If special teams are in the top ten and slightly above average goaltending occurs

this team is a fringe playoff team with or without vanek
- homiedclown

Ive been over this before. Miller is an above average goaltender. Hes not performing any different than his Vezina season over the last couple years. The only difference is how bad the Sabres special team units as a whole have gotten. His numbers have crumbled on the PK because theyve gone from top 10 to bottom 5. His numbers on the PP have crumbled because the team went from an okay PP to barely being able to gain the zone and giving up breakaways or even 2-on-0's.

Hes not going to look above average in his total numbers if the team doesn't have good special teams.

Vanek Hodgson Armia
Leino Grigorenko Ennis
Ott Larsson Stafford
Flynn McCormick/Porter Keleta
Scott

Myers Tillander
Ehrhoff Pysyk
Weber McBain/Sulzer
McNabb


This is what I think the team will look like not including trades.

Contract year. Vanek will score 40 goals by trade deadline

Contract year. Vanek will score 40 goals by trade deadline
- cabin

good that means he will get us more in a trade at the deadline

Vanek Hodgson Armia
Leino Grigorenko Ennis
Ott Larsson Stafford
Flynn McCormick/Porter Keleta
Scott

Myers Tillander
Ehrhoff Pysyk
Weber McBain/Sulzer
McNabb


This is what I think the team will look like not including trades.
- toddkac

you really think Armia is ready for first line duty..

your defense will probably be right sans McNabb..

you really think Armia is ready for first line duty..

your defense will probably be right sans McNabb..
- SabresFaninIndiana

I think right now the sabres don't have a choice and I think Armia will make the team. So why put him on the third line? I don't see him as a third liner. I think he starts with every chance to succeed.

This year's team is not about winning, IMO. It is about preparing for the future.
What are the sabres choices as 1st line winger?
Stafford? Foligno? Leino? Ennis? Armia.....

I think right now the sabres don't have a choice and I think Armia will make the team. So why put him on the third line? I don't see him as a third liner. I think he starts with every chance to succeed.

This year's team is not about winning, IMO. It is about preparing for the future.
What are the sabres choices as 1st line winger?
Stafford? Foligno? Leino? Ennis? Armia.....
- toddkac

this team does suck.. it would be interesting to see how Armia does if he is on the top line..

they need to Hodge signed still.

If he gets traded they only have to worry about fitting half of his salary under the cap. Not too much of an issue really.
- RynoBull

Could be as little as 1/4th as the team can still eat 50% of his salary/cap hit.

this team does suck.. it would be interesting to see how Armia does if he is on the top line..

they need to Hodge signed still.
- SabresFaninIndiana

I am not too worried about Hodgson....No one will offer sheet him and he will be signed before camp.

I don't know what kind of value McNabb has but it would be a good idea to trade Pysyk or McNabb and one of the seconds for a solid 20 goal scorer. Problem is those guys have great potential but I think it will take another year or two before the have some solid value.

Never going to happen but love to see Ladd in a sabres jersey.
Vanek+Mcnabb/Pysyk for Brodin+Colyle

For games at a time. Not saying Moulsen is better but in the last two years...

Moulson-51 goals
Vanek-46
- sbroads24

Give Vanek a guy like Tavares to feed him, Vanek is back ahead, and the gap is much more than 5 goals. Moulson is a beneficiary of his teammate. Vanek makes plays by himself.

this team does suck.. it would be interesting to see how Armia does if he is on the top line..

they need to Hodge signed still.
- SabresFaninIndiana

The only risk is an offer sheet, which won't be that high enough for the Sabres to walk away. If it is, the draft pick compensation package will be much more than he would fetch in a trade. I'm not worried about it. That deal will get done before camp.

you really think Armia is ready for first line duty..

your defense will probably be right sans McNabb..
- SabresFaninIndiana

I'm not convinced that Tallinder is a lock for the top 6. They may bring him in to "mentor" Myers, but that doesn't mean he has to be in the lineup every night. I also believe that Sulzer will end up being waived/sent to the minors.

