So hey there! I learned this morning that I’ve “graduated” from my trial period and will soon be getting my name on the little sidebar thing over there full time. I’d like to thank everyone for the opportunity, and I hope to do them proud until I graduate to Deadspin or Trending Buffalo!
I had no plans to write anything until at least the NHL Draft because I heard once you get a full time gig here, you don’t actually have to write, you just sorta hang out and make fun of people on Twitter. But then Bucky Gleason decided to regurgitate his annual GM For A Day column and I couldn’t resist busting into the old blogger standby and giving it the Fire Joe Morgan treatment. I also want you to know that after doing this, I clearly hate myself and I’m apologizing in advance for making you read part of a Bucky Gleason article.
Let's get on with it.
The biggest problem with being GM for a Day is that it only lasts 24 hours. Seriously, you want me to fix the Sabres in one day? Darcy Regier has created such a mess that it could take years to get this organization back into playoff contention. I’ll stand up for my record, but I’m no miracle worker.
Honestly, when examining the roster now, I’m not even sure where to begin. The Sabres’ foundation doesn’t simply have a few cracks. It has disintegrated into a pile of dust that needs to be cleared. They need to dig a new hole. They need a fresh pour of reinforced concrete. The first step is hiring a new architect.
The Sabres’ average finish since GM for a Day started in 2007 is between eighth and ninth place in the conference. Take away their division title in 2009-10, and it’s between ninth and 10th.
FYI: That’s pathetic.
And that’s why you need me.
Look, every general manager makes mistakes every year. I’ve made blunders along the way, too. In 2009, I was so desperate for a top defenseman that I was prepared to throw Jay Bouwmeester a seven-year contract worth $50 million.
Jay-Bo was a bust in Calgary. It doesn’t guarantee he would have been a bust here. You never really know how a player will fit with a certain organization until he plays for the team. Regardless, it was too much money for him. Calgary recognized its mistake, traded him while he still had value and started in a different direction.
My job for one day the last six years was adding and subtracting specific players and creating a roster that fit under the salary cap. My decisions were made based on what the Sabres needed while working with a base, a foundation. Now, with the foundation in ruins, they need a general approach rather than pinpointing players who can help.
With so many holes in the roster, creating a complete roster and detailed salary chart would be unrealistic. There are too many variables that come into play to say precisely what’s needed in one day. Real negotiations are required with other general managers. One move leads to several other moves down the road.
With no true core of players to build around, it’s become exponentially tougher.
- 1) Cajun Chicken Alfredo – for “stick this in the microwave for 3 minutes and eat” pasta, it’s probably the best I’ve ever had.
- 2) Chipotle Chicken Skewers – Buy a package of these, pop them in the oven for 20 minutes, dice them up and you have a simple taco/burrito filling with a nice flavor to it.
- 3) Cookie Butter – If you’ve ever flown Delta, this stuff tastes like the cookies they give out, only you can spread it on toast.
- 4) Cheddar Bacon Ranch Dip – 3 things you love, combined in a delicious dip.
- 5) Southwest Stuffed Chicken Breasts – I have no idea what’s stuffed in these, some sort of cheese, I’ve seen a black olive ot two, maybe some peppers…but you throw these in the oven for about 35 minutes and they have a delicious crust on them and one breast is a solid meal. They’re a little on the pricy side, even for Trader Joe’s food, ($12 for two breasts) but one pack can feed two people pretty easily.
Sorry, where were we…
Being the owner for a day would be much, much easier. I would fire Regier, hire Pat LaFontaine as president of hockey operations, hire Rick Dudley as general manager and allow them to hire the right coach and acquire the right personnel. The standards would never be lowered. They would be the same every year: Win the Stanley Cup.
And this column would end HERE.
The general idea now is slashing payroll as much as possible, which gives me more flexibility; acquiring as many good young players as possible with the idea several will emerge as good players and, eventually, strong leaders; and blending in willing veterans who can help with the transition.
Getting this team back into contention is a tall order for anyone. Young players come with uncertainty and mistakes. It leads to misses. It leads to problems with the salary cap. It leads to losing. It leads to suffering. It leads to, well, 12th place.
Let’s get something straight. No GM should be allowed to rebuild his own team. Their job is to build. If a rebuild is required, which happens to be the case in Buffalo, it means a team was poorly built the first time. If you invest time and money in a core group of players, you need to be right. If you’re not, you need to be replaced.
Overall, the job requires a strong stomach to take risks, a quality lacking in Regier. If I make too many mistakes, fire me. I have another job for 364 days a year.
Buffalo has the eighth and 16th picks overall in the upcoming draft. There’s almost no chance of Colorado giving up the first pick overall. If I can’t get Seth Jones, Nathan MacKinnon or Jonathan Drouin — the top three prospects — I’m looking to use one or both first-round picks as trade bait.
I’m willing to dip into the free-agent market for role players who are 28 or younger and will not kill payroll. Blackhawks winger Viktor Stalberg is at the top of a short list. Nathan Horton is a very good player, and tough, but I can only pursue him if I dump the salaries of Ryan Miller or Thomas Vanek or, preferably, both.
