Regier signed Andrej Sekera to a very cap friendly two year deal.
And they re-signed Clarke MacArthur before doing the arbitration dance.
With Drew Stafford as the lone unsigned RFA left and the Sabres likely done with the UFA shopping, the talk moves toward what does the team still need?
The biggest problem with the Sabres is that they need to move guys out to make room for guys that can improve them.
I believe they could use a a guy that is a better leader, better on faceoffs, and more durable than Connolly.
But, they won't or can't move Tim.
They need an upgrade over Hecht at the 2nd line LW spot.
But, they won't or can't move Hecht.
They need an upgrade over Stafford opposite Vanek.
But, they haven't moved Stafford.
They need a PP QB defenseman.
But, that would require moving Tallinder and/or Lydman which hasn't happened yet.
They also need an upgrade over Lalime behind Miller.
But, a post-surgery Lalime @ $1M isn't going anywhere.
The biggest needs for this team are a more aggressive GM and an owner that isn't driven by the bottom line.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Back from the long weekend
I am going to have some quick hits from the first few days of Free Agency:
- I like the Montador signing for the Sabres. They needed more grit and "compete" and while Montador isn't the biggest and baddest guy out there, he is an Adam Mair-like blue collar guy that gives you everything he has. Add in the reasonable contract and I am happy with the deal.
- The Rangers find a taker for one bad deal (Gomez) and they hand out another (Gaborik). Do they have to have a few bad contracts at any given time?
- IF the Sabres get Biron, who can Darcy dump Lalime on?
- This makes the Mike Zigomanis fax machine blunder look like nothing. I'd love to see Barker and Versteeg in Buffalo, but I doubt it happens if they hit the market.
- I don't know what was more interesting, Pronger to Philly, Ryan Smyth to LA, or Hossa to Chicago. I have a feeling that the Hossa deal means that Campbell and Huet might be getting move out of the Windy City in the next 15 months.....
- THN's Sam McCraig has his best deals of FA so far. I like Craig Anderson in goal, but I'd go with Adrian Aucoin and Kent Huskins on defense, and Ian Laperriere, Chad LaRose, and Mike Knuble up front. You can get those six guys for less than the Sedin twins will make this year in Vancouver.
- I'm laughing at the Alexei Kovalev to the Sabres rumor, but am intrigued by the Derek Morris to the Sabres talk. The Sabres have had an interest in Morris over the years and would add another RH shot to the blueline.
- I love how NHL GMs almost never learn from past mistakes. I know Brian Gionta is a local guy and he had some good chemistry with Scott Gomez, but $5 million per year for a guy with declining numbers and had 20 goals and 60 points last year?
- I like the Montador signing for the Sabres. They needed more grit and "compete" and while Montador isn't the biggest and baddest guy out there, he is an Adam Mair-like blue collar guy that gives you everything he has. Add in the reasonable contract and I am happy with the deal.
- The Rangers find a taker for one bad deal (Gomez) and they hand out another (Gaborik). Do they have to have a few bad contracts at any given time?
- IF the Sabres get Biron, who can Darcy dump Lalime on?
- This makes the Mike Zigomanis fax machine blunder look like nothing. I'd love to see Barker and Versteeg in Buffalo, but I doubt it happens if they hit the market.
- I don't know what was more interesting, Pronger to Philly, Ryan Smyth to LA, or Hossa to Chicago. I have a feeling that the Hossa deal means that Campbell and Huet might be getting move out of the Windy City in the next 15 months.....
- THN's Sam McCraig has his best deals of FA so far. I like Craig Anderson in goal, but I'd go with Adrian Aucoin and Kent Huskins on defense, and Ian Laperriere, Chad LaRose, and Mike Knuble up front. You can get those six guys for less than the Sedin twins will make this year in Vancouver.
- I'm laughing at the Alexei Kovalev to the Sabres rumor, but am intrigued by the Derek Morris to the Sabres talk. The Sabres have had an interest in Morris over the years and would add another RH shot to the blueline.
- I love how NHL GMs almost never learn from past mistakes. I know Brian Gionta is a local guy and he had some good chemistry with Scott Gomez, but $5 million per year for a guy with declining numbers and had 20 goals and 60 points last year?
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Is it a big deal?
The Willfull Caboose
Sabres Edge Blog
Sabres.com - Lunchtime Express
Yesterday I received a notification either via email or Twitter (or both) that Darcy Regier would be this week's guest on the Sabres.com Lunchtime Express WebTV show and that he would be on at 12:30pm today.
With NHL Free Agency set to begin at noon, that notice caused a bit of a stir.
WGR 550's Mike Schopp, and to a lesser extent his co-host The Bulldog, went off and said that Regier was flaunting the fact that the Sabres won't dive head first into the free agency pool.
Mike Harrington at The Buffalo News posted a quick little blog post about it as well.
Personally, I'm torn. While I agree that for appearance sake, the Sabres should perhaps have Kevin Devine on this week to go over the Sabres draft or first round pick Zack Kassian.
But on the other hand, I'm not expecting Regier to do a whole lot today, so I don't see the really big deal should Regier take 20 to 30 minutes out of his day to answer some fan questions.
Sure, I get the thought process that this is a symptom of the overall illness that the Sabres are currently suffer from. However, I think things like extending Tim Connolly's contract is a bigger symptom to be concerned about as I believe, despite what Schopp said, that things like giving Connolly a raise isn't trivia.
Sabres Edge Blog
Sabres.com - Lunchtime Express
Yesterday I received a notification either via email or Twitter (or both) that Darcy Regier would be this week's guest on the Sabres.com Lunchtime Express WebTV show and that he would be on at 12:30pm today.
With NHL Free Agency set to begin at noon, that notice caused a bit of a stir.
WGR 550's Mike Schopp, and to a lesser extent his co-host The Bulldog, went off and said that Regier was flaunting the fact that the Sabres won't dive head first into the free agency pool.
Mike Harrington at The Buffalo News posted a quick little blog post about it as well.
Personally, I'm torn. While I agree that for appearance sake, the Sabres should perhaps have Kevin Devine on this week to go over the Sabres draft or first round pick Zack Kassian.
But on the other hand, I'm not expecting Regier to do a whole lot today, so I don't see the really big deal should Regier take 20 to 30 minutes out of his day to answer some fan questions.
Sure, I get the thought process that this is a symptom of the overall illness that the Sabres are currently suffer from. However, I think things like extending Tim Connolly's contract is a bigger symptom to be concerned about as I believe, despite what Schopp said, that things like giving Connolly a raise isn't trivia.
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