Decision time on Myers will come after NJ game on Wednesday

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

The nine-game teenage tryout period elapses after Wednesday's visit to New Jersey. Following that, Regier must decide whether to allow the first year of Myers' professional contract to kick in with his 10th game or send the 19-year-old back to Kelowna of the Western Hockey League. The Sabres could still ship him to juniors later in the year, but Regier said if the clock starts on Myers' contract, the team likely would keep him all season.

Sticking with his deliberative nature, Regier is going to wait all nine games before deciding.

"I haven't [made a decision], and we haven't, because we know what the time frame is," the Sabres' general manager said over the weekend. "We know that we've got the games to watch him, and we'll take that time.

"As a group, we really haven't talked about it a lot because we're going to allow it to play out, then we'll make a decision afterward."

"He's certainly shown that he'll play in the National Hockey League and be a good player in the National Hockey League," Regier said. "The real questions that revolve around young players, by the very nature of their youth, you have to accept a level of inconsistency in their play. Part of the process here is we have to evaluate what that range is, and whether or not we can support the range and have him grow and have the team grow, have the team win.

"You also evaluate whether you think the player can continue to grow at the junior level or if that is less than an ideal situation."

There is a business angle, of course. If the clock starts on Myers' career, he'll be a restricted free agent at only 22 and be eligible for unrestricted status a year early.
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/839304.html

[Dr. Lecter]

The UFA part sucks, but that is the price of having a young, budding superstar.


There is no reason to send him down. In fact, it will hurt him and hinder his development.


Keep him and next offseason (after the 2010-11 season), extend him generously.

[DMBcrew36]

I don't care if he reaches UFA status sooner - if he's good, the Sabres will lock him up with a serious extension before he even comes close to reaching the market.

[SabreEleven]

Only the Sabres can turn a non-decision into a decision especially if money is involved. The kid needs to stay.

[Ebenezer]

IF Quinn gets involved this kid is as good as sent back to juniors...

[SabreEleven]

IF Quinn gets involved this kid is as good as sent back to juniors...

:ill: or he becomes a real estate agent....

[bigbub2352]

THis is a kid if he continues to develop you go out and give him a 12yr deal
keep him up no doubt

[YardRat]

He's already proven he can contribute at the NHL level.

If they send him down, Regier and Quinn deserve a billboard of their own.

[Typ0]

There is no reason to send him down. In fact, it will hurt him and hinder his development.



I think he addressed that. He might stay but be inconsistent and hurt the teams chances of winning. Couple that with the same ability to mature in the minors and it would be a good reason to send him there especially with the contract issues. I don't see that being the case at all here but respect the organizations commitment to follow through on the process they've designed to evaluate young players.

[SkateZilla]

he we send Myers away I'll quit being a Sabres Fan altogether.

[rbochan]

If he's sent down, Darcy will be set upon by a mob armed with pitchforks, torches, and creamsickles.

[Dr. Lecter]

I think he addressed that. He might stay but be inconsistent and hurt the teams chances of winning. Couple that with the same ability to mature in the minors and it would be a good reason to send him there especially with the contract issues. I don't see that being the case at all here but respect the organizations commitment to follow through on the process they've designed to evaluate young players.

He can't go the minors though. If he could, he probably would be in Portland. He would have to go down to Juniors and play with 18 year olds.

[OpIv37]

I'm not buying this inconsistency garbage. Lydman and Tallinder were plenty inconsistent last year, and they're both seasoned vets. And so far, Myers has had one bad game that contributed to a loss and at least 4 games where his play contributed to the win. The other 3 were his first 3 games in the NHL. If that's "inconsistency," I'll take it.

This shouldn't even be a discussion.

[Crisis]

he has nothing left in the minors, he's already dominated down there and sending him back is just stupid.

him going back hurts his development more than it helps imo

[DMBcrew36]

I'm not buying this inconsistency garbage. Lydman and Tallinder were plenty inconsistent last year, and they're both seasoned vets. And so far, Myers has had one bad game that contributed to a loss and at least 4 games where his play contributed to the win. The other 3 were his first 3 games in the NHL. If that's "inconsistency," I'll take it.

This shouldn't even be a discussion.

