nfreeman Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 I'll give you the 6 year term, that should be reserved for difference makers. But barely over a $4 million cap hit? Here are the 20 closest in terms of cap hit: http://capgeek.com/c.../?player_id=732 There are without question better players than Hodgson on that list, especially if you only consider this season. But difference makers? I only count a handful of those, and a whole lot of "can be valuable in the right situation" players. Of course, it's very possible we think of different things with the term "difference maker." But the 6-year term is the whole point. You don't give that term to a guy who isn't a difference-maker. When you do, you cement in a Darcy-like acceptance of mediocrity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted December 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 @CraigCustance: Sabres haven't gotten any trade calls yet on their goalies but Murray keeping that option open as well. @CraigCustance: He hasn't yet, but Tim Murray nearing point where he'll reach out to agents of both Neuvirth & Enroth to get a feel for contract talks. These appear to be directly from Murray and not "sources." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sicknfla Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 @CraigCustance: Sabres haven't gotten any trade calls yet on their goalies but Murray keeping that option open as well. @CraigCustance: He hasn't yet, but Tim Murray nearing point where he'll reach out to agents of both Neuvirth & Enroth to get a feel for contract talks. These appear to be directly from Murray and not "sources." I would do it sooner rather than later. Go with the guy that seems the most economical. Goalies are usually mid-season trades to desperate (Edmonton) teams. This is not a trade deadline scenario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brawndo Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 I would do it sooner rather than later. Go with the guy that seems the most economical. Goalies are usually mid-season trades to desperate (Edmonton) teams. This is not a trade deadline scenario. Wonder if he is waiting for Hackett to return and then he trades one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwksndmonster Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 But the 6-year term is the whole point. You don't give that term to a guy who isn't a difference-maker. When you do, you cement in a Darcy-like acceptance of mediocrity. I don't agree with you here. I would if Darcy was still the GM. Now that Tim's here the Hodgson contract sucks, but it's not cementing any message. Just another challenge for our intrepid hero to overcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunkard Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 I would do it sooner rather than later. Go with the guy that seems the most economical. Goalies are usually mid-season trades to desperate (Edmonton) teams. This is not a trade deadline scenario. Edmonton would be a good spot to send one of our goalies since they've both shown to hold up reasonably well despite facing a barrage of shots from night to night. Any chance they would bite with them being pending UFA's though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 I don't agree with you here. I would if Darcy was still the GM. Now that Tim's here the Hodgson contract sucks, but it's not cementing any message. Just another challenge for our intrepid hero to overcome. My point was simply that in giving that contract to a non-difference-maker, Darcy was cementing in the team's mediocrity. I wasn't expressing an opinion on TM in this context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwksndmonster Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 My point was simply that in giving that contract to a non-difference-maker, Darcy was cementing in the team's mediocrity. I wasn't expressing an opinion on TM in this context. I thought you were connecting Hodgson's contract to the culture, my bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samson's Flow Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 Concerning Hodgson - while he has certainly not been effective this year, I think that he is the type of player both in style and skill that requires a talented lineup around him to be most effective. Playing him without natural finishers and talented forwards will (and has) render him painfully ineffective. Put him on the 06 sabres lineup and he puts up 50-60 points easy. Right now the team is historically bad. You won't get anything of value for him given the length of the deal. Keep in mind he is still only 24 yrs old. There's room to grow/improve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Crotch Posted December 8, 2014 Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 Concerning Hodgson - while he has certainly not been effective this year, I think that he is the type of player both in style and skill that requires a talented lineup around him to be most effective. Playing him without natural finishers and talented forwards will (and has) render him painfully ineffective. Put him on the 06 sabres lineup and he puts up 50-60 points easy. ...but this applies to any player in the league. Surround them with great players and their number improve. But, only a select few put up good numbers regardless of whom they are on the ice with. Those are the "difference makers" that we need to find IMHO. I conjecture that Hodgson is a "Darcy guy" with a contract that Murray wouldn't mind shedding if he can. That is my thought on Myers as well. Time will tell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huckleberry Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I agree. I think Grigorenko's true potential is just starting to show through. His skating is markedly improved and I believe that was a key reason he appeared "lazy" or "slow" during his NHL time. He simply couldn't skate well. Reminds me a bit of what is going on with Draisaitl out in Edmonton. That and he pretty much is the