Eleven Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Oh, FFS they have to nominate someone from each team. Yeah, the guy has improved since the trade deadline (and not a minute before, by the way). He still is the second guy off of Sabres Island, only thanks to Leino. Too little, too late, and GTFO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastPommerFan Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Oh, FFS they have to nominate someone from each team. Yeah, the guy has improved since the trade deadline (and not a minute before, by the way). He still is the second guy off of Sabres Island, only thanks to Leino. Too little, too late, and GTFO. I just want him to go crazy through 50 games next year to ensure maximum deadline return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJFIVEOH Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I'm just as down on Staff as anyone. ( did I just say that ? :blink: ), but if he keeps working his tail off and stepping up for team mates I don't have a problem with him being around this team.( did I just say that ? :blink: ) I'm with you. I never thought I'd be supporting him sticking around. But he really turned things around when Nolan got here and he's taken it upon himself to be a leader. You can hear just in his interviews. Is he doing it for a contract? Who knows. If he is serious about stepping up and being a veteran leader during this rebuild, I'm all for keeping him. It's up to management to determine whether or not he's bluffing and offering him an appropriate contract when the time is right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 He's been good for the entire calendar year, maybe December too. He's playing like a leader and a legitimate NHL second-liner. I've been ready to drive him to the airport for a long time, but I gotta admit, I am starting to pull for the guy to succeed. He's been down so long and he seems to be turning it around through persistence and hard work. All I ever wanted to see out the guy was a consistent effort. He has never been this consistent over a 30 game stretch, never. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 He's been good for the entire calendar year, maybe December too. He's playing like a leader and a legitimate NHL second-liner. I've been ready to drive him to the airport for a long time, but I gotta admit, I am starting to pull for the guy to succeed. He's been down so long and he seems to be turning it around through persistence and hard work. All I ever wanted to see out the guy was a consistent effort. He has never been this consistent over a 30 game stretch, never. I agree with this. No one is going to give the Sabres a Murray-level return for Stafford as he is, anyway, so we're going to see what kind of a season he can pull out of his butt next year no matter what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 (edited) It's up to management to determine whether or not he's bluffing and offering him an appropriate contract when the time is right. I think there's bluffing going on both ways. I don't know if Nolan thinks Stafford is one of his best players, or if by calling him out as one of his best players he hopes to motivate him and hope for a self-fulfilling prophecy. That said, there's little risk on Nolan's side to do that. If Staff flops, he flops. He'd already flopped for most of this contract. But I also think in the case of Drew there's been some maturity issues and I like to think he's past that. I don't think the whole dynamic of "it's a contract year, I think I'll play well and then drop off once the contract is signed" will happen again. He hasn't enjoyed the last couple years any more than we've enjoyed watching him. I think he was caught in a crappy situation, a team going down the tubes, and the worse it got, the harder he pressed mentally and any sense of hope he had evaporated. We talk about Ville's potential depression issues; I can see where it would be much worse with Drew- he was the hot-shot kid of the Old Core, coming up a bit after the rest of them. He exceeded expectations and got the big contract, then couldn't live up to the new expectations, while all around him the Core was dismantled. It's probably been very tough on him. Now he finally gets an advocate for a coach and it clears the air. I don't think he ever wants to go back to where he's been the last couple years; I think he'll be a harder working player from here out. I'm really okay with the team re-signing him; I'm okay with him getting a better deal elsewhere. I wish him well either way, but hope he continues to be a leader on this team. Edited April 3, 2014 by Neuvirths Glove Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I agree with this. No one is going to give the Sabres a Murray-level return for Stafford as he is, anyway, so we're going to see what kind of a season he can pull out of his butt next year no matter what. And if he pulls that effort out of his butt next year, we get a nice return at the trade deadline. That has to be the most likely endgame here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTS Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 He'll be here all through next year. Contract extension in the off-season. They need to pay someone, it might as well be him. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 He'll be here all through next year. Contract extension in the off-season. They need to pay someone, it might as well be him. :) nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo I'd hear that but you're yelling in a sound proof padded cell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Lets just face it Eleven, Stafford is out of the doghouse for most people, and most like me don't mind having him around untill the trade deadline next year if he keeps this up :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Lets just face it Eleven, Stafford is out of the doghouse for most people, and most like me don't mind having him around untill the trade deadline next year if he keeps this up :P Oh I know he's here until the trade deadline. The idea of a contract extension, though?! As for me, I just don't get fooled again, as The Who would say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Great post Glove. For his past flaws on the ice, Stafford seems like a decent guy. I think that's a real good reading of his journey, and I hope a life lesson earned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campy Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Great post Glove. For his past flaws on the ice, Stafford seems like a decent guy. I think that's a real good reading of his journey, and I hope a life lesson earned. I think we're all hopeful Glove nailed it, but the way Staff's career has been - a few peaks surrounded by some pretty deep valleys - I'm not so sure he can sustain it. And I'd be okay with it if Staff proved me wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude_Verret Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 If the plan is to tank again next year, then I'm all for Drew being the go to guy on the top line, thank him for his efforts in helping us land McDavid and then part ways forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJFIVEOH Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I think there's bluffing going on both ways. I don't know if Nolan thinks Stafford is one of his best players, or if by calling him out as one of his best players he hopes to motivate him and hope for a self-fulfilling prophecy. That said, there's little risk on Nolan's side to do that. If Staff flops, he flops. He'd already flopped for most of this contract. But I also think in the case of Drew there's been some maturity issues and I like to think he's past that. I don't think the whole dynamic of "it's a contract year, I think I'll play well and then drop off once the contract is signed" will happen again. He hasn't enjoyed the last couple years any more than we've enjoyed watching him. I think he was caught in a crappy situation, a team going down the tubes, and the worse it got, the harder he pressed mentally and any sense of hope he had evaporated. We talk about Ville's potential depression issues; I can see where it would be much worse with Drew- he was the hot-shot kid of the Old Core, coming up a bit after the rest of them. He exceeded expectations and got the big contract, then couldn't live up to the new expectations, while all around him the Core was dismantled. It's probably been very tough on him. Now he finally gets an advocate for a coach and it clears the air. I don't think he ever wants to go back to where he's been the last couple years; I think he'll be a harder working player from here out. I'm really okay with the team re-signing him; I'm okay with him getting a better deal elsewhere. I wish him well either way, but hope he continues to be a leader on this team. I'm with you on pretty much all of that. If he can repeat next year what he's done under Nolan, I think he deserves to stick around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTS Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Oh I know he's here until the trade deadline. The idea of a contract extension, though?! As for me, I just don't get fooled again, as The Who would say. Part of me really believes that.. the other part does it just to bait you a bit :w00t: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 I think we're all hopeful Glove nailed it It's still weird to be referred to as Glove. Deep down (and on most other forums), I'm still Doohickie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Oh I know he's here until the trade deadline. The idea of a contract extension, though?! As for me, I just don't get fooled again, as The Who would say. Just wait not only until he's given the C, but he becomes the player to break the streak of captains being traded...and just by sheer number of years with the club gets to the point where he's inducted into the Sabres HoF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 It begs the question: Did the Sabres suck because Stafford sucked, or did Staff suck because the Sabres sucked? (or maybe it was the Lindy burnout and Rolston never-shoulda-been). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted April 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 (edited) It begs the question: Did the Sabres suck because Stafford sucked, or did Staff suck because the Sabres sucked? (or maybe it was the Lindy burnout and Rolston never-shoulda-been). It doesn't beg any questions. He sucked except for a contract year. Rolston came, Nolan came, inspired everyone but Stafford and Leino, and he still sucked. The trade deadline came, he wasn't traded, and he picked it up. Next year, of course, is another contract year. Edited April 4, 2014 by Eleven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 It doesn't beg any questions. He sucked except for a contract year. Rolston came, Nolan came, inspired everyone but Stafford and Leino, and he still sucked. The trade deadline came, he wasn't traded, and he picked it up. Next year, of course, is another contract year. I agree, maturity issues past or not, I don't trust the guy. I still don't think he is truly committed to playing hockey for the love of it. He plays it like a job and he is punching a time clock.... Nothing inspiring there. Let the guy go and whatever you do don't resign him. Foligno has already started picking up his bad habits... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom webster Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Sit down before you look further Paul Hamilton said he expects Stafford to be captain next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Sit down before you look further Paul Hamilton said he expects Stafford to be captain next year :death: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Sit down before you look further Paul Hamilton said he expects Stafford to be captain next year I heard that. So the next captain to get traded? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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