Trade Rumor Dissection: Nathan Horton for Drew Stafford

by Zachary Zielonka on Aug 12, 2009 12:37 PM EDT

With the offseason being the slowest of the news cycles, crazy trade rumors start to pop up and get some legs. This one started a few days ago. Nathan Horton for Drew Stafford.

Nathan Horton

#16 / Right Wing / Florida Panthers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 229

Born: May 29, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2008 - Nathan Horton	22	23	45	-5	48

Nathan Horton has played for the Panthers for five seasons and is coming off a down season with 45 points. Horton is signed with the Panthers until 2012-13 with a cap hit of $4 million per season. He has averaged .34 goals/game and .667 points/game over his career. Horton was fourth on the Panthers in points and second on the team in goals. He has plenty of upside considering that he has played five seasons and is only 24. He could continue at this level for a few more years and another fresh face for the Sabres would not be terrible.

Drew Stafford

#21 / Right Wing / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 6-2

Weight: 202

Born: Oct 30, 1985

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2008 - Drew Stafford	20	25	45	3	29

Drew Stafford came off the same 45 point season as Horton had but played in twelve more games. Stafford eclipsed the twenty goal mark for the first time in three seasons with the Sabres and averages .267 goals/game and .597 points/game over his career. Stafford will turn 24 this season and has the same type of potential that Horton has with two less seasons under his belt. More seasoning could turn Stafford into an elite player or he could stay a consistent 15-20 goal scorer per season.

Considering that the Sabres could resign Stafford for roughly $2-2.5 million a year, they would need to send something else back to the Panthers to be able to pick up the Horton contract. If we were able to deal either Lydman or Tallinder in the process it would open up the cap space and the roster spot for some of our young defensemen to step up and show what they are worth.

If the Sabres could get this deal done it would be another good deal done by Darcy. Will it likely happen though, probably not.

Tweet Comment 24 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

This is not happening

there is no way the Sabres make this trade. The only reason this rumor grew legs was because someone at WGR repeated an unsubstantiated rumor and the message boards ran with it. The Sabres are better off with Stafford and he will come at a cheaper price.

Horton has been an underachiever since he signed his new contract. Two years ago there were people that thought he was better than Roy and now we know otherwise.

D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by David Oleksy on Aug 12, 2009 1:00 PM EDT reply actions

agreed

This wont happen. There frankly the same kind of player and Staff is younger and less expensive. No way this happens

Got some work to do before being a playoff team let alone a contender again!

by thenewhockeytown on Aug 12, 2009 1:06 PM EDT reply actions

Younger? They’re both 24 and Stafford is like 5 months younger.

by Sean McG on Aug 12, 2009 1:16 PM EDT reply actions

I think both of these guys, even though so young, might be the kind of guys who need a change of scenery. Both have played for slightly above average teams the last two years (although I think the Sabres had/have more talent).

I’d consider this trade if and only if we could dump some salary, kind of like DO suggested:

If we were able to deal either Lydman or Tallinder in the process it would open up the cap space and the roster spot for some of our young defensemen to step up and show what they are worth.

by krytime on Aug 12, 2009 1:18 PM EDT reply actions

These two players seem eerily similar just from the numbers right in this article and Stafford is much cheaper so freeing up cap room seems like it would be the only upside to this trade. Keeping Stafford seems like a much smarter move here.

by sween on Aug 12, 2009 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

Actually just looked at their numbers and seeing as Stafford has consistently improved and Horton just had the huge downswing this trade seems like it would be a bad move for the Sabres all around

by sween on Aug 12, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, but it might be the addition by subtraction thing too. Nowadays, you have to consider that the ability to move salary is actually a commodity itself. If the Sabres were to get the “lesser” of the two players (and that is open for debate), and they were able to move another player with a nice contract who doesn’t fit in the long term/short term plans anymore, it might make sense.

