I would love to see it... especially a Clowe - Ott - Kaleta line... that could even be our PK unit.
- JVince11

Heck, put them with the Rookie even. We'd have to shed some cash to make it happen though, and possibly Girgensons or one of our better D prospects.

I've only seen him in the past two world jr tourneys,
But he was finland's best player in both,
And looked GREAT to me

I think Vanek is a good comparison to his talent level and type of player he'll be
I have high hopes/expectations for him

With him and Grigorenko potentially on our 3rd line next year,
I think that line could be as productive as that 3rd line we had behind the drury & Briere lines after the lockout
Max-Roy-Pominville was nasty
Im looking forward to that again next season with our new guys
- jdfitz77

that is basically the exact thing I have heard about him too.. that he is a Vanek-like Sniper... I know that Armia does not park in front of the net and take those garbage goals though. i thought he was a faceoff circle and slot type player with his shots.

This is what I am toying with right now on capgeek... I would love Armia in that role because of everything we both have been saying.. I like a physical player in Foligno and Ott on those lines to sort of protect the other players.. Stafford will never be a hartnell type guy. I know htat Armia's team in Finland is no where near hte playoffs and he will be able to play the final 10 games or so in the AHL this season. maybe all off season he could get adjusted and start next season in the NHL.. who knows... If not Armia then maybe Flynn is my thought... I just don't see Leino on this team next year and have a hard time finding Gerbe on it next year too...

our 4th line should look like
Tropp - McM/Porter - Kaleta.
- JVince11

Unless Leino finishes this year around a ppg, and then does the same in the playoffs,
I just can't see any way they don't buy him out?
No offense to him, bc i think he's ok,
But at 4.5 per, when we can have that 3rd line wing spot filled By Armia or even Tropp for MUCH less...
It just makes more sense to use that 4.5mil towards defense for next year with all the guys we'll be losing, and the cap going down

Heck, put them with the Rookie even. We'd have to shed some cash to make it happen though, and possibly Girgensons or one of our better D prospects.
- nfph

not as much as you might think...

I am in the 2013-2014 capgeek thing for Buffalo.. and I have a full roster including raises to Sulzer (1M), Hodgson (2.25M), Tropp (700k), Enroth, and Brennan... I resigned Leopold for 2.25M too.

Even with Leino still on the roster we have 5.675M in cap space and 22 skaters.

Sabres89 threw his name out there

And there's others out there who feel this team needs a "sniper" or "superstar" forward
- jdfitz77

And we do

that is basically the exact thing I have heard about him too.. that he is a Vanek-like Sniper... I know that Armia does not park in front of the net and take those garbage goals though. i thought he was a faceoff circle and slot type player with his shots.
- JVince11

Not as much "front of the net" play,
But i think that might be because he so dominant in the area you've mentioned he doesn't NEED to be in front as much
That will change once he gets to the NHL though- he'll need to go to all areas of the ice to score
He's got a Nasty shot, just like Vanek, that I think we are all gonna love

Is Clowe rumored to be available
I can't see the sharks wanting to move him unless they are getting a big return
- jdfitz77

Contracts talks have already started with Clowe and the Sharks.

not as much as you might think...

I am in the 2013-2014 capgeek thing for Buffalo.. and I have a full roster including raises to Sulzer (1M), Hodgson (2.25M), Tropp (700k), Enroth, and Brennan... I resigned Leopold for 2.25M too.

Even with Leino still on the roster we have 5.675M in cap space and 22 skaters.
- JVince11

You did reduce the cap to 64m right ?

I didn't think we had that much room

Heck, put them with the Rookie even. We'd have to shed some cash to make it happen though, and possibly Girgensons or one of our better D prospects.
- nfph

But do u wanna give up some combo of Armia, Girgensons, Pysyk, McCabe, etc for a "rental"?
With San Jose likely being one of the contenders in the West again,
Would they even move him unless they were also getting Simone back that can take his spot NOW?
What if they want Stafford +
That's a lot to ask for someone we might not be able (or want to) re-sign

not as much as you might think...

I am in the 2013-2014 capgeek thing for Buffalo.. and I have a full roster including raises to Sulzer (1M), Hodgson (2.25M), Tropp (700k), Enroth, and Brennan... I resigned Leopold for 2.25M too.

Even with Leino still on the roster we have 5.675M in cap space and 22 skaters.
- JVince11

Hodgson is going to be more like $3M-$3.5M if I had to guess.

I don't think Brennan will be with the team after this season, nor Leopold or Regehr.

But do u wanna give up some combo of Armia, Girgensons, Pysyk, McCabe, etc for a "rental"?
With San Jose likely being one of the contenders in the West again,
Would they even move him unless they were also getting Simone back that can take his spot NOW?
What if they want Stafford +
That's a lot to ask for someone we might not be able (or want to) re-sign
- jdfitz77

I don't know how anybody else feels, but I would trade Stafford for Clowe in a millisecond!

And we do
- SABRES 89

Can u wait for Armia?
Or do you want that guy now?

I'd trade Armia if it meant we were getting a guy who's under contract...
Someone like Ryan...
But not for a "rental" like Iginla, Perry, Clowe, etc

What type player would u like to see us bring in?
- jdfitz77

I think we need a Defensive Centerman. Shutdown type of guy that can win face off. Probably not gonna happen, but we are very young and offensive up the middle.

I think we need a Defensive Centerman. Shutdown type of guy that can win face off. Probably not gonna happen, but we are very young and offensive up the middle.
- JPlatt915

Girgensons would be that player if you are talking about the Sabres.

I don't know how anybody else feels, but I would trade Stafford for Clowe in a millisecond!
- kingcong39

If Clowe was under contract for a few more years at 4mil...
I don't think anyone would disagree with that

But stafford for a guy that might not want to re-sign here, and if he did, might want in the neighborhood of 5.5-6mil?

That's tough

We'd def have to overpay him to get him to not go to free agency
And if he did make it to free agency, he likely would not stay here

It's a pretty risky move
I'd be A LOT more comfortable doing something like
Stafford, Brennan, pick --> Ryan (Or Benn, etc)

But do u wanna give up some combo of Armia, Girgensons, Pysyk, McCabe, etc for a "rental"?
With San Jose likely being one of the contenders in the West again,
Would they even move him unless they were also getting Simone back that can take his spot NOW?
What if they want Stafford +
That's a lot to ask for someone we might not be able (or want to) re-sign
- jdfitz77

I'd give up a top prospect and a roster player for him, yeah.

that is basically the exact thing I have heard about him too.. that he is a Vanek-like Sniper... I know that Armia does not park in front of the net and take those garbage goals though. i thought he was a faceoff circle and slot type player with his shots.
- JVince11

Not really like Vanek, won't be in front of the net like him, he's bigger, not that fast but can shoot and has good hands, more like Jeff Carter IMO

If Clowe was under contract for a few more years at 4mil...
I don't think anyone would disagree with that

But stafford for a guy that might not want to re-sign here, and if he did, might want in the neighborhood of 5.5-6mil?

That's tough

We'd def have to overpay him to get him to not go to free agency
And if he did make it to free agency, he likely would not stay here

It's a pretty risky move
I'd be A LOT more comfortable doing something like
Stafford, Brennan, pick --> Ryan (Or Benn, etc)
- jdfitz77

You think Clowe is going to get north of $5M?
I have no idea how on earth that is going to happen.
His production and Drew's are very similar. We all know Clowe does more when it comes to being physical and difficult to play against.
I get that. Clowe is making $3.6M right now.
I couldn't see paying him more then $4.5M per, and normally don't like giving guyes who are 30 and up deals like that, but if they could sign him for $4.5M for 3 years, for example, it would definitely be worth trading Stafford for him.

That would be a winning upgrade for the team.

How do people feel about making a move on Neidereitter?

How do people feel about making a move on Neidereitter?
- JCSabs06

we dont Neidereitter him

Not really like Vanek, won't be in front of the net like him, he's bigger, not that fast but can shoot and has good hands, more like Jeff Carter IMO
- sbroads24

Watched him a lot suring the Jr tourny and would have to agree with this. Big body sniper.

I think we need a Defensive Centerman. Shutdown type of guy that can win face off. Probably not gonna happen, but we are very young and offensive up the middle.
- JPlatt915

I don't know we need our 3rd line to be a "checking" line though
If we can make a trade w someone like Detroit,
Who needs defense, for a guy like Helm who's scrappy and good at faceoffs, and can play 4th line, PK and take the place of say Ennis for key late game faceoffs, inthink that would work out really well for us
That would let us continue to roll 3 "scoring" lines out there

Can u wait for Armia?
Or do you want that guy now?

I'd trade Armia if it meant we were getting a guy who's under contract...
Someone like Ryan...
But not for a "rental" like Iginla, Perry, Clowe, etc
- jdfitz77

Armia is not any of those guys and yea I'd take Perry or Clowe any day. You need to relax

I'd give up a top prospect and a roster player for him, yeah.
- nfph

Even if we cant re-sign him?
Because i think he'd wanna at least see what offers are out there, and there's a real good chance we'd lose him
I like the idea of adding him, but him alone doesn't get us closer to the cup IMO,
We really need to upgrade our defense "top4" to go deep

not as much as you might think...

I am in the 2013-2014 capgeek thing for Buffalo.. and I have a full roster including raises to Sulzer (1M), Hodgson (2.25M), Tropp (700k), Enroth, and Brennan... I resigned Leopold for 2.25M too.

Even with Leino still on the roster we have 5.675M in cap space and 22 skaters.
- JVince11

Here's what I came up with Vince....

CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER
My Custom Lineup
FORWARDS
Thomas Vanek ($7.143m) / Cody Hodgson ($3.250m) / Jason Pominville ($5.300m)
Marcus Foligno ($0.900m) / Tyler Ennis ($2.813m) / Drew Stafford ($4.000m)
Steve Ott ($2.950m) / Mikhail Grigorenko ($1.775m) / Ville Leino ($4.500m)
Nathan Gerbe ($1.450m) / Cody McCormick ($1.200m) / Patrick Kaleta ($1.250m)
Corey Tropp ($0.725m)
DEFENSEMEN
Tyler Myers ($5.500m) / Christian Ehrhoff ($4.000m)
Andrej Sekera ($2.750m) / Alexander Sulzer ($1.250m)
Brayden McNabb ($0.900m) /
GOALTENDERS
Ryan Miller ($6.250m)
Jhonas Enroth ($0.900m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $57,955,357; BONUSES: $910,000
CAP SPACE (20-man roster): $7,254,643

I gave Enroth and Sulzer raises, and Cody is paid around where I think he will be.
McNabb is on the team, as is Tropp.
Goodbye to all of the following: Hecht, Scott, Ellis, Regehr, Leopold, Weber, & Brennan. Granted, they will probably keep one of those as the 7th D.

That leaves them with just north of $7M to spend.
As you can see, the forwards are full, but there is a D opening.
They can either look to sign a D man who is not currently on the team, or trade for one.

Stafford is trade bait at $4M. If you can get Clowe for him, do it in a second.
If you buy out Leino, you have another $4.5M to spend.

Long story short, they are going to have a ton of options going into next season.