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Who's left? Centers et al.


PromoTheRobot

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I didn't look up the cap hit, but you are right. I think we're going to have to emulate Boston - no superstar centers, but a good effective team as a whole.

If Lecavalier were on for three years at that price, it might work (again, as he is the most getable of the centers in question) and I'd be all for it.

 

I'll just sit here and hope against hope that Nicklas Backstrom has a run in with Washington ownership and they decide to overpay Semin and go after someone else. :beer:

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I didn't look up the cap hit, but you are right. I think we're going to have to emulate Boston - no superstar centers, but a good effective team as a whole.

That's pretty much what the guys over at TSN were saying about us after our recent acquisitions.

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Centers are so thin right now that if you can make that deal, you do. Even if it doesn't improve your depth. You've improved your club and at least haven't lost depth.

I agree with this 100% all things considered equal. In this particular situation all things are not equal. Right now the Sabres are basically in the dollar in dollar out mode. Even if they send Morrisonn and Kotalik to the ROC that is only a $5.075 mil savings.

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Not sure I agree, but it depends on the Sabres agenda. They still need a #1 center, not sure Leino gets you there. But while they wait for a guy to develop or consider a trade wouldn't it be better to sign a fill in and dump Jochen or Ales or both before the season starts.

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My only concern about Lecavalier is that it's a huge cap (7.7 Mil and change) hit for nine more years, including 58.5 in real money for the next six years (which is way less an issue for the Pegulaville Sabres), that will keep him on this team until he is forty.

For others' reference, this is what is left. The age is through April of that season.

 

Season...Age..Salary

2011-12...31...$10M

2012-13...32...$10M

2013-14...33...$10M

2014-15...34...$10M

2015-16...35...$10M

2016-17...36...$8M

2017-18...37...$4M

2018-19...38...$1.5M

2019-20...39...$1M

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I want my Sabres team that came out of the lockout. 3 lines that can score or shut you down and a 4th to go running ppl. 3 pairs of D that can skate.

 

Now with the roster as is I think we have that team back but with more of a edge on D then before. I don't think you can really have 3 solid lines and a superstar center. At least not without running into cap problems. But I think this model can win cups and not be a 1 year run team

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I do not think there is anyone out there left who the Sabres think can come even close to that #1 centre we all want. There's noone left even close to Derek Roy in fact. A top-line centre will come via trade. Of that I have no doubt. I am confident we will see something get done over the summer. Truth is, there isn't much left that we would want.

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i have been driving for the past four days (moving from boise to new jersey for a job...yuck), so forgive me if i mention something that's been blabbed about to death. that said, pegs and the team have said they want to win a cup within 3 years. we all knew richards was basically the one shining FA available this year with a considerable drop-off in the #1 center mold, but it's just the first off season this management team has had. i don't see anything wrong with signing an arnott/madden for THIS season, and trying again at the deadline or next july. it's a process to build a team, not an overnight overhaul. who knows, maybe someone from the farm blooms and the team fills the need internally (and cheaper).

 

i don't know the details regarding rumors of more trading activity by the sabres, but looking at the roster/cap the way it is, it's hard to believe they won't be dealing in the next couple of weeks/months before shoving off for the old country.

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We all agree finding front-line, top 2 centres is almost impossible, and yet we are so quick to trade Roy. That would seem to be self-defeating! You trade from your strength (defensemen and prospects) to improve your weaknesses or needs. Thus if we are to acquire a front-line centre, which I am totally sure Darcy and "money-bags" Pegula are both well-aware we need to finish the deal, it will come via trade from our strengths in the organization, and not from our one and only need, centre.

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Gerbe's not a center. Never was. More likely Hecht and Gerbe will be swapped. I would imagine that Pominville will be on Hecht's line as they have some chemistry.

 

 

I also think Boyes and Vanek could work well together on a regular basis - so swap Pominville with Boyes and give it a go.

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Assuming that Enroth/Sekera/Weber/Gragnani come in at a million each, and assuming Kotalik and Morrisonn both are sent to Rochester, you're already into the call up/trade buffer at just about 3 mil. And I am not sure that those four guys don't come in at 5 mil instead of four. Two million in cap space isn't enough room to do anything.

 

Edit: And yes, I do in fact prefer to have Hecht there, especially given his CORSI and Quality Time numbers.

Do Gragnani, Weber, and Enroth have a choice other than accepting the QO since they're not arbitration eligible?

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Nevermind, Sekera, Weber and Gragnani are all arbitration eligible.

 

Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) -- The Sabres have made qualifying offers to all their restricted free agents. Even with Drew Stafford signed, Darcy Regier says four others could elect salary arbitration. They are Nathan Gerbe, Andrej Sekera, Mike Weber and Marc Gragnani. They must declare arbitration by 5:00 on July 5th.
http://www.wgr550.com/4-Sabres-eligible-for-arbitration/10216864
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Nevermind, Sekera, Weber and Gragnani are all arbitration eligible.

 

http://www.wgr550.com/4-Sabres-eligible-for-arbitration/10216864

I get the feeling that after Kennedy last year, Gerbe this year and the general hope around the team that, being younger guys, they're not going to go that route. None of them really have the stats to benefit by it, but then again I don't know what the QO's looked like.

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Lets keep religions out of this. :rolleyes:

 

As for the topic.

 

It doesn't make sense to trade the only center you have for another center even if it could be considered an upgrade. The Sabres need to find a way add a center by using some of their other assets.

 

Another consideration is that the deal proposed in the initial post would add another $3 mil this year and next. Which the Sabres just can not afford unless they move one of the bigger contracts out. That would leave the Sabres only $16 mil next season with only 11 players under contract. Even if the Cap goes up it may not go up enough to really help.

Better is relative.

 

Spezza is insanely talented....if he didn't have a brain the size of a walnut, he might be one of the best ever.

 

Roy is very talented, and annoyingly persistent, and gets nearly the most out of what he's got in terms of physical ability and size.

 

Having said that....Spezza has so much talent I get angry watching him, and I hate Ottawa. He could dominate every game he's in. He reminds me of Nuke Laloosh from the movie Bull Durham. He's that good, and he's that stupid.

 

I'm pretty sure there are times when coaches tell Spezza....don't think, just play. He can't think his way through a game, but he sure can play.

Because the Sabres are extremely thin at center and because Spezza has no (hockey) sense, I'd want nothing to do w/ that trade.

 

Though Roy isn't exactly my favorite Sabre, I'm quite certain that Spezza would be my least favorite by far. He'd possibly even supplant Smehlik on my all-time list. (Even Juneau couldn't do that.)

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Gerbe's not a center. Never was. More likely Hecht and Gerbe will be swapped. I would imagine that Pominville will be on Hecht's line as they have some chemistry.

That would be my take as well.

 

Nevermind, Sekera, Weber and Gragnani are all arbitration eligible.

 

http://www.wgr550.com/4-Sabres-eligible-for-arbitration/10216864

Leave it to GR to state that Gerbe is arbitration eligible. :doh:

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You guys serious? Roy missed the entire second half of last season. Derek "Tin Man" Roy if you ask me. I'd trade him for a bag of pucks and a philly cheesesteak.

 

 

 

:doh:

 

 

Don't go there!

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