Buffalo Sports Man Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 It was tongue in cheek. Some people just didnt understand that he was handcuffed under previous ownership. Speaking with some in the biz, i've heard that he is considered a top notch GM. Dont forget all the young players he found via his video scouting, which was widely panned, especially by blowhards on this board. That got us the rookie of the year last year, and several AHL ROYs. He isnt perfect. But these recent moves arent those of a crappy GM. I like what ive seen so far, but outside of Richards, no FA excites me. Free Agent wise, I want Talbot to be my third Center or Fleischmann (If he passes a physical as he did miss much of the season with a Heart condition and I don't want to waste money on another Teppo, as much as I loved Teppo) as a second center if Roy goes to get a new number one (Stastny/Sharp/Spezza) with either Drury or (I hate myself for this) Connolly/Niedermayer as the third center. Richards is CERTAINLY the best player on the market. I want him but I don't want to overpay for him too much. A fair mark-up because multiple people want him is fine, but I don't want to be looking at a gross overpayment when there may be better values for younger yet tested players through trades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnabov Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Hockey Heaven baby! :thumbsup: Good god this is fun. Too right - it is so enjoyable to be excited this year and see everyone else wound up as well. Way different from the last several, wondering what scraps we might pick up and what would have to be offloaded to justify it to the former ownership. In very short order, Pegula has made an incredibly large positive impact as a new owner. Talk about putting one's money where one's mouth is! Go Sabres!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsrcursed Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Sekera because he's a wuss. I hate to rehash, but care to explain your opinion? Are you saying he's scared to play the body, or is it he's a wuss because he doesn't fight, or do you maybe just know the guy personally? Just curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DumbPuck Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I hate to rehash, but care to explain your opinion? Are you saying he's scared to play the body, or is it he's a wuss because he doesn't fight, or do you maybe just know the guy personally? Just curious... None of these. My opinion that Sekera is a wuss is based on the few dives and over-exaggerated reactions I've seen him make over the past season. I don't have any examples to show as people generally don't record and post such things on YouTube. I just recall throughout the whole season seeing several cringe-worthy Sekera moments that showed lack of heart and it frustrated me. Lots of retaliatory type things too ... and not good retaliatory a la Gerbe. Again, just my observations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Wow who wouldve ever thought that we would witness this from our SAbres...Im Speechless.... Cant wait to see what happens Friday morning when we wake up... I'm having a difficult time believing it will last long - so am I enjoying every moment of it while we have it. Holy crap, this off-season has already been relatively intense. I'm getting ancy for Friday like I was a kid anticipating Christmas. Of course, the Sabres may not pick up anyone Friday, but still, the whole vibe of "they are actually willing to do anything" is intoxicating. :clapping: So far Pegulaville is WAY better than Disneyland. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Sports Man Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 If they sign Ehrhoff Miller has no more excuses. #trudat I would probably say that with Regehr added to the lineup that Miller would have more excuses, but most certainly with the addition of Regehr. None of these. My opinion that Sekera is a wuss is based on the few dives and over-exaggerated reactions I've seen him make over the past season. I don't have any examples to show as people generally don't record and post such things on YouTube. I just recall throughout the whole season seeing several cringe-worthy Sekera moments that showed lack of heart and it frustrated me. Lots of retaliatory type things too ... and not good retaliatory a la Gerbe. Again, just my observations. My problem with Sekera is simply that he shows so much promise that he doesn't deliver on. Take a look at him playing in the Olympics; he was the best looking D-man on the team. When he was paired with Zdeno Chara. That and how he was the most-abused person on the D last year when it came to blown 2-on-1s. He's the best multi-tool player they have back there (among the young D-men). He doesn't play the body like Weber or move the puck and have the offensive upside like Gragnani, but if he can get put it all together... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braedon Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Terrence, you're blowing my mind. Anyone care to recall the last time we signed for a higher profile player's rights? I'm blanking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Terrence, you're blowing my mind. Anyone care to recall the last time we signed for a higher profile player's rights? I'm blanking. I have nothing to report. Of course, that's what makes it sweet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsrcursed Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 My problem with Sekera is simply that he shows so much promise that he doesn't deliver on. Take a look at him playing in the Olympics; he was the best looking D-man on the team. When he was paired with Zdeno Chara. That and how he was the most-abused person on the D last year when it came to blown 2-on-1s. He's the best multi-tool player they have back there (among the young D-men). He doesn't play the body like Weber or move the puck and have the offensive upside like Gragnani, but if he can get put it all together... Some could (would) argue coaching is the cause for his "impactful" play in the olympics as opposed to his rather lackluster play the last 2 years for Buffalo. For example, the blown 2 on 1's were primarily because of a poorly timed pinch, which Buffalo does rather agressively. Also, some would say Sekera is asked to not hit as much because he has a tendancy to get careless in terms of defensive responsibility. We've all seen that Sekera can hit and be physical, and IMO his all around play was much better when he was doing so. My question is, why is he not playing like that all the time? Specifically, why only in the olympics (for the most part)? You are right, though. It's frustrating watching someone you know has all the talent but can't quite put it together enough to become a consistent presence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Sports Man Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Some could (would) argue coaching is the cause for his "impactful" play in the olympics as opposed to his rather lackluster play the last 2 years for Buffalo. For example, the blown 2 on 1's were primarily because of a poorly timed pinch, which Buffalo does rather agressively. Also, some would say Sekera is asked to not hit as much because he has a tendancy to get careless in terms of defensive responsibility. 1) I doubt that Glen Hanlon is a superior coach to Lindy Ruff and the rest of the staff. His motivation may have been better then (and of course it's easy to look good when you're on the ice with Chara and you get more play directed to you. There's also the argument to be made that defenders and goaltenders have an advantage in the Olympics because putting an offense together is much harder than solid D. 2) We gave up a lot of 2-on-1s but our positioning all year on the play was DEPLORABLE. Great plays can overcome good defense, but if you take away the passing way, your goalie gets a 1 on 1 with limited ability to move in towards the center. Hence the great video of Lindy showing Sekera how to hit the deck after practice. We've all seen that Sekera can hit and be physical, and IMO his all around play was much better when he was doing so. My question is, why is he not playing like that all the time? Specifically, why only in the olympics (for the most part)? There is an argument that has been made about the heart of athletes from abroad (in the international sports of Hockey, Football/Soccer and emerging in the growth of Basketball globally) that says that the bulk of players who didn't grow up in an American-style system will always play harder in International play because being decorated for your country is worth ten Stanley Cups. I don't know if that's precisely the case with Sekera, who came to play in Major Junior with Owen's Sound when he was seventeen. I'd put more on the fact that playing on the defense is easier in international play and that playing with Chara will make you look good. There could also be a pressure element where he needs to be in a pressure cooker to get the best results. (Maybe the new Sports Psychologist that Terry/Teddy hired to go between the two teams can help him). You are right, though. It's frustrating watching someone you know has all the talent but can't quite put it together enough to become a consistent presence. It kills me because it's a place of organizational depth that's getting deeper (especially if we land Ehrhoff). It's possible he's expendable because he has the most talent of the younger guys. But if you have a solid top four of Myers-Erhoff/Regehr and Leopold-Regehr/Ehrhoff maybe having slightly more one dimensional players that seem to be making the most of their skills in MAGs and Weber and maybe Sekera goes off to get us someone else, say as part of a deal for a #1 Center (If Richards doesn't happen), for a #2 Center (If Roy goes in a trade to acquire a #1 Center) or for a #3 Center (If we can't afford Talbot and either Drury is too broken or there's too much bad blood to make it work). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesportsbuff Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Just wrote up a new blog post about the possibility of Ehrhoff, Richards, Kaberle and others signing with the Sabres. Check it out in my sig if you guys are interested, appreciate the reads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsrcursed Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 ^^ I didn't mean Glen Hanlon was superior, just that Andrej may excel in that style of coaching/gameplan as opposed to Lindy's style. I've always enjoyed our aggressive play in the offensive zone, but I was never keen on counting on 1 or 2 year D men to be able to handle such a responsibility, at least to the frequency they were asked to pinch. There are young guys who adapt very well to that scheme, but that seems to be an area where Sekera has faltered, alot. Everything else you said was spot on and I agree with. He should be a valuable moving piece if that is the direction Darcy chooses to go with him. I'm just not quite yet ready to give up on him. I think 1 or 2 more years can, and in his case will, improve his confidence