How to Fix the D Both Short and Long-term?

[dudacek]

I agree. Baker says we are still in on Bayreuther. I haven't heard anything about Brickley or any other FA D.

I believe it was TSN that reported Brickley is returning to college next year.

 

I'm glad we are in on Bayreuther and Antipin. The team needs young mobile defencemen and it's good that we're trying.

Fingers crossed we get lucky — we're due — but after Nelson and Ruhwedel, I refuse to get excited about a late-season free agent signing.

Edited March 15, 2017 by dudacek

[Guest]

Antipin isn't signing here unless he has some NHL guarantees to start the season in the NHL next fall.  So I'm going to assume GMTM has him penned in for at worst the 5.

 

I'm also going to assume Guhle is ready for NHL duty.  Are these the replacements for Kulikov and Franson?  While that could work out, I don't think this is result we are looking for.

 

That said, if he starts with this and then gets one of the many youngish vets we have been talking about, I think that might work.  Certainly is an experienced pro, from a hockey family and having been coached by Mike Keenan for two years he might have a better idea of how to compete in the NHL then most KHL vets.

 

Based on our cap situation, it wouldn't surprise me if Murray also kept Gorges for his last season if he can get rid of Moulson or Ennis to LV.  

 

McCabe Risto

Antipin Vatanen (or DeHaan, Brodin etc..)

Guhle Bogo

Gorges Falk

 

One thing I'd love to see, is for the coaches to tell Bogo to just play D.  No pinching, play phyiscal and be the first D off the line. Etc..  If he just focused on that role he'd be more effective and we could start getting our monies worth from him.  The funny thing, is I think his points would come just by using his shot from the point and getting it on net.

Edited March 15, 2017 by yse325

[Thorny]

I sincerely hope we are able to add a guy like Vatanen or even Brodin, but I think there is a reasonable chance Murray is unwilling or unable to pay the price required to get a guy like that, and Antipin is insurance for such a scenario. Could very well head into next season with:

 

McCabe - Ristolainen

Antipin - Bogosian

Guhle - Falk

 

Gorges

[Randall Flagg]

I sincerely hope we are able to add a guy like Vatanen or even Brodin, but I think there is a reasonable chance Murray is unwilling or unable to pay the price required to get a guy like that, and Antipin is insurance for such a scenario. Could very well head into next season with:

 

McCabe - Ristolainen

Antipin - Bogosian

Guhle - Falk

 

Gorges

:sick:  :sick:  :sick:

[TrueBlueGED]

I sincerely hope we are able to add a guy like Vatanen or even Brodin, but I think there is a reasonable chance Murray is unwilling or unable to pay the price required to get a guy like that, and Antipin is insurance for such a scenario. Could very well head into next season with:

 

McCabe - Ristolainen

Antipin - Bogosian

Guhle - Falk

 

Gorges

If this comes to pass, I'll have my torch lit and pitchfork sharpened.

[Thorny]

If this comes to pass, I'll have my torch lit and pitchfork sharpened.

Oh, me too. But this is what I am preparing myself for, or something very similar.

[Weave]

Antipin hasn't seen an NHL ice surface yet and we are penciling him in the 2nd pair?

 

Ugh.  We do this every year with these late season FA's.

 

Hope springs eternal, I guess. 

[Robviously]

Antipin hasn't seen an NHL ice surface yet and we are penciling him in the 2nd pair?

 

Ugh.  We do this every year with these late season FA's.

 

Hope springs eternal, I guess. 

But Murray is an expert at finding talent (as evidenced by Bogo, Kulikov, etc.).

[Guest]

But Murray is an expert at finding talent (as evidenced by Bogo, Kulikov, etc.).

Gorges, Franson.....

 

I believe (hope) that GMTM is still going after a legit player to help limit Risto's ice time. Brodin, Vatanen, DeHaan etc.... To be satisified with replacing Kulikov and Franson on the cheap with 2 rookies who have almost no NHL experience is foolish and GMTM is no fool. I can think of other adjectives, but decorum prevents me from listing them here.

 

My hope is the Sabres come to camp with Antipin, Guhle, Bogo, a highend acquisition, Falk and another experienced vet (Quincey, Del Zotto, Seidenberg etc..) even Nelson, Fedun and Bodie and let them battle it out for positions 3-8. I'm keeping 8 in Buffalo, because we'll have the cap space and I never want to see a repeat of what happened this season.

[Thorny]

Antipin hasn't seen an NHL ice surface yet and we are penciling him in the 2nd pair?

 

Ugh.  We do this every year with these late season FA's.

 

Hope springs eternal, I guess.

 

Placing him on the second pair is less a comment on how viable an NHL defenceman he is than it is a comment on how barren our defence corps is. It looks no better substituting Gorges onto the 2nd pair.

[Guest]

Placing him on the second pair is less a comment on how viable an NHL defenceman he is than it is a comment on how barren our defence corps is. It looks no better substituting Gorges onto the 2nd pair.

