with Ryan Suter. Yes I know who you meant. I do not think that Ehrhoff is worse than him as a def. Maybe overall points output but Ehrhoff has 1 season where he was a negative and he is consistent thats gotta got for somethng. If you and it seems a majority feel that Doughty and Weber are elite that is fine but remember we have Tyler Myers and potentially andre sekera for our elite youngsters so I am goood with going with stable very reliable vet. I still think UFA defensmen this summer have some depth. We need a vet over the age of 25 to help our extremely young def corp I think should be my point. It is senseless for us to argue over who we think is elite or what not but I will agree Doughty, Weber, and Yandle are very very goood.

I was joking about Mike Weber in an attempt to avoid saying what you now have forced me to say: you are completely out to lunch if you think Ehrhoff is in Shea Weber's class. (Yandle doesn't belong in the group with Weber and Doughty either, BTW).

 

I think Myers is close to great now and is going to improve. I like Sekera and Mike Weber as well. My first choice for the Sabres this summer is to add an elite #1 center. But a guy in Weber's and Doughty's class would make a huge difference on the Sabres, and if a guy like that for some reason became available, I would trade Roy and a #1 and more for him.

[LGR4GM]

I was joking about Mike Weber in an attempt to avoid saying what you now have forced me to say: you are completely out to lunch if you think Ehrhoff is in Shea Weber's class. (Yandle doesn't belong in the group with Weber and Doughty either, BTW).

 

I think Myers is close to great now and is going to improve. I like Sekera and Mike Weber as well. My first choice for the Sabres this summer is to add an elite #1 center. But a guy in Weber's and Doughty's class would make a huge difference on the Sabres, and if a guy like that for some reason became available, I would trade Roy and a #1 and more for him.

See I wouldn't. Roy is the only center on the team besides tc who can play on a 1 or 2 line. TC needs to go. So now if you trade Roy and a #1 and more for a def man you now have huge holes up front. Ehrhoff is in the same class as weber IMO I keep looking at there numbers and such and they are almost even minus hits. It is unimportant, I just do not think this team can trade roy for anything unless it is a center. We have def that are good and a few who may become great. Giving up alot if a guy like weber or doughty comes free is not in the sabres best interest at this time. If say you could trade roy and a first and some other stuff for a guy like sharp than yea that makes a lot of sense. I just will never be sold on trading for more defense at this point especially if it means giving up our only center. The notion that Roy's absence is positive because he was locker room cancer is pure speculation and the more likely scenario was his injury finally kicked the team in the pants and got them rolling. It forced guys to say "hey I need to step up because I am better" Remember at the beginning of the year Ruff said he had a cup contender. Lets see if he does and then worry about the off season.

[BuffalOhio]

Here's an actual post about the Tampa game - In no way did I feel threatened when the Lightning scored first with the way the Sabres have been playing.

[LabattBlue]

I was joking about Mike Weber in an attempt to avoid saying what you now have forced me to say: you are completely out to lunch if you think Ehrhoff is in Shea Weber's class. (Yandle doesn't belong in the group with Weber and Doughty either, BTW).

:lol:

[nfreeman]

See I wouldn't. Roy is the only center on the team besides tc who can play on a 1 or 2 line. TC needs to go. So now if you trade Roy and a #1 and more for a def man you now have huge holes up front. Ehrhoff is in the same class as weber IMO I keep looking at there numbers and such and they are almost even minus hits. It is unimportant, I just do not think this team can trade roy for anything unless it is a center. We have def that are good and a few who may become great. Giving up alot if a guy like weber or doughty comes free is not in the sabres best interest at this time. If say you could trade roy and a first and some other stuff for a guy like sharp than yea that makes a lot of sense. I just will never be sold on trading for more defense at this point especially if it means giving up our only center. The notion that Roy's absence is positive because he was locker room cancer is pure speculation and the more likely scenario was his injury finally kicked the team in the pants and got them rolling. It forced guys to say "hey I need to step up because I am better" Remember at the beginning of the year Ruff said he had a cup contender. Lets see if he does and then worry about the off season.

 

 

Well, the team has done quite well without Roy this year. So it's hard to see how the team would be hurt by continuing to play without him and adding an elite defenseman.

 

Look at it this way: if you took the team that's been playing since New Year's, subtracted TC, replaced him with a decent-but-not-great center from outside the organization and added an elite defenseman, would the team be better or worse?

 

As for Weber/Ehrhoff: numbers don't tell the whole story, especially with defensemen. Weber was in the top D pairing on the Canadian Olympic team. If you asked every NHL GM whether they are in the same class, not a single one would say yes.

[Eleven]

Here's an actual post about the Tampa game - In no way did I feel threatened when the Lightning scored first with the way the Sabres have been playing.

 

For the first time in a while, there was no doubt in my mind, either.

[spndnchz]

Well, the team has done quite well without Roy this year. So it's hard to see how the team would be hurt by continuing to play without him and adding an elite defenseman.

 

Look at it this way: if you took the team that's been playing since New Year's, subtracted TC, replaced him with a decent-but-not-great center from outside the organization and added an elite defenseman, would the team be better or worse?

 

As for Weber/Ehrhoff: numbers don't tell the whole story, especially with defensemen. Weber was in the top D pairing on the Canadian Olympic team. If you asked every NHL GM whether they are in the same class, not a single one would say yes.

 

How about a center who would be @ 4 million cap hit and get around .91 PPG?

[PASabreFan]

For the first time in a while, there was no doubt in my mind, either.

 

How much of that is the perception of the opponent?

[EZBills7]

How much of that is the perception of the opponent?

 

That has to count for a lot when you factor in that big Sabres outburst in the previous game. TB has to be on every east team's top 1-2 wish list of opponents for the first round.

[Eleven]

How much of that is the perception of the opponent?

 

Little, because I think Tampa is a decent team.

[LGR4GM]

Well, the team has done quite well without Roy this year. So it's hard to see how the team would be hurt by continuing to play without him and adding an elite defenseman.

 

Look at it this way: if you took the team that's been playing since New Year's, subtracted TC, replaced him with a decent-but-not-great center from outside the organization and added an elite defenseman, would the team be better or worse?

 

As for Weber/Ehrhoff: numbers don't tell the whole story, especially with defensemen. Weber was in the top D pairing on the Canadian Olympic team. If you asked every NHL GM whether they are in the same class, not a single one would say yes.

The teams done quite well this year without an elite def man like weber or doughty so we dont need him either? See I just flipped your own logic in on you. If you lose roy and add a def this team is worse. Roy is a a steal at 4mil and I cant wait for his return because it will inject new life into this team. How about this, we both are not going to agree with one another so lets just say we have different opinions and leave it at that. You think we could be better with a elite def even if we lost roy. I do not. I respectfully disagree with you on this particular issue.