Anyone could get in there and "close" this deal, but it would be bad for the franchise. Im serious the longer it drags out the more i think they should consider moving him.
- Sabresfan-365

Anyone could get in there and "close" this deal, but it would be bad for the franchise. Im serious the longer it drags out the more i think they should consider moving him.
- Sabresfan-365

I had a bad feeling when they were going to wait til after the tourney

Frank Seravalli ‏@frank_seravalli 4m4 minutes ago
Waiver claims: Pulkkinen (MIN), Parenteau (NJD), Condon (PIT), Dahlbeck (CAR), Griffith (TOR).

I don't get it either
- SABRES 89

remember the last holdout?

remember the last holdout?



- homiedclown

Funny how the last player that held out has been very vocal about how he wishes he could go back and do it completely differently. Said it wasn't the best move for his career, at all.

Maybe someone needs to call Risto with some of those sound bites as a nice little reminder that $$ isn't everything.

Dont compare paying players now compared to 3 years ago.

Sadly moulson, gorges and gio earned those contracts at that time..Im aware they are not worth it now but that's the price you pay for FA's. Lets hope Okposo pans out better

Risto's had 3/4 of a solid season he should not be over 6mill a year. So dont cave because other players were paid & havent lived up to their deals

Over the next two seasons we free up:
Moulson - 5M
Gionta - 4.2
McCormick - 1.5
Gorges - 3.9
Franson - 3.3
Kulikov (maybe, could be resigned) 4.3
Nilsson - 1

And, Kane may be done here. - 5.3

That's 24.2 million freed up, not including Kane. With Kane gone it's 29.5 million. We'll have the room to pay Reinhart and Eichel and everyone else who will be on the team will not command north of 4.5 million unless they become the next Johnny Hockey. Pay Risto the extra million now and then you have leverage on him to perform better.

Dont compare paying players now compared to 3 years ago.

Sadly moulson, gorges and gio earned those contracts at that time..Im aware they are not worth it now but that's the price you pay for FA's. Lets hope Okposo pans out better

Risto's had 3/4 of a solid season he should not be over 6mill a year. So dont cave because other players were paid & havent lived up to their deals
- yen6d1

I agree he isn't worth 6/year, but we are hurting our team by not having him here. We have to decide what is more important, him playing now at what may be 1M too high, or potentially hurting ourselves this year and maybe get a more favorable deal.

At what point is the 1M worth it? It was my same thinking with Stamkos, why lose a good player over not that much money? I don't know if the 1M is worth sacrificing the start of the season.

Just my thought.

- Slump Buster

I didnt say move him for spare parts

Over the next two seasons we free up:
Moulson - 5M
Gionta - 4.2
McCormick - 1.5
Gorges - 3.9
Franson - 3.3
Kulikov (maybe, could be resigned) 4.3
Nilsson - 1

And, Kane may be done here. - 5.3

That's 24.2 million freed up, not including Kane. With Kane gone it's 29.5 million. We'll have the room to pay Reinhart and Eichel and everyone else who will be on the team will not command north of 4.5 million unless they become the next Johnny Hockey. Pay Risto the extra million now and then you have leverage on him to perform better.
- sskkoo1

No you don't. What incentive does the guy have to "play better" if he's already cashing the big paycheck?

I like Risto. I wish this wasn't going on, but Murray has a history of paying guys what they want when they've earned it. (O'Reilly and Okposo). I don't think Risto has earned a $6+MM contract yet. I just don't. There are flashes that he could be worth that some day, but he's not worth it now.

This isn't good for the team, but paying him way north of what he's worth right now isn't good for the team in the long run either.

Over the next two seasons we free up:
Moulson - 5M
Gionta - 4.2
McCormick - 1.5
Gorges - 3.9
Franson - 3.3
Kulikov (maybe, could be resigned) 4.3
Nilsson - 1

And, Kane may be done here. - 5.3

That's 24.2 million freed up, not including Kane. With Kane gone it's 29.5 million. We'll have the room to pay Reinhart and Eichel and everyone else who will be on the team will not command north of 4.5 million unless they become the next Johnny Hockey. Pay Risto the extra million now and then you have leverage on him to perform better.
- sskkoo1

Most of those players that you lose are going to need to be replaced. So let's look 2 years ahead. You have to pay Jack and Sam, get 2 more defensemen at least, have 5 forward spots replaced, and potentially 2 goalies. You have some prospects that will work out but you'll also have some bigger contracts too. Some will ship out, more will come in.

I didnt say move him for spare parts
- Sabresfan-365

You would be moving him for his rights ..What that worth these days ? 3rd rounder ?

No you don't. What incentive does the guy have to "play better" if he's already cashing the big paycheck?

I like Risto. I wish this wasn't going on, but Murray has a history of paying guys what they want when they've earned it. (O'Reilly and Okposo). I don't think Risto has earned a $6+MM contract yet. I just don't. There are flashes that he could be worth that some day, but he's not worth it now.

This isn't good for the team, but paying him way north of what he's worth right now isn't good for the team in the long run either.
- HonkFortheGoose

It's all about the cost v reward. The cost is 1M more per year. The reward for not signing him is you hurt your team for the start of the season. If this goes into November and we don't do too well is it worth it? Would he have even made the difference? It's risky to play hardball like this when the numbers aren't that different.

Funny how the last player that held out has been very vocal about how he wishes he could go back and do it completely differently. Said it wasn't the best move for his career, at all.

Maybe someone needs to call Risto with some of those sound bites as a nice little reminder that $$ isn't everything.
- HonkFortheGoose

I find it hard to believe, with this being GMTM's biggest task for the last 2 months, that it's not done

No you don't. What incentive does the guy have to "play better" if he's already cashing the big paycheck?

I like Risto. I wish this wasn't going on, but Murray has a history of paying guys what they want when they've earned it. (O'Reilly and Okposo). I don't think Risto has earned a $6+MM contract yet. I just don't. There are flashes that he could be worth that some day, but he's not worth it now.

This isn't good for the team, but paying him way north of what he's worth right now isn't good for the team in the long run either.
- HonkFortheGoose

I agree. I am not happy with this development, but credit Murray for standing strong. Look at Myers deal, we paid him tons with room to grow and he did not. Murray has value in his head of his worth and wont budge (much). When did the RFA players gain so much leverage?

I find it hard to believe, with this being GMTM's biggest task for the last 2 months, that it's not done
- homiedclown

I heard Risto is down to $5.5 / year (from $6-6.5) so Risto held to see Murray cave. He is not caving. Dont put this all on GMTM.

It's all about the cost v reward. The cost is 1M more per year. The reward for not signing him is you hurt your team for the start of the season. If this goes into November and we don't do too well is it worth it? Would he have even made the difference? It's risky to play hardball like this when the numbers aren't that different.
- Zschalberg

You're only looking at one side of the cost vs reward aspect. What happens when you pay him that much and he never takes that next step forward? It's no different than people in here complaining about what Bogo's contract is for. He got that contract based off of what they thought he would progress into, and it never happened. Is he a terrible defenseman? No. But he's overpaid for what he gives you.

There's two sides to everything. Like I said, I hate this as well. I think the whole situation sucks. But if Murray thinks it's too much, then it probably is especially if you look at the other contracts he's been willing to give out. It's not exactly like Murray tends to play hardball.

I find it hard to believe, with this being GMTM's biggest task for the last 2 months, that it's not done
- homiedclown

I don't. I see other RFAs with the same thing. Johnny hockey just signed like 2 days ago. It's not like we were alone in this. The RFAs are standing their ground for their money, and the GMs are doing the same. Maybe when Lindholm gets done we'll look at that as the precedent. Or not. It'll get done eventually. I just wonder how many games go by before then.

Remember, there's 2 people in every deal. Blame GMTM, but Risto has to agree.

I find it hard to believe, with this being GMTM's biggest task for the last 2 months, that it's not done
- homiedclown

I don't. he wants 6-6.5. Only a bad gm would have signed this deal by now.

I find it hard to believe, with this being GMTM's biggest task for the last 2 months, that it's not done
- homiedclown

Should it be done? yes

But this world cup screwed a lot of front offices because rfas playing obviously waited to try and boost their value (understandably) which left only a few weeks to get a deal done

I find it hard to believe, with this being GMTM's biggest task for the last 2 months, that it's not done
- homiedclown

If Risto's demands were in line with what he's actually worth, he'd have been offer sheeted by now. And he hasn't been. What does that tell you?

You're only looking at one side of the cost vs reward aspect. What happens when you pay him that much and he never takes that next step forward? It's no different than people in here complaining about what Bogo's contract is for. He got that contract based off of what they thought he would progress into, and it never happened. Is he a terrible defenseman? No. But he's overpaid for what he gives you.

There's two sides to everything. Like I said, I hate this as well. I think the whole situation sucks. But if Murray thinks it's too much, then it probably is especially if you look at the other contracts he's been willing to give out. It's not exactly like Murray tends to play hardball.
- HonkFortheGoose

If you pay him 5.5 and he doesn't make that step it's just as bad as if you pay him 6.5 and he doesn't do it. The 1M is what we're paying McCormick the last 2 years for nothing. It wasn't hurting us then and I don't think 1M extra will cap strap us in the future.

If Risto's demands were in line with what he's actually worth, he'd have been offer sheeted by now. And he hasn't been. What does that tell you?
- HonkFortheGoose

That's not true. Kucherov would have been Offer Sheeted if they were a thing, but they're not. They aren't a thing in the NHL and the lack of it for Risto does not mean that he's shooting too high. It means why would any team bother and then soil the rep with the Sabres when they know it'll easily be matched.

If Risto's demands were in line with what he's actually worth, he'd have been offer sheeted by now. And he hasn't been. What does that tell you?
- HonkFortheGoose

If someone offer sheets Ristolainen $6.5 the Sabres would most likely match. They know this. Ristolainen knows this, and so does every other team. It's the $7 or $8 million that would get the Sabres to walk away, and probably is what nobody else is willing to pay him.

If Risto's demands were in line with what he's actually worth, he'd have been offer sheeted by now. And he hasn't been. What does that tell you?
- HonkFortheGoose

here is our long term numbers, if we can't agree to that, do you want a 2 or 3 year bridge deal