Published by hockeybuzz.com, 8-18-2019
The Winnipeg Jets are having a devil of a time right now as they're trying to extend two very important restricted free agents. Wingers Kyle Connor and Patrick Laine are finished with their entry-level deals and their production has placed them in the upper-levels of the salary structure. The 22 yr. old Connor is a speedy, versatile, all-around forward who's averaged 0.78 pts/game over his first two NHL seasons while increasing his production on a year over year. His 65 goals over that span is second only to Laine who scored 74 goals in the last two seasons. Laine took the league by storm as an 18 yr. old in 2016-17 scoring 36 goals in his rookie year finishing second to phenom Auston Matthews in the Calder Trophy running that year.
With the way salaries have escalated, both players are due for a significant increase and re-signing both would take up most, if not all, of the $17.5 million (according to CapFriendly) the Jets have in cap-space.
There's a huge log-jam right now in the RFA market as an impressive group of young players coming off of their ELC are waiting for someone to set the market. That someone might very well be Toronto's Mitch Marner, who some believe will command an eight-figure salary on his new deal.
Showing posts with label 2019 Off Season.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2019 Off Season.. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Sunday, August 18, 2019
How difficult will it be for the Buffalo Sabres to make the playoffs?
As of now pretty difficult and it really doesn't have a lot to do with what they've done internally.
The Buffalo Sabres have some pretty good top-end talent. That we know. Center Jack Eichel has established himself as a dominant pivot whose 82 points (28+54,) the most points in Buffalo since 2006-07, wasn't even considered a breakout season. Winger Jeff Skinner scored 40 goals, the first time a Sabres player had done so since '06/'07, and forward Sam Reinhart once again increased his output chiming in with 22 goals and 43 assists.
On defense, Rasmus Dahlin looks to be every bit the franchise defenseman he was touted to be when Buffalo selected him first-overall in 2018. Dahlin's 44 points were third-most by a Sabres rookie defenseman in franchise history and although he struggled at times with some of the nuances of the NHL game, the 18 yr. old often times used his elite skill-package to mitigate those deficiencies.
That core, along with a support group that clicked along with goaltending that came up big when it needed to, rode a franchise-tying 10-game winning streak to the top of the league in November. Eventually teams figured out just how to throttle their offense and take advantage of weaknesses both on defense and in goal and in the end the Sabres fell apart and finished a very disappointing 26th-overall.
The Buffalo Sabres have some pretty good top-end talent. That we know. Center Jack Eichel has established himself as a dominant pivot whose 82 points (28+54,) the most points in Buffalo since 2006-07, wasn't even considered a breakout season. Winger Jeff Skinner scored 40 goals, the first time a Sabres player had done so since '06/'07, and forward Sam Reinhart once again increased his output chiming in with 22 goals and 43 assists.
On defense, Rasmus Dahlin looks to be every bit the franchise defenseman he was touted to be when Buffalo selected him first-overall in 2018. Dahlin's 44 points were third-most by a Sabres rookie defenseman in franchise history and although he struggled at times with some of the nuances of the NHL game, the 18 yr. old often times used his elite skill-package to mitigate those deficiencies.
That core, along with a support group that clicked along with goaltending that came up big when it needed to, rode a franchise-tying 10-game winning streak to the top of the league in November. Eventually teams figured out just how to throttle their offense and take advantage of weaknesses both on defense and in goal and in the end the Sabres fell apart and finished a very disappointing 26th-overall.
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
The Rasmus Ristolainen saga is front and center once again
"I have seen so much sh**."
Such were the translated words of Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen as he talked with a Finnish TV station back in mid-January after a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. With that loss, the Sabres dropped to 24-18-6 in a season where they started out great, floundered a bit then plummeted to a 26th place finish in the NHL. It was the eighth consecutive season Buffalo missed the playoffs, the sixth time with Ristolainen on the team.
Seven months later, the 24 yr. old Turku, Finland native would be back in front of Finnish MTV Sports expressing more frustration. "I have not been able to help the team win," he said via Google translation, "Recent seasons have been tough and I haven't been able to enjoy hockey."
Where have we heard that before?
Sunday, August 11, 2019
If there's something up Jason Botterill's sleeve, he's giving no indication
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 8-8-2019
Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill has all the players signed he's ready to enter training camp with. Botterill and the arbitration system got Buffalo through the final four cases when the arbiter decided terms for Evan Rodrigues, Remi Elie and goalie Linus Ullmark while the Sabres and Jake McCabe reached a two-year agreement prior to his case. In all, Buffalo has used up 46 of the 50 allotted pro contracts and are presently about $1.1 million over the NHL's cap ceiling for 2019-20, which doesn't bother him one bit.
As a capologist for the Pittsburgh Penguins, among other duties that come with the title of Associate General Manger, Botterill was responsible for keeping the Pens on track and under the cap with a top-heavy roster featuring a combined cap-hit of over $25 million for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang (which by today's standards doesn't seem like a lot for three probable Hall of Famers.) Botterill wasn't phased by the cap problem facing the Sabres as he told the hosts of The Instigators yesterday, "We don't have to do anything until the start of October," he told hosts Andrew Peters and Craig Rivet while also stressing that the team was not pressed into dealing one of their players. "We like the situation we're in right now. We don't have to make a trade to be cap compliant. We've gone over a 'zillion' different scenarios, and we don't have to make a trade to be cap compliant."
Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill has all the players signed he's ready to enter training camp with. Botterill and the arbitration system got Buffalo through the final four cases when the arbiter decided terms for Evan Rodrigues, Remi Elie and goalie Linus Ullmark while the Sabres and Jake McCabe reached a two-year agreement prior to his case. In all, Buffalo has used up 46 of the 50 allotted pro contracts and are presently about $1.1 million over the NHL's cap ceiling for 2019-20, which doesn't bother him one bit.
As a capologist for the Pittsburgh Penguins, among other duties that come with the title of Associate General Manger, Botterill was responsible for keeping the Pens on track and under the cap with a top-heavy roster featuring a combined cap-hit of over $25 million for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang (which by today's standards doesn't seem like a lot for three probable Hall of Famers.) Botterill wasn't phased by the cap problem facing the Sabres as he told the hosts of The Instigators yesterday, "We don't have to do anything until the start of October," he told hosts Andrew Peters and Craig Rivet while also stressing that the team was not pressed into dealing one of their players. "We like the situation we're in right now. We don't have to make a trade to be cap compliant. We've gone over a 'zillion' different scenarios, and we don't have to make a trade to be cap compliant."
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Three more Sabres on arbitration list plus, Ullmark's numbers
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 7-31-2019
Tomorrow will be August 1 which means summer's truly on it's way out, training camps are getting closer and...arbitration hearings will continue.
The Buffalo Sabres have three hearings left with players who filed for arbitration:
--F, Remi Elie (Aug. 1)
--G, Linus Ullmark (Aug. 2)
--D, Jake McCabe (Aug. 4)
All three players have issues heading into the hearings (if they go that far) which could mean the independent arbiter's decision will favor Buffalo in some way.
Elie is up tomorrow and although we're not sure as of yet what he's asking, anything north of $800K (which represents a raise of over $100) might be too much. Although it's hard not to love the determination with which the 24 yr. old plays the game, he just doesn't have the numbers to justify his present status of an AHL/NHL tweener who's best suited to a top-nine/six role with the Rochester Americans.
Tomorrow will be August 1 which means summer's truly on it's way out, training camps are getting closer and...arbitration hearings will continue.
The Buffalo Sabres have three hearings left with players who filed for arbitration:
--F, Remi Elie (Aug. 1)
--G, Linus Ullmark (Aug. 2)
--D, Jake McCabe (Aug. 4)
All three players have issues heading into the hearings (if they go that far) which could mean the independent arbiter's decision will favor Buffalo in some way.
