Free Agency Update: Waiting For Ehrhoff, Hello Regehr

by Andy Boron on Jun 30, 2011 3:30 PM EDT

It's 9:30pm in Germany as of this writing, and still no word from Christian Ehrhoff on whether or not he'll accept the contract that the Buffalo Sabres have offered. It's been confirmed that Ehrhoff has spoken to former San Jose teammates Mike Grier and Craig Rivet and fellow German Jochen Hecht about life in Buffalo and the Sabres organization. Sabres GM Darcy Regier said that the talks have so far been positive, and he plans on making the advantage that the Sabres currently have in negotiation time pay off.

In free agent news of the leaving-town variety, Steve Montador has officially signed with the Chicago Blackhawks to the tune of a 4-year, $11million dollar contract. Monty will get a nice bump in pay from his Sabres days to $2.75million per season. It was also reported today that Chicago tried to acquire Montador at the trade deadline last season, but couldn't pry him away from Buffalo.

Finally, Robyn Regehr was introduced to the media today at a press conference down at HSBC Arena. Regehr was obviously impressed by Terry Pegula, as he said of the Sabres owner, "the biggest thing with a hockey organization is the owner. There have been limitations with resources and they have had to work with that and now there is another level of commitment…It’s an exciting time here in Buffalo."

Regehr was all smiles as he donned a #24 jersey for the presser, but there have been reports that he's trying to get the #28 jersey that he wore in Calgary away from Paul Gaustad. More on this critical news as it develops.

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Seems like it’s going to be a pretty crazy next 72 hours.

http://buffalopp.com

by buffalosportsfan on Jun 30, 2011 3:36 PM EDT reply actions

Hell

Yeah

Now attending the Univ. of Hockey.

by bflo on Jun 30, 2011 4:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

The Answer

was already signed! In Gerbe we trust!!

by JohnnyO10 on Jun 30, 2011 4:03 PM EDT reply actions

If he signs

How long until we start seeing DON’T HASSLE THE HOFF shirts around town?

by Alex Kourelis on Jun 30, 2011 4:43 PM EDT reply actions

If you like dirty bloggers and unreliable sources

Joe from Buffalo Wins says Ehrhoff has been signed.

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:02 PM EDT reply actions

He did break the Regehr trade…this would be crazy

by Frank Reich Revolution on Jun 30, 2011 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

I hope people don’t get too crazy. They haven’t even played a game yet.
It’s funny how uncomfortable we are as a sports culture with being able to play with big boys financially.

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:12 PM EDT reply actions

Bob McKenzie now confirming it’s “close.”

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

I’ve got my finger on the post button.

Die By The Blade - Your home for the best Buffalo Sabres talk online.
@andyboron

by Andy Boron on Jun 30, 2011 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

In your assessment Andy as a seasoned sports blogging professional

How flipping huge is this?

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Unearned title aside, this would give the Sabres a defensive corps that can rival pretty much anyone in the league – remember those blown leads against Philly in the playoffs where Butler, Montador, and Sekera were on the ice? So does Darcy.

It also points to a trade further down the road as the Sabres would now have way too many NHL-caliber defensemen to carry on the roster or stuff in Portland. A trade for a center is the current speculation, I believe.

Die By The Blade - Your home for the best Buffalo Sabres talk online.
@andyboron

by Andy Boron on Jun 30, 2011 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Sign Richards, package a wing and RFA D for a SWEET winger! No idea beyond this, but I am just too excited to think or research right now. Holy shit…this is awesome.

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Jun 30, 2011 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m wondering how they’re going to be able to pay Myers, Ehrhoff, Regehr and sign a FA center, much less sign Gragnani, Weber and Enroth. All of whom definitely deserve raises.
Or should I just roll with it?

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

The popular thinking is to stash a nuch of guys in the minors (Morrisonn, Kotalik, maybe Hecht) or package some higher priced players/young d-men (Boyes, Sekera) for their center/awesome winger via trade.

Grags, Weber, Enroth should all be getting around $1million or less in their contracts, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

Die By The Blade - Your home for the best Buffalo Sabres talk online.
@andyboron

by Andy Boron on Jun 30, 2011 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Roll with it buddy. Balance the check book after the dust clears haha!

Seriously though, I can see us dumping Kotalik, Morrisonn (about $5 mil) to the AHL or for picks (if anyone wants them) and maybe trading Boyes and Sekera ($4 mil against the cap, pending RFA) for another star winger. This would get us under cap space wise…also next year Hecht is off the books (~$3.5 mil) and with a raise in cap space again (which I do not see why it wouldn’t happen) we could probably sign Myers and Ennis to ~$6 mil and ~$4 mil a year if they would deserve that much.

The only thing we need to worry about is the new CBA, which could limit the salary structure…though the NHL is in a much better place than the NBA and NHL. I will not worry about this until it happens though.

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Jun 30, 2011 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Let me correct...

maybe not a star winger…but good winger. I don’t want to sound like too huge of an idiot.

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Jun 30, 2011 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions

So if you have to lose an RFA

who is it?

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

For me, its Sekera… he has the most value I imagine. I would like to keep Weber as the defensive D and Grags for puck-moving D, and the lines would look like this:

Myers/ Regehr
Ehrhoff/Weber
Leopold/Grags
Morissonn

Morissonn in minors I suppose, and that last D pairing looks super offensive…we could always trade Grags and keep Sekera, but I imagine that Grags is the cheaper choice to resign at this point (I see Sekera could make maybe $ 2 mil while Grags would still be under or close to $1 mil).

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Jun 30, 2011 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

It would be really nice if Kotalik took the hint and went to Europe.

by Frank Reich Revolution on Jun 30, 2011 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

http://twitter.com/#!/TSNBobMcKenzie

Ugh…..no more thesis work today. Time for Pizza and Beer…should I call in tomorrow?

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Jun 30, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Nick Kypreos has confirmed via twitter that the deal is done and will be announced soon.

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

hockeybuzz.com is also saying a deal is close

by afranco822 on Jun 30, 2011 5:32 PM EDT reply actions

probably because every reputable site/person had said it first.

"If we needed any more motivation to win a Cup sooner than later, we've got one now," Black said. "I really want to listen to the game that RJ calls when he finally gets to shout out, 'Buffalo wins the Stanley Cup.'"

by FloridaBuffalo on Jun 30, 2011 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Eklund tweeted it 10mins after McKenzie.

by FloridaBuffalo on Jun 30, 2011 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Schopp and the Bulldog are discussing this as done as well.

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:33 PM EDT reply actions

I think everyone knows it’s done, but until it gets confirmed by a team or a few more legit journalists, we need to hold off on the official stuff.

Die By The Blade - Your home for the best Buffalo Sabres talk online.
@andyboron

by Andy Boron on Jun 30, 2011 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I totally understand.

by Philaster on Jun 30, 2011 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't move from my computer!

I can’t believe I am saying this but I have to check my computer every few minutes just to see what the Sabres have done. I can’t tell you when I have been more excited about an off-season than this one. Who would have thought this time last year that in 2011 we would have just signed a stud stay-at-home defender, ALMOST ready to announce a great goal scoring defender and still be in the running for whatever free agent we set our minds to. DO NOT wake me if this a a dream. Go Sabres!

by LasVegasBillsFan on Jun 30, 2011 5:47 PM EDT reply actions