So I'm wondering if this is a typo on capgeeks part or if this is something the league slipped up on but Vinny Lecavalier's contract doesn't meet the qualifications of a SPC per the CBA.

A players salary can't go up or down more than 25% in any year from the previous year.

His year 3 salary is 4.5 mil and his year 4 salary is 3 mil. That is more than a 25% reduction by 375k.

Curious.

I'm not convinced that Tallinder is a lock for the top 6. They may bring him in to "mentor" Myers, but that doesn't mean he has to be in the lineup every night. I also believe that Sulzer will end up being waived/sent to the minors.
- buffalofan19

One of Sulzer or McBain get traded or Ruhwedel and Pysyk start the year in Rochester is my guess.

One of Sulzer or McBain get traded or Ruhwedel and Pysyk start the year in Rochester is my guess.
- dadeadhead

You really think Sulzer has any trade value at all? He's a marginal 6/7 as it is and is coming off serious knee injury.

I also believe they will give Ristolainen every chance possible to make the NHL club. The biggest factor in picking him, supposedly, was that they believed he was NHL ready.

The only risk is an offer sheet, which won't be that high enough for the Sabres to walk away. If it is, the draft pick compensation package will be much more than he would fetch in a trade. I'm not worried about it. That deal will get done before camp.
- buffalofan19

One year deal will be reached allowing Cody to utilize salary arbitration next year IMO.

You really think Sulzer has any trade value at all? He's a marginal 6/7 as it is and is coming off serious knee injury.
- buffalofan19

Don't think he makes it through waivers.

And yes he's worth a 5th to a team that ends up with injuries coming out of the preseason.

Don't think he makes it through waivers.

And yes he's worth a 5th to a team that ends up with injuries coming out of the preseason.
- dadeadhead

I don't think he would make it through waivers either, but I also think teams know that if the Sabres are in a situation where they have to move a defenseman, Sulzer would be it. My guess is that most would force a waive than to give up something.

I don't think he would make it through waivers either, but I also think teams know that if the Sabres are in a situation where they have to move a defenseman, Sulzer would be it. My guess is that most would force a waive than to give up something.
- buffalofan19

I think they end up moving McBain honestly and if Risto is ready they either trade or waive Sulzer making Ruhwedel or Hank the #7.

One of Sulzer or McBain get traded or Ruhwedel and Pysyk start the year in Rochester is my guess.
- dadeadhead

i think weasel starts in Roch no matter what

I think they end up moving McBain honestly and if Risto is ready they either trade or waive Sulzer making Ruhwedel or Hank the #7.
- dadeadhead

What is the deal with Ruhwedel's contract anyway? He couldn't be sent down last year as part of his contract, but he can this year?

Give Vanek a guy like Tavares to feed him, Vanek is back ahead, and the gap is much more than 5 goals. Moulson is a beneficiary of his teammate. Vanek makes plays by himself.
- buffalofan19

Mouslon had 30 during JT rookie year. They weren't constantly on the 1st line together. I'm just saying, getting Moulson and a 1sr isn't giving Vanek away

What is the deal with Ruhwedel's contract anyway? He couldn't be sent down last year as part of his contract, but he can this year?
- buffalofan19

from what i gather it is the way the NCAA has things set up for the end of the season signings with NHL teams.. but i could be wrong

So I'm wondering if this is a typo on capgeeks part or if this is something the league slipped up on but Vinny Lecavalier's contract doesn't meet the qualifications of a SPC per the CBA.

A players salary can't go up or down more than 25% in any year from the previous year.

His year 3 salary is 4.5 mil and his year 4 salary is 3 mil. That is more than a 25% reduction by 375k.

Curious.
- dadeadhead

It's 35% not 25%. Just squeaked under.

Mouslon had 30 during JT rookie year. They weren't constantly on the 1st line together. I'm just saying, getting Moulson and a 1sr isn't giving Vanek away
- sbroads24

It does make you worse though both now and the future. Moulson is not, and never will be, a guy you can build a team around.