Looks like Staal is fed up with palying third fiddle in Pitts.
He showed in the playoffs that he is a top player, but he is not getting the minutes on the ice to get the stats. If he only thinks it will happen for him in Carolina then the Sabres have no chance.....so may be it time to move on, OR
you offer Pittsburgh - Roy and a 2nd pick and say to them "We will take him off your hands", then give him top line status in Buffalo and offer him the 10 year contract that Pittburgh did and waive lots of up front money at him that Carolina does not have....Leave it to him - tell him he can sign at any time until July 1, 2013...you take him on with the knowledge that you might lose him at the end of the year and you take a chance with team chemistry........However, sometimes you take that risk if he is that one of two or three pieces that will get you to the cup.
In the meantime, you develop your draft picks for a year in the background.
Maybe at the end, or at the same time you deal Vanek to Carolina for Eric Staal......and everyone becomes very happy.....Buffalo becomes like Sedins West...the much tougher version!!!!!
PS. Yeah, I had a drink before writing this one!
- RicoMartin

Heeeere we gooo !!!

Yeah, I don't see it the that way at all.

They know they're the favorites to get him as a UFA now wihtout giving you or anyone else a damn thing, and the risk of him getting injured is yours, he's your asset until he puts on another sweater.

There's no risk if you haven't spent anything, remember. And now if reports are true, he's just basically blown your whole bluff. He won't sign anywhere long term but Carolina. To Carolina, he's just said "trade low or wait a year."

Your leverage is toast. Sorry.

*again, assuming there's a shade if truth to this.
- nfph

It's step 1 in a negotiating process. 10years is a long long time.

It's step 1 in a negotiating process. 10years is a long long time.
- Gunner Staal

Could be, certainly. I don't think you can argue your external options got better with that announcement, however.

Heeeere we gooo !!!
- Pairo11

I very much enjoy it.

It's step 1 in a negotiating process. 10years is a long long time.
- Gunner Staal

I thought Pittsburgh didn't give out anything over a 5 year contract?

Isn't Neal's contract 6 years? And now Staal has been offered 10?

Yeah, I don't see it the that way at all.

They know they're the favorites to get him as a UFA now wihtout giving you or anyone else a damn thing, and the risk of him getting injured is yours, he's your asset until he puts on another sweater.

There's no risk if you haven't spent anything, remember. And now if reports are true, he's just basically blown your whole bluff. He won't sign anywhere long term but Carolina. To Carolina, he's just said "trade low or wait a year."

Your leverage is toast. Sorry.

*again, assuming there's a shade if truth to this.
- nfph

Exactly ! I couldn't have explained it better Cisco !

Could be, certainly. I don't think you can argue your external options got better with that announcement, however.
- nfph

I value another Cup run with Staal more than a potential return so it doesn't change much for me.

Looks like Staal is fed up with palying third fiddle in Pitts.
He showed in the playoffs that he is a top player, but he is not getting the minutes on the ice to get the stats. If he only thinks it will happen for him in Carolina then the Sabres have no chance.....so may be it time to move on, OR
you offer Pittsburgh - Roy and a 2nd pick and say to them "We will take him off your hands", then give him top line status in Buffalo and offer him the 10 year contract that Pittburgh did and waive lots of up front money at him that Carolina does not have....Leave it to him - tell him he can sign at any time until July 1, 2013...you take him on with the knowledge that you might lose him at the end of the year and you take a chance with team chemistry........However, sometimes you take that risk if he is that one of two or three pieces that will get you to the cup.
In the meantime, you develop your draft picks for a year in the background.
Maybe at the end, or at the same time you deal Vanek to Carolina for Eric Staal......and everyone becomes very happy.....Buffalo becomes like Sedins West...the much tougher version!!!!!
PS. Yeah, I had a drink before writing this one!
- RicoMartin

RicoMartin, step away from the bong. Leave the insane trade proposals to the blogger, please.

Looks like Staal is fed up with palying third fiddle in Pitts.
He showed in the playoffs that he is a top player, but he is not getting the minutes on the ice to get the stats. If he only thinks it will happen for him in Carolina then the Sabres have no chance.....so may be it time to move on, OR
you offer Pittsburgh - Roy and a 2nd pick and say to them "We will take him off your hands", then give him top line status in Buffalo and offer him the 10 year contract that Pittburgh did and waive lots of up front money at him that Carolina does not have....Leave it to him - tell him he can sign at any time until July 1, 2013...you take him on with the knowledge that you might lose him at the end of the year and you take a chance with team chemistry........However, sometimes you take that risk if he is that one of two or three pieces that will get you to the cup.
In the meantime, you develop your draft picks for a year in the background.
Maybe at the end, or at the same time you deal Vanek to Carolina for Eric Staal......and everyone becomes very happy.....Buffalo becomes like Sedins West...the much tougher version!!!!!
PS. Yeah, I had a drink before writing this one!
- RicoMartin

Rico!!!

