My work mtg cancelled this AM, so I furtively log in to check hockey, and read of Sulzer signing. Awesome news. Played great with fellow German. Excellent contract.
I agree Weber is movable, and may be moved, but #24, #3, and Sulzer will all be UFA after this coming season. Will be interesting to see how well McNabb progresses to handle the minutes. Maybe Darcy moves Weber just to give McNab more NHL ice time this coming season so Darcy can determine what moves he needs to make to replace or resign one of those 3 UFAs in the 2013 offseason.
With Myers and Ehrhoff signed to extended deals, Sekera will still be under contract. It's possible they envision McNabb breaking through to top 6 minutes by the end of this season and then probably Pysyk coming the year after. It's still a young, mobile unit and leaves an opening for a more rugged guy.
Or they just start dealing guys.
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Good move. Also surprised at the price, Sulzer definitely played better than that down the stretch for us. Keeps our depth.
Also hopefully Sulzer and his family are doing well. Did it ever come out what the reason for him leaving was?
I believe it had to do with his wife being pregnant and had some complications with the labor. Not exactly sure how things turned out, but I hope everything went well.
wow super cheap... just wish we could've got a 2 year deal
You think the Sabres management is extremely tentative with long term deals with unproven players now after the fiasco with Leino? This might be some evidence to back up that hypothesis.
You think the Sabres management is extremely tentative with long term deals with unproven players now after the fiasco with Leino? This might be some evidence to back up that hypothesis.
More likely looking to economize at the 6/7 and a one year deal mitigates some risk. If he can mantain his level of play, great. If he reverts to Vancouver form, they're not stuck with another contract after next season.
Great deal!A real cheap deal and Sulzer is the perfect #5/6... hopefully we can also find a way to get McNabb in the top 6 also, our defense might become a strength next season.
thats a great player at a great price. Sulzer is a steady, reliable bottom pairing d-man who has proven himself capable of top 4 playing time if needed.
I'm very pleased that the German clique is still strong.
You never know, it could be Sekera. If we are looking to use our defensive depth to help get a center/improve the offense. I can't imagine Weber is going much of an enticement to get what we want. I'm not so sure Leopold will even be in play. He has has flaws to be sure. But 3mil for a dman that can fill in on your top pairs and play big minutes is not a bad guy to keep around. Of course the flip side is thats why he may be the piece needed to complete a deal.
You never know, it could be Sekera. If we are looking to use our defensive depth to help get a center/improve the offense. I can't imagine Weber is going much of an inticement to get what we want. I'm not so sure Leopold will even be in play. He has has flaw
s to be sure. But 3mil for a dman that can fill in on your top pairs and play big minutes is not a bad guy to keep around. Of course the flip side is thats why he may be the piece needed to complete a deal.
if it's stafford and sekera for staal i will punch somebody or something with 80% power.
Been taking some time off from the Boards lately but wanted to add my voice of approval on this move. Sulzer was a very positive addition esp. when paired with Erhroff.
You never know, it could be Sekera. If we are looking to use our defensive depth to help get a center/improve the offense. I can't imagine Weber is going much of an inticement to get what we want. I'm not so sure Leopold will even be in play. He has has flaws to be sure. But 3mil for a dman that can fill in on your top pairs and play big minutes is not a bad guy to keep around. Of course the flip side is thats why he may be the piece needed to complete a deal.
Sekera certainly has more value than either of those two, but unless you have the utmost confidence in Myers to develop back into your best shutdown defenseman or you're trading for Jordan Staal or another significant upgrade at center, there isn't a reason to move Sekera.
Between picks, prospects and current forwards, Buffalo has the pieces to upgrade the forwards without costing themselves the one actual bargain on the blueline.
Leopold is at best the fourth best defensive defensemen on the roster, and should never really get prime offensive opportunities because of Myers and Ehrhoff. He's a good injury fill-in if one of those guys goes down because he pinches in accordance to Ruff's game plan, but he can't get that out of his system when he needs to focus on his own zone. As a result, he makes a healthy blueline worse than a similarly costed defensive defenseman.
If the Sabres move Rej in a blockbuster, whatever, but if Darcy is putting Sekera and Leopold in the same tier, he should be canned on the spot.
Sekera certainly has more value than either of those two, but unless you have the utmost confidence in Myers to develop back into your best shutdown defenseman or you're trading for Jordan Staal or another significant upgrade at center, there isn't a reason to move Sekera.
Between picks, prospects and current forwards, Buffalo has the pieces to upgrade the forwards without costing themselves the one actual bargain on the blueline.
Leopold is at best the fourth best defensive defensemen on the roster, and should never really get prime offensive opportunities because of Myers and Ehrhoff. He's a good injury fill-in if one of those guys goes down because he pinches in accordance to Ruff's game plan, but he can't get that out of his system when he needs to focus on his own zone. As a result, he makes a healthy blueline worse than a similarly costed defensive defenseman.
If the Sabres move Rej in a blockbuster, whatever, but if Darcy is putting Sekera and Leopold in the same tier, he should be canned on the spot.
That was my thinking. That if we go big in a trade to address center, Sekera may be part of of the deal. Not that he is more likely to head out the door than Weber/Leopold or that he is viewed on the same level as Leopold.
Regiers press conference was interesting, sounded like they might be looking to make another ufa splash
Anything else of note? I didn't hear it, but I saw people on Twitter jumping on Regier for saying they expect Roy back "at this point." That seems like pretty standard operating procedure to say that...even if you are going to shop the guy. I didn't take much from it, but we all know how Twitter can be...
