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Buffalo Sabres Free Agency Thread


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My opinion, losing Satan SUCKS!!! This guy is the only real scoring talent on the team. New rules to open up the game, shoot-outs, and you let this guy walk? OK, he is soft. So what? Muckers and grinders are a dime a dozen, but scorers are hard to get. I don't buy the salary thing either. The Sabre payroll is down maybe $12 million this year, they drop tickets a paltry couple bucks, let their best player go, and stand to make $$$ big time this year. I have no problem staying home this year at all

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The ONLY real scoring talent on the team you say? Forward is where we are the deepest.

 

It wasn't salary, it wasn't him being soft. It was him not putting forth a true effort every night. He would take nights off all the time.

 

I liked the guy to, but it was time for him to leave. We have plenty of young scoring talent right now.

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I liked the guy to, but it was time for him to leave.  We have plenty of young scoring talent right now.

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The question is what young talent is going to replace Satan's 30 to 40 goals and 70-80 points a year? Vanek had a good rookie year in Rochester, but he has yet to step on the ice against NHL competition.

 

 

I think Zhitnik will not be re-signed by the Sabres and in his place will be one of the 2nd tier defensemen. Do not expect any big free angency moves in the forward ranks.

 

 

So the Sabres lose their best forward and best defensemen, but the playing field has been leveled? :doh:

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The Sabres chose to let Satan go.  They could have kept him if they wanted to.

 

And last season, Briere had more points than Satan and 1 less goal.

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Whether the Sabres chose to let Satan go or it was his decision is irrelevent. You still have 30-40 goals and 70-80 points to replace in the lineup. What Breire scored doesn't matter in that he is not replacing Satan, he was in the lineup with him in 03-04.

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So the Sabres lose their best forward and best defensemen, but the playing field has been leveled? :doh:

 

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Well, maybe this is oversimplifying things a bit, but losing the best forward, and the best defensemen on a team that hasn't really done anything in 5 years, may not be the worst thing, depending on who they are replaced with. I don't get to follow the Sabres as much as some of you, but it seems like every time I go home (and I usually go to see the Sabres if they are in town), fans are ready to crucify Zhitnik. He always seemed to be fundamentally sound, until he wasn't!

 

While it would have been nice to see if Satan could become a 50 goal scorer, in the "new NHL", with the number of young talanted forwards they seem to have, it doesn't seem like losing Satan will have as much of an effect on the ice, as it may in the stands...with the salary cap, the team needs to give some of those young guys more front line playing time, to see if they are worth extending.

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Well, maybe this is oversimplifying things a bit, but losing the best forward, and the best defensemen on a team that hasn't really done anything in 5 years, may not be the worst thing, depending on who they are replaced with. 

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I agree with you that maybe it's time to make some changes, but your statement in bold says it all and sums up my concerns.

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Whether the Sabres chose to let Satan go or it was his decision is irrelevent.  You still have 30-40 goals and 70-80 points to replace in the lineup.  What Breire scored doesn't matter in that he is not replacing Satan, he was in the lineup with him in 03-04.

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For $4 million a year, I'm sure we could find a quality UFA forward who can equal Miro's production as well as play defense and not be a team cancer.

 

But even if we can't, there are several good young forwards on this team who can - in total - equal or surpass Satan's scoring production. Vanek, Roy, Pominville, Gaustad, and Paille all have potential.

 

I'm far more concerned with the defensemen than the forwards. Losing Zhitnik is understandable, but not if we have no plans of replacing him with players outside the organization.

 

Despite the projected losses (Satan, Zhitnik, and Boulton), I still think we're only 2 quality UFA defensemen away from being a playoff team. We should be fine with our current talent at forward, but the defensemen lines are a horror show. DR needs to do whatever it takes to get some quality D. Trading Biron would be a good start.

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For $4 million a year, I'm sure we could find a quality UFA forward who can equal Miro's production as well as play defense and not be a team cancer.

 

 

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I got to see the last 20 games of the last season, and it seemed like there was a handful of young guys on the team already, that might be able to compensate for whatever production we lose with Satan. We will just never know about some of these kids, unless they get more playing time. It seems like last we saw the Sabres, they had a wealth of potential 20-25 goal scorers.

 

The Sabres organization has traditionally always had a very strong farm team in Rochester. Maybe, in the "new NHL" with the more wide open style, some of these kids will develop into NHL level talent, more quickly.

 

Satan is a better than average, but not an elite, offensive player. I would feel a lot better if they could somehow get a commitment from Afinogenov...I think that kid is terrific, when his head is screwed on....

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Dave Andreychuk = Great team player but too old.

Nikolai Khabibulin = We don't need him

Cory Stillman = The only guy that I can see in a Sabs uni.

Pavel Bure = BUM

Scott Stevens = Keep dreaming if you think Buffalo will get him, but he's getting to old.

Peter Bondra = BUM

Alexei Zhamnov = BIG TIME BUM

 

I really wouldn't want any of this guys on the Sabres. Stillman is a less skilled Satan.

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I don't think there's a need for Khabby.

 

We need to stick with one of our goalies (hopefully either Miller or Noronen).  They're all talented, but no one besides Biron has been given a true chance yet.

 

I think Miller is the best of the three.

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Biron has had his chance over the last few years and has proven to be nothing but inconsistent and mediocre. Give Miller first shot. If he shows he is still not ready, go with Noronen. Enough already with the three headed goaltending monster.

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Biron has had his chance over the last few years and has proven to be nothing but inconsistent and mediocre.  Give Miller first shot.  If he shows he is still not ready, go with Noronen.  Enough already with the three headed goaltending monster.

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Completely agree. Go with Miller, and let him play more than a couple games before benching him.

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Biron has had his chance over the last few years and has proven to be nothing but inconsistent and mediocre.  Give Miller first shot.  If he shows he is still not ready, go with Noronen.  Enough already with the three headed goaltending monster.

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I agree but I just don't want to watse another year waiting for somebody to develop in goal. Sign a great goaltender and work from there.

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