You nailed it, FortheLulz. (I am about as computer-handy as my cat - I do not know how to copy & paste now?!)
I don't know about Boston, but I do think he'll have very good value for at least a couple years because of that contract structure. I think the recapture penalty risk is acceptable for Buffalo. He's only frontloaded by 10 million I believe and I'm confident Buffalo will still have a number of players drafted now or not even picked yet that will be cost controlled at the end of the deal in 21'.
Ehrhoff signed a 10 year/$40MM contract. He was given $10MM at signing and $8MM before last season. (He has already banked over half the contract amount.) He is being paid the $4MM cap hit this year until '17-'18. It then drops to $3MM for one year, and then he's paid $1MM for the final three years. I do not think there's a great risk that his performance declines sharply for a few years. I do not know for certain, but I believe Buffalo could be responsible for some of the cap hit if he were to be bought out by another team. In the end, I think it's a pretty tradeable contract. If highly motivated, Buffalo could retain some of his salary under the new CBA. I am not advocating that he be traded, but he may be one of our more attractive pieces on a team where anyone could be traded.
Your take is more from the contract/salary perspective, but I will add that Buffalo's pipeline for d-men is perhaps the team's strongest asset. Pysyk, Ristolainen, Zadarov, and McCabe, not to forget that Myers is playing much better under Nolan, (not withstanding his utterly stupid hit against Zubrus), and McNabb still has great potential if he can overcome the injury bug - it's a defensive corp any team would covet. I think Buffalo is in a relative position of strength to move blueliners. They're going to suck a few years regardless, and a team can always find fill-ins for that position. Goaltending - an historical strength for the franchise - on the other hand has me concerned. If the team cannot/will not resign Miller the rebuilding effort will be set back since I do not see anyone (including Enroth) that I think is likely to become an everyday goalie.
I don't buy Enroth as an NHL starter. For one he doesn't pass my eye test, I just don't think he's quick enough to make up for his lack of size. He's 15 years too late to succeed at that size in net. I would also think that his body wouldn't be able to handle 60 NHL games per season. Since taking Enroth in the 2nd round of '06 draft the Sabres have drafted 6 goalies but none higher than the 5th round. Time to put those high picks to use i think. Perhaps Thatcher Demko of Boston's Collegiate hockey team.
Me either, for the very reasons you cited. I think he can be an exceptional back-up, but will he be content in that role for his career? Incidentally, he is an example of Regier's trading and drafted done well. Mika Noronen was traded to Vancouver for this second round pick and was soon out of the league. Ryan Miller was a fifth round pick; back in the day it was very rare to see a goalie drafted high. In the '13 draft I was hoping that Zach Fucale would drop to Buffalo in the second. We traded Sekara to Carolina for their #35 pick and took JT Compher; I like that pick a lot, but Fucale then went #36 to Montreal. With the #38 & 52 Buffalo took players I like (Hurley and Bailey), but still, I wish Fucale were in Rochester right now. They will not go goalie with the top-three pick they'll have in '14; but they have the NYI #1, (unless they defer that to '15 - which I hope they do!). The Sabres have three in the second and a strong possibility of more picks after the March sale is completed. It would be nice to see them use one of these to shore up their weakest unit.
Justin Bailey is the son of former Buffalo Bill LB Carlton Bailey. He's got nice size and pedigree - and I always like having local boys. I only wish that Carlton's involvement in his life amounted to more that one night of passion during the Bills' 1994 season.
thats where Id look too. That or a late 1st rounder after picking a couple of skaters earlier. they could even move up to the late 1st/early second if need be. to a degree the NHL draft is like throwing darts at a wall but some teams are clearly better than others, Sabres being one of them and Miller being an example. The Bruins under Sinden for so long were awful at it. O'connell had a short stint and picked some beauties- Bergeron and Krejci both 2nd rnd. Under Chiarelli the Bruins have done fairly well drafting but where Chiarelli really thrives regarding the draft is using picks as commodities. He also does well in trades for other team's prospects while they're still in the AHL, Euro, CHL or NCAA- Rask, Bartkowski, Boychuk, Soderberg, McQuaid. didn't know that, must have had one hell of a mom to raise a him solo. an easy to root for local kid right out of the gate. Ive heard of Connor Hurley for a couple years now, he played at Shattucks and then transferred somewhere else. I love any American high school kid pick, even if its for the Bruins whipping boys in Buffalo.
I looked it up and the recapture penalty risk will be 10 million spread out over the remaining years on his contract after his retirement date. His salary on his last 4 years drops to 3 and 1,1,1. The worst case (highest hit) is a 3 million dollar cap hit 19',20', and 21'. It will be lower if he retires earlier. Buffalo is also allowed to move around the dollars and timing of the recapture penalty.
I think waiting 3 or 4 years is warranted to for Ehrhoff too if the plan includes counting on prospects. Barinka, Babchuk, Barker, and Kukkonen (stud prospects for Chicago in 2006) were going to round out the Hawks blueline nicely. Took a long time to sort out the mess (wisniewski, Keith being awesome, who was Hjalmarsson?, moving Buff, etc.)
in a trade, does the recapture penalty go w/ the player to the new team or does it stay w/ the original team that signed him?
The team that got the cap break. Chicago for example can move Hossa (without trade clauses) and if he retires CHI will be on the hook for the 12-13 million for the duration of what would have been the contract. They can lump sum pay the penalty or spread it out.
I think Grossman is Grigorenko's agent. He was Kovy's agent. Buffalo has to tread carefully, this is bigger than Grigorenko.
6-0 last night for the bEast. just can't get in to the shootout w/ those WC teams, they seem to have the answer to those. Big win for the Bruins last night. A great game overall, SJ really took the majority of the play in the 1st and 2nd and the Bruins the 3rd.
Hamilton had received a minor and was just done serving it when he came back on the ice and immediately got another minor for playing the puck before his skates touched the ice. Never seen this called, actually, never even knew that was the rule.
interesting, matty, that was news to me too. took a while to find it - first i had to find the actual call. turns out it's a form of interference, covered in rule 56.2: solution? while in the box, remove your sweater and apply ICP face paint. this will render u non-identifiable
