Maybe- just Maybe-

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  • Don Cherry
    BFZ Hockey Commissioner
    • Oct 2002
    • 877

    Maybe- just Maybe-

    Just hear me out for a minute-


    Before I go into this- let me state the following-


    1) Because of ownership and money issues with the Sabres I am willing to give R & R some slack in running/coaching this team


    2) I have been mystified with the lack of players signed. Teppo Neuminnen is a good addition, a solid Defenseman. But that's been it.


    After looking at the free agent tracker on the other thread I posted, I noticed some teams signing players left and right. Sure, they get some big names in big markets- but I'm also noticing that some of these teams are creeping toward the $25-$30 million mark on this early feeding frenzy but are only about half-stocked. They still have significant RFA's to sign, or will have to start chopping players/trading players off.

    My guess is that there are

    1) Players that you want to jettison immediatly based on salary/ age/production/health. (Example- John LeClair- Philly)

    2) Players you are hanging on too as insurance in case you fail to sign that big name guy you had your eyes on. If you get that prized free agent, then you can jettison the insurance (See Jeremy Roenik- Philly- traded after Forsberg signed)

    3) Guys you don't want to get rid of, but will hang on too until you have to let them go/trade them because you have to trim down to meet the cap.


    I see a lot of teams out there with #2 and #3. Tampa for instance. (Boy- did they ever pick the worst time to win a Cup) , Ottawa, & Philly just to name a few.

    Once they try to fill out their rosters with their own RFA's- you could see them tight with the cap with no future cap wiggle room. Tampa and Philly both intrigue me in particular, Neither has a solid #1 Goalie under contract.

    I can see a number of teams trying to fill holes and reduce their payroll by dealing some quality players- who may be signed to some decent deals.


    This better be part of the grand Reiger plan, because the silence has been deafaning so far at One Seymour H. Knox III Plaza.


  • SkateZilla
    Registered User
    • Dec 2002
    • 9166

    #2
    Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

    good theory,

    wait till teams hit the cap and start trading players away for next to nothing..
    Skate Zilla
    -----------------------
    Skate Zilla HD Studios:
    SKATE ZILLA HD STUDIOS

    Comment

    • chernobylwraiths
      Registered User
      • Jan 2003
      • 41838

      #3
      Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

      Trading players will still mean you have to take on their salaries. This might be a good theory, but I still don't see our management as smart enough to think of it.

      Comment

      • JD
        Sabres Zone
        • Sep 2003
        • 13752

        #4
        Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

        You know what, I think the man is right. This must be the plan afterall....
        “You hold a players only meeting and get each guy to stand up and say what he can bring to the table... and if he doesn't, you punch him in the face.” ~~ Harry Neale, on how to fix the Sabres season.

        Comment

        • SabreEleven
          Registered User
          • Aug 2002
          • 39563

          #5
          Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

          Originally posted by chernobylwraiths
          Trading players will still mean you have to take on their salaries. This might be a good theory, but I still don't see our management as smart enough to think of it.
          And once they take on these salaries, they will be over there precious $30 million mark, so basically they won't be taking them on.

          Comment

          • Don Cherry
            BFZ Hockey Commissioner
            • Oct 2002
            • 877

            #6
            Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

            Originally posted by chernobylwraiths
            Trading players will still mean you have to take on their salaries. This might be a good theory, but I still don't see our management as smart enough to think of it.
            With free agents, you are competing with some teams - that drives the salary up. With a trade- you know what the deal is- and with the 24% roll back if it's a good salary- then make a deal.



            But if a team like Philly or Ottawa. Philly probably won't go over $35 million - so they can have injury/trade deadline flexibility at the deadline to make the deals to win a Cup. They still need a Goalie- I can see a Mikka Nooronen for Sami Kapanen or Marty Biron for Simon Gagne or Michael Handzus sort of deal.

            Ottawa has a lot of really good players still unsigned as RFA's- Havlat, Hossa, Spezza- which will push them way over $30 million. Some team might be able to shake a decent vet at a decent price from them- Like a Chris Phillips.


            Ottawa Senators

            PlayerContract Notes2005-2006 Salary (US)
            Daniel Alfredsson $4,662,894
            Zdeno Chara $3.724 million
            Wade Redden $3.724 million
            Greg de Vries $2.28 million
            Bryan Smolinski $2.242 million
            Chris Phillips $1.976 million
            Dominik Hasek $1.52 million
            Vaclav Varada $1.216 million
            Peter Schaefer $988,000
            Brian Pothier $532,000
            Denis HamelRe-signed UFA (Ottawa)Undisclosed
            11 Players1 Salary Undisclosed$22,864,894


            Restricted Free Agents: Ray Emery, Mike Fisher, Martin Havlat, Andrew Hedlund, Marian Hossa, Chris Kelly, Brian McGratton, Chris Neil, Christoph Schubert, Jason Spezza, Antoine Vermette, Anton Volchenkov.
            Unrestricted Free Agents: Peter Bondra, Curtis Leschyshyn, Todd Simpson, Shaun Van Allen, Rob Ray, Jesse Fibiger, Pat Kavanagh, Denis Hamel, Josh Langfeld, Martin Prusek, Charlie Stephens.





            Philadelphia Flyers


            PlayerContract Notes2005-2006 Salary (US)
            Peter ForsbergUFA (Colorado)$5.75 million
            Mike RathjeUFA (San Jose)$3.5 million
            Derian HatcherUFA (Detroit)$3.5 million
            Keith Primeau $3.42 million
            Eric Desjardins $2.28 million
            Michal Handzus $2.128 million
            Donald Brashear $1.748 million
            Mike Knuble $1.52 million
            Sami Kapanen $1.52 million
            Turner Stevenson $1.254 million
            Joni Pitkanen $900,600
            Mattias Timander $608,000
            Chris TherienUFA (Dallas)$500,000
            Jon SimUFA (Pittsburgh)$450,000
            Jeff CarterSigned rookie dealUndisclosed
            Mike RichardsSigned rookie dealUndisclosed
            14 Players2 Salaries Undisclosed$29,078,600


            Restricted Free Agents: Robert Esche, Simon Gagne, Kim Johnsson, Randy Jones, Freddy Meyer, David Printz, Branko Radivojevic, Dennis Seidenberg, Patrick Sharp, Wade Skolney.
            Unrestricted Free Agents: John LeClair (Bought Out), Sean Burke, Jeff Hackett, Claude Lapointe, Marcus Ragnarsson, John Slaney, Boyd Kane, Neil Little, Ryan Ready, Nick Deschenes, Jeff Smith, Radovan Somik, Peter White.



            Comment

            • SkateZilla
              Registered User
              • Dec 2002
              • 9166

              #7
              Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

              NHL.com Doesnt List all Free Agensts, Free and REstricted for nothing :)
              Skate Zilla
              -----------------------
              Skate Zilla HD Studios:
              SKATE ZILLA HD STUDIOS

              Comment

              • BuffaloRanger
                WORK HARD. PLAY HARD. LIVE HARD.
                • Mar 2003
                • 2246

                #8
                Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

                The truth is Darcy was walking around shellshocked (from a friend who saw him) those first couple days of FA. He just couldn't believe that teams were signing players for that much money. He thought he'd be able to sweep in and sign stars for 2 mil a season.

                So obviously the Sabres front office is reeling and is in some serious damage control right now. Don Cherry (the thread starter) is probably more forward thinking than Darcy at the moment. Plan B is wait to see what scraps fall off the tables of teams that will make the playoffs. Don't get your hopes up for a player like Gagne or Spezza, etc. You'll just be bitterly disappointed again.
                Buffalo Only and Always.

                Comment

                • Canadian'eh!
                  Registered User
                  • Mar 2004
                  • 12879

                  #9
                  Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

                  For hockey info you should go to www.tsn.ca

                  It's not great for other sports newsw IMO, but they do have the best hockey coverage for sure.

                  Comment

                  • camelcowboy
                    Registered User
                    • Mar 2005
                    • 7449

                    #10
                    Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

                    Bondra and Selanne still available


                    Comment

                    • Typ0
                      honey pie
                      • Jul 2002
                      • 32593

                      #11
                      Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

                      I like your thinking don...another thing people should consider is we really don't know what we have right now...many of our players are young and haven't even practiced together in a year. It's great to sign a big player...but will that player be the right guy to fill the gaps that you need filled? It's impossible to tell when you aren't sure who or what's going to show up...so jumping the gun right now might not be the best move. Once we really see what we need then we will have a good chance to go out there and get it.

                      Comment

                      • chernobylwraiths
                        Registered User
                        • Jan 2003
                        • 41838

                        #12
                        Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

                        Well, the fans don't really care if he fits into the system. The fans, who have to buy the tickets by the way, want to see some action by the team showing that they are looking to improve and get better. With the slew of FA, and HUGE name FAs that were available, signing a big name is almost imperative to show the fans that they are serious.

                        All the front office has shown is that they don't want to pay even 25% under what we WERE going to pay for Satan and let him go for NOTHING when we could have gotten at least SOMETHING for him in a trade. Like all the talk of getting someone like Thornton where we would have to give up someone big, well that could have been Satan.

                        What I think will happen? We will get another Teppo type guy or two before everything is all over. A guy with a name, but far from a superstar and far from his prime. I wouldn't be surprised with another Bob Corkum type deal or two as well.

                        Comment

                        • clumping platelets

                          #13
                          Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

                          Sami Kapanen

                          Simon Gagne

                          Comment

                          • chernobylwraiths
                            Registered User
                            • Jan 2003
                            • 41838

                            #14
                            Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

                            Originally posted by clumping platelets
                            Sami Kapanen

                            Simon Gagne
                            Kim Johnson (sp?)

                            Comment

                            • clumping platelets

                              #15
                              Re: Maybe- just Maybe-

                              Every team needs Bob Corkum types. One example would be the re-signing of James Patrick.

                              Comment

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