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Jochen Hecht has accepted a contract offer until end of season the Buffalo Sabres (NHL) and the eagles leave with immediate effect. Jochen Hecht has for the Eagles completed six DEL games, scoring five goals and eight assists.
Born in Mannheim is tomorrow, on Saturday get on the plane and already in Iserlohn no longer in the squad are the eagles.
We wish you success in Buffalo Jochen Hecht and thank him for his efforts in recent weeks.
Too slow, too old, too many injuries. He was a good soldier for Buffalo but they should be trying to shed that old identity.
Disagree. Better than any third line center to be had on the open market. He should be able to help in that role and also help on the PK. Fills a need in their lineup with very little risk. Also already has built in familiarity with many of the guys in the lineup so chemistry issues in a shortened season won't be a problem.
I guess I'm one of the few Sabres fans that actually wanted this to happen. He's healthy, and has been playing well. We certainly have a void of age down the middle, and Hecht is a pretty darn good PK'er and defensive player, even if his offensive capabilities have declined. Good move.
Disagree. Better than any third line center to be had on the open market. He should be able to help in that role and also help on the PK. Fills a need in their lineup with very little risk. Also already has built in familiarity with many of the guys in the lineup so chemistry issues in a shortened season won't be a problem.
Good move.
Moore and Arnott are better imo. Hecht is finished, bad move.
Too slow, too old, too many injuries. He was a good soldier for Buffalo but they should be trying to shed that old identity.
This was my initial thought, as well, but if they keep him in a bottom six role and the price is right, then i am okay with it for a short season. It's maddening when Ruff tries to give him top 6 minutes.
Moore and Arnott are better imo. Hecht is finished, bad move.
I'd be surprised if Moore played this year at all. The reason we signed Jochen is because he is familiar with the system, plus he's just a 4th line C - doesn't change the team drastically.
Disagree. Better than any third line center to be had on the open market. He should be able to help in that role and also help on the PK. Fills a need in their lineup with very little risk. Also already has built in familiarity with many of the guys in the lineup so chemistry issues in a shortened season won't be a problem.
Good move.
IMO they will actually use him as a 4th line center w/PK duty. Grigs will get the 6 game tryout on as third line center with PP time. If he cant cut it there he will go back to the Q and Hecht will move up the 3rd. IMO.
The problem Sabres fans had with Hecht in the past was his huge salary for his play something like 3.5 million and his role as one of the top line players. If he is signed for cheap, as a 3rd or 4th line player, then this is a great move.
too bad I can't make jokes about him any more in Germany
Why now and not before the lockout? It's not a rumor, in Germany it is confirmed
Before the lockout Hecht's health and future were everything but clear. Actually, the lockout probably helped Hecht earn his stay here for another year. Going to Germany and proving not only he can still play hockey (even if it's in an inferior league) and more importantly, that he is healthy once more, surely made it a lot easier for us to feel comfortable re-signing him now. Three months ago, we wouldn't have had that comfort, as his health and ability to play were very up-in-the-air. Hecht was one of the few players that was a beneficiary of the lockout I feel. It gave him time to prove he's still capable and in good health, whereas without that opportunity in Germany most teams, including Buffalo, probably wouldn't give him a first glance. Also, Jason Pominville reported to the team and media that upon playing with Hecht during the lockout (I think they played on the same line in Germany even) that this is the best hockey he's seen Hecht play in a while and that he's in very good health finally. Says a lot coming from your captain to try to encourage keeping him around.
I have no problem re-signing him. Like I've said before, I wouldn't have been heart-broken had we let him walk but keeping him for another year (especially a short one) was the right move at this point. We now know we have someone to plug into the third or fourth line center spots, possibly keeping one of Ellis, McCormick, or Scott from lacing up every night as well. Hecht is a better play than all three of those guys. Gerbe is also out to start the year, so by keeping Hecht we ensure we have a body for the last spot to skate with Ott and Leino on the third line if Grigorenko isn't ready. Hecht should play either third or fourth line center, depending on if Grigorenko makes it and should be on the PK too, possibly keeping Hodgson off the PK, further allowing him to focus on developing his offensive game further this season, which should be better for him at this point. Hecht and Pominville worked well together on the PK as well before.
Hecht - Pominville
Ott - Kaleta
Not bad for the forward PK units. Hecht is just about the best guy left on the market anyway. I will admit, I wanted Arnott for the last two summers, but according to Blues fans he's slowed down immensely and has little-to-no defensive game and is reportedly being pursued by Vancouver anyway, so judging on what the Sabres still needed (a bottom-six, reliable defensive forward), Hecht is the better fit. Moore just lost his wife and won't play this year, so he's out and the way he was treated here I have a hard time imagining he'd ever come back if we wanted him to. Who else is there? Langkow? He's probably a lateral move at this point. Hecht has the edge over anyone new because he knows the team and will be the longest-tenured Sabre. Coaches love him, teammates love him, so no harm done keeping him for one more year. It may seem like it to some fans, who recognize him as being part of the teams that haven't won a playoff series since 06-07 and time to move on and get rid of players involved in that "mediocrity" of the last few years but at this point, it's not a bad move. Just hope to not see him in the top-six at all this year, unless he's filling in for an injury. He's solely a bottom-six defensive forward, capable of chipping in some offense and providing a veteran presence and leadership and PKing, no more. He'll be cheap and as long as he's healthy, which he says he's 100%, low risk, high reward for us. I'm happy to keep him.
