Vesey signs with Rangers; huge thread now moot

[7+6=13]

Don't know about Boston, his own dad advised him against joining the bruins, that is probably the reason of him doubting still.

If I was in his position and I could choose the team I want to play for, I'd go to my hometown team, But I guess Eichel as a good friend might lure him to us as well.

 

I get what you're saying about playing for your hometown team.  However, if as he and his agent have suggested they're dissecting each team - Boston is the least attractive of the teams reported from an on ice perspective, IMO.

[kas23]

Any team wanting Vesey will pay that. The difference will be the opportunity offered. Vesey is being told he will be a top 6 player for the Sabres if he signs. He can play with his bud Jack and the team is sparing no expense to build a championship contender. Is Buffalo not exciting enough? Maybe, but serious pro athletes don't have time to worry about what clubs there are to hang in. And if you do have a couple days and want to party, hire a charter and fly an hour to NYC or Boston or wherever.

I don't think being a top 6 player or being on a championship contender are the deciding factors in his decision. He was promised both in Nashville. And neither is money for that matter.

[TrueBlueGED]

Any team wanting Vesey will pay that. The difference will be the opportunity offered. Vesey is being told he will be a top 6 player for the Sabres if he signs. He can play with his bud Jack and the team is sparing no expense to build a championship contender. Is Buffalo not exciting enough? Maybe, but serious pro athletes don't have time to worry about what clubs there are to hang in. And if you do have a couple days and want to party, hire a charter and fly an hour to NYC or Boston or wherever.

Do you actually believe this? Because it's pretty demonstratably false.

[Radar]

If a guy doesn't want to be here he will probably not be good for the team overall. He is 23 and is old enough to be making his decision on his criteria. Frankly I'm tired of this issue already. By August 15 I will be numb and won't care probably.

[kas23]

If a guy doesn't want to be here he will probably not be good for the team overall. He is 23 and is old enough to be making his decision on his criteria. Frankly I'm tired of this issue already. By August 15 I will be numb and won't care probably.

But, his Dad said...

[LGR4GM]

Sean Malone will be on WGR at 9:15am, he is Vesey's teammate at Harvard.

Edited June 22, 2016 by LGR4GM

[3putt]

I think what's missing in this discussion is not what the Sabres have to offer, but what other teams have to offer.  If you are a capped strapped team, a max elc won't kill you.  Additionally, like Buffalo you will be protected in expansion. So teams like LA, Chicago, Anaheim, Pittsburgh NY  (both) are in play and offer great chances to win now, play in passionate hockey environments  (CA possible exception) and choose the lifestyle, at least from a geographic pov, that you want.  Vesey graduated from Harvard so he is not a dummy and has ideas on what is best for him from a hockey and post hockey career.  So going the distance to ufa makes sense.  I hope he signs but can see why he would choose someplace else.  50/50.  And I don't have a problem giving a 3, I think it was aggressive but also professional to Nashville.  GMTM is building a rep as a straight shooter that will serve the organization going forward.  I don't think it alters his plans as I think all along he knew it was a gamble but part of a larger strategy. 

[hsif]

Given a max ELC from the contending teams, the differentiation might to come down to Opportunity, Coaching, and Camaraderie...... I think Buffalo has the Camaraderie locked up with Jack. The coaching..... well I just don't know enough about JV's style and how it will mesh with DB. but some of Jay McKee's comments from a BuffaloHockeyBeat piece prior to hiring DB are below..... and in general terms, if McKee was on target, DB should be an asset to landing JV...... Playing alongside Jack, Sam, ROR, and Kane will provide plenty of opportunity....... I think the coaching piece is huge in a young players mind.............I say he signs....... whether or not he pans out is another question.

 

“Some coaches, you feel like it’s work,” he said. “You go to the rink and you’re bogged down with all kinds of video, all this information. I just thought his preparation for each game was exceptional toward the players. I thought he was a good person.”

 

“He was a guy you could talk to,” he said, “if that’s what you want to categorize as a players’ coach. … He was … just blunt, like, ‘This is the game plan that’s going to give you the best chance to win.’ … We’d come in after the first period, if guys weren’t playing the system, he wasn’t going to walk around screaming and yelling.”

 

“I think because with the young players that are growing and developing, you need good structure, you need good teaching,” McKee said. “You need a guy players feel like they can speak to, and I feel he’s that kind of guy. There’s a lot of attention to detail. There’s a lot of changing things up mid-game. It’s not just one system all game long. He’ll change things on the go. … I think he would be a good fit right now for what this team is in.”

