Sabres Sign Nathan Gerbe

[amerks127]

Three-year deal.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/05/06/sabres-gerbe.html?ref=rss

http://sabres.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=362645

[ftyuv]

Huh. Don't get me wrong, he's good... but the times I've watched him (admittedly, I saw him mostly during his sophomore year) he never struck me as obvious NHL material.  For one thing, he's pretty small.  Gerbe's 5'6", the smallest current Sabre is 5'9".  OTOH, that guy is the Sabres' leader in goals and points, so maybe Gerbe will succeed as well.  Anyway, best of luck to him.

[ugarte]

I've only seen him play once, but it was the NCAA Championship and he was pretty f'ing great.

[redhair34]

[quote ftyuv]Huh. Don't get me wrong, he's good... but the times I've watched him (admittedly, I saw him mostly during his sophomore year) he never struck me as obvious NHL material.  For one thing, he's pretty small.  Gerbe's 5'6", the smallest current Sabre is 5'9".  OTOH, that guy is the Sabres' leader in goals and points, so maybe Gerbe will succeed as well.  Anyway, best of luck to him.[/quote]

I saw him play in person several times and I have to say he's easily the best college player I've seen.  Of course that doesn't mean his success will carry over to the next level, but I like his chances.  Although he's small, he's tough to knock off the puck and likes to get his nose dirty.  I believe Phil Kessel, Gerbe's USNDT teamate, said a couple of years ago that Gerbe was pound for pound the strongest guy on their team.

[ftyuv]

That may be, but 100% of 160lbs still loses to 90% of 200lbs.

I may have come off as too dismissive... I do think Gerbe's very good, and I certainly wouldn't want him on the other team in college hockey.  I just don't know if his skills are good enough to offset his size in the NHL.  I'd love to be proven wrong, cause he's my height -- it'd be great if my kids had a shot at the big time. ;-)

[Josh '99]

I guess they must've felt like after his dominating performance in the Frozen Four, there just wasn't a whole lot left for him to learn/accomplish in college and it was time to see what he can do in the pros.

[amerks127]

I guess they must've felt like after his dominating performance in the Frozen Four, there just wasn't a whole lot left for him to learn/accomplish in college and it was time to see what he can do in the pros.

Well that and he's only going to make $850,000 a season, which works well for the Sabres considering that stupid contract they gave Vanek.  That organization is just awful.

[scoop85]

Gerbe's one of the best college players I've seen in my 27 years following college hockey.  I think he'll be a very good, if not great, NHL player.

[Swampy]

[quote amerks127]
Well that and he's only going to make $850,000 a season, which works well for the Sabres considering that stupid contract they gave Vanek.  That organization is just awful.[/quote]

Yeah, but BC gives athletic scholarships, doesn't it? How much was that? Plus, one has to add the value of a BC degree. The $850,000 doesn't look so good now, does it?::nut::

[amerks127]

My point was that the Sabres gave him a contract because they are getting a lot of the "bang" for the inexpensive buck over 3 years, not because Gerbe should go to the NHL.  Plus they will need the help next year.

[jas27]

Unless you're a crease demon like Detroit's Franzen (apologies to Philly's late-80's Tim Kerr), or a blue-line monster like Pronger -  size isn't as much of an issue for today's NHL forwards.  I don't want to set unrealistic expectations, but these conversations remind me of two other college hockey standouts that were dismissed as too small -- B. Gionta and M. St. Louis.  Just great, pure hockey players.  

Gerbe has that knack - he's a game changer. Might be an adjustment period, but he's proven himself at the college level ala Gionta & St. Louis, and the new NHL is definitely more accommodating for the "more diminutive" (see Philly's M. Richards).  Great upside for the Sabres, especially considering the contracts thrown around for unproven talent...S. Hynes?

For anybody who's played some hockey, you learn pretty quickly: there are definitely those 160 pounders who play like they're 185.  It's about the legs and the skating.  When was the last time you saw St. Louis knocked on his bum?

[Josh '99]

[quote jas27]Gerbe has that knack - he's a game changer. Might be an adjustment period, but he's proven himself at the college level ala Gionta & St. Louis, and the new NHL is definitely more accommodating for the "more diminutive" (see Philly's M. Richards).  Great upside for the Sabres, especially considering the contracts thrown around for unproven talent...S. Hynes?

For anybody who's played some hockey, you learn pretty quickly: there are definitely those 160 pounders who play like they're 185.  It's about the legs and the skating.  When was the last time you saw St. Louis knocked on his bum?[/quote]Richards is 5'11" 195.  Gerbe is 5'6" 160.  While you're right that size isn't all-important, I don't think Richards is really a poster child for demonstrating that fact.

[jas27]

Good point, should have referenced Briere instead of Richards...especially since we're talking about the Sabres.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Except that Briere has been invisible in the current playoff series, did little in the stretch run when the Flyers were fighting for a playoff spot, and was somewhere in the -25 range in +/- on the regular season.

Not exactly a poster child for success, AFAIC.