He got him because no other GM in the NHL would bother because they all knew Vanek was signing in Mn. after the season.
Although he made up for it by getting us another promising prospect Sebastian Colberg at the deadline for him.
- nyisles7

I love how this trade constantly is the one Isles fan talk about.
JT was going to leave the Isles as soon as He was able... signed 6 year deal.
Halak would never sign with Isles.. what a terrible trade.. signed 4 year deal
Boychuk will NEVER sign long term with Isles...

"Smyth would never sign in the U.S."- signed with Avs.

Spare me the Everyone knew crap.. no one knows sht. He took one shot with Vanek and it didn't work out. He essentially gave up 1 first round pick to do it.. (Call it Moulson for Colberg otherwise...got the second round pick back).

Same people who are furious with Snow for doing nothing constantly bring up the Vanek trade. If He signs here now b/c he liked playing with JT does that make up for it?

I'm perfectly prepared to see nothing happen, but I'm still sticking with my gut feeling that he'll come through with something significant. Good chance I'm wrong, but the feeling still remains in the back of my head. If/when I'm wrong, I'll be the first to admit it and I'll be just as pissed off as anyone else.
- eichiefs9

He needs to sign and or trade for a couple of pieces just to be whole again after losing MM, KO and maybe Frans. Forget about significantly upgrading the team. It's like 1 step forward 3 steps back. He's got his work cut out for him.

This next week will define Snow's future as GM. IF he fails to land his big fish and then loses all his UFA's and scrambles to make a trade.. he is toast.

He needs to sign and or trade for a couple of pieces just to be whole again after losing MM, KO and maybe Frans. Forget about significantly upgrading the team. It's like 1 step forward 3 steps back. He's got his work cut out for him.
- nyisles7

We will know in a week.

That's a challenge he will likely not win.
What, besides himself is the attractive part about joining this team?
Great coach?
Easy work commute?
Low taxes?
Recent history of deep playoff runs?
Respect of the league?
- jmo16

Nobody said it will be easy. He has himself and a new building and new owners. JT has to do his best in helping recruit. Other star players do it.

You're an idiot dumb (frank)er.
- Cptmjl

I love it when you talk dirty.

I hope whoever's number you gave me enjoyed the Sting concert via my dad's phone, too.

This next week will define Snow's future as GM. IF he fails to land his big fish and then loses all his UFA's and scrambles to make a trade.. he is toast.
- niteislander

Did someone hack your account?

He needs to sign and or trade for a couple of pieces just to be whole again after losing MM, KO and maybe Frans. Forget about significantly upgrading the team. It's like 1 step forward 3 steps back. He's got his work cut out for him.
- nyisles7

Yeah he's got a lot of work to do. Especially if Nielsen walks. Not every player he signs needs to be a superstar. I'd be just as happy with multiple players that provide quality scoring depth as I would be with adding Stamkos. I'm just not so confident that multiple tier 1/2 UFA's are going to want to come here.

Nobody said it will be easy. He has himself and a new building and new owners. JT has to do his best in helping recruit. Other star players do it.
- ses111

Sad that our "new" building is getting razzed almost as much as NVMC.
What do people talk about? Bad seating, bad ice, bad traffic to get to games, scoreboard off-center. Team cant cat h a break.

New owners will need time to make any impact.

I hope JT can help recruit but like my previous post, whats the other upside to signing here?

I love it when you talk dirty.

I hope whoever's number you gave me enjoyed the Sting concert via my dad's phone too.
- eichiefs9

It was your mom's.

Yeah he's got a lot of work to do. Especially if Nielsen walks. Not every player he signs needs to be a superstar. I'd be just as happy with multiple players that provide quality scoring depth as I would be with adding Stamkos. I'm just not so confident that multiple tier 1/2 UFA's are going to want to come here.
- eichiefs9

I agree they do not need to sign multiple superstars, but it's a huge red flag if they cannot sign one of Stamkos, Lucic, Ladd, or Loui at this point. Winning a round should get them notice and especially if they make solid contract offers. If the Isles still strike out you have to look at Cappy and Garth being huge problems. New owners just started so it's not on them.

I love how this trade constantly is the one Isles fan talk about.
JT was going to leave the Isles as soon as He was able... signed 6 year deal.
Halak would never sign with Isles.. what a terrible trade.. signed 4 year deal
Boychuk will NEVER sign long term with Isles...

"Smyth would never sign in the U.S."- signed with Avs.

Spare me the Everyone knew crap.. no one knows sht. He took one shot with Vanek and it didn't work out. He essentially gave up 1 first round pick to do it.. (Call it Moulson for Colberg otherwise...got the second round pick back).

Same people who are furious with Snow for doing nothing constantly bring up the Vanek trade. If He signs here now b/c he liked playing with JT does that make up for it?
- niteislander

If you want to believe that no one knew your delusional !
He went to School at The U of MN. His wife is from there and his best friend Jason Pominville was there. They just signed Parise and Sutter the year before. But He definitely didn't have The Mn Wild in his cross hairs. Your right no one knew.

Vanek signing here this year has Snow written all over it.

Yeah he's got a lot of work to do. Especially if Nielsen walks. Not every player he signs needs to be a superstar. I'd be just as happy with multiple players that provide quality scoring depth as I would be with adding Stamkos. I'm just not so confident that multiple tier 1/2 UFA's are going to want to come here.
- eichiefs9

Agree !

If you want to believe that no one knew your delusional !
He went to School at The U of MN. His wife is from there and his best friend Jason Pominville was there. They just signed Parise and Sutter the year before. But He definitely didn't have The Mn Wild in his cross hairs. Your right no one knew.

Vanek signing here this year has Snow written all over it.
- nyisles7

That'd be such a Snow move .

It was your mom's.
- Cptmjl

If you want to believe that no one knew your delusional !
He went to School at The U of MN. His wife is from there and his best friend Jason Pominville was there. They just signed Parise and Sutter the year before. But He definitely didn't have The Mn Wild in his cross hairs. Your right no one knew.

Vanek signing here this year has Snow written all over it.
- nyisles7

I'm probably the one dummy who did not know the Vanek Minny connections until after the deal. If I knew I would not have wanted the Isles to make the deal. I also would not have supported the deal if no other moves were being made.

If you want to believe that no one knew your delusional !
He went to School at The U of MN. His wife is from there and his best friend Jason Pominville was there. They just signed Parise and Sutter the year before. But He definitely didn't have The Mn Wild in his cross hairs. Your right no one knew.

Vanek signing here this year has Snow written all over it.
- nyisles7

Its funny you say that......i TOTALLY see this happening.

I'm probably the one dummy who did not know the Vanek Minny connections until after the deal. If I knew I would not have wanted the Isles to make the deal. I also would not have supported the deal if no other moves were being made.
- ses111

There's a reason why 29 other teams didnt pull the trigger on the Vanek deal. That entire trade was a disaster...

I'm probably the one dummy who did not know the Vanek Minny connections until after the deal. If I knew I would not have wanted the Isles to make the deal. I also would not have supported the deal if no other moves were being made.
- ses111

We talked about it pretty extensively on here after the trade.

That'd be such a Snow move .
- Cptmjl

You beat me to it. Cant you just see that being announced a few days into free agency after failed attempts to sign the likes of Stamkos, Ladd, Lucic etc.

We talked about it pretty extensively on here after the trade.
- Cptmjl

Right. I knew about all the Minny connections after the trade. If it was so well know in NHL circles he had it bad for Minny, I doubt I make the trade or I offer no more than a 2nd round pick and Moulson. What's done is done and it's time to move on from Vanek.

Right. I knew about all the Minny connections after the trade. If it was so well know in NHL circles he had it bad for Minny, I doubt I make the trade or I offer no more than a 2nd round pick and Moulson. What's done is done and it's time to move on from Vanek.
- ses111

Just might be Vanek 2

On a totally random note......i was reading somewhere about Vanek being bought out and it made me think.

Has it ever dawned on anyone the amount of times Snow went after the big UFA and missed (even while offering more money)? Imagine if Snow had been successful in signing the likes of Smyth, Martin, Drury, Gomez,Ehrhoff, Hamhuis, Kovulchuk, Vanek, etc. This should be a major red flag for our GM. Im sure there are more, but off the top of my head these are the UFA's snows gone after, and missed. To me, that speaks volumes. To even think this guy should be the GM is horrendous. Other than the occassional cant miss draft picks, and plucking a few players from cash strapped teams, i cannot for the life of me see how Snow remains GM....
- kindlyrick

I'm not sure how serious a lot of those offers were. Smyth, yes. Vanek, yes. Some of the others, I think they were meant to show the ol' college try without really going all in for it. I could be completely wrong there...it's based on nothing but a guess.

But considering the financial constraints Snow was under and then the plan to tank and rebuild, I always thought it was just appeasing the "do something" part of the fan base with the supposed pursuit of guys like Martin, and even Ehrhoff (the contract was backloaded...for a player looking to cash in immediately. Always hated when people said the Isles offered more than the Sabres. The only reason is because the Sabres intentionally structured the contract with low payments on the back end to lower the cap hit...they gave him something like $18M over the first two years of the contract...waaay more than the Isles were offering up front).

Sort of like going into a dealership and offering $50k for $200k Ferrari. I can say I tried to get a Ferrari, but how serious am I? I'm not sure if Snow ever actually seriously thought he'd land some of those FAs by throwing the offers out there.

I'm not sure how serious a lot of those offers were. Smyth, yes. Vanek, yes. Some of the others, I think they were meant to show the ol' college try without really going all in for it. I could be completely wrong there...it's based on nothing but a guess.

But considering the financial constraints Snow was under and then the plan to tank and rebuild, I always thought it was just appeasing the "do something" part of the fan base with the supposed pursuit of guys like Martin, and even Ehrhoff (the contract was backloaded...for a player looking to cash in immediately. Always hated when people said the Isles offered more than the Sabres. The only reason is because the Sabres intentionally structured the contract with low payments on the back end to lower the cap hit...they gave him something like $18M over the first two years of the contract...waaay more than the Isles were offering up front).

Sort of like going into a dealership and offering $50k for $200k Ferrari. I can say I tried to get a Ferrari, but how serious am I? I'm not sure if Snow ever actually seriously thought he'd land some of those FAs by throwing the offers out there.
- UIF

I do not remember if the Kovalchuk offer was backloaded as well? Whatever happened in the past, Isles better be ready to offer serious frontloaded money this year.

I'm probably the one dummy who did not know the Vanek Minny connections until after the deal. If I knew I would not have wanted the Isles to make the deal. I also would not have supported the deal if no other moves were being made.
- ses111

Eh, I knew and still didn't mind the Vanek deal. Mostly because I watch the Sabres a lot and always wondered what a Tavares-Vanek duo could do on the ice. Also, there was always a chance he'd want to stay after playing with Tavares, and Vanek said a few times since it was a great experience. It was a fun line to watch, and I don't think it crippled the franchise long term. Yeah, it definitely wasn't a good trade, but I don't think we're talking about Luongo trade territory here. The annoying posts from HB Sabres fans were probably worse than any lasting negative impact on the franchise.