Let's remind ourselves during the upcoming season of just how positively we are now viewing the rebuild...it will be tougher to handle in January when we are in 25th place...do they tank for 30th, or try to continue developing a strong compete every game? That is a very tough balancing act! Of course TM can manipulate the roster by trading Stafford, Stewert, etc. and replacing with AHL call ups ...not the youngin's, but the career AHLers like Adam and so on.
- IonSabres

murray admitted he needed one more draft. it will be interesting to see if barzal or hanifin are acceptable (of course hanifin is a defenseman, so theres that) or if murray is set on one of the top 2. those are the guys ive seen most often in the 3 and 4 spot for next year, who knows if thats how it ends up. i think you are absolutely right though, stewart and stafford will be the first ones jettisoned if things are going too well, and i dont think hes gonna wait for the deadline to do it.

They actually got McCabe in the Regehr trade for Butler and Byron. I had to put this in here because the blog said that we traded up seven spots in the first, and only moved back two in the second, which would require the GM from Calgary to be fired. Calgary had already traded us their second, and that's why they wanted another second and were willing to move back in the first to get it. Otherwise, good read.
- SDSabre

ha, i saw that too but i didnt look it up. was button still there for that trade?

CAM NEWTON

CAM NEWTON
- SABRES 89

Meszaros makes Newton expendable.

CAM NEWTON
- SABRES 89

TIM TEBOW

ha, i saw that too but i didnt look it up. was button still there for that trade?
- rover16

Pretty sure it was good ol' Feaster

This is very false.

Truth is the market value was very high originally, but dried up quickly. And those who waited too long were SOL.

Look at Marty St.Louis, he was traded for R. Callahan & a 2015 (McEichel yr) 1st rd pick! That's a haul.

Adversely look at Vanek, is he such a far cry from a 40yr old St.Louis? Of course not, but the NYI held onto him till the last minute. And everyone had finished their shopping already.

The best returns came to those who struck first, and the same thing happened with the goalie market. U snooze, U lose.
- SuperCat

Two things here: The trade market was bad this year (as far as what teams offered), but teams are willing to move 1st round picks when they are expected to be late first round and the player in the trade would sign a new contract with new team. Vanek openly would not, so why would anyone trade for a seriously rental player? Give up the farm for 4 months? NO WAY! Second, the St Louis trade was worse for NYR then even you said, they gave up Callahan 2014 1st and 2015 first (if he resigned, which he did). So they can up (2) first round picks and Callahan for an aging star in St. Louis who only wanted to go to NYR, but giving up a shot at McDavid because there is no way they will have a good chance at him, if any as they should be a playoff contender this year too. Bad deal by them for sure.

See Pominville, still had another year left on deal, so they could give up more for it (not to mention he was younger).

Hey Michael, great blog, great research, but it's a tad premature to call the recent Sabre draft picks an "incredible haul'. It will be a few years before we can determine if even a few of these players reach their potential and become at the very least serviceable NHLers. But the stockpiling of draft picks is definitely incredible. In this salary cap era, the best way to improve your team is through the draft. Great job keep up your very informative work!!

Meszaros makes Newton expendable.
- sambarugh

Now that Central Scouting's futures list is officially released, what's the over under on the amount of times that McDavid and Eichel trade spots at 1 & 2? As we all have seen for the past couple of years, NHL teams don't seem to take their rankings very seriously, and they seem to exist more as headline grabbers than anything else.

The fact the NYI decided to surrender their 2015 1st is beyond me. I don't care that they had the 5th overall. Next years draft is deep! If the Isles run into some injury problems or just stink it up again.....can u imagine what that pick could become??? Buffalo will already get McDavid or Eichel.

Zadorov is a beast. Risto is an all round great dman and Mccabe is quietly going to surprise everyone. He was lights out at the WJC few years back.

Rebuilding the right way. Its going to pay off in 3 years.
- storm88

The only reason the gave Buffalo the 2015 1st is because Snow could not tell his fans they were planning on being worse in 2015 (since they already have terrible attendance issues) and he was doing that for his job. He will be fired this year, so what does he care? haha

The only reason the gave Buffalo the 2015 1st is because Snow could not tell his fans they were planning on being worse in 2015 (since they already have terrible attendance issues) and he was doing that for his job. He will be fired this year, so what does he care? haha
- Lilroot9

and the sabres could have 5 picks in the top 35 for the 2015 draft

Now that Central Scouting's futures list is officially released, what's the over under on the amount of times that McDavid and Eichel trade spots at 1 & 2? As we all have seen for the past couple of years, NHL teams don't seem to take their rankings very seriously, and they seem to exist more as headline grabbers than anything else.
- buffalofan19

69

the over/under is 69 time

and the sabres could have 5 picks in the top 35 for the 2015 draft
- homiedclown

Could be even more than that once Staff/Stew/Mezaros/Newton are moved. It wouldn't surprise me if TM again tries to package picks to move up.

Could be even more than that once Staff/Stew/Mezaros/Newton are moved. It wouldn't surprise me if TM again tries to package picks to move up.
- Slump Buster

Unless they are part of a package with something else, none of those guys are generating anything better than a 2nd rounder, and lottery teams won't be taking them on at the deadline so you're looking at top 45 at the most.

and the sabres could have 5 picks in the top 35 for the 2015 draft
- homiedclown

Did we give Goat-Mesz the C yet?

and the sabres could have 5 picks in the top 35 for the 2015 draft
- homiedclown

I said that the other day and WOW! In a deep draft that would be remarkable! Now most of the players (after 15th overall) would need a few years, but whatever. That makes vertran players expendable down the road to get more picks / players. The last few years (and the next few) could be rough for results for the Sabres, but they serisouly have a box full of prospects (and ones to come next year). Not to mention free agency, with young guns like that, we could sign whomever is available if we want. It is going to get silly in a few years and we will all look back (even the less knowlegable fans) and say it was all worth it.

Side note: Tim Murray is a beast of a GM and I could not be happier. Before I would cringe at what Darcy would do (even though he made smart moves at times) because I did not trust his player evaulations, but TM is great at this.

During the draft, walking up and just saying "Buffalo Sabres select Sam Rineheart!" was the best thing ever, including the way he did it. If the Sabres get one more first rounder next year, they will have to move the draft to Buffalo cause we will be sitting on stage! haha

Meszaros makes Newton expendable.
- sambarugh

Ott is not a center

Unless they are part of a package with something else, none of those guys are generating anything better than a 2nd rounder, and lottery teams won't be taking them on at the deadline so you're looking at top 45 at the most.
- buffalofan19

Right, that is exactly what I am thinking. Given the quality of the draft I can't see the return on players being any better than it was at the deadline last year.

I said that the other day and WOW! In a deep draft that would be remarkable! Now most of the players (after 15th overall) would need a few years, but whatever. That makes vertran players expendable down the road to get more picks / players. The last few years (and the next few) could be rough for results for the Sabres, but they serisouly have a box full of prospects (and ones to come next year). Not to mention free agency, with young guns like that, we could sign whomever is available if we want. It is going to get silly in a few years and we will all look back (even the less knowlegable fans) and say it was all worth it.

Side note: Tim Murray is a beast of a GM and I could not be happier. Before I would cringe at what Darcy would do (even though he made smart moves at times) because I did not trust his player evaulations, but TM is great at this.

During the draft, walking up and just saying "Buffalo Sabres select Sam Rineheart!" was the best thing ever, including the way he did it. If the Sabres get one more first rounder next year, they will have to move the draft to Buffalo cause we will be sitting on stage! haha
- Lilroot9

I still wish we would have gotten Eckbald.

Ott is not a center
- SABRES 89

Ennis for Sam Gagner.

I said that the other day and WOW! In a deep draft that would be remarkable! Now most of the players (after 15th overall) would need a few years, but whatever. That makes vertran players expendable down the road to get more picks / players. The last few years (and the next few) could be rough for results for the Sabres, but they serisouly have a box full of prospects (and ones to come next year). Not to mention free agency, with young guns like that, we could sign whomever is available if we want. It is going to get silly in a few years and we will all look back (even the less knowlegable fans) and say it was all worth it.

Side note: Tim Murray is a beast of a GM and I could not be happier. Before I would cringe at what Darcy would do (even though he made smart moves at times) because I did not trust his player evaulations, but TM is great at this.

During the draft, walking up and just saying "Buffalo Sabres select Sam Rineheart!" was the best thing ever, including the way he did it. If the Sabres get one more first rounder next year, they will have to move the draft to Buffalo cause we will be sitting on stage! haha
- Lilroot9

I like Murray's approach, but I'm not going to anoint him as a "beast" just yet. I would believe that even most of us here could look good if we were mandated by the league to spend at least $20 million. His real test will come in a couple of years when he has to make real decisions on who to keep and who to let go, assuming they're as good as we all hope they will be by then.

Yes, but does Meszaros make Myers expendable?
- CaptainRivet

This should be in every blog.

Ennis for Sam Gagner.
- Der Kaiser

Enroth and Sekera for Parise.

Enroth and Sekera for Parise.
- mhp

Gaustad will never get us a first.