Elie is up tomorrow and although we're not sure as of yet what he's asking, anything north of $800K (which represents a raise of over $100) might be too much. Although it's hard not to love the determination with which the 24 yr. old plays the game, he just doesn't have the numbers to justify his present status of an AHL/NHL tweener who's best suited to a top-nine/six role with the Rochester Americans.
Monday, July 29, 2019
Arbiter nails E-rod case, three more to go for Sabres
Just how much is an NHL utility forward worth in this day an age?
Perhaps Buffalo Sabres forward Evan Rodrigues is a prime case.
Rodrigues was an undrafted free agent out of Boston University signed by the Sabres in 2015. The former Terrier had just complete his fourth and final season at BU posting 21 goals and 41 assists in 40 games while riding shotgun alongside 2015 second overall pick, Jack Eichel. Everybody and their brother knew that the Eichel-effect was in play when projecting Rodrigues' upside with many feeling as if he'd be one of those AHL/NHL tweeners.
Rodrigues can skate and maneuver in and out of trouble, he has hockey smarts, is a very capable set-up man and has a very good shot of his own, all of which he proved as he made his way up the ranks sans Eichel. However, it was his versatility that got him to this point thus far in his NHL career. Rodrigues can play all positions up-front and play on most lines save for maybe the top line and he was used on the penalty kill and powerplay last season. With the Sabres devoid of centers after Eichel, Rodrigues saw plenty of action there taking the third-most faceoffs on the team (655) albeit with a sub-par 46.4 win percentage.
Last season the soon to be 26 yr. old Rodrigues established himself as an NHL who looks as if he'll fit in as a bottom-six forward who can be used in the top-six when needed. In 74 games he scored nine goals and added 20 assists for 29 points which was tied for sixth on the team (Kyle Okposo.)
Friday, July 26, 2019
The numbers are out for Evan Rodrigues arbitration case set for Tues.
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 7-21-2019
According to Elliotte Friedman, Buffalo forward Evan Rodrigues is headed towards a arbitration date on Tuesday with a number he's shooting for--$2.65 million per. The Sabres will be headed towards the arbitration table in Toronto with a different figure--$1.5 million per. Rodrigues and the Sabres are coming off of a two-year contract agreed upon under the watch of present Buffalo manager Jason Botterill that paid the 25 yr. old forward an average of $650K/year which means that he should at least double his salary this year.
If the case makes it to the arbitrator, which doesn't happen very often, he or she will need to decide just how much a utility forward like Rodrigues is worth.
The numbers last season weren't overwhelming for the player known as "E-rod" as he managed nine goals and 20 assists in 74 NHL games. His 29 points ranked him tied for eighth on the Sabres in 2018-19 while his minus-7 rating placed him fifth on the team for players playing at least half the season. His top-nine minutes included 12:48/game at even-strength, 1:22 on the powerplay and 1:40 on the penalty which ranked him fourth amongst Sabres forwards. Rodrigues can play any forward position on almost any line outside of top-line center but he's best suited in a bottom-six role and seems to work well as a pivot there.
In looking at his numbers since signing with the Sabres organization in 2015, Rodrigues has shown quietly acclimated himself to the pro game. His first season in Rochester he scored nine goals and 30 points in 71 games and the following season he had those exact same numbers in only 48 games. In his first partial season with Buffalo in 2016-17 Rodrigues had six points (2+4) in 30 games and his next partial season he was good for 25 points (7+18) in 48 games for the Sabres. 2018-19 was his first full NHL season and he played for a coach that ended up getting fired.
According to Elliotte Friedman, Buffalo forward Evan Rodrigues is headed towards a arbitration date on Tuesday with a number he's shooting for--$2.65 million per. The Sabres will be headed towards the arbitration table in Toronto with a different figure--$1.5 million per. Rodrigues and the Sabres are coming off of a two-year contract agreed upon under the watch of present Buffalo manager Jason Botterill that paid the 25 yr. old forward an average of $650K/year which means that he should at least double his salary this year.
If the case makes it to the arbitrator, which doesn't happen very often, he or she will need to decide just how much a utility forward like Rodrigues is worth.
The numbers last season weren't overwhelming for the player known as "E-rod" as he managed nine goals and 20 assists in 74 NHL games. His 29 points ranked him tied for eighth on the Sabres in 2018-19 while his minus-7 rating placed him fifth on the team for players playing at least half the season. His top-nine minutes included 12:48/game at even-strength, 1:22 on the powerplay and 1:40 on the penalty which ranked him fourth amongst Sabres forwards. Rodrigues can play any forward position on almost any line outside of top-line center but he's best suited in a bottom-six role and seems to work well as a pivot there.
In looking at his numbers since signing with the Sabres organization in 2015, Rodrigues has shown quietly acclimated himself to the pro game. His first season in Rochester he scored nine goals and 30 points in 71 games and the following season he had those exact same numbers in only 48 games. In his first partial season with Buffalo in 2016-17 Rodrigues had six points (2+4) in 30 games and his next partial season he was good for 25 points (7+18) in 48 games for the Sabres. 2018-19 was his first full NHL season and he played for a coach that ended up getting fired.
Friday, July 19, 2019
Dylan Cozens could have had a legit NHL shot w/o thumb injury
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 7-17-2019
The Buffalo Sabres walked up to the podium in Vancouver, BC in June and selected Lethbridge Hurricanes center Dylan Cozens with the seventh-overall pick in the NHL Draft. The 6'3" 183 lb. Yukon native has the NHL frame, skating, skill-level and two-way game to make the jump from draft prospect to NHLer quickly and it was possible that he could've at least got a nine-game run with the Sabres before they had to decide whether or not he should go back to junior.
However, a development camp injury may have scuttled that possibility.
Buffalo still has two holes in the top six up-front. They could really use a No. 2 center to give 20 yr. old Casey Mittelstadt some protection as he grows into that role and they also need a top-six right wing behind Sam Reinhart. As of now there are no legit options on the team at that center spot save for Mittelstadt, who struggled in that role as a rookie last season, and putting Cozens in that role as an 18 yr. old is not an option either.
However, Cozens has the ability to play right win and despite Buffalo's stated plan to let prospects properly develop before bringing them to the big club, there can be exceptions and Cozens may have fit that mold.
In a case of talent meeting need, Cozens has an NHL frame already as well as the skating, which is the big prerequisite in today's NHL. He's very quick on his skates which allows him to get to open ice, he's got enough speed to get into the play on the backcheck and his balance allows him to pivot in and out of situations at a moment's notice. Cozens can use his NHL-level shot to score and has the panache to set up as evidenced by his 34 goals and 50 assists in 68 WHL games. The fact that he was very aggressive in a tough Western Hockey League also bodes well for his powerforward projections and it not unusual for a center prospect to move to the wing at the NHL-level while he gets acclimated to the NHL game.
With the market for top-six right wingers very thin, the trade route could be a possibility but finding a top-six forward takes capital and the Sabres only viable trade chip for that job will more than likely be spent on a center.
Right-handed defenseman Rasmus Ristolianen's name has been in the rumor mill for months and his name is still being bantered around at the national level as a top trade candidate. As a top-four d-man with size, skating and offensive ability (four consecutive 40-point seasons) who has snarl and can eat up big minutes, Ristolainen certainly has a package of attributes that could be very enticing to a team in need of a top-four defender. Hell, even Buffalo could use that although if the right offer comes along, he's not untouchable. And that "right offer" more than likely revolves around a top-six center.
Ristolainen is signed for three more seasons with at a very manageable $5.4 million cap-hit and he will have a fresh start in Buffalo under new head coach Ralph Krueger. Whether that's appealing to him is another story as there have been rumors of him wanting to be traded.
The Tampa Bay Lightning were said to be very interested in Ristolainen at the trade deadline and into this early part of the summer as they have a lot of talented forwards but could use a righty on defense. Ristolainen's name has been mentioned with a couple other teams but one that makes a lot of sense is the Edmonton Oilers.
The Oilers and the Sabres have been on parallel paths for years now and they both have what the other might need. Edmonton has Connor McDavid as their No. 1 center and have been playing center Leon Draisaitl on the wing. What they're lacking is defensemen and Ristolainen could pair with either Oskar Klefbom or Darnell Nurse in the top-four. Coming back in the deal for Buffalo would be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a 26 yr. old center with two-years left on his contract at a $6 million AAV. After eight seasons in Edmonton where he fluctuated between solid and potential breakout, "RNH" had himself a real nice season scoring 69 points (28+41) in 82 games for the Oilers in 2018-19.
In a scenario like that, RNH would be behind Jack Eichel on the depth chart and the Sabres would have three of their wings covered with 40-goal scorer Jeff Skinner and free agent signee Marcus Johansson on the left and Reinhart on the right. Using 31 yr. old Johansson and 26 yr. old young vet Nugent-Hopkins on the second line would provide plenty of skill, saavy and experience to offer up a sheltered landing spot for a player like Cozens who has top-six, or even top-line, potential.
Cozens' major hurdle right now is recovering from a development camp thumb injury. In the final day of camp during the 3-on-3 tournament, an attempted hip check by defenseman Brandon Hickey went array and dislocated Cozens' thumb to the point where he needed surgery. Recovery time is expected to be about three months which would take him right to the start of the season. All that potential for the upcoming season pretty much went out the window as lot of his off-season workouts will be tempered and training camp might be out of reach as well.
No doubt things needed to fall into place for Cozens to have a serious shot to make the team as an 18 yr. old and Sabres general manager Jason Botterill heavily favors proper development, but were it not for that thumb injury one never knows. Cozens just inked his three-year entry-level deal two days ago and should he go back to junior (which is likely) Buffalo will have a slide-year before his deal kicks in.
That said, they may not have minded losing that extra year if things fell into place and he fit into the lineup beginning in 2019-20.
The Buffalo Sabres walked up to the podium in Vancouver, BC in June and selected Lethbridge Hurricanes center Dylan Cozens with the seventh-overall pick in the NHL Draft. The 6'3" 183 lb. Yukon native has the NHL frame, skating, skill-level and two-way game to make the jump from draft prospect to NHLer quickly and it was possible that he could've at least got a nine-game run with the Sabres before they had to decide whether or not he should go back to junior.
However, a development camp injury may have scuttled that possibility.
Buffalo still has two holes in the top six up-front. They could really use a No. 2 center to give 20 yr. old Casey Mittelstadt some protection as he grows into that role and they also need a top-six right wing behind Sam Reinhart. As of now there are no legit options on the team at that center spot save for Mittelstadt, who struggled in that role as a rookie last season, and putting Cozens in that role as an 18 yr. old is not an option either.
However, Cozens has the ability to play right win and despite Buffalo's stated plan to let prospects properly develop before bringing them to the big club, there can be exceptions and Cozens may have fit that mold.
In a case of talent meeting need, Cozens has an NHL frame already as well as the skating, which is the big prerequisite in today's NHL. He's very quick on his skates which allows him to get to open ice, he's got enough speed to get into the play on the backcheck and his balance allows him to pivot in and out of situations at a moment's notice. Cozens can use his NHL-level shot to score and has the panache to set up as evidenced by his 34 goals and 50 assists in 68 WHL games. The fact that he was very aggressive in a tough Western Hockey League also bodes well for his powerforward projections and it not unusual for a center prospect to move to the wing at the NHL-level while he gets acclimated to the NHL game.
With the market for top-six right wingers very thin, the trade route could be a possibility but finding a top-six forward takes capital and the Sabres only viable trade chip for that job will more than likely be spent on a center.
Right-handed defenseman Rasmus Ristolianen's name has been in the rumor mill for months and his name is still being bantered around at the national level as a top trade candidate. As a top-four d-man with size, skating and offensive ability (four consecutive 40-point seasons) who has snarl and can eat up big minutes, Ristolainen certainly has a package of attributes that could be very enticing to a team in need of a top-four defender. Hell, even Buffalo could use that although if the right offer comes along, he's not untouchable. And that "right offer" more than likely revolves around a top-six center.
Ristolainen is signed for three more seasons with at a very manageable $5.4 million cap-hit and he will have a fresh start in Buffalo under new head coach Ralph Krueger. Whether that's appealing to him is another story as there have been rumors of him wanting to be traded.
The Tampa Bay Lightning were said to be very interested in Ristolainen at the trade deadline and into this early part of the summer as they have a lot of talented forwards but could use a righty on defense. Ristolainen's name has been mentioned with a couple other teams but one that makes a lot of sense is the Edmonton Oilers.
The Oilers and the Sabres have been on parallel paths for years now and they both have what the other might need. Edmonton has Connor McDavid as their No. 1 center and have been playing center Leon Draisaitl on the wing. What they're lacking is defensemen and Ristolainen could pair with either Oskar Klefbom or Darnell Nurse in the top-four. Coming back in the deal for Buffalo would be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a 26 yr. old center with two-years left on his contract at a $6 million AAV. After eight seasons in Edmonton where he fluctuated between solid and potential breakout, "RNH" had himself a real nice season scoring 69 points (28+41) in 82 games for the Oilers in 2018-19.
In a scenario like that, RNH would be behind Jack Eichel on the depth chart and the Sabres would have three of their wings covered with 40-goal scorer Jeff Skinner and free agent signee Marcus Johansson on the left and Reinhart on the right. Using 31 yr. old Johansson and 26 yr. old young vet Nugent-Hopkins on the second line would provide plenty of skill, saavy and experience to offer up a sheltered landing spot for a player like Cozens who has top-six, or even top-line, potential.
Cozens' major hurdle right now is recovering from a development camp thumb injury. In the final day of camp during the 3-on-3 tournament, an attempted hip check by defenseman Brandon Hickey went array and dislocated Cozens' thumb to the point where he needed surgery. Recovery time is expected to be about three months which would take him right to the start of the season. All that potential for the upcoming season pretty much went out the window as lot of his off-season workouts will be tempered and training camp might be out of reach as well.
No doubt things needed to fall into place for Cozens to have a serious shot to make the team as an 18 yr. old and Sabres general manager Jason Botterill heavily favors proper development, but were it not for that thumb injury one never knows. Cozens just inked his three-year entry-level deal two days ago and should he go back to junior (which is likely) Buffalo will have a slide-year before his deal kicks in.
That said, they may not have minded losing that extra year if things fell into place and he fit into the lineup beginning in 2019-20.
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Larsson re-signs. Botterill keeping the 4th-line gang together?
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 7-12-2019
As written on many occasions last season, the Sabres fourth line did their job and more than once were the best line out of the forward group. Sure, they didn't do a lot of scoring but Phil Housley didn't seem to want that from them. What he wanted from the likes of Zemgus Girgensons, Johan Larsson and whomever was on the other wing was to forecheck their asses off and flip the ice, which they did quite often. Although it didn't result in too much offense outside the top line of Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner and Sam Reinhart, it wasn't their fault that the middle six was as inept as anything we've seen dating back to the 2014-15 tank season.
Both Girgensons and Larsson are young vets who were restricted free agents with arbitration rights. Buffalo general manager Jason Botterill qualified both of them (along with five others) in late June and Girgensons signed a one-year deal on July 5 for $1.6 million, which was the same average annual value he signed for on his previous two-year deal. Larsson, who did not file for arbitration, and the Sabres agreed to a one-year deal today for $1.55 million which was slightly above the $1.475 million AAV he signed on his previous two-year deal.
And with those two signings, two-thirds of the fourth-line gang are under contract and will be fighting for those minutes.
