The Leino signing has been a disaster

[jBuds]

An absolute trainwreck. This man has brought nothing but unfulfilled expectations and overhyped praise for the seven plays he has made in his 24GP.

There was still a small contingency of fans backing him as recently as the start of the year. Is there anyone backing him now? Or can we all harmoniously agree (alliteration aside) that the Lein_ experiment has been abominably, abysmally atrocious?

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[DJN21]

An absolute trainwreck. This man has brought nothing but unfulfilled expectations and overhyped praise for the seven plays he has made in his 24GP.

There was still a small contingency of fans backing him as recently as the start of the year. Is there anyone backing him now? Or can we all harmoniously agree (alliteration aside) that the Lein_ experiment has been abominably, abysmally atrocious?

Its weird cuz when you see him play his board play almost distracts you from how bad he has really been...there's times when he looks useful then you look at his stats and its like wow...what an eff up we made...I blame Brad richards solely for this and his choice to go to NYR...if we dont miss on the big fish...we dont get the minnow (yeah maybe thats even being generous)

 

[Ness]

I don't think anyone is going to disagree with you.

 

[TehDoak]

It was a bad signing day #1. It'll still be a bad signing when we use our compliance buyout in late june on him.

 

[Clock]

I'm there. Use the buyout.

 

[cardiffgiant]

I heard that leino read this thread and is going back on the IR with a case of hurt feelings.

Fragile, expensive, bad at hockey. Nope, not a fan.

 

[joshjull]

I kept arguing to wait until this year before deciding. So far he has been terrible.

 

[Gemini]

He can play amazingly when he wants more money.

 

[ottsabrefan]

I'm with you in buying him out. Especially considering the off chance that we are ready to compete in his last year of the contract.

 

[Ghost of Dale Hunter]

Frankly, I think that while he has been bad so far it is mostly due to injury. I think he has been excellent since he returned from this latest injury ad I don't think it is a coincidence that the teams compete and possession time has improved since he returned. I actually believe he will turn into something of a leader now as he is healthy. We may actually start seeing the player we hoped we were getting.

Most of the big money to him is gone and spent, so buying him out does nothing but put John Scott on the ice. Scoff if you want, but that is what I think.

I am far more concerned about Steve Ott's disappearing act since the Vanek trade.

 

[slip]

Frankly, I think that while he has been bad so far it is mostly due to injury. I think he has been excellent since he returned from this latest injury ad I don't think it is a coincidence that the teams compete and possession time has improved since he returned.

He's averaging 11 minutes a game since his return.

It's coincidence.

 

[Jim Bob]

The sad thing will be if they keep him around just to stay above the cap floor during the rebuild....

I didn't like the signing when it happened. And he's done nothing to change my mind since.

1 SOG in 7 GP this year.

 

[Chainshot]

His fragility has been the most derailing part of his time here -- he's had a few small stretches of competitent play and then he breaks something. A hip, a rib, the other hip, another rib... he's not healthy and then does not gel with anyone. Right now, he's part of the most expensive 4th line in the league.

It will also be amusing when he gets CBO'd this summer to hear all the "oh, Buffalo, you spend too much" when looking around at all the other teams who've already used both of theirs and keep throwing their money at stupid signings. If this had been the Rangers or Flyers, no one bats an eye.

 

[Mit Yarrum]

Don't like the signing, and didn't like the half baked idea that he would play center at the time either.

That being said: I find it hard to care.

He doesn't make enough to strap us for cash in any way, he's a warm body on a terrible team, and he seems like a good guy. That, and we have a way out of the contract.

I'm all for buying him out. In fact, I will be pissed if they don't. But I find it pretty hard to get worked up over the signing.

If anything, it tells us with certainty that Darcy is not the man to have around when it comes time to bring in free agents during that part of the rebuild.

 

[Selanne00008]

His fragility has been the most derailing part of his time here -- he's had a few small stretches of competitent play and then he breaks something. A hip, a rib, the other hip, another rib... he's not healthy and then does not gel with anyone. Right now, he's part of the most expensive 4th line in the league.

It will also be amusing when he gets CBO'd this summer to hear all the "oh, Buffalo, you spend too much" when looking around at all the other teams who've already used both of theirs and keep throwing their money at stupid signings. If this had been the Rangers or Flyers, no one bats an eye.

100% agreed. I wanted to buy him out last off-season. But I am actually glad we didn't. There was no reason to with us being nowhere near the cap. Why not give him yet another year to prove himself. I'll even go out on a limb and give him the rest of This year to stay healthy and productive. But, we know it won't happen, and it will make the buy out that much easier for all of us to swallow.

It's actually a really good lesson learned from management, and it didn't cost the team much with the buyout option.

Could you imagine if he is not bought out? Pitchforks South Park style in DT Buffalo.

 

[SackTastic]

Wouldn't call it a disaster since it didn't prevent the team from signing someone else instead. (Apologies to those who still think there was ever a legitimate shot at Richards.)

However, he's been bad. Frequently injured , and generally ineffective when he has played.

Sample size is large enough at this point. Take care Leino.

 

[1972]

Yep, time for a buyout.

 

[Timbo Slice]

I wanted to give him this year before ultimately labeling him a bust, but man he is terrible. His first game with us when he scored a goal in Europe sure seems like a loooooooong time ago....

 

[Squantosawuss]

Or can we all harmoniously agree (alliteration aside) that the Lein_ experiment has been abominably, abysmally atrocious?

or supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

 

[Jacob582]

. Right now, he's part of the most expensive 4th line in the league.

Well the "4th line" is getting more playing time than the "3rd line" some nights.

 

[Jacob582]

Yep, time for a buyout.

And it's only going to be $7.33M of Pegula bucks to buy him out.

 

[start winnin]

I thought he looked good at the beginning of the year, but he can go.

LAME-O

 

[Chainshot]

Well the "4th line" is getting more playing time than the "3rd line" some nights.

Which 4th line is that -- the Kid Line, the (s)crap Vet Line (Leino's) or the Foligno "hit" line?

 

[Der Jaeger]

It will also be amusing when he gets CBO'd this summer to hear all the "oh, Buffalo, you spend too much" when looking around at all the other teams who've already used both of theirs and keep throwing their money at stupid signings. If this had been the Rangers or Flyers, no one bats an eye.

This. I don't think the Leino signing has been a disaster. All the big money teams have their "Leino." Some have had multiple. This just sticks with Sabres fans since we're not used to throwing money around on free agents.

Ville Leino happens sometimes when you pay for free agents. Not a disaster, just a really bad signing.

 

[Djp]

three options...

1. 2014...compliance buy out. Wipe off the salary cap
2. 2014...traditional buy out....$11M over 3 years $7.33M over 6 years $1.22M + recapture of $2.5M over 3 years ($0.833M each).
3. 2015....traditional buyout...$7M over 2 yrs....$4.66M over 4 years $1.16M + $2M recapture over 2 years ($1m each).

Do you want to take a $2+M cap hit the next 2-3 yrs to make sure you stay above the floor?

If they trade Ott, Moulson, Miller, stafford, and buy out Leino

using cap geek and projecting where they woud be by resigning RFA Ennis, foligno, McNabb, Hackett, Tropp and promoting Armia.....

they will be around $41.5M with 2 forward spots to fill...one forward spot likely to go to their #1 pick (top 5) so he would count $3M in salary + bonus, then the other forward would likely come back as part of those trades at the deadline.

How much does the floor get raised next year from $44M???

If they were to resign Moulson or Ott then buying out Leino is more realistic. But Im concerned about being below the cap floor and having to over pay for a marginal free agent.

In the summer with Leino having 3 yrs left I would be more inclined to trade him and retain salary this off season then keeping a cap hit over just 3 years to keep Buffalo above the floor.

He doesnt have to return anything in a trade..maybe a 7th?