But the rumor mill really started grinding when three Ducks officials, including General Manager Bob Murray, showed up Tuesday at First Niagara Center to watch the Sabres' 2-1 loss to the New York Islanders.
The Ducks do not play the Sabres or Islanders soon...now granted there are still other possibilities (watching his AHL team and then just stopping by for the closest NHL game, or looking to scout OHL teams and again Buffalo was the closest NHL game, etc.). But the GM being there means that if the rumors are true and Ducks scouts have been at previous Sabres games as well...
The only thing is that he was scouting a roster player (a potential Ryan deal or something else altogether) if he was here for that reason. Which makes you wonder...who might Regier have made available?
I suppose we'll never know and nothing will come out of this, though.
I suppose we'll never know and nothing will come out of this, though.
That is, unless he really is pursuing a change to the forward core. I'd like to believe he wouldn't stop trying after his first choice didn't work out.
There's plenty of video footage (to evaluate) on all of the regulars for the Sabres. And close to zero video footage of all the AHL call ups playing with NHL talent. It makes me think the Duck scouts were there to see with their own 2 eyes how an Amerk was doing playing with NHL talent and opposition. So as part of the proposal was an Amerk or two... Just a theory
The Ducks do not play the Sabres or Islanders soon...now granted there are still other possibilities (watching his AHL team and then just stopping by for the closest NHL game, or looking to scout OHL teams and again Buffalo was the closest NHL game, etc.). But the GM being there means that if the rumors are true and Ducks scouts have been at previous Sabres games as well...
The only thing is that he was scouting a roster player (a potential Ryan deal or something else altogether) if he was here for that reason. Which makes you wonder...who might Regier have made available?
I suppose we'll never know and nothing will come out of this, though.
He was in Syracuse scouting their own AHL team and attended the Boston/Toronto game last night. I don't think there was any particular reason why he was in Buffalo necessarily. Went to see his minor league guys and then caught a few NHL games in the process.
If Buffalo and Anaheim are talking turkey, I would bet a fine ham sandwich that Lydman is involved in someway. Regier/Ruff never wanted him gone and we could use a versatile responsible puck moving d-man rather than one of the hand grenade lobbers we currently have. Something like....
To Buffalo: Lydman and Hagman
To Anaheim: Leopold and Boyes
Buffalo sheds some cap space and gets a different mix while neither team get's saddled with a long term contract.
No, that's actually not my argument. Drew expressly stated that they had, in the past, wanted him to be a "power forward," but they wanted him to change course, drop weight, and be more of a skilled guy who has good size. And why does Drew have to be the power forward? Vanek has good size, he's not a power forward. Luke has good size, he's not a power forward.
I have no problem with Stafford's effort level. If you do, we disagree.
I recall him saying something very different before last season. He said then that he needed to get stronger and leaner to win more one on one battles and be able to use his speed and strength to bull to the net. Stafford worked harder than he ever had last offseason (2010) to get in shape to be stronger and leaner. He lost roughly 4lbs. He is hardly much lighter. For comparison's sake, Gosse chose to lose weight and get less bulky. He went from the 228lbs he entered the league at to 212lbs. Losing 16lbs is enough weight/bulk lost to impact your physical game. Getting stronger and leaner like Stafford did, losing roughly 4lbs in the process, is hardly going to have a negative impact on your ability to play a power game.
Even if he did say those things it makes no sense. First off, he is stronger and in better shape now and as such is better suited to play a power game. Second, he's never played a power game before last year. So I have no idea what power game he was given up.
To be clear we don't need Stafford to be a power forward in the classic sense to be effective. He showed last year that a touch of physical play (winning 1 on 1 battles/bulling to the net) to go with his high end skating and speed was more than enough to make him a very effective player.
If Buffalo and Anaheim are talking turkey, I would bet a fine ham sandwich that Lydman is involved in someway. Regier/Ruff never wanted him gone and we could use a versatile responsible puck moving d-man rather than one of the hand grenade lobbers we currently have. Something like....
To Buffalo: Lydman and Hagman
To Anaheim: Leopold and Boyes
Buffalo sheds some cap space and gets a different mix while neither team get's saddled with a long term contract.
If Buffalo and Anaheim are talking turkey, I would bet a fine ham sandwich that Lydman is involved in someway. Regier/Ruff never wanted him gone and we could use a versatile responsible puck moving d-man rather than one of the hand grenade lobbers we currently have. Something like....
To Buffalo: Lydman and Hagman
To Anaheim: Leopold and Boyes
Buffalo sheds some cap space and gets a different mix while neither team get's saddled with a long term contract.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Armond White
I'd make that trade.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryNealesGarden
Hagman is 100% dead weight. Absolutely not. That's poison for a team with cap problems.
I agree with Harry on Hagman being an unnecessary and wasted target - I'd be happy with a simple Lydman for Leopold swap. As much as Leopold's been good on the offensive side, the Sabres have Ehrhoff, Myers, Sekera and Gragnani to ably fill that role. I think Leopold's weaker defensively and less physical than Lydman, two areas that the Sabres could use better support in to add to what Regehr presently brings. Both Leopold and Lydman have similar cap hits and term left on their contracts so it could be a safe and easy way for both teams to inject more of what each needs. With Beauchemin not being nearly as effective as he was during Anaheim's Cup run and Visnovsky injured at the moment, it would seem that Leopold's offensive abilities could be more in need there than in Buffalo. And Lydman's familiarity with the Sabres system and city would make it a seamless add for Buffalo.
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