[speculation] M. Grigorenko may sign in the KHL

[WHL rocks]

Pull a Radulov? I don't think you are familiar with what Radulov did. If Grigorenko signed in the KHL it would be nothing like what Radulov did. Grigorenko hasn't proven anything in the NHL. Radulov in the 2 seasons he played with Nashville showed that he was already an NHL star in the making. The KHL saw his talent and offered him a huge amount of money and he bailed on Nashville he never finished his entry level contract. He was still under contract with Nashville Grigorenko is not. The Sabres just own his rights and im sure they wont even care if he leaves. Radulov left nashville with a huge void.

Nothing wrong with what Radulov did. He didn't owe Nashville Predators anything. NHL or the Preds wouldn't give a crap about him if he got hurt and could never play again. These guys have very short careers. Why not make as much money as you can. Your first loyalty it to your family and if he can set up himself and his family while at the same time live in his own country good on him. I'd do the exact same thing if I were him.

The other day I was listening to Gary Valk on 1040 talk about how after he retired no one from the NHL or any of his former teams ever contacted him. It was like he never played in the NHL. Fans naively believe this is something more than a business. His wife called around did all the leg work and got him into journalism school so he can have a new career.

I don't see it any different when Shea Weber signed an offer sheet with Philly. He took the most money he could get. Ppl hate on Russians for going back to their country, I wish Canadian stars did the same thing. Most of them have Canadian cities black listed on their NTC's.

[jijitsu]

I don't think any Russian player really wants to go back to KHL the way the Russian economy is right now. If Benning can get this guy from Buffalo then its %100 worth the risk. He exactly the type of player needed to compete in the west. Big and Skilled. Coming to Vancouver would be fresh start.

[peaches5]

Nothing wrong with what Radulov did. He didn't owe Nashville Predators anything. NHL or the Preds wouldn't give a crap about him if he got hurt and could never play again. These guys have very short careers. Why not make as much money as you can. Your first loyalty it to your family and if he can set up himself and his family while at the same time live in his own country good on him. I'd do the exact same thing if I were him.

The other day I was listening to Gary Valk on 1040 talk about how after he retired no one from the NHL or any of his former teams ever contacted him. It was like he never played in the NHL. Fans naively believe this is something more than a business. His wife called around did all the leg work and got him into journalism school so he can have a new career.

I don't see it any different when Shea Weber signed an offer sheet with Philly. He took the most money he could get. Ppl hate on Russians for going back to their country, I wish Canadian stars did the same thing. Most of them have Canadian cities black listed on their NTC's.

Um he signed a 3 year contract and left before it was up. So yea he did owe Nashville something a year of hockey.

[thad]

JB can drop the mic if he somehow gets him for lack. Pretty well builds the future top line in one year lol

Baertschi Grigorenko Virtanen

[WHL rocks]

The contract didn't stipulate that he wasn't allowed to leave and play in the KHL. Nor was there an agreement between the NHL and KHL barring such a move.

[iinatcc]

I wounder if Buffalo would be ok getting Burrows to add some grit and adding veteran in the top 6/9? I know his best days are behind him but he's still an effective player and has a contract comparable to Dustin Brown or David Bolland. And Burrows production was better than Browns or Bollands this season.

[SabreFan1]

gtfo. how old are you 12?

What's your problem? Learn more about the recent history of the team that you are talking about before you go full on douchebag.

Pegula was a season ticket holder for both the Bills and the Sabres. He then went out and made Billions of dollars in the gas and oil industry. He then bought the team in 2011, promised a Stanley Cup within 3 years, and went on to let Regier further ruin the team.

He was a naive uber rich Sabres fan that bought his favourite hockey team then let it go straight to hell because he didn't want to fire the GM when everybody told him to.

