SMIRNOFF Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 The IMMEDIATE future for this team is bright. Anyone who cannot see that after these last few months doesn't follow much hockey, IMO. There is a different feel to this off-season. A GOOD different. I am not going to let last night upset me one bit. Look where this team has come from since January, for cripes sakes!! And by the way, that was a fantastic series, not only for the maturation of the Sabres, but also for hockey. I am looking forward to the start of next season. I would also like to say "Thanks, guys, for the extra hockey." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 The enter key is ur friend.... So are the "y" and "o" keys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 So are the "y" and "o" keys. Makes sense for someone from "Joysie". :nana: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knightrider Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 Yeah, that was really hard to read. Good, but difficult on the eyes. Thanks for saying that. I skipped over it till I read yours. It was good. I feel so much different about this offseason than last. The vibe of this team has changed and it's for the better. I'm strangely content with the results and I see a lot of positives. I refuse to let losing I the first round overshadow all of the good things we have in store. Here's to a fruitful offseason! This is where I am. I gave this team up for dead in December, I enjoyed it right down to Ennis's slash on Pronger's hand at the end. There is a new "core" coming in, and they seem to be a lot tougher mentally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 Ownership can say the wallets open all they want, but they can only spend to the cap. The same guy is in charge making the personnel moves. He can spend all the money he wants on coaching/scouting, the facility, etc. and that can help long term, weither they won or lost last night, but theres alot of work needed to make this team a contender instead of just a pretender with a future It's not only about spending to the cap. The new management can do a million little things to make this the most attractive hockey city for any draftee or free agent. They already started with the lockerroom and arena infrastructure. They can beef up the scouting and player personnel area and make it the most impressive in hockey (rather than a couple guys sitting in a room looking at video). They are already trying to get the team televised in Southern Ontario...thus catering to the many players from that area who would love to have their games on TV back home to their families (not to mention expanding the Sabres footprint in Canada). I can definitely envision players that would previously consider only Philly, NYR, Boston, etc...now giving Buffalo a much harder look. The word about an owner as generous and likeable as Pegula will definitely get around amongst the players. Things will definitely get better in Sabres land in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 It's not only about spending to the cap. The new management can do a million little things to make this the most attractive hockey city for any draftee or free agent. They already started with the lockerroom and arena infrastructure. They can beef up the scouting and player personnel area and make it the most impressive in hockey (rather than a couple guys sitting in a room looking at video). They are already trying to get the team televised in Southern Ontario...thus catering to the many players from that area who would love to have their games on TV back home to their families (not to mention expanding the Sabres footprint in Canada). I can definitely envision players that would previously consider only Philly, NYR, Boston, etc...now giving Buffalo a much harder look. The word about an owner as generous and likeable as Pegula will definitely get around amongst the players. Things will definitely get better in Sabres land in the near future. This is what we hope, but just having an owner who says he will spend money doesn't mean Buffalo will become more attractive to FA's, unless he also plans on rebuilding the city too. TP has only been owner a few months and besides some promises and some moves to get alumni's back, what has he done to make WNY a more attractive place to come play? Its not a myth that players care more about the area they will be living and playing in more then the amount of people showing up to the game or how much they may get paid more to play there. (See the comments from some players about the idea of leaving Phoenix to come play for the rabid hockey fans in Winnipeg, many would rather stay in Phoenix and play in front of 10,000 fans). We have had many players leave with nothing but good things to say about the team before, it still hasn't been enough to have players knocking down the doors to play here. And until TP puts his wallet/money where his mouth is, not much is gonna change. So I really don't expect much different this offseason, especially with Regier still in charge, he has been given the chance to spend to the cap before and the results weren't much different then when his supposed shackles were in place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zow2 Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 This is what we hope, but just having an owner who says he will spend money doesn't mean Buffalo will become more attractive to FA's, unless he also plans on rebuilding the city too. TP has only been owner a few months and besides some promises and some moves to get alumni's back, what has he done to make WNY a more attractive place to come play? Its not a myth that players care more about the area they will be living and playing in more then the amount of people showing up to the game or how much they may get paid more to play there. (See the comments from some players about the idea of leaving Phoenix to come play for the rabid hockey fans in Winnipeg, many would rather stay in Phoenix and play in front of 10,000 fans). We have had many players leave with nothing but good things to say about the team before, it still hasn't been enough to have players knocking down the doors to play here. And until TP puts his wallet/money where his mouth is, not much is gonna change. So I really don't expect much different this offseason, especially with Regier still in charge, he has been given the chance to spend to the cap before and the results weren't much different then when his supposed shackles were in place I hear what you're saying and i can't comment on Winnipeg but Buffalo is a different sorta' place. We all know the history of ex-hockey players and coaches that settle in this area. It's not like the NFL where players are dying to get back to their hometowns in Florida or Texas after the season. You get these gritty Canadian guys who grow up in small town Canada and for them Buffalo is a pretty cool place. They get beautiful homes out in Clarence and East Amherst for a fraction of the cost of big cities with good school systems for their kids. They get to live in "the States" with easy access to native Canada. They are as big of celebrities in Buffalo if not more than any city in America and the hockey community is awesome. Anyway, if they get the hockey operation up to the level of an elite organization, there's no reason Buffalo should not be at the top of any wish list for draftees and free agents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Enabler Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 The enter key is ur friend.... I think the trade deadline and the end of season brings out the newbies more than ever; all those lurkers waiting to release the excitement or frustrations. Let the keyboard diarrhea flow. Welcome to the board! :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lalalalalaFontaine Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 I'll believe all the delusions of grandeur with this franchise when i see it. regier as GM = status quo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freeezo Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 My question is where did "MAG's" come from? I guess a short answer might be behind Sekera? I thought they both looked pretty good game seven...I have to think mag's now has one heck of a future here.