Looks like Howard will be making $5 mil per on his next deal per the Wings blogger. A fair price and allows them to get a veteran back up in the 1-1.2 range.
- dadeadhead

Damn
They don't have the firepower or depth they used to in order to cover up having average goalies...
Zetterberg & Datsyuk aren't getting younger...
My thought was Miller is a big enough upgrade to make them real contenders again...
But maybe they're thinking of going after Perry?

Damn
They don't have the firepower or depth they used to in order to cover up having average goalies...
Zetterberg & Datsyuk aren't getting younger...
My thought was Miller is a big enough upgrade to make them real contenders again...
But maybe they're thinking of going after Perry?
- jdfitz77

The rumbling is Datsyuk wants to finish his career in Russia.

Boston traded their former #1 overall pick and #5 overall pick.

I was more talking about Philly being the worst team in the league in 06/07, then the following year doing very well. Zhitnik for Coburn, a 2nd rounder for Biron, Forsberg for a 1st which turned into Kimmo and Hartnall.

Montreal did a different type of re-tooling like you said.

I don't think we have to keep Miller and Vanek. The best time to move them will be over the summer as you have more of a shot at getting roster players for them.
- dadeadhead

Totally agree...
If we can trade for Bernier, I'm actually pretty comfortable going with him as our next #1

Forwards;
Ppg guys... Hodgson, Ennis, Grigorenko
Foligno, 20g-30a-200hits
Catenacci, will need a year or two in the AHL, but he realistically could be a 20g-40a guy who skates fast n is a scrappy guy
Armia is gonna be a sniper, 30+ goal scorer, no doubt...
All are definite top9 forwards IMO
I'd like to keep Ott & Kaleta around with them
I'm not sold on Girgensons or Flynn, but they have top9 potential too

Defense;
McNabb, Ehrhoff, Myers... I like them as 3 of our top4... So if we can't get Seth Jones in the draft, then we have to bring in a top pair guy to play w ehrhoff n let McNabb & Myers grow together as the 2nd pair
Sekera & Weber also look solid when paired together, and should be just fine until Pysyk & McCabe are ready

And with Makarov coming in a couple years, Goalie should be in good shape too

That's a pretty good core, at least on paper, and a lot of the young guys are all within a few years of each other in age... So when they are entering their prime together we could be quite the force
Add the large amount of young talent we can get from trading our "big3" and we should be in good shape for the future

It all hinges on the Goalie though...
Look at why the Isles & Oilers still struggle year after year with all the young talent they have
Most important step from here is adequately replacing Miller

Totally agree...
If we can trade for Bernier, I'm actually pretty comfortable going with him as our next #1

Forwards;
Ppg guys... Hodgson, Ennis, Grigorenko
Foligno, 20g-30a-200hits
Catenacci, will need a year or two in the AHL, but he realistically could be a 20g-40a guy who skates fast n is a scrappy guy
Armia is gonna be a sniper, 30+ goal scorer, no doubt...
All are definite top9 forwards IMO
I'd like to keep Ott & Kaleta around with them
I'm not sold on Girgensons or Flynn, but they have top9 potential too

Defense;
McNabb, Ehrhoff, Myers... I like them as 3 of our top4... So if we can't get Seth Jones in the draft, then we have to bring in a top pair guy to play w ehrhoff n let McNabb & Myers grow together as the 2nd pair
Sekera & Weber also look solid when paired together, and should be just fine until Pysyk & McCabe are ready

And with Makarov coming in a couple years, Goalie should be in good shape too

That's a pretty good core, at least on paper, and a lot of the young guys are all within a few years of each other in age... So when they are entering their prime together we could be quite the force
Add the large amount of young talent we can get from trading our "big3" and we should be in good shape for the future

It all hinges on the Goalie though...
Look at why the Isles & Oilers still struggle year after year with all the young talent they have
Most important step from here is adequately replacing Miller
- jdfitz77

About how long until you see this nucleus causing some damage?

About how long until you see this nucleus causing some damage?
- rayzablades2

Some of our young guys are already pretty good...
Hodgson and Ennis have shown steady growth
Foligno looks like he's learned how to be effective even when he's not scoring
Myers has struggled, but he's already shown he can play at this level, he just needs to get his head straight
McNabb I liked last year, and I think he's ready to get back here

How soon can the rest start to really contribute?
Remains to be seen...
But how soon the team can get back to the playoffs depends on what they get back for the "big3"
If they get picks & prospects, it's gonna be a few years
But if they get young guys already in the league, then maybe we are looking at more like 2 years than 4

So this will probably get ripped apart, but here goes anyways...

Bernier for Enroth, Stafford & Regehr
Leopold & Hecht for picks

Then in the offseason...
Miller, Vanek & Pominville to Colorado...
For O'Reilly, Landeskog, McGinn & Varlamov

If that's too much...
add Flynn, Gerbe, prospects/picks...
Figure out a way to make it work

Colorado has to wanna get back to the playoffs ASAP
And they have all kinds of caproom to take those contracts on and re-sign them

'Nucks score 7. Kassian with the -2. 11 minutes.

So this will probably get ripped apart, but here goes anyways...

Bernier for Enroth, Stafford & Regehr
Leopold & Hecht for picks

Then in the offseason...
Miller, Vanek & Pominville to Colorado...
For O'Reilly, Landeskog, McGinn & Varlamov

If that's too much...
add Flynn, Gerbe, prospects/picks...
Figure out a way to make it work

Colorado has to wanna get back to the playoffs ASAP
And they have all kinds of caproom to take those contracts on and re-sign them
- jdfitz77

Herw take our old poop players who haven't who anything and we will get your get youth players.

Why splendid smashing idea!

So this will probably get ripped apart, but here goes anyways...

Bernier for Enroth, Stafford & Regehr
Leopold & Hecht for picks

Then in the offseason...
Miller, Vanek & Pominville to Colorado...
For O'Reilly, Landeskog, McGinn & Varlamov

If that's too much...
add Flynn, Gerbe, prospects/picks...
Figure out a way to make it work

Colorado has to wanna get back to the playoffs ASAP And they have all kinds of caproom to take those contracts on and re-sign them
- jdfitz77

No offense, but this is a video game trade.

All the players you listed currently on Colorado's team are going to help them do that. Vanek, Pominville and Miller can't help the damn Sabres get into the playoffs. How are they going to help the 'Lanche?

A team doesn't have to go through a lengthy rebuilding process. You can re-tool on the fly, If you have the money.

Bos
Philly
Montreal


Have done it.
- dadeadhead

Ottawa as well

Are we good yet?

Are we good yet?
- SabresFaninIndiana

We are gooder than Florida

We are gooder than Florida
- Pierceme69

but are we really.. or do we just have better goaltending?

but are we really.. or do we just have better goaltending?
- SabresFaninIndiana

On paper the teams look even to me. Except at goaltender. Even before Theodore got hurt they had shoddy keepers.

but are we really.. or do we just have better goaltending?
- SabresFaninIndiana

By the way, Campbell is a -19. He's worst in the league by a good amount.

By the way, Campbell is a -19. He's worst in the league by a good amount.
- Pierceme69

campbell has always had a low +/- but that is terrible..

i think with the age of the team in Florida they have a better outlook for 2 or 3 years though..

So this will probably get ripped apart, but here goes anyways...

Bernier for Enroth, Stafford & Regehr
Leopold & Hecht for picks

Then in the offseason...
Miller, Vanek & Pominville to Colorado...
For O'Reilly, Landeskog, McGinn & Varlamov

If that's too much...
add Flynn, Gerbe, prospects/picks...
Figure out a way to make it work

Colorado has to wanna get back to the playoffs ASAP
And they have all kinds of caproom to take those contracts on and re-sign them
- jdfitz77

lol

Damn
They don't have the firepower or depth they used to in order to cover up having average goalies...
Zetterberg & Datsyuk aren't getting younger...
My thought was Miller is a big enough upgrade to make them real contenders again...
But maybe they're thinking of going after Perry?
- jdfitz77

detroit is going to be in the same division as buffalo. they wont be trading miller to detroit.

hell they wont be trading miller anywhere

So this will probably get ripped apart, but here goes anyways...

Bernier for Enroth, Stafford & Regehr
Leopold & Hecht for picks

Then in the offseason...
Miller, Vanek & Pominville to Colorado...
For O'Reilly, Landeskog, McGinn & Varlamov

If that's too much...
add Flynn, Gerbe, prospects/picks...
Figure out a way to make it work

Colorado has to wanna get back to the playoffs ASAP
And they have all kinds of caproom to take those contracts on and re-sign them
- jdfitz77

i think we would be getting something a little more back for bernier. stafford and enroth have years left and regehr is just a bonus on that trade. we would be getting salary back from that trade.

i doubt hect will get us anything but i do agree that leopold still has value. there is no way vanek miller and pommer go to 1 team.

Totally agree...
If we can trade for Bernier, I'm actually pretty comfortable going with him as our next #1

Forwards;
Ppg guys... Hodgson, Ennis, Grigorenko
Foligno, 20g-30a-200hits
Catenacci, will need a year or two in the AHL, but he realistically could be a 20g-40a guy who skates fast n is a scrappy guy
Armia is gonna be a sniper, 30+ goal scorer, no doubt...
All are definite top9 forwards IMO
I'd like to keep Ott & Kaleta around with them
I'm not sold on Girgensons or Flynn, but they have top9 potential too

Defense;
McNabb, Ehrhoff, Myers... I like them as 3 of our top4... So if we can't get Seth Jones in the draft, then we have to bring in a top pair guy to play w ehrhoff n let McNabb & Myers grow together as the 2nd pair
Sekera & Weber also look solid when paired together, and should be just fine until Pysyk & McCabe are ready

And with Makarov coming in a couple years, Goalie should be in good shape too

That's a pretty good core, at least on paper, and a lot of the young guys are all within a few years of each other in age... So when they are entering their prime together we could be quite the force
Add the large amount of young talent we can get from trading our "big3" and we should be in good shape for the future

It all hinges on the Goalie though...
Look at why the Isles & Oilers still struggle year after year with all the young talent they have
Most important step from here is adequately replacing Miller
- jdfitz77

this was a well thought out post. the well is deep in buffalo.

I would like to take this time out to congratulate Brad Boyes. With 7 goals, 16 assists, and 23 pts, in just 27 games he has matched his production from all of last season with the Sabres

I would like to take this time out to congratulate Brad Boyes. With 7 goals, 16 assists, and 23 pts, in just 27 games he has matched his production from all of last season with the Sabres
- sbroads24

What line is he on with the Islanders? didnt they give him top 6 minutes?

I would like to take this time out to congratulate Brad Boyes. With 7 goals, 16 assists, and 23 pts, in just 27 games he has matched his production from all of last season with the Sabres
- sbroads24

He'll blame Lindy for playing him at center.

He'll blame Lindy for playing him at center.
- Powerslave

you got to admit, he was completely misused in buffalo that final season.

What line is he on with the Islanders? didnt they give him top 6 minutes?
- qcstudios

yeah he is in their top 6