Something that passed my ears last year was that Satan-Zhitnik for Williams-Woywitka was being worked on, but that Regier was holding steadfast to Pitkanen over Woywitka. Clarke was interested, Regier was interested... just no deal materialized.
Maybe it's just me, but when I look at Williams and Gagne, I see players like Dumont, Kotalik, and Afinogenov in different colored uniforms.
Handzus is the only Flyers forward that really interests me.
Gagne and Williams strike me as small, soft, streaky 20 goal scorers. And I think the Sabres have more than enough of those right now.
gagne really hasn't done jack for two years now and he is playing on an elite team and getting plenty of ice time
i need to see more from him before i consider him a top 4 winger
Maybe it's just me, but when I look at Williams and Gagne, I see players like Dumont, Kotalik, and Afinogenov in different colored uniforms.
Handzus is the only Flyers forward that really interests me.
Gagne and Williams strike me as small, soft, streaky 20 goal scorers. And I think the Sabres have more than enough of those right now.
Williams reminds me most of Curtis Brown---solid 2-way forward who'll quietly do what's asked of him. Not soft, per say, but not a glove-in-the-face gritty guy either.
Gagne... well... speed kills but so does the injury bug.
Man, I'd love to get Handzus and Pitkanen for Satan and Zhitnik. That'd solve a ton of problems long-term, and save us about $5m in payroll. I have a feeling though that for Clarke to part with Pitkanen, we're going to have to offer up quite a bit. Maybe we could throw in someone like Pominville? I mean, he's a great player and everything, but we definitely need a Pitkanen more than we need a Pominville.
Man, I'd love to get Handzus and Pitkanen for Satan and Zhitnik. That'd solve a ton of problems long-term, and save us about $5m in payroll. I have a feeling though that for Clarke to part with Pitkanen, we're going to have to offer up quite a bit. Maybe we could throw in someone like Pominville? I mean, he's a great player and everything, but we definitely need a Pitkanen more than we need a Pominville.
What do you guys think?
You could offer Vanek AND Miller and Bobby boy probably wouldn't acknowledge you.
Maybe it's just me, but when I look at Williams and Gagne, I see players like Dumont, Kotalik, and Afinogenov in different colored uniforms.
I agree and I think Regier missed the boat by not offering one of those guys for Markov. Physical top 4 dmen are really hard to come by while forwards like Williams are plentiful.
I agree and I think Regier missed the boat by not offering one of those guys for Markov. Physical top 4 dmen are really hard to come by while forwards like Williams are plentiful.
I wouldn't be surprised if Regier asked for the added payroll and was rebuffed.
I'm not sold on the fact that Golisano would OK a move like that. He sounded to me more like a guy that would listen, but it would take a real steal for him to OK the added salary.
Williams reminds me most of Curtis Brown---solid 2-way forward who'll quietly do what's asked of him. Not soft, per say, but not a glove-in-the-face gritty guy either.
Gagne... well... speed kills but so does the injury bug.
Maybe soft wasn't the right term.
I just think that Williams is too much like the guys that this team is already overloaded with.
And Handzus is the only Flyers forward that really interests me. He strikes me as a bigger, more durable version of Jochen Hecht. And I think he'd be a real nice fit on the Sabres.
I wouldn't be surprised if Regier asked for the added payroll and was rebuffed.
I'm not sold on the fact that Golisano would OK a move like that. He sounded to me more like a guy that would listen, but it would take a real steal for him to OK the added salary.
Maybe it's just me though.............
I was thinking Zhitnik could go in another deal to clear payroll since we're going to lose him anyways. Perhaps he could have even gone for Williams. It would be interesting to know if Regier was attempting to do something along those lines. There could have been a chance for the major shakeup this team badly needs.
At least we don't have a GM as bad as Rutherford. He's now effectively dealt the #16 (1999) and #15 (2001) picks for Justin Williams as he gave up David Tanabe and Igor Knyazev to acquire Markov. He also gave up a lot for Sandis Ozolinsh and got little in return when he dealt him.
I was thinking Zhitnik could go in another deal to clear payroll since we're going to lose him anyways. Perhaps he could have even gone for Williams. It would be interesting to know if Regier was attempting to do something along those lines. There could have been a chance for the major shakeup this team badly needs.
If they decide to wave the white flag on this season, then I think they have to look to add good young defensemen or young forwards with some size or at least more grit to their game than Williams has.
