Who has the brighter future - Leafs or Sabres?
Former Sabres forward Rob Ray joined Naylor & Landsberg with guest host Matt Cauz to discuss which team has the brighter future between the Toronto Maple Leafs or Buffalo Sabres.


That video is on TSN

right now, I am not sure we have the cap space to sign risto, girgens and foligno
- homiedclown

If Girgensons and or Foligno make 3 million it's a travesty. There's no reason to pay 4th line players that much.

If Girgensons and or Foligno make 3 million it's a travesty. There's no reason to pay 4th line players that much.
- Zschalberg

OH MY

Is there a rule that would still consider Buffalo giving Vesey the rights to negotiate with other teams tampering? I feel if we give permission, there should be no problem with it. I just can't understand why the Sabres would want to wait this out for so long when there are other things to be done. It feels like the entire league is waiting for this Vesey ball to drop.

If they are allowed to give other teams permission to talk with him, THEY SHOULD! And if they don't, I just can't help but feeling that there's something fishy about this whole thing.
- Cup Crazy '07

They can.

He is their property. If they wished they could give his agent the ability to talk to other teams.

They can.

He is their property. If they wished they could give his agent the ability to talk to other teams.
- dadeadhead

I think that we have (correctly) slow-played this. No reason to give him that right unless he asked for it. I think that if we initiated that talk he might perceive pressure.

OH MY




- homiedclown

It's nothing against them, but it is the truth. They can be very good 4th line players who can maybe play 3rd line. Girgensons has the ceiling that he can be the 3rd line center but it's about does he reach that ceiling. I don't think he does.

If they embrace that role that they can be a great 4th line and stiffle other teams while still putting up some points knowing that they won't be stars but they can help the team win it's great. You need that buy in that you do what is best for the team.

I think that we have (correctly) slow-played this. No reason to give him that right unless he asked for it. I think that if we initiated that talk he might perceive pressure.
- Slump Buster

I think he'd see it as "You've heard our pitch, you know what we have to offer, now go see what they have and let us know." If he's going to August 15th like he's said then it's going to happen either way. Let's just do this in July instead. But I don't expect us to.

EDIT: Btw, according to a new blog NJ is on Vesey's short list. Can't even imagine why.

Nash-Eichel-Reinhart

Looks alot better to me than

Vesey-Eichel-Reinhart


Just sayin

Nash-Eichel-Reinhart

Looks alot better to me than

Vesey-Eichel-Reinhart


Just sayin
- MCGUIZZY

Do we get the Nash that can't put up 40 points (2 of the last 3 years) or 42g and 21a Nash?

I can tell you the Rags haven't gotten their monies worth out of that trade.

Nash-Eichel-Reinhart

Looks alot better to me than

Vesey-Eichel-Reinhart


Just sayin
- MCGUIZZY

Not losing a pick/player also helps for the Vesey argument. The reason Nash might be good is by the time he's out Nylander could be ready to take that spot. However, if the consensus is we're not keeping Kane then you have another hole in that top 6. A Vesey would also be a free agent in 2 years but would be an RFA that we could negotiate with or even trade if we can't sign him since we're signing Jack/Sam/etc.

I'm good with either one. I'm okay with neither. I like this team more than I liked the one in April.

Good to see the Bill's 5th round draft pick got himself a dubs last night. Jonathan Williams. Probably 4th in the RB pecking order.

Good to see the Bill's 5th round draft pick got himself a dubs last night. Jonathan Williams. Probably 4th in the RB pecking order.
- TheSabresTaco

Should have left the scene. Let him have the suspension in the beginning of the year. They only really need him for when Shady gets hurt.

Pick still should have been used on the defense though.

Do we get the Nash that can't put up 40 points (2 of the last 3 years) or 42g and 21a Nash?

I can tell you the Rags haven't gotten their monies worth out of that trade.
- dadeadhead

Im not too worried about it. Hes a solid vet that can bring alot to a young team. Vesey could bring nothing

Should have left the scene. Let him have the suspension in the beginning of the year. They only really need him for when Shady gets hurt.

Pick still should have been used on the defense though.
- Zschalberg

You're thinking of Karlos Williams. He's way ahead of Jonathan. Yeah we have too many Wiliams'

Im not too worried about it. Hes a solid vet that can bring alot to a young team. Vesey could bring nothing
- MCGUIZZY

They really want Vesey, like they really wanted Stamkos. Nash is a good player regardless, he needs to be away from the Rangers.

Borgen seems to be a great pick for the 4th round. Tip of the hat for Murray and his scouting staff, last year's crop could turn up to have 4/6 NHLers in it. Stephens is a ? even though they still like him, and Chukarov is a huge long shot.

You're thinking of Karlos Williams. He's way ahead of Jonathan. Yeah we have too many Wiliams'
- TheSabresTaco

No, Karlos will have playing time on a daily basis. The other one will only see the ball in a game if there's an injury. That's my point. Let the one that won't even play serve the suspension since it's not like we need him now. If Shady gets hurt and Karlos becomes the #1 then Jonathan can see some ball too.

They really want Vesey, like they really wanted Stamkos. Nash is a good player regardless, he needs to be away from the Rangers.
- SABRES 89

I would love to find a way to get both Nash and Vesey...

It would take shedding salary but having Nash, Kane and Vesey as your top 9 LWers sounds pretty good IMO.

Borgen seems to be a great pick for the 4th round. Tip of the hat for Murray and his scouting staff, last year's crop could turn up to have 4/6 NHLers in it. Stephens is a ? even though they still like him, and Chukarov is a huge long shot.
- TheSabresTaco

I think Florentino will be a solid pro sooner than later

Im not too worried about it. Hes a solid vet that can bring alot to a young team. Vesey could bring nothing
- MCGUIZZY

7.8 mil is a huge number cap wise for a teacher.


They have to move several players out in order to make room for him and have some cap flexibility.

They have $13,287,978 in space once you take the AHL guys off the roster (COR, Rodriguez, Schnieder, Ullmark, Grant, and Falk).

They still need to sign Risto, Girgs, and Foligno.

The Rags don't want to retain or take on any salary.

The money just isn't there.

Im not too worried about it. Hes a solid vet that can bring alot to a young team. Vesey could bring nothing
- MCGUIZZY

I don't think Vesey could bring nothing. He isn't going to bring that vet presence but he brings his skill. 56 goals and 104 points in 70 games in the last 2 years at cawlidge is nothing to sneeze at.

I would love to find a way to get both Nash and Vesey...

It would take shedding salary but having Nash, Kane and Vesey as your top 9 LWers sounds pretty good IMO.
- Stripes77

In that case you lose Ennis at 4.6M. It could definitely be done, it would just take some work.

no room for his 7.2m cap hit with our current structure, unless we moved a couple of guys out, but who would take them? $10m in cap space now, or so, and Risto, Girgs, Foligno still to sign.
- turbo044

If you get Nash you would be moving 1 or 2 of them. There is room

7.8 mil is a huge number cap wise for a teacher.


They have to move several players out in order to make room for him and have some cap flexibility.

They have $13,287,978 in space once you take the AHL guys off the roster (COR, Rodriguez, Schnieder, Ullmark, Grant, and Falk).

They still need to sign Risto, Girgs, and Foligno.

The Rags don't want to retain or take on any salary.

The money just isn't there.
- dadeadhead

Risto gets 5.5, Girgs and Foligno get 2.5. That's 10.5. Leaves us with 2.5. Trading Ennis gives us 4.6 so that's 7.1. McCormick will also be put on LTIR so that will help with relief. The money can be there. It's just not as easy as sign and go.

The Vesey play is simple to see. Its about the money. I'm no amateur GM, but its simple negotiation tactics.

He is committed to testing free agency to see what the market will bear. I'm sure there is some Max ELC, but I know that teams formulate the bonus structures differently. I would hope that the Sabres pitch to Vesey is pretty close to "as good as it gets," but I'm absolutely sure he is going to go to the market to see if he can squeeze a last little bit out of the deal.

And he may not even know, at this point, what "the extra squeeze" looks like because he needs to see what the other franchises will pitch him.

So my read on the situation is that he likes the idea of coming to play in Buffalo, and has probably received about a 96 or 98 percent offer. The reason he hasn't signed yet is he wants to see what the other four cents or 2 cents look like, and see if the Sabres will spend those pennies too.