Waived: Nathan Gerbe (regular NOT compliance buyout, Canes 2-way deal)

[gallagt01]

Can't hit social media from work, what does it say?

Bill Hoppe
‏@BillHoppeNHL
Per his agent, Nathan Gerbe is done with the #Sabres. They're buying him out. They had no warning, either. #Buffalo

Minimum text.

 

[Mit Yarrum]

beat

 

[Wisent42]

I don't get it. Why not just send him to Rochester and keep him around? If it's about an issue of too many contracts, there's gotta be someone else to dump. Like McCormick? Sure, Gerbe is not the difference maker we may have hoped he would be, but he fought hard and showed heart. I'd keep him over Stafford anytime. I think I'm offically on the fire Darcy-bandwagon now.

 

[Jame]

Can't hit social media from work, what does it say?

bill hoppe

Per his agent, Nathan Gerbe is done with the #Sabres. They're buying him out. They had no warning, either. #Buffalo

 

[gallagt01]

I don't get it. Why not just send him to Rochester and keep him around? If it's about an issue of too many contracts, there's gotta be someone else to dump. Like McCormick? Sure, Gerbe is not the difference maker we may have hoped he would be, but he fought hard and showed heart. I'd keep him over Stafford anytime. I think I'm offically on the fire Darcy-bandwagon now.

This is what makes you hop on the fire Darcy bandwagon?

The buyout of a marginal NHL player?

 

[Jame]

I don't get it. Why not just send him to Rochester and keep him around? If it's about an issue of too many contracts, there's gotta be someone else to dump. Like McCormick? Sure, Gerbe is not the difference maker we may have hoped he would be, but he fought hard and showed heart. I'd keep him over Stafford anytime. I think I'm offically on the fire Darcy-bandwagon now.

waiving Gerbe put you on the fire darcy bandwagon???

some how i think you were already on it

 

[Insomniac99]

I don't get it. Why not just send him to Rochester and keep him around? If it's about an issue of too many contracts, there's gotta be someone else to dump. Like McCormick? Sure, Gerbe is not the difference maker we may have hoped he would be, but he fought hard and showed heart. I'd keep him over Stafford anytime. I think I'm offically on the fire Darcy-bandwagon now.

Maybe it's because they are so intent on changing the identity of the team, to send him down to Rochester because he couldnt hack it would be akin to poisoning the well.

 

[Paxon]

Guess getting a 5th rounder was definitely out of the question

Is this for a compliance buyout?We are using one of the 2 available on Gerbe?!He only has a year left, why not bury him and take the 550k cap hit.

I'm positive it's a regular buyout and I'll eat my hat if I'm wrong. Well, not my hat because I like it, but someone elses. Isn't the buyout window over anyhow? [edit: guess not re: window being over]

The Sabres aren't exactly swimming in crappy contracts to buy-out...Leino is basically the only candidate left, and they're giving him one more season to get things settled.

Not a big deal

Actually, it would be a big deal. There's no reason to worry about his cap hit this season. You never know what happens next summer, you might get an asset in return for a buyout candidate. It'd be insane to use a compliance buyout for Gerbe because if you put him in the minors it'd only be a few hundred thousand saved off the cap.

There is no way this is a compliance buyout.

 

[gallagt01]

Guess getting a 5th rounder was definitely out of the question



I'm positive it's a regular buyout and I'll eat my hat if I'm wrong. Well, not my hat because I like it, but someone elses. Isn't the buyout window over anyhow?

It closes at 5 p.m. tomorrow.

 

[Wisent42]

This is what makes you hop on the fire Darcy bandwagon?

The buyout of a marginal NHL player?

The buyout of a marginal NHL player with a marginal contract and a big heart over a marginal player with a big contract and no heart. (But yeah, I was almost there, it's more of a last drop thing)

 

[aceface33]

I don't know about this move. Why not let him help Rochester? And if they really didn't tell him beforehand that's a shady move. Goes against the family atmosphere they are trying to create.

 

[ADoubleD]

I don't get it. Why not just send him to Rochester and keep him around? If it's about an issue of too many contracts, there's gotta be someone else to dump. Like McCormick? Sure, Gerbe is not the difference maker we may have hoped he would be, but he fought hard and showed heart. I'd keep him over Stafford anytime. I think I'm offically on the fire Darcy-bandwagon now.

He can't really play a bottom six defensive role, and his scoring ability has disappeared so he can't at all play a top six scoring role. On top of that he is tiny and can't really help our possession game. What's the point of keeping him around? Now this makes it more likely that guys like Porter, Flynn, and Tropp can make the team. All of whom have more to offer than Gerbe.

 

[Paxon]

The buyout of a marginal NHL player with a marginal contract and a big heart over a marginal player with a big contract and no heart. (But yeah, I was almost there, it's more of a last drop thing)

It has nothing to do with his salary/cap hit. It's so his contract doesn't count against the 50 man limit. They have no use for him, so they got rid of him, what's the problem?

 

[Mit Yarrum]

The buyout of a marginal NHL player with a marginal contract and a big heart over a marginal player with a big contract and no heart. (But yeah, I was almost there, it's more of a last drop thing)

Sorry, but that's poor reasoning IMO.

This gives either a prospect or one of the hardworking bottom six guys a place on the roster next year. It has nothing at all to do with these "marginal player with a big contract and no heart" guys you're referencing. Moreover, Gerbe isn't marginal anymore. He's not an NHL hockey player.

The only "odd" thing here is not putting him in Roch, but who can say what's behind that?

 

[Sabretip]

He still has plenty of heart. Oh well, easily replaceable in a way.

can't help but feel that Gerbe has had a few season to "redeem" himself. I liked the guy's fire, but he just can't hack it.

That's it in a nutshell - I doubt anyone had issues with his spunk or work ethic but the odds were against him from the start of his NHL career because of his size. He had to parlay his goal-scoring from college to ever stick - and he got fair opportunity from Sabres.

why not bury him and take the 550k cap hit.

That puzzles me as well....

he is an UFA at the end of the year, why would we waste a buyout on him :wtf:

ESPECIALLY when Regier went on record with saying point-blank they weren't going to use any buyouts. This move compromises the integrity of his response.

Doesn't make sense for buyout at all. Are they about to do something a little crazy?

Maybe Buffalo already has a deal in principle agreed to with another forward?

Maybe dumping Stafford to Edmonton for Paajarvi? Or some deal for Miller that would return a winger?

Oh...and roster spot for Briere. (I kid.)

Very possible - no reason to kid...

Its probably a Tim Kennedy buyout.

That should give Bucky's agenda on that topic some more life

Or is this a case of them offering him around the league and finding no takers, so they give him the chance to start fresh somewhere else?

I expect Regier to say just that in his explanations to the media, along with the reinforcement of what he said at the draft: the Sabres want and need to get bigger. Despite Gerbe's effort level, he'll never be able to change his size.

 

[Wisent42]

He can't really play a bottom six defensive role, and his scoring ability has disappeared so he can't at all play a top six scoring role. On top of that he is tiny and can't really help our possession game. What's the point of keeping him around? Now this makes it more likely that guys like Porter, Flynn, and Tropp can make the team. All of whom have more to offer than Gerbe.

Fine. I'll take that. Still don't understand why he couldn't be helpful in Rochester. I think it was too soon to let him go. We've been waiting for years for Stafford to bounce back, and two years for Leino to show what he's got, but Gerbe struggles for a year and get's thrown under the bus? (The bus wouldn't notice though...)

 

[Chainshot]

Kennedy, Roy, Gerbe... Sabretron now a solo act with just Ennis.

 

[Myllz]

I wonder if Darcy's interested in making this team bigger.

 

[Zip15]

I don't get it. Why not just send him to Rochester and keep him around?

I think Nate made his bed when he gave Hoppe those quotes about how well he was playing last year, how he didn't understand why he was getting so little playing time, and that in order to score he needed more than the "six minutes per game" he thought he was getting.

To ask a player who seems so out of touch with reality to accept a demotion to a team with impressionable youngsters would not be a good idea, IMO. Sure, he has a good work ethic, but so do a lot of players who won't be in Rochester and thinking they should be playing 15 mins/game in a top-9 role in Buffalo.

If it's about an issue of too many contracts, there's gotta be someone else to dump. Like McCormick? Sure, Gerbe is not the difference maker we may have hoped he would be, but he fought hard and showed heart.

Because Cody took the demotion with grace. He never whined about playing time to the media. Cody is a good guy for the youngsters to look up to.

I'd keep him over Stafford anytime. I think I'm offically on the fire Darcy-bandwagon now.

And this whole quote is where your post jumped the shark.

 

[Mit Yarrum]

Fine. I'll take that. Still don't understand why he couldn't be helpful in Rochester. I think it was too soon to let him go. We've been waiting for years for Stafford to bounce back, and two years for Leino to show what he's got, but Gerbe struggles for a year and get's thrown under the bus? (The bus wouldn't notice though...)

We can't buy out Leino on a compliance buyout due to injury, and it wouldn't make any sense to do it with a traditional buyout.

Stafford has value, where Gerbe does not.

IMO there isn't much to figure out here aside from not sending him to Roch.

 

[Daz28]

Maybe Buffalo already has a deal in principle agreed to with another forward?

I heard they're looking at this Matt Ellis guy.

 

[Mit Yarrum]

Kennedy, Roy, Gerbe... Sabretron now a solo act with just Ennis.

And we're better for it.

 

[Sabre the Win]

They probably asked him if he wanted to play in Rochester and he said no, so they gave him an opportunity to find another NHL team. I'd say that's pretty fair from the organization.

 

[Wisent42]

Sorry, but that's poor reasoning IMO.

This gives either a prospect or one of the hardworking bottom six guys a place on the roster next year. It has nothing at all to do with these "marginal player with a big contract and no heart" guys you're referencing. Moreover, Gerbe isn't marginal anymore. He's not an NHL hockey player.

The only "odd" thing here is not putting him in Roch, but who can say what's behind that?

It's the "not putting him in Rochester" that get's me too. And no, I don't think it's poor reasoning. If you want to build an identity as a hard working team, and it seems we do, than you may want to keep, oh I don't know, hard working guys around. I'm not saying Gerbe should be on the Sabres, but I'm confident he could have been useful with the kids in Rochester. Meanwhile there are a couple of not so hard workers left on the Sabres that don't get bought out and make a lot more money.

 

[Mit Yarrum]

It's the "not putting him in Rochester" that get's me too. And no, I don't think it's poor reasoning. If you want to build an identity as a hard working team, and it seems we do, than you may want to keep, oh I don't know, hard working guys around. I'm not saying Gerbe should be on the Sabres, but I'm confident he could have been useful with the kids in Rochester. Meanwhile there are a couple of not so hard workers left on the Sabres that don't get bought out and make a lot more money.

And there is a damn good reason those players don't get bought out, which I outlined above.

And hell, I'm a hard worker too, but I won't be playing for the Sabres any time soon. Gerbe isn't worth much on the ice if he doesn't have his game from 2 years ago, and it looks like he doesn't.