Sabres Continue Spending Spree With $27 Million Offer To Leino

The spending spree in Buffalo continues under new owner Terry Pegula. In the department of spending money because they now have it, the Sabres inked one of the prized middle-level talent free agents available this offseason in the form of Ville Leino for the next six years at $27 million. He will see and count as a cap hit annually at $4.5 million - ranking third most among Sabres forwards in salary.

Leino was essentially finished in Philadelphia when the team needed to start losing salary in an effort to sign goaltender Ilya Byrzgalov ... and then Jaromir Jagr and Max Talbot.

Leino put up decent numbers last year with the Flyers by netting 19 goals and accumulating 53 points through 81 games. His playoff performance wasn't memorable, but the seven goals and 21 points he put up two years ago in the postseason was rather impressive.

But this is still an overpayment of sorts for a player that only has a few years of experience and lacks a consistent level of play. If this deal doesn't work out, the Sabres are going to be regretting it all the way through the 2016-17 campaign.

Sabres Add Ehrhoff To Defense For Next 10 Seasons

Under the reign of new owner Terry Pegula, the Buffalo Sabres have become extraordinarily active this offseason with little mind paid to financial restrictions that previously hindered the organization's ability to make high-valued additions. The Sabres recently pulled off a deal with the Calgary Flames that enabled them to acquire veteran defenseman and Tyler Myers soon-to-be mentor Robyn Regehr, as well as return Ales Kotalik to the city where he was once a consistent 20-goal scorer.

One day ahead of the opening of the unrestricted free agent market, the Sabres plunked a whole lot of money down for another defensive addition. TSN's Bob McKenzie broke the news that Buffalo signed defenseman Christian Ehrhoff to a whopping 10-year deal worth $40 million. The Sabres acquired Ehrhoff's negotiation rights from the New York Islanders for a fourth round pick Wednesday after the Islanders failed to reach an agreement following the acquisition of his rights from the Vancouver Canucks for their own fourth rounder.

This contract will count as a $4 million annual cap hit and, according to McKenzie, includes a modified no-trade clause and breaks down year-by-year as follows:

2011-12: $2 million in salary with an $8 million signing bonus
2012-13: $3 million in salary with a $5 million signing bonus
***note, Ehrhoff will see $18 million in his first two years with the Sabres***
2013-14: $4 million in salary
2014-15: $4 million in salary
2015-16: $4 million in salary
2016-17: $4 million in salary
2017-18: $3 million in salary
2018-19: $1 million in salary
2019-20: $1 million in salary
2020-21: $1 million in salary

So, two things seem certain from this deal - the Ilya Kovalchuk situation from last year taught general managers absolutely nothing and that it's a good bet we can plan Ehrhoff's retirement party for June 2018, which would be a bit early at right around 36 years of age.

At a $4 million cap hit, Ehrhoff certainly does provide the Sabres a good deal of value. He has proven over the past two seasons with the Canucks that he is a real offensive threat from the blue line and is especially effective on the man advantage. He posted 14 goals in each of the past two seasons and scored a career-high 29 points on the power play last year.

But a 10-year deal is a heavy committment, especially for a player that is not even remotely a superstar talent in the NHL. And while they will hope to reap the benefits from his scoring potential, they will need to deal with a defensive liability for the next decade, as well, as witnessed by a minus-13 effort in the recent postseason.

Buffalo may be happy that they now have an owner willing to spend, but it's rough to applaud an addition that could at least partially doom the future financial flexibility of the franchise. Not only are there players the team won't be able to get because of his cap hit, but also imagine just how much Tyler Myers' asking price just went up when he's ready to start hitting the bargaining table for a new deal!

Flames Trade Regehr to Buffalo, Re-Sign Tanguay

After a bit of a delay, the Calgary Flames were able to complete a deal Saturday with the Buffalo Sabres that sent longtime Flames defenseman Robyn Regehr, forward Ales Kotalik and a 2012 second round draft pick to the Sabres in exchange for defenseman Chris Butler and center Paul Byron. Regehr needed to waive his no-movement clause in order for this deal to be completed, which is what held up the process as Regehr wanted to find out what other options were available. Apparently, there were none.

This is a tremendous acquisition for the Sabres, who gave up some decent talent to acquire Regehr but nobody that can't be replaced. Regehr is a 31-year old veteran of the game who has long been one of the better defensive talents in the NHL. He will bring a great deal of experience and leadership to a squad that could certainly use him for a boost at the backend - and somebody to influence youngsters like Tyler Myers. In fact, it was exactly Regehr's size and experience that general manager Darcy Regier had in mind when making this deal.

“Not just veteran leadership, but the added size as well. With the history that he has and the age he’s at, with years ahead to play, I think he can really do a lot for our younger defensemen,” Regier said. “We think that he can help and do a lot for someone like Tyler Myers. That combination of the youth and experience, that blend will do well for us.”     
This trade also marks a return to Buffalo for Kotalik, who has failed to be the same kind of offensive asset that he was before leaving the Sabres. Kotalik started his career in Buffalo and spent seven seasons with there, posting multiple 20-goal campaigns. But he was traded to Edmonton at the deadline in 2009 and signed with the New York Rangers via free agency that summer. He was then moved to Calgary in the Olli Jokinen trade and split times last year between the Flames and its AHL affiliate, Abbotsford. Perhaps a return to the team that drafted him in the sixth round (164th overall) back in 1998 will boost his performance.

Regehr is still owed a pretty penny money-wise, set to earn $8 million over the course of the next two seasons with an annual cap hit of $4.02 million. Kotalik will also earn $3 million in the final year of his current deal.



And the ability to dump that salary was a big reason why the Flames elected to deal both players. With the cap relief the Flames gained from the trade, they were able to re-sign winger Alex Tanguay to a five-year deal worth $17.5 million - or $3.5 million in salary and cap hit each season. This represents a $1.8 million raise from what he made on a one year deal with the Flames last year.

"As we looked at the potential [unrestricted free agent] market, we didn't see a player that was going to replace [Tanguay] and be as productive as we believe he can and will be," Flames general manager Jay Feaster told the press during the NHL Entry Draft weekend. "So, we're happy to have him back."

Tanguay, 31, made an impact in his return trip to the Flames last season, scoring 22 goals and 69 points in 79 games. It's production like that which made captain Jarome Iginla push very hard, according to Feaster, for his stay in Calgary to be extended.

"I think that the guy with the biggest smile today in Calgary isn't Alex, it's Jarome Iglina," Feaster said. "That's one guy that Jarome has made very clear that he very much wants back and wants to be able to play. And certaintly our entire organization is thrilled to have him back."

And The Winner Of The Vezina Trophy Is ...

Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres

Vezina Trophy (Top Goaltender)

Finalists:

Martin Brodeur – New Jersey Devils

Ilya Bryzgalov – Phoenix Coyotes

Ryan Miller – Buffalo Sabres

Prediction – Ilya Bryzgalov

Winner – Ryan Miller

And The Winner Of The Calder Memorial Trophy Is ...

Tyler Myers - Defenseman, Buffalo Sabres

Calder Memorial Trophy (Best Rookie)

Finalists:

Matt Duchene – Center, Colorado Avalanche

Jimmy Howard – Goaltender, Detroit Red Wings

Tyler Myers – Defenseman, Buffalo Sabres

Prediction – Jimmy Howard

Winner – Tyler Myers