Gerbe's choices

After spending parts of four days talking with and watching Nathan Gerbe in hockey rinks, I have little doubt he has the talent to play in the NHL. How well he will do when he gets there is up for debate and the style of the play the league embraces. A skating league, he's got star potential. A clutch-and-grab league, he could have trouble.

He would be a great addition to the organization. He's straight-forward with his chats and a wizard on the ice. The top of his 5-foot-5 head touches only the shoulders of 6-3 skaters on the ice with him, but he's strong enough and fast enough to handle that. A few other stories since he turned the Frozen Four into his personal playground talked of how he used to push the family car in order to build leg muscles.

Now it's up to the Sabres to make it happen. He seemed genuinely shocked the team had yet to talk with him. He understood they may have wanted to give him time to celebrate his national title and work out with Team USA, but he seemed to expect more input.

As he said in the story, he has two great options. He can get paid to play hockey, or he can live it up as a college senior in Boston, one of the country's best college towns. He said he's 50-50, but it seemed like he was eager to test his skills at the pro level. I'm hoping he does. He's fun to talk with, and he's more fun to watch.

---John Vogl

Comments

[Thomas]

Well out of nowhere the Sabres sign him ... so we can all go back to our regularly schedueled lives.

[Bobbo Kane]

And speaking of the Sabres development system, we hope you like it in Portland, Maine. Today's AHL approval of the sale of the Rochester Americans almost guarantees that Larry Quinn and his twisted farm club ideas are GONE!!!

GOOD BYE and GOOD RIDDANCE until Quinn is HISTORY!!

[Chad]

"how come bucky said, 'If he plays out his final season, he’s as good as gone.'?

The rule is that a NHL team owns the rights to its draft picks for two years. If still unsigned after two years from when they were drafted, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent. Thus, if Gerbe's not signed by August 2009, he becomes an UFA.

However, per usual, Mr. Gleason did not share the assumptions upon which he relied when he made such a bold statement. Here they are:

1) "There is no way Gerbe would ever want to play for the Sabres organization if they don't sign him this summer."

This seems to be rebutted by Gerbe's recognition of Buffalo's ability to develop young players, generally, as well as the success of "smaller" players in Buffalo's system, specifically. Also, they still own his rights for a little while after he finishes at BC. Might he leave if he becomes a UFA? Sure. Don't know if I'd go as far as saying he's "as good as gone" if Buffalo doesn't sign him this summer, though. But who are we dealing with here? Saying "there's a chance Buffalo MIGHT lose Gerbe if they don't sign him this summer" is far too measured for Bucky Gleason. Saying "he's as good as gone if Sabres management doesn't get him signed this summer" fires up his minions and calls on everyone to recall all the players that have already left because of management's missteps.

2) "If Buffalo doesn't sign him now, he'll have a great senior season, become an UFA, and some team will blow his doors off with a huge offer and Buffalo won't be able to match."

Simply not true. Rookie salaries are capped at $850k per year. The Rangers, Flyers or anyone else can't pay him more than that. Period. End of story. If Gerbe doesn't want to play for Buffalo for some reason--though, again, that would seem to be contradicted by his statements in today's stories--then he could wait to become an UFA and sign with someone else. But that's no different than what could happen with ANY draft pick. Don't sign, wait two years, and sign with the team of your choosing (assuming said player is over 20). That option is not exclusive to Nathan Gerbe. What I'm saying is that even if Gerbe goes back to BC, Buffalo can still offer him the rookie max ($850K) next summer and Gerbe would probably sign it seeing as how he can't get more money from another team.

People, relax. It's the first week of May. Colleges are still in session. The conference finals haven't even started, for god sakes. The NHL season is still happening. Buffalo still has plenty of time to sign Gerbe. If I had to guess, it'll probably happen in June. Even if it doesn't, it could still happen around this time next season. Stop jumping to the conclusions that Gleason knows you'll jump to. He has an agenda, that much is clear. Get the facts before you start freaking out.

[Eric]

You people are ridiculous. History of the Sabres organization? You mean the one that signed top collegiate stars and groomed them (Vanek, Miller, and Stafford). Look at the facts and stop crying over the guys that left.

[Blocity]

how come bucky said, "If he plays out his final season, he’s as good as gone."?

[Tom in Lansing, MI]

Unfortunately, with the history of the Sabres management, we all know that Gerbe be back at Boston College instaed of being developed in the Sabres organization. As a fan, I hope they give this kid a shot. At this point, what do the Sabres have to lose?

[Bster]

Reason for not going too fast with Gerbe is there is no urgency. His one year left in college really aint that much competition to the SHOW. None at all actually. Fans and Press who complain about him not being signed today will celebrate later when he is....Later being closer to the NEW season and further from the old.....That reads as common sense. Keep your panties on ladies.

[Zach]

I think that you guys are right, they are waiting for things to settle down with Gerbe to start official talks with him. I really do see something happen within the next month.

[jpn]

Will ownership ever learn from the mistakes they've made the past few years? Why would they not have a robust dialogue going with certainly the most famous young talent in hockey today. A great opportunity to reenergize a disenchanted fanbase is being wasted. Whether or not there's truth to it, the perception that Sabres' management doesn't get it, continues to take root. So sad.