I'm not saying pay the guy 4 million when you sign him. I'm saying you can't let him walk if an offer sheet is thrown at him, based on our current lineup and the trends of the NHL.

Drew is right on pace in terms of his progression as an NHL player. Power forwards take longer to develop than skill players.

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Wheelhouse

I'm afraid of being hosed though. If this trend continues and he plays hot for the rest of the season, I have very little trouble, based on his past play, thinking he'd return to the shadows and dissapear. If he was more reliable and had a better track record then I'm on the Staff train, but just a month ago we were all saying "Where the fuck is Stafford?" so going from a general agreement that he wouldn't be a big loss if we didn't resign him to suddenly (after one month of good play) saying he's a must sign is a bit too much for me to swallow. I respect what you're saying, I'm just not buying into him yet is all.

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Calling Stafford a guy with a scoring touch you can rely on is a overreaction. He played 26 games this season and looked good but that doesn't offset the previous years where he didn't play like a power forward at all.
We shouldn't use Pominville's contract as a benchmark, he is obviously overpaid like many Sabres.

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Agreed. To be concidered a "power" forward, don't you have to actually use your big frame to hit people and impact the play? I mean, being big is one thing but when you are classed into the Kotz school of limp wristedness....are you actually a "power" forward?

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Stafford is 6'2", 215 pounds. That's about 10 pounds under power forward territory.

The fear of being hosed is definitely there. I see what you're saying.

My thinking is, the risk reward factor outweighs what you're facing if you let Stafford head out.

I actually don't think our wingers are too bad. Pominville, Stafford, Vanek... now with Adam and Ennis learning and growing.

What we need badly are some talented centers. We've got Connolly off the books at the end of this season, along with Grier, Neidermayer, Rivet, Lalime, and McCormick.

That gives us some room to make some additions, as well as retain Stafford if it comes down to something like that.

This is all hypothetical anyways, and it probably won't happen. But I'd have a hard time letting Stafford walk for anything 4 million per and under, based on his age, his style of play, and the way the NHL is trending.

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Wheelhouse

Looks like a power forward, plays like a power forward.

Lindy's said he's one of the strongest guys on the team.

But he's not a power forward because he's 215 and not 225?

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Wheelhouse

Does not play like a power forward. Has never played like a power forward.

EDIT: I'm not saying get rid of the guy. I'm saying that keeping him at this hypothetical $4M number is lubricious.

Stafford's performance can't be explained with development. He played consistent over the last years where he didn't match the expectations. His performance increased suddenly due to an excellent preparation for the season. He did that 1 out of 4 times.
I'm against overpaying players just because you are anxious what might happen without him or who you will find as a replacement.

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I'm not sure pommers 5.3 million should be used as any sort of measuring stick...I mean, personally, I think dude is amazingly overpaid. How darcy gave him so much is beyond me. Does anyone really think Pommers is worth that much?

It's not about anxiety. It's about what I think he's capable of.

It wasn't just his preparation this season. He's also learning the game.

He's taking quite a few more shots than he used to. He's going to the scoring areas with more determination.

He's getting paid 2 million per as it is right now. He's probably looking at a 3 million per year contract being offered from the Sabres as it is.

Do you really think they're going to let him walk for an additional million per if it's offered? I don't.

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Wheelhouse

I only bring up Pommers because he was brought up earlier in the thread as someone who never gets criticized for his performance. If he's not good enough with what he makes, why should Stafford make almost as much for doing less?

Pommers was worth it when he got that contract. You can't argue 34 goals the year before, and 80 points the year he got that contract.

He earned the contract, just hasn't lived up to it since he acquired it.

To be honest, not Darcy's fault he hasn't lived up to the contract given to him, that was the year both Roy and Pommers put up 80 points also.

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Can we stop with this? Stafford has played in almost 300 NHL games. He's not some rookie still feeling his way around.

You never stop learning things about the game when you play it. Never.

He's made better decisions with and away from the puck all season.

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Wheelhouse

Him taking more shots and being in the scoring areas has a lot to do with his physical shape. He skates faster and is rewarded with more scoring opportunities. I think most of it is a result of his work in the summer. Just my opinion.

Paying people for what they might be capable of is too much of a risk for me. I think contracts should be earned over a period of time (more than half a season).

I want Stafford to stay because I've always liked him but I don't want him under all circumstances. I can live with 3m or less. If someone throws 4m at him, I'd let him walk, try to find somebody else for that kind of money and be happy about 3 draft picks.

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I never said that you stop learning. I'm saying that framing Stafford as a wide eyed kid playing with the big boys for the first time is totally BS.

Stafford is having a good season. I'm happy for him. I hope that he takes a reasonable offer and continues his current play for the next couple seasons.

What I absolutely dispute is your assertion that he's worth keeping if offered $4M on an offer sheet. He's not. If he can't be kept for a price in line with what he's done in his career, and what a reasonable expectation of progress going forward, then you take your picks and move on.

Agree to disagree then.

I think you'd have to be an idiot to let Stafford leave the Sabres with 1 scoring forward with size.

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Wheelhouse

A power forward is someone who is big and mixes his offensive skills with being physical. When the hell is Stafford physical? When does he hit? When does he **gasp** fight? He plays the classic offensive forward and (to me) plays like he's an average sized guy. Maybe I'm missing this physical play sometime between bathroom breaks and trip to the kitchen but outside of the rare instance of grit....I ain't seeing it.

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I'm curious now. Let's say Stafford ends the season with 36 goals & 57 points in 67 games. How much money would a team need to offer him that you'd let him walk?

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