We learned a lot about the Sabres this week. We've learned that Regier and Devine have been role-playing their options and their scenarios in an effort to climb up from the 8th seed to the Miler High Club of the NHL.
They need a dance partner to work with to propel them from the 8th seed to the crow's next where Nathan MacKinnon lives. They can't get there without help.
Why not dance with Craig MacTavish and the Edmonton Oilers? MacT and the Oil sit one seat ahead of the Sabres on the draft bus. MacT has said, on the record, that his first round picks (#7) is in play. Meaning, if he can acquire a veteran, difference-making player who can help his team win now ( ie: starting goalie or top 4 D), then he's ready, willing and able to make a deal. However, the deal has to be tailored made for the Oilers.
Makes a lot of sense to me. MacT has promised swift changes in the Edmonton organization. Earlier this week, he showed that he's a man of his word when he turfed his head coach Ralph Kruger, and replaced him with Dallas Eakins. Who saw that coming?
In a similar respect, who's expecting MacT to deviate from the Oilers' script of picking the best player available with their first round pock, like Steve Tambellini had done the previous five drafts when he snarfed up Hall, Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins, Yakupov.
The Sabres are trying to get their sweaty mitts on the 1st overall pick in the June 30 entry draft, right? Why not do a "bridge deal" with Edmonton? One deal begets another.
You can't eat a whale in one big gulp. You have to eat it in smaller bites.
Regier and Devine can stockpile more trade currency by doing a deal with Edmonton, that they will be able to parlay into the first overall pick, if they so choose to make the deal.
Here's what I'm thinking.
Work a deal with Edmonton whereby the Sabres acquire the Oilers' 7th overall pick. Trade Ryan Miller and Mark Pysyk to the Oilers for their 7th overall pick.
The Sabres would get what they want, while the Oilers would fill two gaping holes in their lineup in one fell swoop. Miller would give the Oilers the stability and strength in their net that they haven't had since Dwayne Roloson took them to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006. Khabibulin is 40 and is not the answer in net, while Dubnyk is young and largely inexperienced, albeit talented. Miller represents 40-45 wins for the Oilers. Their high octane offense can score their 4-5 goals per game while Miller only allows 2.5-3 goals against. Its a recipe for immediate winning and instant credibility. Pysyk, the former captain of the WHL Edmonton Oil Kings, will give the Oilers another slick skating puck mover to augment the talents of Justin Schultz.
The Sabres would then own picks #7, #8 and #16 in the first round.
They could then phone up Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic in Colorado and up the ante and offer a mitt full of three first round draft choices in exchange for the first overall pick in the draft. With picks 7,8, and 16 in hand, the Avs could then do a deal or deals with Tampa and/or Nashville to get the high impact forward or D that they covet. Drouin? Jones? Barkov? Nurse? Zadorov?
How can Roy refuse 3 prime picks in the first 16, in the deepest, richest draft since the 2003 gold rush?
________________________________________________________________________
Former Sabres and Amerks D, TJ Brennan will trading in his flip flops for a pair of crap kickers. The Willingboro, NJ native will have to learn to like Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, and Lady Antebellum. Say goodbye to Salsa and South Beach, Teej.
For the second time in the past four months, Brennan has been traded. This time, its to the Nashville Predators.
Those that know me, know that I am an unabashed TJ Brennan fan. I've really liked his trajectory and his skill development ever since the Sabres drafted his 31st overall in the 2007 entry draft.
Its baffling to me how Brennan has gone from "can't miss NHL prospect" status to NHL suitcase.
In 36 games in Rochester this season, Brennan scored 14 goals and added 21 assists. He was -10 however.
In 10 games with Buffalo this season, Brennan had only one goal and no assists. He was a -1 player.
He was then traded to Sunrise, where he scored two goals and added seven assists in 19 games. He was an ugly -8 in his brief stint in Florida.
Why can't Brennan's NHL offensive game transition to the NHL? He's still young and has plenty of time to figure it out.
Known for his bomb of a point shot on the PP, Brennan struggled mightily in the NHL to get his shot on net. In the AHL, where forwards and D a half-step slower, Brennan was given ample time and space to get his clapper off. Not so in the NHL, where the scouting report says for defenders to show Brennan zero respect and to shoot the points to deny him time and space to get his gun out of hits holster.
In Nashville, Brennan will will learn from Phil Housley, the best American born offensive D to ever play the game, in my own humble opinion, all due respect to Brian Leetch. Housley was hired last month by Barry Trotz. Brennan, if he cracks the top six in on impressive D corps (Weber, Josi, Klein, Gill, Blum) will be used on the PP point.
Perhaps Preds GM David Pile is preparing to trade a D before or at the NHL Entry Draft on June 30. Can never have too many NHL D on your roster, especially offensively gifted ones.
___________________________________________________________________
Join the Discussion:
»