Chris Stewart
- Thread starter Dubi Doo
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Beerz
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- Jun 28, 2011
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jvirk
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- Oct 31, 2013
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If we can combine him plus one of our 2nd rounders for a 2015 1st round draft pick, I'd be all for trading him.
BUT, I am kinda torn apart because I'd like to see him in our long term plans. I think he's a solid presence on the ice, big body guy that not many want to mess with. He can battle in the corners, he crashes the net, and has plentyyy of skill to put the puck in the net.
If he's going to leave for UFA b/c we can't sign him or don't want to sign him, then I'd definitely try to get a 1st rounder for this year's draft. If we can resign him, I think it would be smart to do that.
BUT, I am kinda torn apart because I'd like to see him in our long term plans. I think he's a solid presence on the ice, big body guy that not many want to mess with. He can battle in the corners, he crashes the net, and has plentyyy of skill to put the puck in the net.
If he's going to leave for UFA b/c we can't sign him or don't want to sign him, then I'd definitely try to get a 1st rounder for this year's draft. If we can resign him, I think it would be smart to do that.
I can see Stewart as trade bait. I can also see him signing in July. I think he wasn't just a salary dump/throw in/cast off from STL in that deal. He's a TM kind of player and I think he's going to thrive under Nolan and, like Moulson, want to play here and guide this (soon to be) young loaded team to SC contention.
82-28-80 should scare the pants off of 29 other teams for the next 5+ years.
Husko
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Wisent42
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At some point the re-building has to enter the actual building stage. We can't tear it down forever. I think this season is much about evaluating what we've got and what we need. Stewart could very well be part of the future the way he's playing. He may of course be a nice trade bait too, but I would like to see him re-signed.
Going forward, this is what our team will look like.
Left wings: Moulson, Ennis/Hodgson, Foligno, Deslauriers
Centers: 2015 draftee, Reinhart, Girgensons, Larsson/Compher
Right wings: ???, Grigorenko, Stewart/Stafford, Gionta, Armia/Fasching/Baptiste?
... assuming that one of Ennis and Hodgson is traded.
We'll have cap space to burn when we're ready to start building a serious team, and while our youngsters will be off their ELC's before you know it, I think we'll have the cap space for two semi-big acquisitions. One at D and one at wing makes the most sense. That new wing would be most likely top six RW (otherwise it wouldn't be a semi-big acquisition), and our glut of centers may necessitate moving someone like Grigs or Girgs over to RW (preferably Grigs). My issue with Stewart is that I would prefer someone who's not "top six or bust" for the roster flexibility. I would hate to have to miss out on signing/trading for a talented right winger, better than Stewart or Stafford, or struggle to fit in whichever of Armia/Fasching/Baptiste surprises the earliest, because we can't jiggle our roster to fit them because we've committed to Chris Stewart.
Yes, worrying about all this now seems a bit like trying to play eleven-dimensional chess, but it's why I would marginally prefer keeping Stafford, because I think he's better suited for a third line role than Stewart. If Stewart clearly outplays him, then fine, but if Stewart scores, say 20 goals this year and Stafford scores 17, I'd rather keep Stafford. But that's just me.
(There's also the added bonus that I think demand for Stewart will be higher, bc omg size - and to be fair, a deeper resume - even if he rarely uses it properly. If we can anything more than a low 2nd for him, I think we should trade him.)
Left wings: Moulson, Ennis/Hodgson, Foligno, Deslauriers
Centers: 2015 draftee, Reinhart, Girgensons, Larsson/Compher
Right wings: ???, Grigorenko, Stewart/Stafford, Gionta, Armia/Fasching/Baptiste?
... assuming that one of Ennis and Hodgson is traded.
We'll have cap space to burn when we're ready to start building a serious team, and while our youngsters will be off their ELC's before you know it, I think we'll have the cap space for two semi-big acquisitions. One at D and one at wing makes the most sense. That new wing would be most likely top six RW (otherwise it wouldn't be a semi-big acquisition), and our glut of centers may necessitate moving someone like Grigs or Girgs over to RW (preferably Grigs). My issue with Stewart is that I would prefer someone who's not "top six or bust" for the roster flexibility. I would hate to have to miss out on signing/trading for a talented right winger, better than Stewart or Stafford, or struggle to fit in whichever of Armia/Fasching/Baptiste surprises the earliest, because we can't jiggle our roster to fit them because we've committed to Chris Stewart.
Yes, worrying about all this now seems a bit like trying to play eleven-dimensional chess, but it's why I would marginally prefer keeping Stafford, because I think he's better suited for a third line role than Stewart. If Stewart clearly outplays him, then fine, but if Stewart scores, say 20 goals this year and Stafford scores 17, I'd rather keep Stafford. But that's just me.
(There's also the added bonus that I think demand for Stewart will be higher, bc omg size - and to be fair, a deeper resume - even if he rarely uses it properly. If we can anything more than a low 2nd for him, I think we should trade him.)
Jacob582
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- Oct 16, 2012
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I agree. It's hard to know what Murray is going to do with such a small sample size, but if last season is any indication he will trade Stewart away. He didn't extend Moulson or McCormick even though he wanted them back.
buffalowing88
Registered User
Agreed. At some point last year a poster said that Hodgson would be the Patrick Sharp to our rebuilding process if it all came together and I thought that was very insightful. I don't have a Stewart comparison to that but he should be one of the guys who leads us into a better era. Ennis on the other hand....
CatsforReinhart
Registered User
Just what we need another incosistent 2nd line player on the sabres being paid 4-5 million a season. He will fit right in here.
Paxon
202* Stanley Cup Champions
I'm sympathetic to your point but someone needs to be making that money next year. We'll be losing Stafford's $4m and Stewart's $4.15m. The options in free agency don't look to be great, so it seems likely we'll be paying an inconsistent 2nd liner one way or another. So long as it's a deal we'll be able to move if and when the need arises, everyone should be open to it.
Russ Tyler
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I would say Reinhart would be better as a RW than Grigorenko. The dude is killer on draws.
thrillhous
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- Jan 5, 2006
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Hey Sabres fans, what's up with this guy; is he done? I thought he would have a solid season seeing as he's a pending UFA and had a strong chance of being moved to a contender at the deadline. Has he played his way off the team, regardless of value? Or is it more a matter of not getting any bounces?
sba
....
Jacob582
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- Oct 16, 2012
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Woodhouse
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Two shifts in the 2nd, three in the 3rd, and a whopping 8:31 TOI vs MIN; 10:25 TOI vs STL ... it's safe to say Stewart's currently in Nolan's doghouse along with Hodgson.
**** coach with a lot of poop in his doghouse, where Hahjcin belongs but Stewart doesn't.
42
Registered User
This can't be good for his trade value. What does Nolan think he's doing? Trying to win as many games as possible? He needs to have a chat with Murray.
Hard to produce on a team with no possession. That being said he's been rather anonymous lately. Have to think GMTM is going to looking to move him near the deadline.
Jacob582
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- Oct 16, 2012
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Stewart doesn't help with possession. Lots of times I've seen him with the puck behind/around the net and his pass always goes to the other team.
You would've thought the STL game would have been a game where he would have wanted to shine. Kind of like how Gionta played a lot in the Montreal game.
Oh I know he doesn't help drive possession. But I do think his possession stats are better than most on this team, but I could be wrong.
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My Cozen Dylan
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