I've definitely seen some miscues/turnovers by Myers in the past 3 games. The good has far outweighed the bad, though. So if they're talking about whether the range in his play is tolerable, I think it most definitely is. And you also have to ask yourself, if you're the Sabres, whether Myers will benefit from playing another year of junior? The answer is most certainly no, because he has accomplished about as much as you possibly can at that level.

[Nighthawk]

There is no decision to be made...the kid is the best defenseman on this team...if Darcy has to think about it, then Darcy is an idiot!

[THATHURMANATOR]

If they send him down I will destroy everthing in my sight.

[Dr. Lecter]

Lindy Ruff is still adhering to the company line about Tyler Myers, saying today the Sabres still haven't made their final decision about the 6-foot-8 defenseman. Ruff actually had a difficult time keeping a straight face when talking about Myers after practice.
When asked if he could understand why fans and people who have watched the kid play would say there's absolutely no decision to be made, that he should stay, Ruff responded, "I totally understand that'' before he broke into laughter. Barring some unforeseen circumstance, the kid is going nowhere but house hunting.
Here's the deal: The Sabres are protecting themselves just in case something bizarre happens between now and after Wednesday's game, when they'll be required to make a final decision.
Even if he were injured, he would remain on the roster until he was cleared to play. If it was a serious injury that required months of rehab, the Sabres could technically send him back with only nine NHL games and delay the clock on his contract until next season.
Technically, anything is possible. He could get arrested. He could punch one of the coaches. He could forget how to skate backward. Realistically, he's sticking around.


http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2009/10/lindy-on-myers-laughable.html

[DrGraves]

if they get rid of him i will burn all my sabres **** and try to burn down hsbc arena as well.

[DrGraves]

i could see it happening though considering... all regier trys to do is run this franchise into the ground lettign every piece of talent we ever have walk out the door.

[DMBcrew36]

if they get rid of him i will burn all my sabres **** and try to burn down hsbc arena as well.

Don't be such a little girl LOL

[DMBcrew36]

i could see it happening though considering... all regier trys to do is run this franchise into the ground lettign every piece of talent we ever have walk out the door.

I hope you don't actually believe that. I'd think you were extremely disillusioned.

Hindsight is 20/20 and I'm sure Regier may have a regret or two, but he has a tough job. You can't lock up everyone. Look at us now - we're nearly at the cap without big money Briere, Drury, and Campbell. I'm not going to get into it because it's beating a dead horse - but I'm just sayin - Regier's not ******ed.

[Typ0]

guys all they are really saying about this is they have a meeting penciled in to address the question of each young player. They haven't really talked about it as a group yet and that is what the meeting is for. Hence, they could never be sure they are on the same page about a particular player and will defer to the process to make the decision.

[chernobylwraiths]

I think he addressed that. He might stay but be inconsistent and hurt the teams chances of winning. Couple that with the same ability to mature in the minors and it would be a good reason to send him there especially with the contract issues. I don't see that being the case at all here but respect the organizations commitment to follow through on the process they've designed to evaluate young players.

He would go back to juniors, not the minors.

I don't respect much this front office has done.

[Typ0]

He would go back to juniors, not the minors.

I don't respect much this front office has done.

Even with the Bills, I quite often find myself really wishing I had more information before I make those determination. In their case, it's just too consistently bad to not think it goes back to the RW's ideas and the culture he's built. In this case, I don't know. I know there has been good teams. We've been in the finals twice in the past decade. That's pretty good. In a "small market" I can live with that. They actually had a chance to bring one home. Somewhere, someone is doing something right.

[trapezeus]

i trust ruff's eye for evaluation of a player. if his judgement is that Myers played well but looked potentially streaky and that we might have a stafford/paille/pominville sophmore performance mid year, then he should go back to juniors.

I also don't think we have enough D talent, so sending him down puts guys who should be healthy scratches and good depth in the event of injury back on the ice. and i don't want that.

But i think i'll live with whatever getes decided.

[SabreEleven]

It's pretty much decision day, isn't it?

[Dr. Lecter]

Is there really a decision to be made?

[SabreEleven]

Is there really a decision to be made?

the only decision is you deciding what lotion you'll be using.

[Dr. Lecter]

And your point is?

[SABURZFAN]

the sausagefest is still intact. :bf1: