If Buffalo were smart, they would eat part of Millers salary while also offering to take back one of Chicago's bad contracts, if they have any, as they will need salary the next couple of years simply to make the cap floor, and that would and should also mean Chicago would sweeten the deal due to that and them now having a bit more flexibility.
- kingcong39

Please go peddle the Sabres player and contract problems somewhere else. I'm just trying to help.

Always a classic and EK can confirm...i believe this footage is a staple at IceHogs games.

Nice shelf job by your boy Leddy Savvy.....love SNIPES like that.
- philco28

Confirmed. It gets all the chuckleheads in the stands with cowbells going.

Saad hopefully..is going NOWHERE
- philco28

With Saad continuing to improve when hossa retires Saad will be playing at the same level
No way you trade him he is IMHO a legitimate first line power forward

The Sabres are backed into a corner with Miller in a similar situation to Preds/Suter last year. They waited too long to deal him and at this point won't get all that much.

My guess is they keep him and hope he buys into the new ownership. As long as
Miller hasn't soured on Buffalo they keep him or if they have to, trade his rights before the Draft.

Today's article....

All is well in Blackhawk land with 3-1 win in Nashville. Kane/Keith with MVP years-On The Blackhawks: My Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1i1r6Bs

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

Please go peddle the Sabres player and contract problems somewhere else. I'm just trying to help.
- rtang415

Contract problems?
They will have no problem letting Miller be a UFA and saving the salary, although he will be traded before that can happen.

I mentioned what I did because I am a believer in not paying goaltenders high salaries. It's wasted money that could be best spent elsewhere.

Your team is a PRIME example of that with both Niemi and Crawford during your two cup runs, with what they were making at the time.

The Sabres are backed into a corner with Miller in a similar situation to Preds/Suter last year. They waited too long to deal him and at this point won't get all that much.
- Al

I need help. How are they backed into a corner?
They will take whatever they can get for him and move on.
They have little to no interest in resigning him to a giant contract at his age, nor should they.

Contract problems?
They will have no problem letting Miller be a UFA and saving the salary, although he will be traded before that can happen.

I mentioned what I did because I am a believer in not paying goaltenders high salaries. It's wasted money that could be best spent elsewhere.

Your team is a PRIME example of that with both Niemi and Crawford during your two cup runs, with what they were making at the time.
- kingcong39

Great. Then if you feel that way don't come here suggesting horse poop trade scenarios for him.

The Sabres are backed into a corner with Miller in a similar situation to Preds/Suter last year. They waited too long to deal him and at this point won't get all that much.

My guess is they keep him and hope he buys into the new ownership. As long as
Miller hasn't soured on Buffalo they keep him or if they have to, trade his rights before the Draft.

Today's article....

All is well in Blackhawk land with 3-1 win in Nashville. Kane/Keith with MVP years-On The Blackhawks: My Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1i1r6Bs

On Twitter@AlCimaglia
- Al

Good article, Al, but let me quibble on one point. You said:

. As it turned out it wasn't a very demonstrative win but the Hawks did what was needed. They captured two more road points with a 3-1 victory and played a solid game

I thought for the last 40 minutes it was a dominant, stifling performance: they let Nashville take almost nothing for the last 40 minutes - 11 SOG, and probably 3-4 of them were in the last minute when they were 6 on 4.

This is the way championship teams express their dominance: no one outstanding, everyone very good, team game, don't give up anything.

Shoe doesn't fit. I know we're bad and I'm not here to hustle crappy players to anyone. I just like making fantasy trade talk with other teams every so often when the blog suggests an idea. Guess this was a terrible place to start.
- TheSabresTaco

Don't take offense. This place can be rough. You're just the Jehovah Witness coming to our door and peddling something (Miller) nobody is interested in. Ergo, your "fantasy trade scenario" got crapped on. No biggie.

Please go peddle the Sabres player and contract problems somewhere else. I'm just trying to help.
- rtang415

I don't think either teams need your help!!!

Good article, Al, but let me quibble on one point. You said:

. As it turned out it wasn't a very demonstrative win but the Hawks did what was needed. They captured two more road points with a 3-1 victory and played a solid game

I thought for the last 40 minutes it was a dominant, stifling performance: they let Nashville take almost nothing for the last 40 minutes - 11 SOG, and probably 3-4 of them were in the last minute when they were 6 on 4.

This is the way championship teams express their dominance: no one outstanding, everyone very good, team game, don't give up anything.
- StLBravesFan

You are correct and I thought I stressed the same later in the piece...11 shots in 40 mins. etc...

By demonstrative I meant a whipping score wise as they got earlier...7-2....

After Keith scored I thought they could pile on the goals but Hutton was good and except for penalties/faceoffs the Hawks played a very solid road game.

All is well in Blackhawk land with 3-1 win in Nashville. Kane/Keith with MVP years-On The Blackhawks: My Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1i1r6Bs

I don't think either teams need your help!!!
- Sabresfan88

Yes.

Don't take offense. This place can be rough. You're just the Jehovah Witness coming to our door and peddling something (Miller) nobody is interested in. Ergo, your "fantasy trade scenario" got crapped on. No biggie.
- Baaaaaaannerman!

Nicely explained.

