They weren't any where near being a good team at that time.
- Stripes77

You can still have the mindset of a good team, and that contract was the opposite.

You can still have the mindset of a good team, and that contract was the opposite.
- buffalofan19

Not if you were looking for a decent vet to have in the room with the plan of tanking one more year and a guy that can help bring along the rookies...

BTW here is Miller's view on the GWG

Ryan Miller on winning goal: "We tried to backcheck and I don’t want to fault them, but we had two, maybe three guys looking at the puck."

— Ben Kuzma (@benkuzma) November 7, 2015

Not if you were looking for a decent vet to have in the room with the plan of tanking one more year and a guy that can help bring along the rookies...

BTW here is Miller's view on the GWG

Ryan Miller on winning goal: "We tried to backcheck and I don’t want to fault them, but we had two, maybe three guys looking at the puck."

— Ben Kuzma (@benkuzma) November 7, 2015
- Stripes77

It boggles my mind that people act like Moulson was the only option to fill that role.

If that length of a contract was a deal breaker then they should have done what good teams do, find another option.
- buffalofan19

Um...
Were we a "good" team at the time?
No,
We were actually the WORST team in the league
Idk what "options" you think the Sabres had
But I seriously doubt too many players were considering signing with us then, especially knowing it would at least be another two years for us to make the playoffs

Moulson is a solid player
Nothing more, nothing less
When his deal is up, guys like Bailey or Baptiste will likely be able to step in
But those guys aren't ready yet, no where close actually if u listen to Kris Baker

It boggles my mind that people act like Moulson was the only option to fill that role.
- buffalofan19

Name me a former 30 goal scorer that was lining up to play for the last place Buffalo Sabres?

I am 44 years old

I want to see them win a (frank)ing cup
- homiedclown

I'm quite a few years older than you, not that it matters.

But not sure what that has to do with Ryan Miller being a winner where it counts, in life . ?

Um...
Were we a "good" team at the time?
No,
We were actually the WORST team in the league
Idk what "options" you think the Sabres had
But I seriously doubt too many players were considering signing with us then, especially knowing it would at least be another two years for us to make the playoffs

Moulson is a solid player
Nothing more, nothing less
When his deal is up, guys like Bailey or Baptiste will likely be able to step in
But those guys aren't ready yet, no where close actually if u listen to Kris Baker
- jdfitz77

Players that are merely "solid" shouldn't be getting 5 year deals for that kind of cash, no matter what stage the team is in. It's simply poor cap management. In as little as a year, this contract will be one they wish didn't exist.

You can still have the mindset of a good team, and that contract was the opposite.
- buffalofan19

Actually...
At the time we had the mindset of a "re-building" team
Which is EXACTLY what we were
No need to overreach for guys that weren't gonna sign with a last place team anyways

Moulson was very likely the most talented player we were gonna get at the time
The other option would've been to sign no one
I could see your thought process if u would've preferred that...
But Murray didn't wanna play too many young guys before they were ready
Darcy did that with guys like Grigorenko,
And it proved disastrous

I'm quite a few years older than you, not that it matters.

But not sure what that has to do with Ryan Miller being a winner where it counts, in life . ?
- BuffaloHardHat

I watch this team, and pay to watch this team with the expectation of one thing: winning championships. There are plenty of people, athletes and non-athletes alike, who are classy and generous people. That's not what this arena is for. A player being a stand up guy is a bonus, nothing more.

Players that are merely "solid" shouldn't be getting 5 year deals for that kind of cash, no matter what stage the team is in. It's simply poor cap management. In as little as a year, this contract will be one they wish didn't exist.
- buffalofan19

We won't be anywhere near the Cap next year
What are u talking about?

And yeah...
"Solid" vets that score 20 goals do get $5mil a year in this league

Players that are merely "solid" shouldn't be getting 5 year deals for that kind of cash, no matter what stage the team is in. It's simply poor cap management. In as little as a year, this contract will be one they wish didn't exist.
- buffalofan19

I think Foligno is starting to make some strides. As soon as Kane comes back Moulson will probably be the 3rd best LW.

I'm hoping they replace him soon

Name me a former 30 goal scorer that was lining up to play for the last place Buffalo Sabres?
- Stripes77

There were dozens!
Lol

There were dozens!
Lol
- jdfitz77

Why did we need Matt Moulson last year? The signing was pointless

We could have got the same production from someone like Lee Stempniak or Brad Boyes this season, and not been strapped to an aging player.

I think Foligno is starting to make some strides. As soon as Kane comes back Moulson will probably be the 3rd best LW.

