2012 NHL Trade Deadline: What To Expect Out Of The Next Two Days

by Zachary Zielonka on Feb 26, 2012 12:00 PM EST

Capping off a three point weekend, the Buffalo Sabres will be idle for the next three days as they prepare for their four game west coast trip. Well, most of the Sabres will be idle. General Manager Darcy Regier should be busy working the phones as the trade deadline looms with a Monday 3 pm deadline.

The Buffalo Sabres are six points out of a playoff spot with 20 games left to play. They sit 11th in the Eastern Conference and sit closer to last place, four point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens, than they do 8th place. So, what kind of moves should we as fans expect out of the Sabres if they make any at all.

The biggest thing to consider when looking at trades is the Sabres cap space. According to Cap Geek, the Sabres have $695,339 in cap space to work with. All of that cap space is dependent on Jochen Hecht continuing to stay on Long Term Injured Reserve. If he comes back, all of that cap space disappears. What that means for the Sabres is that if the team is going to make a move for a player, a player is going to have to go back in return.

The biggest pieces the Sabres probably have are Paul Gaustad and Derek Roy. Gaustad is an unrestricted free agent that would have a cap hit of $2.3 million and a faceoff specialist. Gaustad has been lined up against the scoring lines for the opponent and has been able to shut down those lines as of late. Gaustad's 56.8% faceoff percentage has him at 10th in the league in that category as well. We took a look at Gaustad's trade value a couple days ago and if he could return a 1st or 2nd round pick that would be nice.

The second player that could be on the move is Derek Roy. Roy has become the new scapegoat for this team after Tim Connolly left and fans would be happy to see him leave. The question is whether he could be moved now or if it would happen later. Roy has a cap hit of $4 million this season and next and has turned his game on as of late with points in five of his last six games. Roy could be part of a much bigger deal that would go down and shake this team up.

One thing that I know is that if this team doesn't make a move before the deadline, there are going to be a lot of upset fans out there.

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Comments

The trade deadline is always a bad time to pick up players for a long term rebuild, players are always over-priced. I would rather we don’t pay through the nose for rental players at this time, and instead do a reconstruction in the offseason.

As for selling, unless someone is willing to pay a king’s ransom for a player we have, why bother? Unless it’s Boyes, in which case even a low draft pick is a good return rather than getting nothing. And if the Sabres re-sign Goose for about $2 mill on a 2-yr contract, that will not be a bad thing, there is always room for a faceoff specialist on the team, even on the fourth line.

Smile.. tomorrow will be worse

by Calvin on Feb 26, 2012 12:14 PM EST reply actions

$ 2million?

Isn’t Goose already making $2.3 Million this season? What makes you believe he would sign for less than he is making now?

by Tim Brown on Feb 26, 2012 11:16 PM EST up reply actions

Top six

Has anyone noticed how well our defenseman are playing? Probably the best play we’ve seen since Lydman & Tallinder were here!

by rexachss on Feb 26, 2012 12:22 PM EST via mobile reply actions

I like the D pairings right now.

by XXX on Feb 26, 2012 1:27 PM EST up reply actions

Capgeek say the Sabres can take on a cap hit of $3,137,503 if Hecht stays out

If you want a look at the current caps on the team, click here.

Regardless of whether Darcy thinks the Sabres can make the playoffs he should do everything he can get rid of Boyes, really most players in the AHL could replicate his production and if we really need a shootout specialist we can give Kotalik a call, see if he wants to come back from his loan.

If they could trade Hecht that would be nice, but I don’t think you can trade someone on IR (also why would anyone want him right now?)

Sabres can spare Gaustad and a few of their plethora of defenseman, especially if it helps in the long term

by Monotonousblob on Feb 26, 2012 12:27 PM EST reply actions

Screw upset fans

I want Darcy to take his time to wait for a move that actually improves this team, or leave it as is (if you haven’t noticed, they are beginning to improve on their own). If he can dump Boyes for anything at all, fine. But the reality seems to be that the Sabres need more centers, not less. Gaustad should probably be re-signed if his asking price is reasonable. Roy should stay because honestly who is going to trade a better center for him? If Darcy makes some moves it should be to acquire a center at the expense of a winger and/or a defenseman. I’d only be OK with trading Gaustad if the contract extension talks are going nowhere, and I’d be pretty upset to trade Roy for anything less than a total steal of a trade.

by lassathrax on Feb 26, 2012 12:51 PM EST reply actions

I have resigned to the fact

that none of that will happen. Darcy has to think we can make a run at the playoffs, and I think trading Goose would be a move that says, “I do not think we can make the playoffs this year.” His offensive stats will not blow anyone away, but if he is gone, we have no one in our organization that can play center in a shutdown line roll. Also, I cannot see Derek Roy being traded for an upgrade at center…we could possibly trade him for younger centers with high potential, but any kind of deal with him would be a retooling of the roster IMO. Also, if Darcy really thinks we can make a run, he should be a buyer; if we can’t trade Boyes, then we can waive him to give us $7,000,000 in cap space (this includes Hecht on the LTIR). That should give us enough room to make a move to help the team…maybe acquire something down the middle (just speculation)?

When I wrote the market value article earlier in the week, I was in the mood to trade our assets for picks to rebuild next year. The listing of Derek Roy in the article was merely due to trade rumors I had been hearing about forever. As for the rebuild, OTT fielded a successful team after trading some assets (I am aware this is a sample size of one), and I was settling into the idea that we could do the same this season. We could still do that of course, but it is no guarantee that we can trade Goose then resign him next year, or trade Roy and see a great asset coming back.

Personally, I am not sure that we have a team that can be successful in the playoffs, and it is really why I would not mind us selling assets. If we can make a miracle run to 8th and lose out in the first round, is that an acceptable result for this season? If we can make 8th and make a playoff run (at least win one round), then obviously the team Darcy has built is capable of playoff success. I would love for this group to make me eat my own words and prove me wrong, yet I just think we have holes to fill (more center depth) before we can actually make such a run.

On the other hand, we are not mathematically out of this. I still think we have a tough road ahead, but if we can take 6 out of 8 points out West, we are definitely in it. Anderson’s injury in OTT is a big deal, and no one is running away with the 8th spot in the East.

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

by bgred105 on Feb 26, 2012 1:30 PM EST up reply actions

Pretty good points especially regarding center depth.

It would be interesting to see what Roy would do if he wasn’t the center most expected to put up numbers.

If the Sabres do push for the playoffs, shootouts could be huge. Not sure Boyes should leave yet.

by XXX on Feb 26, 2012 1:32 PM EST up reply actions

Goose

I say trade Goose for a player and pick. Then resign him in the off season.

by Tim Brown on Feb 26, 2012 11:18 PM EST up reply actions

Stand Pat

I’m a Sabres fan and would not upset at all if Regier does nothing at the trade deadline. He certainly isn’t going to get the first-line center we need, and no other acquisition would help significantly. If he could get rid of Boyes for a draft pick that would make me and a lot of other fans happy, but who would want him?

by Geolover on Feb 26, 2012 1:09 PM EST reply actions

L.A.

by Coach Bob on Feb 26, 2012 3:54 PM EST up reply actions

No. They have enough snakebit forwards. Also not sure they have the cap space.

"Thank you very much fans and let’s go for the next game together!"

— Lubomir Visnovsky

I rec’d that shit.

by Steven Hida on Feb 26, 2012 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

Stand Pat

Isn’t that the norm for Darcy?

by Winnie33 on Feb 26, 2012 8:15 PM EST up reply actions

Isn't Gaustad untradable now...

…because of the broken hand?

"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England

by Calvert on Feb 26, 2012 1:13 PM EST reply actions

Look

The Sabres are not going to win a Cup this year. Any of you who believe that need to get off that medication. Boyes needs to go and can probably net the Sabres a draft pick. Hecht, due to injuries, is probably done and has negligeable trade value, but I would give him away just to clear cap space. Roy is untouchable due to the Sabres lack of center icemen. Gaustad is a valuable fourth-line center, so I don’t see the Sabres doing much other than clearing cap-space at the dead-line unless they are willing to move prospects for another center. There are too many teams in the hunt for a playoff spot so I guess I don’t see a lot of sellers right now.

by Coach Bob on Feb 26, 2012 3:54 PM EST reply actions

.

One thing that I know is that if this team doesn’t make a move before the deadline, there are going to be a lot of upset fans out there.

Don’t sell the fan base short, there will be lots of upset fans no matter what Darcy does.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Feb 26, 2012 4:14 PM EST reply actions 4 recs

Le Rec’d

"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.'"
"Do it or Die Trying."

by FloridaBuffalo on Feb 26, 2012 5:53 PM EST up reply actions

You are correct.

there will be lots of upset fans no matter what Darcy does.

And I think that is a sign it is high time for him to move on.

"A Patriots loss is a Bills win" - TheAfghanTwighlight

by The Buffalo Kid on Feb 27, 2012 4:19 AM EST up reply actions

I'd love for the Sabres to get

Jeff Carter

flayed ones stealth mode

"Fleshling! Do not shoot! For I am one of you fleshy things. It is I. Your Uncle Stan. Can't you tell by the long strips of fleshy substances covered in bodily fluids? Trust me! I have fleeeeeeeeesh."

by mob16151 on Feb 26, 2012 9:35 PM EST reply actions

You should use sarcasm font when you say such things…you might start confusing people.

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

by bgred105 on Feb 26, 2012 11:39 PM EST up reply actions

Haha I'm dead serious

I know his contract is horrible, but he fills a need for the Sabres, and a Leino-Carter-Vanek line would probably be filthy. Plus I’d like the Sabres to get more physical.

flayed ones stealth mode

by mob16151 on Feb 27, 2012 12:01 AM EST up reply actions

But he was traded this summer, and just traded to the LA Kings for Jack Johnson and a first. I do not see the Kings playing him for one game, only to flip him to us.

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

by bgred105 on Feb 27, 2012 12:12 AM EST up reply actions

I thought Carter went to the Blue Jackets

and Richards to the Kings.

flayed ones stealth mode

by mob16151 on Feb 27, 2012 12:14 AM EST up reply actions

Carter was also traded to the Kings on Friday.

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

by bgred105 on Feb 27, 2012 1:02 AM EST up reply actions

well thats what i get

for not paying attention lol

flayed ones stealth mode

by mob16151 on Feb 27, 2012 1:26 AM EST up reply actions

Thats what I get

for not paying attention. lol

flayed ones stealth mode

by mob16151 on Feb 27, 2012 1:47 AM EST up reply actions

Being in a rush...

to please the fans with big signings is what lead to the Leino humiliation. Just like last year at the dead-line there are certainly players I’d like to see us get rid of, namely Boyes, but we don’t need another bad signing just for the sake of appearing active. We should instead be using the rest of this season to be giving the Kassian’s and Tropp’s of the world as much NHL experience as possible so they can contribute more next season. It’s in the off season that we should seek to let Hecht retire with honor and look to add free agents of the non-Leino persuasion.

Do you believe in miracles? YES!

by Up State NY on Feb 27, 2012 8:30 AM EST reply actions 1 recs