Pegula finally fired Regier then offered LaFontaine the GM job. LaFontaine turned it down but said that he would accept the President of Hockey Operations position. That effectively neutered and booted out Ted Black and other Pegula front office cronies from having any influence on the hockey side of the organization. A power struggle ensued which LaFontaine lost after he hired Murray. LaFontaine essentially ran the entirety of the Sabres hockey operations for almost 4 months, but once he found and hired a GM the Sabres brass turned on him. They waited for him to do something that they weren't qualified to and then began a power struggle which LaFontaine soon lost.

Like I said, before you go full on douchebag know what you are talking about first.

[SabreFan1]

I don't think any Russian player really wants to go back to KHL the way the Russian economy is right now. If Benning can get this guy from Buffalo then its %100 worth the risk. He exactly the type of player needed to compete in the west. Big and Skilled. Coming to Vancouver would be fresh start.

If they are paying salaries with U.S. dollars or Euros in lieu of Rubles then it doesn't matter how Russia's economy is doing. If I were him, I'd be more worried about the KHL continuing to contract. There's only so many players that a shrinking league can employ.

[peaches5]

The contract didn't stipulate that he wasn't allowed to leave and play in the KHL. Nor was there an agreement between the NHL and KHL barring such a move.

He put himself into the NHL draft he signed the 3 year deal. If you're not interested in playing in the NHL then don't come over here. It's not like it was because he wasn't getting ice time or there was questions about his future in the NHL. Not only that but just look at his character he is just an spoiled brat; beating his coach with his stick. David Poille won't comment exactly what transpired when he returned to nashville for that weak ass playoff run but the way I see it there is no way they suspended him for missing curfew and possible drinking. I'd say its much more likely he was doing drugs.

To compare Grigorenko to him is shameful.

[Baer.]

Why are people making trade proposals for grigorenko in a thread saying he wants to play in the KHL. Bunch of boneheads lol.

[mikeburn]

Why are people making trade proposals for grigorenko in a thread saying he wants to play in the KHL. Bunch of boneheads lol.

Well, let's see... The prevailing theory is that the Sabres are offering Grigorenko a two-way deal leading to the kid possibly considering a flip to the KHL... So, gee, maybe it's not so fruity for the topic of other alternatives to come up - say, like a trade out of Sabreland altogether?

[ice orca]

Lack + for Grigo. Lack alone won't get it done, it will require another solid piece. He won't come cheap but we'd get our future 1C.

I remember when Grigo got drafted he slid, I wanted Canucks to move up to draft him so bad. He was rated pretty high going in. I'd be ecstatic if we got him.

Tim Murray is an idiot. Why would he not sign Grigo to a 1 way contract. He's talking about buying out CoHo, which would cost several million $. Pegula has tons of money and he's not cheap as previous contracts ie Ehrhoff indicate. Why piss off a 20 year old potential star in the future. The way he handled the firing of his coach was another jack ass move. I think Pegula made a mistake with this hiring.

Murray has already pissed off Eichel twice before even drafting him. One time when he cried about not getting the 1st and 2nd time when info was leaked to the media that Eichel told Sabres mgmt in private interview that he was the best player in the draft. He looked pretty choked when he got swarmed by the media and said he thought it was a private convo and wasn't sure how/why it got out. If I was Eichel I'd tell Murray and the Sabres not to draft me.

Grigorenko is a future number 1c? that's a bit of a reach imo. If he was going to be Buffalo's 1c they wouldn't have drafted Rienhart or probably Eichel this year.

[mikeburn]

Grigorenko is a future number 1c? that's a bit of a reach imo. If he was going to be Buffalo's 1c they wouldn't have drafted Rienhart or probably Eichel this year.

Just cuz a kid isn't a 1C on a team with Eichel and Reinhart doesn't mean he's not a 1C on another team.

(ps: flagging out the obvious does not equate me expressing an opinion either way on whether the kid is 1C material on any team)

[ice orca]

Just cuz a kid isn't a 1C on a team with Eichel and Reinhart doesn't mean he's not a 1C on another team.

