So what does this team still need?

[BlackMetalNinja]

Are we all in agreement that we'd like to see a solid D-man signed (though I still question this, I like Paetsch and think he could easily take over for Kalinin and Teppo is already re-signed...) as well as a forward with some good size who is willing to take and throw some checks, and maybe add a touch of scoring?

Is that what everybody else is looking for too? Not that there is necessarily a lot of players left that fit the bill...

[The King]

Leadership on Defense, I am looking for someone either to step and provide the leadership that Fletch did or the emotion that Spikes did. If their is no one in the locker room capable of doing it we need to bring someone else in.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Leadership on Defense, I am looking for someone either to step and provide the leadership that Fletch did or the emotion that Spikes did. If their is no one in the locker room capable of doing it we need to bring someone else in.

Hate to break it to you Bedard, but you're in the wrong locker room all together for the question I'm asking!

[The King]

HA. see how slow it is. I am creating my own conversations.

[ddaryl]

We need a bonafide experienced playmaker to replace the loss of 2 of our own.

[Philagape]

I'm thinking we need a bona fide All-Star caliber playmaker, someone to feed our snipers like Pominville ... someone who we don't have to worry is one concussion away from an ended career.
Also, we need a real leader ... someone who's a good two-way center and goal scorer. Having won a Stanley Cup would be great, too.
Add a tough, physical forward as well.

Oh wait ... :doh:

[BlackMetalNinja]

I'm thinking we need a bona fide All-Star caliber playmaker, someone to feed our snipers like Pominville ... someone who we don't have to worry is one concussion away from an ended career.
Also, we need a real leader ... someone who's a good two-way center and goal scorer. Having won a Stanley Cup would be great, too.
Add a tough, physical forward as well.

Oh wait ... :doh:

You guys are so tiresome... They're gone, I'm trying to point out what we might get now instead... I don't need to hear we need Drury and Briere, that's f'n obvious.

[Dude]

This team needs a new front office.

Other than that I'd say everything is peachy.

Oh, yeah - except for that whole "losing the heart and soul of the franchise" thing.

[don137]

We need guys that are good at faceoffs. Drury was one of the best in the league and Briere was decent. Roy absolutely sucks in faceoffs.
We need some bangers up front. The offense is too soft. Drury and Goose are great at sacrificing the body in front of the net. With Drury gone that leaves Goose. Connolly will try to avoid confrontation so he does not get hurt and Roy falls when someone in the stands sneezes.
We need a banger and a guy willing to block shots on defense.

[Philagape]

This team needs a new front office.

:10:

[Michael82]

Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Danius Zubrus, Mike Grier, and for Kalinin and Kotalik to be traded or benched.


:sigh:

[BlackMetalNinja]

Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Danius Zubrus, Mike Grier, and for Kalinin and Kotalik to be traded or benched.


:sigh:

You guys are really starting to make me not want to visit this section of the site anymore... this is the epitome of beating a dead horse.

[Philagape]

That dead horse deserves many more beatings

[Michael82]

This team needs a new front office.

Other than that I'd say everything is peachy.

Oh, yeah - except for that whole "losing the heart and soul of the franchise" thing.
Great post! :bf1:

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

I would think the Sabres need the following:

1. Another center - The depth that we have right now isn't good enough if they want to "roll four lines" like they have been doing. Two of the centers missed most of the year last year with injury. There will always be the thought that Connolly takes another good hit in the melon and he will be done forever. Another thing that is going to hurt this team is faceoffs. Over their careers:

Tim Connolly is around 50% last year, but has been lower in his career.
Derek Roy is around 45%
Gaustad becomes your top faceoff guy, something like 60%
Adam Mair is about 45%

Best centers available are:
1. Peter Forsberg - who even knows if he is coming back and if he does he wouldn't be cheap.
2. Alexei Yashin - I know a lot of you hate this guy and he has a reputation, but I for one think if he goes to the right team he will be a good player. On the Sabres he doesn't have to be the center of attention and can just roll with Pomminville and Hecht in a regular shift role. His faceoff percentage isn't the best, but he brings size and skill to play on the PP.
3. Mike Peca - We all know the type of player Peca is.
4. Eric Lindros - The old concussion jokes still apply, but the fact of the matter is Lindros has been pretty much an injury issue for the past five years. He has only played in like half the games during the season and he might just be to slow for this team.


Other players that are available (not much): Glen Metropolit, Mike York. Jan Bulis

The Sabres stated that they want to get tougher, so I would assume they need to be tougher in their own end:

1. Danny Markov
2. Brent Sopel

or go with potential help on the PP: Bryan Berard

Other players that I wouldn't be upset if they signed, nothing to expensive, but there could be an upside:

1. Jeff O'Neill - He did score 20 goals last year on a fairly poor team. He was definitely affected by his brother's death, but there is a possibility that he can find that scoring touch on this team, in this system. He scored over 30 goals three times.
2. Jeff Friesen
3. Jamie Lunmark

The truth of the matter is the time to improve this team through free agents is pretty much over. The way it is looking, the only way this team can improve is through a trade.

[BlackMetalNinja]

I would think the Sabres need the following:

1. Another center - The depth that we have right now isn't good enough if they want to "roll four lines" like they have been doing. Two of the centers missed most of the year last year with injury. There will always be the thought that Connolly takes another good hit in the melon and he will be done forever. Another thing that is going to hurt this team is faceoffs. Over their careers:

Tim Connolly is around 50% last year, but has been lower in his career.
Derek Roy is around 45%
Gaustad becomes your top faceoff guy, something like 60%
Adam Mair is about 45%

Best centers available are:
1. Peter Forsberg - who even knows if he is coming back and if he does he wouldn't be cheap.
2. Alexei Yashin - I know a lot of you hate this guy and he has a reputation, but I for one think if he goes to the right team he will be a good player. On the Sabres he doesn't have to be the center of attention and can just roll with Pomminville and Hecht in a regular shift role. His faceoff percentage isn't the best, but he brings size and skill to play on the PP.
3. Mike Peca - We all know the type of player Peca is.
4. Eric Lindros - The old concussion jokes still apply, but the fact of the matter is Lindros has been pretty much an injury issue for the past five years. He has only played in like half the games during the season and he might just be to slow for this team.


Other players that are available (not much): Glen Metropolit, Mike York. Jan Bulis

The Sabres stated that they want to get tougher, so I would assume they need to be tougher in their own end:

1. Danny Markov
2. Brent Sopel

or go with potential help on the PP: Bryan Berard

Other players that I wouldn't be upset if they signed, nothing to expensive, but there could be an upside:

1. Jeff O'Neill - He did score 20 goals last year on a fairly poor team. He was definitely affected by his brother's death, but there is a possibility that he can find that scoring touch on this team, in this system. He scored over 30 goals three times.
2. Jeff Friesen
3. Jamie Lunmark

The truth of the matter is the time to improve this team through free agents is pretty much over. The way it is looking, the only way this team can improve is through a trade.

Thank you for actually answering the question as it was asked!

[patmoran2006]

Here is my honest answer, in order of priority.

1- A new front office. Quinn and Regier could've had both our best two players back and they dropped the ball, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. If they werent' *******s, we'd SERIOUSLY not be having this conversation. It goes back to last year too-- letting a physical leader like McKee walk and paying Spacek close to the same to replace him was a f'n JOKE. Dumont was replacable and replaced properly within the system. Greer was not. Zubrus was close to Greer in those regards, but we let him walk anyway.

2- Forsberg. Skilled playmaker is capable of boosting Pomminville or Vanek's output even more. He's also a Cup winner who can take key faceoffs, and a good marketing tool OFF the ice. His signing would make many fans forgive the Drury and Briere debacles. Having said all of this, its NEVER going to happen.

3. Souray- Is he is a defensive liability? Yes. But more than ANYTHING what costed us the Ottawa series was a horrid power play. Few if any defensemen in the NHL are better on the PP than Souray. Pair him with a defensive strong Tallinder and move Lydman with Campbell. Having said all that, its NEVER Going to happen.

Sorry boys, what you see is what your going to get. We may add a defensemen or winger that nobody gives a **** about, and it will be no more than a 2-year deal. With this organization, that's the way it is.

In just a matter of a week or so, our front office literally threw away a franchise that this city rallied around that hadn't been seen since the Bills Super Bowl teams of the early 1990's.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

A Stanley Cup, that's what this team needs.

And for that, they'll need a miracle.

[Night Train]

This team needs to get rid of Quinn ASAP.

We need a playmaking Center desperately.

[Typ0]

This team is Cris Drury and a defenseman away from a deep playoff run.

[Nighthawk]

Are we all in agreement that we'd like to see a solid D-man signed (though I still question this, I like Paetsch and think he could easily take over for Kalinin and Teppo is already re-signed...) as well as a forward with some good size who is willing to take and throw some checks, and maybe add a touch of scoring?

Is that what everybody else is looking for too? Not that there is necessarily a lot of players left that fit the bill...

This team is still missing all the ingredients that cost it a championship last year...size, grit, heart, character, cup experience, and a stronger defense corp. They've gone backwards in the character, heart and cup experience. They haven't addressed the size, grit or defense. This team is farther behind with no changes expected. Not a good thing if you ask me.

[Michael82]

This team is Cris Drury and a defenseman away from a deep playoff run.
:sigh: