Like I said we could use 1-2 of our top 50 picks to help this trade to happen.
Ok, who's that 1C? What's the proposal? I can't see one season of Roy and one or two picks (and I'm assuming you're not even referring to our 1st rounder, as most of tried to make proposals excluding that pick) getting a true 1C--unless you're in that "OMG Stastny!" crowd and think he's some huge upgrade from Roy.
Those picks are going to be most valuable coupled with players like Ennis and Adam, assets over whom the team will have several years of control. Roy's going to be of interest to teams who want to win next year. If they want to win next year, they're probably not giving up their 1C for Roy and a pick. I can see Roy + pick getting a physical winger, but I don't see that package netting us a 1C (unless it's our top-10 pick, in which case I need to know who the center is before I let go of my reservations over moving that pick).
I doubt anything core-related gets traded this offseason. Definitely not Roy or Stafford, even though I would love to see one of them go. Hell, I would love to see the overhaul all of us have been looking for but I don't believe for a second that will happen.
I could see Leopold getting traded even though I'd love to keep him. There were plenty of teams looking for defense at the deadline, and I can see a lot of teams eyeing him during the offseason because he has a reasonable cap hit and is a veteran. I'd guess packaging him, some of the picks and maybe some prospects to help us move up. That's probably going to be it for roster moves though. I think it would take another down year at least for any major changes to happen unfortunately.
They will go to where ever the most money is offered. Pegula is one of the richest owners in the NHL. The only issue is the salary cap, do not think we have enough money to sign either of them even with a front loaded contract...
My main problem is what happens with Ennis and I think if the Sabres decide to move him to center full time Roy should be out the door. Lets put it this way, If Roy stays next year that takes away a top 6 spot at center. Do you put Hodgson or Ennis there. I believe you have to put Cody in the top six, but at the same time I cringe at having Ennis and Gerbe on the same line in a bottom 6 role (not saying they aren't good together, I just don't want them together on the 3rd line). I think that means they should deal Roy. Honestly I am conflicted however as next year is a contract year for Roy and he could be quite good. Anyhow I propose you look to obtain a good big center prospect and a 1st like we all have wanted.
Roy for : Bjugstad, Nelson, McNeill, Sheahan, ect. and a 1st. These guys could all fill that 3c spot nicely soon or in the future.
I would then flip one of our lower firsts with Stafford for Brown (maybe throw in Pysyk, I don't know). Therefore the top 6 looks something like this
Vanek - Ennis/CoHo - Brown
Leino - CoHo/Ennis - Pominville (I would like to keep Pommer and Leino together if possible)
In the draft I would stay put where we are selecting. Accumulate the picks and do a rebuild on the fly, but stack the prospect cupboard like Florida did back in the 2010 draft. I don't think Galyenchuck will be there when we pick so I would be ok with taking Faksa or Girgensons. We would be able to allow them to develop for at least year before slotting them in. I actually like the idea of Faksa, he is big, has deceptive speed (not that slow, has a longer powerful stride), and is actually surprisingly good in all 3 zones. He looked like the best guy on the ice when I saw him live, and scouts say he has this vast untapped potential inside him. He has been compared to a bigger Patrick Elias. Yes Please! Having a center combo of CoHo, Faksa, a guy like McNeil and even Adam would be great. We may lack the elite talent 1c but that looks like a linup like the Bruins, not a elite Center but multiple good ones that could each be plugged into any of the top 9 center roles and flourish.
The bottom 6 is where the focus should be in UFA, go after grit, toughness and size. As LDS pointed out Prust would be an excellent addition, and I wouldn't rule out bringing Gaustad back (at the right price of course). I could look something like this (Ellis obviously a scratch):
Gerbe - Stoll - Tropp
Prust - Gaustad - Kaleta
or someting like
Gerbe- Gaustad-Tropp
McCormick - Konopka - Prust (With all the love Cody got last year, I have been surprised he didn't get more action this year, I think he should be a regular)
Finally the D. As Chainshot has pointed out Matt Carkner would be a welcome addition to this team. A real heavyweight fighter and responsible defensively. A good bottom pairing guy who as a bonus has a RH shot and has played forward before, so he isn't inept offensively. Just ship Leopold out for a pick/prospect and:
These moves save us a good chunk of cap space as well. These moves also allow us to keep Adam and Foligno in the minors and really define their skill set, making sure they are really ready when called up (the Red Wing way). I would stay clear of Parise, Suter and other high priced FAs. People here want to give Suter a deal with a $7mil cap hit, and I am not comfortable with that. I would rather go after the Dmen in the 2013 UFA class; Edler, Vlasic, or Enstrom. That is if Regehr doesn't hang around after his deal expires.
Doing all that you set yourself up nicely in the future. In just a couple years our lineup could look as such:
Ennis - Faksa - Vanek
Leino- Hodgson - Pominville
Gerbe - McNeill - Brown
Prust/Foligno - Gaustad/Adam - Kaleta/Tropp
extras like Chewy and other cheap options
Not to get Jame going (well, maybe a little), but drafting Etem would've given us an extremely valuable piece in any negotiation with Los Angeles (Brown or even Kopitar) or Anaheim (one of the Big 3). Given his WHL performance and his SoCal roots, he'd have huge value to the Kings or Ducks, especially when attached to one of our 1sts and a prospect (Adam?).
you guys actually think we have a chance at Suter or Parise? I am thinking not a chance on either
Money talks, I don't see why not. If the cap goes up we'll have plenty of space to make either of them a very good offer, and there's always the whole Terry Pegula 34234 million dollar signing bonus in our back pocket (or their back pocket), too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chainshot
- Would signing someone like Grabovski if he hits free agency be an adequate transition player and split the duties with Hodgson in the top 6, freeing up Roy to be used in trade?
I would hate this. I'm not sure if I just hate Grabovski because he's a Leaf and living in Toronto he's one of the guys I always hear about, but I wouldn't be comfortable giving him even 4 mil a year; and he'll get at least 5. He's a really smart player who has tremendous skill but I dunno.. just feel like he has FA bust written all over him.
Not to get Jame going (well, maybe a little), but drafting Etem would've given us an extremely valuable piece in any negotiation with Los Angeles (Brown or even Kopitar) or Anaheim (one of the Big 3). Given his WHL performance and his SoCal roots, he'd have huge value to the Kings or Ducks, especially when attached to one of our 1sts and a prospect (Adam?).
ugh... that draft is still mind boggling to me....
Crosby, Staal & Roy will be UFAs after next year. I doubt Pens can afford to keep their top3 centers. Staal is going to demand much more money than Roy and Pens are operating with small cap space. Buffalo gets young top6 center, Pens get very solid 3rd line center + 1st round pick. Just my 0,02.
Ok, who's that 1C? What's the proposal? I can't see one season of Roy and one or two picks (and I'm assuming you're not even referring to our 1st rounder, as most of tried to make proposals excluding that pick) getting a true 1C--unless you're in that "OMG Stastny!" crowd and think he's some huge upgrade from Roy.
Those picks are going to be most valuable coupled with players like Ennis and Adam, assets over whom the team will have several years of control. Roy's going to be of interest to teams who want to win next year. If they want to win next year, they're probably not giving up their 1C for Roy and a pick. I can see Roy + pick getting a physical winger, but I don't see that package netting us a 1C (unless it's our top-10 pick, in which case I need to know who the center is before I let go of my reservations over moving that pick).
In my opinion that center X don't necessarily have to be huge upgrade, and of course situation depends on how high our 1st is going to be. I just want to get rid of Roy either off-season or near deadline if we don't get that high top 6 center prospect. Do you want to sign Roy to this team for more years after next season? I think we need to replace Roy or do other kind of change to chemistry on our top line. And to answer to your question I don't know yet who that 1C would be.
Go for a top-2 pick, Oilers might be willing to trade down since they're most likely of the teams at the bottom to need a D-man.
If none of that works, package Roy + Nash 1st + xxxx for an upgrade at C if any team is willing to deal.
...
Try and make a deal for a talented winger with size (i know, right...? few of those do go around).
Stafford + 2nd + something, I dunno.
Edmonton would want a D man to move down...someone like McNabb, Sekera, or Myers...I'd rather not move any one of those guys....We could try and bribe them with Pysyk...but I think they would rather just keep their pick and draft Murray.
Crosby, Staal & Roy will be UFAs after next year. I doubt Pens can afford to keep their top3 centers. Staal is going to demand much more money than Roy and Pens are operating with small cap space. Buffalo gets young top6 center, Pens get very solid 3rd line center + 1st round pick. Just my 0,02.
I'd love that. But, I can't see Pittsburgh dealing Staal away with Crosby's concussion issues.
If we are going to continue to have Roy/Ennis-Hodgson has our top 2 centers, we are going to need size on the wings.
Our current Wing Depth:
LW:
Vanek
Leino
Gerbe
RW:
Pomniville
Stafford
Kaleta
Of those, most likely, Leino's contract is pretty unmovable. There is the potential of the get of jail free card in the next CBA if needed. Stafford really isn't that desirable given his production and contract. He still has some value, but the return would be minimal.
So, the idea is that we'd have to add:
Another center with size
And at least one winger who can play a top 6 role with size
And fill out our depth with hard working, hard nosed players with a bit of skill mixed in.