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 It's not only about spending to the cap. The new management can do a million little things to make this the most attractive hockey city for any draftee or free agent. They already started with the lockerroom and arena infrastructure. They can beef up the scouting and player personnel area and make it the most impressive in hockey (rather than a couple guys sitting in a room looking at video). They are already trying to get the team televised in Southern Ontario...thus catering to the many players from that area who would love to have their games on TV back home to their families (not to mention expanding the Sabres footprint in Canada). I can definitely envision players that would previously consider only Philly, NYR, Boston, etc...now giving Buffalo a much harder look. The word about an owner as generous and likeable as Pegula will definitely get around amongst the players. Things will definitely get better in Sabres land in the near future. Those couple of guys sitting in a room looking at video may be responsible for the A.H.L. rookie of the year 3 years running( Gerbe,Ennis,Adams) and Gragnani was voted outstanding defenceman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braedon Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 Those couple of guys sitting in a room looking at video may be responsible for the A.H.L. rookie of the year 3 years running( Gerbe,Ennis,Adams) and Gragnani was voted outstanding defenceman. +1. Although met with considerable negativity when it was first announced, the video scouting issue, in my eyes, has been very productive. There are sure to be people that still don't like it and disagree with me here, but I chalk it up to being cost-effective and having a higher rate of return than anticipated. Fix other areas off ice to make this a sought after destination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punch Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 There's no question Sabres' drafting and scouting has not suffered since greater reliance on video was introduced. I think it just means the Sabres had good personnel in place before the cutbacks--- and the personnel that remain are still good at scouting/drafting. Credit doesn't need to go to video necessarily, just to the group that has been here the whole time, which likely includes Darcy. Pegula enhancing the budget will probably not hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader1969 Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 As we turn our attention to next year. What will the Sabres Line-up look like?? Here is my guess: Forwards: Vanek - $7,142,857 Pominville - $5,300,000 Roy - $4,000,000 Boyes - $4,000,000 Gaustad - $2,300,000 Kaleta - $907,000 Ennis $875,000 Defence: Myers - $1,325,000 + $425,000 (bonus) Morrisson - $2,075,000 Goalie Miller - $6,250,000 Total Salary $34,599,857 players - 10 Cap $59,400,000 (Could go to $62,000,000) Unused Cap Space - $24,800,143 Trading: Hecht and Leopold for draft picks. Sign RFA's Stafford $4mill (??) Gerbe $1.5 Mill (??) Sekera $2.2 Mill (??) Weber $1 mill (??) Butler $2 mill (??) Gragnani $1 mill (??) Enroth $1.8 Mill (??) Cap Used $48,099,857 Unused Space $11,300,143 Players 17 Needs - 1 Defence - UFA's (4 to 5 Million -Beiska or Erhoff) 4 forwards - Kassian, Foligno and Adams potential rookies Greir - Vetern Leadership McCormack, Mancari resigned UFA's Wont have enough to sign Richards unless you clear out more cap. No other UFA forwards float my boat. If a trade is made it may have to be Roy but we are already lacking centres. Tough spot for Reiger! May mean that Boyes has to play 2nd line Centre??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 I don't see Hecht or Leopold going anywhere, for what it's worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesportsbuff Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 The problem with Pegula "opening his wallet" is you can only "buy" UFAs, and there are about three that I think would be a legitimate upgrade to the team. If we don't get Richards, I would rather them wait til next season and pick the next UFA crop (admittedly haven't looked to see who this could include) than have them sign another less-than-adequate center for 3 or 4 years (because face it, no UFA is gonna sign a 1 year deal). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChimp Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 Thanks for saying that. I skipped over it till I read yours. It was good. This is where I am. I gave this team up for dead in December, I enjoyed it right down to Ennis's slash on Pronger's hand at the end. There is a new "core" coming in, and they seem to be a lot tougher mentally. Let's hope they know to avoid the team water fountain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 The problem with Pegula "opening his wallet" is you can only "buy" UFAs, and there are about three that I think would be a legitimate upgrade to the team. If we don't get Richards, I would rather them wait til next season and pick the next UFA crop (admittedly haven't looked to see who this could include) than have them sign another less-than-adequate center for 3 or 4 years (because face it, no UFA is gonna sign a 1 year deal). Here's the question: Is a 10 year 80 million contract with Richards a good deal? (I'm not sure if that is the contract..but I think that'll be the starting point) He's probably got 5-6 years of production left providing he stays healthy (which is a big question). He's never been terrific defensively. Nor has he ever had a nasty streak (I think he won the Lady Byng) Pros: He might be the best PP player in the league. He gets off a million shots. I actually don't think Buffalo will make a play for Richards. I think they will sign a center and trade for one before draft day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 29, 2011 Report Share Posted April 29, 2011 I actually don't think Buffalo will make a play for Richards. I think they will sign a center and trade for one before draft day. Sign a #3 and trade for a #1a/#2 type. I think that's the most realistic option here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 That sound you hear...Pfffft ,oops :blink: sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Posted April 30, 2011 Report Share Posted April 30, 2011 The problem with Pegula "opening his wallet" is you can only "buy" UFAs, and there are about three that I think would be a legitimate upgrade to the team. If we don't get Richards, I would rather them wait til next season and pick the next UFA crop (admittedly haven't looked to see who this could include) than have them sign another less-than-adequate center for 3 or 4 years (because face it, no UFA is gonna sign a 1 year deal). Or make offer sheets to RFA's, but there's no way in freakin' heck I ever see Darcy pulling something like that. Waaaaaaay too agressive for Mr. Passive himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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