As written on many occasions last season, the Sabres fourth line did their job and more than once were the best line out of the forward group. Sure, they didn't do a lot of scoring but Phil Housley didn't seem to want that from them. What he wanted from the likes of Zemgus Girgensons, Johan Larsson and whomever was on the other wing was to forecheck their asses off and flip the ice, which they did quite often. Although it didn't result in too much offense outside the top line of Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner and Sam Reinhart, it wasn't their fault that the middle six was as inept as anything we've seen dating back to the 2014-15 tank season.
Both Girgensons and Larsson are young vets who were restricted free agents with arbitration rights. Buffalo general manager Jason Botterill qualified both of them (along with five others) in late June and Girgensons signed a one-year deal on July 5 for $1.6 million, which was the same average annual value he signed for on his previous two-year deal. Larsson, who did not file for arbitration, and the Sabres agreed to a one-year deal today for $1.55 million which was slightly above the $1.475 million AAV he signed on his previous two-year deal.
And with those two signings, two-thirds of the fourth-line gang are under contract and will be fighting for those minutes.
Friday, July 12, 2019
The many layers of the Alexander Nylander for Henri Jokiharju trade
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 7-10-2019
Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill has been rather active this off season and he continued in that vein with the trade for Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Henri Jokiharju. The 20 yr. old Jokiharju was selected in the first round (29th-overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft held in Chicago that year after the Hawks traded down from No. 26. In turn the Sabres sent forward Alexander Nylander to Chicago in the player-for-player swap. Nylander was a the eighth-overall selection in 2016, a draft that was held in Buffalo, NY.
For Sabres fans, and obviously for Botterill and the team, this is the end of a saga that started the almost the moment that Nylander's name was announced in front of the KeyBank Center crowd. Fans, as well as most media members, were pretty sure that then GM Tim Murray would start to bolster his defense corps which had been bludgeoned by the 2013-15 tank years. Prize d-prospect, Olli Joulevi, went off the board at No. 4 and when the Arizona Coyotes went with forward Clayton Keller at No. 7, it left two strong d-prospects sitting there for Buffalo--Mikhail Sergachev, who was picked by Montreal at No. 9 and Jakob Chychrun, who was eventually taken by the Coyotes with the second of their two first round picks.
Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill has been rather active this off season and he continued in that vein with the trade for Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Henri Jokiharju. The 20 yr. old Jokiharju was selected in the first round (29th-overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft held in Chicago that year after the Hawks traded down from No. 26. In turn the Sabres sent forward Alexander Nylander to Chicago in the player-for-player swap. Nylander was a the eighth-overall selection in 2016, a draft that was held in Buffalo, NY.
For Sabres fans, and obviously for Botterill and the team, this is the end of a saga that started the almost the moment that Nylander's name was announced in front of the KeyBank Center crowd. Fans, as well as most media members, were pretty sure that then GM Tim Murray would start to bolster his defense corps which had been bludgeoned by the 2013-15 tank years. Prize d-prospect, Olli Joulevi, went off the board at No. 4 and when the Arizona Coyotes went with forward Clayton Keller at No. 7, it left two strong d-prospects sitting there for Buffalo--Mikhail Sergachev, who was picked by Montreal at No. 9 and Jakob Chychrun, who was eventually taken by the Coyotes with the second of their two first round picks.
Monday, July 8, 2019
Where might Johansson slot in plus a look at Buffalo's forward depth chart
Buffalo's new forward, Marcus Johansson, just finished a 3yr./$13 million contract signed in 2016 while he was with the Washington Capitals. The Caps selected Johansson 24th-overall in the 2009 NHL Draft and traded him to the New Jersey Devils in 2017 (for a 2018 second and 2018 third round pick) to alleviate cap-problems. This past spring Johansson was on the move again as he was sent to the Boston Bruins as a rental for a 2019 second rounder and a 2020 fourth. After performing very well for the Bruins in their run to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final he became a free agent it was assumed that he'd be getting a nice bump from the $4.583 million AAV he was running with on his last contract.
It didn't happen like that as Johansson signed a two-year deal with the Sabres for an AAV of $4.5 million.
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Girgensons signs, four Sabres RFA's are in a group of 40 to file for arbitration
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 7-6-2019
Restricted free agent forward Zemgus Girgensons and the Buffalo Sabres reached an agreement yesterday on a one-year, $1.6 million deal, the same dollar amount he played for last season. The former first round pick (2012, 14th-overall) is the longest tenured Sabres player on the roster and will be entering his seventh season with the Blue and Gold. During his six years the organization has seen major changes which include the dismantling of owner Terry Pegula's inner circle, the dismissal of two team presidents, a six-month stint for a vice president of hockey operations, two general managers and five head coaches.
Both he and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (2013, eighth-overall) have endured a lot of changes since being selected by the Sabres in the NHL Draft yet the full force of fan disenchantment has been directed at these two players. The gist of the consternation,which has also been started by and/or fostered by local media, is that both have a part of a losing culture and that if the team wants to start turning their fortunes around, moving on from either or both would really get the team moving in the right direction.
Such is the life of a whipping boy.
Restricted free agent forward Zemgus Girgensons and the Buffalo Sabres reached an agreement yesterday on a one-year, $1.6 million deal, the same dollar amount he played for last season. The former first round pick (2012, 14th-overall) is the longest tenured Sabres player on the roster and will be entering his seventh season with the Blue and Gold. During his six years the organization has seen major changes which include the dismantling of owner Terry Pegula's inner circle, the dismissal of two team presidents, a six-month stint for a vice president of hockey operations, two general managers and five head coaches.
Both he and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (2013, eighth-overall) have endured a lot of changes since being selected by the Sabres in the NHL Draft yet the full force of fan disenchantment has been directed at these two players. The gist of the consternation,which has also been started by and/or fostered by local media, is that both have a part of a losing culture and that if the team wants to start turning their fortunes around, moving on from either or both would really get the team moving in the right direction.
Such is the life of a whipping boy.
Saturday, July 6, 2019
With no more additions up-front, this is what the Sabres could look like
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 7-5-2019
The Fourth of July has come and gone with fireworks all over the place, except for the offices at KeyBank Center, home to the Buffalo Sabres. General Manger Jason Botterill had plenty of key holes to fill on the roster was relegated to adding some depth for the Sabres and the Rochester Americans so far this off season..
Buffalo has tough road to hoe again as this year's free agent market didn't offer a wealth of higher end players and the ones that were at the top, like Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene, chose their homes in NY (Rangers) and Nashville (Predators,) respectively. Bot Panarin and Duchene signed seven-year deals as did goalie Sergei Bobrovski (FLA) and Anders Lee, who re-signed with the NY Islanders.
Impact players for the Sabres didn't come from the free agency route, although there's a good possibility they're after one or more forwards still available, but they managed to land some viable NHLers via trade. Botterill sent a second (2021) and a fifth round pick (2022) to the Vegas Golden Knights for RHD, Collin Miller and he also sent a 2021 third-rounder to the Rangers for top-nine forward Jimmy Vesey. Miller adds to a pool of NHL defensemen that's overflowing while the forward ranks still needs a lot of work.
As of today (and if, God forbid, Botterill does nothing else this summer) a potential Buffalo roster construct would look something like this up-front:
Jeff Skinner-Jack Eichel-Sam Reinhart
Jimmy Vesey-Casey Mittelstadt-Tage Thompson*
Victor Olofsson*-Evan Rodrigues-Alexander Nylander*
Connor Sheary-Johan Larsson-Zemgus Girgensons
C.J. Smith
Scott Wilson
Vladimir Sobotka
Curtis Lazar
(*On entry-level deal and waivers-exempt)
Ideally Botterill can find a top-six forward (or two) to move others down the depth chart. As mentioned here on numerous occasions, signing forward Marcus Johansson and plugging him into top-six, right wing role would do wonders for the right side. Free agent forward Ryan Dzingel is another player still available offering plenty of flexibility in a top-nine role. Both might end up playing on a line higher than their ideal spot in Buffalo but with those two in the lineup and a little rearrangement, this is what it could look like up-front:
Skinner-Eichel-Johansson
Dzingel-Mittelstadt-Reinhart
Vesey-Rodrigues-Thompson
Sheary-Larsson-Okposo
Nylander
Girgensons
Smith
Wilson
Sobotka
Lazar
Although it isn't a Cup-contending forward group, it should be enough for them to take a big step in the right direction.