Agreed!

[thewookie1]

According to Paul Hamilton, Kulikov is miserable here and seems to be a loner in the locker room.

[Guest]

According to Paul Hamilton, Kulikov is miserable here and seems to be a loner in the locker room.

 

I guess he won't be back.  

[WildCard]

According to Paul Hamilton, Kulikov is miserable here and seems to be a loner in the locker room.

Not surprised. It's a shame too, I bet he goes somewhere and becomes a legit 2nd pairing guy

[Guest]

Not surprised. It's a shame too, I bet he goes somewhere and becomes a legit 2nd pairing guy

In the KHL

[darksabre]

Not surprised. It's a shame too, I bet he goes somewhere and becomes a legit 2nd pairing guy

Agreed. I think injuries have hurt his tryout here, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he's got a bad attitude and that's why Florida was willing to move him for Pysyk. He might just be one of those guys who doesn't shine until he finds the right team/coach/etc. 

[Thorny]

Agreed. I think injuries have hurt his tryout here, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he's got a bad attitude and that's why Florida was willing to move him for Pysyk. He might just be one of those guys who doesn't shine until he finds the right team/coach/etc.

 

Yup. Whatever we would have guessed the worst case scenario would be with Kulikov this season at the time of the add, this probably surpassed it.

[Guest]

Agreed. I think injuries have hurt his tryout here, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he's got a bad attitude and that's why Florida was willing to move him for Pysyk. He might just be one of those guys who doesn't shine until he finds the right team/coach/etc. 

 Or he might just be the defensive version of CoHo.  An overpaid young vet who cashed in on one excellent season and has been a diminishing asset ever since.  This same sentence could also apply to Bogo. 

[darksabre]

 Or he might just be the defensive version of CoHo.  An overpaid young vet who cashed in on one excellent season and has been a diminishing asset ever since.  This same sentence could also apply to Bogo. 

Good god, please don't compare him to Creamy Hamslime. The only other player I've ever seen come close is Leino. 

[Marvelo]

well theres always Slava Voynov.

[inkman]

Creamy Hamslime...

Best one yet :lol:

[woods-racer]

well theres always Slava Voynov.

 

How the heck did that get by the filters? 

 

You really need to watch your language young man!

 

 

:nana:

[Crusader1969]

Contact the Nashville preds about Ryan Ellis

 

Currently if preds want to protect all 4 top dmen - subban, josi, ekholm and Ellis. They can only protect 4 forwards. - Johansen, Forsberg, Neal and Arvidsson

 

Leaving - Fisher, Wilson, Jarnkrok and Smit unprotected.

 

A lot will depend on where they think there top 2 prospects are Dante Fabbro and Samuel Gerard who are both top 4 potential They also have Carrier and doughertry playing in the AHL

 

Maybe Sabres can get them to trade Ellis allowing preds to protect 3D and 7F. Rather than 8 skaters.

 

What would it cost? A young winger not named Nylander and a draft pick? Thoughts?

[darksabre]

Best one yet :lol:

I vomited in my mouth a bit just writing it.

[dudacek]

Ellis/Ekholm are certainly on the list of those worth exploring.

 

Other teams that may be open to offers because of expansion:

Penguins: Maattaa/Schultz/Doumoulin/Pouliot

Ducks: Vatanen/Fowler/Manson/Bieksa

Sharks: Braun, Martin, Dilon, Schlemko

Caps: Orlov, Schmidt, Orpik

Wild: Scandella, Brodin, Dumba

Habs: Benn, Beaulieu, Davidson

Avalanche: Barrie, Weircoch, Zadorov

Rangers: Klein, Holden

Canucks: Gudbranson, Sbisa, Edler

Islanders: Hickey, DeHaan

Jackets: Johnson, Murray

Lightning: Garrison, Coburn, Koekkoek

Jets: Myers Trouba

Panthers: Pysyk, Petrovic

 

Not all of these guys are going to be available and a bunch of them will not be cheap.

But there will be opportunities to trade expansion exempt assets (picks and/or prospects) for someone we'd rather protect than Bogo, if that solves a protection problem for someone else.

 

Using your Preds example, if you are Poile would you rather:

lose Wilson or Jarnkrok and keep Ellis

or lose Ellis and say, Cody MacLeod, keep Wilson and Jarnkrok and add Justin Bailey and a 2nd rounder.

 

Essentially you are trading Ellis and McLeod for Jarnkrok, Bailey a second and the right to skip the expansion draft.

 

You can also say to the Knights: pick Braun and we'll flip you a second for him, or some such prearranged deal.

 

I could see unusual deals like the Ducks saying we'll leave Vatanen exposed for you if you pick Ellis and flip him to us because they think that's better than losing Manson for nothing. McPhee is going to have so many options your head will explode.

 

The Sabres are in a better position than most teams for these creative trades because they only have two defencemen worth protecting and that third slot has value.

Edited March 20, 2017 by dudacek