Monday, February 28, 2011

Buffalo Sabres 2011 trade deadline grade

by Steve

The 2011 NHL Trade Deadline has passed and as per usual the Buffalo Sabres did little to nothing. The Sabres have 21 games left and currently sit in 9th place two back of 8th with two games in hand. Trading their 2011 2nd round pick for an over paid has been (28 year old Brad Boyes) isn't exactly propelling them to the playoffs.

Yes, I understand the deadline isn't for overhauling the entire roster or making a gigantic roster changeover. But it is for making moves than can benefit the team in the near term and further into the future. Then again having Darcy Regier driving the bug[sic] again doesn't help.

Regier is a proven mediocrity that falls in love with his players and either never sells or sells way too late. He has a recent track record of utter failure at the dead line dating back to the "glory" years of 05-07. Remember Steve Bernier? How about not trading for another defeseman in 05/06 when we could have desperately used one against Carolina?

You want specifics? How about cutting some of the dead way[sic] that will be gone in the offseason any way (Montador, Connolly). Yeah yeah addition by subtraction is bullshit, but is it? Tim Connolly is an albatross. Removing him from this roster is an upgrade. He is over paid, does noting well (save for maybe killing 5 on 3's) and could have freed a spot for someone else, mainly Luke Adam. How about trade someone that may have an ounce of value left like Butler or Sekera?

Back to Luke Adam, the young talent that played 18 games this year amassing 4 measly points. More ice time and better talent around him could easily improve those numbers. Yes he is a rookie but weren't Gerbe and Ennis last year? Weren't those two some of our best players late in the year and especially the playoffs? How about freaking Mark Mancari? I don't care how slow he is, he has size 6'3 225 and is still only 25 years old.

Perhaps the asking price for someone like John Michael Liles was too high or maybe the fan boy owner couldn't bare to part ways with any of his beloved employees. Either way Darc and go did not do enough to improve and or change a team scuffling just to make it to the 16 team tournament.

The big test will be July 1, generally a day Sabres fans loathe. For now I don't see anything changing.

Grade
C

3 comments:

  1. Cutting some of the dead way? Man, ever hear of editing what you write before you post it?

    Guess I agree with most of it though, except there wasn't much out there anyways. Boyes was probably one of the better acquisitions. I'm not sure the Manitoba Moose would make an offer for Tiny Tim.

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  2. Nathan Gerbe is awful. Really bring up the Carolina series where every defenseman was hurt. Obviously the Sabres should've known they had a group of pussies on the backline that year. I'm not sure what is more useless a defensive lineman in the top 3 rds or a hockey draft pick.

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  3. christ i wasn't planning on submitting this for a pulitzer i wrote it at 130 am monday. sorry i'll re-read it 3 times next time

    -steve

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