The Fourth of July has come and gone with fireworks all over the place, except for the offices at KeyBank Center, home to the Buffalo Sabres. General Manger Jason Botterill had plenty of key holes to fill on the roster was relegated to adding some depth for the Sabres and the Rochester Americans so far this off season..
Buffalo has tough road to hoe again as this year's free agent market didn't offer a wealth of higher end players and the ones that were at the top, like Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene, chose their homes in NY (Rangers) and Nashville (Predators,) respectively. Bot Panarin and Duchene signed seven-year deals as did goalie Sergei Bobrovski (FLA) and Anders Lee, who re-signed with the NY Islanders.
Impact players for the Sabres didn't come from the free agency route, although there's a good possibility they're after one or more forwards still available, but they managed to land some viable NHLers via trade. Botterill sent a second (2021) and a fifth round pick (2022) to the Vegas Golden Knights for RHD, Collin Miller and he also sent a 2021 third-rounder to the Rangers for top-nine forward Jimmy Vesey. Miller adds to a pool of NHL defensemen that's overflowing while the forward ranks still needs a lot of work.
As of today (and if, God forbid, Botterill does nothing else this summer) a potential Buffalo roster construct would look something like this up-front:
Jeff Skinner-Jack Eichel-Sam Reinhart
Jimmy Vesey-Casey Mittelstadt-Tage Thompson*
Victor Olofsson*-Evan Rodrigues-Alexander Nylander*
Connor Sheary-Johan Larsson-Zemgus Girgensons
C.J. Smith
Scott Wilson
Vladimir Sobotka
Curtis Lazar
(*On entry-level deal and waivers-exempt)
Ideally Botterill can find a top-six forward (or two) to move others down the depth chart. As mentioned here on numerous occasions, signing forward Marcus Johansson and plugging him into top-six, right wing role would do wonders for the right side. Free agent forward Ryan Dzingel is another player still available offering plenty of flexibility in a top-nine role. Both might end up playing on a line higher than their ideal spot in Buffalo but with those two in the lineup and a little rearrangement, this is what it could look like up-front:
Skinner-Eichel-Johansson
Dzingel-Mittelstadt-Reinhart
Vesey-Rodrigues-Thompson
Sheary-Larsson-Okposo
Nylander
Girgensons
Smith
Wilson
Sobotka
Lazar
Although it isn't a Cup-contending forward group, it should be enough for them to take a big step in the right direction.
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
What would you do if Sabres GM Jason Botterill made minimal moves?
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-25-2019
If Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill went into next season with virtually the same lineup that got him to 26th in the NHL last season, one would expect the collective psyche of Sabre fans to be a blown gasket. The Peace Bridge Authorities would be on high alert for fans wanting to jump from the bridge. Ace hardware and big-box DYI stores would run out of tiki torches and pitchforks while police in and around KeyBank Center would be on the lookout for any and all potential signs of trouble.
Yeah, it would be bad. Maybe not as bad as described above save for social media and various chat-rooms. The furor there would be fueled by the rage and angst of a pertetually afflicted Buffalo sports-base venting mushroom clouds of anger and blame directed at anyone and everyone even remotely associated with the organization. Hell, it might even include Rip Simonick, Brian "Spinner" Spencer or Taro Tsujimoto as well as the entire fictitious Tokyo Katanas hockey club.
Yes, Sabres fans, after eight playoff-less seasons centered around a tank-induced suffering, it really is that bad but it's on the upswing. Ever so slowly. Two team presidents, three general managers and six coaches later, Buffalo's hockey club has shown signs that it may be lifting itself off of the canvas, but there's a long way to go before they begin to smell respectability
For the 2019 off seasons, anything less than at least a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman (preferably both) would mean utter failure to most in Sabreland and one might strongly believe that GM Jason Botterill is aware of his teams holes and is trying to address them, albeit in his own methodical and calculated way. Buffalo is in need of a No. 2 center, a top-six winger and a top-four defenseman, preferably one who can play at least 70 games and not look as if he's fresh from Junior-A playing in the Stanley Cup Finals.
If Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill went into next season with virtually the same lineup that got him to 26th in the NHL last season, one would expect the collective psyche of Sabre fans to be a blown gasket. The Peace Bridge Authorities would be on high alert for fans wanting to jump from the bridge. Ace hardware and big-box DYI stores would run out of tiki torches and pitchforks while police in and around KeyBank Center would be on the lookout for any and all potential signs of trouble.
Yeah, it would be bad. Maybe not as bad as described above save for social media and various chat-rooms. The furor there would be fueled by the rage and angst of a pertetually afflicted Buffalo sports-base venting mushroom clouds of anger and blame directed at anyone and everyone even remotely associated with the organization. Hell, it might even include Rip Simonick, Brian "Spinner" Spencer or Taro Tsujimoto as well as the entire fictitious Tokyo Katanas hockey club.
Yes, Sabres fans, after eight playoff-less seasons centered around a tank-induced suffering, it really is that bad but it's on the upswing. Ever so slowly. Two team presidents, three general managers and six coaches later, Buffalo's hockey club has shown signs that it may be lifting itself off of the canvas, but there's a long way to go before they begin to smell respectability
For the 2019 off seasons, anything less than at least a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman (preferably both) would mean utter failure to most in Sabreland and one might strongly believe that GM Jason Botterill is aware of his teams holes and is trying to address them, albeit in his own methodical and calculated way. Buffalo is in need of a No. 2 center, a top-six winger and a top-four defenseman, preferably one who can play at least 70 games and not look as if he's fresh from Junior-A playing in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
If given the choice Sabreland, Duchene or Malkin?
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-24-2019
The Buffalo Sabres are in need of a No. 2 center. Yes, we know, they had one but it seems as if said No. 2 was never going rediscover his love of the game in Buffalo and he ended up finding it in a fairy tale ending with the Blues. C'est la vie.
Buffalo GM Jason Botterill thought he had a stop-gap No. 2 in Patrik Berglund but that blew up in his face but luckily he also lost his love for playing North American Hockey and walked away from the three-plus remaining years on his contract, or over $12 million. Actually it was a bit deeper than that as Berglund was fighting his own demons and opted for mental health over money. Berglund's issues are nothing to take lightly and he deserves nothing but best wishes in his battle.
That said, the Sabres did get lucky in that his $3.85 million cap hit is off the books giving Buffalo some added flexibility this year and beyond. What they do with that flexibility is still up in the air but that extra cushion may come in handy this year as the 2018-19 NHL cap-ceiling came in at about $1.5 million under recent estimates. Botterill may use that extra cushion to sign a free agent, he may trade for a player with a large salary or he has the ability take on a high-dollar, albatross contract from another team for a more desirable player.
The Buffalo Sabres are in need of a No. 2 center. Yes, we know, they had one but it seems as if said No. 2 was never going rediscover his love of the game in Buffalo and he ended up finding it in a fairy tale ending with the Blues. C'est la vie.
Buffalo GM Jason Botterill thought he had a stop-gap No. 2 in Patrik Berglund but that blew up in his face but luckily he also lost his love for playing North American Hockey and walked away from the three-plus remaining years on his contract, or over $12 million. Actually it was a bit deeper than that as Berglund was fighting his own demons and opted for mental health over money. Berglund's issues are nothing to take lightly and he deserves nothing but best wishes in his battle.
