Columbus let him go cuz they were going into a re-building phase since Hitchcock was fired.

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mechaphil

Torres never fit in with Buffalo and never worked out just like Moore. Both players proved to be worthless to this squad for the handful of games that each played. Now instead of having that 2nd rounder for another young prospect this team has nothing and won't have the player they traded for as well. This team has no young talent on offense in the system beside Adam and Kassian and for a team that is used to building thru the draft this doesn't bode well for the future.

OK, I'm not doubting he didn't fit in and wound up as a bust. I didn't dispute in a single one of my posts on this matter. But hey, keep repeating it you want.

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mechaphil

I understand and didn't mean to repeat myself but the Sabres have alot of tough decisions to make and I have no confidence in Regier to make the necessary changes to help this team. And with the rest of the division getting better changes need to be made and done this offseason.

Really? Because last I checked the calendar, THE CUP FINALS JUST ENDED AND NOBODY HAS DONE ANYTHING YET.

So who got better exactly? And how did they do that?

Maybe the Sabres should just intentionally go 0-82 next year and go after that lottery pick.

but they have to trade for another two first round picks at least... maybe edmontons and torontos so we have a much better chance at getting the #1 pick. That means trading vanek, myers and miller. LETS DO IT

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

Good luck with that Mr. Regier. It doesn't matter what the players say (see Hossa, Marion), the GMs, or the coaches. It's all just PR rabble. What's important is a players market value, because when the agent walks into the party that becomes his clients leverage. Players like Tallinder and Leopold fall into that 2.5-3.5 price range regardless of what they made last season. You know how it goes, agent asks for this, GM says this, agent goes to client and says "they offered X amount of dollars but I think I can get more from so and so and then we can see if they want to match it" blah blah blah. When if comes to UFAs, it's usually time to get the best deal for your family, you would be amazed how quickly people can settle in elsewhere when there's another year on the contract or an extra 500k/year.

Don't get me wrong, if Regier can get him here for 2.5 or less I wont complain, too much. I mean, that is still 2.5 that could possible go towards a better player like Martin or someone else via trade. Lydman is worth 3-4 million and he knows it, and buffalo will probably pay it too. Or give him a very long deal with a lower cap hit like 2.7 per year over 6 or 7 years. I would pursue Lydman aggressively, I don't think there's a more reliable player on the team besides Miller.

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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

People don't pay attention to it very much, but some UFAs do take pay cuts because their market value has dropped. Tallinder and Lydman are in this category. I'm not going to doubt that some GM out there might give them a contract in the range of 3 mil per, but I would be stunned if either player got in the range of a 3.5-4.0 mil per deal.

You're over-estimating both, especially Lydman. Seidenberg blocks as many shots as Lydman and brings a MUCH better offensive game, and he just signed for 3.25 mil per season. It's not something worth arguing over - it will be decided soon enough - but the bottom line is that Regier knows what they are worth to Buffalo, and I happen to agree that it's not in the range of their current contracts (which were a product of the bloated post lockout deals). Combined they have a 5.4 mil cap hit, and that money could land one player like Martin, or two players that bring more than they do.

I think if either player is re-signed, it will DEFINITELY be for less than their last contracts were worth.

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mechaphil

No, I said Lydman's value was 3-4m and Tallinder was 2.5-3.5. I'll be stunned if Lydman gets less than 3m/year unless it's a very long term deal, and I just don't see any way he makes less per then he did over his last contract. I don't think I over value him at all, he's a player who reminds me of a Reghear who is just awesome as far as positioning and reliability go. Shot blocking is important and Seidenberg certainly had a BIG year in that department, but there's more to the game then that category. Reghear doesn't block a ton of shots but there isn't a day of the week that I would rather have Seidenberg on my team over a Reghear, or Lydman for that matter. Offensively how exactly does Seidenberg bring more to the table then Lydman? They are both averaging 25 points per 82 games played, neither one is what I would call GREAT in the Ozone but certainly not below average either.

Sometimes high shot blocking numbers are a result of poor work by the forwards on the PK or bad gap control by the defense. I'm not trying to belittle that stat simply to make my case for Lydman (as hypothetical as it may be) stronger, I do recognize that good positioning also leads to shot blocking. Just something to consider. There's a reason why Seidenberg as been on 5 teams already.

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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

We need to start sucking so we can acquire draft picks. End of story.

Since Torres was the leading scorer on the team when he came over, it looked pretty good initially. No one can forecast a broken wrist or a player who doesn't give a shit.

It's like every goddamned player that leaves and is on a playoff team, people are like stupid darcy, look what Briere/Campbell/whoever is doing. Look at what Kotalik and Drury and Kalinin are doing.

Too easy to sit here and go, well Torres and Moore didn't pan out, Darcy sucks. Be more creative, more intelligent and more interesting.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Lydman has been the same player since he came in the league, and his top point total is 28. Seidenberg has just developed over the last 2-3 years, has 30 pts each of the last two seasons, and is four years younger than Lydman with his best years ahead of him. He clearly has higher market value than Lydman. I like Lydman as a #4-5 d-man, but he is not a player that should command over 3 million per season. This summer will prove it.

I do like Lydman a lot, but someone would be damn foolish to argue with your post, 1980.

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mechaphil

He could be right, but if I'mhis agent i'm talking to a lot of gm's with cap space and im looking for 3m/year minimum. kings signed scuderi to 3.5, why wouldnt another young team do the same lydman?

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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

Because Scuderi brings a Cup ring with him.

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mechaphil

He took advantage of that stage to show what he could do, and that made it easy to get LA fans amped about signing him. But theres no dfference between Scuds and Lydman at all.

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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