No offense MP, really, but is it a rule that the first handful of posters on his blogs have to get on their knees and, well.....you know?
- Homer

none taken

Whoops, I meant Eichel previously.

Price for goalies is high for sure but turning that down for Talbot is brutal. I've got two proposals for the good Sabres-fans of this board and please try to be rational and not re-actively attack me.

Antti Raanta + Patrick Sharp for Grigorenko, the #21 and #51 pick this year, and Niklas Deslauries. You get a top six winger to groom and lead the talented kids and help contribute in the interim, as well as a possible 1A goaltender with an infectiously good attitude.

OR

Corey Crawford + Andrew Shaw + center prospect Nick Schmaltz for your #21 pick, your #31 pick, Grigorenko, and Nick McCabe.

Also keep in mind that Buffalo is still far away from the salary cap FLOOR. You need to take on some contracts.
- Bjm84

I vote no dice on these trades

I vote no dice on these trades

- sskkoo1

yeah, no thanks

Its like telling a hot chick she's hot every time you see her. Not necessary.
- Homer

speak for yourself

speaking of hot...you got any hot rooomers?

Whoops, I meant Eichel previously.

Price for goalies is high for sure but turning that down for Talbot is brutal. I've got two proposals for the good Sabres-fans of this board and please try to be rational and not re-actively attack me.

Antti Raanta + Patrick Sharp for Grigorenko, the #21 and #51 pick this year, and Niklas Deslauries. You get a top six winger to groom and lead the talented kids and help contribute in the interim, as well as a possible 1A goaltender with an infectiously good attitude.

OR

Corey Crawford + Andrew Shaw + center prospect Nick Schmaltz for your #21 pick, your #31 pick, Grigorenko, and Nick McCabe.

Also keep in mind that Buffalo is still far away from the salary cap FLOOR. You need to take on some contracts.
- Bjm84

Jake McCabe and ok!

Simple supply/demand economics. 4 teams need goalies and via trade/free agency there are about 10 good goalie options = buyers market. Two seconds for Talbot is more than equitable, probably too much actually.

Take Eichel, BPA at 21 (Roy maybe??), best goalie available at 31 (Samsonov or Blackwood), sign Niemi for 3 years (until a young goalie is ready to take over), sign a veteran FA Dman and RW (Williams, Ward, Frolik, even Stewart) and that's one hell of an off season.
- turbo044

In a perfect world, I would love for all of this to happen.

Whoops, I meant Eichel previously.

Price for goalies is high for sure but turning that down for Talbot is brutal. I've got two proposals for the good Sabres-fans of this board and please try to be rational and not re-actively attack me.

Antti Raanta + Patrick Sharp for Grigorenko, the #21 and #51 pick this year, and Niklas Deslauries. You get a top six winger to groom and lead the talented kids and help contribute in the interim, as well as a possible 1A goaltender with an infectiously good attitude.

OR

Corey Crawford + Andrew Shaw + center prospect Nick Schmaltz for your #21 pick, your #31 pick, Grigorenko, and Nick McCabe.

Also keep in mind that Buffalo is still far away from the salary cap FLOOR. You need to take on some contracts.
- Bjm84

I don't see us moving Deslauriers at all and there is minimal interest in Sharp on this board. Offer 2 is way better but probably needs some tweeking. I'd prefer Raanta than Crawford.

I think its about time we invest a high(er) draft pick on a goalie prospect. Our current method of drafting a goalie late has not yeilded us a starting goaltender thus far. Not saying the ones in the system will not work out but we have not had a high potential goaltending prospect in a very long time.
- MCGUIZZY

It's like drafting a RB in the first round. It's not necessary to use a high pick on a goalie, especially when there are much bigger needs (a top 6 RWer, another top 4 D).

Goalies are such a crap shoot. Nobody has any idea how they will develop or Lundqvist wouldn't have been a 7th round pick.

The highest pick I would be okay with moving for a goalie is 31 and I would rather than goalie be a young in the league tender already.

speak for yourself

speaking of hot...you got any hot rooomers?
- Michael Pachla

Nooooooot Reeeeeaaaallllyyy.

I think its about time we invest a high(er) draft pick on a goalie prospect. Our current method of drafting a goalie late has not yeilded us a starting goaltender thus far. Not saying the ones in the system will not work out but we have not had a high potential goaltending prospect in a very long time.
- MCGUIZZY

I don't disagree, but I will say that Miller was a 5th round pick and every year we have the story of "Goalie X was barely even drafted yadda yadda yadda".

Eventually if it doesn't work we're going to need to go to plan B which is either trade for a more established goalie, sign a vet, or draft higher but for the price it costs to take a shot on a goalie rounds 4-7 I say why not try. I think if we don't have that clear cut guy by next season that's when I start to worry but this year I feel like there's so many options that one of them will work out.

Whoops, I meant Eichel previously.

Price for goalies is high for sure but turning that down for Talbot is brutal. I've got two proposals for the good Sabres-fans of this board and please try to be rational and not re-actively attack me.

Antti Raanta + Patrick Sharp for Grigorenko, the #21 and #51 pick this year, and Niklas Deslauries. You get a top six winger to groom and lead the talented kids and help contribute in the interim, as well as a possible 1A goaltender with an infectiously good attitude.

OR

Corey Crawford + Andrew Shaw + center prospect Nick Schmaltz for your #21 pick, your #31 pick, Grigorenko, and Nick McCabe.

Also keep in mind that Buffalo is still far away from the salary cap FLOOR. You need to take on some contracts.
- Bjm84

Raanta and Sharp for Grigo,#21, #51 and any 1 of our goalie prospects. Deslauriers is probably not available. GMTM traded 2 2nds and McNabb to get him and Fasching last year.
But that would be doable.

I'll take "whore ads" for $1,000 Trebek
- Tinkleman11

I'll take Jap Anus Relations for $200...

Nooooooot Reeeeeaaaallllyyy.
- Homer

I red what you said there...

c'mon...give us a little hint

It's like drafting a RB in the first round. It's not necessary to use a high pick on a goalie, especially when there are much bigger needs (a top 6 RWer, another top 4 D).

Goalies are such a crap shoot. Nobody has any idea how they will develop or Lundqvist wouldn't have been a 7th round pick.

The highest pick I would be okay with moving for a goalie is 31 and I would rather than goalie be a young in the league tender already.
- Stripes77

Goalie in the 1st has to be the highest bust rate. Figure 2 of them are the biggest draft busts in the last 15 years

- Stripes77

Ursula Andrews and Charoe twice

Raanta and Sharp for Grigo,#21, #51 and any 1 of our goalie prospects. Deslauriers is probably not available. GMTM traded 2 2nds and McNabb to get him and Fasching last year.
But that would be doable.
- Tinkleman11

I like Deslauriers plenty, but why a 4th liner ever be unavailable?

I vote no dice on these trades

- sskkoo1

So how else are you going to bring in goal tending, leadership/scoring, and also get to the cap floor? Aren't you guys like, 10-15 million beneath it?

Raanta and Sharp for Grigo,#21, #51 and any 1 of our goalie prospects. Deslauriers is probably not available. GMTM traded 2 2nds and McNabb to get him and Fasching last year.
But that would be doable.
- Tinkleman11

Not bad, not bad. I'd consider it!

So how else are you going to bring in goal tending, leadership/scoring, and also get to the cap floor? Aren't you guys like, 10-15 million beneath it?
- Bjm84

This "issue" was the same last season.

The Sabres signed Moulson, Gionta, Meszaros (yuck), Benoit (double yuck) and traded for Josh Gorges.

My guess is they will be very busy draft day making trades and getting some salary back.

They still need a top 6 forward to play right wing, a vet on the blue line (Oduya is liked by many on this board) and they can sign a goalie like Niemi.

Getting to the cap floor isn't an issue.

This "issue" was the same last season.

The Sabres signed Moulson, Gionta, Meszaros (yuck), Benoit (double yuck) and traded for Josh Gorges.

My guess is they will be very busy draft day making trades and getting some salary back.

They still need a top 6 forward to play right wing, a vet on the blue line (Oduya is liked by many on this board) and they can sign a goalie like Niemi.

Getting to the cap floor isn't an issue.
- Stripes77

True. But you're assuming Oduya and or Niemi will sign/want to/end up playing in Buffalo. Nothing is done until it is done and that means a trade for a contract and contributor might be necessary.

So how else are you going to bring in goal tending, leadership/scoring, and also get to the cap floor? Aren't you guys like, 10-15 million beneath it?
- Bjm84

Getting to the Cap Floor is easy...that isn't an issue.

Some of these guys are too old for when we need them, hence why the general lack of interest...unless we insert Gringo and Hodgson and remove McCabe, or any of our youngins from the deal.

In this draft goalies won't go until the early second round. Draft the best winger available at #21 or add a 2016 2nd rd pick and move it up to #16 or #17 but still take the best winger available, take the best goalie at #31 which will probably be the first one off the board. Then trade #51,92,122,152,182 to either Arizona or Toronto for pick #33 or #34 and take a defensemen that slips Klyington, Larrson, will do just fine.

We don't need all the late round picks, Arizona and Toronto who are just beginning their rebuild could probably use them in this deep draft.
- sskkoo1

All those picks wouldn't come close to yielding 33 or 34, I don't think?? Like your thought process though

Its like telling a hot chick she's hot every time you see her. Not necessary.
- Homer

How about people do what they want, ok?

True. But you're assuming Oduya and or Niemi will sign/want to/end up playing in Buffalo. Nothing is done until it is done and that means a trade for a contract and contributor might be necessary.
- Bjm84

This is true of course about players like Oduya or Niemi would want to play here.

There are always players that would play for the right money.

If there are no big trades done by the Sabres I will expect a few 1 or 2 year deals for a players like Frolik. Throwing a $5 million per year salary for a year or two.

It all depends on the trade front. Many here believe that a bigger named player will be traded to Buffalo on draft day.

Getting to the Cap Floor is easy...that isn't an issue.

Some of these guys are too old for when we need them, hence why the general lack of interest...unless we insert Gringo and Hodgson and remove McCabe, or any of our youngins from the deal.
- IonSabres

I hear you. However, don't discount the mentorship and leadership required to groom to the young talent. This is to say that it is a mistake to assume that the only contributions or value a player can make is on the scoresheet.

Moreover, hitting the cap floor with useless and overpaid players is easy but bringing in guys who help you hit the floor while simulatenously contributing functionally now and later, on the ice and in the locker room, is a whole other thing entirely.