Shutdown Pair

Tag: Christian Ehrhoff

  • The Importance of Tyler Myers

    Ryan Lambert went trolling again, and I’m biting.  Tyler Myers is reportedly close to signing a contract (now variously reported as 6 or 7 years) for $5.5 million a year.  Most people seem to think this number fits in with the new NHL landscape, but not Lambert!  He thinks we should be storming HSBC Ar-uh, FN Center because of the money committed to Myers (possibly), Leino and Ehrhoff.  Never mind that the core of the team also includes Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek.  Is it risky to give a contract like that to a player so young?  Sure.  Buffalo is playing a different game now, and the risk is worth the reward.  Myers plays the toughest minutes of any Buffalo D, he plays PP and PK, he’s getting tougher with each passing year, and he’s got better teammates on the backend.  He’s important, and they are paying him like he’s important.

    I debated about whether to even post this, as it’s not like Lambert is going to be convinced of anything.  The only thing that will convince him that Regier is right to do this is to have Myers dominate the league this year (and hey, maybe for the next 6 or 7 too).  With Myers and Regehr (most likely to me) taking the toughest assignments, that will leave Ehrhoff to think offense.  Leino is a wild card, but he has some dynamic players to work with on the top two lines.  We don’t know what will happen, but it’s going to be an exhilarating ride.

  • Ehrhoff and Circumvention

    Look we all know that a 10 year contract for Christian Ehrhoff is kind of ridiculous, but it’s within the rules.  In face, the rules were ALREADY modified once to stop cap circumvention, and this is STILL fine, so for that part of it, I have no problem.  It’s a risk, but you have to take risks to win the Stanley Cup, and the cap number is not that onerous if Ehrhoff doesn’t match his goal total of the past two years.  I know what gets some people’s goat (*cough*Lambert*cough*) is the use of ridiculous ‘signing bonus’ numbers to work the system.

    But what is REALLY AWESOME is how it is now the Buffalo Sabres who are ticking off the other fanbases in the league.  Seriously, when was the last time ANYBODY was mad at the Sabres for working the system, or scoring a coveted free agent, or anything, really?  I don’t mean other fans hating an individual (Hi Kaleta) but actual irritation and anger towards the Buffalo organization.  It’s kind of refreshing, to be honest.

    So, as free agency begins in earnest today, Buffalo is a player.  They matter, and that bothers the other markets, makes them mad they have to contend with all the usual suspects AND the Sabres.  The team has another club in the bag for how to build, adding the big honking driver of free agent madness to the irons of trades and the wedges of drafting and developing players in the system.  No more laying up and relying on chipping it close and tapping in for par.  ‘Par’ is what the previous regime was all about.