To me Williams is redundant when the Sabres already have the likes of Afinogenov, Kotalik, Dumont, Briere, Drury, and Pyatt in Buffalo and guys like Pominville, Bartovic, Milley, Ryan, and Thorburn in Rochester.
I think trying to pry Colaiacovo out of Toronto, or at least Brendan Bell would be a better way to go than getting Williams for Zhitnik.
Since Woywitka was sent packing in the Comrie deal, the only guy on the Flyers that I'd be excited to see coming back in a Zhitnik deal would be Handzus.
And I might get a little excited if they were to get Carter or Richards out of Philly.
I just don't like Gagne or Williams all that much for this Sabres team.
Does this team really need any more upside players? What this team needs is a few performers. I don't love Zhitnik, but I do believe we will be very sorry if he is gone, especially for a project.
Does this team really need any more upside players? What this team needs is a few performers. I don't love Zhitnik, but I do believe we will be very sorry if he is gone, especially for a project.
Zhitnik's a pending UFA. It's a matter of when he'll be gone, not if. I'd take a young "upside" NHL'er anyday over the Stu Barnes-like return he'll fetch at the trade deadline.
The Canes can have Williams, that kid is young, but as others said nothing but another Kotalik/Afinogenov character. On the other hand, Markov would have been a nice acquisition if we could have him for Kotalik or Afinogenov.
Too late anyways.
As far as I'm concerned, this team shows that they can play good hockey and win games. We have enough talent on this roster. We are lacking the consistency and the will to lay it on the line each and every night. Our coaching is a major problem right now. We need to get a Mike Keenan-like coach in here to start whipping guys around and not accepting piss-poor efforts. Even is Keenan's time wears thin after a season or two, he would be a great asset in developing some of the younger guys on this team. ie. Pyatt, Roy, Pominville. Isn't it odd how whomever it is that comes to Buffalo plays below their potential? That's a coaching issue.
Afinogenov and Kotalik can piss off - together in a package I'm sure they could fetch a solid D-man.
Look at Micheal Ryder on the Habs...he is a major reason why they are winning games, if Pyatt could emerge it would make a hell of a difference. If either Afino, Kotalik, Dumont, Pyatt or Connolly could step their game up to another level and become more than just a inconsistent 20 goal scorer, it would pay off in a big way.
We brought all those kids here assuming that one day they would become something special. None of them have done that as of yet...that's a major issue right now.
The defense needs work-true-but not that much. If we lost Zhitnik we would be a lottery team. I want to keep Zhitnik, Kalinin and Mckee for sure. It would be nice to add a d-man to pair up with Mckee and have the top 4 eat most of the minutes.
Fitzpatrick, Campbell, Tallinder, Delmore are nothing more than 5-6-7 guys. I like Patrick better than those guys. Losing Woolley was a blow, he brought a lot of different things to the table...mainly experience.
Right now we've hit the fork in the road. I don't know which way to go.
Isn't it odd how whomever it is that comes to Buffalo plays below their potential? That's a coaching issue.
Actually, Kotalik and Pyatt are two players that have played better in Buffalo than they ever did in Rochester.
Quote:
Look at Micheal Ryder on the Habs...he is a major reason why they are winning games, if Pyatt could emerge it would make a hell of a difference. If either Afino, Kotalik, Dumont, Pyatt or Connolly could step their game up to another level and become more than just a inconsistent 20 goal scorer, it would pay off in a big way.
But personally, I think that's more about a misjudge of talent than proof that Ruff can't develop players.
It's not like the NHL is littered with Sabres draftees that washed out here and moved on and blossomed.
He could, but Clarke wouldn't have given Williams for him. Markov is a crease clearer that is also a PP dman, and he's 27. He fills multiple needs for the Flyers, versitile and young. With 2 dmen on the last year of their contract, Markov also fits another void next year. Zhitnik wouldn't.
He's worth way more than that to a contender. Big budget teams, including Colorado, will be willing to take on salary at the deadline for one final run. Z may be a missing piece for several teams. Considering the Schneider deal, he'll definetly snag both, maybe more.
I hate it when people compare any potential deals to the Schneider one.
Nobody is going to overpay like Detroit did... there aren't any team's that have that capability. Colorado's running thin in the system, and I don't think Zhitnik is an absolutely necessity to them for Lacroix to move 2 or even 3 assets (picks/prospects) for him.
@ both your comments and avatar!
