Dreakon, you're not the only one doing it, but why does six games enable people to make such sweeping judgements? I understand the frustration with Connolly even if I don't agree, but six games (playoffs or not) is nothing to base the decision that Ennis is a sure top two forward next season. He certainly has the potential and is going to be eased into that role as necessary, but he shouldn't be thrown into that position by default in the off-season. Do we really have to review all the impressive rookie seasons from around the league, over the years, that turned into mediocre careers???

Ennis could be impressive, even really good, but let's not be tossing away known talent and handing an open spot on a platter to a rookie over six games.

Ennis may not be great on face-off's but he's a player like Briere that plays better in the center position imo. Having him as our second line center next year would be good imo. There will obviously be bumps along the way but he should be there instead of Connolly. I am all for this deal. I've always liked Horton. I'm too lazy to write wats on my mind, but when I look at the deal in place and think about the way Darcy is and I think about some things that have been said regarding stanley cup teams and players on cheap ELC contracts, I think if this deal goes through we are looking at a trip to the finals in 2012/13 2013/14. One of those two years. That's my prediction if it happens. For what its worth after we lost Briere and Dru I posted a topic saying we would be back in 3 seasons. And sure enough we won the divvy and had a dissapointing season that left a bad taste in our mouths.

PS sorry for this mess of a post, I'm more baked than I thought I was.

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


Eh

I would trade Connolly for Nathan Horton in a heart beat. The article says that Dale Tallon likes both Connolly and Roy and says he wants to match up a bigger center with Weiss. But, the article fails to mention that their hc Peter DeBoer coached Roy the season when they won the memorial cup. I think DeBoer would want Roy back with him to truly develop him the best way. Just saying.

I wouldn't do Roy for Horton though. Horton has been known to play lazy, like a Stafford but i am a strong believer that a lot of people who play in a empty barn for years and for a team that just does not make playoffs, would become lazy. Horton grew up in Ontario, Canada and home wouldn't be far away. I think he'd do a great job here, especially in a contract season.

GoSabres- Kassian? He still has 1 more year in juniors, and then will probably play in the AHL for a season, because thats just the way Sabres like to develop their guys. Tyler Myers made the jump but thats a rarity. Don't expect it often and a player like Kassian, i doubt they will move him up. Even Ennis played almost the entire year in Portland. And who knows, if he makes it, he may be a very solid 3rd line player. Horton, will go straight to the Vanek/Roy line at the very top.

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Impossible Is Nothing.

Horton is a center, he wouldnt be playing with Roy and Vanek unless either Roy or Horton moved to wing, which would totally defeat the purpose of swapping centers....

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"I can't really hear what Jeremy says, because I got my two Stanley Cup Rings plugging my ears...." -Patrick Roy in reference to Jeremy Roenick's trash talking

Weiss and Horton have been playing on the same line together forever, and Weiss was centering them. So Horton has been playing wing for years.

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mechaphil

Yeah, Horton is still listed as 'C' on some websites, but he's been playing RW for a while.

Did not know this, touche friend, touche. But who does that leave as second line center? Auto plug-in of Ennis most likely?

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"I can't really hear what Jeremy says, because I got my two Stanley Cup Rings plugging my ears...." -Patrick Roy in reference to Jeremy Roenick's trash talking

Right, and that's what I'm afraid of. I want him to be worked in over the next year and potentially fill the gap when Connolly's contract runs out. I think with a good summer by Regier, that Buffalo will be good enough for a Cup run, but not with a rookie holding down a top two center spot with PP and PK duties.

We all know Ennis is going to make the team next year. Darcy wants him to keep working hard and know that a spot isn't handed to him, but you don't come up, get like 9 points in 10 regular season games and 4 points in 6 (very physical) playoff games on a team that was dropping the ball left and right and not get your fair shot on the team.

That said, where will he be? Which will help a small but talented rookie with a good head get into the NHL, on the 3rd or 4th line with the bangers getting 10 minutes a game? I dunno about that, I have to think playing 1st or 2nd line minutes with the guys like him that can actually pop in those passes of his and teach him a thing or two. These are the guys he's going to be playing with through (hopefully) a good chunk of his career and probably wouldn't hurt to start building chemistry with.

Maybe Connolly isn't the right guy to make room for him, and maybe Horton isn't the right guy to bring in, but the truth is we gotta do something, because this is a team that should've won that series against Boston, but didn't solely because the lack of production and motivation out of our top 6. Blow that shit up, dump the biggest disappointment and bring in a big, reasonably talented guy who may be a little bit of a risk. Horton could go one of two ways, flourish on a team that provides him with talented linemates and a challenge/goal (like experiencing playoff hockey) or sink into lazy mediocrity because he's finally forced to live up to expectations he can't meet. I bet none of us know well enough about him to really determine that he's immediately the laziest SOB on the team, just like none of us really know that he's actually a big hothead with great hands and enough talent to man the first line on a playoff-bound team. That's the risk, and I dunno, I think I wanna take a risk for once as a Sabres fan.

I understand the uneasiness about dumping a guy we know will get 50-60+ points over the course of the season for the rookie, and you're absolutely right that maybe it isn't the smartest and safest move ever. But sometimes the smartest and safest moves aren't the moves that make a deep playoff team... and I'm just talking on a forum, so I'll probably end up saying a lot of silly ideas. That's why I don't GM any teams outside of my Xbox 360.


EDIT: Oh, and dumping Connolly for Horton doesn't immediately mean Ennis plays top line minutes right away. Horton could very easily be placed on the top line, or perhaps centering or playing the wing on the second line while we reunite Roy and Vanek on the first. Then for the wings we would just place Pominville, Stafford and maybe Kennedy or Ennis randomly throughout. However, I think it'd be a mistake putting Ennis on the 3rd or 4th line. I think that and some growing pains for Kennedy really screwed up his development because he spent more time trying to be a banger then actually honing his skill, I wouldn't want the same to happen to Ennis.

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Personally, the Sabres need to add to their center depth and not subtract from it.

Connolly & Roy were both more productive when they weren't the 1/2 centers on the roster.

If they deal say Connolly for Horton, then I think the Sabres need to get 2 1st/2nd line calibre centers this off season.

Good luck with that......

Ennis-TBD-Vanek
Hecht-Roy-Pominville
Kennedy-TBD-Horton
Kaleta-Gaustad-Grier

I wouldn't mind that line up if they were to plug in a couple of good centers. The dream would be a guy like Brad Richards for the 1st line and Matt Cullen for the 3rd.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

I don't think it will be straight up. i think florida will want a young defenseman as well. As well i think it would almost be worth it to over pay for "Inglorious Backes," than take a risk that Horton coming to buffalo will get him to live up to his potential.

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It's sad that as long as Quinn is in charge Regier will be here, and as long as Regier is here Ruff is here. Say hello to more years of mediocrity Buffalo. However it is urged that you don't accept it.

RIP K.E.G. 3-16-2004

I'll drink to that mate. I'd love to see a re-done version of the Inglourious Backes tee with the Sabres logo if he landed here, too!

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mechaphil

horton to the sabres rumours have been around since the dawn of time, as have derek morris rumours as well.

i wont mind it happening, but TC was a point per game player last season, and he wasnt the only sabre to play invisible against boston. id rather see several other players moved before hand.

but if it happens, it happens. im doubting it at this point though.

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Seems to me that the info on Horton moving is very solid, but the writer just made a guess about Buffalo being a trade partner.

With the change at GM and the ownership telling their fans at the end of last season that there would be major changes, any reports of pretty much any one on the Panthers has a shot at coming true.

I would be stunned if Kulikov or Markstrom got dealt. But beyond that.......

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

Well Tallon has already said Vokoun is not going anywhere, so I'd consider him safe, too.

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mechaphil

Is there any way we could expand this trade and get Stephen Weiss as well? We'd need a center to replace Connolly, and Weiss has a really reasonable cap hit.

We could trade them some draft picks and prospects along with Connolly, but I would have no clue how much it would take to get Weiss. Are they even interested in moving him?

Florida doesn't want to move Weiss, and I doubt they will.

That's what I figured... But if we did trade Connolly or Roy, we would need a center to replace them, and I can't think of any off the top of my head...

I just got a text from a semi-reliable source that Horton and prospect Drew Shore to Buffalo for Connolly and 2 3rd round picks. (ours and atlantas)

Interesting...very interesting.

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

Squanto 7/27/2010