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?

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

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!

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

"What do you guys think?"

Not trying to be a smart ass, but why even discuss the possibility of having six new players on the team after the deadline? We know that will never happen. Buffalo could use a veteran forward that is a better pure scorer that finishes his chances, a PP QB d-man, and unfortunately now I think someone to replace Kennedy. He just needs to sit or see 4th line minutes until he can sharpen his game.

Now even those three fairly modest changes won't all happen at the deadline, so I don't even entertain the thought of more than one or maybe two new players on the roster. I feel like a pain in the ass for having said it so many times, but Seidenberg or Foster would be nice pick ups if either team drops out of the race and makes them available. Whitney would be nice but he wants a 3-4 year extension to any team he goes to, otherwise he's nixing any deal. He's 37 so I would never take Whitney under those circumstances. Sharp would be nice but I highly doubt Chicago tries to move him before the summer. They'll want to keep him around for the Cup run and trade him later since he's under contract for two more seasons. That Lydman + for Versteeg and Sharp trade you suggested in another thread isn't possible cap wise. Buffalo would be over the cap, but maybe thay can get into that scenario in the summer when they dump Lydman, Tallinder, and Paetsch.

Matt Cullen is the best option to fill in at 3rd line center, and will be available for fairly cheap - MacArthur if Carolina also throws in a pick/prospect. That would still make it tight cap wise by adding over 1.4 mil, unless Buffalo threw in Sekera and got a better pick/prospect in return.

I honestly had nothing better to do this morning, and figured why not take some time and have a little fun with the cap, and trades, and numbers.

I know it won't happen, but it's a fun hypothetical situation, and could lead to some solid hockey discussion.

I mean, if you want the reality of what will happen, we will add 1 defensive man, and 1 forward, and possibly a prospect or two

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

I fucking love it.

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Wheelhouse

Who ever said this team lacks toughness and heart?

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Just hypothetical, but what do you guys think a package of Roy and Stafford would return?

Either a 1st pairing defensive man, a 1st line winger, or a combo of a 3/4 dman and 3rd line center

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

LOL jvacc, I just spent the time to play along being fantasy GM and my post got lost in cyberland when I submitted it. That will teach me, but to summarize I suggested waiting until the summer to make moves since Sharp probably won't be on the market until then. Anyway...

Trade MacArthur, Gerbe and a pick for Sharp. Let Lydman, Tallinder, Paetsch, and Lalime walk. Sign Seidneberg or Foster (maybe both). If both trade Montador for a pick to replace the pick lost in the Sharp trade. Sign Biron (I'm not nostalgic for him but he'll probably be the best back-up available for about the same price as Lalime). Resign UFAs Grier, Ellis, and McCormick...and RFAs Kennedy and Kaleta to moderate raises. Bring up Ennis, McCormick, and Weber. The cap dollars lost and cap dollar gained should be about the same at 9.5-10 mil. The roster would be...

Hecht - Connolly - Pominville
Vanek - Roy - Sharp
Kaleta - Gaustad - Stafford
Ellis - Kennedy - Grier
Ennis - McCormick

Weber - Myers
Seidenberg - Montador (or Foster)
Butler - Rivet
Sekera

Miller - Biron

Just curious, where does that put us cap-wise? By your calculations. I see possibly 1 to 2 moves that could really improve that roster, that are probable.

If we're like 50M, I'd say, trade Stafford at the draft for a 2nd/3rd round pick, and use the cap space to sign Lee Stempniak, and place him with Timmy C and Pommers, and then move hect down to play 3rd line in place of Stafford with Goose at center and Kaleta on the right.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

We'd probably pick up around .5-1 mil actually, and be right below the limit at 56+ mil. We could save a little by only signing Foster instead of Seidenberg.

I'd love it. Like, love it a LOT.

Too bad Darcy won't do any of those.

I like both of your guys ideas with the trades and signings.

The only thing I don't agree on is bringing up Ennis, if he doesn't automatically play on the second or first line leave him in Portland, he'll only get better there.

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Regier won't make that many changes to a team that is still in 1st place despite their slide over the past 10 games.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

Is this your career mode team in a video game?

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

Yeah, I base my hockey knowledge off of NHL10...isn't that what we're supposed to do?

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

Yes, nothing says NHL10 quite like throwing out 3 scrubs and a 1st rounder for Pat Kane, lol.

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"I can't really hear what Jeremy says, because I got my two Stanley Cup Rings plugging my ears...." -Patrick Roy in reference to Jeremy Roenick's trash talking

thats bullshit, and you fucking know it, loomi.

with the new "trade value" feature, that trade will never happen now!

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Or trading for Ovechkin with crappy players also.

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