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Shrinkage

July 26, 2013, 4:50 PM ET [38 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Its Friday July 26th.

Cap space in the NHL is so tight that its squeaking.


21 of the 30 NHL clubs have less than $7 million in available cap space available.

The squeaking and gnashing of metal on metal that you hear is the NHL salary cap reducing from $70.4 million to $64.3 million.

I laughed today when I read that Sabres sniper Thomas Vanek should be demanding a trade out of Buffalo. He has one year remaining on his deal in Buffalo at a $7.125 million cap hit.

Why do you think Vanek hasn't been dealt away? NHL GMs have voracious appetites and they often want players that they cannot have. Right now, no GMs can afford Vanek's contract. Even if he were to ask for a trade, there are only a few teams to trade him to.

Buffalo is among the other 9 teams (NJ, STL, CGY, COL, OTT, FLA, WPG, NYI).

The drastically changing economics of the NHL are working against a Vanek trade right now. Demanding a trade would be silly. Vanek has been treated very respectfully in Buffalo since he entered the NHL. Buffalo is his home. He's not ambivalent, nor is he harboring any ill will against Sabres management. He's training right now as if he'll be in the Buffalo starting lineup on opening night in Detroit on October 2, and well he should be.

I've come to know Vanek as a player and as a man away from the rink in the past nine years. Trust me when I tell you that he's going to honor the contract that he signed. he's got one year remaining on his current contract and he's going to respect it He and his agent are not going to pound their proverbial fist on the table and demand a trade. Thats not the way that Thomas Vanek does business. He's a respectful, thoughtful, prideful man. If the Sabres were to approach him with a trade opportunity, he'd consider it. Since they haven't done so this summer, its safe to say that Vanek will be a Buffalo Sabre when the season begins. There's nothing wrong with that concept. The Sabres are a better team with Vanek in their lineup.

I can tell you that Vanek is impressed with the the players that Darcy Regier drafted in June. Kids like Armia, Girgensons, Larsson, and Tropp only add credence to Buffalo's re-tooling process. The future is not as bleak and gloomy as some "Chicken Litttles" say its going to be. Thats why they play the games, folks. Look at the dramatic improvements that Columbus, Ottawa, and Montreal put forth in 2013. Buffalo could be the next team to change their fortunes to the positive, while on the fly. Ryan Miller will be playing high stakes hockey for Buffalo in order to ratchet up his trade value. The D corps will be better 1 through 7 this season than it was last season. The forwards will be better, too. Buffalo's top nine, and bottom three will be impressive this season. More on that later.


I keep in touch with Vanek's agent, Steve Bartlett, on a weekly basis. I'll keep you posted.


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Bored? Looking to get out of the Friday afternoon sun for a little while?

Why not assemble the puzzle pieces that will reveal the Sabres' new third jersies?

Here's the first piece that was released at the Blue and Gold scrimmage:




Clue #2 was released 8 days ago...





Here's clue #3 that was released today









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