Tropp is more than a 4th liner. Girgensons isnt ready who knows about Armia but I get what you are saying
- Stripes77

i mean, I personally would sit through it too, but I am just saying that realistically is what the line up would look like, there really isnt anything on offense in the FA market this year. I mean mybe cullen, ribeiro or clowe, but after that, there really isnt anyone.

edit: I mean players we could actually land, so not counting Iggy, Elias, Allie, Jagr or selanne (who i believe will actually retire, even though he shouldnt)

No need to rush the kids.
- hubie

Tropp is the most ready "prospect" we have. There would be no Jochen Hecht imo if Tropp wasnt hurt. But then again Hecht is a shut down center

They need to make another one of them
- homiedclown

Agreed completely. Though JJ Abrams will be busy with the new Star Wars movies...

has anyone else been following the mike harrington/andrew peters twitter fight? pretty entertaining stuff...

just bustin your ballls make sure not to take a garth blog to seriously
- hubie

phew i thought i was about to be banished to the kevin freihart comment section where i can have wonderful conversations with myself and kevins very supportive family

i mean, I personally would sit through it too, but I am just saying that realistically is what the line up would look like, there really isnt anything on offense in the FA market this year. I mean mybe cullen, ribeiro or clowe, but after that, there really isnt anyone.

edit: I mean players we could actually land, so not counting Iggy, Elias, Allie, Jagr or selanne (who i believe will actually retire, even though he shouldnt)
- Mentalorgasm5

I think it all depends on who gets moved and what is done trade wise at the draft. When it comes to free agents I'm not looking for a super high priced vet. We arent close to being a playoff team let alone a contender. Let's build with solid free agents 24-27 year old range who are starting to come to their own. Honestly look what moving Nash did to C-Bus. I am not saying Vanek would get that return but he would get something close and he has comparible stats

has anyone else been following the mike harrington/andrew peters twitter fight? pretty entertaining stuff...
- battelmt

I'm not sure how Harrington has a job. He's awful IMO.

I think it all depends on who gets moved and what is done trade wise at the draft. When it comes to free agents I'm not looking for a super high priced vet. We arent close to being a playoff team let alone a contender. Let's build with solid free agents 24-27 year old range who are starting to come to their own. Honestly look what moving Nash did to C-Bus. I am not saying Vanek would get that return but he would get something close and he has comparible stats
- Stripes77

I would actually take Vanek over Nash anyways. I remember debating with quite a few people last year about that. Stats are the same, and Vanek hasnt really played with people that much better than Nash did in C-bus.

The only thing you can say "hindsight is 20/20" on was Thomas Vanek's performance since signing that contract. Yeah, I couldnt have predicted that he wasnt going to be a 40 goal 80 point player like he was playing on the third line against weaker defensemen.

However, you cant tell me that "hindsight is 20/20" when I felt then as I do now, that Thomas Vanek, or hardly any player is ever worth FOUR 1st round draft picks. Whether thats from a playoff team or not. For four years, your team is guaranteed two first round draft picks.

So yes, I can rag on Darcy for not thinking long term and immediately matching the contract.



Crosby was #3 on a list of top 5 picks. Even with Crosby, and the other 2 top 5 picks, they still missed the playoffs the following year. Then only made it to the first round the next year. So 2 full years of Crosby playing before they made anything of it. This is all with them surrounded by other top 5 talent.

Now, if the Sabres had not matched the Vanek contract. They wouldve done the same thing Pittsburgh did. They wouldve had a top 5 draft pick for 4 straight years, PLUS an extra first round draft pick. That they might have been able to flip for some quality veterans. They chose to over pay a nearly unproven player and be mediocre instead of rebuilding the easy way, through the draft after losing 2 of the franchise building blocks in Drury and Briere.

---

This is the last I'll say of it because its going in circles. Feel free to have the last word.
- theblueandgold

Eh, I'm good, it's all speculation anyway. I could argue that we wouldn't be able to keep that many first rounders under contract, but I'm not a GM for a reason. We'll never know. I still maintain that you should turn your future-predicting skills into some sort of gambling career though, or do us all a favor and go scout for the Swords.

has anyone else been following the mike harrington/andrew peters twitter fight? pretty entertaining stuff...
- battelmt

What's it about? And who is helping Peeters with spelling?

there has to be a new garth blog soon, he is way too low on the HB page.

Tropp is the most ready "prospect" we have. There would be no Jochen Hecht imo if Tropp wasnt hurt. But then again Hecht is a shut down center
- Stripes77

And a forechecking machine.

That works if he has a full NMC/NTC. But if they decide to trade him, I would think Darcy would want the 21 teams he can talk to so that he can get the best deal possible. If trading him was a possibility, you wouldn't limit it to the 2 teams who called you first.

27 hours to go... we'll see I guess
- keptupl8

if only twoo teams want him why owuldnt you just ask him

phew i thought i was about to be banished to the kevin freihart comment section where i can have wonderful conversations with myself and kevins very supportive family
- kmhachey

its a shame people dont post in his blog but over time people just stay in garths

if only twoo teams want him why owuldnt you just ask him
- hubie

cause he can just flat out say no two both teams, but if you ask for the list, he might not include one or both of those teams. Youre basically keeping the upper hand with him and whoever youre trying to trade to.

Tropp is more than a 4th liner. Girgensons isnt ready who knows about Armia but I get what you are saying
- Stripes77

I don't know that Tropp is more than a 4th line player. Maybe 3rd.

I'm not sure how Harrington has a job. He's awful IMO.
- eruppt45

news papers will be extinct soon enough

Eh, I'm good, it's all speculation anyway. I could argue that we wouldn't be able to keep that many first rounders under contract, but I'm not a GM for a reason. We'll never know. I still maintain that you should turn your future-predicting skills into some sort of gambling career though, or do us all a favor and go scout for the Swords.
- BuffaJoe

How do you know I'm not a scout for any team?

How do you know I'm not a scout for any team?
- theblueandgold

How do you know I'm not a scout for any team?
- theblueandgold

You could be soon... how close is Denzel to Seattle?

(yes I'm joking)

What's it about? And who is helping Peeters with spelling?
- imsorry66

peters tweeted a pic of the louisville kid's injured leg (gruesome) and made a tasteless joke. harrington blasted him for it. it took off from there. very personal attacks both ways. super fun!!

news papers will be extinct soon enough
- hubie

Hmmm, so what then, articles will just write themselves?

You could be soon... how close is Denzel to Seattle?

(yes I'm joking)
- BuffaJoe

Less than an hour

I don't know that Tropp is more than a 4th line player. Maybe 3rd.
- Pierceme69

4th liner on a good team, 1st line for Buffalo...

its a shame people dont post in his blog but over time people just stay in garths
- hubie

Garth's blogs might be half loaded with bullpoop, but at least it's entertaining. Kevin's blogs are like watching paint dry. I'll take Garth's creativity over Kevin's grammatically correct game recap. He needs to learn that there's more to writing than regurgitating facts. It also doesn't help his credibility that he came right out and said he's like 22 years old or something like that. No offense to the younger guys/gals in here, but I find it hard to take an opinion seriously from someone so new to "sports journalism," or whatever you want to call it.