Updated 10:05 am EDT:
Clank your celebratory beer steins!
Darcy Regier has re-signed UFA D
Alex Sulzer to a one year contract extension.
On Tuesday, Darcy Regier called his blue line a “numbers situation". At training camp, the Sabres will ice a D corps that consists of a core of Myers, Ehrhoff, Weber, Pysyk and the recently acquired McBain. Younsters McNabb, and 8th overall pick Ristolainen will slug it out for the sixth D. The loser of the beattle will likely become the 7th D.
Christian Ehrhoff gets his D partner back. Thats a good thing.
Sulzer's offense has raised eyebrows in Buffalo since he arrived at the trade deadline in 2012. The Sabres like the value and depth that the 28-year old D adds to their D group. The Sabres have re-signed him as a UFA because they are impressed with his two-way game. Sulzer missed the end of the 2013 regular season after he underwent successful surgery to repair the ACL in his right knee. Sulzer suffered the injury on a collision in the corner against the New York Islanders on February 23.
Sulzer chipped in four points (3G, 1A) in 17 games this past season.
Buffalo's top 8 for 2013-14:
Myers
Ehrhoff
Sulzer
Weber
Pysyk
McBain
McNabb or Ristolainen
Ruhwedel
Official release from Sabres:
Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier today announced that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Alexander Sulzer on a one-year contract and defenseman Drew Bagnall on a multi-year, two-way contract.
Sulzer (6'1", 204 lbs., 5/30/84) has appeared in 32 games as a member of the Sabres in the last two seasons, tallying 12 points (6+6) and 16 penalty minutes, after the team acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks at the 2012 trade deadline. In 106 NHL games with Buffalo, Vancouver, Florida and Nashville, Sulzer has recorded 20 points (7+13) and 36 penalty minutes.
Bagnall (6’3”, 222 lbs., 10/26/83) appeared in 47 games with the Houston Aeros (AHL) in 2012-13, recording six points (1+5), 88 penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating. In six AHL seasons, the Oakbank, Manitoba native has totaled 52 points (6+46) and 676 penalty minutes in 382 regular-season games for Houston and Manchester. In 2010-11, Bagnall appeared in two games for the Minnesota Wild
***
Happy Saturday.
Its Day 2 of the UFA Binge-Fest.
Here are the notable unrestricted free agents who are still available to Darcy Regier and your Buffalo Sabres. I'm ranking them in my order of importance to the Sabres. You may see thing differently.
Forwards come first, in my opinion. They need to add a leader to the group of young forwards. Right now, Ott, Vanek, Kaleta, Scott, and Stafford are the "grey beards" of a youthful forward group. Regier needs to break out Pegula's platinum card and buy some reinforcements who can skate with, compete with, and nurture the kids like Grigo, Foligno, Armia, Girgo, Pysyk, and McNabb.
Regier must make a move to or two to add experience, leadership, skill and physicality to his forward group since the Leafs, Canadiens, Senators, Red Wings, Lightning, Panthers all made moves to get bigger and stronger via the entry draft and Day 1 of UFA market.
Submitted for your approval, my top five UFA hit list:
Morrow: plays an honest 200 foot game. Can be a terror on the boards and on the cylcle. Works well with the kids, as he did in Dallas.
Penner: Huge body, holds pucks, scores, wins wall battles; Needs a change of scenery.
Raymond: Speed, speed, and more speed. Makes D back off and creates ice for linemates. Can finish.
Grabovski: Two-way center. Strong on the puck. Can finish; playing against Toronto will motivate him all the more.
Brunner: Scores, skates, stretches the ice, defends well; Adds experience.
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I'm not interested in this group. Sabres Don't need to see Roy and Boyes again. Been there, done that. The D corps is over loaded right now. No need to add D men.
Mueller
Roy
Prospal
Boyes
Hainsey
Gilbert
Zidlicky
Thomas
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Congratulations to Steve and Erica Ott, who were married on Friday.
Darcy will be giving the Ott's the best wedding gift of all: a multi-year contract extension to stay and lead the youngsters in Buffalo.
Ott, like Miller and Vanek, is entering the final year of his contract.
________________________________________________________________________
Its better for Regier to save his money for the talent-heavy 2014 UFA market. There are going to be some beauties who will be unrestricted free agents on July 1, 2014.
Here's the lost of 2014 UFA, courtesy of capgeek.com:
Player Pos Team Age Cap Hit Expiry
Heatley, Dany L MIN 32 $7,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Gaborik, Marian R CLB 31 $7,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Vanek, Thomas L BUF 29 $7,142,857 2014 (UFA)
Thornton, Joe C SJS 34 $7,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Marleau, Patrick L SJS 33 $6,900,000 2014 (UFA)
Lundqvist, Henrik G NYR 31 $6,875,000 2014 (UFA)
Bouwmeester, Jay D STL 29 $6,680,000 2014 (UFA)
Boyle, Dan D SJS 36 $6,666,667 2014 (UFA)
Stastny, Paul C COL 27 $6,600,000 2014 (UFA)
Phaneuf, Dion D TOR 28 $6,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Miller, Ryan G BUF 32 $6,250,000 2014 (UFA)
Sedin, Henrik C VAN 32 $6,100,000 2014 (UFA)
Sedin, Daniel L VAN 32 $6,100,000 2014 (UFA)
Timonen, Kimmo D PHI 38 $6,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Cammalleri, Mike L CGY 31 $6,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Iginla, Jarome R BOS 36 $6,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Kiprusoff, Miikka G CGY 36 $5,833,333 2014 (UFA)
Markov, Andrei D MTL 34 $5,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Alfredsson, Daniel R DET 40 $5,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Kessel, Phil R TOR 25 $5,400,000 2014 (UFA)
Pominville, Jason R MIN 30 $5,300,000 2014 (UFA)
Hemsky, Ales R EDM 29 $5,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Bergeron, Patrice C BOS 27 $5,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Gionta, Brian R MTL 34 $5,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Komisarek, Mike D CAR 31 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Jokinen, Olli C WPG 34 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Pitkanen, Joni D CAR 29 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Whitney, Ray L DAL 41 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Brodeur, Martin G NJD 41 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Hiller, Jonas G ANA 31 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Legwand, David C NAS 32 $4,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Michalek, Milan L OTT 28 $4,333,333 2014 (UFA)
Callahan, Ryan R NYR 28 $4,275,000 2014 (UFA)
Meszaros, Andrej D PHI 27 $4,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Pavelski, Joe C SJS 28 $4,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Quincey, Kyle D DET 27 $3,775,000 2014 (UFA)
Salo, Sami D TBL 38 $3,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Orpik, Brooks D PIT 32 $3,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Halak, Jaroslav G STL 28 $3,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Schultz, Nick D EDM 30 $3,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Stajan, Matt C CGY 29 $3,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Mitchell, Willie D LAK 36 $3,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Dubnyk, Devan G EDM 27 $3,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Hjalmarsson, Niklas D CHI 26 $3,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Bolland, Dave C TOR 27 $3,375,000 2014 (UFA)
Tallinder, Henrik D NJD 34 $3,375,000 2014 (UFA)
Steen, Alexander L STL 29 $3,362,500 2014 (UFA)
Girardi, Dan D NYR 29 $3,325,000 2014 (UFA)
Robidas, Stephane D DAL 36 $3,300,000 2014 (UFA)
Seidenberg, Dennis D BOS 31 $3,250,000 2014 (UFA)
Ericsson, Jonathan D DET 29 $3,250,000 2014 (UFA)
Nabokov, Evgeni G NYI 37 $3,250,000 2014 (UFA)
Brown, Dustin R LAK 28 $3,175,000 2014 (UFA)
Moulson, Matt L NYI 29 $3,133,333 2014 (UFA)
Olesz, Rostislav L NJD 27 $3,125,000 2014 (UFA)
Phillips, Chris D OTT 35 $3,083,333 2014 (UFA)
Samuelsson, Mikael R DET 36 $3,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Kostitsyn, Sergei L NAS 26 $3,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Jokinen, Jussi L PIT 30 $3,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Vrbata, Radim R PHX 32 $3,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Setoguchi, Devin R WPG 26 $3,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Klesla, Rostislav D PHX 31 $2,975,000 2014 (UFA)
Ott, Steve C BUF 30 $2,950,000 2014 (UFA)
Greene, Matt D LAK 30 $2,950,000 2014 (UFA)
Kulemin, Nikolai R TOR 26 $2,800,000 2014 (UFA)
Morris, Derek D PHX 34 $2,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Schultz, Jeff D LAK 27 $2,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Crawford, Corey G CHI 28 $2,666,667 2014 (UFA)
Downie, Steve R COL 26 $2,650,000 2014 (UFA)
Stempniak, Lee R CGY 30 $2,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Koivu, Saku C ANA 38 $2,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Cogliano, Andrew C ANA 26 $2,390,000 2014 (UFA)
Niskanen, Matt D PIT 26 $2,300,000 2014 (UFA)
Smyth, Ryan L EDM 37 $2,250,000 2014 (UFA)
Nikitin, Nikita D CLB 27 $2,150,000 2014 (UFA)
Moss, David R PHX 31 $2,100,000 2014 (UFA)
Bertuzzi, Todd R DET 38 $2,075,000 2014 (UFA)
Emelin, Alexei D MTL 27 $2,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Sarich, Cory D COL 34 $2,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Khabibulin, Nikolai G CHI 40 $2,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Bouchard, Pierre-Marc R NYI 29 $2,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Vokoun, Tomas G PIT 37 $2,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Fiddler, Vernon C DAL 33 $1,800,000 2014 (UFA)
Winnik, Daniel L ANA 28 $1,800,000 2014 (UFA)
Elliott, Brian G STL 28 $1,800,000 2014 (UFA)
Chimera, Jason L WAS 34 $1,750,000 2014 (UFA)
Boyle, Brian C NYR 28 $1,700,000 2014 (UFA)
Goc, Marcel C FLA 29 $1,700,000 2014 (UFA)
Stuart, Mark D WPG 29 $1,700,000 2014 (UFA)
Stralman, Anton D NYR 26 $1,700,000 2014 (UFA)
Emery, Ray G PHI 30 $1,650,000 2014 (UFA)
Hunwick, Matt D COL 28 $1,600,000 2014 (UFA)
Pyatt, Taylor L NYR 31 $1,550,000 2014 (UFA)
Belov, Anton D EDM 26 $1,525,000 2014 (UFA)
Russell, Kris D CGY 26 $1,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Bouillon, Francis D MTL 37 $1,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Giguere, Jean-Sebastien G COL 36 $1,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Rupp, Mike R MIN 33 $1,500,000 2014 (UFA)
McClement, Jay C TOR 30 $1,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Gustavsson, Jonas G DET 28 $1,500,000 2014 (UFA)
Hansen, Jannik R VAN 27 $1,350,000 2014 (UFA)
Pouliot, Benoit L NYR 26 $1,300,000 2014 (UFA)
Fayne, Mark D NJD 26 $1,300,000 2014 (UFA)
Biron, Martin G NYR 35 $1,300,000 2014 (UFA)
Brookbank, Sheldon D CHI 32 $1,250,000 2014 (UFA)
Diaz, Raphael D MTL 27 $1,225,000 2014 (UFA)
Clemmensen, Scott G FLA 35 $1,200,000 2014 (UFA)
McCormick, Cody C BUF 30 $1,200,000 2014 (UFA)
Eaves, Patrick R DET 29 $1,200,000 2014 (UFA)
Lee, Brian D TBL 26 $1,150,000 2014 (UFA)
Mitchell, John C COL 28 $1,100,000 2014 (UFA)
Thornton, Shawn R BOS 35 $1,100,000 2014 (UFA)
Weaver, Mike D FLA 35 $1,100,000 2014 (UFA)
Glass, Tanner L PIT 29 $1,100,000 2014 (UFA)
Eager, Ben R EDM 29 $1,100,000 2014 (UFA)
Powe, Darroll L NYR 28 $1,066,667 2014 (UFA)
Boll, Jared R CLB 27 $1,050,000 2014 (UFA)
Stoner, Clayton D MIN 28 $1,050,000 2014 (UFA)
