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Possible Sabres trades


bills_fan

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Biron is their most likely candidate to get shipped, and makes the most sense. If all goes according to plan, Marty wouldn't see one minute of action in the playoffs. He's a nice luxury to have, but when it gets down to it, they will need contributors in the playoffs, not spectators. Kotalik, Pominville, and Kalinin are leading the way in whispers as far as expendable skaters.

 

I haven't heard many hypotheticals as far as who the Sabres would bring in in a trade. Bill Guerin's name has popped up a few times. If they traded Biron, they'd certainly need to receive a goalie coming back. I'm sure they'd like some additional depth at defense, but I can't see them grabbing someone at the deadline who would crack their top-7 barring injuries...Then you're back to the contributor vs. spectator argument.

 

Gaustad hurts...Darcy mentioned how valuable guys like him are in the playoffs, and that the answer would be "No" if a team wanted the Goose from the Sabres, so he's skeptical that he'll be able to pick up a comparable player from someone else.

 

I really hope Biron doesn't leave. He's a great back up goalie.

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I really hope Biron doesn't leave. He's a great back up goalie.

 

Huh?

 

1. Biron is not necessarily a backup. He can be a starter in the league, and he makes starter money.

 

2. He is going to leave after this season regardless.

 

3. The playoffs are not a time for luxuries. Biron on the bench is a luxury. He has filled in well for Miller when he's been called on. But in the playoffs, if all goes as planned, he will play exactly ZERO minutes. Why do you want an expensive player sitting on the bench, when you could have one or two other players skating in the lineup and contributing every game?

 

4. Connolly's apparent comeback will push the Sabres closer to busting the salary cap. A $2.2M backup goalie seems like a logical player to move to clear some space.

 

5. A backfire could certainly occur if Miller gets injured and the new backup is shaky in the playoffs. But I don't think you can plan like that. It's like saying Darcy should have had 3 or 4 defensmen waiting in the press box to cover the injuries last year, even though he had 6 healthy d-men heading in, and his 7th played over 50 games during the season. There are some things you just can't plan for. Injuries may happen, they may not.

 

6. I like Biron too. I would feel good if he was here to win the Cup with his longtime teammates in Buffalo. The respect he has earned from the fans and the organization while professionally accepting his backup role has far exceeded the opinions of him when he was the starter. However, he's our most tradeable commodity, and if the team can get better by acquiring player(s) who will actually play, I think the Sabres have to pull the trigger.

 

7. According to the rumors, Tampa is the most interested in Biron at the moment. As it stands, they are tied for 6th place in the conference, just one point out of 8th place. Can you see a Sabres & Miller vs. Lightning & Marty opening round playoff series? Wow!

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I think Buffalo native Aaron Miller would be the perfect addition on our defense.

 

I don't know what the Kings would want though.

Not sure how he would be a "perfect" fit. He is unlike any defensemen we have. Big, slow and no offensive skills. Our D have to be quick, good skaters and passers. Not sure Miller is any of those.

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Huh?

 

1. Biron is not necessarily a backup. He can be a starter in the league, and he makes starter money.

 

2. He is going to leave after this season regardless.

 

3. The playoffs are not a time for luxuries. Biron on the bench is a luxury. He has filled in well for Miller when he's been called on. But in the playoffs, if all goes as planned, he will play exactly ZERO minutes. Why do you want an expensive player sitting on the bench, when you could have one or two other players skating in the lineup and contributing every game?

 

4. Connolly's apparent comeback will push the Sabres closer to busting the salary cap. A $2.2M backup goalie seems like a logical player to move to clear some space.

 

5. A backfire could certainly occur if Miller gets injured and the new backup is shaky in the playoffs. But I don't think you can plan like that. It's like saying Darcy should have had 3 or 4 defensmen waiting in the press box to cover the injuries last year, even though he had 6 healthy d-men heading in, and his 7th played over 50 games during the season. There are some things you just can't plan for. Injuries may happen, they may not.

 

6. I like Biron too. I would feel good if he was here to win the Cup with his longtime teammates in Buffalo. The respect he has earned from the fans and the organization while professionally accepting his backup role has far exceeded the opinions of him when he was the starter. However, he's our most tradeable commodity, and if the team can get better by acquiring player(s) who will actually play, I think the Sabres have to pull the trigger.

 

7. According to the rumors, Tampa is the most interested in Biron at the moment. As it stands, they are tied for 6th place in the conference, just one point out of 8th place. Can you see a Sabres & Miller vs. Lightning & Marty opening round playoff series? Wow!

I don't know just how great Marty's trade value is. It appears that it wasn't much more than a 2nd round pick last year or he'd have probably been the one moved rather than Mika. (Either that, or Darcy tried to squeeze Edmonton a little too hard for Marty and ended up with no deal when Minny cut Rolosen loose.) He was an RFA this off-season. Considering he is now a rental player, I don't think he'd bring back much in a trade; definitely not as much as most of us fans would like to see for him.

 

I've seen in several places that the Sabres would like to make a run at Gary Roberts, but don't know if that is based on anything real or meerly speculation. Marty wouldn't land him from the Panthers as a team that won't make the playoffs this year won't trade for a rental goalie.

 

Tampa could be interested in him, as you mention, but I don't know what they would offer for him that would upgrade the Sabres current roster; especially considering the Sabres can't accept salary.

 

If it would make the Sabres better, I wouldn't mind seeing Marty moved; I'm just having a hard time coming up with a deal that someone will bite on.

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Not sure how he would be a "perfect" fit. He is unlike any defensemen we have. Big, slow and no offensive skills. Our D have to be quick, good skaters and passers. Not sure Miller is any of those.

 

 

I here you on that. I see him in the veteran "James Patrick" type role for us.

 

He might not be the fastest-but his experience allows him to get good positioning.

 

He has Stanley Cup experience, which Ruff has stated on TV and on the radio he wouldn't mind adding to the team.

 

He also has a physical prescence in front of the net....which really isn't a strong point for us.(granted it's not as important as it used to be).

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I don't know just how great Marty's trade value is. It appears that it wasn't much more than a 2nd round pick last year or he'd have probably been the one moved rather than Mika. (Either that, or Darcy tried to squeeze Edmonton a little too hard for Marty and ended up with no deal when Minny cut Rolosen loose.) He was an RFA this off-season. Considering he is now a rental player, I don't think he'd bring back much in a trade; definitely not as much as most of us fans would like to see for him.

 

I've seen in several places that the Sabres would like to make a run at Gary Roberts, but don't know if that is based on anything real or meerly speculation. Marty wouldn't land him from the Panthers as a team that won't make the playoffs this year won't trade for a rental goalie.

 

Tampa could be interested in him, as you mention, but I don't know what they would offer for him that would upgrade the Sabres current roster; especially considering the Sabres can't accept salary.

 

If it would make the Sabres better, I wouldn't mind seeing Marty moved; I'm just having a hard time coming up with a deal that someone will bite on.

The only person on their roster who intrigues me is Filip Kuba. He makes $3M so we'd be taking on an extra million bucks. Not likely. Plus I imagine Tampa likes him, being that they just signed him this past offseason. He'd have to be part of their playoffs plans I'd imagine, so picking up Marty to lose Kuba'd be sort of like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

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I here you on that. I see him in the veteran "James Patrick" type role for us.

 

He might not be the fastest-but his experience allows him to get good positioning.

 

He has Stanley Cup experience, which Ruff has stated on TV and on the radio he wouldn't mind adding to the team.

 

He also has a physical prescence in front of the net....which really isn't a strong point for us.(granted it's not as important as it used to be).

You're right. He would be a good complement, not perfect fit. Going to be interesting at the deadline. I do not see us making any moves.

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Huh?

 

1. Biron is not necessarily a backup. He can be a starter in the league, and he makes starter money.

 

2. He is going to leave after this season regardless.

 

3. The playoffs are not a time for luxuries. Biron on the bench is a luxury. He has filled in well for Miller when he's been called on. But in the playoffs, if all goes as planned, he will play exactly ZERO minutes. Why do you want an expensive player sitting on the bench, when you could have one or two other players skating in the lineup and contributing every game?

 

So why would anybody want to give up something for a goalie they can sign in the offseason then? I doubt very highly Biron will be traded.

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You're right. He would be a good complement, not perfect fit. Going to be interesting at the deadline. I do not see us making any moves.

If that happens, it will be an early exit

 

Oh wait, I forgot, Timmy will miraculously come back from missing another season and carry the team with his grittyness into the cup final by himself.

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So why would anybody want to give up something for a goalie they can sign in the offseason then? I doubt very highly Biron will be traded.

If he is dealt, the new team would probably try to have a deal worked out for an extension so that they don't lose him as a free agent next season, if they are serious about him being their starter. They may have to give something up for him, but atleast they are guaranteed hjis rights and can negotiate a deal with him before anyone else can and a bidding war starts

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Just a thought...the team wants to get grittier.

 

What about taking a flier on Mike Keane? The guy is good on the PK, good at positioning and brings leadership to the locker room He won 2 cups and was awarded another on No Goal). He wouldn't cost much (the prorated vet minimum would do it). He is currently playing in the minors in Winnipeg.

 

It would just be a flier, and wouldn't be the only move Buffalo made, but may remove the need for multiple moves. Different sport but, this is exactly the type of move the Yankees try and it almost always works out (See Cecil Fielder, Rueben Sierra etc.).

 

Here is a link to a recent ESPN article on it. The article was in the Magazine (which I get) but I don't have the Insider package. So if anyone wants to copy and paste, cool.

 

Mike Keane

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