He's had nothing BUT poor performances in the playoffs up to this point in his career, and people want him back.

You can say the same thing for everyone but Miller and Vanek since 2008, I don't think that should have much to do with wanting him back. We're weak all through the center position...

Roy - getting back in gear but only one year left on his contract.
Ennis - don't know if he will or should be a top-two center yet.
Hodgson - same thing but probably has more promise as a top-two center.
Leino - who knows, but if he plays center it won't and shouldn't be in a top-two role.
Adam - another mystery, is it his work ethic or another case of Ruff crushing a rookie?
McCormick/Ellis - serviceable in a 4th line role only.

So with the surest long term option at center being a guy we just picked up three days ago, it's not a bad idea to consider bringing back a solid 3rd/4th line center who knows the ropes already. If nothing changes beyond draft day, I'd say it's a pretty good idea to try and re-sign Gaustad at roughly a 3 mil cap hit.

I'd only want Gaustad as a 4th line center, and 3 million per season is too much for one of those.

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Wheelhouse

+1

I'm not about to gush about Gaustad and say he's a necessary piece down the road, but he's not simply a 4th line C either. He can play the wing, faceoffs obviously, good/great Pker, and be a last minute guy to protect a lead. If he was just a 4th line C he wouldn't have had a big market at the deadline.

All that said, it would be really nice if Buffalo could pick up a player with those skills that doesn't cost 3 mil per. Problem is there's nobody in the organization like that, and the only cheaper UFA option like that is Jeff Halpern who isn't as good, or John Madden who's pretty much done at his age. Jason Arnott would be a great pick-up, but he probably won't consider Buffalo for a second and he's earned himself a bigger contract after his season in StL.

we need a guy like goose. faceoffs are an underrated aspect of the game anymore.

I respectfully disagree. On a favorite Stanley Cup Contender, he's a 4th line center. Lets take a look at the cup contenders and see who their top 3 centers are when healthy:

Pittsburg:
Crosby
Malkin
Staal

NYR:
Stepan
Richards
Dubinsky

Boston:
Seguin
Krejci
Bergeron

Detroit:
Datsyuk
Zetterberg
Filppula

When the Sabres went to the ECF in 06 and 07:
Briere
Drury
Roy

You have to have skill and shutdown abilities at center if you want to win. 15-20 point guys who play center are typically on the 4th line. Not saying it can't be done with them on the 3rd line, but if that's going to be the case, your top 2 lines better be pretty stacked offensively, as is the case in Vancouver with Pahlsson playing their 3rd line center position.

The one thing I would be tempted to do is bring Gaustad back as a wing. This team needs more size on the forecheck, and some of Gaustad's best play while he was a Sabre came while he was playing at wing.

Centers need to have vision and great passing ability. Those aren't Goose's strong points. Power forwards need to be fearless and have a nose for the net and a strong work ethic. Those ARE Goose's strong points. You can also still have him take draws and kill penalties.

What the Sabres could look like next season:
Vanek-Roy-Pominville
Leino-Hodgson-Stafford
Foligno-Ennis-Gaustad
Tropp-Ellis-Kaleta

With a projected cap space of about 6 million, I'd rather say forget about Gaustad and take a run at Parise for a long term contract. Then, the lines could look like this:

Vanek-Roy-Pominville
Parise-Hodgson-Stafford
Leino-Ennis-Gerbe
Tropp-Ellis-Kaleta

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Wheelhouse

i'm not arguing your point, but i am pointing out that this is wrong in 06. roy almost always played on dru's wing.

Hecht-Briere-Pominville
Roy-Drury-Grier
Kotalik-Connolly-Dumont

True. Forgot about that. Still, at that point in time, the way Connolly was playing, that's 3 nasty centers with offensive talent.

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Wheelhouse

PSP, I totally agree that on a true Cup contender Gaustad should be a 4th line C. I wasn't arguing that he should be a 3rd line C, only saying that he can fill in there if need be. My point was that he isn't simply a 4th line C, and you agree about his value as a faceoff man and potential at wing...so we pretty much agree.

We can use Gaustad or a player very much like him, but finding another one at under 3 mil per is unlikely. So depending on how the center position looks after the draft, I'm sure Regier will consider him as an option. Doesn't mean we "need" him though.

Anyone thinking about breaking up the Ennis-Hodgson-Stafford line should not be allowed to post suggestions on lines.

With how they've played these past two games, you keep that line together and they will score bunches. Ennis is the true playmaker on that line with Hodgson and Stafford the shooter. Just watch.

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Hodgson is more of the in-between guy on that line. He can make plays as much as he can score. Staff is your scorer, and Ennis is your playmaker, but that shouldn't take away from Hodgson's ability.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Yea I've noticed that with him, I think he's just more of a shooter right now.

Honestly, Ennis can be both, he could score in Juniors. I hope they stay together for the rest of the year.

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That's a little extreme. It's only been two games, and I have a hard time believing a guy like Parise couldn't do better than Ennis at playing wing with Hodgson. He's a very gifted goal scorer; a natural finisher. He and Drew Stafford are buddies too, and they're going to want to play together.

Ennis is a very gifted center, and putting him there gives you an extremely talented team down the center of the ice, which is not easy for any team in this league to do.

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Wheelhouse

So, we get rid of Roy in the off-season. CoHo moves up to 1st line center and Ennis is then 2nd line center. Wings are easier to determine, right?

Whatever, since we got rid of Roy this way we should all be happy.

I doubt Roy's going anywhere. I have a hard time believing Darcy moves him as he approaches a contract year, unless we can get some kind of return at center back.

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Wheelhouse

To me with the way our team is playing right now and hopefully in the future you don't break up that line. With how many chances they have had so far why mess with anything good like that, especially if they start to really give us offense.

I know what I said is extreme, but I believe these guys should be together for awhile. Post up your line suggestions all you want, I'm just going to think you're an idiot if you break those guys up though. Fair warning ok?

I also do not believe Parise is gonna come here. New Jersey has serious cap space next year and can easily afford Parise. He's making 6 million this year already. 22 million in cap space next year. And no way Broduer will make 5.2 million if he stays next year either. Another thing is Elias is due 6 million next year also, he is also 35 right now. I also don't see him signing for that much if he stays there either. He knows this too. More than enough reason to see Parise doesn't leave Jersey.

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Haha fair enough. I think you're an idiot if you miss the importance of being deep at center.

Wingers are easier to come by. If we can't land Parise, try to make a run at Nash. I'm sure Columbus would love some first round picks. If it's not Nash, it's somebody else.

If you can find a way to bring a guy with Ennis like talent to play third line center, I'm all ears. But that's not nearly as easy as bringing in talented wingers.

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Wheelhouse

I agree also, it is always good to be deep at center.

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I'd put Parise between Vanek and Pomminville, or if he wants between Vanek and Stafford. But Pommers can pass the puck well so IDK. It'd be a pretty tough decision.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.