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Buffalo doesn't need a 2nd/3rd C. Steve Ott is already a 3C. Ennis or Hodgson or one of their '12 picks have 1st line centre potential. Ennis is already a 2nd line centre. So basically they just need that 1st line centre.
Imo, they need to acknowledge that they're in a bit of a rebuild and give Grigorenko or Ennis or Hodgson the chance to win over that 1C role. If not then you package Hodgson or Grigorenko plus another player or prospect for a good but probably not top 10 1st line centre similar to the Brayden Schenn + Simmonds <--> Richards deal (you have to remember that Simmons' value wasn't as high when that deal was made although Brayden Schenn was ranked as the no1 prospect outside of the NHL at the time by many).
I honestly wouldn't do anything about the centre situation if I'm Buffalo and see how it plays out with the younger players.
If the Caps felt he was a servicable 2C, they wouldn't have had to get Ribiero. If they want to put him at 3C, he is tremendously overpaid. If they want to put him a 2LW, production on that line, especially at ES, will suffer.
You don't go deep in the playoffs with a serviceable 2C. He's definitely serviceable there, but a contending team doesn't just want a serviceable player in key positions.
He's not that overpaid at 3C when you consider he's also capable of logging PP and PK minutes and adding significant PP points (in addition to his general roster flexibility).
Him being at 2LW in the past hasn't caused the 2nd line to suffer. If anything, he was a staple on some of our best second lines.
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Originally Posted by Stewie G
Chimera, with lesser linemates for the most part, has scored 25 ES goals the last 2 years to Laich's 21. I feel that he could replace Laich on the PP and put up similar numbers, all for nearly $3M less each year.
Chimera doesn't score his goals in anywhere near the same fashion as Laich, especially on the powerplay. Laich is much better suited as a powerplay net presence than Chimera.
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Originally Posted by Stewie G
Let's continue playing the "What If" game. What if Alzner gets hurt next year? I'd much rather the Caps have Perreault or Chimera filling in for Laich in the top 6 than having Schultz or Hamrlik at 1LD.
While I agree that we're thin at the top of the line-up at LD, I don't think we're particularly worse off than we are in terms of the top six. Hamrlik/Green was our #1 and shutdown pairing at the start of last season before Green got hurt. Schultz/Green has been our #1 pairing in the past and led us to a President's Trophy. Ideal? Far from it, but we can manage if the rest of the line-up is doing well.
Buffalo doesn't need a 2nd/3rd C. Steve Ott is already a 3C. Ennis or Hodgson or one of their '12 picks have 1st line centre potential. Ennis is already a 2nd line centre. So basically they just need that 1st line centre.
Imo, they need to acknowledge that they're in a bit of a rebuild and give Grigorenko or Ennis or Hodgson the chance to win over that 1C role. If not then you package Hodgson or Grigorenko plus another player or prospect for a good but probably not top 10 1st line centre similar to the Brayden Schenn + Simmonds <--> Richards deal (you have to remember that Simmons' value wasn't as high when that deal was made although Brayden Schenn was ranked as the no1 prospect outside of the NHL at the time by many).
I honestly wouldn't do anything about the centre situation if I'm Buffalo and see how it plays out with the younger players.
Ennis and Hodgson will be playing top 6 minutes for us...That's not a question. The problem is one of them has played a whopping 26 or so games in the NHL as a center and is bad defensively and sucks at faceoffs, and the other has played one season of NHL games total...And is meh but improving defensively and sucks at faceoffs. And Steve Ott and Ville Leino are also not natural centers, and won't be even if Ruff plays them there. We absolutely need a stopgap solution down the middle.
Ennis and Hodgson will be playing top 6 minutes for us...That's not a question. The problem is one of them has played a whopping 26 or so games in the NHL as a center and is bad defensively and sucks at faceoffs, and the other has played one season of NHL games total...And is meh but improving defensively and sucks at faceoffs. And Steve Ott and Ville Leino are also not natural centers, and won't be even if Ruff plays them there. We absolutely need a stopgap solution down the middle.
I concur. Just because we traded Gaustad does not mean we are set at center. But when you can get a 1st rd pick for a player like that, you do it, especially when you consider that we parlayed that 1st rd pick into one of the future leaders of this team (Girgs). I'd look at just about anyone mentioned on here so far: Manny, Bozak, Cullen, Stoll, Laich, etc...
Buffalo doesn't need a 2nd/3rd C. Steve Ott is already a 3C. Ennis or Hodgson or one of their '12 picks have 1st line centre potential. Ennis is already a 2nd line centre. So basically they just need that 1st line centre.
Imo, they need to acknowledge that they're in a bit of a rebuild and give Grigorenko or Ennis or Hodgson the chance to win over that 1C role. If not then you package Hodgson or Grigorenko plus another player or prospect for a good but probably not top 10 1st line centre similar to the Brayden Schenn + Simmonds <--> Richards deal (you have to remember that Simmons' value wasn't as high when that deal was made although Brayden Schenn was ranked as the no1 prospect outside of the NHL at the time by many).
I honestly wouldn't do anything about the centre situation if I'm Buffalo and see how it plays out with the younger players.
I agree with this take and I also believe this is what the organization thinks. They wouldn't have put themselves in this situation, especially trading away Roy, if this wasn't their mindset.
I agree with this take and I also believe this is what the organization thinks. They wouldn't have put themselves in this situation, especially trading away Roy, if this wasn't their mindset.
Roy was traded because he was an underachieving, injury-prone malcontent who couldn't keep his mouth shut & didn't fit the mold going forward - Pivots that are 6ft+, 200lbs+ (Tyler being an obvious exception...), and raised up in the Pegula family to be "team-first" guys.
If Darcy is not going after a true #1, then IMO Buffalo definitely needs to seriously take a look at bringing in a #2/#3 centreman for insurance if nothing else. This experiment could go horribly wrong very quick as the roster stands now.
I agree that Ott will likely be taking draws on the 3rd line, but if we could land a (cost-effective) guy like Peter Regin from Ottawa or Josh Bailey from NYI who could slot into a #2/3 spot should Ennis or Hodgson falter or be injured it would leave a lot more breathing room.
Buffalo doesn't need a 2nd/3rd C. Steve Ott is already a 3C. Ennis or Hodgson or one of their '12 picks have 1st line centre potential. Ennis is already a 2nd line centre. So basically they just need that 1st line centre.
No he isn't. According to the entire front office, his starting responsibility will be a winger + faceoff specialist. The Sabres certainly wouldn't mind a #1C, but they still need to bolster their defensive acumen down the middle. Ennis/Hodgson can provide necessary top six offense, but they really, really don't have competent defensive centers at the moment, unless Cody gets his checking game from Juniors back.
Quote:
Imo, they need to acknowledge that they're in a bit of a rebuild and give Grigorenko or Ennis or Hodgson the chance to win over that 1C role. If not then you package Hodgson or Grigorenko plus another player or prospect for a good but probably not top 10 1st line centre similar to the Brayden Schenn + Simmonds <--> Richards deal (you have to remember that Simmons' value wasn't as high when that deal was made although Brayden Schenn was ranked as the no1 prospect outside of the NHL at the time by many).
I honestly wouldn't do anything about the centre situation if I'm Buffalo and see how it plays out with the younger players.
Again, the Sabres need to shelter said young centers from relevant defensive minutes so they can focus as much as possible on offensive development, with Hodgson/Ennis facing largely top checkers, the subject of this thread going against top competition with two of Leino/Ott/Pominville and whoever's left of Ennis/Hodgson feasting on third lines. I don't have faith in Ott to be that sort-of-top-six checking center in this situation right now, especially because Buffalo's entire staff seems to agree.
Seeing as how he has the NTC I don't see Cullen wanting to come to Buffalo. I'd be interested in Brodziak though. Any way he's become expendable? If so what would Minnesota be looking for?
No, Brodziak isn't available. He just signed a 3 year extension towards the end of the season and the Wild have no interest in moving him as of right now.
Roy was traded because he was an underachieving, injury-prone malcontent who couldn't keep his mouth shut & didn't fit the mold going forward - Pivots that are 6ft+, 200lbs+ (Tyler being an obvious exception...), and raised up in the Pegula family to be "team-first" guys.
If Darcy is not going after a true #1, then IMO Buffalo definitely needs to seriously take a look at bringing in a #2/#3 centreman for insurance if nothing else. This experiment could go horribly wrong very quick as the roster stands now.
I agree that Ott will likely be taking draws on the 3rd line, but if we could land a (cost-effective) guy like Peter Regin from Ottawa or Josh Bailey from NYI who could slot into a #2/3 spot should Ennis or Hodgson falter or be injured it would leave a lot more breathing room.
Everything you said about Roy is your biased opinion. My opinion is that Pegula listened to WGR too often, felt pressure from the outside, and told Darcy that he had to trade Roy no matter what.
No, Brodziak isn't available. He just signed a 3 year extension towards the end of the season and the Wild have no interest in moving him as of right now.
Fair enough. Figured since he just re-upped with you guys he likely wouldn't be moved, but wasn't sure.
Everything you said about Roy is your biased opinion. My opinion is that Pegula listened to WGR too often, felt pressure from the outside, and told Darcy that he had to trade Roy no matter what.
Things that are not based on my opinion:
Underachiever: Roy's production has been below expectations, at the very least streaky. whether this is due to injury, does not change the fact that he did not perform to his expected level over the last two seasons.
Injury Prone: Derek Roy has been prone to injuries over the length of his career (not long term, but still injuries - required surgery at time of trade)
Undersized: 5'9" 184lbs. is not equal to 6' 200lbs.
Things that are somewhat based on my opinion:
[U]Malcontent/mouthy ****/U]: See if you can find his interview from locker cleanout day - he openly calls out/disrespects Lindy to the media, ironically about his dislike of being called out by the coach. Seems like reasonable behavior form a player with an 'A' attached to his chest doesn't it? He wanted out, and he got his wish.
Last edited by Holden Caulfield: 10-11-2012 at 06:14 PM.
Reason: filter circumvention
The "underachiever" and "injury prone" labels on Roy are ridiculous. He's had a down season but otherwise he either scored near or at PPG in his other seasons and only missed big time in 2010-11 due to a single major injury; outside of that he's missed a whooping 15 games in his other 6 full NHL seasons.
The trade probably had to do more with Roy falling out of favor with management/Ruff than anything else.
The "underachiever" and "injury prone" labels on Roy are ridiculous. He's had a down season but otherwise he either scored near or at PPG in his other seasons and only missed big time in 2010-11 due to a single major injury; outside of that he's missed a whooping 15 games in his other 6 full NHL seasons.
The trade probably had to do more with Roy falling out of favor with management/Ruff than anything else.
Roy plays hurt - He has been saddled with nagging injuries for a couple years (his words) & I will give him loads of credit for playing through that - He does not miss a ton of time, however he renders himself less effective when he plays at less than 100%.
He should be a PPG guy or at least damn close - every year - He draws top line minutes, lots of PP time, and has the 2 best wingers on the team as linemates...
It really doesn't matter in the end - I was a huge fan of Roy's all the way through regardless of his shortfalls - He is a good hockey player & hopefully he does fine in Dallas, but he was out of rope here.
Roy plays hurt - He has been saddled with nagging injuries for a couple years (his words) & I will give him loads of credit for playing through that - He does not miss a ton of time, however he renders himself less effective when he plays at less than 100%.
He should be a PPG guy or at least damn close - every year - He draws top line minutes, lots of PP time, and has the 2 best wingers on the team as linemates...
It really doesn't matter in the end - I was a huge fan of Roy's all the way through regardless of his shortfalls - He is a good hockey player & hopefully he does fine in Dallas, but he was out of rope here.
I don't miss Roy by any means, but a lot of the blame for that has to fall on coaching. Ruff asks his most relied on players to play through injuries all the time. For example, last year, guys who played at least some games hurt: Miller, Ennis, Vanek, Roy, Myers.
