We had a really good draft, with Grigorenko being a possibility to make the club. But I think we need to take a 2nd look at how this team is going to look. We often talk in terms of "top two" scoring lines and a 3rd "checking line" and a 4th "energy line". With the players on the roster right now, and with only 11 back-to-backs, I expect Ruff to be rolling three generally equal scoring lines and then fill in with a 4th line as needed. There won't necessarily be a "checking" line.

Vanek-Hodgson-Tropp/UFA? is definitely a scoring line, and hopefully an upgrade can be found with more scoring ability than Tropp. Leino-Roy-Pominville is a good two-way line, and Foligno-Ennis-Stafford is a not very defensive line that can feast on lesser match-ups and offensive zone starts. Then we have Gerbe-McCormick/Ellis-Kaleta to pick up the other 5-6 minutes of ES play.

We're still very deep on defense (barring more injuries), but might need a winger for Vanek-Hodgson, a 4th line center upgrade, and possibly a center upgrade over Roy. Rather than ask about any specific player to target in trade or UFA (offer examples if you want), what do people think is the next position Regier should try to improve?

Why split up Pominville and Vanek for?

If you keep Vanek-Hodgson-Pominville together you then have Foligno-Ennis-Stafford together and you put Leino-Roy-Tropp together.

Hodgson will compliment his two wingers nicely if you keep them together. Just as they showed last year how good they are together.

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Split them up? Ruff already split them up in February. When the team finally got their shit together those lines I listed were in place. The only line that struggled was Vanek-Hodgson-Tropp. Vanek was hurt and/or just struggling, Hodgson was still adapting to his two-way responsibilities (he got over 80% offensive zone starts in Van, 50% in Buffalo), and Tropp plays hard and forechecks fairly well, but has no scoring or playmaking ability.

The idea going into this season, carrying over from the end of last season, is to have three balanced scoring lines. Leino-Roy-Tropp doesn't cut it. A healthy Vanek and a settled in Hodgson could carry Tropp and still cut it as long as he works hard on the boards. It would be a legit top scoring line though if a more talented player took his place (Parise, Ryan, even Grigorenko maybe).

Tropp is a 4th line player and we should be looking for an upgrade. I hope we've seen the last of Derek Roy in our uniform.

Ott would be a huge difference maker on this team. He can put up numbers and he can also play in virtually every situation on the ice. I have absolutely no problem trading Roy for Ott's rights. Roy will be gone via free agency next offseason anyways might as well try and add something that'd help us out. Other than Ott I believe Doan or Hudler be pretty good pickups. But if I were Darcy I'd put most if not all of my attention on Ott right now.

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"If you want to know what I've been doing lately, I've been driving around from Tim Horton's to Tim Horton's, rolling up the rim. Haven't won anything yet. Thanks." - Lindy Ruff

Tropp is a good fighter, good energy guy, and good for 20-30 points a year (i would guess).

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

To me a legit scoring line is Pominville with Vanek and Hodgson, three guys on the ice who can score and help each other out. And I saw plenty of that line after we got Hodgson also.

And our third line doesn't need to be a "scoring" line either. If they can chip in goals then it would be good. But I want proven players on our top two lines.

That's just me though, put the scrub players on the third and fourth lines and actually have the good players on the top two lines.

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Thank you for listening Darcy!!!!

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"If you want to know what I've been doing lately, I've been driving around from Tim Horton's to Tim Horton's, rolling up the rim. Haven't won anything yet. Thanks." - Lindy Ruff

Ott's highest point total ever was 46. He most likely will only reach around 30-40 next season if he's lucky. He is also a very dirty player. Don't get why you're so pumped about it.

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

Cuz we needed a player like this. It's not like Roy got more than 30-40 PTS last 2 seasons. Ya he's a dirty player. He's just a much better Kaleta. It's not the point totals I'm pumped about. I'm pumped about the fact we've got one of the if not the best player in the NHL at what he does. He can play in every area of the game. He can hit, fight, put up solid numbers and agitate with the best of them. All fans in western conference are happy to see this guy leave because they hate playing against him. Not sure why your not pumped? Add to the fact that we rid ourselves of Roy and free up some salary.

I believe this isn't Darcy's last trade this summer. We've got a lot of "NHL READY" defensemen.

Myers
Sulzer
Ehrhoff
Pardy
Regher
Sekera
McNabb
Leopold
Brennan (looks like he can make the jump)

So ya Darcy's got something cooking.

But anyways you've got your opinion of Ott and I've got mine.

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"If you want to know what I've been doing lately, I've been driving around from Tim Horton's to Tim Horton's, rolling up the rim. Haven't won anything yet. Thanks." - Lindy Ruff

Ott has mainly played LW, but takes a ton of draws. I think his faceoff ability and his toughness makes for a good fit with Vanek and Hodgson...Ott-Hodgson-Vanek. Ott can pass and score better than Tropp, so unless another move is made like getting Bobby Ryan, I think that's where Ott should play.

As for defense, jammerz even forget to list Weber, and there's still Pysyk for maybe next year. So I'd like to think any of Brennan, Leopold, Pysyk, Pardy, or even Sekera could be used as trade bait for either Ryan or a bigger and physical center to slot between Leino and Pominville. We'll find out shortly after Parise gets off his big stage.

We added toughness, which is what I'm glad about. No more pushing the Sabres around.

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The whole thing is that this is a minor move. He is just a bit more of a hitter/fighter than Kaleta and is a 3rd line player. Not something to be pumped up about. I guess it's a good move but it's still a minor move.

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

I don't think it's all that minor. The way I see it, trading Roy opens up doors for Ennis and Hodgson to take on extra responsibility, which may backfire. At the same time, it's the chance you have to take.

I know you've never subscribed to the whole "Sabres are better without Roy" theory, but I really don't think it's any coincidence that they got their crap together after he got injured in 2010-2011, even that was an excellent year for Roy up until his injury.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

--double post--

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This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

In terms of what's next...I sure hope that Pardy guy is part of a trade. Obviously we don't need a $2 million #9 or #10 rated D-man. So maybe this means Darcy's looking to deal with a team trying to get to the salary floor?

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This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

I have no idea what is next, but I have faith that Darcy isn't finished just yet. He can't be. We still need a guy in the middle that can make plays/put the puck in the net. With as many D as we currently have on the roster, I think we're moving one, maybe two of them. Darcy already said at this point in time, 'Nabber will likely be in Rochacha next season (I agree with this just to not bring him up too early #Onemoreyear) I don't see us in the hunt for Nash, but a Bobby Ryan, for the right deal, I think so. Who knows? All I know is I have full faith that Darcy & Co. are going to make the right moves to make this a better/stronger/tougher Sabres team next year. Most of the "Core" are gone, which proves that the team isn't married to a certain group of players.

Sit back, grab a beer and enjoy the ride, folks. I think things are only going to get better from here...

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

Ott is as good as Gaustad on faceoffs, as much of an agitator as Kaleta, and has more offensive abilities than Hecht.

What's the problem here?

He's a dirty asshole and we took on a lot of cap. He's a Patrick Kaleta with 40 points a year, if he's lucky. A major move would be aquiring a legit 2nd liner or a 1st liner. Steve Ott? He's not going to make MUCH of a difference. I like the trade, but it's not all we're going to do and it's certainly not "big".

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

If he's a dirty asshole, would you rather he played for you, or against you?

I know it's not a major trade, but it's a step in the right direction. The original core is done here. The time is now to transition to the future of the team.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

It's big enough, for now. Kaleta, as I've opined before, is marginally useful at best. A handful of points, oft injured, and now a mediocre agitator (mainly due to people catching on to his shit, but he also doesn't have the size to lay the agitating LEGAL hits).

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