Leino to Sabres

Im surprised more people arent upset. Its awesome seeing them actually have an owner that cares but seriously 4.5m a year? He has only 30 career goals and 73 career points. I know he had a solid year but one solid year on a very deep team can be deceiving. I may eat my words at some point but I think Buffalo just got a Kris Versteeg clone.
 
Nothing like fighting with another Team collectors for his cards again! :rolleyes: ... good thing I have most of his Rookie cards.

a bit over paid.. but hope he can help Buffalo out.
 
He was a good 2nd/3rd liner in Philly who benefited a ton from playing with Briere. Would have loved him back in Philly for like $2M/year. If he continues to develop, it's a great deal. If he shows himself to be a product of his linemates, then Buffalo will be tired of his non-stop spin-o-ramas in no time.
 
Leino will miss me, it's a great player, and is very stupid thing what Homer do with our club, not remain other, only to believe that grandfather Jagr save us.
 
Sure,he got a lot of money.
I yhink hes gonna help Sabres with this:
Enthusiasm!!!
Hes an energic player that like s it a bit rough.
Some1 stated that he did ride on Briers shoulders?
I think it was the other way around!
8)
 
Much rather have Leino in the line-up than the tin foil man Connelly! I bet Leino does more in a month than Connelly did in a year!!!
 
NICSTER said:
Much rather have Leino in the line-up than the tin foil man Connelly! I bet Leino does more in a month than Connelly did in a year!!!
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First off its Connolly and second of all ill take that bet. Leino would need 43 points in a month in order to achieve that.
 
Connolly it is...good luck with him, make sure you ask him when he got slapped at Miller's fundraiser...so soft is the Tin-man that he won't even head into the weight room. Once it was rumored that he wanted to extend his time on the IR with "hurt feelings". The "more in a month" was just tongue in cheek reference...but you will see first hand. Most die hard Sabres fans including almost 100% of the media are just glad he is off the roster period! Addition by subtraction...
 
NICSTER said:
Connolly it is...good luck with him, make sure you ask him when he got slapped at Miller's fundraiser...so soft is the Tin-man that he won't even head into the weight room. Once it was rumored that he wanted to extend his time on the IR with "hurt feelings". The "more in a month" was just tongue in cheek reference...but you will see first hand. Most die hard Sabres fans including almost 100% of the media are just glad he is off the roster period! Addition by subtraction...
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He's better and more established than the alternative for the Leafs (bozak). We only signed him to a 2 year deal and hopefully at that point either we have acquired a #1 Center through trade or Colborne/Kadri can slide in there. He's not a perfect acquisition by far but he's better than what we had. Also rumors are just rumors until its substantiated it doesnt mean anything. He obviously needed a change of scenery and hopefully he can stay healthy and play 65+ games. His vision and playmaking abilities will do well beside Kessel.

Anytime you can add a 28 year old with 73 career points you should definitely sign him to a 6 year deal worth 4.5 million dollars a year. He has a good amount of talent but he played on an extremely deep forward corps in Philly. He will be counted on for more in Buffalo especially with that contract. The Leafs did this with Versteeg and it failed hopefully for you guys it doesnt happen to him.
 
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steen101984 said:
He has a good amount of talent but he played on an extremely deep forward corps in Philly. He will be counted on for more in Buffalo especially with that contract. The Leafs did this with Versteeg and it failed hopefully for you guys it doesnt happen to him.
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..and he's playing with a deep group of forwards where he won't have to carry the load.

People can jump all over this signing all day but the fact of the matter is Leino's coming off a 50+ point season and though everyone likes to think they know it all, none of us knows anything.

I like the signing if for no other reason than Pegula is living up to his word and TRYING to bring a title to Buffalo.

As for Connolly -- Leafs fans can rationalize all they want with his signing but have you heard ANYONE from the Buffalo contingency that's not happy he's gone? Think about it.
 
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I liked Leino, sad to see him go, but at that cap hit I would have escorted him from Philly myself.
Even if he puts up the same exact numbers he did last season, that has to be a disappointment. The same feeling Flyers fan get when they realize how much we're paying Scott Hartnell.
 
He obviously needed a change of scenery and hopefully he can stay healthy and play 65+ games. His vision and playmaking abilities will do well beside Kessel.
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His vision is on the downside from too many concussions. Your hope for 65+ games from a player who has averaged 59 games over the last 4 years is doubtful at best. He's also averaged a whopping 48 points over that span. But let's not forget his 'TOTAL AWESOMENESS' when it comes to his playoff production...0, that's right zero goals in his last 28 playoff games!!! As Mike Tyson would say...'ride off into Bolivian!" Maybe he will lead the charge for Toronto into the playoffs...he should for 4.5M per! Somehow I don't think so...and he's on the wrong side of 30.
 
I'm a Leaf fan and I'm not enamored with the Connolly signing but at least, at the end of the day, we aren't married to the guy. 2 years is easily digestable considering he will play out this year good, bad or ugly. At worst case he sucks and next year he tries for a bounce back year or we cut him lose. Won't prohibit us from making any moves whatsoever.

I heard him in an interview and he sounded anxious to get going. He said it was tough having the whole crowd hate you ever night. I'm sure he's looking forward to a fresh start. And he laughed how he is the oldest player on the team now. Everyone else on the Buds is in their 20's.

And good luck with the Jiri Dopita deal (I mean Ville Leino). I sincerely hope for Buffalos sake he continues to take a step forward as a player because they married the guy. I've made my feelings known on this signing before but I don't think I have ever been as baffled as this one. Not a bad player sure, but the term and $ are just so out of whack for a 27 year old with a career high of 53 points and CAREER of 70 points total. We'll see I guess.
 
NICSTER said:
His vision is on the downside from too many concussions. Your hope for 65+ games from a player who has averaged 59 games over the last 4 years is doubtful at best. He's also averaged a whopping 48 points over that span. But let's not forget his 'TOTAL AWESOMENESS' when it comes to his playoff production...0, that's right zero goals in his last 28 playoff games!!! As Mike Tyson would say...'ride off into Bolivian!" Maybe he will lead the charge for Toronto into the playoffs...he should for 4.5M per! Somehow I don't think so...and he's on the wrong side of 30.
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You can bend the stats how you want but he has averaged 70.5 games the last 2 seasons 38.5 assists and 53.5 points in that span. So his vision isnt that bad it is definitely better than bozak's. Also my hope for 65 is actually a low estimate with him averaging over 70 gp. Also he turned 30 less than 2 months ago.
 
JohnnyDrama said:
..and he's playing with a deep group of forwards where he won't have to carry the load.

People can jump all over this signing all day but the fact of the matter is Leino's coming off a 50+ point season and though everyone likes to think they know it all, none of us knows anything.

I like the signing if for no other reason than Pegula is living up to his word and TRYING to bring a title to Buffalo.

As for Connolly -- Leafs fans can rationalize all they want with his signing but have you heard ANYONE from the Buffalo contingency that's not happy he's gone? Think about it.
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Im sorry but Philly's Offence last year was deeper and better than Buffalo's. Buffalo doesnt have a bad offense but they only had 4 45+ pt guys (including Connolly who is obviously gone) even though roy was at a ppg when playing. Philly had 7 players at 45+ pts. Leino was more sheltered in Philly and wont be as sheltered in Buffalo.

You are right though that no one knows and he could take the next leap forward or maybe not. We wont know who is right until at least year 3 imo.
 
Leino is going to light it up next year, at the same cap hit virtually as Connolly was last year. Don't know why there are so many haters, he will get a lot more ice in Buffalo then he got in Philly I am expecting big things from him and the Sabres.
 


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