[3putt]

Babcock, Sullivan, Cooper, Trotz all offer the same thing.  So yeah I think its important,  I just think the decision will hinge on many factors, some not ho key related

[LGR4GM]

Listening to Sean Malone, so refreshing to hear a well spoken athlete who knows what he wants to say. 

[ct fab]

What did he say about Vesey, if anything?

[ddaryl]

Versey WILL sign with Buffalo. We were one of the teams he has been interested in. We have all the criteria in place.

 

I really consider this a slam dunk... Father advised against hometown Boston, and Buffalo is close enough to home to have some convenience. Af\ter Boston I really don't see any other team that ranks any higher than Buffalo in regards to youth and opportunity for a young player wanting to grow with a team and win

[LGR4GM]

What did he say about Vesey, if anything?

Said that he snapchatted Malone he was a Sabre now. They chatted briefly but Malone didn't elaborate on that much. Said Vesey is a good skater and powerful down low. Said his release is fantastic and he is a real goal scorer which is hard to do in the NHL. Malone sounded like a mini-coach in the making.

Listening to Murray's presser, he talks about how they figure that a 3rd round pick hits for about 10-30% of the time depending on your metric and that Buffalo figures that they would only have a 7% chance of drafting a player like Vesey with a 3rd round pick and that didn't include the time needed to develop the player. Why am I telling you this? Because it is very evident that Buffalo is running some serious metrics behind the scenes.  I would love to be an assistant for them and learn all this stuff they do to value pics and trades. 

Sorry lots of thoughts today. The Sabres are technically using principles of Epidemiology to do what they are doing. They have a cohort (nhl draft eligible players) and they are looking at the exposure (hockey) and trying to gauge the outcome (NHL player?). Exposure is more nuanced taking into account Age, Height/Weight, points scored, etc... but it follows those principles but instead of looking for a disease in your Cohort Study you are looking for NHL Level Players as the outcome.

[North Buffalo]

Wow, just Wow!

[Claude_Verret]

Any team wanting Vesey will pay that. The difference will be the opportunity offered. Vesey is being told he will be a top 6 player for the Sabres if he signs. He can play with his bud Jack and the team is sparing no expense to build a championship contender. Is Buffalo not exciting enough? Maybe, but serious pro athletes don't have time to worry about what clubs there are to hang in. And if you do have a couple days and want to party, hire a charter and fly an hour to NYC or Boston or wherever.

 

 

Having lived outside of Buffalo for so long I've come to know that the negative perception of Buffalo is very real and something that's going to be very difficult to overcome.  It's not just in talking to people in regard to sports either, many people are genuinely perplexed as to why anyone would chose to go to Buffalo if they have other options.  We all know Buffalo has made some changes and is turning things around in so many ways, but it's going to take more than 5 years for national opinions to be swayed.

[darksabre]

Having lived outside of Buffalo for so long I've come to know that the negative perception of Buffalo is very real and something that's going to be very difficult to overcome.  It's not just in talking to people in regard to sports either, many people are genuinely perplexed as to why anyone would chose to go to Buffalo if they have other options.  We all know Buffalo has made some changes and is turning things around in so many ways, but it's going to take more than 5 years for national opinions to be swayed.

 

Fortunately, the weather forecast for this weekend looks great. If Vesey is coming to town for the draft to talk to GMTM, et al, then we're going to luck out. Any Sabres players in town would probably like to give him a nice tour of the nightlife, and it will be hopping this weekend. 

[jsb]

I think what's missing in this discussion is not what the Sabres have to offer, but what other teams have to offer.  If you are a capped strapped team, a max elc won't kill you.  Additionally, like Buffalo you will be protected in expansion. So teams like LA, Chicago, Anaheim, Pittsburgh NY  (both) are in play and offer great chances to win now, play in passionate hockey environments  (CA possible exception) and choose the lifestyle, at least from a geographic pov, that you want.  Vesey graduated from Harvard so he is not a dummy and has ideas on what is best for him from a hockey and post hockey career.  So going the distance to ufa makes sense.  I hope he signs but can see why he would choose someplace else.  50/50.  And I don't have a problem giving a 3, I think it was aggressive but also professional to Nashville.  GMTM is building a rep as a straight shooter that will serve the organization going forward.  I don't think it alters his plans as I think all along he knew it was a gamble but part of a larger strategy. 

This is a very good post, nice job.

Vesey is not your typical wide eyed 18 year old coming out of Juniors. He's a man, smart enough to have graduated from Harvard. It is going to take a 2 pronged approach to land him. One from the hockey side with DB, GMTM and Eichel. The other from the Pegula's to talk to him as to his future aspirations and what they can offer him to reach those goals.

 

What I remember reading was his annoyance with someone (I'm guessing from the Predators organization because they drafted him) was a question of did he want to be a hockey player or go to school. I think he is smart enough and now old and mature enough to be making decisions on what he wants and will use his dad and agent as reliable confidants and not decision makers. Giving up a 3rd round pick lets him know how much he's wanted here but my guess is his decision will rest on what is offered outside the rink rather than inside it.

[PASabreFan]

I know it's just message board chatter, but is guaranteeing a player a top-six role really something that's done? That's Bylsma's call after training camp, right?

[Claude_Verret]

Fortunately, the weather forecast for this weekend looks great. If Vesey is coming to town for the draft to talk to GMTM, et al, then we're going to luck out. Any Sabres players in town would probably like to give him a nice tour of the nightlife, and it will be hopping this weekend. 

 

 

I agree. Let Eichel and Samson show him around, then bring in Terry and Kim for the kill.  It's our best hand to play.

[ct fab]

Versey WILL sign with Buffalo. We were one of the teams he has been interested in. We have all the criteria in place.

 

I really consider this a slam dunk... Father advised against hometown Boston, and Buffalo is close enough to home to have some convenience. Af\ter Boston I really don't see any other team that ranks any higher than Buffalo in regards to youth and opportunity for a young player wanting to grow with a team and win

Malone say this or is it your opinion?  Cool thing is the drafting of Captain Jack seems to have so many added benefits than just getting Jack.

[dudacek]

Teammates - buddies with Jack, Sabres allegedly a tight-knit group

Money - will get a max deal

City - carries some baggage - location should appeal to those who like the northeast, cost of living is good, smaller market.

Fan base - great hockey town, but not overbearing

Opportunity to succeed - spot open in top six with great centres, young team on the rise, still not in the playoffs.

Organization - Pegulas first-class, facilities excellent, GM has a good rep with agent, knows coach from team USA

 

That's a pretty solid check all the boxes. Not perfect, but I'm not sure who beats it.

He has to have a pretty solid idea of what he wants and his agent says we are on the short list.

Give him a warm welcome on draft weekend, make a solid move to improve the team and we could seal the deal.

[darksabre]

I know it's just message board chatter, but is guaranteeing a player a top-six role really something that's done? That's Bylsma's call after training camp, right?

 

I don't think it's as much about promising him the spot, but operating under the assumption that it is where he will be. For signing Vesey to make sense, we are planning for him to be top 6. If he doesn't end up playing there, that's a problem. 

[dudacek]

I don't think it's as much about promising him the spot, but operating under the assumption that it is where he will be. For signing Vesey to make sense, we are planning for him to be top 6. If he doesn't end up playing there, that's a problem.

 

Murray pretty much said this: we have the opening, the opportunity is there. No promises, but it's yours to lose.

[7+6=13]

I think what's missing in this discussion is not what the Sabres have to offer, but what other teams have to offer.  If you are a capped strapped team, a max elc won't kill you.  Additionally, like Buffalo you will be protected in expansion. So teams like LA, Chicago, Anaheim, Pittsburgh NY  (both) are in play and offer great chances to win now, play in passionate hockey environments  (CA possible exception) and choose the lifestyle, at least from a geographic pov, that you want.  Vesey graduated from Harvard so he is not a dummy and has ideas on what is best for him from a hockey and post hockey career.  So going the distance to ufa makes sense.  I hope he signs but can see why he would choose someplace else.  50/50.  And I don't have a problem giving a 3, I think it was aggressive but also professional to Nashville.  GMTM is building a rep as a straight shooter that will serve the organization going forward.  I don't think it alters his plans as I think all along he knew it was a gamble but part of a larger strategy. 

 

I would think teams like you mention have a chance but a very small one for a couple reasons.  Vesey, I'd imagine wants to have a chance at being one of the main cogs of a team.  While those teams offer win now there's a group of veterans that would not allow him that opportunity - or at least for a while.  Buffalo is one of the teams in that perfect spot where they're clearly on the rise but there's still ice time to be had.

 

Second I think those teams - while always wanting to add young talent, are really looking for those veteran pieces because they need a player ready now to contribute and a vet would embrace the role.  Especially if they know he wants top 6 ice time.  They recognize that's not what they necessarily have to offer. 

[Rasmus_]

This is just the right guy for the Sabres.  It is a perfect fit.  I would love to see him with Eichel.  He showed immeasurable poise at Harvard, and like Tkachuk he works down deep and around the net.  he's just polished and everything you want.  I love it!