In any event, didn’t this rumor come from hockeybuzz? If so, we probably all just wasted some time that we’ll never get back. That is the WORST site ever for anything related to hockey.

by krytime on Aug 12, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey, its slow but yes I should have mentioned this started as an Eklund rumor that took off on the message boards and WGR.

Die By The Blade - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by Zachary Zielonka on Aug 12, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Possible trade

The rumor is just that a rumor. Perhaps though trading Stafford might not be a bad Idea if the Sabres could get a player who has established that he is consistent and has been for several years. Remember, Pommiville improved from year to year until he got the $5,000,000 contract. Now his performance is below par when compared to players making that amount of money. Stafford could follow suit. I personally think that current team players are far too complacent and comfortable. Darcy needs to shake things up, but that is difficult because they have too many underachievers making salaries far above there performance levels. Pommiville, Lidman, Hecht and Tallinder immediately come to mind. The problem is that other teams know that these players are underachievers and, they are, therefore, undesirable.

by Geolover on Aug 12, 2009 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

Pommer will bounce back. Vanek deflated under the pressure of his 10 million dollar status. I don’t know about Hecht though… I really hope it was a fluke season and that he hasn’t started his decline…

here’s a comment from another thread I wrote on that exact topic…

We got to stop hating on Pomminville. He had good consistent numbers. Great numbers? not really. If I remember correctly the year after Vanek became the 10 million dollar Austrian, he disappeared and lost that two way play that made him plus 47 for the year with 43 goals and 41 assists. He dropped 20 points and 52 plus/minus points in the next season. Did everyone call for his head? He rebounded a bit last season and probably would have finished the season with 45 goals if he wasn’t out those 10 games. Pommer dropped only 14 points and 20 plus/minus after he signed his big deal. He will rebound.

I understand what you mean about Stafford underachieving because at times his play is as aloof as Kotalik’s. I really think that if we give a contract that he deserves, 2 million per year, he will play for his next big payday.

Delightfully Ignoring The Truth since 1995.

by NeverendingOptimism on Aug 12, 2009 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions

If you remember vanek under preformed the first year of his big contract i have total faith Pomm will come back and its hard when your always on a line with Hecht who is having a terrible season. I honestly dont see this trade going through unless Lydman is included which is the only Dman i think we would give up that any other team would want. IMO though Stafford has had less seasons in the NHL and is doing just as good he has more potential but it all comes down to if we ever sign him

by mitch400214 on Aug 12, 2009 6:09 PM EDT reply actions

I wrote the exact same comment about Pommer bouncing back in another thread. Great minds man…

Delightfully Ignoring The Truth since 1995.

by NeverendingOptimism on Aug 12, 2009 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I posted it up above.

Delightfully Ignoring The Truth since 1995.

by NeverendingOptimism on Aug 12, 2009 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I think that Hecht could start finding his groove again with the return of Grier. When it was Grier-Drury-Hecht, they were a formidable line. Expect to see those two paired when the season starts.

Die By The Blade - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by Zachary Zielonka on Aug 13, 2009 7:48 AM EDT up reply actions

I doubt this trade will happen myself

but I’d love for it to happen cause that would at least allow us to have a backup scoring line centre. Plus, Horton seems to be a more physical player from what I’ve seen of him.

by Guido1983 on Aug 12, 2009 9:11 PM EDT reply actions

Even know the stats are pretty much the same i feel like Stafford is the better forward for scoring in clutch times i feel we have enough grit now with Gaustad, Mair, Rivet, Kaleta, McComerick, Dipenta and Grier

by mitch400214 on Aug 13, 2009 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Agree but...

What do you think of this line Gaustad,Grier, Horton
It would be like the Drury, Grier,Gaustad line in the past it would work out

GO BUFFALO

by kooldude on Aug 13, 2009 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions

For the third line? Gaustad is my favorite player but with Roy and Tim i dont see Paul playing up there and if Horton is on the third line it would be a waste or his skill and a trade. plus Horton and Grier are both RWers

by mitch400214 on Aug 13, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions