Risto gets 5.5, Girgs and Foligno get 2.5. That's 10.5. Leaves us with 2.5. Trading Ennis gives us 4.6 so that's 7.1. McCormick will also be put on LTIR so that will help with relief. The money can be there. It's just not as easy as sign and go.
- Zschalberg

Not to mention Girgs would probably be the one going.

You could also move someone like Gorges 4 mil, or if Vesey signs and Nash is had, move Kane's 5 mil which might happen regardless

7.8 mil is a huge number cap wise for a teacher.


They have to move several players out in order to make room for him and have some cap flexibility.

They have $13,287,978 in space once you take the AHL guys off the roster (COR, Rodriguez, Schnieder, Ullmark, Grant, and Falk).

They still need to sign Risto, Girgs, and Foligno.

The Rags don't want to retain or take on any salary.

The money just isn't there.
- dadeadhead

$13.25 million in cap space. Risto signs for around $5.5. Foligno gets $2.5 Girgensons gets $2.25. That's $10.25. That leaves $3 million. Move Franson and his $3.3, you're at $6.3. Need to clear another $1.5 for Nash.

It's not impossible but it's very unlikely.

The Vesey play is simple to see. Its about the money. I'm no amateur GM, but its simple negotiation tactics.

He is committed to testing free agency to see what the market will bear. I'm sure there is some Max ELC, but I know that teams formulate the bonus structures differently. I would hope that the Sabres pitch to Vesey is pretty close to "as good as it gets," but I'm absolutely sure he is going to go to the market to see if he can squeeze a last little bit out of the deal.

And he may not even know, at this point, what "the extra squeeze" looks like because he needs to see what the other franchises will pitch him.

So my read on the situation is that he likes the idea of coming to play in Buffalo, and has probably received about a 96 or 98 percent offer. The reason he hasn't signed yet is he wants to see what the other four cents or 2 cents look like, and see if the Sabres will spend those pennies too.
- Der Kaiser

Exactly what I think as well, no clue where he signs but if you have come this far you might as well see what others have to offer.

$13.25 million in cap space. Risto signs for around $5.5. Foligno gets $2.5 Girgensons gets $2.25. That's $10.25. That leaves $3 million. Move Franson and his $3.3, you're at $6.3. Need to clear another $1.5 for Nash.

It's not impossible but it's very unlikely.
- Stripes77

I wouldn't even say it's unlikely. It's really not that hard to do. You just have to trade a player.

I wouldn't even say it's unlikely. It's really not that hard to do. You just have to trade a player.
- sbroads24

You would have to trade Franson and one of Girgensons or Foligno to make it fit.

The Rangers are looking to shed salary, not take it back. Sure they will take back a little but not all of his $7.8 cap hit.

So then you are looking to other teams to take on salary...what are you going to get out of them?

Not much

Risto gets 5.5, Girgs and Foligno get 2.5. That's 10.5. Leaves us with 2.5. Trading Ennis gives us 4.6 so that's 7.1. McCormick will also be put on LTIR so that will help with relief. The money can be there. It's just not as easy as sign and go.
- Zschalberg

You have to be under the cap prior to the season.

LTIR doesn't take effect till after the season starts.

And you are giving Ennis away at this point.

$13.25 million in cap space. Risto signs for around $5.5. Foligno gets $2.5 Girgensons gets $2.25. That's $10.25. That leaves $3 million. Move Franson and his $3.3, you're at $6.3. Need to clear another $1.5 for Nash.

It's not impossible but it's very unlikely.
- Stripes77

And you have no flexibility to make moves as the season goes on. It would have to be cash in and cash out.


The money isn't there unless you are going to give 2 of Kane, Ennis, and/or Franson away for free.

You would have to trade Franson and one of Girgensons or Foligno to make it fit.

The Rangers are looking to shed salary, not take it back. Sure they will take back a little but not all of his $7.8 cap hit.

So then you are looking to other teams to take on salary...what are you going to get out of them?

Not much
- Stripes77

They probably won't have a choice. No teams are lining up to absorb that cap hit. It would have been done already if they would.

Add Nash for either Franson or Girgs, move out either Ennis or Gorges and you have 0 issues.

IMO this will be Bogo, Kane's or Kulikov's last year with the Sabres, so a decent cap hit will come off next year

You would have to trade Franson and one of Girgensons or Foligno to make it fit.

The Rangers are looking to shed salary, not take it back. Sure they will take back a little but not all of his $7.8 cap hit.

So then you are looking to other teams to take on salary...what are you going to get out of them?

Not much
- Stripes77

IMO Nash is and has to be a last resort move.

7.8 is a huge number cap wise and they already have enough dead weight.

They probably won't have a choice. No teams are lining up to absorb that cap hit. It would have been done already if they would.

Add Nash for either Franson or Girgs, move out either Ennis or Gorges and you have 0 issues.

IMO this will be Bogo, Kane's or Kulikov's last year with the Sabres, so a decent cap hit will come off next year
- sbroads24

It leaves zero room to add a player or two come deadline time(as they should be in the playoff hunt IMO) without moving roster players off to do it.

