It is him who toed the line in the sand... He said that he would only like to stay in buffalo if it was a quick rebuild... After the season he then said that he doesn't see it as a quick rebuild..
- JVince11

Well, if that's the case, then yeah, I'd say bite the bullet, get top value at the draft, and deal with the consequences as best you can. Personally, I'd still keep Miller, as you don't want to hang a young team out to dry, and he gives them the best chance of playing with confidence. Not sold on Enroth.

I don't think there is a huge gap between Drouin and Barkov or Nikuchkin. After 5 I would agree the drop off is pretty big.
- Pierceme69

for complete front line players I agree
But, Endholm monahan shinkaruk arent exactly slouches though

Colorado needs Jones. Trade O' Reilly for an OK d-man or draft a cornerstone for 15 years?

florida - will need to be blown away to trade out to not take mackinnon

tampa - vinnys a waste and st louis is getting up there. find his replacement in drouin or nichushkin

nashville - most lkely takes barkov and sits at 4 to get the guy they want even if drouin or nich falls

carolina - you get the remaining player whether drouin or nich. ---This is the Sabres best chance to get in the top 5 and we all know it




but we all prefer top 3 so let us dream dammit! at least until 5pm and we can go out of work
- Beezer33

He cannot be traded

He cannot be traded
- druryisclutch

Damn, that's a good point. I guess not until January, right? 1 year from when they matched.

Double tap

He cannot be traded
- druryisclutch

When writing that I assumed everyone would realize they have until Feb to trade him as that is one year after his offer sheet was signed.

The idea going around is they draft mac and come feb trade o' reilly for a d man.

hope that helps you understand.

for complete front line players I agree
But, Endholm monahan shinkaruk arent exactly slouches though
- hubie

There are a ton of talented players but I just think the top-5 are legitimate franchise type players. The last time we drafted in the top 5 we took Vanek. I'm not his hugest fan, but the guy has produced. These kids are pegged to be even better than that.

Damn, that's a good point. I guess not until January, right? 1 year from when they matched.
- jmatchett383

right, and hopefully by then they are terrible and go into rebuild and trade him to us for say our 1st

There are a ton of talented players but I just think the top-5 are legitimate franchise type players. The last time we drafted in the top 5 we took Vanek. I'm not his hugest fan, but the guy has produced. These kids are pegged to be even better than that.
- Pierceme69

I agree with you on this, outside 5 are very good not the face of the franchise.

for complete front line players I agree
But, Endholm monahan shinkaruk arent exactly slouches though
- hubie

What i am most curious of is..... Where is the line in the draft where nhl ready players stop and year or two away guys begin....

Drouin, nichu, shink, barkov, nurse, lindholm, monahan, risto, zadarov, mantha, harvat???

right, and hopefully by then they are terrible and go into rebuild and trade him to us for say our 1st
- hubie

I'm actually not sold on the guy. He's got skill, but to me, he hasn't produced enough for enough years to warrant a hold out. Do you want to deal with that when he's only signed for 1 more year?

I'm actually not sold on the guy. He's got skill, but to me, he hasn't produced enough for enough years to warrant a hold out. Do you want to deal with that when he's only signed for 1 more year?
- jmatchett383

Not when we already have Hodgson who will make 3m+, Ennis, and Grigo....

Ennis should be trade bait IMO

The Sabres are openly pursuing a trade up in June 30th’s NHL Entry Draft. Jeremy White’s obsession...err...continuing quest, surges forward. Here’s a one-stop-shop of reasons the Sabres should be able to get it done......


Seems like there’s a lot going on right now and that draft day could be a frenzy. What do the Sabres have to offer? Here’s the “cupboard”:

The 8th pick - Would fall well into the guidelines of where TB believes there to be an “A” player
The 16th pick - In what is considered the deepest draft in 10 years, the 16th pick has rarely been this valuable.
A pair of 2nd round picks
Future draft picks
Joel Armia - First rounder of 2011 draft will be coming to North America this year
Mikhail Grigorenko - Top talent, top prospect in system
Tyler Myers - Ultimate risk/reward
Ryan Miller - Available
Thomas Vanek - Available
Marcus Foligno - Young power forward, promising top 6 ability
Cody Hodgson - 34 points in his “sophomore” season was tops in the league.
Brayden McNabb - Took a step back but projects as a top 4
Jake McCabe - Big time success at WJC level
Everything else - Really...it’s all available. This isnt rocket science. They have commodities.

Will deals be made? The ammunition is there to get it done. The draft board itself supports the idea of a move up more than ever.

