i know i posted this in the Tampa post game thread.... but I want some more action on it, lol... give me some thoughts... What do you see?

My questions... seriously now....

1 - Do we agree it is time for Timmy to move on? Clearly making more fuck-ups than being productive... Contract ends at the end of the year so he should be moved between now and the trade dead line. Again, Im a huge Timmy homer, but his play has been extremely sub par, especially on the PP... IF Timmy is moved, can Ennis or Gerbe man the 2nd line C? Do you move Goose up until next year when Adam might be ready? Or do we really ride Timmy out?

2- Stafford. Its no secret we started winning once Staff got hurt. I don't like him in the top 6... do you give him another chance? Where do you stick him? Or would you try and move him and keep Ellis up?

3- Rivet, should he be starting any more? I understand he is the captain. And You dont want to send your captain packing. But hasn't Butler looked better? I like the D and depth on the D, so I don't want to really move anyone there. I think D depth is key for a play off run... the question is should Craig be a healthy scratch until an injury occurs?

I do like what I have seen out of the team recently. Roy and TV are on a mission... its great to get those guys going... But i still think there needs to be a little tinkering... Yes, they have shown they can skate with anyone... But the recurring Tim Connley Turn Over Show needs to stop! I just don't think Rivet can keep up any more. And I like how this team plays with out Stafford, so why should he be given yet ANOTHER chance?

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1. Yes. I favor US hockey players and players that make through US hockey training, and he is incredibly talented. So he doesn't really have to do much for me to root for him, but I can't even find a reason to keep him on the team, he's that bad! Ennis could not do worse running the second line. Connolly is not going to be a Sabre next season, so trade him at the deadline when he could have some value to a playoff team that is decimated by injuries.

2. See above. Stafford will be replacef by Kassian next season, so try to move him for an older more talented rental winger from a younger non-playoff team.

3. Butler is better in every aspect of the game. Rivet makes for good depth though, so I would keep him unless Weber is playing at an epic level. In that case send him to a contender looking for depth like the Nucks.



Don't move anybody until the deadline, so let's stop bitching and make these player look good to lazy scouts who read message boards!!

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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

Not sure the boards can help Timmy in any way.... his play certainly doesn't help him... we need one of those epic Darcy fleecing's we haven't seen in some time... come on Darcy, you have one more fleece job in ya... fuck Quinn... get it done... well by the deadline at least...

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All three are good as gone by season's end.

Connolly should have been moved already. Why we keep him around for no reason is up to a higher authority. He still has some trade value.

Stafford, same situation as Connolly, but younger. He cannot dig in and perform at the level he needs to. He needs a change in scenery via trade.

Rivet may stay around until the season's end, then test out as an UFA for the first time.

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Let's go Buffalo!

Connolly WILL NOT be traded, that's a lock. They will end the season with him but let him walk without offering him a new contract. He has absolutely no trade value at all with his play this year. Most players excel when free agency is approaching, but not Timmy. He'll be lucky to have a team match his $4.5 million the Sabres are paying him now.

Do you honestly believe that Stafford is THE player who prevented this team from winning????? I don't see his replacement scoring. The players who are scoring are the ones who would be out there if Stafford was in the line up....Pure coincidence.

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1. In a perfect world, Connolly would be re-signed for $2M per year or less to center the 3rd line and 2nd PP unit. In the real world, Timmy will finish the year, have maybe one hot month, and then be let go. He will probably reject a lot of low-ball free agent offers at first, then will be forced to accept an even lower one because he waited too long.

2. Stafford is showing (limited) signs of his potential this year. With the way Vanek and Roy have been playing, Stafford could do very well if he gets put back on their line. Either way, the $13.5M 2nd line has been doing jack lately and needs to get blown up, but I doubt Stafford is the guy to make the difference. So I don't know what you do with him, except be thankful he's not costing the team a huge contract.

3. Poor Craig Rivet. It's looking like the post-surgery resurgence we had all hoped for is just not happening for him, but I still feel he's an asset to the team and it would be a waste to stuff him in the press box all season. Maybe there's a spot for him on the coaching staff?

