With the Sabres no longer co-affiliating with Florida at the AHL level, I think in a couple of years it would behoove the team to get an ECHL affiliation.

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mechaphil

So we have signed a few prospects but no UFA's....seems that Darcy is trying to get fired. What's the deal?

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The only UFA on the team worth re-signing now that Grier got his deal is Lydman. McCormick would be a serviceable soldier on the fourth line, but that's a toss up - if Darcy is content keeping Goose as the third line center, Ellis could come back to play center on the fourth line, but if Darcy wants to upgrade at center, then Goose would get dropped to the fourth line and McCormick should play wing. As much as I like Ellis, his time here is pretty much done.

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mechaphil

It's pretty rare for UFAs to sign between the end of the regular season and July 1st. Obviously it happens, but more players staring FA in the face are going to wait and see what they could be getting elsewhere before they commit.

That's true. I think he should sign Kaleta now though since he wants to stay and we all love him. If he doesn't end up signing him he'll be run out of town me thinks.

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Kaleta is THE need-to-sign RFA this summer, and that's a fact.

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mechaphil

local boy who works his ass off on the team he grew up loving. Plus he's fun to watch and is a great fourth or even third liner.

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And fantastic penalty killer, and has intangibles, and has improved his quality of play in every season, and goes trolling for poon at Best Buy

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mechaphil

<ferret>
You liberals think that games are won in the locker room. We need gritty forwards who can score, not more Goosers and Kaletas that are good locker room guys, whatever that means.
</ferret>

Yea I saw that.

If he'd put down the gun polish for a second, he'd realize that Kaleta being on the ice has a positive impact on the team play of the Sabres. They're more willing to hit, to sacrifice themselves for the good of the play, and to go hard into the corners.

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mechaphil

So supporting a guy who goes around smashing people into the boards is a liberal idea? hahha!Oh Ferret how you amuse me

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Not to trash him too much, because sometimes he does have some hockey points that I agree with, but he doesn't agree that having any guys that are good in the locker room are important at all. Most of his consternation is aimed at Goose really.

I agree, Tom. He does have SOME really good points about hockey, but he's prone to thinking in hyperbole about everything. It got really bad when the Sabres and Amerks divorced...after that, he became insufferable.

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mechaphil

Ooh I thought he was confused thinking we were signing these players to the Sabres, and he was worried that we were going to have too many young, inexperienced players on the team...my mistake.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

I still remember how much the Sabres toughened up just because of Kaleta, when he started playing in '07, and how much weaker they've looked without him when he's been injured. He's definitely a must-sign (well, duh; he's only an RFA, anyway).

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran

What if the Oilers offer him 7 million a year, should Darcy match?

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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

There 2 guys I'd kill to get on our 4th line, Winchester from STL who is a UFA, and Boogaard from Minnesota that is a UFA as well.

Both are scary men who are under 30 and come at a very low cap hit. Sure they're not skill players but neither are Mair and Ellis.

Could you imagine a Winchester-McCormick-Boogyman line?

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

So Alex's brother Danny had a good showing at the combine. Don't know where he is expected to go but I wouldn't be surprised if one of our 3 3rd rounders is used on him. I think that is where is likely to go.

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Driver of the Tyler Ennis Bandwagon, Ridin' shotgun on the Tyler Myers Bandwagon, chillin' on the Luke Adam Bandwagon


Eh