Your Offseason Plan

[The Toughster]

Traded Assets: Kotalik, Connolly or Afinogenov, SJ 1st, Stafford or Gerbe
Acquisitions with those assets: Top #1 non-fruity D-man, Top Center.

Draft the best D-man available with the remaining number one.

I would like to see if Miller could bring anything awesome in return. If so, sign Kolzig/Hasek/Huet for 2 years to let Enroth develop.

[Smashingt]

What i would do:

Resign miller, pominville, paille long term.

Was miller shaky this year yes, but i still believe he is our franchise goalie.

Trade kotalik! I still believe connolly and max have more upside to them, but if they can be dealt for something good i wouldnt be against it.

Bring in a tough d-man, Orpik or smith, and i would like to also see a veteran forward, rolston would be nice, or even naslund. ( just wishing with those two. )

[Acoustic-Fury]

wow...Rolston would be awesome.

:sukie3:

[calr]

Whom to re-sign:

RFAs - Steve Bernier (five years, $8-10 million); Daniel Paille (six years, $12 million); Paul Gaustad (three years, $5 million); Clarke MacArthur (qualifying offer).

UFAs - Teppo Numminen (one year, $1.5 million), Mike Ryan (one year, $500,000).

Whom to let walk:

Dmitri Kalinin, Nolan Pratt, Jocelyn Thibault.

Contract extensions:

Jason Pominville (10 years, $55 million); Ryan Miller (six years, $34 million).

Free agents:

UFAs - Brooks Orpik, D, Pittsburgh (five years, $17 million) -- top-five hitter in the NHL, prolific shot blocker, good stay-at-home D-man.

Olaf Kolzig, G, Washington (two years, $5 million) -- I'd have no problem having Olie play 30 regular-season games if need be. That would keep Millsy fresh and give the Sabres one of the league's best one-two punches in net.

RFA - Jarret Stoll, C, Edmonton (four years, $8 million) -- Buffalo's quasi-revenge on the Oilers. It would only cost a second-round pick in 2009. Stoll is a decent offensive player and a tremendous face-off man, which the Sabres desperately need, and a good physical presence who plays a sound two-way game. He'd look nice centering Hecht and Pominville. Tons of defensive awareness and offensive potential among the three.

Trading chips:

Max Afinogenov -- I wouldn't mind if he stayed, to be honest.

Tim Connolly -- I doubt any team would take a $3 million center who can't play more than half a season.

Ales Kotalik -- He must go; get a decent prospect or pick for him.

Toni Lydman -- I'd like to see him moved out as part of a package for another D-man ... i.e. Lydman, SJ's 1st and MacArthur for Bouwmeester. In all likelihood, he'll stay.

Draft:

Priority 1, in my opinion, is to land a stalwart on the blue line like 6-foot-7 Tyler Myers. Priority 2, assuming the Sabres keep the Sharks' pick, will be a good center prospect with size and two-way ability. Basically a complement to the smaller Roy.

Farm system:

Sign Nate Gerbe, Jhonas Enroth, Tim Kennedy, Chris Butler and Philippe Gogulla to entry-level contracts.

[ICRockets]

Whom to re-sign:

RFAs - Steve Bernier (five years, $8-10 million); Daniel Paille (six years, $12 million); Paul Gaustad (three years, $5 million); Clarke MacArthur (qualifying offer).

UFAs - Teppo Numminen (one year, $1.5 million), Mike Ryan (one year, $500,000).

Whom to let walk:

Dmitri Kalinin, Nolan Pratt, Jocelyn Thibault.

Contract extensions:

Jason Pominville (10 years, $55 million); Ryan Miller (six years, $34 million).

Free agents:

UFAs - Brooks Orpik, D, Pittsburgh (five years, $17 million) -- top-five hitter in the NHL, prolific shot blocker, good stay-at-home D-man.

Olaf Kolzig, G, Washington (two years, $5 million) -- I'd have no problem having Olie play 30 regular-season games if need be. That would keep Millsy fresh and give the Sabres one of the league's best one-two punches in net.

RFA - Jarret Stoll, C, Edmonton (four years, $8 million) -- Buffalo's quasi-revenge on the Oilers. It would only cost a second-round pick in 2009. Stoll is a decent offensive player and a tremendous face-off man, which the Sabres desperately need, and a good physical presence who plays a sound two-way game. He'd look nice centering Hecht and Pominville. Tons of defensive awareness and offensive potential among the three.

Trading chips:

Max Afinogenov -- I wouldn't mind if he stayed, to be honest.

Tim Connolly -- I doubt any team would take a $3 million center who can't play more than half a season.

Ales Kotalik -- He must go; get a decent prospect or pick for him.

Toni Lydman -- I'd like to see him moved out as part of a package for another D-man ... i.e. Lydman, SJ's 1st and MacArthur for Bouwmeester. In all likelihood, he'll stay.

Draft:

Priority 1, in my opinion, is to land a stalwart on the blue line like 6-foot-7 Tyler Myers. Priority 2, assuming the Sabres keep the Sharks' pick, will be a good center prospect with size and two-way ability. Basically a complement to the smaller Roy.

Farm system:

Sign Nate Gerbe, Jhonas Enroth, Tim Kennedy, Chris Butler and Philippe Gogulla to entry-level contracts.

Yes to all of this.

[slowpokemcgee]

Whom to re-sign:

RFAs - Steve Bernier (five years, $8-10 million); Daniel Paille (six years, $12 million); Paul Gaustad (three years, $5 million); Clarke MacArthur (qualifying offer).

UFAs - Teppo Numminen (one year, $1.5 million), Mike Ryan (one year, $500,000).

Whom to let walk:

Dmitri Kalinin, Nolan Pratt, Jocelyn Thibault.

Contract extensions:

Jason Pominville (10 years, $55 million); Ryan Miller (six years, $34 million).

Free agents:

UFAs - Brooks Orpik, D, Pittsburgh (five years, $17 million) -- top-five hitter in the NHL, prolific shot blocker, good stay-at-home D-man.

Olaf Kolzig, G, Washington (two years, $5 million) -- I'd have no problem having Olie play 30 regular-season games if need be. That would keep Millsy fresh and give the Sabres one of the league's best one-two punches in net.

RFA - Jarret Stoll, C, Edmonton (four years, $8 million) -- Buffalo's quasi-revenge on the Oilers. It would only cost a second-round pick in 2009. Stoll is a decent offensive player and a tremendous face-off man, which the Sabres desperately need, and a good physical presence who plays a sound two-way game. He'd look nice centering Hecht and Pominville. Tons of defensive awareness and offensive potential among the three.

Trading chips:

Max Afinogenov -- I wouldn't mind if he stayed, to be honest.

Tim Connolly -- I doubt any team would take a $3 million center who can't play more than half a season.

Ales Kotalik -- He must go; get a decent prospect or pick for him.

Toni Lydman -- I'd like to see him moved out as part of a package for another D-man ... i.e. Lydman, SJ's 1st and MacArthur for Bouwmeester. In all likelihood, he'll stay.

Draft:

Priority 1, in my opinion, is to land a stalwart on the blue line like 6-foot-7 Tyler Myers. Priority 2, assuming the Sabres keep the Sharks' pick, will be a good center prospect with size and two-way ability. Basically a complement to the smaller Roy.

Farm system:

Sign Nate Gerbe, Jhonas Enroth, Tim Kennedy, Chris Butler and Philippe Gogulla to entry-level contracts.

I agree with it all but....let Mike Ryan walk and I want to give Connolly one more season. Don't trade Max or Tim; Kotalik I'm indifferent towards.

[Sabres244]

1. Sign RFAs in Paille,Bernier,Gaustad, and MacArthur to some what long term deals.(IE: 3-5 seasons)

2. Let UFAs Kalinin,Pratt,Thibault and Mike Ryan go, just move on.

3. Give contract extensions to Jason Pominville, Ryan Miller and Andrej Sekera, even Stafford if we want to keep this young team intact.

4. Try to sign a rugged Dman(Brooks Orpik) and maybe a veteran forward, also look to deal Ales Kotalik and maybe Maxim Afinogenov. Also find a backup you'll be comfortable with.

5. Prepare for many Cup runs.

[calr]

Bump for our new members to share their thoughts.

[The Common Man]

CJI....let Pratt walk?

He's so cheap and willing to ride the pine... not a bad emergency guy

[calr]

willing to ride the pine

Do we know that for sure? After almost a full season playing for a near-playoff team, I would think a terrible team (Tampa, for instance) would sign Pratt to play in its top six. If he wants to return as a seventh defenseman, fine. But what happens with Paetsch at that point?

Darcy has his work cut out for him with this defense.

[CaptPantalones]

My plan:

Extend Miller and Poms

Resign Ryan and Teppo, let other UFAs walk

Extend Paille, Goose and Bernier.

Trade Al and Max (one for a d-man, one with SJ's pick to move up)

get revenge on Edmonton (sign Tom Gilbert)

[calr]

My plan:

Extend Miller and Poms

Resign Ryan and Teppo, let other UFAs walk

Extend Paille, Goose and Bernier.

Trade Al and Max (one for a d-man, one with SJ's pick to move up)

get revenge on Edmonton (sign Tom Gilbert)

I really like Gilbert. He showed a ton of promise offensively and as a shot blocker; he'd be another great young building block for this defense. My only reservation is that he doesn't play the physical game.

[CaptPantalones]

I really like Gilbert. He showed a ton of promise offensively and as a shot blocker; he'd be another great young building block for this defense. My only reservation is that he doesn't play the physical game.

I figure if were going for revenge, go for where it hurts the most and take Gilbert. Im not high on Pitkanen and while I like Stoll, I like our depth at forward

Grab Gilbert and if not him, wait 2 years and steal Sam Gagner:smlove2:

[stepsukie]

10 year contract? Would Poms do it? Maybe a 6 year at most.

IMO, and really, this basically sums up what you all have suggested:

Trade away/release/whatever all of the euros except Vanek and Sekera. Maybe sign Teppo to a 1-2 year deal.

[Sabres244]

Get rid of Andrew Peters.

[Mark Tock]

Whom to re-sign:

RFAs - Steve Bernier (five years, $8-10 million); Daniel Paille (six years, $12 million); Paul Gaustad (three years, $5 million); Clarke MacArthur (qualifying offer).

UFAs - Teppo Numminen (one year, $1.5 million), Mike Ryan (one year, $500,000).

Whom to let walk:

Dmitri Kalinin, Nolan Pratt, Jocelyn Thibault.

Contract extensions:

Jason Pominville (10 years, $55 million); Ryan Miller (six years, $34 million).

Free agents:

UFAs - Brooks Orpik, D, Pittsburgh (five years, $17 million) -- top-five hitter in the NHL, prolific shot blocker, good stay-at-home D-man.

Olaf Kolzig, G, Washington (two years, $5 million) -- I'd have no problem having Olie play 30 regular-season games if need be. That would keep Millsy fresh and give the Sabres one of the league's best one-two punches in net.

RFA - Jarret Stoll, C, Edmonton (four years, $8 million) -- Buffalo's quasi-revenge on the Oilers. It would only cost a second-round pick in 2009. Stoll is a decent offensive player and a tremendous face-off man, which the Sabres desperately need, and a good physical presence who plays a sound two-way game. He'd look nice centering Hecht and Pominville. Tons of defensive awareness and offensive potential among the three.

Trading chips:

Max Afinogenov -- I wouldn't mind if he stayed, to be honest.

Tim Connolly -- I doubt any team would take a $3 million center who can't play more than half a season.

Ales Kotalik -- He must go; get a decent prospect or pick for him.

Toni Lydman -- I'd like to see him moved out as part of a package for another D-man ... i.e. Lydman, SJ's 1st and MacArthur for Bouwmeester. In all likelihood, he'll stay.

Draft:

Priority 1, in my opinion, is to land a stalwart on the blue line like 6-foot-7 Tyler Myers. Priority 2, assuming the Sabres keep the Sharks' pick, will be a good center prospect with size and two-way ability. Basically a complement to the smaller Roy.

Farm system:

Sign Nate Gerbe, Jhonas Enroth, Tim Kennedy, Chris Butler and Philippe Gogulla to entry-level contracts.

Gogulla is already under contract. He was signed last off-season to an entry-level deal