He had a great year in that regards.

He doesn't do that every year though.
- sbroads24

I'm with you on this.

I hope he continues to have seasons like the last one with even strength scoring going forward, but the hope is at least one GM from another team believes that will be the case to the point that he'll trade something of quality to Buffalo for Kane.

What do playoff games have to do with this, he has played a bad teams.

Every team needs players that play the game the way Kane does, hence the interest in him when he is made available, production not the only thing he brings... you expect him to bring back a quality return if we trade him but think he will be easy to replace...I don't think that .
- sabreswarpath

which of the remaining teams has a guy like kane?

which of the remaining teams has a guy like kane?
- Sabresfan-365

Bobby Ryan...?

The Kane hate again, wouldn't be a Sabres blog without it.

I'm with you on this.

I hope he continues to have seasons like the last one with even strength scoring going forward, but the hope is at least one GM from another team believes that will be the case to the point that he'll trade something of quality to Buffalo for Kane.
- kingcong39

I think even now he has decent value.

He's a good player, and should get a decent defense prospect in return for him IMO

This will be a good read for you,
and I'm not being condescending here at all

http://www.tsn.ca/statist...-nhl-draft-picks-1.317819

Estephan was drafted round6, 152nd overall

Based of this extremely thorough (and well written imo) article:
Estephan has an 8.3% likelihood of even being a top9 forward
And only about an 85% of even playing 100 NHL games
The average player picked in his spot is typically a career minor leaguer, who plays less than 50 NHL games

Actually he did play a few games in Rochester 2 seasons ago at the end of the year, his skating was fine and he worked hard when he was on the ice. I am not saying he is going to be star in the NHL, But, it could happen. What I am saying though is that you need to have quality depth in your organization to achieve anything and GMJB knows this. I tend to look at a players potential and try to see the ceiling as opposed to the people who only look to the floor.

Just so u don't have to read the whole article:

10 - Generational
9 - Elite Player
8 - First Line, Top Pair D
7 - Top Six Forward, Top Four D
6 - Top Nine Forward, Top Six D
5 - NHL Regular, 350+ NHL games
4 - Fringe NHLer, 200+ NHL games
3 - Very Good Minor Leaguer, 50-200 NHL games
2 - Minor Leaguer, under 50 NHL games
1 - 10 or fewer NHL games

No. 151-165
Average Rating: 1.79
Best: Peter Bondra, Brian Campbell, Andrei Markov, James Wisniewski
Ranked 7 or better: 4.4%
Ranked 5 or worse: 91.7%
At least 100 NHL games (or extremely likely): 15.6%


His good numbers in years 3 & 4 of the WHL aren't enough to convince me that he'll be the Datsyuk of his draft class...
hell...
he probably won't even be the Paul Gaustad (7th round)


Sign him? YES! Absolutely... I've said this repeatedly

But the kid hasn't even played a game in Rochester yet...
so I'm holding off on taking the opinion that he's a serious prospect for us
Not saying he sucks...
just that some ppl are going overboard with their expectations
- jdfitz77

Wow, how did my response to jdfitz77 end up in the middle of his quote? the site has been messing up for a good week now

Estephan 2015-2016-Rochester
games-6
goals-1
+/- -1
shots-17

The Kane hate again, wouldn't be a Sabres blog without it.
- SABRES 89

Not from me. We need him. I'd resign him now if I was in charge.

So Kane is "145th in scoring in his best year in 5 or 6 years", his 5v5 scoring last year was an outlier, he has an "albatross contract", and couple that with behavioral, attitude and legal problems.
If this is what Kane is, why would anyone GM give the Sabres anything of value for him, much less a highly sought after young Dman? And Kane would also have to be protected by whichever team is foolish enough to take him, handcuffing them further.

I think kane is putting up these kinds of numbers as long as eichel is here. He did a lot of his scoring without eichel as well. He seemed to really buy in this year and it payed off. I don't believe he is easy to replace at all. He brings a lot of what this team lacks up front and I would not be quick to move him.

I do agree that if he is looking for long term big dollars then moving him is likely the only option.

Maybe a good offseason and a nice sum of cash up front convinces him that we aren't too far off and will stay for a longer term lower hit type contract.

which of the remaining teams has a guy like kane?
- Sabresfan-365

Nick Ritchie, Austin Watson....Corey Perry at this stage in his career(was a superstar no longer), Bobby Ryan.

You still have not answered my question what is his value??

I think even now he has decent value.

He's a good player, and should get a decent defense prospect in return for him IMO
- sbroads24

So he has decent value, but will be easy to replace, without giving up any assets or overpaying a FA who will be older.

Nick Ritchie, Austin Watson....Corey Perry at this stage in his career(was a superstar no longer), Bobby Ryan.

You still have not answered my question what is his value??
- sabreswarpath

Neal as well should included in that list as well.

So he has decent value, but will be easy to replace, without giving up any assets or overpaying a FA who will be older.
- sabreswarpath

Yeah. He won't be hard to replace. At all.

Good players come and go all the time in terms of wingers.

We literally just signed one better than Kane last offseason, and drafted one at 8 overall a week before that who could be better.

Hell, I'd be shocked if Nick Baptiste or Bailey don't end up being 30-35 point guys.

But the kid hasn't even played a game in Rochester yet...
so I'm holding off on taking the opinion that he's a serious prospect for us
Not saying he sucks...
just that some ppl are going overboard with their expectations
- jdfitz77

Ron Howard voice: "He has."

Ron Howard voice: "He has."
- CaptainRivet

It sounds like people were happy with Okposo last year, but I was hoping for a lot more. 12 5v5 goals, concussion problems, and a lengthy stay in the ICU, at 6million for the next six years makes me concerned.

Concussion problems have completely derailed Ennis' career. It's easy for me to believe his motivations for coming to Buffalo were purely monetary. You know it wasn't for all the winning we were doing.

I just hope he didn't come to to just put his feet up, coast, and collect a giant paycheck, as so many have done here in the past.

Yeah. He won't be hard to replace. At all.

Good players come and go all the time in terms of wingers.

We literally just signed one better than Kane last offseason, and drafted one at 8 overall a week before that who could be better.

Hell, I'd be shocked if Nick Baptiste or Bailey don't end up being 30-35 point guys.
- sbroads24

Yeah but they are already on the team, we are losing Kane so how are they replacing him...and if you see his value as an Okposo type player , or an 1st round pick why are we trading him...if it to get a stud defenseman than great, but are we getting that for him...whole reason GMTM did not trade him.

It sounds like people were happy with Okposo last year, but I was hoping for a lot more. 12 5v5 goals, concussion problems, and a lengthy stay in the ICU, at 6million for the next six years makes me concerned.

Concussion problems have completely derailed Ennis' career. It's easy for me to believe his motivations for coming to Buffalo were purely monetary. You know it wasn't for all the winning we were doing.

I just hope he didn't come to to just put his feet up, coast, and collect a giant paycheck, as so many have done here in the past.
- PrinceChill

As someone who was opposed to the signing at first, Okposo was a pleasant surprise. He played hard. Tough to knock off the puck. Went to the all-star game.

Hard to hate on the guy.

Yeah but they are already on the team, we are losing Kane so how are they replacing him...and if you see his value as an Okposo type player , or an 1st round pick why are we trading him...if it to get a stud defenseman than great, but are we getting that for him...whole reason GMTM did not trade him.
- sabreswarpath

Your trading Kane to avoid him walking for free after a season in which we are not winning the cup, or paying him 6 million to put up 40 points

As someone who was opposed to the signing at first, Okposo was a pleasant surprise. He played hard. Tough to knock off the puck. Went to the all-star game.

Hard to hate on the guy.
- CaptainRivet

Please don't mistake my criticism for hatred. Most of all, I'm just glad the guy didn't die. He may be lucky to continue his career at all.

He did play hard and was tough on other teams Dmen. I don't really put any stock in the all-star selection. He's going to be 30, the team is years away from mattering in the playoffs and his health and contract have me worried.

...very nice PP goal by ROR off that BS high sticking call. I love him as a player, but his number also don't seem to add up to his huge contact. I hope he brings this type of play to the Sabres, and not just team Canada.

I'm putting a lot of hope into the notion that the majority of the Sabres shortcomings were the result of Disco Dan. Did he just make everyone miserable and not give their all? How much can be fixed with an above average coach being added?

I also worry about the prospects. Are Bailey and Bapper real signs of hope or do they just look good compared to our crappier prospects? Recent history suggests the Sabres are not good at developing forwards. Putting Eichel aside, as he seems to develop himself, we've developed Foligno into a 13 goal scorer and not a lot else. Most people here seem to dislike Sam. The rest of the best forwards have come from other teams.

Your trading Kane to avoid him walking for free after a season in which we are not winning the cup, or paying him 6 million to put up 40 points
- sbroads24

If he scores at a 30 goal pace again, and continues to be the player he was this year on an off the ice you pay the man...if I was GM thats what I would do.

I certainly would not trade him, to trade him. What I still can't get from you guys that want to trade him is what is his value in your eyes. what should our return be?

Please don't mistake my criticism for hatred. Most of all, I'm just glad the guy didn't die. He may be lucky to continue his career at all.

He did play hard and was tough on other teams Dmen. I don't really put any stock in the all-star selection. He's going to be 30, the team is years away from mattering in the playoffs and his health and contract have me worried.

...very nice PP goal by ROR off that BS high sticking call. I love him as a player, but his number also don't seem to add up to his huge contact. I hope he brings this type of play to the Sabres, and not just team Canada.
- PrinceChill

Not sure why people aren't 100% on board with ROR. He plays in all situations for Team Canada. He is one of the best at face-offs in the NHL. Anyone that coaches his loves him and raves about his all around game. A poor-man's version of Bergeron (not by much IMO). I'll take him at $7.5 million for another 5 years or whatever. But people on this forum don't think he's worth his contract. ROR for Sabres captain.

BTW - TSN has been raving about him all game long. They are saying he is their leader and best player.