The thing that I think sets Lemieux apart is his desire. The kid looks like nothing will stop him. Same can't be said for Fatty Torres, then or now.

But, BUT, it's still early. I'm not going to annoint him anything, yet.
- grand-magus

True
I'm interested to see Baptiste & Bailey in Roch next year
Possibly Compher & Fasching, but I think we kee0 them in college 1 more year to give Murray some flexibility with contracts
Bailey is the guy outta that group I see possibly fitting into a top6 rile eventually
Guys like Ulmark, Possler & Olofsson prob stay oversees again bc of limited contracts as well

True
I'm interested to see Baptiste & Bailey in Roch next year
Possibly Compher & Fasching, but I think we kee0 them in college 1 more year to give Murray some flexibility with contracts
Bailey is the guy outta that group I see possibly fitting into a top6 rile eventually
Guys like Ulmark, Possler & Olofsson prob stay oversees again bc of limited contracts as well
- jdfitz77

I think a dark horse propsect may be Connor Hurley. Probably not for a few years, though.

If Olofsson pans out even slightly, it will be such a steal, considering where he was drafted.

He was coming off a 9 month injury/rehab.

He needed to play himself back into game shape. He wasn't going to do that with Buffalo.

Was there a real threat of another NHL team claiming a player coming off such a devastating injury? No. Because of the injury, I doubt Murray was losing sleep over someone else claiming him.

Is he in their future plans? No, probably not. But I doubt Murray is in the business of just dumping assets.
- grand-magus

Ya there was have you seen Edmonton's goalies?

Also he's really not an asset. Same goes for Lieuwen.

Ya there was have you seen Edmonton's goalies?

Also he's really not an asset. Same goes for Lieuwen.
- Jammerz04

Obviously you have Murray on speed dial then?

Anyone under contract is considered an asset.

I really don't get this...

Peterson's stats for The Irish are FAR from impressive, and BOTH our Swedish goaltenders (Johansson & Ullmark) are clearly having worse years this year than they did last year

http://sabres.nhl.com/club/m_news.htm?id=750311

For them to say we have a trio of Goalie prospects that look good right now just doesn't seem accurate at all to me

I really don't get this...

Peterson's stats for The Irish are FAR from impressive, and BOTH our Swedish goaltenders (Johansson & Ullmark) are clearly having worse years this year than they did last year

http://sabres.nhl.com/club/m_news.htm?id=750311

For them to say we have a trio of Goalie prospects that look good right now just doesn't seem accurate at all to me
- jdfitz77

I think the "right now" might be what they are going for. I heard an interview with Baker yesterday and he said at least some of them have been playing better as of late (especialy Peterson). I can see why it is so hard to project goalies.

He retires it's on LA.
- dadeadhead

And if he stinks (like he does now) it's on our cap for the next 6 years. It boggles my mind that people think this is a worthwhile gamble. The stats say that 30 begins a significant decline in production - this guy started that slid in his mid/late 20's. Yikes. There is a reason that everyone else passed on him.

Lemieux will never be a second liner in the NHL. The guy is nothing more then a 3rd line suspension machine. Right now he looks nothing more than a Raffi Torres. Barbashev is a top 2 line player.
- Jammerz04

While we all wanted Barbashev, it's WAY too early to make the statement you did above.

I'm ready to watch my team play. Long eight days of prospects and rumors.

I'm ready to watch my team play. Long eight days of prospects and rumors.
- Der Kaiser

Same here Kaiser. 8hrs of work..some pre-gaming and it's game on !!!

WWOOOOO 44 that's me ladies
- SABRES 89

Did you see there's a new one with him now??

I'm ready to watch my team play. Long eight days of prospects and rumors.
- Der Kaiser

Just 4 hours and 44 more minutes til Richards-Watch is over!

Same here Kaiser. 8hrs of work..some pre-gaming and it's game on !!!
- cabin

Late start in Calgary = extra pregame.

Just 4 hours and 44 more minutes til Richards-Watch is over!
- stashu

Cap-free buyouts are done, right? If so I guess that eliminate the possibility of us taking on assets to buy him out. He could spend much of the rest of his career in the minors.

Idk about the whole Richards thing. Isn't he a great defensive forward? Has he ever had a history of injuries? Guy can hit, and what's this crap about hitting 30? I seem to remember Mark Recchi having a significant role on a few teams pushing 40...I'd argue Boston doesn't win the cup without a player like him.

5.5 x 5.

So, 34 when the contract ends? The cap goes up, he is a high paid 3rd line C who can penalty kill and teach the kids some stuff while being a veteran presence?

Gotta hit the cap floor somehow, right? I want Stifford and Stewart gone. Gionta is crap. MFE actually played an NHL game in his career blows my mind (HE IS HORRIBLE) Kaleta gone.

I dunno man, I say you pick Richards up. I can't find a reason not to and that contract isn't as absurd as it looks. Guy can easily put 20+ in a season here and his defensive responsibility and cup ringx2 makes me think this is a no brainer. By the time you gotta re-sign the kids, he's just about out the door anyway.

Idk about the whole Richards thing. Isn't he a great defensive forward? Has he ever had a history of injuries? Guy can hit, and what's this crap about hitting 30? I seem to remember Mark Recchi having a significant role on a few teams pushing 40...I'd argue Boston doesn't win the cup without a player like him.

5.5 x 5.

So, 34 when the contract ends? The cap goes up, he is a high paid 3rd line C who can penalty kill and teach the kids some stuff while being a veteran presence?

Gotta hit the cap floor somehow, right? I want Stifford and Stewart gone. Gionta is crap. MFE actually played an NHL game in his career blows my mind (HE IS HORRIBLE) Kaleta gone.

I dunno man, I say you pick Richards up. I can't find a reason not to and that contract isn't as absurd as it looks. Guy can easily put 20+ in a season here and his defensive responsibility and cup ringx2 makes me think this is a no brainer. By the time you gotta re-sign the kids, he's just about out the door anyway.
- DynamicThreads

Plus MY GOD we are terrible at Faceoffs. Its pretty bad when the best FO guy we had in the last decade was Paul "I fall down more than a toddler" Gaustad.

Same as Nolan said, it was flight issues, doesn't appear to be very serious
- yen6d1

Exactly, but some here want to make a big deal of it like the kid pulled an Aaron Hernandez.
It's always the same few here.
Myers came in out of shape and I'd bet that the poster saying the very same thing about Zad's never said that Myers "had issues".

Cap-free buyouts are done, right? If so I guess that eliminate the possibility of us taking on assets to buy him out. He could spend much of the rest of his career in the minors.
- Slump Buster

Yep, those buyouts ended this past year, when Buffalo used them on Leino and Ehrhoff

Idk about the whole Richards thing. Isn't he a great defensive forward? Has he ever had a history of injuries? Guy can hit, and what's this crap about hitting 30? I seem to remember Mark Recchi having a significant role on a few teams pushing 40...I'd argue Boston doesn't win the cup without a player like him.

5.5 x 5.

So, 34 when the contract ends? The cap goes up, he is a high paid 3rd line C who can penalty kill and teach the kids some stuff while being a veteran presence?

Gotta hit the cap floor somehow, right? I want Stifford and Stewart gone. Gionta is crap. MFE actually played an NHL game in his career blows my mind (HE IS HORRIBLE) Kaleta gone.

I dunno man, I say you pick Richards up. I can't find a reason not to and that contract isn't as absurd as it looks. Guy can easily put 20+ in a season here and his defensive responsibility and cup ringx2 makes me think this is a no brainer. By the time you gotta re-sign the kids, he's just about out the door anyway.
- DynamicThreads

He's 4 years removed from his last 20+ goal season though (10/11 season).

From a TSN article:

He's 4 years removed from his last 20+ goal season though (10/11 season).

From a TSN article:


- stashu

I'd say its due to LA's system and incredible depth. Come playoff time, he steps it up in a big way, and while we won't be making the POs for a while, he would certainly have a much bigger role here for the next couple seasons and really is a Pat Kaleta more expensive than Stifford anyway. He is defensively sound and responsible all over the ice. For 1.5 more per year, I'd take him over your Stafford, Steward or any other place holder vet making 4+.

Idk about the whole Richards thing. Isn't he a great defensive forward? Has he ever had a history of injuries? Guy can hit, and what's this crap about hitting 30? I seem to remember Mark Recchi having a significant role on a few teams pushing 40...I'd argue Boston doesn't win the cup without a player like him.

5.5 x 5.

So, 34 when the contract ends? The cap goes up, he is a high paid 3rd line C who can penalty kill and teach the kids some stuff while being a veteran presence?

Gotta hit the cap floor somehow, right? I want Stifford and Stewart gone. Gionta is crap. MFE actually played an NHL game in his career blows my mind (HE IS HORRIBLE) Kaleta gone.

I dunno man, I say you pick Richards up. I can't find a reason not to and that contract isn't as absurd as it looks. Guy can easily put 20+ in a season here and his defensive responsibility and cup ringx2 makes me think this is a no brainer. By the time you gotta re-sign the kids, he's just about out the door anyway.
- DynamicThreads

1) We (or anyone else) can get to the cap floor easily.

2) Why would you want to tie up any salary on this broken-down player? He is trending signficantly downward in both points and analytics. Also, we might very well be knee-deep in centers in 6 months. The only no-brainer is not to bring him in.

For 1.5 more per year, I'd take him over your Stafford, Steward or any other place holder vet making 4+.
- DynamicThreads

There is a "neither" option as well.

I'd say its due to LA's system and incredible depth. Come playoff time, he steps it up in a big way, and while we won't be making the POs for a while, he would certainly have a much bigger role here for the next couple seasons and really is a Pat Kaleta more expensive than Stifford anyway. He is defensively sound and responsible all over the ice. For 1.5 more per year, I'd take him over your Stafford, Steward or any other place holder vet making 4+.
- DynamicThreads

The difference over Stafford and Stewart is that their contracts are expiring now where Richards is on the hook for so many more and has already been declining for 4 years or more.

Agreed that part of it is due to being in LA and shuffled down, but he also wouldn't be shuffled down if he was performing better.

I'm also not of the opinion that he's only going to be like a 35 point player the rest of his career, but that length of a contract is too scary to me.

1) We (or anyone else) can get to the cap floor easily.

2) Why would you want to tie up any salary when you can spend it on this broken-down player? He is trending signficantly downward in both points and analytics. Also, we might very well be knee-deep in centers in 6 months. The only no-brainer is not to bring him in.
- Slump Buster

Yet none of this is due to a DEFENSIVE system, one of the best in the league, incredible forward depth, a reduced role and being a part of the worst regular season playoff team in recent memory?

Knee deep in center in 6 months? Tell me, which of our centers will come in the league and make an impact on Faceoffs and scoring immediately? And getting to the cap floor easily? Doesn't that statement prove my logic of picking him up to do so right? Pat Kaleta, Drew Stafford and Chris Stewart are all gone. Need taken care of by claiming Richards and if any of those 3 come back I'd say its the thing that put me under on GMTM instead of over because he really hasn't done crap in my eyes.

Yet none of this is due to a DEFENSIVE system, one of the best in the league, incredible forward depth, a reduced role and being a part of the worst regular season playoff team in recent memory?

Knee deep in center in 6 months? Tell me, which of our centers will come in the league and make an impact on Faceoffs and scoring immediately? And getting to the cap floor easily? Doesn't that statement prove my logic of picking him up to do so right? Pat Kaleta, Drew Stafford and Chris Stewart are all gone. Need taken care of by claiming Richards and if any of those 3 come back I'd say its the thing that put me under on GMTM instead of over because he really hasn't done crap in my eyes.
- DynamicThreads

He is old and not very good. It's a no brainer that they don't touch him