It leaves zero room to add a player or two come deadline time(as they should be in the playoff hunt IMO) without moving roster players off to do it.
- dadeadhead

Yet the good teams that are up against the cap find a way to do it every year.

Also, wouldn't a player like Nash be who we would try and acquire at the deadline?

They probably won't have a choice. No teams are lining up to absorb that cap hit. It would have been done already if they would.

Add Nash for either Franson or Girgs, move out either Ennis or Gorges and you have 0 issues.

IMO this will be Bogo, Kane's or Kulikov's last year with the Sabres, so a decent cap hit will come off next year
- sbroads24

Read the next sentence after you bolded.

If you move Girgensons and his $2.5 cap hit you still need to move Ennis which nobody seems to be touching at the moment and if you do move Ennis you are left with more holes.

You can move Girgensons or Ennis you can't move both or you are going to have even more holes in your lineup, unless you want to play Delo every day.

Nash ROR Okposo
Vesey Eichel Reinhart
Kane Larsson Bailey or Gionta
Moulson COR Delo

at that point I think you're better off not "giving away" players for nothing

Read the next sentence after you bolded.

If you move Girgensons and his $2.5 cap hit you still need to move Ennis which nobody seems to be touching at the moment and if you do move Ennis you are left with more holes.

You can move Girgensons or Ennis you can't move both or you are going to have even more holes in your lineup, unless you want to play Delo every day.

Nash ROR Okposo
Vesey Eichel Reinhart
Kane Larsson Bailey or Gionta
Moulson COR Delo

at that point I think you're better off not "giving away" players for nothing
- Stripes77

You are missing Justin Bailey and Foligno.

Edit - I see Bailey

The Vesey play is simple to see. Its about the money. I'm no amateur GM, but its simple negotiation tactics.

He is committed to testing free agency to see what the market will bear. I'm sure there is some Max ELC, but I know that teams formulate the bonus structures differently. I would hope that the Sabres pitch to Vesey is pretty close to "as good as it gets," but I'm absolutely sure he is going to go to the market to see if he can squeeze a last little bit out of the deal.

And he may not even know, at this point, what "the extra squeeze" looks like because he needs to see what the other franchises will pitch him.

So my read on the situation is that he likes the idea of coming to play in Buffalo, and has probably received about a 96 or 98 percent offer. The reason he hasn't signed yet is he wants to see what the other four cents or 2 cents look like, and see if the Sabres will spend those pennies too.
- Der Kaiser

I disagree. He is intelligent. and did comment on waiting till the 15th. Could be he won't go back on his word? As far as the bonus, I believe there is a cap and the pennies shouldn't matter. I'm going with he really wants to check the teams out to make sure he will make the right choice. Can other teams blow the Sabres out of the water? maybe . We made our pitch first. So it's up to the others to beat it.

Yet the good teams that are up against the cap find a way to do it every year.

Also, wouldn't a player like Nash be who we would try and acquire at the deadline?
- sbroads24

Not with a year left at 7.8 and how he played last year.

I disagree. He is intelligent. and did comment on waiting till the 15th. Could be he won't go back on his word? As far as the bonus, I believe there is a cap and the pennies shouldn't matter. I'm going with he really wants to check the teams out to make sure he will make the right choice. Can other teams blow the Sabres out of the water? maybe . We made our pitch first. So it's up to the others to beat it.
- cabin

There is almost no doubt in my mind that the Sabres expected him to go to August 15th. The trade was to make sure they got a seat at the table they otherwise might not have.

There is almost no doubt in my mind that the Sabres expected him to go to August 15th. The trade was to make sure they got a seat at the table they otherwise might not have.
- buffalofan19

I think they had a seat.

The trade showed they were willing to move an asset to show him they were willing to pay the price to play poker.

Not with a year left at 7.8 and how he played last year.
- dadeadhead

He played fine. He got injured, but still produced at a high level 2nd line rate per 60.

We aren't trading for him to be an All-Star. We are trading for him to be our 4th or 5th best forward in 17-18.

He played fine. He got injured, but still produced at a high level 2nd line rate per 60.

We aren't trading for him to be an All-Star. We are trading for him to be our 4th or 5th best forward in 17-18.
- sbroads24

4th or 5th forward at the cost of 2 or 3 roster players though.

I mean I am all for going to get Nash but not if it means giving up Franson and one of Ennis or Girgensons (or both)

Lefty is 6 under through 14...

What was it someone said yesterday?

Not with a year left at 7.8 and how he played last year.
- dadeadhead

we would be doing a favor IMO to take him off their hands

3 way trade makes sense here where we get assets for the 2 pieces we have to move (picks/prospects) and rangers be glad they get a 3rd for nash

Lefty is 6 under through 14...

What was it someone said yesterday?
- Stripes77

I f@cking switched him for garcia

I f@cking switched him for garcia



- homiedclown

You should have went with your gut!

I f@cking switched him for garcia



- homiedclown

Long way to go, but I seem to be standing corrected so far.

Long way to go, but I seem to be standing corrected so far.
- buffalofan19

This isn't the Open...at least it doesn't feel like it.

Almost no wind, players are in short sleeves, and the sun is shinning...