Some dude at the Sun Sentinel in Florida thinks Connolly for Horton straight-up is almost a done deal and could happen before or on the day of the draft.

http://deke.me/6c

Thoughts? I don't like Horton's work ethic or attitude (he reminds me of a bigger, meaner, more talented Stafford, but with a bit of a psycho streak), but he's got the goods, talent-wise. He also costs $2.1M more than Stafford does.

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mechaphil

TC disappeared in the playoffs, no? I'd probably do it.

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Pull that trigger Darcy, this one slipped under my radar, I've heard nothing. I'm usually on top of the trade whisperings too.

Nice dig Phil

BTW, would it kill you to text me these things

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

I was someone who was calling for Horton pretty loudly in years past, but after studying him this last season, I am firmly off the bandwagon. If you gave Stafford a slightly bigger frame and pig nose, you'd get Horton.

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mechaphil

yeah but he has 2 balls, and can play every situation.

Plus he is a mean son of a bitch; maybe adding him allows us to remove our Staff infection

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

4.25 Million cap hit for the next 5 years.

Don't know if I'm totally sold on him to cough up that much against the cap. If he steps up, and plays to his potential (sound familiar?), then it's a steal. If not, we're then stuck with an underachieving malcontent until 2015...

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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 see what you're saying Phil. I agree his game was off a bit last year, but he's still a big body. The trade doesn't make us an instant favorite in the East, but it cuts back on our surplus of "skill" only players, and gives us more size and toughness on the top lines.

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

True, and I would love to see the Staff Infection leave, but Horton has a disappearing problem. He may be $500K cheaper than Connolly, but he still vanishes at inopportune times.

I dunno. On one hand, he might be the straw that stirs the drink, but on the other hand, he sounds like more of the same with some extra poundage.

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mechaphil

True story, but hey, if this does happen, I'll be proud of Darcy for sticking to his guns, and saying "We need to change something"

Maybe moving Connolly out isn't a bad thing, maybe it is. All I know is, we've won just as many Stanley Cups with him, as we have without him...

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

My personal inclination is that I don't like him (Horton), but I'm also an advocate of getting rid of our current center corps.

Let's see what happens and watch this situation.

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mechaphil

I'm just kinda laughing that I missed this. It's all over the internet. Except Eklund...so it could be true

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

Squanto 7/27/2010

That's a pretty good looking straight up deal... and if it allows us to trade staff and sekera for a tough, aging defender to help anchor Myers and be gone in a year or three I would do that also.

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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.

NNNOOOO!!!!
Do not do this. I hate Horton.
We have enough big bodys with Gaustad, Grier, Rivet, Stafford...we don't need another one.
If we give up Connolly for Horton, we will instantly get worse. So Connolly didn't show up in the playoffs? Who did? Ennis? That's it.
Connolly is talent, something that we dont have a lot of. If Darcy really is discussing this, he better have something else up his sleeve to replace Connolly's talent. Horton is just like Stafford and Torres, except he is a "go to" guy in Florida, just like how Torres was in Columbus. He will fail in Buffalo.

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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 do not agree with this post. We're just gonna let Connolly walk next year after his contract expires, and we have Ennis, Gerbe and maybe even Mancari all ready to make the jump to the big leagues next year. We don't need a 4.5 million sweeper with a penchant for getting hurt holding us back when we can have a big, nasty bruiser who can also get us points. Ennis or Gerbe > Connolly in my opinion.

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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.

If we make this deal, then we'll need a 2nd line center. Can Ennis play center? If so, is it a good idea to have your top 2 forwards so small? Should we go after Madden, Koivu, or Lombardi? Do we try and sign Marleau and slide Roy to the 2nd line?

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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."

Marleau is a better winger than center, so he's off my map. Koivu is my perfect choice, as Madden and Lombardi are better third liners. Ennis is a natural center, but I don't know how he does on the draw (never saw it measured in junior stats).

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mechaphil

Vanek-Roy-Horton

Ennis-Koivu-Pominville

Hecht-Kennedy-Grier

McCormick-Goose-Kaleta

-Gerbe


I like it

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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."

If Horton's contract were lower, than I would be all for this. But trading straight up your best playmaker on the team for a lazy grinder for the same money isn't going to do anything.
Like I said in my earlier post, Horton's numbers are inflated because he is a "go to" guy in Florida. We already made this mistake with Torres. He was our leading goal scorer when he was traded here, but didn't get one goal for us! That's because he was one of Columbus's best players. (besides Nash and Vermette), and didn't fit in with Buffalo because he was overshadowed by Connolly, Pominville, Roy, Vanek, Kennedy, Ennis, and Hecht.
Connolly 4.5>Horton 4.0
Horton 2.0> Connolly 4.5

Trust me. When Horton is underacheiving next year and we're stuck with him until 2015 fpr the same money as Timmy, we're going to be begging to get Connolly back.

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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'd like to see what he could do on a better team. He does seem likes a bit of a hot head, but why not take the chance to move out Connolly, as he let everyone down, and see what happens with Horton. The only thing is, I thought him and Kaleta have a beef with one another that dates back to juniors and seems to surface every time we play Florida. If this also involves getting rid of Kaleta in any way, that I would say no way.

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Rest in Peace Nani. 10/3/10

Gerbacity



"Grier coming in over the line. He leaves it to Gaustad. The shot. THEY SCOOOREE!! RING UP ANOTHER ONE FOR THE GOOSE!!! HONK IF YA HEAR THE GOOSE!! 3-0 BUFFALO!"

I'd be willing to take a long look at it. Given that I only see Florida play 4 times a year, I can't say I'm an expert. I'd rather Stephen Weis for TC.