Continuing the Mike Richards discussion...
I can't see any positives in acquiring Richards at any price. He's not worth his contract now and whomever picks him up is saddled with a $5.75m cap hit until 2020. If he was on a one or two year deal, it would be a different story...I wouldn't mind adding him to the leadership group under those circumstances while the younger kids are coming along. Having him wearing an A for a couple years with Gionta and Gorges and some of the other older guys on the team would be a great thing for a couple years.
By the time they're ready to take over in like 2016-2017 though, I don't want his cap hit stuck on our books for a further three years...that will be the point where that money would be much better spent on locking up Reinhart, Girgensons, Grigorenko, Armia, Risto, Zadorov, McEichel...etc for the long term.
It's not that I wouldn't want him at all, it's that I don't want him until 2020 and he'll only become much more difficult to move in the coming years.
Buying out Richards isn't awful, but you're still basically paying him Joel Armia's next contract to go play somewhere else or go home in 2018-2020. I guess if he helps gets max production out of Reinhart and/or Grigorenko then it's a worthy cause, but I would see Richards more as a mentor for Girgensons who sure seems to be coming along fine without him.
I'm assuming we're not going to have many cap issues until the potential 2015-2016 class hits RFA status (Reinhart, potential top pick in 2015) and we made a big UFA splash or two.
Mark Arcobello could be a good placeholder AHL/NHL tweener going forward. He is very small but plays a good 2 way game, decent on face offs and he has a good work ethic. Undrafted, 5'8 and worked his way to the NHL. Isn't afraid to go into corners or take a hit, just seems like one of those inspirational, determined players that would fit in.
Is it possible Richards could cause issues in our locker room? Just curious to see what people's opinion on that are, because like another Center we had for years (who actually was a teammate of MR in Junior), Mike likes to party. A lot.
I like the thought of him sheltering the kids, but I'd be a little hesitant to bring him in to a situation where a lot of young guys are still maturing and learning to be professionals.
Conacher has been waived by the Islanders
Meh. Doesn't seem to be hindering the development of Toffoli, Pearson, et al. in LA.
Once again, no on Richards until the offseason, and at that point there are probably several less attractive but much less costly options that will hit the market.
For real, if dude has years left as a 40 point defensive center - the only way we're trading for him - why the **** do we want to roll Girgensons-Richards-Mitchell down the middle this year of all years?
Not that it says much with this team, but Nick Deslaurier is the Sabres' 6th leading scorer.
This is his 2nd year at wing, and most games he's been a very effective forechecker, PK & energy guy. Most see his ceiling on the 4th line. Is there anything more there that is being masked by his late position switch, I wonder?
I know it's just the eye-test but to me he seems a bit like a Trevor Lewis type, a 3rd/4th line tweener (on a good team - on the 14-15 Sabres he can slot anywhere from line 2-4 really).
Yeah TM get on it!
Nah, we have a couple "Conacher types" already here.
A Richards buyout in 2018 is pretty reasonable
http://capgeek.com/buyout-calculator/?player_id=741&buyout_y=2018&buyout_m=06&buyout_d=15
Given our immediate needs, I think Richards would be able to provide some leadership and insight to our young guys about what it takes to succeed in the NHL. I think he's stuck in a meh situation in LA where he can't supplant Carter/Kopitar on the top 2 lines and he can't be a better defensive center than Stoll. There's still alot of tread left on the tire there, I think he just needs a new situation.
Don't want him
That buyout is not reasonable. Why did they buy out Ehrhoff? Because they didn't want dead space on the cap in 18/19 and beyond.
Why...if they get McEichel...he gets a big raise in 18/19 ( as Reinhart likely get at the same time). Combine that with raises girgs, Zads, and Risto get and others.
Come 18/19 it's likely this team is near the cap , so cap dead space will hurt.