Looks like Staal is fed up with palying third fiddle in Pitts.
He showed in the playoffs that he is a top player, but he is not getting the minutes on the ice to get the stats. If he only thinks it will happen for him in Carolina then the Sabres have no chance.....so may be it time to move on, OR
you offer Pittsburgh - Roy and a 2nd pick and say to them "We will take him off your hands", then give him top line status in Buffalo and offer him the 10 year contract that Pittburgh did and waive lots of up front money at him that Carolina does not have....Leave it to him - tell him he can sign at any time until July 1, 2013...you take him on with the knowledge that you might lose him at the end of the year and you take a chance with team chemistry........However, sometimes you take that risk if he is that one of two or three pieces that will get you to the cup.
In the meantime, you develop your draft picks for a year in the background.
Maybe at the end, or at the same time you deal Vanek to Carolina for Eric Staal......and everyone becomes very happy.....Buffalo becomes like Sedins West...the much tougher version!!!!!
PS. Yeah, I had a drink before writing this one!
- RicoMartin

You're delusional. To say Carolina doesn't have the money upfront to offer staal runs contrary to every report saying they're going to make runs at guys like suter Nash and Parise. Not to mention thinking Shero would do anything but laugh at an offer of a 2nd and Roy for staal. For gods sake the sabres got a 1st for gaustad. Not to mention the penguins have a far better shot at a cup with impending UFA staal then they do with impending UFA Roy and whoever they take in the 2nd round this year.

I very much enjoy it.
- Gunner Staal

Sit back and enjoy the fallout Gunn !

You're delusional. To say Carolina doesn't have the money upfront to offer staal runs contrary to every report saying they're going to make runs at guys like suter Nash and Parise. Not to mention thinking Shero would do anything but laugh at an offer of a 2nd and Roy for staal. For gods sake the sabres got a 1st for gaustad. Not to mention the penguins have a far better shot at a cup with impending UFA staal then they do with impending UFA Roy and whoever they take in the 2nd round this year.
- schiefer466

Another Pens fan from Rochester?

You're delusional. To say Carolina doesn't have the money upfront to offer staal runs contrary to every report saying they're going to make runs at guys like suter Nash and Parise. Not to mention thinking Shero would do anything but laugh at an offer of a 2nd and Roy for staal. For gods sake the sabres got a 1st for gaustad. Not to mention the penguins have a far better shot at a cup with impending UFA staal then they do with impending UFA Roy and whoever they take in the 2nd round this year.
- schiefer466

I don't see why the Sabres would want to do that either.

Garth with another timely Sabres blog.

I assume that's near the Mayville area??
- Fotes18

My family had a cottage in Mayville on the lake until my junior year in high school. We sold it. Chautauqua Lake was probably the dirtiest lake I've come across. I wonder if they have cleaned it up?

I do miss the Hartfield Deli.

I thought Pittsburgh didn't give out anything over a 5 year contract?

Isn't Neal's contract 6 years? And now Staal has been offered 10?
- HonkFortheGoose

That would have been Shero's first mega term deal. Fleury and Neal are currently the longest at 6.

I thought Pittsburgh didn't give out anything over a 5 year contract?

Isn't Neal's contract 6 years? And now Staal has been offered 10?
- HonkFortheGoose

JMO, Staal doesn't want the 10-years in Pittsburgh. That is the sticking point. If Shero comes back and says three or four years at ???, I bet he would be more ready to sign on the dotted line.

Rico, I'm so glad this board is filled with insiders like you.

Heeeere we gooo !!!
- Pairo11

(in the voice of Heath Ledger as The Joker)

PS. Yeah, I had a drink before writing this one!
- RicoMartin

RicoMartin, step away from the bong. Leave the insane trade proposals to the blogger, please.
- PassionBucket16

I really don't get why you all are so mean to Rico. I think he seems like a nice guy, and his trade proposals provide tons of comments on here.

They're often silly, but I love it when Rico shows up.

JMO, Staal doesn't want the 10-years in Pittsburgh. That is the sticking point. If Shero comes back and says three or four years at ???, I bet he would be more ready to sign on the dotted line.
- Oneonta Penguin

No, the sticking point is that Eric Staal doesn't play in Pittsburgh.

Oh, and the extra 15-20 mill he could get on the open market, too.

- keptupl8

Totally, vintage Rico gold right there.

Looks like Staal is fed up with palying third fiddle in Pitts.
He showed in the playoffs that he is a top player, but he is not getting the minutes on the ice to get the stats. If he only thinks it will happen for him in Carolina then the Sabres have no chance.....so may be it time to move on, OR
you offer Pittsburgh - Roy and a 2nd pick and say to them "We will take him off your hands", then give him top line status in Buffalo and offer him the 10 year contract that Pittburgh did and waive lots of up front money at him that Carolina does not have....Leave it to him - tell him he can sign at any time until July 1, 2013...you take him on with the knowledge that you might lose him at the end of the year and you take a chance with team chemistry........However, sometimes you take that risk if he is that one of two or three pieces that will get you to the cup.
In the meantime, you develop your draft picks for a year in the background.
Maybe at the end, or at the same time you deal Vanek to Carolina for Eric Staal......and everyone becomes very happy.....Buffalo becomes like Sedins West...the much tougher version!!!!!
PS. Yeah, I had a drink before writing this one!
- RicoMartin

For a guy who says he LOVES playing in Pittsburgh and the city, I doubt he is as fed up with playing third fiddle as you think. It's moreso the years. 10 years is a long time. They need to offer three or four years. Roy and a second? LOL ... I'd rather have Staal walk away for nothing than receive that.

I really don't get why you all are so mean to Rico. I think he seems like a nice guy, and his trade proposals provide tons of comments on here.

They're often silly, but I love it when Rico shows up.
- nfph

Who doesn't?