Canucks / Sabres trade:

[nyintensity]

It may not be a better or more.knowledgable opinion....but it is from one of our own, that has to mean something. No offense intended, like he said we appreciate your time and offerings. We have been down this road before and likely will again

Absolutely, I understand it coming from one of your own - it means more to you for sure.

We were down this road with Bernier and Torres both. They both laid an egg on our doorstep.

[tantalum]

Bernier laid an egg in vancouver as well from the perspective of his salary (as a $1 mil bottom 6 guy he would have been fine).

Torres not so much. He was effective as a canuck by and large.

I think Sabre fans need to ask themselves why every player that seems to go to Buffalo has these struggles.

[nyintensity]

Bernier laid an egg in vancouver as well from the perspective of his salary (as a $1 mil bottom 6 guy he would have been fine).

Torres not so much. He was effective as a canuck by and large.

I think Sabre fans need to ask themselves why every player that seems to go to Buffalo has these struggles.

I've already given you that answer, about 6 times....it's our head coach.

[tantalum]

I've already given you that answer, about 6 times....it's our head coach.

I know. it was sort of my response to various Sabre fans that have decided Kassian is a waste of space because he hasn't had a huge impact as a rookie or that he isn't developing etc etc etc.

[rats19]

Maybe all the banter is done...we are repeating..just watch and wait.

I believe the climate In our organization gives both these kids a better than average shot at It.

[mathonwy]

I'd like to extend a welcome and hi to the sabres fans posting in this thread.

It really is nice to see new fans from other teams posting here (and not trolling).

Hope you guys stick around!

[nyintensity]

I've already given you that answer, about 6 times....it's our head coach.

I know. it was sort of my response to various Sabre fans that have decided Kassian is a waste of space because he hasn't had a huge impact as a rookie or that he isn't developing etc etc etc.

We've watched plenty of players waste away under Ruff, or at least underachieve (Afinogenov, for example). I don't think Kassian is a waste of space, I just wanted to give a *right now* assessment of him and his progress. I think management in Buffalo also gave him a good smack on the *expletive* after his elbow-to-head incident, basically banishing him to the O for 2 years (they actually said, "we're not going to consider moving him up until he has time to mature"). That's probably a big reason he hasn't been the raging ball of testosterone we Buffalo fans were hoping for.

[rats19]

Common hate of laffs and the booins. That's why we always had a soft spot for the sabres. Boils down to a coin toss..

[nyintensity]

Common hate of laffs and the booins. That's why we always had a soft spot for the sabres. Boils down to a coin toss..

That and we've both got the 40-year-itch

[Zamboni Driver]

the question: Cody Hodgson-

is this guy any good and can he be a top line center??

I say throw him right away with Vanek / Pominville.

(please be nice)

Yes, I think he's only going to get better.
It takes time to develop a top-line center, and it took time for Sedin & Kesler to develop, Cody has really developed this year.
I think the Sabres got the better end of this deal, It'll make our GM look foolish if he wins the Calder.
The only plus side of this deal (IMO as a Canucks fan) is that he'll be going to Buffalo and not Boston, Chicago, Toronto etc

First and foremost I am a Sabres fan with some info and questions:
here is some info:
Gragani: he is a good puck moving D. Not very good in corners in his own end and needs to get tougher.

Zack Kassian: I heard exactly what TSN said on Tradecentre today. What Ray Ferrario said was 100% wrong ..... The real scoop on Kassian is not a Lucic clone. Not even close. The only way kassian got onto the Sabres roster is because of injuries / Luke Adam our rookie center hadnt had a point since december.

So how does Kassian play: To be 100% honest ...... he doesnt hit or even hit like Lucic, he looks lost in his defensive zone / Neutral zone, not very good on the backchecking. Sometimes it looks like hes floating around. In the offensive zone kassian is ok ...decent hands. He fought 1 time and was pretty good at it. But if you seriously think that this helps you guys win the cup is a joke .....I bet you he gets sent down to your AHL team. This guy in not a Lucic clone or even close. Sabres fans were way to high / loved this kid for no reason. Im not tryingt to spam ..... I am seriously being honest.

Welcome Sabresfan!
Thanks for the info on Kassian

[Zamboni Driver]

Count me as a Sabre fan who was not happy with this trade. we need to get tougher, not fancier. this trade is a huge step back and i think in the end you will have won this trade. in any case...best of luck in the playoffs, i will be rooting for you guys!

Strangely, I have the same feeling coming from the other side.

I wish Hodgson all the luck in the world and actually quite excited to see him go to Buffalo. But I'm also excited to see Kassian because I have a feeling Sabre fans are vastly underrating the kid.

The thought I had yesterday was what does this mean for Bitz? I thought we already had a big, banging 3rd or 4th line winger with potential?
Or is Bitz out for the playoffs?

I don't think it's a "for canucks fans sakes I hope so" type of thing. Hodgson likely didn't have a future in Vancouver. It's simple fact based on how the contracts are laid out. At some point fairly soon, likely next season, there was a very real possibility that Hodgson's development began to stagnate

Consider that Kesler & Sedin didn't light things of fire for their first couple of years, why couldn't Cody develop the same way? We've been really lucky so far to avoid major injury to Sedin & Kes, but what if there was an injury that lost a few months? Who would be our second line center? Malhotra?

[Jovocop]

Consider that Kesler & Sedin didn't light things of fire for their first couple of years, why couldn't Cody develop the same way? We've been really lucky so far to avoid major injury to Sedin & Kes, but what if there was an injury that lost a few months? Who would be our second line center? Malhotra?

Do you remember last year SCF?? Kesler, Henrik, and Malhotra were all playing with some sort of injuries but AV still would not use Hodgson. What makes you think that he will our second line centre when one of our top two centers are injured? Hodgson has played sheltered minutes in Vancouver behind Henrik and Kesler. There is no guarantee that Hodgson will produce under pressure and playing against the other team's shutdown defensive pairing.

[Diehard1]

You think that because you live in Toronto that you can give a better opinion on players? I watch this team 82.games.a.year. I don't miss them. I live in Rochester, and go to the Amerks' games. Vanek is having a very good year. So is Robyn Regehr.

Also, with Kassian, it was his lack of willingness to get physical with people that bugged me. It wasn't even just at the NHL level, but Matthew Coller said he doesn't seem to even do it in Rochester. Rob Ray said it best today: either you come in to the league with consistent physical play, or you don't have it at all. That Kassian didn't give it on a consistent enough basis bugged me, and clearly, it bugged the organization as well.

FWIW - Rob Ray has been pretty damn accurate when judging our grit, for many years.

Sorry for the late reply - no, I don't think that because I live in Toronto that gives me a better idea of the games, even though I typically watch parts of at least 500 games a season (thank you center ice!). I think I'm just as qualified as you to give an opinion on Sabres players as an unbiased observer of the team. Fans are notoriously bad judges of talent - I admit the same regarding Nuck players as I don't see things objectively. By the way - I've been to 7 games in B-Lo this year so far so I feel pretty confident in my opinions.

You think Regehr is having a good year? We'll have to agree to disagree on that one, I see him as one of the most overrated players in the league. Vanek has been above average but not great. But I digress......

Kassian to me is your typical big bodied forward - he is inconsistent, he needs work on his skating (which isnt bad, just can improve) and he needs to play more physically. He will improve in Van - the track record is there.

As Nuck fans we always like to wait and see, the ones of us that aren't whiny little babies that is (and there are a lot of those), because we've been burned many times by the evaluations of other fans. Booth sucked, Ehrhoff was awful, Hamhuis average, Higgins was washed up, Lapierre couldn't change - all of these were untrue. I don't know if it's the Nucks system or what, but they seem to do well getting players that work here. Hopefully it's the same for Kassian.

I like the trade overall, given it addresses needs for both teams. Kassian should do well here as a 2nd or 3rd line winger who plays like an asshole, while I don't know much of MA Gragnani because he hasn't played as much but puck movers love our system. You guys will love Hodgson's game, he's as smart a player as I can remember for a rookie, and he's very good all-round. He-ll be missed here, and a player the Sabres should like for a long time.

[Hockey Widow]

The only real problem I have with this deal was the way it went down. It reminds me of the Joe Thornton and Diana trades. After those two deals we all heard approximately 28 GM's complain that they never knew the player involved was being shopped and if they had known they could have made a better offer. This deal seems to have happened in that same fashion.

I wonder why MG didn't say to his fellow GM's, I love Cody and don't want to trade him but I have needs and I realize that to fill those needs I may have to let him go. So I'm taking calls now for the next hour.

I can't help but think we may have received a few surprise offers. But then again there is cap concerns and trading partner issues and who knows what else. Still........

[dhabums]

The thought I had yesterday was what does this mean for Bitz? I thought we already had a big, banging 3rd or 4th line winger with potential?
Or is Bitz out for the playoffs?

Currently on his way back to the Wolves.