Sekera (&Ellis) Re-Signed

[dudacek]

Good contract for Rej that will look really good in a few years.

He has top four skills and can be a horse when his heads on straight.

We've gone through the growing pains and this contract should be the payoff.

 

PS I know the consensus is Regehr with Myers, and there is a history of Regehr and Leopold, but the idea of Regehr and Sekera really intrigues me.

[SabresFan526]

The more you think about this, this is actually a pretty good deal for Sekera and the Sabres. Had this gone to arbitration, I think he likely would have done well and gotten $3-$3.25 million. This is also a very movable contract as he brings what many teams need as a good skating, puck moving defenseman, with speed at a relatively cheap cap hit for 4 years. It's not so big that you can't move this contract in a trade. And, this contract will either be a bargain for the Sabres or a good contract that could be traded away and bring some real value back to Buffalo via trade. Sekera is one of the Sabres assets that I believe can fetch a decent return. Good deal all the way around.

[Bullwinkle]

I thought anything under 3 would be a good deal. He would have gotten that in Arby, IMO.

I like the term.

 

Why I like the deal.

 

- Sekera is tough to match in speed.

- He's still improving.

- As a 2nd and 3rd pairing guy - this will open a lot of ice from the backend

- he's flexible in terms of pairings.

- This is a very moveable deal - half the teams in the league need the puck-moving

backender

- Basically it looked like a nod to Steve Montador's contract in Chicago.

- I expect that some nights he will lead the team in ice-time again.

- For a 15 game stretch, in the playoff chase around March, he was the Sabres best player. Hands-down.

-If he can stay in the line-up I expect 100 SOG.

 

 

I couldn't have said it better. A good signing for a potentially top 4 defenseman. I'm thinking Weber may be the trade bait at this point.

[RazielSabre]

I hope they stick with what they have on defense unless it is part of a huge deal for a big-time center ... I agree it seems very crowded at first glance with 7 guys (plus Morrisonn), but someone is always hurt, so you need 7 at the very least, IMO. And I have to wonder if we are all jumping the gun on Gragnani. As far as I am concerned, he still has a lot to prove ... he was good in the playoffs, but with Ehrhoff around there is not such a need for a PP specialist, and there are still going to be growing pains with his overall game. As good as he was, he didn't do anything that Nathan Paetsch didn't do a couple times in his career for a couple weeks at a time. He is by far the the least experienced and being the 7th d-man is probably about right for him at this point in his career.

 

Ok, fair enuff. I think i was counting 8 before morrison for some reason, going mad. Maybe it doesn't force our hand so much, I reconsider lol. MAG looked good, but he still has to prove his an NHL defenseman as you say. I don't want this to stop promising prospects from getting a shot though, that's my worry.

[Guest Sloth]

I hope this ends up as a sign and trade type of deal for Sekera. Buffalo has major concerns at center, and I'm sure if they offered Sekera, Pominville or Boyes and a decent draft pick they could pick up a very good center. Buffalo just has a major log jam in the defense department. Not happy w/ the amount of money being given to Sekera.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I hope this ends up as a sign and trade type of deal for Sekera. Buffalo has major concerns at center, and I'm sure if they offered Sekera, Pominville or Boyes and a decent draft pick they could pick up a very good center. Buffalo just has a major log jam in the defense department. Not happy w/ the amount of money being given to Sekera.

 

You would have been even less happy with the arbitration award then.

 

And I'd love to see your list of the guys they can get for that package. They are not getting a "very good center" without one of their top prospects in the deal ... expensive rental guys like Pomminstein or Boyes are not going to cut it.

[RazielSabre]

I hope this ends up as a sign and trade type of deal for Sekera. Buffalo has major concerns at center, and I'm sure if they offered Sekera, Pominville or Boyes and a decent draft pick they could pick up a very good center. Buffalo just has a major log jam in the defense department. Not happy w/ the amount of money being given to Sekera.

 

This is assuming Leino sucks as a center. Assuming his ok it gives us Roy, Leino, Gausted, Mccormick and Adams, with Hecht and Boyes able to step in (albeit with lowered production). I could be missing something but thats the way I see it.