Labarbera, Jason G EDM 33 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Asham, Arron R NYR 35 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Handzus, Michal C CHI 36 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Hannan, Scott D SJS 34 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Comeau, Blake L CLB 27 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Moore, Dominic C NYR 32 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
MacKenzie, Derek C CLB 32 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Olesz, Rostislav L NJD 27 $1,000,000 2014 (UFA)
Parros, George R MTL 33 $937,500 2014 (UFA)
Konopka, Zenon C MIN 32 $925,000 2014 (UFA)
MacDonald, Joey G CGY 33 $925,000 2014 (UFA)
Read, Matt R PHI 27 $900,000 2014 (UFA)
Benoit, Andre D COL 29 $900,000 2014 (UFA)
Thorburn, Chris R WPG 30 $866,667 2014 (UFA)
Carcillo, Daniel L CHI 28 $825,000 2014 (UFA)
Gervais, Bruno D PHI 28 $825,000 2014 (UFA)
Prosser, Nate D MIN 27 $825,000 2014 (UFA)
Fraser, Colin C LAK 28 $825,000 2014 (UFA)
Greening, Colin L OTT 27 $816,667 2014 (UFA)
Khudobin, Anton G CAR 27 $800,000 2014 (UFA)
Smith, Derek D CGY 28 $775,000 2014 (UFA)
Potter, Corey D EDM 29 $775,000 2014 (UFA)
Bernier, Steve R NJD 28 $775,000 2014 (UFA)
Carter, Ryan C NJD 29 $775,000 2014 (UFA)
Regin, Peter C NYI 27 $750,000 2014 (UFA)
Scott, John L BUF 30 $750,000 2014 (UFA)
Bickel, Stu D NYR 26 $750,000 2014 (UFA)
Greiss, Thomas G PHX 27 $750,000 2014 (UFA)
Barch, Krystofer R NJD 33 $750,000 2014 (UFA)
Bissonnette, Paul L PHX 28 $737,500 2014 (UFA)
Brown, Mike R EDM 28 $736,667 2014 (UFA)
Nilstorp, Cristopher G DAL 29 $725,000 2014 (UFA)
Westgarth, Kevin R CAR 29 $725,000 2014 (UFA)
Komisarek, Mike D CAR 31 $700,000 2014 (UFA)
Dowell, Jake C MIN 28 $700,000 2014 (UFA)
Schultz, Jeff D LAK 27 $700,000 2014 (UFA)
Petersen, Toby C DAL 34 $675,000 2014 (UFA)
Desjardins, Cedrick G TBL 27 $650,000 2014 (UFA)
Jones, Blair C CGY 26 $650,000 2014 (UFA)
Taormina, Matt D TBL 26 $650,000 2014 (UFA)
Lawson, Nathan G OTT 29 $650,000 2014 (UFA)
Staubitz, Brad R ANA 28 $637,500 2014 (UFA)
Labrie, Pierre-Cedric L TBL 26 $625,000 2014 (UFA)
Aucoin, Keith C STL 34 $625,000 2014 (UFA)
Cannone, Pat C OTT 26 $625,000 2014 (UFA)
MacIntyre, Steve L PIT 32 $625,000 2014 (UFA)
Lasch, Ryan R TOR 26 $625,000 2014 (UFA)
Scrivens, Ben G LAK 26 $612,500 2014 (UFA)
Jackman, Tim R CGY 31 $612,500 2014 (UFA)
McCarthy, John L SJS 26 $612,500 2014 (UFA)
Connelly, Brian D MIN 27 $612,500 2014 (UFA)
Bruton, Chris R NYI 26 $610,000 2014 (UFA)
Montoya, Al G WPG 28 $601,000 2014 (UFA)
Pyatt, Tom L TBL 26 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Mullen, Patrick D VAN 27 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Cracknell, Adam R STL 27 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Bass, Cody C CLB 26 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Hall, Adam C PHI 32 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Haley, Micheal C NYR 27 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Reaves, Ryan R STL 26 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Holmstrom, Ben C PHI 26 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Chorney, Taylor D STL 26 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Eckford, Tyler D OTT 27 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
McElhinney, Curtis G CLB 30 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Johnson, Aaron D NYR 30 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
MacIntyre, Drew G TOR 30 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Guenin, Nate D COL 30 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Sutter, Brett L CAR 26 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Newbury, Kris C PHI 31 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Johnson, Chad G BOS 27 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Van Der Gulik, David L COL 30 $600,000 2014 (UFA)
Syvret, Danny D NYR 28 $587,500 2014 (UFA)
Garbutt, Ryan C DAL 27 $575,000 2014 (UFA)
Bollig, Brandon L CHI 26 $575,000 2014 (UFA)
Genoway, Chay D WAS 26 $575,000 2014 (UFA)
Kassian, Matt L OTT 26 $575,000 2014 (UFA)
Street, Ben C CGY 26 $575,000 2014 (UFA)
Wathier, Francis L DAL 28 $575,000 2014 (UFA)
Engelland, Deryk D PIT 31 $566,667 2014 (UFA)
Rau, Chad C MIN 26 $562,500 2014 (UFA)
Gionta, Stephen R NJD 29 $562,500 2014 (UFA)
Rechlicz, Joel R WAS 26 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Boulton, Eric L NYI 36 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Piskula, Joe D NAS 29 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Bourque, Chris L BOS 27 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Angelidis, Mike C TBL 28 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Lerg, Bryan L COL 27 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Vitale, Joe C PIT 27 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Blunden, Mike R MTL 26 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Brouillette, Julien D WAS 26 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
MacDonald, Andrew D NYI 26 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Stoa, Ryan C WAS 26 $550,000 2014 (UFA)
Mitchell, John L ANA 26 $542,500 2014 (UFA)
Blanchard, Nicolas C CAR 26 $537,500 2014 (UFA)
Finley, Joe D NYI 26 $537,500 2014 (UFA)
Cliche, Marc-Andre R LAK 26 $537,500 2014 (UFA)
Peters, Justin G CAR 26 $537,500 2014 (UFA)
Zatkoff, Jeff G PIT 26 $537,500 2014 (UFA)
Porter, Kevin L BUF 27 $537,500 2014 (UFA)
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I commend Darcy Regier. He said it and he most definitely meant it when he said that the Sabres would be charting their course to a youth movement, rather than spending stupid money like drunken sailors on shore leave in the unrestricted market.
Darcy Regier wasn't bluffing.
He stuck to his guns and remained played the role of interested observer to a gluttonous money spending spree that saw 28 or 29 other teams blow nearly $400 million on unrestricted free agents.Talk about a bazaar. More like a bizarre.
All of the aggressive spending behavior made one wonder aloud
"Why was there a Lockout last season"?
has there ever been a UFA day in the history of the NHL that saw such careless over spending of money on over-priced, over-rated free agents? I admire Regier for NOT scratching the itch to pay fading power forward Ryane Clowe $24.5 million over the next 5 seasons. I'm glad that Regier didn't get snookered into a bidding war the result of which is paying agitator David Clarkson an AAV of $5.25 per season.
Talk about eyes being bigger than the stomach.
Regier wasn't coaxed into the UFA market. Not the high end pieces, anyway. He'll add veteran role players when the time is right.
Right now, the Sabres sit in 26th place in NHL salary spending. They have $15.2 million in cap space and have internal business to do with their own free agents. I see Regier Re-upping both of his UFA D in Alex Sulzer and Adam Pardy. He will get a deal done with RFA C Cody Hodgson in the near future. Ditto for Matt Hackett, Bryan Flynn, Luke Adam and Corey Tropp. UFAs not coming back will be:
D Biega (signed by Vancouver)
D Schiestel, Drew
F Lagace
G Leggio
F Mancari (signed by Vancouver)
F Tarnasky
Regier's plan is to assess the available free agents and then make a stab at the secondary UFA market.
While his Northeast Division foes were busy blowing the equivalent of the gross national product of a European country on Day 1 of the UFA market, Regier and the Sabres sat and watched with discipline and control the madness that overtook the market.
Shrinking salary cap, me arse! teams spent big money on Friday. The Northeast will never be the same after all of the notable quotable who switched teams to play in Buffalo's division.
The Maple Leafs spent heavily to recruit winger David Clarkson to The Big Smoke. Tyler Bozak was re-upped to a big money deal. The Senators lost Daniel Alfredsson just after the market opened at Noon, however, they, shocked the hockey world when the executed a surgical strike of a trade that landed All Star winger Bobby Ryan in Ottawa. The Sens also grabbed former Sabres winger Clarke MacArthur. Brilliant move. The Bruins subtracted Horton, Khudobin, Seguin, Ference, and Peverley and then hauled in a whale named Iginla. Loui Eriksson will light the lamp and turn heads in Boston. The Red Wings stole the show by signing Alfie and then signing center Stephen Weiss. The Lightning signed super center Val Filppula. Drafting Drouin second overall last week wo't hurt the Bolts one bit this season. The Panthers selected Sasha Barkov second overall and they will be decidedly better on the ice this season than they were last season. The Canadiens grabbed Briere and a facial re-arranger named Parros.
The Sabres? The signed an AHL D named Drew Bagnall. He'll play in Rochester this season.
Regier managed expectation properly. He said that the Sabres would be playing the kids this season and that he would be relying heavily on the organizational depth and the NHL Draft to re-make his 2013-14 roster. Darcy lives by the sword.
Right now, I see the Sabres as being 95% of the way there to being a team in youth movement mode. The coaching staff is fresh and new. The forward ranks will feature plenty of youthful enthusiasm next season. The D corps will be led by guys in their twenties like Ehrhoff, Myers, Weber, and Pysyk.
The only thing that's standing in the way of teh Sabres being fully and completely committed to a 100%, honest to goodness youth movement , is Ryan Miller. For all intents and purposes, Miller already said his goodbyes to the fans of Buffalo before, during, an after teh Sabres' season finale vs. the NY Islanders at First Niagara Center. Miller was treated to a chorus of appreciation by the 18,690 fans in the seats as he won that night. The Islander was Miller's 500th NHL start in Buffalo. The crowd showed him the love and he returned it. His wave to the home fans looked more to me like a "goodbye" than a "thanks for your support".
If Regier and the Sabres are truly a team that is fully committed to a re-boot/re-toll, then Ryan Miller has to go. He has to go now. Jhonas Enroth and Matt Hackett are the "youthful" elements in the Sabres crease. Miller will turn 33 in less than two weeks. Miller represents the past. The kids like Grigorenko, Foligno, Ennis, Armia, Girgensons, Pysyk, McNabb, Tropp, Flynn and Porter represent the future. I think Thomas Vanek has paid his dues and has earned the right to lead this team moving forward. I have no problem whatsoever signing Vanek to a long term extension and sewing the "C" on across his heart on his blue and gold sweater.
Time to turn the page and close the Ryan Miller chapter of the Sabres history book. They haven't won with him, now its time to move on to a new era without him.
Trading Miller right now looks like a real impossibility because sevearl NHL teams filled their goaltending needs with free agents on Friday. Edmonton, Calgary, Carolina, NY Islanders, Philly, Boston, and Chicago all added goaltenders on Day 1 of UFA day. The goalie market is maxed out right now. That is, the UFA goalie market is maxed out. The trade market is still alive. There are a couple of teams (see St. Louis Blues) who are not in love with their three-headed goaltending conundrum. Its incumbent upon Regier to trade Miller as soon as he can get a win/win deal done. Regier's hands are tied right now because I feel like if a 33 year old Miller skates into training camp and he is surrounded by fresh faced kids, he's not going to like what he sees. If and when losses start to pile up into losing streaks, the tension will grow to a point where ultimatums will be made, and that's not a pretty scene inside a locker room of 20 somethings. Regier has to move Miller now. He must get maximum return for his asset from a trading partner. Miller has value around the NHL. The issue now is supply and demand. here are no more starting goalie jobs available to Miller. Regier has to get a solid NHL player and a top draft pick for Miller or else, he runs the risk of Miller playing out next season and leaving as a UFA on July 1. Without compensation. That cannot happen.
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