My Offseason Moves-2011 Edition, Part Two

by BBFan4Ever on Jun 8, 2011 2:00 PM EDT

BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 20: Nathan Gerbe #42, Mark Mancari #12 and Andrej Sekera #44 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrate Gerbe's goal in the second period against Anders Lindback #39 of the Nashville Predators at HSBC Arena on March 20, 2011 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

About a year ago now I started my tenure as a writer here at Die By The Blade with a fanpost that was moved to the front page. It was entitled My Offseason Moves. Clever I know. The premise was/is obvious. If I were Darcy Regier, what tweaks would I make to upgrade the roster?

There are three ways in which to build a team in the offseason: trades, free agency (both unrestricted and restricted), and the draft. Last year, I dealt with each of those in one larger post. This year, I'm breaking them down and analyzing each aspect individually. Oh there's one more big difference. Instead of spending Tom Golisano's money, now I'm spending fifteen percent more on the payroll thanks to Terry Pegula.

Though it remains uncertain what that fifteen percent will actually translate to, if I am the GM (and have a $60M cap to work with) these are the following moves that I would make to improve this club. Check out Part Two-Restricted Free Agency after the jump.

Restricted Free Agents

Now that Darcy did the heavy lifting in signing Drew Stafford for $16M/4 years (I would have offered $15M/4 years for a cap hit of $3.75M-though I can't really complain about $250K extra a year annually) I can concentrate on Gerbs et. al.

Nathan Gerbe-LW for $3.75M/3 years. Cap hit $1.25M. Perhaps my favorite current Sabre (as you can tell from the nickname above), locking Gerbe up is the biggest priority with respect to the RFAs. He embodies everything that is good about Buffalo-a blue collar work ethic, grit, determination, and an underdog mentality (literally due to his size or lack thereof). He really came on this season (T-9th on the team in points in only 64 games), especially in the second half and playoffs (T-2nd in goals in the postseason). The sky's the limit for this budding star.

Jhonas Enroth-G for $3.15M/3 years. Cap hit $1.05M. Enroth will backup Ryan Miller for a few seasons and will learn the ropes from one of the best in the business. At some point he will mind the crease, but for now this is a fair deal for a current backup, but future starting goaltender.

Chris Butler-D for $2.2M/2 years. Cap hit $1.1M. The Butler became a steady partner for Tyler Myers as the season progressed. He'll never be an offensive force, but he's reliable defensively, notwithstanding his game-tying giveaway to Danny Briere in Game 5. With several D-men on the horizon (McNabb, Pysyk, etc.) coming and a possible UFA signing, this deal allows for future roster flexibility, but is also a fair deal for the Butler.

Andrej Sekera-D for $3M/2 years. Cap hit $1.5M. Sekera may be the juxtaposition of Butler-great on the rush, not as good in his own end. He has improved his defensive game (-1 +/- in 2009-2010 to +11 in 2010-2011) enough to warrant another payday.

Marc-Andre Gragnani-D for $1.75M/2 years. Cap hit $875K. Gragnani may have been with the big club from the beginning of the season had he not been injured in the preseason. He was the Eddie Shore Award winner, given annually to the AHL's best defenseman. Another two-year deal for another offensive minded D-man.

Mark Mancari-RW for $600K/1 year on a two-way contract. Cap hit unsure. Mancari is a reliable injury call up, as his eight points in twenty games this past season will attest. Though there are several RW options in front of him, he adds excellent depth, as he was Portland's leading scorer in both the regular and postseasons.

So there you have it. Yes I realize that there's one player missing from this list, but I will address that in the coming days.

Next Up: Part Three-Unrestricted Free Agents

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Comments

Defense

Since defense is the weakest part of the Sabres game, there is a need for changes in that area. Sekera and Butler could be traded to get one defenseman of proven ability to pair with Myers. Sekera and Butler may be improving and they may continue to improve and they may not improve, but we need players who are already solid NHL performers if we are progess in the playoffs.

by Geolover on Jun 8, 2011 2:51 PM EDT reply actions

Excellent point

stay tuned.

by BBFan4Ever on Jun 8, 2011 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m assuming it’s Weber you’re talking about addressing in a few days. For my money, I’d rather sign him than Butler, as he adds some grit to the back end that none of the other defensemen currently do (although Myers certainly started to show signs of it).

I thought Mancari was a UFA?

by krytime on Jun 8, 2011 3:14 PM EDT reply actions

Mancari is RFA

And I am curious about what’d you do with Weber? Personally I’d sign Butler and Sekera. I think Sekera is going to want more than a $400k raise.

by buffalosportsfan on Jun 9, 2011 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Capgeek has him listed as a UFA.

by krytime on Jun 9, 2011 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh

ESPN had a list a while ago that had him listed as RFA

by buffalosportsfan on Jun 9, 2011 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions

I like the roughly $1M cap hit for Enroth

but not too crazy about Bulter’s. I’d rather re-invest that into a FA defenseman.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
Keep Reyes, Trade Wilpon.

by Ogre39666 on Jun 8, 2011 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

Gerbe

Isn’t he a center, not left wing?

Anyway, good post and I like the number at $1.25M cap hit a season for the mighty mite, but do you think that’s enough?

I’d also lock up Gragnani for longer—he was a beast.

by Buffalo Tom on Jun 8, 2011 4:15 PM EDT reply actions

He played center at BC but he didn't play much there with us and he likely won't in the future.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
Keep Reyes, Trade Wilpon.

by Ogre39666 on Jun 8, 2011 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I debated

I really thought long and hard about giving more money to Gerbe. It may not be enough, but a total of $3.75M guaranteed may be enough incentive to sign.

I thought about giving Gragnani a longer deal too, but since the other D-men got two year deals, I didn’t want to alienate them or cause friction in the room.

by BBFan4Ever on Jun 8, 2011 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I think your offer for him is fair...

I came up with the same number in a FanPost I did, and since he has only played one year of NHL hockey, he isn’t really due for a bigger NHL contract. Most RFAs would not see a big second contract in less they are already a star, a la Stamkos, Bobby Ryan, Crosby, etc. I sense we are sending Weber’s rights somewhere…and I just want to say, “Say it ain’t so!” I like Weber a lot and see a lot of potential in him as a big, hard hitting stay at home defenseman; then again, other teams may see the same thing and he may be an integral piece to move if we want something solid coming back. I almost want to guess what you will do, but to be fair I won’t be proposing anything.

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

by bgred105 on Jun 8, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions

I hope so

If you project Gerbe out to a full 82 games, he would have been a 40-point guy. Players are all over the map on salaries in that range. Just looking at left wingers with 40 points :

David Booth $3.75M cap hit
James van Riemsdyk $1.65M cap hit
Lauri Korpikoski $700,000 cap hit
Sergei Samsonov $2.53M cap hit
(Leaving out Simon Gagne because he only played 63 games).

So you may well be right on a number with Gerbe.

Do you think the other d-men would be alienated if one guy gets a longer deal? If that’s the case, everyone’s gonna be crying in their Cheerios after Tyler Myers’ deal.

by Buffalo Tom on Jun 8, 2011 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions

DEFENSEMAN

I just would give Butler, Sekera and Gragnani one year qualifying offers which I believe is 10% over their current contracts. All three have something to prove. Why pay more than you have too. Besides, not like they have too many options. They are not likely to be signed to offer sheets so either accept the Sabres offer or sit.

by BUBLSRM on Jun 10, 2011 11:32 AM EDT reply actions

Not entirely true in my opinion..

If Buffalo low balls Butler, Weber, and Gragnani with 10% qualifying offers, any team could have any of them for nothing, providing they don’t offer more than $1,034,249, where compensation jumps up to a meager 3rd round pick. As far as Sekera goes, you only get a 2nd round pick for him once he reaches the $1,567,043 — $3,134,088 range.

If I were another team (and I am biased towards kids I’ve followed growing up in the Sabre farm system), I’d think I could steal one of these guys. Like ’em or not, these four Sabres all showed quite a bit of promise at some point last year.

by krytime on Jun 10, 2011 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions