Patrick Sharp is under contract for not much more than Roy for a few years. He's young and talented and Chicago can't afford to keep him, so they're gonna be looking for picks and prospects in a trade.

I know people are talking about using the Sabres' first round pick this year to get Kaberle, but I think sending Kennedy or Gerbe and the first round pick to Chicago might be enough to get Sharp.

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mechaphil

I agree. It would be good if we packaged a forward in the trade to avoid such a logjam.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

I bet he can't be had at all. Not after the way he's been playing in the Playoffs. Almost a point per game player in the playoffs, with good size and skill. He's staying put.

On the other hand, you could see Kris Versteeg moved, making about the same money, RFA at the end of this deal. Team has 6 RWs on the roster already, and guys playing out of their natural position. And young Jack Skille who is almost a lock to play NHL hockey some where next year. Versteeg is a good player, but expendable on that roster.

For Versteeg I'd say give em a 1st and Atlanta's 3rd, and he could probably be had.

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

You've got a good point, Jay.

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mechaphil

Just did some number crunching on Versteeg, and he's only got 15 points on Stafford per season on average but he's making $2M per season. No thank you.

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mechaphil

Staffords also playing 1st line minutes, as opposed to Versteegs 3rd line minutes

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

Gotta prove ya wrong on that one, dude. Versteeg was playing a minute more than Stafford in the regular season and almost 3 minutes more than Stafford in the playoffs.

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mechaphil

Really? Is that Avg TOI?

I watch a lot of Chicago games, or did, when I was home and have Center Ice...hardly ever saw Versteeg out there; but when he was out there I did notice him quite a bit.

Either way; I dont feel like Sharp will be available; not with 19 pts in 20 gms. Then again; I could be wrong, but something tells me he's staying put. I wouldnt be surprised to see Bolland get moved though

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

Yea, that's average TOI. I used the NHL's stats page, and then pulled up both Chicago and Buffalo, and further narrowed it down to regular season and then the playoffs.

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mechaphil

I really like Sharp and wanted to get him for a while. It will be hard for Chicago to depart with him, but they have to make moves. They have approximately $6m to sign 10 players. This includes thier RFAs like Ladd and Eager, both of which should get a raise. Speaking conservatively, if Ladd gets 2.5 and eager gets 1.5, that will leave them with $4m to sign 8 guys. They are stuck with Campbell's and Huet's bad contracts eating nearly $13m of their salary. I could see making a trade for Sharp, but it won't take a first to get him. I would trade a prospect and a pick. I think you could trade either Ennis or Gerbe and a 2nd or 3rd pick to get Sharp. Chicago would be saving $3m and would still be getting a player they can put right into their roster. In addition Buffalo is gaining a very stable veteran who can play both wing and center. I don't have anything against Ennis or Gerbe, but we have too many small guys. A team will never make an impact in the playoffs with too many small guys.

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We were biting this morning. We were biting this morning.

Unless it's for a star player (which Sharp is not), Ennis ought to be considered untouchable. Replace Ennis with Kennedy in your post and I like it.

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mechaphil

sharp isnt worth ennis. i like sharp, but hes going to be 29, and he is a 50-60 point guy. basically, hes a poor mans JP dumont in terms of production. i dont think anyone will need to trade away the farm, or even a first to get him. maybe a second a mid level prospect.

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Hence Gerbe or Kennedy and a 2nd or 3rd.

And hell, do I miss JP Dumont.

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mechaphil

Really you guys miss Dumont? He's only as good as the guys around him. Nashville is a perfect place for him. He's not a superstar, yet he remains a key player on that team. He's a marginal player, on a very good contract (for him). If we paid Dumont Kotalik money, we'd of been disappointed with him in Buffalo too. Keep in mind he makes 4M a year vs the cap, and scores no more than 72 points in his 4 years in Nashville. Would you really pay a guy like that 4M a year? I wouldnt. Thats why Roy's contract is manageable. Realistically Dumont's a 65 pts guy. No sense in over paying for him, when you can have Roy who plays the exact same role, (pk, pp, ev) and makes about the same money for 70-85pts

Good play by Darcy. And we wouldnt have been a cup contender without cutting JP and going after other players.

Hind sight is 20-20; but the way I look at it, if we paid Dumont and Connolly the same money, we'd not of had Vanek, and at least 1 of our other roster players.

It is what it is

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

To have a full roster next season, Chicago will be spending about 70 million in cap numbers. Unless they can trade one of their albatross contracts - Hossa, Campbell, Huet - Sharp will be on the trading block. I don't see anyone, even a stupid spend happy GM like Sather, wanting to pick up Campbell or Huet's contract. Hossa has legit trade potential, but that would only be a 5.233 mil cap reduction. Chicago didn't just extend huge deals to Toews, Kane, and Keith in order to trade them away, so out of the rest of the roster, only Sharp and Sopel are veterans that would provide significant cap relief by trading them away. Others like Versteeg, Byfuglien, Bolland, and Seabrook are part of their young core and don't really provide much cap relief by trading them away.

If Chicago can find a buyer for two of those three stupid contracts, they'll be fine. Otherwise look for Sharp to be on the block midway or late in the summer. If Sharp is available, Chicago might be willing to take a prospect and a 2nd/3rd rd pick for him just to get the cap relief. For Buffalo, I think they should keep Ennis and Kennedy, and offer Gerbe and a 1st/2nd rd pick. Throw in Stafford somehow, if possible.

Dumont's arbitration award was $2.9M. He coulda played wing with Briere during the best Lil Danny's ever had. It's realistic to think he woulda had 70 points with Briere that season. 70 points for $2.9M? That's not disappointment - that's a steal.

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mechaphil

dumont also worked his tail off in corners, and was decent defensively. he also was solid in the post season. id rather have dumont over pominville, though jasons STARTING to look better.

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It would have only been 2.9M for 1 year, then he'd of been gone to make 4M a year else where anyways.

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

Instead, the Sabres signed perennial slacker Ales Kotalik. One season of Dumont and then filling that spot in with anyone else imaginable would have been better than what Kotalik gave the Sabres during his tenure here after Dumont left.

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mechaphil

Sharp, Bolland, Versteeg, Big Buff

There are a few $3M+ forwards on the Blackhawks that the rumor mill have being moved this summer to clear cap space that would intrigue me.

And the Hawks will have fun trying to move Campbell as he has a NTC that allows him to supply a list of only 8 teams that he would except a trade to.

I doubt anyone will tough Huet's contract.

And given Hossa's low cap hit, I would be mildly surprised if they tried to move Hossa unless they have no other options.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity