Anyone who wants to see Marleau here need only look at his playoff performances. Just like Jumbo Joe, he vanishes. Not saying he doesn't produce, but when the pressure is on, he doesn't rise to the occasion.

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mechaphil

We don't need a PP QB, well maybe one could work, because MYERS is our PP QB, it was shown this year he carries the puck too well to not be that.

We need a 2nd one though, and if Sekera is still on this team wouldn't he be that guy or Monty just next year? I mean Brian Campbell didn't come into his own for 5 years, Sekera has two full seasons under his belt now, and that's it.

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Marleau has been benched the past couple games by the sharks.

Columbus may still have an interest in connolly, he will be tradable come trade deadline, as a team will not have to swallow the big 4.5 right now.

I have a terrible gut feeling that regier might praise gragnani to be the PP QB along with myers. and i feel sekera has shifted to being more of a DFD. though he could play a point opposite a QB.

your best bet for that # 1 center may be the draft. you may have to trade up, you may not depending on who you like and how the draft falls. I'm not against Brock Nelson (http://www.mynhldraft.com/2010/NHL-Draf ... ock-Nelson) (http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdet ... ?dpid=2736),

recent mocks are showing Sheahan fall to where we could possibly grab him.

I am doubting that they are going to be able to trade for one.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

If I had a glass of water, this is where I would take a drink and spray it everywhere out of disbelief

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Sekera shouldn't even be on this team. He sucks.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Sky, the Sabres front office has all but blared out on a bull horn that they need a PP QB. Myers IS NOT that player!! He might be one day but the PP ranking and the performance of Myers and the PP against Boston clearly indicate the need for more from the d-men with the man advantage. A legit PP QB is a veteran player that has experience and is calm at the point, and can move the puck under pressure to the open man, or skate to a spot where he can set up a teammate in open space. Myers brings his 5-on-5 skating ability to bring the puck in, but after that he is no more than average in puck movement or point shots.

Spacek's point shot was inconsistent at times, but he was still sorely missed compared to what the Sabres had to replace him. Martin, Kubina, and a more affordable player like Seidenberg bring quicker hands and better decision making on the point than anyone on Buffalo's roster. Kurt Foster brings a much better point shot than any of those players, including Montador. I see Myers having a much better chance at developing into the shot taker than the point man, but he's got some learning to do and experience to be gained before he can make an impact on the PP.

Here's the bigger issue though. Adding two (affordable) d-men like Seidenberg and Foster make the defense better during 5-on-5 as well. Do you really want to keep relying on Sekera (poor defensively) and Montador (average at best on the PP) instead of adding d-men that are not only good on the PP, but just plain better overall? Seidenberg and Foster would instantly be the 2nd and 3rd best d-men, at worst 4th best if Tallinder or Lydman stay. Sekera should be a #7, Montador should be #5 or #6. The PP needs to be better, the entire d-corps needs to be better, and Sekera and Montador should be 3rd pairing or a scratch.

I disagree, Myers is that man, how often are you going to immediately become a PP QB in your rookie season. But Myers was so calm on the point and I don't honestly think we need one, Myers is only going to get better next year and he is going to run our number one PP line.

I'm not disagreeing that our PP needs to be better at all. But I think Myers can become the PP QB, because Ruff likes to have a forward play the point shot area opposite the D-man anyways. I'm not denying how terrible our PP is, and that also relies on the coaching of it too. Bring in a PP coach who is a specialist at it and watch it go be up in rank.

Also Marleau has only been benched because he has the flu. That's the only reason Patty Marleau isn't playing.

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I don't want Patrick Marleau. Please no

i didn't say he had talent. i just think he's been trying to play more defense than looking to be the next OFD. I too would like to see him packaged. though there is the intrigue of if he is paired again with weber what happens. As i doubt we will do much of anything over the summer as regier will be re-cooperating from exerting energy at the draft.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

I have notice that Sekera played pretty well for Slovakia in the olympics but he often loses site of players that fall in behind him.

Okay, I've been thinking about this for a couple of days, and here's what I'd do.

Trade Connolly and Stafford to whoever we can, for whatever they want. That saves us $6, 800, 000 in salary for next season.

Next, re-sign the following;
1. Tallinder $3, 500, 000
2. Grier $1, 500, 000
3. Kennedy $850, 000
4. Kaleta $850, 000
5. McCormick $750, 000

6. Let Torres, Mair, and Ellis walk. If we keep Hank, I think Lydman is gone

This gives us about $13, 500, 000 or so in salary to work with. So;

1. Matthew Lombardi $ 3, 500, 000 (3 years $10.5 Million)
2. Lee Stempniak $2, 600, 000 (3 years, $7.8 Million)
3. Jordan Leopold $2, 000, 000 (2 years $4 Million)
4. Martin Biron $1, 000, 000 (2 years, $2 Million)

Our Salary is now at about $53, 600, 000.


Ennis - Lombardi - Pominville
Vanek - Roy - Kennedy
Hecht - Gaustad - Stempniak
Kaleta - McCormick - Grier

Myers - Tallinder
Leopold - Montador
Weber - Sekera

Miller
Biron

Extra Forwards: Gerbe, Kassian, Adam

Extra Defense: Butler, Gragnani

Injured Reserve: Rivet (Probably going to miss first 2-3 months)

We'd have about $4, 000, 000 in cap room, and most of the current contracts would be expired by the time we need to lock down Myers and Ennis.

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"Let's just trap Sekera in the caverns underneath HSBC arena." -BlueandYellow

Reporter: "Steve, you guys now lead the league in defensive scoring."
Montador: "It's probably because of how good-looking we are."

I'd rather have Kassian playing in the Juniors then sitting in the press box.

It's the same as Myers, if he doesn't play, sitting just hurts him so send him back to Juniors.

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Extra Forwards/ Portland: Gerbe, Kassian, Adam

Extra Defense/ Portland: Butler, Gragnani

My bad, that's what I meant to say. Start them in Portland ala' Ennis & Gerbe

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"Let's just trap Sekera in the caverns underneath HSBC arena." -BlueandYellow

Reporter: "Steve, you guys now lead the league in defensive scoring."
Montador: "It's probably because of how good-looking we are."

Kassian cannot play in Portland next year as he won't be 20 when the deadline hits.

He will still be 19 when the September 15th deadline approaches and won't be allowed to play in Portland, it's either he plays in the NHL or he is in Juniors, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Adam on the other hand will be 20, so he will be in Portland no matter what.

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there are a couple of 1st line centers that i think are hidden behind star players. i don't think regier will go get them but guys like kesler and jordan staal, would instantly be first line guys on our team, but the price isn't going to be cheap. (i'm not saying go get them either. As well i won't miss loods or tallinder. rid of both save the cap space. Edmonton got ryan whitney for next to nothing this years trade deadline. leopold isn't the best defensively but he has the goals to boast ofd.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

Connolly and Stafford's salary is 6.8 mil next season, but their cap hit is 6.4 mil. Tallinder isn't worth his current cap hit, let a lone a raise to 3.5 mil. Kennedy will require at least a 10% raise for his qualifying offer as a RFA, so he'll make at least 935k. I hope Grier, Kaleta, and McCormick stay for about the salaries you listed.

Letting Torres, Mair, Ellis, Lydman, Connolly, and Stafford walk only saves 11 mil in cap hit. Take away the raise for Tallinder, Kennedy, Kaleta, Grier, and McCormick and there's only about a 9.2 mil savings.

Lombardi isn't worth nearly 3.5 mil for a player whose best production was this past season with 53 pts. He's a drop off from Connolly. Stempniak might have earned a bigger contract than his 2.5 mil cap hit with his hot stretch to end the season, but he's still worth consideration to replace Stafford. Leopold isn't worth a raise, and he's not the best UFA option even at fair value. Biron is worth replacing Lalime, but I wouldn't expect a great deal of improvent there.

The cap hit for your roster still comes to 53 mil plus change, but it's pretty weak in both talent and definitely experience. Lombardi is a downgrade, Stempniak is a slight upgrade, the extra forwards are rookies, and the defense simply stinks with Leopold as the only new player and Sekera having to start. Biron is a slight upgrade.

If Connolly can be traded for a better player that is a legit #1 center then I'm all for it. Getting another 2nd line center like Lombardi is not worth the hassle, and relying on so many rookies and young average talent for depth is asking for it. Tallinder and Lydman shouldn't stay unless they take a pay cut. The only reason either should be re-signed is because of Rivet's injury and a lack of depth, or not being able to land a quality UFA this summer.

Sean, your sig is amazing.

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i think a lot of people are banking on the team playing harder for marty than Lalime, though i don't know why, i met lalime after a pre-season game, he was a really nice person.


I mentioned Ryan Whitney somewhere if one thinks he is trade worthy tom Gilbert could be uttered in the same phrase, by which i mean trade. Gonchar is aging and may take a pay cut.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

Marleau, Malkin, Thornton and others won't happen in order to pull off a move like this we'd need a more aggressive GM not gonna happen. Pavelski (RFA this season) would be great fit compared to the guys above also a bargain. Try signing him for 5 mill. per and see if Sharks match. Than trade Roy + 2nd for Volchenkov.

This should give our offense way more power + more grit for our D.

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Sloppy seconds = 6 games "clean" headhunting = nothing
it's obvious Bettman and Campbell are Pens cocksuckers

The Slovak Olympic Team would like to disagree with you. Sekera was probably their best defenseman during the tournament, and that was on a team with Chara and Meszaros.