To be fair he said bogo and his cap hit, different conversation if bogo has less years and $$
- Sabresfan-365

I really don't see an issue with a $5.1 million cap hit

You can't protect O'Reilly, Kane, Foligno, Player X, Girgensons, Ennis AND protect 4 D

If you protect 4 D you can only protect 4 forwards.

So like I said regardless with the way the team is built now and if you want to be a winner unless you trade for a player who will be exempt from being picked (no team is giving that player up BTW) you need to have a solid top 4 D and all 4 of those guys would need to be protected.

With the way the forwards are age and contract wise the smart play would be to move up to the top 3 draft a fin sign stamkos and protect 4 D and you're golden if you can pull a trade of Ennis or Girgensons for Fowler type.

You protect Fowler, Bogo, Risto, McCabe and expose Pysyk
- Stripes77

Okay fine. We trade one of Girgensons or Foligno for a pick then and make them take Gorges or Moulson. Done.

To be fair I've been Reinhart pro camp since day 1 and you can back read all you want on that. Always thought he should be up here all year since last summer

I was also against the Kane trade. I do like what Kane has brought to us thus far but have been very disappointed by Bogosian. I think Bogosian looked good in the offensive zone at the end of the year but the job of a defenseman is to be good in your own end. He is not good in his own end.
- bluengold12

Reinhart is just an example for everyone to take a second on players..

We were a bottom 10 team that was basically a new roster. It's annoying to hear about mistakes from one person when the entire team was making them including risto. The second half of the season was when they were starting to gain chemistry and bogo was helping McCabe make a huge improvement. I see the injury part but when he was playing he wasn't a Meszaros out there

This is where your hatred of the trade shows.

Had you said just Ennis I would be fine. But you would rather keep a bottom 6 guy over a top 4 defensemen
- Stripes77

Yes, because they will be a lot cheaper.

Good explanation stripes - thus makes sense - I never considered the 8 player protection vs the 7-3. We would lose a good young forward in this scenario but that's okay. Further shows the importance of signing Vesey
- turbo044

Depends on your definition of good.

If you can make a trade for a Fowler type involving Ennis or Girgensons you are really only losing one of Foligno, whoever doesn't get traded for Fowler, Delo and Moulson

Signing Stamkos you protect him obviously and ROR and Kane.

You still have 1 more player to protect so you protect either Ennis Larsson or Girgensons.

Again that is a better scenario than most think.

Having a young team is helping here.

I agree signing Vesey is really important here.

Okay fine. We trade one of Girgensons or Foligno for a pick then and make them take Gorges or Moulson. Done.
- bluengold12

Pretty much.

I really don't see an issue with a $5.1 million cap hit
- Stripes77

When it's for that long and on his best days he's barely a 2nd pairing defenceman I do.

You can't protect O'Reilly, Kane, Foligno, Player X, Girgensons, Ennis AND protect 4 D

If you protect 4 D you can only protect 4 forwards.

So like I said regardless with the way the team is built now and if you want to be a winner unless you trade for a player who will be exempt from being picked (no team is giving that player up BTW) you need to have a solid top 4 D and all 4 of those guys would need to be protected.

With the way the forwards are age and contract wise the smart play would be to move up to the top 3 draft a fin sign stamkos and protect 4 D and you're golden if you can pull a trade of Ennis or Girgensons for Fowler type.

You protect Fowler, Bogo, Risto, McCabe and expose Pysyk
- Stripes77

I don't understand why anyone would want to protect ennis. After moulson, he is next on my list of player I want gone. I agree on the four dman. I said it myself a couple of days ago. The way the roster is constructed, we can afford to freeze less skaters at the cost of freezing an extra dman.

Yes, because they will be a lot cheaper.
- sbroads24

I fail to the logic in protecting a bottom 6 player over a top 4 D simply because he is cheaper when the Sabres are no where near cap hell and even with adding a Stamkos wont be either

When it's for that long and on his best days he's barely a 2nd pairing defenceman I do.
- bluengold12

Then if that's what you think then the Sabres need a complete overhaul on the blue line because Risto was awful the last half of the season in his own end.

I don't understand why anyone would want to protect ennis. After moulson, he is next on my list of player I want gone. I agree on the four dman. I said it myself a couple of days ago. The way the roster is constructed, we can afford to freeze less skaters at the cost of freezing an extra dman.
- Mentalorgasm5

I agree.

I am glad someone else sees it as well.

I fail to the logic in protecting a bottom 6 player over a top 4 D simply because he is cheaper when the Sabres are no where near cap hell and even with adding a Stamkos wont be either
- Stripes77

Because the top 4 d is barely a top 4 D.

He was bottom of the entire league in some categories through most of the year. He was awful at suppressing scoring chances and shots, he was awful at protecting the net and had a brutal High danger scoring chance differential. He was literally last in the league through about 50 or 60 games in goals against per 60 min.

And he's paid like a top 35 D man. I fail to see the logic in not letting him go

Then if that's what you think then the Sabres need a complete overhaul on the blue line because Risto was awful the last half of the season in his own end.
- Stripes77

He was poor but he was also playing with Gorges. He's also younger and better then Bogosian. I truly think the only guys on this team I trust are Risto and McCabe. McCabe is a solid 4th or 5th guy on a playoff team. Pysyk I like but he is likely a 6th guy on a playoff team. Nelson is an unknown. Bogosian is a hybrid. When he's playing well he's your 4th or 3rd best defender on a playoff team. When he's not playing well which happened a lot in his time in Buffalo he's a bottom pairing guy.

I'd trade him and sign a guy like Demers to take his spot

Fowler Risto
McCabe Demers

is a lot better then what was there before. Then you hope Guhle or whoever we draft this year can move into that top 4 on the left side in a year or two

Think I'm going to change the subject to something other than hypothetical trades, and talk about the decline in ratings this year. I know people have touched on it closer to when the playoffs ended, but I'm still absolutely POed about the whole thing. I feel like the NHL put so much work into trying to attract my generation (I was born in the 90's), but they haven't done anything to keep us attracted to it. I'll always love the sport and love watching, because I grew up in a hockey family, with a dad that played D-1 hockey. I got to hear all my dads stories about playing with Kings hockey legend, Dave Taylor, and even grew up with Bogosian until I moved towns (so my extremely biased opinion is to not trade him )

I don't care how many outdoor games you have a year, if you have to pay an extra $80 a month (exaggerating a bit here, maybe?) for a sports package through your cable company, there is no way in hell you're going to get that young population you attracted to the sport to watch it.

Some may point fingers and say that I'm just a bum and probably don't have job, but I do have a job and quickly found one right after I graduated college. There lies the problem though. I'm in a crazy amount of debt from that education, and there is absolutely no way that I can spend money on a stupid sports package. I mean I'd go to the bar and get a beer, but I obviously can't do that every night.

If the NHL wants to boost it's ratings, make it so we can watch the games on game center live and pay an additional fee for playoffs. Bunch'a dumbasses

He was poor but he was also playing with Gorges. He's also younger and better then Bogosian. I truly think the only guys on this team I trust are Risto and McCabe. McCabe is a solid 4th or 5th guy on a playoff team. Pysyk I like but he is likely a 6th guy on a playoff team. Nelson is an unknown. Bogosian is a hybrid. When he's playing well he's your 4th or 3rd best defender on a playoff team. When he's not playing well which happened a lot in his time in Buffalo he's a bottom pairing guy.

I'd trade him and sign a guy like Demers to take his spot

Fowler Risto
McCabe Demers

is a lot better then what was there before. Then you hope Guhle or whoever we draft this year can move into that top 4 on the left side in a year or two
- bluengold12

For you and Broads:

http://www.diebytheblade....bres-grades-zach-bogosian

Him and McCabe found their game when they were paired together. I think they are good together and a good 2nd pairing. If they continue to play like they did the last 3rd of the year I have ZERO issues paying him $5.1 million for another 4 years.

I am not ignoring the first half of the season when he was awful. I will say some of that had to due with this injury (go ahead and run with the Broads) and some of it had to do with a new system.

I think he will be just fine.

Think I'm going to change the subject to something other than hypothetical trades, and talk about the decline in ratings this year. I know people have touched on it closer to when the playoffs ended, but I'm still absolutely POed about the whole thing. I feel like the NHL put so much work into trying to attract my generation (I was born in the 90's), but they haven't done anything to keep us attracted to it. I'll always love the sport and love watching, because I grew up in a hockey family, with a dad that played D-1 hockey. I got to hear all my dads stories about playing with Kings hockey legend, Dave Taylor, and even grew up with Bogosian until I moved towns (so my extremely biased opinion is to not trade him )

I don't care how many outdoor games you have a year, if you have to pay an extra $80 a month (exaggerating a bit here, maybe?) for a sports package through your cable company, there is no way in hell you're going to get that young population you attracted to the sport to watch it.

Some may point fingers and say that I'm just a bum and probably don't have job, but I do have a job and quickly found one right after I graduated college. There lies the problem though. I'm in a crazy amount of debt from that education, and there is absolutely no way that I can spend money on a stupid sports package. I mean I'd go to the bar and get a beer, but I obviously can't do that every night.

If the NHL wants to boost it's ratings, make it so we can watch the games on game center live and pay an additional fee for playoffs. Bunch'a dumbasses
- Grizzly12

A very good post!

Part of my issue with Center Ice is you can't watch the NBC Sports games. It's in their contract with the league.

Which means you can't watch the playoff games.

Once this contract is up I see the NHL walking away from NBC. Hopefully it isn't too late to save viewership.

For you and Broads:

http://www.diebytheblade....bres-grades-zach-bogosian

Him and McCabe found their game when they were paired together. I think they are good together and a good 2nd pairing. If they continue to play like they did the last 3rd of the year I have ZERO issues paying him $5.1 million for another 4 years.

I am not ignoring the first half of the season when he was awful. I will say some of that had to due with this injury (go ahead and run with the Broads) and some of it had to do with a new system.

I think he will be just fine.
- Stripes77

I would totally agree, if all the above issues weren't also problems the first 6 years of his career. Maybe not to that extent, but he was bad enough to be benched multiple times throughout his career. He's very up and very down.

A very good post!

Part of my issue with Center Ice is you can't watch the NBC Sports games. It's in their contract with the league.

Which means you can't watch the playoff games.

Once this contract is up I see the NHL walking away from NBC. Hopefully it isn't too late to save viewership.
- Stripes77

Thanks Stripes!
First time I've probably ever said that in my life...

I would totally agree, if all the above issues weren't also problems the first 6 years of his career. Maybe not to that extent, but he was bad enough to be benched multiple times throughout his career. He's very up and very down.
- sbroads24

I mean Tyler Myers was benched too

I mean Tyler Myers was benched too
- Grizzly12

He's playing better then Bogosian

I would totally agree, if all the above issues weren't also problems the first 6 years of his career. Maybe not to that extent, but he was bad enough to be benched multiple times throughout his career. He's very up and very down.
- sbroads24

Part of him being a high first round pick was high expectations.

He is 25 years old.

He has never played as well as he did the last 3rd of the season.

Call me overly optimistic if you want.

I am not expecting him to play like he did the last 3rd of the year all season long just like I don't expect him to play as bad as he did the first 3rd of the season.

But I think he is where he needs to be in his career for his game to take the next step.

Thanks Stripes!
First time I've probably ever said that in my life...
- Grizzly12

Part of him being a high first round pick was high expectations.

He is 25 years old.

He has never played as well as he did the last 3rd of the season.

Call me overly optimistic if you want.

I am not expecting him to play like he did the last 3rd of the year all season long just like I don't expect him to play as bad as he did the first 3rd of the season.

But I think he is where he needs to be in his career for his game to take the next step.
- Stripes77

Call me overly realistic but I believe what you see is what you get. He'll miss 15 games a year per on avg. Make plenty of mistakes in defensive coverage that will make you want to pull your hair out, make a few nice hits once in a while and will stick up for teammates and will also go on a few nice hot streaks with finding the net on the 2nd PP unit. Is that worth 5 million a year for 3 or 4 more seasons he has left? I don't really think so. No. Also if he regresses we're stuck with him.

can you name 5 guys up front we need to protect?


ror, stamkos, kane and ...........................


if we have 4 great d men, I am ok exposing larsson, girgens, foligno, stink, stank and stunk

plus from what I read, we do not have to protect moulson, only bogo

He's playing better then Bogosian
- bluengold12

I didn't compare their play, only that they've both been benched. And the only recent benching I could find for Bogosian was a bad slashing penalty he took. I'm not trying to say he hasn't been benched more, but that was the only one I could find after my quick scan of the internet.