Ammo - check.
Motive - check.
Dance partner - check, check, check.

If this were Twitter, I believe I’d wrap this up with: #DoSomethingDarcy.

He's told us that he's on it.

http://www.wgr550.com/High-Hopes/16511634

What i am most curious of is..... Where is the line in the draft where nhl ready players stop and year or two away guys begin....

Drouin, nichu, shink, nurse, lindholm, monahan, risto, zadarov, mantha, harvat???
- JVince11

There's always a few surprises. I think that with the draft as deep as it is there will be gaps in draft pick spots where some players will be returned to junior.

For instance: The Flyers always take the best player available, regardless of organizational need. Say they draft a center. They currently have Giroux, Schenn, Couturier, Talbot, and Laughton as NHL centers. The pick might be NHL ready, but he may not be ready to beat out one of those centers. So the 11 pick might go back to junior, while the 12-16 play in the NHL. It's just that deep and even.

Not when we already have Hodgson who will make 3m+, Ennis, and Grigo....

Ennis should be trade bait IMO
- JVince11

I'm curious about Ennis myself. I think it was determined at the end of the season by Rolston that he didn't like him at center. Does Foligno continue to play center if we don't find a way to move up and grab MacKinnon?

right, and hopefully by then they are terrible and go into rebuild and trade him to us for say our 1st
- hubie

I believe after next year any qualifying offer to O'rielly has to be above 6.5 million dollars. It has to be hard giving a sub-20 goal guy around 7 million dollars, on top of what you give up to acquire him.

I'm actually not sold on the guy. He's got skill, but to me, he hasn't produced enough for enough years to warrant a hold out. Do you want to deal with that when he's only signed for 1 more year?
- jmatchett383

for next years 1st worth the risk

for next years 1st worth the risk
- hubie

Fair enough. I'll admit I haven't watched him much.

Fair enough. I'll admit I haven't watched him much.
- jmatchett383

as long as we arent a top 3 pick i should reiterate

for next years 1st worth the risk
- hubie

Next year's 1st could be a top 3 pick.

for next years 1st worth the risk
- hubie

Next year's 1st isn't worth the risk. I think the Sabres are going to be in the bottom 5, especially if they trade Miller and Vanek. I want to move up as much as the next guy and think the Sabres have the ammo right now to do it, but a future 1st is where I draw the line.

as long as we arent a top 3 pick i should reiterate
- hubie

Ha.....just saw this after I responded

The Sabres are openly pursuing a trade up in June 30th’s NHL Entry Draft. Jeremy White’s obsession...err...continuing quest, surges forward. Here’s a one-stop-shop of reasons the Sabres should be able to get it done......


Seems like there’s a lot going on right now and that draft day could be a frenzy. What do the Sabres have to offer? Here’s the “cupboard”:

The 8th pick - Would fall well into the guidelines of where TB believes there to be an “A” player
The 16th pick - In what is considered the deepest draft in 10 years, the 16th pick has rarely been this valuable.
A pair of 2nd round picks
Future draft picks
Joel Armia - First rounder of 2011 draft will be coming to North America this year
Mikhail Grigorenko - Top talent, top prospect in system
Tyler Myers - Ultimate risk/reward
Ryan Miller - Available
Thomas Vanek - Available
Marcus Foligno - Young power forward, promising top 6 ability
Cody Hodgson - 34 points in his “sophomore” season was tops in the league.
Brayden McNabb - Took a step back but projects as a top 4
Jake McCabe - Big time success at WJC level
Everything else - Really...it’s all available. This isnt rocket science. They have commodities.

Will deals be made? The ammunition is there to get it done. The draft board itself supports the idea of a move up more than ever.

Ammo - check.
Motive - check.
Dance partner - check, check, check.

If this were Twitter, I believe I’d wrap this up with: #DoSomethingDarcy.

He's told us that he's on it.

http://www.wgr550.com/High-Hopes/16511634
- GilPerreault11

Jeremy White is rubbish

Next year's 1st isn't worth the risk. I think the Sabres are going to be in the bottom 5, especially if they trade Miller and Vanek. I want to move up as much as the next guy and think the Sabres have the ammo right now to do it, but a future 1st is where I draw the line.
- GilPerreault11

If you were to put him in next years draft hed be top 5
after ekbald and reinhart there isnt as much ofcourse guys will pop up but not even close to this years depth and when you add all the youth we would have you do need a veteran or two in teh lineup

Next year's 1st could be a top 3 pick.
- druryisclutch

exactly.. I wouldn't be dealing with that pick.