That said, the Sabres did get lucky in that his $3.85 million cap hit is off the books giving Buffalo some added flexibility this year and beyond. What they do with that flexibility is still up in the air but that extra cushion may come in handy this year as the 2018-19 NHL cap-ceiling came in at about $1.5 million under recent estimates. Botterill may use that extra cushion to sign a free agent, he may trade for a player with a large salary or he has the ability take on a high-dollar, albatross contract from another team for a more desirable player.
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Sabres news, notes and items of interest on NHL Draft day, 2019
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-21-2019
Housley hired by the Arizona Coyotes
Phil Housley's time in Buffalo was a train wreck with the final four-plus months of his tenure being an utter disaster. Housley's Sabres went 58-84-22 during his two seasons as Buffalo's head coach and he had a 10-game winning streak to his credit but other than that the team took a huge step backward.
The Sabres were the worst team in the league from November 29, the end of their streak, until the end of the season managing only 40 points in 57 games (16-33-8.) They went from first in the entire NHL to a 26th place finish and within that downward spiral they failed to win consecutive games from December 13 until the final two games of the season. Buffalo was also shut out three games in a row (for a franchise record 199:58) for the second consecutive season, the first NHL team since 1929 to have that dubious distinction.
The month of March was a particularly bad month as the Sabres went 2-12-2 with a pair of seven-game losing streaks with the latter stretching one game into April. In both instances Buffalo was threatening to do what no other team in NHL history had done--have a 10-game winning streak and 10-game losing streak in the same season.
Those are just the overall numbers. The fallout from Housley's tenure can be found in players like Patrik Berglund, who walked away from the game and over $12 million while in Buffalo. Berglund came over from St. Louis in the Ryan O'Reilly trade.
O'Reilly infamously said after the 2017-18 season (Housley's first as head coach) that he "lost his lover for the game at times" that season and was traded to the Blues. What followed was a remarkable run by St. Louis buoyed by the type of play O'Reilly was originally traded for. The Blues won their first-ever Stanley Cup with O'Reilly winning the Conn Smythe and he added to his mantle of awards with the Selke Trophy.
Some coaches are better off as assistants and right now it looks as if Housley is that type of coach. He'll be doing in Arizona what he did for the Nashville Predators--activating the defense to become a force on the ice.
Too bad we wasted two seasons finding out that he wasn't a head coach.
Housley hired by the Arizona Coyotes
Phil Housley's time in Buffalo was a train wreck with the final four-plus months of his tenure being an utter disaster. Housley's Sabres went 58-84-22 during his two seasons as Buffalo's head coach and he had a 10-game winning streak to his credit but other than that the team took a huge step backward.
The Sabres were the worst team in the league from November 29, the end of their streak, until the end of the season managing only 40 points in 57 games (16-33-8.) They went from first in the entire NHL to a 26th place finish and within that downward spiral they failed to win consecutive games from December 13 until the final two games of the season. Buffalo was also shut out three games in a row (for a franchise record 199:58) for the second consecutive season, the first NHL team since 1929 to have that dubious distinction.
The month of March was a particularly bad month as the Sabres went 2-12-2 with a pair of seven-game losing streaks with the latter stretching one game into April. In both instances Buffalo was threatening to do what no other team in NHL history had done--have a 10-game winning streak and 10-game losing streak in the same season.
Those are just the overall numbers. The fallout from Housley's tenure can be found in players like Patrik Berglund, who walked away from the game and over $12 million while in Buffalo. Berglund came over from St. Louis in the Ryan O'Reilly trade.
O'Reilly infamously said after the 2017-18 season (Housley's first as head coach) that he "lost his lover for the game at times" that season and was traded to the Blues. What followed was a remarkable run by St. Louis buoyed by the type of play O'Reilly was originally traded for. The Blues won their first-ever Stanley Cup with O'Reilly winning the Conn Smythe and he added to his mantle of awards with the Selke Trophy.
Some coaches are better off as assistants and right now it looks as if Housley is that type of coach. He'll be doing in Arizona what he did for the Nashville Predators--activating the defense to become a force on the ice.
Too bad we wasted two seasons finding out that he wasn't a head coach.
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
No Trouba for you...Buffalo
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 6-17-2019
Talk in Sabreland this off season had revolved around adding top-six talent up front and strengthening the blueline and one of the names thrown around as being a possible target for Buffalo was Winnipeg defenseman Jacob Trouba. With the Jets in trouble cap-wise and their relationship with the 25 yr. old Trouba strained, rumors concerning his movement have been in the air dating back to last summer.
Some Sabres fans salivated at the prospect of landing the right-hander in a trade to help solidify the top-four and maybe more importantly, especially for advanced stats fans, giving the club a upgrade over defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who they can't see leave fast enough.
Whelp, that thought's out the window as it was announced tonight that the NY Rangers have acquired Trouba for a 2019 first round pick (20th-overall) and defenseman Neil Pionk whom the Rangers signed out of Minnestota-Duluth back in 2017. The pick New York sent to Winnipeg was actually the Jets pick to begin with. On February 25 the Rangers sent center Kevin Hayes to Winnipeg for that pick, prospect Brendan Lemieux (who was drafted by Buffalo in 2016) and a conditional 2022 fourth round pick.
As the NY Post pointed out, the circular deal was, "in essence, Lemieux and Trouba for Pionk and six weeks of Hayes."
Where do I sign up for that?
The catch, however, is that the Jets did not allow any team to talk to Trouba and his agent about a possible contract extension beyond 2019-20 when he will become an unrestricted free agent. For the Rangers it was a gamble worth taking as even if they loose him, they'll still get a season out of him or if it's clear he won't re-sign in the Big Apple they can move him at the deadline if they're out of contention in a very tough Eastern Conference.
As for the Sabres, they're preparing for the draft and word has it that Botterill has been working the phones. Buffalo owns two first round picks (Nos. 7 & 31) and are said to be looking to change their roster either with a top-six center or winger or a top-four defenseman. Or both.
What Botterill's working on remains to be seen but we can now take Trouba off the list of possibilities.
Talk in Sabreland this off season had revolved around adding top-six talent up front and strengthening the blueline and one of the names thrown around as being a possible target for Buffalo was Winnipeg defenseman Jacob Trouba. With the Jets in trouble cap-wise and their relationship with the 25 yr. old Trouba strained, rumors concerning his movement have been in the air dating back to last summer.
Some Sabres fans salivated at the prospect of landing the right-hander in a trade to help solidify the top-four and maybe more importantly, especially for advanced stats fans, giving the club a upgrade over defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who they can't see leave fast enough.
Whelp, that thought's out the window as it was announced tonight that the NY Rangers have acquired Trouba for a 2019 first round pick (20th-overall) and defenseman Neil Pionk whom the Rangers signed out of Minnestota-Duluth back in 2017. The pick New York sent to Winnipeg was actually the Jets pick to begin with. On February 25 the Rangers sent center Kevin Hayes to Winnipeg for that pick, prospect Brendan Lemieux (who was drafted by Buffalo in 2016) and a conditional 2022 fourth round pick.
As the NY Post pointed out, the circular deal was, "in essence, Lemieux and Trouba for Pionk and six weeks of Hayes."
Where do I sign up for that?
The catch, however, is that the Jets did not allow any team to talk to Trouba and his agent about a possible contract extension beyond 2019-20 when he will become an unrestricted free agent. For the Rangers it was a gamble worth taking as even if they loose him, they'll still get a season out of him or if it's clear he won't re-sign in the Big Apple they can move him at the deadline if they're out of contention in a very tough Eastern Conference.
As for the Sabres, they're preparing for the draft and word has it that Botterill has been working the phones. Buffalo owns two first round picks (Nos. 7 & 31) and are said to be looking to change their roster either with a top-six center or winger or a top-four defenseman. Or both.
What Botterill's working on remains to be seen but we can now take Trouba off the list of possibilities.
Saturday, June 1, 2019
On the Jeff Skinner situation
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 5-31-2019
The big thing on twitter is to mock insiders by saying "my Secret Sabres Insider" has this to say about _____________.
Which is cool. Rumors concerning Buffalo Sabres players and posts in twitterland surrounding them and their situations should be fun as no one really knows what's going on inside of the war room at the foot of Washington Street. If you can say anything about Buffalo general manager Jason Botterill it's that he runs a tight ship when it comes to leaks. Botterill's predecessor Tim Murray was having a ball with the media and no one could keep a secret within his staff which had people calling complicated deals with extreme accuracy many hours before the deal was done.
Not so with Botterill. You can go back to Sam Reinhart's bridge contract signed last in late September where rumors all summer had him pulling in a large figure comparable to Stanley Cup-winner Tom Wilson who signed a long-term deal with the Washington Capitals for over $5 million/season. In fact some were calling for a higher dollar figure using Reinhart's 2017-18 numbers, his higher skill-level and bigger upside. However, as was proved with the 2yr./$7.3 million deal Reinhart and the Sabres reached two months later, nobody really had any "inside" information on the situation.
When talking Sabres unrestricted free agent Jeff Skinner, rumors are flying and a $9 million/season number keeps coming up either at the high end or as the final number. Western New York hockey talk surrounding Skinner centers around whether the Sabres should entertain re-signing a scoring winger to that high of a cap hit.
Skinner's market value is up thanks to his 40-goal season and right winger Mark Stone re-signing with the Vegas Golden Knights to an 8yr./$76 million deal with a $9.5 million cap-hit. Although everyone will agree that Stone adds more to a team on a 200' basis than Skinner, they are contemporaries and both are 27 yrs. old. Skinner had three 30-goal seasons before Buffalo traded for him last off season while Stone had just his first 30-goal season last year. Amongst the points being debated are the values of a one-dimensional goal-scorer vs. and all-around player and the mitigating factors between Vegas and Buffalo which are varied and important as well. The recent successes of each hockey team and the makeup of the organization, the type of city they play in along with the hockey market and the bottom line after taxes are taken out all factor into a players decision and there's no doubt that Las Vegas offers up much more tantalizing package for players than Buffalo but with that said, that, or any other high-profile city might not be the place for every player.
Buffalo, for Skinner, seems to be the place he wants to play for his own personal reasons and the fact that he and his agent are working on the last big contract of his NHL career should be looked at as a big reason for the lengthy negotiations. As for Buffalo, they need to keep good players and build around the small nucleus they have and they shouldn't be haggling over relatively small change. Back in February while the Sabres were in the midst of their struggles it was suggested here that all things considered, we might be looking at somewhere between $8.75 and $9.25 million/season. Arguments raged that Skinner was barely worth $7 million/season for various reasons and that $8 million would be pushing it with some willing to bail on the player for anything more than $8 million/season.
Hogwash.
The goal for Buffalo should be to retain and add talent and it really needs to start with Skinner. The last time the franchise had this big of a decision to make was back in 2007 when they completely blew it with the Chris Drury/Daniel Briere fiasco. No need to revisit that and there's no reason to be squeamish because of past free agent failures.
Although some are likening an $8-9 million cap-hit for Skinner to contracts signed by Ville Leino, Matt Moulson and Kyle Okposo, the styles, numbers and drivers aren't even close. Those squeamish ones are more than willing to pass on Skinner and overpay for another player with less of a proven record (who may not even be a potential Sabres target) or worse, piece together Skinner's 40 goals by suggesting two players scoring 20 goals apiece could add up to 40 and that those players would cost way less. The most frequent name mentioned in a scenario like that is rookie Victor Olofsson who's played in only a dozen games NHL thus far. It's as if there's a tree out back where you can go pick a 20-goal scorer. Where is the tree? Is it next to the top-six center tree? In the same area as the top-pairing d-man or No. 1 goalie tree?
Forget that. The Sabres have a 40-goal scorer in hand and he's worth more than two fictitious ones in the bush. In fact, not only is it the belief here that they should re-sign Skinner, Buffalo should also look at adding more top-six talent. With many teams in a cap-crisis, there will be cap-casualties and they'll come at a discount.
We're hearing a lot of things coming out of Buffalo and with the scouting combine there, it makes for plenty of face to face time with Skinner's agents. For all we know the dollar figure might be set with term, bonuses, overall structure and/or movement clauses yet to be hashed out, but there seems to be a lot of smoke coming out of Buffalo as the NHL Combine has brought the two sides together for plenty of face-to-face meetings.
Prime time to get it done.
The big thing on twitter is to mock insiders by saying "my Secret Sabres Insider" has this to say about _____________.
Which is cool. Rumors concerning Buffalo Sabres players and posts in twitterland surrounding them and their situations should be fun as no one really knows what's going on inside of the war room at the foot of Washington Street. If you can say anything about Buffalo general manager Jason Botterill it's that he runs a tight ship when it comes to leaks. Botterill's predecessor Tim Murray was having a ball with the media and no one could keep a secret within his staff which had people calling complicated deals with extreme accuracy many hours before the deal was done.
Not so with Botterill. You can go back to Sam Reinhart's bridge contract signed last in late September where rumors all summer had him pulling in a large figure comparable to Stanley Cup-winner Tom Wilson who signed a long-term deal with the Washington Capitals for over $5 million/season. In fact some were calling for a higher dollar figure using Reinhart's 2017-18 numbers, his higher skill-level and bigger upside. However, as was proved with the 2yr./$7.3 million deal Reinhart and the Sabres reached two months later, nobody really had any "inside" information on the situation.
When talking Sabres unrestricted free agent Jeff Skinner, rumors are flying and a $9 million/season number keeps coming up either at the high end or as the final number. Western New York hockey talk surrounding Skinner centers around whether the Sabres should entertain re-signing a scoring winger to that high of a cap hit.
Skinner's market value is up thanks to his 40-goal season and right winger Mark Stone re-signing with the Vegas Golden Knights to an 8yr./$76 million deal with a $9.5 million cap-hit. Although everyone will agree that Stone adds more to a team on a 200' basis than Skinner, they are contemporaries and both are 27 yrs. old. Skinner had three 30-goal seasons before Buffalo traded for him last off season while Stone had just his first 30-goal season last year. Amongst the points being debated are the values of a one-dimensional goal-scorer vs. and all-around player and the mitigating factors between Vegas and Buffalo which are varied and important as well. The recent successes of each hockey team and the makeup of the organization, the type of city they play in along with the hockey market and the bottom line after taxes are taken out all factor into a players decision and there's no doubt that Las Vegas offers up much more tantalizing package for players than Buffalo but with that said, that, or any other high-profile city might not be the place for every player.
Buffalo, for Skinner, seems to be the place he wants to play for his own personal reasons and the fact that he and his agent are working on the last big contract of his NHL career should be looked at as a big reason for the lengthy negotiations. As for Buffalo, they need to keep good players and build around the small nucleus they have and they shouldn't be haggling over relatively small change. Back in February while the Sabres were in the midst of their struggles it was suggested here that all things considered, we might be looking at somewhere between $8.75 and $9.25 million/season. Arguments raged that Skinner was barely worth $7 million/season for various reasons and that $8 million would be pushing it with some willing to bail on the player for anything more than $8 million/season.
Hogwash.
The goal for Buffalo should be to retain and add talent and it really needs to start with Skinner. The last time the franchise had this big of a decision to make was back in 2007 when they completely blew it with the Chris Drury/Daniel Briere fiasco. No need to revisit that and there's no reason to be squeamish because of past free agent failures.
Although some are likening an $8-9 million cap-hit for Skinner to contracts signed by Ville Leino, Matt Moulson and Kyle Okposo, the styles, numbers and drivers aren't even close. Those squeamish ones are more than willing to pass on Skinner and overpay for another player with less of a proven record (who may not even be a potential Sabres target) or worse, piece together Skinner's 40 goals by suggesting two players scoring 20 goals apiece could add up to 40 and that those players would cost way less. The most frequent name mentioned in a scenario like that is rookie Victor Olofsson who's played in only a dozen games NHL thus far. It's as if there's a tree out back where you can go pick a 20-goal scorer. Where is the tree? Is it next to the top-six center tree? In the same area as the top-pairing d-man or No. 1 goalie tree?
Forget that. The Sabres have a 40-goal scorer in hand and he's worth more than two fictitious ones in the bush. In fact, not only is it the belief here that they should re-sign Skinner, Buffalo should also look at adding more top-six talent. With many teams in a cap-crisis, there will be cap-casualties and they'll come at a discount.
We're hearing a lot of things coming out of Buffalo and with the scouting combine there, it makes for plenty of face to face time with Skinner's agents. For all we know the dollar figure might be set with term, bonuses, overall structure and/or movement clauses yet to be hashed out, but there seems to be a lot of smoke coming out of Buffalo as the NHL Combine has brought the two sides together for plenty of face-to-face meetings.
Prime time to get it done.
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Sabres coaching search may lean towards a stop-gap coach like Martin or Ruff
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 5-10-2019
The Buffalo Sabres coaching situation is entering treacherous waters as an already small group of candidates got smaller. The big dog on the list was three-time Cup-winner Joel Quenneville who, as expected, went to the Florida Panthers. Two other name coaches went off the board as Alain Vigneault (PHI) and Todd McLellan (LAK) went in rapid succession last month and the list of "meh" candidates got even shorter after Vigneault hired two former head coaches, Michel Therrien and Mike Yeo, to be his assistants.
Yesterday we found out that Sweden National head coach Rickard Grönborg signed a contract to coach ZSC Lions in Switzerland. The early stages of the story had sources saying that Sabres general manager Jason Botterill is leaning heavily towards a veteran NHL head coach and that Anaheim, Edmonton and Ottawa, who are all without head coaches, are leaning that way as well. Grönborg was the hot international name on the list of coaching candidates and is widely respected on the international scene with Team Sweden going for their third consecutive World Championship gold this month. However, he hasn't coached a full season since 2004-05 when he was an assistant with the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL and his only head coaching experience was in Tier III Junior A.
Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe is the name most widely heard as he's a young, analytics-driven bench-boss who's had success wherever he's coached, which includes hoisting the AHL's Calder Cup last year. The Marlies are romping their way through the Eastern Conference right now having swept the first two rounds and after the playoffs are finished he could very well be in the Toronto Maple Leafs plans sooner rather than later.
So where does that leave Buffalo and the three other bottom-dwelling teams in search of a solution behind the bench?
Not much.
The Buffalo Sabres coaching situation is entering treacherous waters as an already small group of candidates got smaller. The big dog on the list was three-time Cup-winner Joel Quenneville who, as expected, went to the Florida Panthers. Two other name coaches went off the board as Alain Vigneault (PHI) and Todd McLellan (LAK) went in rapid succession last month and the list of "meh" candidates got even shorter after Vigneault hired two former head coaches, Michel Therrien and Mike Yeo, to be his assistants.
Yesterday we found out that Sweden National head coach Rickard Grönborg signed a contract to coach ZSC Lions in Switzerland. The early stages of the story had sources saying that Sabres general manager Jason Botterill is leaning heavily towards a veteran NHL head coach and that Anaheim, Edmonton and Ottawa, who are all without head coaches, are leaning that way as well. Grönborg was the hot international name on the list of coaching candidates and is widely respected on the international scene with Team Sweden going for their third consecutive World Championship gold this month. However, he hasn't coached a full season since 2004-05 when he was an assistant with the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL and his only head coaching experience was in Tier III Junior A.
Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe is the name most widely heard as he's a young, analytics-driven bench-boss who's had success wherever he's coached, which includes hoisting the AHL's Calder Cup last year. The Marlies are romping their way through the Eastern Conference right now having swept the first two rounds and after the playoffs are finished he could very well be in the Toronto Maple Leafs plans sooner rather than later.
So where does that leave Buffalo and the three other bottom-dwelling teams in search of a solution behind the bench?
Not much.
Friday, May 10, 2019
An NHL playoff final four worth loathing in Sabreland?
Published by hockeybuzz.com, 5-9-2019
It's not fun for Buffalo to have the longest playoff drought in the NHL especially when the Carolina Hurricanes, the previous holder of that dubious distinction, is in the Eastern Conference Final. Nor is it a joy seeing a long-time rival like the Boston Bruins face off against the 'Canes in the East. If you think that's tough, add in two teams out west battling in the Conference Finals who each traded for a player that was once thought to be part of the future top-six in Buffalo and Western New York hockey fans might be a little salty. The San Jose Sharks traded for winger Evander Kane and the St. Louis Blues traded for center Ryan O'Reilly and both team will battle it out for a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Such is the world of the Buffalo Sabres and a playoff drought of eight seasons.
What may be lost in all the Buffaloathing over those four teams left standing is that this has been a helluva playoffs for the league. Both conference champions were ousted and all four division winners left in the first round, something that's never happened in the NHL before and the President's Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning were swept out of the playoffs, which is also a first. In addition the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins got the broom as the NY Islanders, led by former Sabre (and a supposed key for Buffalo going forward,) swept them in four games.
In a nod to parity, getting hot at the right time and coaching, half the of the second round was made up of all four wild card team with Carolina taking the next step. Into the third round we see the Blues (No. 1,) Hurricanes (No. 3,) and Bruins (No. 4) as three of the hottest teams in the league since January 1st while the Sharks came in at No. 8. And while the League is still predicated on speed these days, the Islanders made it to Round-2 with a staunch defensive system under head coach Barry Trotz and the Blues with coach Craig Berube played lockdown hockey to take the next step. Despite plenty of speed and one of the best top-lines in the league, Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy had his club playing a modern, tempered version of Bruins, bad-boy hockey and when they got the lead, which was often in the second round, they tightened up their defense and relied upon goalie Tukka Rask to come up big.
It's not fun for Buffalo to have the longest playoff drought in the NHL especially when the Carolina Hurricanes, the previous holder of that dubious distinction, is in the Eastern Conference Final. Nor is it a joy seeing a long-time rival like the Boston Bruins face off against the 'Canes in the East. If you think that's tough, add in two teams out west battling in the Conference Finals who each traded for a player that was once thought to be part of the future top-six in Buffalo and Western New York hockey fans might be a little salty. The San Jose Sharks traded for winger Evander Kane and the St. Louis Blues traded for center Ryan O'Reilly and both team will battle it out for a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Such is the world of the Buffalo Sabres and a playoff drought of eight seasons.
What may be lost in all the Buffaloathing over those four teams left standing is that this has been a helluva playoffs for the league. Both conference champions were ousted and all four division winners left in the first round, something that's never happened in the NHL before and the President's Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning were swept out of the playoffs, which is also a first. In addition the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins got the broom as the NY Islanders, led by former Sabre (and a supposed key for Buffalo going forward,) swept them in four games.
In a nod to parity, getting hot at the right time and coaching, half the of the second round was made up of all four wild card team with Carolina taking the next step. Into the third round we see the Blues (No. 1,) Hurricanes (No. 3,) and Bruins (No. 4) as three of the hottest teams in the league since January 1st while the Sharks came in at No. 8. And while the League is still predicated on speed these days, the Islanders made it to Round-2 with a staunch defensive system under head coach Barry Trotz and the Blues with coach Craig Berube played lockdown hockey to take the next step. Despite plenty of speed and one of the best top-lines in the league, Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy had his club playing a modern, tempered version of Bruins, bad-boy hockey and when they got the lead, which was often in the second round, they tightened up their defense and relied upon goalie Tukka Rask to come up big.
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