 

We are pretty stacked at defense but the more I think about it (with the help of BetweenThePipes00s post) the more I think we should hold off and see who sinks and who swims, we dont have enough of a gaping hole to have to run around trading assets...yet. IMO

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

 

I need my coffee. I read this and thought Reggie killed Lorenzo Lamas in a DWI accident. Curse you GoDD

 

I am just not happy about this at all. I've said it before....when it is crunch time, Sekera plays scared. He coughs up the puck under pressure, has zero physical game to speak of, and is the type of guy who will hide when a challenge presents itself. This signing is just a reminder who has built and coached the team the past decade.

 

You have Erhoff and Leopold. You have Myers. You have Gragnani, who showed more poise than almost anyone on the ice against Philly. Then you have Sekera who is defending a 1 on 3 against Richards.....who ends up bursting through two Sabres forwards, but instead of being met by a shoulder at full speed.....or at the very least neutralised off the puck.....Sekera continued to backskate all the way past the goaline and tried to pokecheck as Richards scored.

 

 

And giving $4.25 million in cash up front to this guy is not good. Not even for salary cap reasons, but for social reasons.

 

I just can't get behind giving your #6 defenseman $3 million a year. I guess I can dream that if he doesn't shape up his act on/off the ice, they can bury him in Rochester. But in reality I know Sekera is the type of guy Darcy wishes he was when he played.

[RazielSabre]

I am just not happy about this at all. I've said it before....when it is crunch time, Sekera plays scared. He coughs up the puck under pressure, has zero physical game to speak of, and is the type of guy who will hide when a challenge presents itself. This signing is just a reminder who has built and coached the team the past decade.

 

You have Erhoff and Leopold. You have Myers. You have Gragnani, who showed more poise than almost anyone on the ice against Philly. Then you have Sekera who is defending a 1 on 3 against Richards.....who ends up bursting through two Sabres forwards, but instead of being met by a shoulder at full speed.....or at the very least neutralised off the puck.....Sekera continued to backskate all the way past the goaline and tried to pokecheck as Richards scored.

 

 

And giving $4.25 million in cash up front to this guy is not good. Not even for salary cap reasons, but for social reasons.

 

I just can't get behind giving your #6 defenseman $3 million a year. I guess I can dream that if he doesn't shape up his act on/off the ice, they can bury him in Rochester. But in reality I know Sekera is the type of guy Darcy wishes he was when he played.

 

I don't think they intend him to be a 3rd line Dman, maybe their hoping he'll compete with Leopold or at least have a breakout year like Brian Campbell. He'd be a steal then.

 

It's a big risk, and thats what Darcy seems to be doing atm, make big flashy decisions to show the league we mean business. Can't say I think anything his done so far is outright bad, a big risk maybe, but not bad as such.

[X. Benedict]

Two things that should be brought to the discussion with Sekera

 

He made a great pairing with Myers. They seemed to click. '

 

The other thing is the time that is spent chasing this guy.....

 

Check out the On-Ice Corsi.....pretty much reflects the possession time Buffalo gets with Sekera on the ice.

 

http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_statistics.php?ds=29&s=30&f1=2010_s&f2=5v5&f4=D&f5=BUF&f7=20-&c=0+1+3+5+11+12+13+14+15+16+29+30+31+35+36+37+38+39+40+47+48+49+50+51+52+53+54+55+56

 

no fluke to that number...he was getting up to 25 minutes some nights.

 

Puck movers......if you can't live with them, you have the problem of living without them.

[korab rules]

I am just not happy about this at all. I've said it before....when it is crunch time, Sekera plays scared. He coughs up the puck under pressure, has zero physical game to speak of, and is the type of guy who will hide when a challenge presents itself. This signing is just a reminder who has built and coached the team the past decade.

 

You have Erhoff and Leopold. You have Myers. You have Gragnani, who showed more poise than almost anyone on the ice against Philly. Then you have Sekera who is defending a 1 on 3 against Richards.....who ends up bursting through two Sabres forwards, but instead of being met by a shoulder at full speed.....or at the very least neutralised off the puck.....Sekera continued to backskate all the way past the goaline and tried to pokecheck as Richards scored.

 

 

And giving $4.25 million in cash up front to this guy is not good. Not even for salary cap reasons, but for social reasons.

 

I just can't get behind giving your #6 defenseman $3 million a year. I guess I can dream that if he doesn't shape up his act on/off the ice, they can bury him in Rochester. But in reality I know Sekera is the type of guy Darcy wishes he was when he played.

You've made several veiled references to Shakira's character/life off the ice. Do you have some information to back this up you would like to share or are you just throwing sh!t against the wall?

[Weave]

You've made several veiled references to Shakira's character/life off the ice. Do you have some information to back this up you would like to share or are you just throwing sh!t against the wall?

 

 

*flings poo at korab rules*

[nobody]

That does sound appealing to me, a guy you think is far more than a 3rd pairing guy skating in the 3rd pairing. Depth is a wonderful thing.

 

 

As you and others have said - this is why this is a great deal. To be able to play your guys against a lower level group will lead to more scoring opportunities. More opportunities may lead to more goals for and less goals against which may lead to more wins. It's all about the wins.

 

You do have to worry that some players may see this as a way to not have to play hard every shift. But at least in terms of the D - when you have two guys waiting to get out of their suits and on to the ice you would think any slacking will be limited.

[Bullwinkle]

I am just not happy about this at all. I've said it before....when it is crunch time, Sekera plays scared. He coughs up the puck under pressure, has zero physical game to speak of, and is the type of guy who will hide when a challenge presents itself. This signing is just a reminder who has built and coached the team the past decade.

 

You have Erhoff and Leopold. You have Myers. You have Gragnani, who showed more poise than almost anyone on the ice against Philly. Then you have Sekera who is defending a 1 on 3 against Richards.....who ends up bursting through two Sabres forwards, but instead of being met by a shoulder at full speed.....or at the very least neutralised off the puck.....Sekera continued to backskate all the way past the goaline and tried to pokecheck as Richards scored.

 

 

And giving $4.25 million in cash up front to this guy is not good. Not even for salary cap reasons, but for social reasons.

 

I just can't get behind giving your #6 defenseman $3 million a year. I guess I can dream that if he doesn't shape up his act on/off the ice, they can bury him in Rochester. But in reality I know Sekera is the type of guy Darcy wishes he was when he played.

 

Yeah, this guy has made mistakes. But remember that Dmen generally take a longer to develop than forwards. He's 25, about ready to hit his full potential. If you want to recall highlights, what about his rush in Game 2 of the playoffs where he neatly put the puck over Bobrovsky's shoulder? Not many of our Dmen can do that so smoothly.

 

The guy definitely has potential and I think it's worth the $ to see exactly how good he gets.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Yeah, this guy has made mistakes. But remember that Dmen generally take a longer to develop than forwards. He's 25, about ready to hit his full potential. If you want to recall highlights, what about his rush in Game 2 of the playoffs where he neatly put the puck over Bobrovsky's shoulder? Not many of our Dmen can do that so smoothly.

 

The guy definitely has potential and I think it's worth the $ to see exactly how good he gets.

 

Right, he scored that goal....but was also on the ice for the play I mentioned.

 

Everyone loves his offense. I get it. I figured with a 2 way player like Leopold...Myers, Ehrhoff...and Gragnani looking like he was a 10 year vet with his poise.....we could do without a guy who crumbles in his own end. I would have much rather spent that money on a guy in the Montador mold. We have the offensive upside already back there. I want to see a responsible unit with character. In my opinion Sekera is a hole in that dam....and at $3 mil per, not one that will be plugged quickly.

[Taro T]

Good contract for Rej that will look really good in a few years.

He has top four skills and can be a horse when his heads on straight.

We've gone through the growing pains and this contract should be the payoff.

 

PS I know the consensus is Regehr with Myers, and there is a history of Regehr and Leopold, but the idea of Regehr and Sekera really intrigues me.

Provided the 6th defenseman in the lineup is Weber rather than MAG (& I would expect that to be the case) I am fine w/ that pairing. It gives you Ehrhoff-Myers and Leopold-Weber. I don't like the idea (on paper at least) of MAG & Leopold.

 

I couldn't have said it better. A good signing for a potentially top 4 defenseman. I'm thinking Weber may be the trade bait at this point.

Weber is the only young NHL ready stay at home D-man they have. He could get traded, as part of the right trade, but I don't see him as "trade bait" per se.

 

They have a glut of young NHL ready (on paper at least) offensively skilled D-men. I'd far more likely expect to see Sekera or MAG or 1 of the kids on the farm go before I'd expect to see Weber gone. Again, not saying he won't get traded, somebody else might really want him part of a package, but I expect he'd be pretty far down the list of guys the Sabres would dangle.