enough for him to get over the mental hump he appears to have come to, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesportsbuff Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 ^^ I didn't mean Glen Hanlon was superior, just that Andrej may excel in that style of coaching/gameplan as opposed to Lindy's style. I've always enjoyed our aggressive play in the offensive zone, but I was never keen on counting on 1 or 2 year D men to be able to handle such a responsibility, at least to the frequency they were asked to pinch. There are young guys who adapt very well to that scheme, but that seems to be an area where Sekera has faltered, alot. I agree with this assessment of Sekera. My frustration with him almost ALWAYS stems from a bad pinch or an occasional turnover. But that's what Lindy asks for. Live by the sword and die by the sword. When Sekera was making good pinches he was playing remarkably well and contributing on offense. For a stretch last season he was damn near our best player for 2-3 games. But when you build up that confidence and you get a 50/50 puck coming towards the blue line, you get a little greedy and think you can pinch to keep it in -- instead it winds up behind you and your opponents are off on an odd man break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Sports Man Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Everything else you said was spot on and I agree with. He should be a valuable moving piece if that is the direction Darcy chooses to go with him. I'm just not quite yet ready to give up on him. I think 1 or 2 more years can, and in his case will, improve his confidence enough for him to get over the mental hump he appears to have come to, IMO. I agree with you, because he could be the best of them. But if he ends up being the lynch pin in another deal, I'm not going to think twice about pulling the trigger. The only concern with 'not ready to give up on him' and 'just a couple more years' is that it can bite you. They can't all be Drew Stafford this last year, and there's still no guarantee that's going to stick, though I think it will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsrcursed Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I agree with you, because he could be the best of them. But if he ends up being the lynch pin in another deal, I'm not going to think twice about pulling the trigger. The only concern with 'not ready to give up on him' and 'just a couple more years' is that it can bite you. They can't all be Drew Stafford this last year, and there's still no guarantee that's going to stick, though I think it will. Drew Stafford is the perfect example; all the talent in the world and a sky high ceiling, just not "mentally all in" yet. Should the Sabres decide to keep Sekera, I hope his outcome is the same. (wonder how he looks on stage with a guitar!) But ya, if he's a piece deemed necessary to move in order to improve the team overall, don't blink. In fact, there is less than a hand full of current Sabres who DON'T fit that bill. Nice conversation, I'm glad you've joined the forum. Look forward to more of your insight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrico Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I agree with this assessment of Sekera. My frustration with him almost ALWAYS stems from a bad pinch or an occasional turnover. But that's what Lindy asks for. Live by the sword and die by the sword. When Sekera was making good pinches he was playing remarkably well and contributing on offense. For a stretch last season he was damn near our best player for 2-3 games. But when you build up that confidence and you get a 50/50 puck coming towards the blue line, you get a little greedy and think you can pinch to keep it in -- instead it winds up behind you and your opponents are off on an odd man break. I know it's off topic, but I could definetly see Sekera being the whiping boy in Buffalo if the Tin Man is gone tomorrow. As for Ehroff, I like the move. I'd actually be surprised if we got a deal done before tomorrow at noon. I think Pegula wants the exclusive right to talk his ear off for a part of today. Then tomorrow when he starts fielding offers, the Sabres may be at the fore front of discussions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Dance Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 If they sign Ehrhoff Miller has no more excuses. #trudat Timmy Thomas had an off year and followed it up with a Vezina, a Conn Smythe and a Stanley Cup. Miller is certainly more than capable of doing the same. (From my mouth to God's ears...or TPeg's). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I was really high on Ehrhoff but after seeing him late in the playoffs I am less so. More than 5 for 3-4 years is too much for this guy. I am sure he has what it takes anymore to get the job done. I hope I am wrong and that he's amazing and we sign him for decent money. If he wants the moon though for his talents I am good with saying No. He was my go to defender but i think he may be weak in key situations. Time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaTB Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 From what I've heard he got a shoulder injury in the WCF and played thru the pain. Considering he has had one season in his career with a negative +/- , add in our group of defensemen with Lindy's coaching and i think he could blossom here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Hi everyone -- I've been quiet for a while due to post-season burnout followed by travel, work, etc., plus the lack of desire to rehash the same arguments/discussions I've already been through a million times here. But I cannot let the past week's events go unremarked on. First, the Sabres got a very good player in Regehr to waive a NTC to come to Buffalo. I'm pretty sure that has never happened before. Second, in Regehr, the Sabres added a very strong player (ie not a 2nd-tier or 3rd-tier guy like Spacek, Leopold, Montador, etc.) -- a guy with a very good league-wide reputation who is a top-4 defenseman on any team in the NHL (and you have to love the "tunnel of death" nickname -- both because it's a cool name and because it's well-deserved based on his youtube highlights). I can't remember the last time that happened. Third, the Regehr trade involved the Sabres essentially paying an extra $3MM in cash (for Kotalik's contract) to get the deal done. This has definitely never happened before. Fourth, the Sabres, at this stage anyway, appear to have gotten the better end of the Regehr trade by a wide margin. Darcy has pulled that off plenty of times, but not in a while. Fifth, the Sabres are now taking a strong shot at a guy in Erhoff who is the undisputed #1 UFA at his position. I'm pretty sure that has never happened before, and certainly not since the lockout. Sixth, the Sabres' pursuit of Erhoff means that they have identified an area of their team in need of improvement and are moving decisively to fix it with high-end, expensive veteran additions. This also has never happened before. Seventh, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I now kinda think the Sabres are going to get Erhoff, and I also kinda think they're going to get Richards. In other words, I half-expect them to add the #1 UFA defenseman AND the #1 UFA forward. I have never expected anything remotely like this out of the Sabres. Please thank the Hockey Gods for Terry Pegula every night before bed. Do you believe? I think I do. We're gonna win that Cup. Go Sabres. PS: This is my 5000th post. It's been a pleasure hanging out and talking hockey with all of you -- and I have a feeling it's gonna get much better. And, PAFan, if you're still lurking somewhere, please come home. We miss you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I was really high on Ehrhoff but after seeing him late in the playoffs I am less so. More than 5 for 3-4 years is too much for this guy. I am sure he has what it takes anymore to get the job done. I hope I am wrong and that he's amazing and we sign him for decent money. If he wants the moon though for his talents I am good with saying No. He was my go to defender but i think he may be weak in key situations. Time will tell. I wouldn't worry too much about that....he was out there for 103 games this year and with Hamhuis and Edler injured the Vancouver pairing suffered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I wouldn't worry too much about that....he was out there for 103 games this year and with Hamhuis and Edler injured the Vancouver pairing suffered. And as BuffaTB mentioned he was playing with a shoulder injury in the finals. That can't be discounted. He would add a lot of mobility to our D as well as other intangibles that would greatly improve this squad. Hope he signs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I wouldn't worry too much about that....he was out there for 103 games this year and with Hamhuis and Edler injured the Vancouver pairing suffered. Erhoff also was #2 in ice time during the regular season, at just under 24 minutes per game, for the team that finished #1 in offense and #1 in defense. Worth noting though that he dropped to #4 in ice time among Vancouver defensemen in the playoffs. He turned down $4.6MM x 5 years from the Canucks. IMHO it's gonna take at least $5.5MM x 6 years for the Sabres to sign him before Friday. Is he worth that much? Tough call, but I would say yes, almost as much for what it says to the rest of the NHL (including Richards) as for the inherent quality of the player. I wasn't impressed with his performance in the finals this year, but as has been noted up-thread it sounds like he was playing with an injury and still played about 22 minutes per game for the team that got to within 1 game of winning the Cup. He has 19 points in 35 playoff games over the past 2 years and has played in 73 playoff games since the lockout. He turns 29 next week, has been very durable (he's played at least 77 games in each of the last 5 seasons), and has decent size at 6'2", 200. Erhoff and Regehr would represent a huge upgrade over Tallinder and Lydman -- and the Sabres had excellent team defense the last year those 2 were here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGR4GM Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 And as BuffaTB mentioned he was playing with a shoulder injury in the finals. That can't be discounted. He would add a lot of mobility to our D as well as other intangibles that would greatly improve this squad. Hope he signs. that is true, i had forgotten he was injured in the finals. I am just hesitant to spend that on a defender when Myers and Sekera maybe can give us that in the next 2-3 years. I just worry about our cap hit. 5.25 for Ehrhoff would be good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulFuture Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Nothing from him directly. His agent said he had a very good conversation with Regier last night. He also said that he is very familiar with Pegula and the situation that happened with Regehr. Sounds fairly decent to this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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