I need help. How are they backed into a corner?
They will take whatever they can get for him and move on.
They have little to no interest in resigning him to a giant contract at his age, nor should they.
- kingcong39

The Sabres lost 2 yrs of growth by the new owner being more a fan than a true owner.

The front office and coach should have been cleaned out and a plan developed which had to address Miller/VaneK your best assets at the time.

Instead they lingered with both and now will get whatever they can get for one of the better goalies in the game....At least he was two yrs ago.

Getting whatever they can now is backed into a corner...

Instead of putting an effective plan in place and identifying needs the Sabres hung on and then realized they were bad and then basically puked players as they sunk in the standings.

Hindsight is 20/20 but I said same at the time....Miller could have been dealt 2 years ago and maybe others for a big package of assets and picks.

Now as you say you they will get whatever they can which might not be anything at all.

You can't keep the same front office in place and wait if they failed year after year and that is exactly what happened....Regier staying at the controls spelled big trouble and now you see the results.

Problem in many places is a mega wealthy owner buys a team and doesn't find the correct hockey people and administrative help to run the Franchise.

All is well in Blackhawk land with 3-1 win in Nashville. Kane/Keith with MVP years-On The Blackhawks: My Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1i1r6Bs

Contract problems?
They will have no problem letting Miller be a UFA and saving the salary, although he will be traded before that can happen.

I mentioned what I did because I am a believer in not paying goaltenders high salaries. It's wasted money that could be best spent elsewhere.

Your team is a PRIME example of that with both Niemi and Crawford during your two cup runs, with what they were making at the time.
- kingcong39

Really? REALLY? You want to know how important elite goaltending is in the NHL? I'll submit as Exhibit A, for identification, the Nashville Predators, who with a healthy Pekka Rinne are a yearly playoff team and a tough out but without him will likely not sniff the playoffs. Two toatally different teams +/- that one highly paid goaltender. Money needs to be spent wisely regardless of the position or player. At $6MM Crawford may well be overpaid. At $6MM guys like Rinne and Lunquist are underpaid.

Off topic...

I saw this on 670 the Score's website of one of the Hawks ice girls. I thought it might brighten up everyone's morning...

Once it was determined Crawford didn't suffer a brutal abdominal or groin tear Miller was never coming. As John wrote if Crawford was seriously hurt than that would have been different, but they knew early on it wouldn't be months until he returned.

As it turned out Raanta gained experience and as I wrote today looks like a different goalie than his first few games. ...And Crawford got a well deserved rest.

All is well in Blackhawk land with 3-1 win in Nashville. Kane/Keith with MVP years-On The Blackhawks: My Fox Chicago:http://bit.ly/1i1r6Bs

On Twitter@AlCimaglia

Once it was determined Crawford didn't suffer a brutal abdominal or groin tear Miller was never coming. As John wrote if Crawford was seriously hurt than that would have been different, but they knew early on it wouldn't be months until he returned.

As it turned out Raanta gained experience and as I wrote today looks like a different goalie than his first few games. ...And Crawford got a well deserved rest.
- Al

This.

I'll play the hypothetical rumor card. How about Kane for Miller? Kidding.

Brandon Saad and a (low) first?

Also in reality it makes negative sense to send over Miller unless you send Crawford back. Or Crawford just lays on LTIR for a year. How abouts Saad and Crawford for Miller, McNabb and our 2nd.

Please no flaming, just a friendly discussion.
- TheSabresTaco

This is ban worthy.

Off topic...

I saw this on 670 the Score's website of one of the Hawks ice girls. I thought it might brighten up everyone's morning...


- EKolb13

That's the first time I've ever wished I were a remotely operated video camera... Oh the humanity!

That's the first time I've ever wished I were a remotely operated video camera... Oh the humanity!
- Baaaaaaannerman!

I think theres a slim number of teams that need Miller or would be willing to trade some thing significant for him.Ive watched Miller since the first game he played in Buffalo and while hes a great goalie hes clearly no Lundquist or in the elite status.His value goes down the longer we have him not up.Also its a contract year and probably the best Ive seen him play .Im skeptical about his future play.I woudnt be surprised to see him resign with Buffalo altho Id rather see the team turn the page.

With Saad continuing to improve when hossa retires Saad will be playing at the same level
No way you trade him he is IMHO a legitimate first line power forward
- molly2522

I definitely agree with this. Saad isn't Hoss 2.0 yet, but he has a legitimate chance to grow into this kind of relentless, strong-on-the-puck player, and is showing every sign of doing so. Saad needs to be traded nowhere.

Great. Then if you feel that way don't come here suggesting horse poop trade scenarios for him.
- rtang415

But that is exactly what your blogger has invited the world to do.

From reading your teams' posts this morning, it sounds like your stable of young'uns that are reliable call-ups is less than desireable, so adding in one or 2 of our very deep prospect pool, along with Miller (and eating a chunk of his salary) does not intrigue anyone to part with one solid roster player...not a goalie?

We have many young D-men that have very high ceilings, and about now could use a core veteran forward who still has something left in the tank and is not named Steve Ott.

Off topic...

I saw this on 670 the Score's website of one of the Hawks ice girls. I thought it might brighten up everyone's morning...


- EKolb13

wow..nice find..made my day..