best we got when it comes to face offs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 When is it time for "mid season trade speculation"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 When is it time for "mid season trade speculation"? ;) Really this stuff normally just goes in Around the NHL. I only started the thread because there was some important Sabre-related rumors floated a while ago. I can lock it and go back to Around the NHL if we'd rather do it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eleven Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 ;) Really this stuff normally just goes in Around the NHL. I only started the thread because there was some important Sabre-related rumors floated a while ago. I can lock it and go back to Around the NHL if we'd rather do it that way. Do whatever you'd like. I don't mind a trade speculation thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 ;) Really this stuff normally just goes in Around the NHL. I only started the thread because there was some important Sabre-related rumors floated a while ago. I can lock it and go back to Around the NHL if we'd rather do it that way. I made one around this time last year too because of all of the Sabres rumors. I like a separate thread for trade thoughts/speculations. Keep it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunomatic Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Make it so #1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Sure. That's what the suggested returns include. If picks are in there and don't appear to significantly diminish the physical return them I'm okay. Picks are more liquid currency than actual players though. So even if he gets picks, he can package them up for prospects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Picks are more liquid currency than actual players though. So even if he gets picks, he can package them up for prospects. True. I will not be surprised if we trade one of the Isles/Blues picks by the deadline. In fact, I'm kind of expecting it at this point. Sweeten the pot of an expiring contract to get a better deal (Stewart especially). It'd be appealing for a team like Boston who may want a long-term asset in a Stewart deal since they likely can't afford him after this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 (edited) Not quite speculation for right now but going into this offseason the Blackhawks will have $66 million dedicated to 15 players. Expected cap right now is $73 million meaning they'll have $7 million for eight players... This is what their depth looks like with the player's cap hit in parenthesis: Saad (RFA) - Toews (10.5) - Hossa (5.275) Versteeg (2.2) - XXX - Kane (10.5) Bickell (4) - Shaw (2) - Sharp (5.9) XXX - Kruger (RFA) - Smith (1.5) Keith (5.5) - Seabrook (5.8) Hjalmarsson (4.1) - XXX Rundblad (RFA) - Van Riemsdyk (.9) Crawford (6) - Raanta (.75) The obvious candidates to be moved as soon as possible are Versteeg and Bickell. Bickell will be next to impossible to move. Versteeg is having a good year but will teams just see that as a product of playing with Richards/Kane? Probably. The names always thrown around are Patrick Sharp and Nik Hjalmarsson. I hope Tim Murray is all over both this offseason if they do become available. (For the record, the Bruins cap situation isn't terrible. $56M dedicated to 14 guys. That's with Rask, Chara, Seidenberg, Bergeron, Lucic, Krejci, Marchand, Eriksson and Kelly all locked up at good numbers for their value. Just two dmen signed but Krug will be a third. They can manage that. Won't be able to add much.) Buffalo's cap situation? $36M dedicated to 13 players. That number won't go up much once they add guys like Grigorenko, Armia, Reinhart and possibly this year's first to the mix and possibly trade off a piece or two. Edited December 9, 2014 by Tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildCard Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 21 million, or nearly 30% spent on 2 players. That's insane. Though, I guess us tank supporters are going to have to get used to it; contracts are only going to go up and McEichel will probably land around 12 million/year after their ECL are burned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 (For the record, the Bruins cap situation isn't terrible. $56M dedicated to 14 guys. That's with Rask, Chara, Seidenberg, Bergeron, Lucic, Krejci, Marchand, Eriksson and Kelly all locked up at good numbers for their value. Just two dmen signed but Krug will be a third. They can manage that. Won't be able to add much.) 1 player and $4 million out of that 14/$56 million is Marc Savard, so that complicates things slightly. Hamilton should be up for a decent raise and I'm not so sure Krug will want to let things go down to the wire again this year like he did last year. They're going to have a tough time with all of that, especially since they need to sign 2 full lines worth of forwards for next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted December 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Uhhhhhhhh @BillHoppeNHL: Chris Stewart didn't come in the dressing room after leaving the ice. Equipment staff just brought in shopping cart with his equip. #Sabres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny DangerFace Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I hope he is traded. I like the guy and think he would fit on some other teams. I haven't been keeping too much up to date with this kind of stuff, but the guy is getting barely any ice time, and there were those reports ffrom florida that he didn't go to the dressing room or something along those lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Looks like Stewart is scratched and having a tantrum. Didn't figure him for that sort of reaction. He's gotta be all but done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I wonder when the coaching staff soured on him? I really don't think he's been that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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