Sabres Looking To Trade Rather Than Waive To Get Under The Salary Cap

by Zachary Zielonka on Aug 19, 2011 10:00 AM EDT

GM Darcy Regier has been in front of the media spotlight for a few days now with the Christian Ehrhoff press conference on Wednesday and with a piece in the National Post on Thursday. One thing that continually was asked of Regier was how he was going to get the team under the salary cap ceiling of $64.3 million. Here is what he had to say to the National Post:

"I think we'll probably, more than anything, look toward the trade market and see what we can do there."

While most of us thought that Shaone Morrisonn and Ales Kotalik would just join the Americans, Regier will look to move some players off the roster to clean up that space. The question now becomes who are the players on the trading block.

The first has to be Shaone Morrisonn who had a less than spectacular season with the Sabres last year. Morrisonn had one goal and four assists in 62 games with the Sabres and has one year left at a rate of $2.075 million left on his contract. In his career, Morrisonn has only had one single digit point season when he played a full slate of games and that was last season. Morrisonn has the potential to score 10-15 points and only a handful of goals each season.

While this notion will seem ridiculous, another player that could be moved to clear some cap space could be Jason Pominville and his $5.3 million contract. Pominville does have a modified no-trade clause, which gives Pominville eight teams that he can't be traded to, which could make moving him slightly difficult. Pominville was an iron man for the Sabres, playing in every game for four seasons for the Sabres until two different injuries sidelined him this season. Pominville played in a total of 73 games this past season and had 22 goals and 30 assists during the season, his lowest point total since the 2005-06 season.

Pominville's production would be a great piece to add to any team, but his contract would be expensive for a salary dump type of trade as he has three years left on his contract. Other players such as Brad Boyes, Jochen Hecht, and Paul Gaustad each have one year left on their respective contracts and could be easier to move.

The Buffalo Sabres have to move some sort of salary by the start of the season and it seems that Regier is set to get some sort of value out of his players rather than stashing him in the minors. Only a handful of players have to be deemed safe by the organization and the rest of the team is on the chopping block. Whether he can pull off a deal is yet to be seen.

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The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of maybe Luke Adam moving into the roster at center. He needs to work on his skating, but then again, so does Gaustad.

by Philaster on Aug 19, 2011 10:09 AM EDT reply actions

I hold out hope that he trades Ales Kotalik instead! :)

Original member of the Mike Weber bandwagon!
To make up for lost time, the Sabres signed six seasons worth of front-loaded cap skirting contracts in one week.

by Ubiquitous on Aug 19, 2011 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Then pray to the deity (or non-deity) of your choice for hopeless causes.

by Philaster on Aug 19, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

From my Catholic school days, St. Jude is the patron saint of hopeless causes.

by maestro110584 on Aug 19, 2011 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Of course Regier will look at all his trade options, but besides Morrisonn and Kotalik I don’t think he will be looking to unload anyone for salary reasons. He will only trade a roster player if it legitimately improves the team. Since those trades are highly unlikely when dealing from a position of financial strain, I am going to assume that the only player who has a chance of moving through trade is Morrisonn, but if there is no trade interest for Morrisonn (and when there is no trade interest for Kotalik), they will be given a shot at training camp and waived if they don’t make a huge impression. Morrisonn will be picked up on waivers, for sure. Kotalik will end up in Rochester, for sure, but he is an AHL player at this point in almost every NHL organization. That would bring us under the cap.

I would be willing to see Pominville traded to a team trying to reach the floor but only if the return is going to improve the team. I’m not sure how likely that is given his no-movement clause and the perceived position of weakness the Sabres would be dealing from.

by lassathrax on Aug 19, 2011 10:33 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

As much as he frustrates me, I’d hate to lose Pominville unless something pretty special was coming back. I think we saw his value in the playoffs when he was hurt.

by Philaster on Aug 19, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions

yup +1

Was gonna post but read this and now dont need to… Darcy will be lucky to get a 7th for Morrisonn and should pounce on it if it comes his way.

Rookies are like teabags...you don't know what you're gonna get until you put them in hot water. -Harry Neale

by weswed51 on Aug 20, 2011 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Good luck Darcy!

I loves me some good trade rumours! Not sure how likely it is, but I hope Darcy can pull something off. Boyes, Jochen, Ales and Shoane are prime because I think they’re expendable, but not sure how marketable any of them are. So get at it Darcy! Man I can’t wait for Hockey season to begin…

by buffaloparks on Aug 19, 2011 11:03 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Pommenville, Sekera traded

For Top Center and maybe a draft choice or prospect. Try to trade Morrison, if not him and Kotalik to Rochester

by Winnie33 on Aug 19, 2011 11:16 AM EDT reply actions

Never going to happen.

You’d need to add in a pick and another player for a center to get something worthwhile, and if this seasons moves are any indication, Darcy isn’t doing half assed moves anymore.

Enjoys long walks on the beach, Molson Canadian, and making the playoffs.

by AcesNines on Aug 19, 2011 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Just for fun I went to DobberHockey and saw who Kotalik spent most of his time playing with during his last stint – Kotalik – Mair – Afinogenov. That is a lot of suck for one line. Other lines: Kotalik – Vanek – Roy, Kotalik – Pominville – Roy and Kotalik – Gaustad – Paille.

by Philaster on Aug 19, 2011 2:02 PM EDT reply actions

morrison-2mill-get rid of him!!!

by sabre4264 on Aug 19, 2011 6:20 PM EDT reply actions

Sooon Sooooooooooon

The roster manipulations begin mwuhahahahahahahahahaha

The player I would like least at #9 would be my sister’s cat, Captain Creamsicle. She does have a great work ethic and agility, but I’m really concerned that at 9 lbs., she’s too small to play safety in the NFL. She also bites way too often on play action and is easily distracted by someone waving string in the crowd. Lastly, her wonderlic score was pretty awful, answering "meow meow meow" for most of the questions- Dr. Brackish Okun

by mob16151 on Aug 19, 2011 6:26 PM EDT reply actions

get rid of hecht pleaseeeeee.

by gremm on Aug 19, 2011 10:57 PM EDT reply actions

Why?...

Save Jenrry Mejia!
Keep Reyes, Trade Wilpon.

by Ogre39666 on Aug 21, 2011 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Pysyk could alter things...

MP could force some moves as well. He will be low cost and is another RHD.

Sekera could be attractive as trade bait since the Sabres have already paid the $3M bonus and the receiving team would then get a discount. Second round pick?

Morrisonn will be gone for a 6 or 7.

Kotalik will be hard to move. He might actually cost the Sabres a pick of their own to move him. The Avs or Islanders could be the spot.

by drwho62 on Aug 22, 2011 9:12 AM EDT reply actions