 

I hope this ends up as a sign and trade type of deal for Sekera. Buffalo has major concerns at center, and I'm sure if they offered Sekera, Pominville or Boyes and a decent draft pick they could pick up a very good center. Buffalo just has a major log jam in the defense department. Not happy w/ the amount of money being given to Sekera.

As stated elsewhere, Sekera, Pominville, and a pick will not likely garner a "very good center." I could see it garnering a 3rd line center (which the team does need), but 1 could probably be had for a bit less and I don't know that I'd call a 3rd line center "very good," though he might be very good at what he does.

 

And Reggie would have gotten more in arbitration. For D-men, he's top 50 in points and top 40 in assists & +/-.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

You've made several veiled references to Shakira's character/life off the ice. Do you have some information to back this up you would like to share or are you just throwing sh!t against the wall?

 

Let's just say, Tim Connolly of the defense.

 

Now he's just about getting paid like him as well.

 

I don't like his fortitude on the ice. When you see/hear things off as well......it just does no good to bank on someone like that. I was again swapping stories this weekend with someone who has a good feel of the pulse on things.....and we were saying, sure....Jim Kelly and company would party 4 days a week when they were playing, but they were men on the field. Kelly throws a bad INT....runs the guy down and breaks his leg.

[LastPommerFan]

Right, he scored that goal....but was also on the ice for the play I mentioned.

 

Everyone loves his offense. I get it. I figured with a 2 way player like Leopold...Myers, Ehrhoff...and Gragnani looking like he was a 10 year vet with his poise.....we could do without a guy who crumbles in his own end. I would have much rather spent that money on a guy in the Montador mold. We have the offensive upside already back there. I want to see a responsible unit with character. In my opinion Sekera is a hole in that dam....and at $3 mil per, not one that will be plugged quickly.

 

with no nmc and a plethera of guys waiting in the wings, this contract CAN NOT BE BAD. If he plays well, it's a bargain. If he shows up drunk at the rink 5 minutes before puck drop with 3 hookers (one of which is clearly dead), then he gets sent to rochester and likely vacates to the KHL once the bulk of checks have cleared. There is aboslutely no way this contract in and of itself can hurt the sabres.

 

Your point about Lindy and Darcy forcing the issue even if he sucks could potentially prove out, but the belief that Darcy and Lindy were forced to keep/play certain players is a reasonable stance. Even if they love him. If he is hurting the team Mr. Black will handle his departure.

[LastPommerFan]

Let's just say, Tim Connolly of the defense.

 

Now he's just about getting paid like him as well.

 

I don't like his fortitude on the ice. When you see/hear things off as well......it just does no good to bank on someone like that. I was again swapping stories this weekend with someone who has a good feel of the pulse on things.....and we were saying, sure....Jim Kelly and company would party 4 days a week when they were playing, but they were men on the field. Kelly throws a bad INT....runs the guy down and breaks his leg.

 

My all-time favorite football memory. That play is the inspiration for how I work at my job right now.

 

I'm an engineer...

[beerme1]

This has forced our hand to move someone, now whether it's Sekera or not I don't know. My money is on them moving Sekera or Weber, more like Sekera due to his pricetag. I also suspect we will get fishing for prospects and picks, not any more forwards unless they trade a few players for one high skill player, or trade players away to sign one of the remaining UFAs.

 

No way they move either Weber or Sekera. I believe Darcy when he talked about how important depth is at D come playoff time. This organization doesn't strike me as liekly to sign and trade unless they kept the signing quiet maybe and the player knew it. I also think with teh up front money it is designed for us.

Weber is going to be tutored by Regehr and Sekera can really play huge minutes if he had to and maybe the best skater on the team imo.

[DumbPuck]

Let's just say, Tim Connolly of the defense.

 

Now he's just about getting paid like him as well.

 

I don't like his fortitude on the ice. When you see/hear things off as well......it just does no good to bank on someone like that. I was again swapping stories this weekend with someone who has a good feel of the pulse on things.....and we were saying, sure....Jim Kelly and company would party 4 days a week when they were playing, but they were men on the field. Kelly throws a bad INT....runs the guy down and breaks his leg.

 

I have had an issue trying to articulate my issue with Sekera. I would be more than happy to steal your summary here as my own. Sekera is the Tim Connoly of the D-squad in my opinion. No heart. Yeh there's skill... but he always seems like his heart isn't in it. I also see him doing a lot of silly retaliatory crap that I would expect out of Kaleta before Sekera.

[X. Benedict]

No way they move either Weber or Sekera. I believe Darcy when he talked about how important depth is at D come playoff time. This organization doesn't strike me as liekly to sign and trade unless they kept the signing quiet maybe and the player knew it. I also think with teh up front money it is designed for us.

Weber is going to be tutored by Regehr and Sekera can really play huge minutes if he had to and maybe the best skater on the team imo.

 

Don't be surprised if Sekera is moved.

Sekera's contract sets up very nicely for trade deadline.

 

3 of the 11 million will be paid off by the 2012 trade deadline, meaning Sekera will have 3.25 years @ 8 million left. Which will be an easily moveable balance for a puck-mover who can play 25 minutes a night. Provided Sekera plays solid hockey....that's a nice piece to spin to nab a bigger fish at the trade deadline. And based on prospects in Rochester, odds are you can replace him without a huge falloff.

[tom webster]

I am just not happy about this at all. I've said it before....when it is crunch time, Sekera plays scared. He coughs up the puck under pressure, has zero physical game to speak of, and is the type of guy who will hide when a challenge presents itself. This signing is just a reminder who has built and coached the team the past decade.

 

You have Erhoff and Leopold. You have Myers. You have Gragnani, who showed more poise than almost anyone on the ice against Philly. Then you have Sekera who is defending a 1 on 3 against Richards.....who ends up bursting through two Sabres forwards, but instead of being met by a shoulder at full speed.....or at the very least neutralised off the puck.....Sekera continued to backskate all the way past the goaline and tried to pokecheck as Richards scored.

 

 

And giving $4.25 million in cash up front to this guy is not good. Not even for salary cap reasons, but for social reasons.

 

I just can't get behind giving your #6 defenseman $3 million a year. I guess I can dream that if he doesn't shape up his act on/off the ice, they can bury him in Rochester. But in reality I know Sekera is the type of guy Darcy wishes he was when he played.

 

 

Don't you think that besides the front loaded contracts making sense by making players easier to move down the road, that they also serve a purpose with respect to what you would do when you buy a new business, sinking loads into assets early on in order to reap prime depreciation benefits?

 

On a hockey point, I have a higher regard for Sekera's hockey skills, never thought he played scared and with regard to the play you mention, I right it off as over aggressiveness and rust coming back from injury.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Don't you think that besides the front loaded contracts making sense by making players easier to move down the road, that they also serve a purpose with respect to what you would do when you buy a new business, sinking loads into assets early on in order to reap prime depreciation benefits?

 

On a hockey point, I have a higher regard for Sekera's hockey skills, never thought he played scared and with regard to the play you mention, I right it off as over aggressiveness and rust coming back from injury.

 

I'm not talking about the hockey cash....they can pay all day.

 

I'm talking about someone going to HSBC today with a check in hand for more than their entire lifetime of earnings.....when maybe cash-happy activities off the ice could be a problem. That's all.

 

I've seen Sekera cough up the puck along the boards in his own zone more often than any Sabre in recent memory. I've also seen him or his teammate not come out with the puck on 1 on 2's. I think he is a weak link and again, I think Darcy underestimates a problem by only going to the well with Regehr....much like Niedermayer was brought in to "solve" the lack of playoff experience. I don't care how potent something is.....when you dilute it with enough crap around it...you don't get efficient results.

 

I am not really worried about the defense as a whole, and on paper they are probably top 5 in the league. To me though...Sekera represents the Darcy Ideal.....and that is where my total clash in philosophy with him is evident. I would rather have Montador or someone of his like on this team, bar-none.

 

I hope X is right and they can dangle him for some grit up front at soem point. I just don't see how you let a 3rd center like Max Talbot walk for under $2 million and throw buku dollars at a guy you have 4 other versions of...all better in many aspects of the all-around game.

[LGR4GM]

First: Trading Mike Weber is the worst Idea I have heard. Lets trade the only guy who sticks up for miller and makes forwards think twice about starting sh*t... no

 

Second: Sekera a good offensive defensman according to 90% of this board + Pommers a first line 65pt a year or more rw with a great 2way game and a pick gets you way more than a 3rd line center, that would get you dubinsky... good god why does no one value players the way they should unless they like them... I hate Shakira but guess what a lot of teams would love his puck moving skills... really? a 1st line winger and a pick and a top 4 defender only gets you a 3rd line center? bull.