jvaccaro6 wrote:
Alright, so with all the talk of our lack of toughness and heart, I figured I'd sit around and come up with a few ways to add real toughness and heart to this team.
1st player that comes to mind, and a player we could REALLY use, a 3rd line checking center, Craig Conroy from Calgary (dont rip me, I just saw Eklund reported this too, but talk to Alex or Phil, I've mentioned his name well before Eklund)
50 Points per year caliber player, grit, toughness, a TON of heart
To Calgary:
Gerbe + 3rd rounder from Boston
To Buffalo
Conroy and Matt Pelech
Then we look at adding a guy that can skate, fight, and check. Steve Ott
MacArthur to Dal for Ott striaght up
Then we add in a real exciting right wing; and someone who can make a big difference down the stretch.
I'm talking about Alexi Ponakarovsky.
Move Drew Stafford + 2nd round pick (conditional, if Poni Signs ToR gets pick) to Tor for Ponikarovsky; Burke would love to have a guy like Stafford, fits his mold perfectly
Burke made an entire team of guys like Stafford in Anaheim, good sized forwards, who play the boards, and put pucks home in front of the net. Granted Ponikarovsky is a UFA, but I think he could be signed to a 4 year 12-14M dollar deal. The Sabres have the capspace for something like that, and it adds a true right wing to play on our top line.
Next we go out and get the protective services of a guy who won't take any bullshit. Brad Winchester from STL. UFA to be
I honestly think we could get the guy for a 4th round pick. Maybe have to throw in Cowan or McCormick to replace him in the enforcer's role.
So now our Lines would look something like:
Vanek-Roy-Ponikarovski
Hecht-Connolly-Pommer
Ott-Conroy-Grier (swoon, a real checking line)
Winchester-Goose-Kaleta (ohhh that looks scary, and energetic)
now if you wanted to remedy that defense, that's another story, but I've got sometime, lets see here;
Right now we have
Myers-Hank (leave it the hell alone)
Lydman-Montador
Butler-Rivet
Sekera-Paetsch
In the system:
Weber, Brennan, Gragnani
Andy Sutton, UFA to be, 34 years old. The Islanders are rebuilding, and may be looking to get younger than this on their blue line.
Send them:
Brennan in exchange for Sutton and 3rd round pick
Then try to move Lydman out for any draft pick really, let's say he fetches another 3rd rounder, he could grab a 2nd, hell Kotalik did
Then take that pick we just got, couple it with the one from the Sutton trade, and send Butler to Philly for Brayden Coburn
Philly would take this trade believe it or not, because they have 47M committed next year, and Coburn an RFA could get an offer sheet, giving them just draft picks, and no real good defensive prospects in their system. Butler is serviceable, and on an inexpensive contract.
After that our defense would look like
Myers-Hank
Sutton-Coburn
Sekera-Rivet
Montador (interchangable on almost any of those pairings)
Paetsch (just happy to be here)
===================================
So to sum it all up, shake up this line up, add some real grit and toughness, and really not lose much for the future.
Our team would look like:
Vanek-Roy-Ponikarovski
Hecht-Connolly-Pommer
Ott-Conroy-Grier
Winchester-Goose-Kaleta
Ellis/Mair/Paetsch
Myers-Talinder
Sutton-Coburn
Rivet-Sekera
Montador
What do you guys think?
I REALLY like the sounds of that checking line. And over all, I like the way these deals could be set up. The only down side is that we'd be making a deal with the Make beliefs and I honestly think Stafford is a type of guy who would play his hole off just to show us up. Even then though, looking at the way we're situated (for the time being) it wouldn't have much effect on us to send him to Toronto. I say, make this happen!
You sir, should apply for GM of the Buffalo Sabres!