There was an assumption that Lindy would be sought after. Who knows maybe Lindy is being picky about potential jobs.
- Buffalo--Sabres

lindy has the reputation of being an old-school coach that's too stubborn to adapt to the new NHL and hasn't won anything.

i think he's very overrated and no teams wants him as their first, second, or even third option.

I don't think Ennis and Girgs are NHL centers. I know Ennis had that hot 25 games or so 2 years ago but he didn't impress me there this year. by the end of the season he was back on the wing and they were trying Foligno on the dot.
- Pierceme69

That was more just to shake thing up IMO
Ennis will likely be a winger for us, but bc we have so much other Center talent, not bc he isn't capable... Don't forget, Stafford & Foligno gave him very little help last year... He was the only one on that line producing for the first half of last year... I think he can still be a good player

And Girgensons is being eased into the center position
"Goose" watched him a lot this year, and she said he looked good when he came back from his injury and they finally let him play center...
Maybe playing him on the wing (new position) was why he had a slow start?
He's very young too, plenty of time to figure out where he fits in best as a pro
But even if it is at wing, That still leaves us with...
Grigorenko
Hodgson
Larsson
As our top3 centers
And that looks pretty good to me

if miller and vanek are traded what contracts would be coming back, wouldnt they need to bring $ in too reach floor?

Someone insinuated yesterday that Lindy could end up our GM and Darcy would move up elsewhere in the organization.
- Pierceme69

That would certainly be interesting...
I actually thought Lindy wouldn't be fired, and they'd move him into the from office this offseason...
I did hear a quote from Ruff saying he wanted to coach again though, and he was anxious to get back to it

There's gonna be a job out there for him if he wants to coach
Getting the "GM" tag also will be a lot tougher, which is prob why he hasn't accepted anything yet

That was more just to shake thing up IMO
Ennis will likely be a winger for us, but bc we have so much other Center talent, not bc he isn't capable... Don't forget, Stafford & Foligno gave him very little help last year... He was the only one on that line producing for the first half of last year... I think he can still be a good player

And Girgensons is being eased into the center position
"Goose" watched him a lot this year, and she said he looked good when he came back from his injury and they finally let him play center...
Maybe playing him on the wing (new position) was why he had a slow start?
He's very young too, plenty of time to figure out where he fits in best as a pro
But even if it is at wing, That still leaves us with...
Grigorenko
Hodgson
Larsson
As our top3 centers
And that looks pretty good to me
- jdfitz77

To me that looks like three 2nd or 3rd line centers. Grigs could turn out to be that stud 1C but I just feel MacKinnon is more likely to be that guy. I like Grigs. I'd gladly exclude him from the package to get the #1 pick if it were possible.

if miller and vanek are traded what contracts would be coming back, wouldnt they need to bring $ in too reach floor?
- dmarsden2988

What's the floor gonna be at?

To me that looks like three 2nd or 3rd line centers. Grigs could turn out to be that stud 1C but I just feel MacKinnon is more likely to be that guy. I like Grigs. I'd gladly exclude him from the package to get the #1 pick if it were possible.
- Pierceme69

mackinnon is a sure-fire stud 1C. there's no question about it.

To me that looks like three 2nd or 3rd line centers. Grigs could turn out to be that stud 1C but I just feel MacKinnon is more likely to be that guy. I like Grigs. I'd gladly exclude him from the package to get the #1 pick if it were possible.
- Pierceme69

I'm ok with it if none of them are superstars
Works ok for Boston
Would I like MacKinnon? Of course
Do I think Colorado will trade the pick? Nope
And would I give up the HUGE overpayment it would likely take if they actually would trade him? Not a chance

I get where you're coming from,
We just disagree
That's cool though, that why coming on here is interesting

That was more just to shake thing up IMO
Ennis will likely be a winger for us, but bc we have so much other Center talent, not bc he isn't capable... Don't forget, Stafford & Foligno gave him very little help last year... He was the only one on that line producing for the first half of last year... I think he can still be a good player

And Girgensons is being eased into the center position
"Goose" watched him a lot this year, and she said he looked good when he came back from his injury and they finally let him play center...
Maybe playing him on the wing (new position) was why he had a slow start?
He's very young too, plenty of time to figure out where he fits in best as a pro
But even if it is at wing, That still leaves us with...
Grigorenko
Hodgson
Larsson
As our top3 centers
And that looks pretty good to me
- jdfitz77

Not for nothing, but if the Sabres are high on that center depth like you are, maybe we trade up to take Drouin instead. If we trade Vanek it would especially make sense.

What's the floor gonna be at?
- jdfitz77

not sure, but 13ish mill would prob take the sabres under the floor, i know rfa's have to be signed to raises but youd still prob need to take 1-2 players back in a trade to make it work imo

not sure, but 13ish mill would prob take the sabres under the floor, i know rfa's have to be signed to raises but youd still prob need to take 1-2 players back in a trade to make it work imo
- dmarsden2988

That is something I could see us do
Also, we could retain up to half of both Miller and Vanek's salaries/cap# to make them more attractive to more teams...
But even if we lost the roughly 13.5mil from them,
We are currently at 49.5mil which I'm assuming is above the floor

Hodgson, Weber, Flynn and Tropp have to be signed
That's about 8mil there
Plus we need a backup goalie & two defensemen as well...
That's at least another 3mil...

So that leaves us at 46.5 roughly, which I think would be enough to hit the floor

That is something I could see us do
Also, we could retain up to half of both Miller and Vanek's salaries/cap# to make them more attractive to more teams...
But even if we lost the roughly 13.5mil from them,
We are currently at 49.5mil which I'm assuming is above the floor
- jdfitz77

floor next season is 44 mil i believe.

I'm ok with it if none of them are superstars
Works ok for Boston
Would I like MacKinnon? Of course
Do I think Colorado will trade the pick? Nope
And would I give up the HUGE overpayment it would likely take if they actually would trade him? Not a chance

I get where you're coming from,
We just disagree
That's cool though, that why coming on here is interesting
- jdfitz77

That's one team out of the last what 10 cup winners? Even if you're right, sure Bergeron isn't Crosby but his two way game is so damn good that he might as well be considered elite cuz lets face it, not to many centres out there like him. IMO we have nothing close to that as far as our centres go.

Going back to my original point, just because it worked for one team doesn't mean it will work for us. Without going too far into the analysis, it is pretty clear that to be cup winner you need elite talent and there's really only one place to get it...

Last 5 stanley cup winners 1st line centres: Kopitar, Bergeron, Toews, Crosby, Datsyuk... We've got nothing close to that.

While I agree that pick is going nowhere, if it is available at a steep price, you take it. It's easier to assemble a team around a franchise guy instead of putting mis matched pieces together and hoping that you can land someone in Free agency or through a trade.

floor next season is 44 mil i believe.
- rangerdanger94

Ya, we'll hit that without Miller and Vanek
That's who I think we won't buyout Leino till next year though
And Stafford will prob stay till the deadline too

I wouldn't put it past us to take on a bad contract or two though if we get the right deal...
We've done that recently with both Kotalik (Regehr trade) and Pardy (Ott trade)

It'll be close enough that we can figure it out

Ya, we'll hit that without Miller and Vanek
That's who I think we won't buyout Leino till next year though
And Stafford will prob stay till the deadline too

I wouldn't put it past us to take on a bad contract or two though if we get the right deal...
We've done that recently with both Kotalik (Regehr trade) and Pardy (Ott trade)

It'll be close enough that we can figure it out
- jdfitz77

well leino is made of glass and you can't buy him out if he's injured so i could see you guys buying him out now so you don't take the risk.

That's one team out of the last what 10 cup winners? Even if you're right, sure Bergeron isn't Crosby but his two way game is so damn good that he might as well be considered elite cuz lets face it, not to many centres out there like him. IMO we have nothing close to that as far as our centres go.

Going back to my original point, just because it worked for one team doesn't mean it will work for us. Without going too far into the analysis, it is pretty clear that to be cup winner you need elite talent and there's really only one place to get it...

Last 5 stanley cup winners 1st line centres: Kopitar, Bergeron, Toews, Crosby, Datsyuk... We've got nothing close to that.

While I agree that pick is going nowhere, if it is available at a steep price, you take it. It's easier to assemble a team around a franchise guy instead of putting mis matched pieces together and hoping that you can land someone in Free agency or through a trade.
- Sabresfan-365

I hear ya...
But u seem to think the only way we get that guy is to pick #1
Question...
How many of the above were top picks?

I hear ya...
But u seem to think the only way we get that guy is to pick #1
Question...
How many of the above were top picks?
- jdfitz77

Yea I kinda made it sound that way, not what I was trying to do my bad My main point is that if available, we should pay that price to get Mackinnon. Not that I think there aren't other players available, it's just a really good opportunity to get a major building block for your future.

As to your question, only Crosby and Toews (I think Kopitar was a high pick but not like them). But I think all of those teams except Detroit (which really doesn't count ) had a top 5 pick on their roster when they won the cup.

well leino is made of glass and you can't buy him out if he's injured so i could see you guys buying him out now so you don't take the risk.
- rangerdanger94

That's true,
And that would bring us down to 42mil roughly
So his replacement would have to cost 2mil or more

And I do think we'll end up taking on some of Vanek & Miller's salaries anyways,
So we'd still be in ok shape
Those guys are both very attractive players,
But at HALF their cap hits?
Even more so
Teams will line up for Vanek at 3.6mil... Who wouldn't want a great goal scorer for that price?
And Miller at 3.1 is quite attractive too,
And frankly, bc not as many teams need a goalie, we'll HAVE to eat half his contract to get the kind of return i know Darcy will demand

Yea I kinda made it sound that way, not what I was trying to do my bad My main point is that if available, we should pay that price to get Mackinnon. Not that I think there aren't other players available, it's just a really good opportunity to get a major building block for your future.

As to your question, only Crosby and Toews (I think Kopitar was a high pick but not like them). But I think all of those teams except Detroit (which really doesn't count ) had a top 5 pick on their roster when they won the cup.
- Sabresfan-365

Only Crosby was picked 1st
Toews... 3rd
Kopitar... 11th (Grigorenko 12th, Girgensons 14th)
Bergeron... 2nd round
Datsyuk... 6th round

And we could get Monahan or Lindholm at 8 this year, many of whom feel will be "franchise" centers

I think u may be overvaluing how much we NEED to get a top pick

Plus, if we trade Vanek & Miller (we will IMO),
Where do u think we'll be picking in the next 2 drafts?
I'd bet top3
So I'd build our depth this year in a very deep draft
And get our "superstars" in the next 2 drafts

Only Crosby was picked 1st
Toews... 3rd
Kopitar... 11th (Grigorenko 12th, Girgensons 14th)
Bergeron... 2nd round
Datsyuk... 6th round

And we could get Monahan or Lindholm at 8 this year, many of whom feel will be "franchise" centers

I think u may be overvaluing how much we NEED to get a top pick

Plus, if we trade Vanek & Miller (we will IMO),
Where do u think we'll be picking in the next 2 drafts?
I'd bet top3
So I'd build our depth this year in a very deep draft
And get our "superstars" in the next 2 drafts
- jdfitz77

Would you have any interest in bringing Briere in for 2 seasons at $3.5ish to ease in some of the kids?

Only Crosby was picked 1st
Toews... 3rd
Kopitar... 11th (Grigorenko 12th, Girgensons 14th)
Bergeron... 2nd round
Datsyuk... 6th round

And we could get Monahan or Lindholm at 8 this year, many of whom feel will be "franchise" centers

I think u may be overvaluing how much we NEED to get a top pick

Plus, if we trade Vanek & Miller (we will IMO),
Where do u think we'll be picking in the next 2 drafts?
I'd bet top3
So I'd build our depth this year in a very deep draft
And get our "superstars" in the next 2 drafts
- jdfitz77

Yea I guess you're on to something. Maybe it's just Darcy that's got me all like this. I mean sure he's drafted well and I'm a big fan of what guys like Armia and Girgensons can bring but after so many years of failure I don't what to say.

In the however many years he's been here and tried to build a winner, the only thing he hasn't done is draft top 3, hence my craving for it.

Would you have any interest in bringing Briere in for 2 seasons at $3.5ish to ease in some of the kids?
- Pierceme69

Absolutely
I think he'll have better options where he'll have a chance to win, but he did love it here and I thought hr was a Great leader

It would be nice to have that kind of vet presence around to help the youngsters out

Why do I keep hearing that now Miller is staying and Vanek is going. Why would Miller even want to stick around without Vanek.

Absolutely
I think he'll have better options where he'll have a chance to win, but he did love it here and I thought hr was a Great leader

It would be nice to have that kind of vet presence around to help the youngsters out
- jdfitz77

I would love for him to come back here for his last couple seasons.

Absolutely
I think he'll have better options where he'll have a chance to win, but he did love it here and I thought hr was a Great leader

It would be nice to have that kind of vet presence around to help the youngsters out
- jdfitz77

I wouldn't be surprised if he retired if Philly buys him out.