Trade Talks?

by Anne

Every time I can, and remember to, I update the records of each team on the upper right and left corners of this blog. I'm much more likely to do it in a timely fashion when one or both of the teams have won, and I can increase that win number rather than the loss number.

I used to be a far more diligent blogger, I used to update every day, 5 days a week, now it's usually more like 2 or 3. Stupid work commitments making me do stuff during the workday. Psh. My old job, the one I was doing when I started this blog, left much more opportunity for blogging. Also, Twitter has made my random pithy thoughts I used to toss in this blog more readily available to the masses, and less likely to end up in here. 

Regardless, I read this morning a tweet from @DaveDavisHockey which indicated that there might be (read: probably won't be) a trade between the Ducks and the Sabres. According to Pierre Lebrun of ESPN, the Ducks are interested in a puck-moving defenseman. The Sabres really only have one (maybe 2) of those that they might part with; we're not exactly a hotbed of puck-moving defensemen over here. In the extremely unlikely event that this trade materializes, it seems most likely that the Ducks would not be acquiring a puck-mover from Buffalo. Andrej Sekera is pretty much the only puck-mover we'd part with., and unless the Ducks consider Andrej Sekera - our 6/7 defenseman - a commodity they just can't do without, it's not happening that way. It seems more likely that the Ducks would acquire parts from the Sabres to make a bigger trade with a team that has a more capable puck-mover on their roster. Therefore, I anticipate that if this trade happens (which it won't) the Ducks would be sending some Todd Marchant-type to the Sabres for a draft pick or two, or maybe one of the three of Sekera/Butler/Weber. Darcy Regier just LOVES 30+ veteran career 3rd liners. We can ALWAYS use more, right?

That's my prediction. Mike, my co-worker is hoping for Koivu, as the Sabres tried to make a play for him in the off-season. I find this extremely unlikely. However, anything is possible in the world of trades that will never happen.

All-Star Voting is Complete, Christmas is Over, Time for Trade Rumors!

by Anne

We've all heard about Kovalchuck potentially being moved from Atlanta. He's an offensive superstar wasting away on a team that's ranked 28th in the league. However, in a move that most expected to come at the beginning of the season, the Thrashers have just NOW named Kovy their captain. Hard to believe he's only the fifth Russian born and trained player in history to be named captain of an NHL team. Does this quash the trade rumors? Does this mean Kovalchuk is happy in Hotlanta? Does this mean Don Waddell trades away the team's only legitimate star? Soupy was an alternate captain the month he was traded and captain only two months before that. I still say Kovy is moved.

Then there's his South East Division goal scoring hombre, Vinny Lecavalier. He's the team captain and just signed a DiPietro-esque 11 year contract extension that goes into effect this July 1. For the last few crappy Bolts seasons, there have been rumors that Marty St. Louis or Vinny were on the trade market, but for some reason this season the rumors are hotter than ever. The ever popular Vinny-to-the-Habs trade has come up yet again. Why in God's name would they trade him? I'm not saying that they won't trade him, because that genius parade running shop down in Tampa has done some pretty bone-headed things this past few months, but Vinny is their only superstar. If I lived in Tampa and there was no Vinny Lecavalier, who else would I go to watch? Marty "Don't Call Me Shortstack" St. Louis? He's good, but he's not the franchise player that Vinny is. Stamkos is floundering and probably should be back in Sarnia where he can gain some confidence, why wasn't he allowed to be in the World Juniors? That's beyond me. Basically, I don't want Vinny in Montreal because that just ups Montreal into serious contender status and that's bad for the Sabres. Bad bad bad.

What's the latest in trades for the Sabres? Darcy doesn't make splashy trades. Well, he gives away splashy but doesn't bring IN splashy. We could use Vinny up here! Tampa needs defense, right? I say Tallinder, Paetsch and a first rounder for Vinny. Who's with me?!

Another center that might be on the move is Jason Spezza. As much as I want a solid top line center for the Sabres, I feel like Spezza in Buffalo would be like that scene in Mighty Ducks when that kid who never appeared in any of the other movies called Adam Banks a "cake-eater" when he was forced to play for them when the divisional lines were redrawn and something about a lake being a cutoff point. I'm putting money on Royzie being the one to dish out that kind of smack talk.

Stafford for Kesler? As part of something bigger? That's the rumor from the unreliable Hockeybuzz.com. I love Kesler so if we were to lose Staffy it'd have to be for someone like Kes to avoid the onslaught of sadness. However, what would this "bigger" be, I wonder? If we got Kes, I'd want to keep him. What's with the Sabres trading with the Canucks all of a sudden? 1970 represent.

If Staffy gets traded, I have to say I TOTALLY CALLED IT. A month after that post, things are a little different and Staffy is producing more, meaning we'd get more a in a trade involving him than we would in a trade involving Pie.

Whatevs, I really love the trade deadline. It's my favorite hockey day of the year, followed closely by free agent day, opening day and the draft.

Trade Winds are a-blowin

by Anne

So we'll be trading for our newest blue-liner, it appears. That, to me, is more exciting than an obscene signing.

MAYBE MY WEEK AND A HALF LONG DREAM OF SIGNING MIKE GREEN CAN COME TRUE!

So, Greener's getting 5.25/ season? Hmmm, that's a lot. BUT if we dump Max's salary... that's only an additional like 1.75 next season. After that, it might become more of a concern. Ha, just to confirm Max's salary was $3.5, I checked some website that's all screwed up that says everyone is a UFA and the only player signed is Sissy. Hahaha. We're gonna need more than just one defenseman, Darcy!!

If we dump 2 of our excess of forwards, that frees up even more space. A lot of people are saying Kotalik might be on the trade block, but I don't want to dump him, he's size and powerplay goals and we need size and powerplay goals. I would be lovely if he scored a few more EQ goals, but hey, we'll take what we can get. He's also one of our most consistent shooters in the shoot out (sad, I know). I could see packaging a smaller player like MacArthur (sorry, Grizz) and Afinogenov and shipping them for a solid defenseman.

On Sabres Edge, John Vogl suggested trading Max for Jay McKee. As deep as my love for JKee runs, I don't think that's the right move. Not at his current price and level of injury prone-ness. We already have a near-paraplegic in TimmyHO, I don't think we need another.

And HAH! Awesome, Mr. Burke. Awesome.

It's hard to stay excited when we haven't heard anything in like 2 days. BOOoOOO!!!

I want to at least hear about my RFA's!!!!! COME ON!!!

ALL I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY IS FOR THIS TRADE TO HAPPEN

by Anne


Maxim Afinogenov to Washington for Mike Green?

I heard this rumor from a friend of mine who works at HSBC and says, while its not a guarantee, it's in more than casual talks.


OUT:

IN:

OMGAH!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! The only downside being how crazy a line would it be with Backstrom, Ovechkin and Afingenov on a line together? That could be EPIC.

I don't care though, Mike Green is EXACTLY the kind of player we need. He's young, he's fast, he hits hard, he skates hard and he has a bullet of a shot from the blue line. I don't know if this rumor is true and I'm trying not to get TOO excited about it but its pretty hard not to. WOO!

This trade would make me squeal with hockey fan glee.


But, hey, if that doesn't work out:

I'm totally into seeing other defenseman, Brooksy.

11th Hour

by Anne

It is now officially less than 24 hours until the trade deadline. Can you feel the tension in the air? WOOOO!!!!!! I love it. It's so excting. I'm a HUGE LOSER.

I really love pictures of animals wearing glasses. So I'm going to post one to reflect my level of excitement over this exciting time of excitedness in our hockey lives.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

And by Tuesday at 3:01 p.m. I will be totally over it.

Anticipaaaation is making me late, is keeping me waaaaaaaaaaaaaiting

by Anne

As I write this there is 1 day and 15 hours until the trade deadline. Sundin has opted to not waive his no-movement clause, as is his right. It doesn't look like much is going to save Toronto's season now. Kaberle and Sundin, both players that would've brought big trades, are staying put.

I really just want a decision to be made about Soupy RIGHT NOW. When is his last game in a Sabres' uniform? Was it Saturday? Is it Monday? Will it be sometime in 2011? Or, will it be at the end of this season? Granted, we never really can answer that question for any player, but with Soupy, it's far more nerve wracking. I keep checking the Sabres website to see if anything has been announced, but obviously nothing has.

When was the last time a trade deadline passed with no Sabre moving or nothing being acquired by the Sabres? Something is going to happen, its just a matter of who's leaving, who's staying and what we get in return. We're all so focused on Soupy that I really don't think anyone has fully grappled with the fact that we could lose other players in 1 1/2 days. I don't think anyone really wants to think about that. I certainly don't. I tried to but it makes my head hurt to think about the possibilities.

Let's not forget that Kalinin, who is kind of not so great is also a UFA this season. And there has been no communication between the Sabres and Kalinin's agent. Soupy and Kalinin as one trade together would probably bring a great return for the Sabres, especially for teams that need to add depth to their defense like Tampa. Brad Richards has offered a list of teams he'd waive his no trade clause for if they were interested. I seriously doubt Buffalo is on that list, but anything is possible. Vaclav Prospal is also potential trade bait.

Now that Sundin's future is clear, the mad dash for Marian Hossa can begin. All the teams that wanted Sundin now have to look elsewhere, and Hossa is the next best thing for some teams. I'm not sure how I feel about Hossa, but I might not mind seeing him wearing the slug.

Since Columbus is out of a playoff spot, that means they'll probably be making a trade or two. Hey! Let's see if we can get Peca back! I've really been missing those "Peca's Pickles" in my grocery shopping experience.

Hell, let's suspend reality for a hot minute and say what if the Flyers traded Danny back to us? Let's start that rumor. Soupy and the Soviet Bomber for Danny. Spread the rumor. Aaaaaaaaaand go.