Ideally, I'd like to go into the summer with a forward lineup like this:
Vanek-1st line center-Hard Nosed Banging RW who can put 20+ goals (D Brown is ideal here)
Leino-Hodgson-Stafford
Gerbe-Veteran 3rd Line center (Stoll, Kelly, etc)-20-30 goal scoring RW
Foligno-McCormick-Kaleta -Just a good nasty cycling line who works hard
As for the D, I really think Buffalo needs to push hard for Suter if he is going to the market.
My ideal D for next season is:
Suter-Myers
McNabb-Ehrhoff
Regehr-Veteran Stay at home D-man (Allen? Carkner?)
Miller
Enroth
So, my assets out are: Pomniville, Roy, Ennis, Adam, Sekera, and Leopold
Assets in: #1. Center, 2 RWers (one of the powerforward variety one a two way who can play the PK, etc), Suter (via UFA), and 3rd line center (via UFA), Veteran bottom pairing D-man (Via UFA)
That is how I would go about things. However, how realistic this whole thing is is pretty up in the air
I'm thinking we use our 3rd rounder to send to NJ before FA starts in an attempt to sign Parise. We can downplay the friendship that he and Stafford have, but it can't hurt in recruiting, plus we know how loudly Pegulas money speaks. Then we use all of our draft picks to replenish the prospects. Instead of gettting 4 prospects in rounds 1-4, we get the same amount but higher quality. At the end of the day, were stronger now and in the future.
Brown brings proven NHL leadership, physicality, and about 15 points less per season on average, and he does that at a ~$3M cap hit. I don't see why they'd do Vanek for Brown straight up, let alone giving up one of their two top prospects and a 1st along with him.
Right now, we essentially have the talent to roll 3 scoring lines. We're not built (right now) for a traditional 3rd line shutdown line, but that's not necessarily a bad thing either.
That leaves a 4th line to be an energy line with (acquisition/callup), McCormick, and Kaleta
With Ellis (who will be on a 1-way next year) as the spare #13.
Roll 3 scoring lines equally--or a top line and a 2a/2b line. Hodgson and Ennis won't be playing in a traditional 3rd line.
With this plan, we have the following options:
Foligno (can he play a scoring line role?)
Tropp (could be on the bottom line)
Adam (could be the scoring line winger)
FA acquisitions: I like the idea of going after Prust if he hits the market. A 2nd/3rd line winger could be someone like David Jones, Niklas Hagman, Lee Stempniak, Alexei Ponikarovsky, etc. I know, not necessarily sexy names, but it's about finding the right fit at the right cost. An interesting option, but may not quite fit as nicely into my plan, is Jay McClement as a 4th line center. Doesn't quite bring a lot of physicality, but he would be a decent replacement for Goose.
I would like them to keep the two 1st round picks, and get the best or most needed prospect. It's hard to argue that ANY 1st round pick would be a bad pick.
Package the two 2nd round picks and one of Roy or Stafford to either: get a third 1st round pick OR get a top prospect center from a previous draft.
Before next October i hope the Sabres move Roy and Stafford. But the Sabres must get a good center back if Roy is moved.
Along with not re-signing Hecht and Boyes, that should open up a few million to take a serious run at a much needed center OR big productive winger.
With Mcnabb being pretty much a lock to make the roster, Weber is expendable.
I'm not convinced yet that Foligno, Tropp, or TJ Brennan will win a roster spot out of training camp.
Trade Derek Roy +both 1st Round Picks
For Ryan Strome
Resign Gaustad
You forgot the
I wouldn't trade a shot at Galchenyuk for Strome straight up--and, at #6, with Edmonton and the Isles likely to draft a defenseman, I think we'd have a shot--let alone throwing away assets like Nashville's 1st and Roy, as well.
I wouldn't trade a shot at Galchenyuk for Strome straight up--and, at #6, with Edmonton and the Isles likely to draft a defenseman, I think we'd have a shot--let alone throwing away assets like Nashville's 1st and Roy, as well.
agreed...
but i might trade Roy and Nash 1st for Strome...
Hodgson, Galchenyuk, Strome
center problem solved for the next decade...
then we can focus on turning over our collection of ***** wingers, and adding some size up and down the wings
Edmonton would want a D man to move down...someone like McNabb, Sekera, or Myers...I'd rather not move any one of those guys....We could try and bribe them with Pysyk...but I think they would rather just keep their pick and draft Murray.
I'd do Buff 1st (assuming it's 4th-6th) and McNabb for Edmonton 1st assuming it's a top-2 pick.
Either Yakupov or Grigorenko would bring the franchise the offensive talent not seen since Mogilny was here.
