Navy Chief Navy Pride Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 We get Danius Zubros C and Timo Helbling D for Novotney and our first rounder Zubros has 20 goals but the other guy has 1 year exp and has only played 2 games this season. Kinda a stiff price i would say for what we got in return...I kinda liked Novotney. Thoughts?
DrDawkinstein Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Zubrus is awesome and Helbling is supposed to be an up-and-coming prospect... good trade
Wraith Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Zubrus is awesome and Helbling is supposed to be an up-and-coming prospect... good trade Also picked up Miko Lethonen, a DMan, from Nashville for a 4th Rounder. Good depth there.
DrDawkinstein Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Also picked up Miko Lethonen, a DMan, from Nashville for a 4th Rounder. Good depth there. yep and he comes from a winning team, and a team we may see in the cup...
Steven in MD Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Sabres fleeced the Caps....great pick up for the Sabres.
Buftex Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 I kinda liked Novotney.Thoughts? I like the trade. I honestly think Novotny has been one of the worst players on the ice for the Sabres for most of the season. It has only been recent that I stopped noticing him at all, which is a good thing. The first half of the season, he was fairly miserable. I know he is supposed to be a good prospect, but as I am sure everyone will say, you have to give something to get something. At this time of the year, this team being as good as they are, I think we can't have too many experienced guys. The Sabres need to win the cup this year. Novotny wouldn't likely help them much in that pursuit. I liked the move, all and all. Sure, you always wish they could have gotten more, but with the salary cap restrictions, that is difficult. The Sabres have a lot of good, young players still...I don't think giving up Novotny is all that bad. The trade is a classic, "good for both sides" kind of deal. The Caps are terrible, and need some young blood. I am less excited by what they got for Biron, but, perhaps, Conklin will prove to be a decent back-up...ideally, he won't have to play much the rest of the year. I was hoping they would have gotten a more experienced defensemen for him. Not necessarily an all-star, just someone to contribute this year, if needed. The good thing about right now, with all of the injuries, a bunch of guys who might not have played otherwise, are getting a good chance to play in the big leauges. The bad thing, is that all of the injured guys are supposed to come back, just in time for the playoffs...hopefully rust doesn't set in. A guy like Zubros could help out a lot right now. With everyone healthy, I am not sure where exactly he fits in, but I am assuming all will not necessarilly be healthy at the projected times.
taterhill Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Sabres fleeced the Caps....great pick up for the Sabres. stop the presses...I agree with you...
bills_fan Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 I think, also, that Marty may have been moved to clear some cap space so that the Sabres could activate Tim COnnoly. Not sure if they had the room.
DC Tom Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Sabres fleeced the Caps....great pick up for the Sabres. Zubris' contract is up at the end of this season. So the Sabres gave up Novotny and a 1st round pick for three months of play. Still a good trade - Zubris is good, and his presence down near the goal will make up for Gaustad's loss...but it's not quite a fleecing.
DrDawkinstein Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 I think, also, that Marty may have been moved to clear some cap space so that the Sabres could activate Tim COnnoly. Not sure if they had the room. exactly!
ricojes Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Go for it now!!! novotny may be a 20 goal scorer in a few years, but he is not even close to that now. Zubrus has the size and can score. It may be a bit pricey for a rental, but you have to go for the cup this year. I like the trade a lot.
RuntheDamnBall Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Let's not forget that it was an ailing Novotny who has been on and off IR this season that we parted ways with. He'd be nice to have in the future but we've already seen that the future looks good playing prospects who are only arguably ready at this point -- not in their primes. This is about making a run at the Cup. I'd feel a bit better if we could have gotten Boucher instead of Conklin, but let's let 'er rip and see what happens. Zubrus is not a bad pickup. If anything I am more worried about how much dealing everyone else did to position themselves for the postseason. Should be interesting to see which moves work, and which don't.
bills_fan Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Just noting that we also added a couple of D-men. Mikko Lehtonen and Helbling, depth players for sure, but could fill in if they had to.
taterhill Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Zubris' contract is up at the end of this season. So the Sabres gave up Novotny and a 1st round pick for three months of play. Still a good trade - Zubris is good, and his presence down near the goal will make up for Gaustad's loss...but it's not quite a fleecing. Zubrus can be a difference maker NOW..Novotny and the 3oth pick in the draft are not....Plus Zubrus could be a player we look at(if he plays well down the stretch) if we cannot sign both Drury and Briere..I give Darcy an A for today
RuntheDamnBall Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Just noting that we also added a couple of D-men. Mikko Lehtonen and Helbling, depth players for sure, but could fill in if they had to. They also keep Rochester a little more happy, and we can send Mancari back down there instead of throwing him into the fire on our power play. I am very happy that we have made these moves for young depth with a little NHL seasoning on the blueline. We sorely lacked that in last year's playoffs. We had Jillson Schmillson, a plateaued Janik, Rory F at #3 and an emerging Paetsch. Much more confident should a vet go down this time, with a lights-out Paetsch at #7 and Jaro ready to bang it up again come playoff time, and these new guys in the wings should the worst happen.
Buftex Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 If anything I am more worried about how much dealing everyone else did to position themselves for the postseason. Should be interesting to see which moves work, and which don't. You have to think Pittsburgh got a little better today...
DC Tom Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 Zubrus can be a difference maker NOW..Novotny and the 3oth pick in the draft are not....Plus Zubrus could be a player we look at(if he plays well down the stretch) if we cannot sign both Drury and Briere..I give Darcy an A for today I agree - I've seen Zubris play more than a few times, he's a good player, and a good addition, and it was a good trade getting him in here, particularly in light of Gaustad's injury. I'm just disputing that it's a "fleecing". If Zubris had three more years on his contract, maybe. One could argue, too, that since the cap space cleared up by the Biron trade is what made this possible, the Sabres traded Biron, Novotny, and a 3rd for a 2nd, Zubris, and a minor leauge defenseman (Helbling, who, considering the pitiful state of the Caps' D, isn't likely to see any action outside of Rochester). Even a good trade in those terms (though I'll miss the goaltending depth, myself)...but still not a "fleecing".
Rubes Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 You have to admit that, assuming we get most of the injured guys back for the playoffs, that we will be in considerably better shape than during last year's playoffs -- particularly if guys go down again.
Taro T Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 I agree - I've seen Zubris play more than a few times, he's a good player, and a good addition, and it was a good trade getting him in here, particularly in light of Gaustad's injury. I'm just disputing that it's a "fleecing". If Zubris had three more years on his contract, maybe. One could argue, too, that since the cap space cleared up by the Biron trade is what made this possible, the Sabres traded Biron, Novotny, and a 3rd for a 2nd, Zubris, and a minor leauge defenseman (Helbling, who, considering the pitiful state of the Caps' D, isn't likely to see any action outside of Rochester). Even a good trade in those terms (though I'll miss the goaltending depth, myself)...but still not a "fleecing". When you look at the trades overall they were Marty and Novotny for Zubrus, Conklin, and cap space (aka Connolly); and the other trades amounted to a 4th and a 5th for 2 depth defensemen (#8 and 9 on depth chart; considering the Sabres went to #10 in the playoffs last year and #8 this morning was an AHL rookie, they were pieces this team needs). The draft pick exchange could be as little as the Sabres dropping 1 slot, in a worst case it will be dropping about 5 slots. The Sabres didn't "fleece" the Caps, but they did make fair trades overall, improved the team, and didn't mortgage the future. All in all, a pretty good day.
Taro T Posted February 27, 2007 Posted February 27, 2007 You have to admit that, assuming we get most of the injured guys back for the playoffs, that we will be in considerably better shape than during last year's playoffs -- particularly if guys go down again. Considering the lines could look something like this (if all are healthy) Hecht - Briere - Pominville Roy - Drury - Kotalik Vanek - Zubrus - Afinogenov Paille (Paetsch) - Connolly - Mair (Stafford) with Tallinder - Lydman Spacek - Campbell Kalinen - Numminen and MacArthur ready to be called up if necessary, I am pretty happy with the way this team looks. And Lindy isn't completely resigned to losing Gaustad for the entire playoffs; I think he's HOPING for a mid-May return. I'd love to throw him into the mix, that is a really strong lineup.
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