(ps: flagging out the obvious does not equate me expressing an opinion either way on whether the kid is 1C material on any team)

Yeah the 1c stuff gets blown out of proportion tho, just look at this draft according to some there is 10 1c's in it.

[WHL rocks]

Grigorenko is a future number 1c? that's a bit of a reach imo. If he was going to be Buffalo's 1c they wouldn't have drafted Rienhart or probably Eichel this year.

When Henrik was 20 not many ppl thought he would become a future 1C and MVP. Grigo has the skill set, proper development and I believe he will be a 1C. Certainly has a better chance than anyone in the Canucks system at this point in time.

[thad]

When Henrik was 20 not many ppl thought he would become a future 1C and MVP. Grigo has the skill set, proper development and I believe he will be a 1C. Certainly has a better chance than anyone in the Canucks system at this point in time.

If you could somehow get him for lack he's also got a better chance of being a better player than anyone you'd get with the second round pick that's apparently coming for Eddie.

JB should take the risk if he's available. Give the kid the one way contract and see what happens.

Lack Vey

for

Grigorenko and a pick

I know they have a young centre logjam so vey plays rw.

[mikeburn]

If you could somehow get him for lack he's also got a better chance of being a better player than anyone you'd get with the second round pick that's apparently coming for Eddie.

JB should take the risk if he's available. Give the kid the one way contract and see what happens.

Lack Vey

for

Grigorenko and a pick

I know they have a young centre logjam so vey plays rw.

Think we've done the whole Vey discussion. Sabres already have a lot of bottom 9 depth. They're in the market for a goalie and a top 6 winger (presuming Hodgson is traded/bought out).

If they were interested in yet another bottom 9 guy, they'd be better off keeping Grigorenko on a 1-way contract than taking on Vey.

Lack for 2nd is the meat of what's really being discussed.

[mpt]

Think we've done the whole Vey discussion. Sabres already have a lot of bottom 9 depth. They're in the market for a goalie and a top 6 winger (presuming Hodgson is traded/bought out).

If they were interested in yet another bottom 9 guy, they'd be better off keeping Grigorenko on a 1-way contract than taking on Vey.

Lack for 2nd is the meat of what's really being discussed.

Except they don't want a one way contract, that's the only reason the topic is being discussed

[mikeburn]

Except they don't want a one way contract, that's the only reason the topic is being discussed

Um, yeah. Got that. So, please clarify your point?

I'm suggesting only that I don't see how Lack + Vey for Girgorenko + pick works.

Lack works (Sabres need a goalie, Vancouver has many). The pick works (Vancouver has need for a pick, Sabres have many)

I don't see Vey working (Sabres don't need another bottom 9 guy, regardless of 1-way or 2-way terms).

Girgorenko *may* work (presuming Vancouver was willing to automatically give the prospect a 1-way deal, or found value in sitting on his rights when he bolts to the KHL rather than take another 2-way deal).

So I don't get where your comment fits in there?

[thad]

Um, yeah. Got that. So, please clarify your point?

I'm suggesting only that I don't see how Lack + Vey for Girgorenko + pick works.

Lack works (Sabres need a goalie, Vancouver has many). The pick works (Vancouver has need for a pick, Sabres have many)

I don't see Vey working (Sabres don't need another bottom 9 guy, regardless of 1-way or 2-way terms).

Girgorenko *may* work (presuming Vancouver was willing to automatically give the prospect a 1-way deal, or found value in sitting on his rights when he bolts to the KHL rather than take another 2-way deal).

So I don't get where your comment fits in there?

Vey gives them a 22yr old middle six right winger with skill. Hey may bust but it's really not a bad add on to get it done. They aren't getting an established top six player for grigs but vey does have a chance to be a second liner at some point.

Veys not really bad, just horvat was way better. If buffalo was really into lack, i could see them taking a chance on vey and playing him on the wing.