The Flyers reportedly are listening to offers for Sean Couturier. Couturier is coming off a terrible season in which he had four goals and 15 points in 46 games. He had a 27-game scoring slump. There is no getting around such facts, but he’s a 20-year-old with good size (6-foot-3, 200 pounds). He would not be THE piece. He would be one piece.
Regier has two assets in Vanek and Miller, plus two first-round picks in the coming draft. Vanek and Miller are eligible for unrestricted free agency after the coming season and have shown little desire to stay through a rebuild. Every day they remain here, the Sabres lose a little leverage in the trade market.
Wayne Gretzky was traded, so everybody on my roster is available for the right price. And that includes Tyler Myers and Mikhail Grigorenko. I’m not actively shopping them, but rest assured I’m listening to all offers for them or anyone else.
Myers has become emblematic of their problems. He’s a young player who hasn’t produced, cannot be depended upon to build around and is overpaid. His game has regressed in recent years. He might become a very good player. I’m open to moving him for the right price, but I’m also not giving him away.
What’s the right price? Big, right-handed defensemen are hard to find. I would need a proven young player and either two solid prospects or a young star and a high draft pick.
My options going into the draft are twofold. The eighth and 16th picks could be used in a package to move into the top three positions of the draft or they could be used with Vanek and/or Miller for a good, young prospect with experience. I would not be inclined to keep both picks and take my chances in the draft. It’s too risky.
The Sabres need help down the middle yet again. Cody Hodgson is not a true No. 1 center. In my book, he’s a second-line center on a good team and perhaps a third-line center on a contending team. The trick is convincing another team to unload a good young center for a high pick and Vanek or Miller.
Adam Henrique is another good player, a second-line center on a good team but a first-line guy for the Sabres. He’s coming off a mediocre year (11 goals, 16 points, 42 games) but had 16 goals and 51 points in 74 games as a rookie. He’s 23 years old and has played in the Stanley Cup finals.
Would the Devils be interested in Vanek and a first-round pick for him? Or would they take Miller to take over for Martin Brodeur, plus a first-round pick? Yes, it’s a hefty price. It’s also getting something back for Miller or Vanek. If they become free agents, they can walk and bring nothing back in return.
Remember, there’s a very good chance you’re losing Vanek and/or Miller if you don’t trade them. Would the Flyers be interested in giving up Couturier, for example, for Vanek and swapping the 16th and the 11th picks?
I don’t know for sure. If Philly buys out Ilya Bryzgalov, they could be interested in Miller.
Would the Blue Jackets be interested in trading away high-scoring center Boone Jenner, a former second-round pick, or defenseman Ryan Murray, the former second pick overall who is coming off a shoulder injury? Both are 19-year-old prospects of a team desperate to make the playoffs and looking for a scorer (Vanek) after losing Rick Nash.
Is there any way I can get my hands on Matt Duchene or Ryan O’Reilly, even if it means trading Miller or Vanek (and more) to Colorado?
Could the Oilers move Magnus Paajarvi, a former 10th pick overall who has had a slow start to his career for a team loaded with young skilled forwards? Edmonton needs a goaltender.
Panthers GM Dale Tallon is listening to offers for the second pick overall. It’s time to give him a call and find out the price tag. I would be willing to trade Miller, Vanek and a first-round pick for the second pick overall. Why? Because the chances of keeping one or both is minimal. It would require them signing extensions with Florida, of course.
Is that possible? Anything is possible. Now do you see where this is going?
One player on my radar is Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who is stuck behind former Conn Smyth winner Jonathan Quick. Bernier and Jhonas Enroth would be battling for the No. 1 goaltending position until further notice. Both would get their share of opportunities until one emerged. If neither did, start looking again.
Bernier, 24, has a 29-20-6 record with a 2.36 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 62 career games. He still has plenty to prove, but he’s a former first-round pick with potential. It’s time to call the Kings for the asking price.
I would be more willing to give up a first-round pick for someone who’s already an NHL player, than willing to risk taking one eighth or 16th overall. The Kings need a first-round pick. How about giving the Kings the 16th pick overall and Drew Stafford for Bernier and the Kings’ second-round pick?
Miller and Vanek would be traded before or during the draft. It’s time to begin life without them. Just know they will not bring the return you would hope because the Sabres lost leverage by keeping them after the 2013 trade deadline.
It’s a shame the Sabres have reached this point. But if they followed my suggestions over the years, they wouldn’t be in this position in the first place.
Instead I want to play GM For A Day as well. Only I’m taking over The Buffalo News Sports Department.
Fire Bucky, Fire Harrington, Keep Vogl, throw a bunch of money at Bill Hoppe and hell, I’ll even keep Sullivan around, because even as much of an asshole as he can be, he at least throws out some stuff worth reading here and there.
Look at how simple that was. I didn’t need 400 paragraphs of self-gratifying nonsense and fantasy to shore up what is Buffalo’s true #1 sports disappointment. Fuck, I even did as much homework as Bucky did.
Enjoy this until TBN threatens to have us take it down for using paid content or some other little vindictive bullshit that they excel at as opposed to putting out good content.