agreed one of the few times it seemed a player responded WORSE to Rolston taking the reigns.
Speculation: The Roster Building Thread Pick a Peck of Preferred Players
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agreed one of the few times it seemed a player responded WORSE to Rolston taking the reigns.
enthusiast
cybersabre his prophet
- Oct 20, 2009
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Watching Chara gave me a bit more hope for Myers. I wouldn't place Chara in the top 30 most talented dmen in the game, but from that huge frame and spatial awareness he's able to make so many plays. If Myers can settle down and just play his own game he could be a really unique top-end dman.
Der Jaeger
Generational EBUG
Agree. The current version of the Sabres are slow. Ennis is one of the few players that can open things up with his skating. Like you said, they need to leave him at wing and let him develop in a role he can handle.
Beerz
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- Jun 28, 2011
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Agree. Chara isn't anything special skill wise. He's big, mean, long reach..over time developed great hockey sense and has a slap shot .. thats basically it..
Myers will get there (Not saying Chara level or same game but will develop into a respectable top pairing Dman atleast..
joshjull
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joshjull
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Foligno was getting too much ice time with Ruff and started to play as if he was a finesse offensive top 6 forward. Thus the many ill fated dangles he attempted and the "lazy" play that was a criticism. He finally got back to the lunchpail guy playing a simple straightforward game under Rolston. That it took a benching, a change of position for a bit and a cut back in ice time doesn't change that fact. But it did take a bit for him to get there.
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On Ennis:
I'm perfectly fine with him retaining the 2nd line center role. It's where he fits. He's a secondary scorer who can put up 50-60 pts a year.
The issue really exists if/when we get a top line center, Hodgson also fits into the 2nd line center mold.
However, assuming no changes to our center situation this summer:
Hodgson
Ennis
Girgensons/Larrsson down the middle is fine for a young rebuilding team.
I'm perfectly fine with him retaining the 2nd line center role. It's where he fits. He's a secondary scorer who can put up 50-60 pts a year.
The issue really exists if/when we get a top line center, Hodgson also fits into the 2nd line center mold.
However, assuming no changes to our center situation this summer:
Hodgson
Ennis
Girgensons/Larrsson down the middle is fine for a young rebuilding team.
I think it's a pretty safe bet that Grigorenko is a Sabre next year. Hearing Devine adamantly dispute the notion that last year was a waste for Grigs, as well as talking about how they thought he came along from January to April, I'd bet they believe Buffalo is the best place for him to develop.
With that in mind, there's just no way you can run out the trifecta of Hodgson-Ennis-Grigs as your top three centers and not expect a complete defensive abortion. Ennis can give you 50 pts from the LW2 spot. That's where I'd let him play, and that's where I think he belongs (along with on the PP1 unit).
Regardless of what they do in the draft, Regier needs to add a veteran center with defensive chops to the current stable of pivots.
I loved the Peverley idea you pitched. He could probably be had for a mid-round pick and is/was a quality two-way center.
Worst case scenario is that he sucks in the role he's asked to fill for a bad team and Buffalo is in the running for Ekblad.
I just wonder what you do with all of the centers if Grigorenko, Hodgson, Peverley, Porter and maybe one of Barkov/Lindholm/Monahan make the squad next year (not that breaking a center in on the wing is a bad thing).
Prospector74
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Who winds up as LW1 when/if Vanek leaves? And with Ennis at LW2, are you planning for Leino to be LW3? Then where do Ott and Foligno go? To me Leino fits ideally at LW2 and is misused as a LW3. We need to play him where he should fit and see what happens. I was pleased with what we saw out of him this year and have not yet written him off. Not sure if either guy can cut it at LW1. Would you be comfortble w/Ennis as LW1 and Leino as LW2?
Leino cannot be moved so maybe they move Ennis or roll w/Ennis as LW1. Maybe we move Ott - value is high and he likely will not be around on the other end of the rebuild.
I like Ennis but see a logjam at LW for the team. One of them should be moved if we can swing a decent deal to balance the team or improve draft picks. I'd probably look at moving Ott unless he is willing to agree to a reasonable contract extension this summer.
Leino cannot be moved so maybe they move Ennis or roll w/Ennis as LW1. Maybe we move Ott - value is high and he likely will not be around on the other end of the rebuild.
I like Ennis but see a logjam at LW for the team. One of them should be moved if we can swing a decent deal to balance the team or improve draft picks. I'd probably look at moving Ott unless he is willing to agree to a reasonable contract extension this summer.
If Vanek is retained, I think they should give consideration to playing him on RW. The top-9 RWs could then be some combo of Vanek, Stafford, Armia/Flynn, with Tropp starting the season in the minors to test his bum knee. On LW, you could then have some combo of Ennis, Ott, Leino, and Foligno--by the way, we don't know for sure that the Foligno-at-center experiment is over.
stokes84
Registered User
Miller + ? For Heatley + Dumba?
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/18/buying-out-heatley-might-not-be-an-option-for-wild/
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/18/buying-out-heatley-might-not-be-an-option-for-wild/
Jacob582
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- Oct 16, 2012
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Interesting proposal.
Gotta think that there will be several opportunities out there to improve the depth in the organization by taking advantage of teams who need to get under the salary cap.
PS Heatley would need to waive his NMC
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If they said he'd get a giant pile of cash and freedom to sign somewhere else at the end of it, I imagine he takes it.
That said, I'm still for squeezing Clutterbuck out of Minny. He's due a raise and would allow Buffalo another energetic physical player for the fans to watch while the team loses.
Sabretip
Registered User
Heatley is reportedly still recovering from shoulder surgery and likely wouldn't be included in any trade until he's cleared by the medical staff of the team taking on his contract.
stokes84
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Jacob582
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- Oct 16, 2012
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Right, you are taking Heatley to make the trade because Wild have cap issues. Heatley would be negative trade value (cap hit, injury) in the deal.
However, there would be more "suffering" for the Sabres. They wouldn't be able to buy him out if he is not medically cleared. So the team would eat his entire salary for the year and have him on the team (or waive him).
Maybe trade him at the deadline? Would anyone want him if he started playing better during the season?
vcv
Registered User
stokes84
Registered User
Might as well keep him we'll have lots of cap room. And watching heater would be hilareous he's an all star
Jacob582
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- Oct 16, 2012
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If we traded for him we would most likely have to keep him.
Rehabs 4-6 months, then,
1. makes your roster
2. waive him, someone claims him?
3. waive him, send him to AHL (I'm sure he wouldn't waive his NMC if he knew this was and option)
Beerz
Registered User
- Jun 28, 2011
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Not a bad idea... could be a step towards going in a different direction with Patrick Kaleta
So let me get this straight. Minnesota is going to trade its best non-roster defensive prospect in order to get rid of Heatley's salary and acquire Miller? Why not just pluck one of the other million available goaltenders or re-sign Backstrom at a lower rate and keep Dumba? Minnesota can buy out Gilbert, too, now that he fulfilled his role of helping to recruit Parise to the Wild.
Unless that + you're referring to is Grigorenko/Armia, that trade isn't going to happen.
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