Hecht came on very strong when staff was out... Roy Ennis TV also came on while Staffard was out. and ellis seemed to help out the lower lines... I wouldn't call that coincidence. I'd call that getting Ennis where he belongs (Top 6)... and not sure what got into Hecht but he has been playing pretty solid hockey... Id say Stafford being out has helped the chemistry of the team and allowed players to be in better position given their talent....

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Please, please keep Stafford away from the top 6... PLEASE at least keep him out of the Top 3... I like what REV have done, why break that up to give Stafford yet another chance to meet his potential...

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who is going to take these guys? think we, the fans, are the only people aware these guys are struggling this season?

moving these players would get less of a return then the sabres would want, and you dont get better moving a player just for the sake of moving a player.

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I think Rivet should stay for the season, I like him for depth on the D....

Timmy i just cant stand seeing the turn over show any more and he'll probably not be offered a contract at the end off the year, so you send him at the dead line or ride him out

Stafford, i just see the team play better with out him, so sit his ass in the press box then...

Do you see the current roster being a cup contender?

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no, and the players the sabres could get in return for these 3 arnt going to change that either.

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If i'm Regier, I pull the trigger to bring in Penner for Stafford and Butler + a pick (2nd rounder, and why not, Darcy gives them away at the deadline anyways).
Edmonton needs a young, stay at home type D man. And Stafford is a good RW addition for them at a reasonable price.

I then trade Connolly and Rivet for draft picks or prospects to who ever will pay the most.
Call up Luke Adam to replace Connolly at Center on line 2 and put Ennis on the LW.

Vanek - Roy - Penner
Ennis - Adam - Pomminville

There you go, shed salary with moving Connolly, Stafford and Rivet, brought in an ELC in Luke Adam and added Penner's 4.25 mil. Its a cost savings for the team and actually puts a better product on the ice IMHO.

Will Regier do this? Of course not, he's in love with his players, but it should be done none the less.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Connolly doesn't garner much at the deadline. Maybe a later round pick from a team looking to fill an injury hole. That being said, I'd take anything to get him off the roster. He's just a waste of space. He knows he'll never make this kind of money again, and I really think he's playing not to get hurt.

Nobody takes Rivet. Nobody.

Probably right about Rivet. But I have to think someone will give something for Connolly, and a later round pick would be in the realm unfortunately.
But ya, getting him off the roster would be a plus at this point and time, he's actually a detrement to the team now.

Sad really, becuase I can see Roy and Vanek really trying to get it done out there, they just need the other lines to chip in on the score sheet in a more regular fashion.

Meh, who knows, I'll keep watching them, they did pull off a little run there for a few games, and ya never know when or if the light switch will go on with this club.

Just out of curiousity, any word on Miller and the time he'll miss?

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

This is the question I always ask:

If Connolly is such a terrible player for the Sabres (which I think he is), why would another team give up anything to get him?

These other teams watch these games. If fans can see that Connolly is terrible, the professionals surely can.

Well, other teams GM's may value him differently than we do.
I keep asking myself why Sutter and Sather still hold GM positions in the NHL. Hehehe.
Can we find someone to take him?
I think we can, I'd rather he go in a package though to grab a player (Penner and Hemsky come to mind obviously due to Edmontons woes).

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Hecht has 2 goals, 3 assists and is a -4 with a 3.2 shooting percentage for the season. I wouldn't say he has "come on very strong." I do concede that Ennis has turned it up a few notches and is playing well in place of Stafford. I just think that since Roy and Vanek are clicking now that if you put Stafford in there he would follow suit. I am probably wrong and he could tank like Connolly but I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. I could see blaming him if his line sucked but just about everyone on the team was horrible before Stafford got hurt. You can not solely blame the whole teams issues on one guy.

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Stafford has never gotten going when playing with Roy and Vanek, even when those two have been going well.

Nothing leads me to believe that he would start now.

Stafford had 4 goals and 4 assists with a 9.1 shooting percentage in just 14 games. For 14 games I would say that isn't all that bad compared to some others on this team who have played all 22 but have much lower stats. Stafford was streaky in the past but so was Roy. Roy is probably the most consistent player on the team this season when it comes to forwards.

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The thing with Stafford, we all know his shortcomings, but he's probably the best scorer we have behind Vanek and Roy (which is really depressing).

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