expiring contracts though....


and they have clauses
- Sabres2012CUP

Vanek doesn't have any type of NTC. You can't put one in a contract if it's an offer sheet. They can move him to any team they want and he can't do anything about it.

How attractive would Ott look like to a team like the Oilers next season? They've been mining the draft since 2006.
- golfingsince

i don't want to trade ott. i also think the sabres plan, at least from what i could tell from what ted black said today on wgr, is that they want to take a typical 4-6 year rebuild and draft in such a way where they have a full prospect pool and young/skilled team to really give the league hell. i'm assuming they want to get the rebuild/retool down to about 2-3 years instead. we'll see if it works...

I think Ott opts to resign and stay in Buffalo. I think he's got the personality to want to stay and teach the young guys a thing or two.
- HonkFortheGoose

agreed, we have to hope onto some of our vets or we won't have any at all, which i can't see helping development at all.

at the time of the thrashers leaving, youth hockey was at an insane high level at the time

I am curious to see how much it has dropped over the YEAR AND A HALF
- homiedclown

Fixed that for you.

If he can maintain his level of play he's a great asset for a playoff team. He'd probably want a crack or two at the cup before he retires. He could get it in Buffalo i guess, but he's getting up there in age.
- golfingsince

He's 30. You make it sound like he's about to keel over.

How attractive would Ott look like to a team like the Oilers next season? They've been mining the draft since 2006.
- golfingsince

Ott is one of the few guys that should stay.

expiring contracts though....


and they have clauses
- Sabres2012CUP

That's the beauty of it for some teams. The cap will be tight for many teams next year.

Ott is one of the few guys that should stay.
- mhp

Fair enough, just asking. He's a solid contributor and a character guy.

That's the beauty of it for some teams. The cap will be tight for many teams next year.
- golfingsince

Vancouver and Minny come to mind. Minnesota only has 9 mil to work with and no starting goaltender unless they resign Backstrom. And even if they got him to agree to something that was the same as his current deal, that takes 6M of that 9.

He's 30. You make it sound like he's about to keel over.
- HonkFortheGoose

It's not that. Buffalo has some very young talent, and is poised to get more. I can see how you'd want a vet around like Ott for the youth movement but the guy could probably bring in a nice haul to add to it.

It's not that. Buffalo has some very young talent, and is poised to get more. I can see how you'd want a vet around like Ott for the youth movement but the guy could probably bring in a nice haul to add to it.
- golfingsince

There's no point in the "nice haul" if you don't have the veterans around to help teach them. And it can't just be veterans, it has to be the right type.

Look at Edmonton. They're overflowing with great young talent. The Veterans they have around them though are god awful.

Vancouver and Minny come to mind. Minnesota only has 9 mil to work with and no starting goaltender unless they resign Backstrom. And even if they got him to agree to something that was the same as his current deal, that takes 6M of that 9.
- HonkFortheGoose

$63 million committed with another 8 players to sign? It will all change by the start of the season obviously but i don't know if they'll even be in a position to add Vanek. I think there would be heavy interest though at TDL

There's no point in the "nice haul" if you don't have the veterans around to help teach them. And it can't just be veterans, it has to be the right type.

Look at Edmonton. They're overflowing with great young talent. The Veterans they have around them though are god awful.
- HonkFortheGoose

can you imagine if EDM had a couple of guys like Ott?

$63 million committed with another 8 players to sign? It will all change by the start of the season obviously but i don't know if they'll even be in a position to add Vanek. I think there would be heavy interest though at TDL
- golfingsince

We'll end up dealing Vanek or Miller at/before the draft to ensure at least 1 top 3 pick IMO. if not pulling a vancouver and trading to get 2 of the top 3 picks.

here's to Minny self destructing and falling out of the playoffs.....

$63 million committed with another 8 players to sign? It will all change by the start of the season obviously but i don't know if they'll even be in a position to add Vanek. I think there would be heavy interest though at TDL
- golfingsince

I love that Minnesota's looking at only 9M in space and only 1 goaltender signed. That's a big problem. Unless they're planning on going with Kuemper next year, since he'll come pretty cheap.

Think it's possible they buy Heatley out?

There's no point in the "nice haul" if you don't have the veterans around to help teach them. And it can't just be veterans, it has to be the right type.

Look at Edmonton. They're overflowing with great young talent. The Veterans they have around them though are god awful.
- HonkFortheGoose

I think Horcoff is a quality veteran but his contract is insane. Smyth is probably great in the locker room with them but he can't play very well anymore.

http://buffalonews.com/ap...9/CITYANDREGION/310099942

good read....

sad though...reminds me of the 'glory days' and what used to be...

too bad they couldnt get it done...

I think Horcoff is a quality veteran but his contract is insane. Smyth is probably great in the locker room with them but he can't play very well anymore.
- golfingsince

Horcoff has had enough issues with his health to be worried about. It's hard to be a leader and teach young guys when you're not out there yourself. Last year was good for him in terms of that, but the year before he missed almost half the season.

You need guys who are going to be around more consistently. I'm not saying that he didn't want to be, but the fact of the matter is, he hasn't always been there the way they've needed him to be.

wow!!!!

I dont think anyone realized this....

http://www.trendingbuffal...s-now-nhls-youngest-team/

thats crazy...I never thought of us like that...

I love that Minnesota's looking at only 9M in space and only 1 goaltender signed. That's a big problem. Unless they're planning on going with Kuemper next year, since he'll come pretty cheap.

Think it's possible they buy Heatley out?
- HonkFortheGoose

Leopold? The guy was on the bargaining committee crying broke. I think they'll trade for or sign something out there and platoon, the way they've always done it. Bernier?

I'm not sure about Heatley. Maybe they'll buy him out or trade him to a cap floor team where he can sign a reasonable extension. I personally think Tallon will be very active this offseason. (Miller?)

here's to Minny self destructing and falling out of the playoffs.....


- Sabres2012CUP

Nice !!!!! LOL

wow!!!!

I dont think anyone realized this....

http://www.trendingbuffal...s-now-nhls-youngest-team/

thats crazy...I never thought of us like that...
- Sabres2012CUP

That's why i'm here. Remove a couple of guys and it drops even further.

Leopold? The guy was on the bargaining committee crying broke. I think they'll trade for or sign something out there and platoon, the way they've always done it. Bernier?

I'm not sure about Heatley. Maybe they'll buy him out or trade him to a cap floor team where he can sign a reasonable extension. I personally think Tallon will be very active this offseason. (Miller?)
- golfingsince

I think Lu ends up in Florida. I think Tallon will target him because Vancouver can't afford to keep him on the books beyond this season. I bet they get him for a steal. Plus, he'll waive his NTC to go there.


I think that Minny's owner signed Parise and Suter to those contract expecting that he wouldn't be held responsible for the whole thing. I think he thought that salaries would get reduced again putting them at a more manageable number. Boy was he wrong. It's kind of amusing to be an outsider watching how it plays out.

We'll end up dealing Vanek or Miller at/before the draft to ensure at least 1 top 3 pick IMO. if not pulling a vancouver and trading to get 2 of the top 3 picks.
- qcstudios

Calgary won't be trading picks I don't think, so that will leave Florida. It's totally possible I guess but I think they'd draft Jones or Mackinnon given the chance.

Calgary won't be trading picks I don't think, so that will leave Florida. It's totally possible I guess but I think they'd draft Jones or Mackinnon given the chance.
- golfingsince

Some of the mocks that are out right now have Drouin going at 3 or 4, so it's possible that he could be had outside of the top 3. I'd be ecstatic with 2 in the top 5.