I'm hoping they replace him soon
- sbroads24

When we do replace Moulson in the line-up,
It'll be bc we have better youngsters that have proven themselves to be NHL players
Bailey &/or Baptiste likely won't be ready until the '17-'18 season at the earliest

We won't have to worry about any Cap issues from the Moulson signing at all

Why did we need Matt Moulson last year? The signing was pointless

We could have got the same production from someone like Lee Stempniak or Brad Boyes this season, and not been strapped to an aging player.
- sbroads24

I like how he cleverly volunteered to take Eichel in. Pretty much gave himself an NTC

When we do replace Moulson in the line-up,
It'll be bc we have better youngsters that have proven themselves to be NHL players
Bailey &/or Baptiste likely won't be ready until the '17-'18 season at the earliest

We won't have to worry about any Cap issues from the Moulson signing at all
- jdfitz77

Or when a better option comes along via trade or FA, but then what do you do with that contract? That's the problem, eventually he will be moved down in the pecking order, and it's not a deal they can just move on from.

Why did we need Matt Moulson last year? The signing was pointless

We could have got the same production from someone like Lee Stempniak or Brad Boyes this season, and not been strapped to an aging player.
- sbroads24

1) u don't know either would've signed here
2) the assumption they'd have produced the same as Moulson is a reach
Specifically with Boyes
Who did better when they played w Tavares, Boyes or Moulson?
Moulson is a better player than either

Maybe for the price tag, u could settle with lesser Vets like that
But I think it's obvious Murray needed to get a couple guys that could play in the top6 & bring some of the youngsters along more slowly & not put too much on those plate too soon

Or when a better option comes along via trade or FA, but then what do you do with that contract? That's the problem, eventually he will be moved down in the pecking order, and it's not a deal they can just move on from.
- Sabresfan-365

There's teams that need to get to the floor every year that take on guys like Moulson
And even if there weren't,
We aren't going to have Cap issues even if we sent him to Rochester

We'll be fine

Well, Ryan Miller is no longer a Buffalo Sabre.

He is no longer your concern in terms of him ' letting you down ' as a hockey player that won't win you championships.
But why that was brought up anyway really bewilders me when we were talking about Ryan Miller as a human being not an athlete.

My concern is not about sports, but about lives, childrens lives that are battling cancer.

And Ryan once again comes into town and brightened up so many sick childrens lives.

The man is a fantastic human being, period.

There's teams that need to get to the floor every year that take on guys like Moulson
And even if there weren't,
We aren't going to have Cap issues even if we sent him to Rochester

We'll be fine
- jdfitz77

If we want to be a cup contender in the next few years we absolutely will. The team still needs a top 6 fwd and top pair d-man. That's not going to come cheap.

1) u don't know either would've signed here
2) the assumption they'd have produced the same as Moulson is a reach
Specifically with Boyes
Who did better when they played w Tavares, Boyes or Moulson?
Moulson is a better player than either

Maybe for the price tag, u could settle with lesser Vets like that
But I think it's obvious Murray needed to get a couple guys that could play in the top6 & bring some of the youngsters along more slowly & not put too much on those plate too soon
- jdfitz77

In a year where winning wasn't really a priority, taking a lesser player for lesser term would have been a far better option. They signed two other free agents and had another player waive his NTC to come here. They could have got someone that didn't cripple them later on.

Well, Ryan Miller is no longer a Buffalo Sabre.

He is no longer your concern in terms of him ' letting you down ' as a hockey player that won't win you championships.
But why that was brought up anyway really bewilders me when we were talking about Ryan Miller as a human being not an athlete.

My concern is not about sports, but about lives, childrens lives that are battling cancer.

And Ryan once again comes into town and brightened up so many sick childrens lives.

The man is a fantastic human being, period.
- BuffaloHardHat

If you really didn't have a concern about sports, something tells me you wouldn't be posting here.

If we want to be a cup contender in the next few years we absolutely will. The team still needs a top 6 fwd and top pair d-man. That's not going to come cheap.
- Sabresfan-365

Dustin Byfuglien could be an option. Or Yandle

When Risto, Girgensons, Larsson, McCabe, Foligno need to be resigned, might be tough to add an impact player

In a year where winning wasn't really a priority, taking a lesser player for lesser term would have been a far better option. They signed two other free agents and had another player waive his NTC to come here. They could have got someone that didn't cripple them later on.
- buffalofan19

U need to show me exactly how that's gonna "cripple us later on"
Most of the $$$ has already been paid to him
So even if we can't trade him,
He's a cheap buyout
The Cap won't be an issue

Dustin Byfuglien could be an option. Or Yandle

When Risto, Girgensons, Larsson, McCabe, Foligno need to be resigned, might be tough to add an impact player
- sbroads24

Think about this one for a second.

Yandle I would love but it's hard to bet on Buffalo in free agency for the big time players. Even if they did, still makes things tricky when those youngsters are up for raises and moulson's cap hit is still kicking around.