Don't get me wrong, we all cry for a big, tough winger. I just don't think Horton is the way to go. I'd rather overpay for Backes and move on to Horton as a last resort.

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mechaphil

Connolly has proven this year that even when he's healthy, he's a postseason bust. Of our top 6, he was by far the most disappointing in my opinion, followed shortly by Roy and then probably Pominville. I don't consider Stafford top 6 personally, nor does he use his body enough to warrant a spot on the bottom 6, he's hanging in limbo. Vanek and Ennis were great of course.

Connolly is NOT our best playmaker anymore, a guy that stumbles on almost every attempt entering the zone on the powerplay throughout the entire season cannot seriously be considered a great playmaker. He was once, but he's taken a pretty nasty fall since that season or two he didn't play.

That said, I wouldn't mind that deal really. It'd be cool if Darcy could talk a late pick out of them too lol.

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If Connolly isn't out best playmaker who really is? Ennis will be, but not yet...and Kennedy will be a playmaker, but not the best. Pominville just blast slapshots wide from the blue-line. Connolly IS our best playmaker. 48 assists. We only had 3 others who have over 48 POINTS.

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"Ah...composite sticks...you can't beat 'em...unless you have a wooden one..."-Harry Neale

In Pegula We We Trust!

Connolly's definitely lost a step and an edge in his game; he's not nearly as crafty, which makes him worth about half as much.

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Horton for Connolly is a lateral move at best (and literally). It would just be a switch - RW for C - and still leave a gaping hole at a top two forward position. Seeing as Connolly can also man the point on the PP and kill penalties like a mad man, that's a lot to give up for a scoring winger.

You guys have to get past the Boston series and realize the talent level that would be missing. If Connolly was near 100% I'd be pissed enough to say, "ah, whatever". But...he wasn't healthy, and Vanek is a great example of the difference between healthy and hurt. Also, Connolly will be playing his ass off next season at the very least because of his pending UFA status, if not out of anger and frustration over his reputation. We shouldn't be overlooking that.

If Regier already has a trade in place to bring in Patrick Sharp, then hell yeah trade Connolly for Horton, because then we don't lose out on a top center. Without a move like that in place, Ennis, Kennedy, or Gerbe are not going to make the team better as a top two center. In fact only Ennis even has the potential to be a top two center.

If Regier can put together a different package for Horton then I like it. I think Horton is exactly the type of player Buffalo needs at RW - imagine Vanek and Roy with Horton. Florida needs d-men, and we have a few of those if they'll take young and cheap. I would try any combination of Sekera, Butler, Stafford, Gerbe and draft picks to bring Horton in. Horton is from Welland, so I imagine he'd be pretty cool with playing in Buffalo, and to get the hell out of the Panthers organization. He was actually having his best season ever until he broke his leg, so I'm not worried about his effort or attitude anymore.

Connolly admitted he was 100% healthy and playing without a single injury in the Boston series.

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mechaphil

Tallon wants a top two center for Horton. Defensemen aren't gonna make it happen.

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mechaphil

Sort off...he said he was healthy but that he didn't have his conditioning or game speed up. Why should that be a surprise anyway?? We all know from watching this game for years and years that when players miss big chunks of games it takes a week or so to get back in game shape and be 100% EFFECTIVE. Healthy is one thing, at top speed and top production is another.

Yeah I know Tallon wants a center, but they're also missing d-men. They have three d-men that are worth starting minutes.

Well, it makes no matter to be anymore about Connolly cuz I want him gone LIEK NAO

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mechaphil

I get it, but that's like - how does the saying go - cutting off your nose to spite your face? We need another top two center to let Connolly go, and I'm not in the mood to see a freakin' rookie take the reins of the most responsible position on the ice - top two scoring center that plays both PP and PK.

Well, everyone knows my feelings about our center situation - blow it the fuck up. Trade for Sharp or sign Koivu (the latter, preferrably). So yea, I would be more inclined to like the Connolly/Horton deal if Darcy were to put together a replacement.

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mechaphil

I'd bet the house that Koivu signs in Minnesota to play with his kid brother. Minnesota needs a top forward in a bad way too.

Oh, so would I. In fact, that's the big speculation is that it'll happen on July 1st.

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mechaphil

The ink's already dry, they just have to wait and be "official" about it.

Cullen apparently wants to stay in Ottawa too...asshole.

I'll admit, 48 assists is impressive. But like NYIntensity said, he looks uninspired out there most of the time and no more then when it really counted (the postseason). He was playing healthy, and had a whole season to get his head into the game and condition his body up for it, but he was still dogging it out there when a very creative and talented rookie showed him up.

Ennis is working towards what we really wanted out of Connolly, and I'm afraid that Connolly may have had one or two injuries too many to really be effective out there. If a pretty good (point-wise), pretty healthy season and a playoff run weren't enough to get Connolly's legs moving, I doubt we're going to see any new tricks out of Connolly in October... and probably not in April 2011, if we are still playing.

If Ennis can make his voice heard in a 6 game playoff series against a VERY physical team like Boston, why do people think he can't play on the top 6 come next season? Assuming he still has it to impress in training camp. Putting him on the bottom 6 would be pointless for a guy his size and his creativity and it'd be a damn shame if he has to spend another year in Portland...

Does a first line of Vanek - Horton - Ennis look pretty interesting to anyone else? I think Horton played center briefly from time to time in Florida?

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I agree with you on Connolly...but I would rather have Connolly for 4.5mil, then Horton for 4mil. If there is more behind this deal, Then I might budge...but straight up player for player. Not worth it.

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"Ah...composite sticks...you can't beat 'em...unless you have a wooden one..."-Harry Neale

In Pegula We We Trust!

also...
Last year, we heard about the Stafford for Horton rumors and we were a little edgy on accepting that offer. If we were wary about trading away Stafford for Horton, why are we suddenly thinking it's a good move to dish off Timmy? Now all of the sudden everyone's so keen on trading Connolly away, who is 10 times the player Stafford is. Connolly played bad in the playoffs. 6 games. Everyone else played like shit too. He also went on a 17 or 18 point streak this year....He is our MVP forward for the year in my opinion. '
MVP for team:
Miller
Myers
Connolly

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"Ah...composite sticks...you can't beat 'em...unless you have a wooden one..."-Harry Neale

In Pegula We We Trust!

I like Booth, Horton is okay but it's not a great deal for either team so it probably wont ever happen

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

Why do we even need Horton anyway. We have Kassian as our scoring tough winger coming up. He's going to be ready before 2015 too so having Horton will just clog up the pipe.

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"Ah...composite sticks...you can't beat 'em...unless you have a wooden one..."-Harry Neale

In Pegula We We Trust!

I heard that Kassian trains by hunting moose on a Harley, and that his moose hunting call is so intense that he must mate with the female moose before impaling the males into ancient trees with thrown hockey sticks.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger