Jesse Graham would make five of seven defenders now drafted/signed/paid by Charles Wang/Garth Snow with the picks only the Columbus Dispatch, Aaron Portzline, gossiped the club was trading for Ryan Murray at the 2012 draft.
Other papers/writers disputed this speaking with Snow before/after draft.
Sign a quality veteran defender? There is little quality out there and those one dimensional Ehroff-Wisniewski contracts cost forty million front-loaded.
We all know the price for a Shea Webber defender, even in the new CBA.
Buffalo would be very happy to move Christian Ehrhoff now that he has most of his money in his bank account because he was signed front-loaded. Ehrhoff was asked to waive his NTC at the deadline.
Want to trade a prospect for the rest of that low cost/cap hit contract?
Does Snow need another Carkner, Staios, Eaton, Mottau veteran? Will they help these kids on the ice or hinder them?
I would submit they will not help. Donovan struggled this year but he had slow/struggling Matt Carkner next to him far too often which is not the best way to help a young player gain confidence at this level in October.
Here is the organizational depth chart. What prospects do you want to "Mike Milbury" out of the organization to improve short-term?
Let's also be clear for every Chara there were many more Branislav Mezei's, or Mathieu Biron's who never turned into a quality NHL player. Kristian Kodroc anyone?
Ty Wishart was a first rounder who has not panned out so far.
You can fail going the prospect route also.
I also get the impression Griffin Reinart after almost making the club out of camp, has to be penciled into the NHL lineup or the player/agent could potentially not be happy.
The other players/agents will be watching that very carefully, starting with Ryan Pulock or anyone entering their second or third year riding buses in the AHL from Europe.
What if one of these kids is as ready as Jared Spurgeon?
One other thing, more defenders will likely be drafted in a few weeks, what if the top pick is used on a defender? Best available player.
New York:
Hamonic
Czuczman-Must play in NHL would need waivers to play in Bridgeport on the Jack Hillen plan.
Visnovsky-Over 35 contract the club must pay whether he plays or not.
deHaan-RFA
Strait-Signed next two seasons.
Hickey
Carkner
Donovan-Nothing left to prove in AHL-RFA
Martinek-UFA
Reinhart-Can play in Bridgeport
Pulock-Can play in Bridgeport.
Bridgeport:
Ness-RFA
Cantin-RFA
Joe Finley-UFA
Pedan
Pelech
Mayfield
Graham
Pokka-Could play in Europe.
Leduc
Vaugh-Resigned
Juniors:
Kyle Burroughs-Must be signed by 5/31/15 Signed an ATO and made a Bridgeport cameo.
College:
Robbie Russo-Senior must be signed by graduation or 8/15/15.
Jake Bischoff-Entering sophomore season.
Doyle Somerby-Entering sophomore season.