Into the Fire

by Ryan

Let's say the Sabres lose tonight with the same effort they had on Monday. What do you do? The team is officially going nowhere, the attitude hasn't changed, and everything is stale. Well, what if they emulated Carolina and fired Lindy Ruff, replacing him with Ted Nolan?

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That's crazy, right? I mean, Lindy has been here for so long it would be almost unthinkable for him to get fired for a bad showing in the first 25 games. Plus we all know what Darcy has said about the head coaching position under his tenure. There's a better chance the entire team catches ringworm from the puppies they cuddle with in their spare time than Lindy getting the axe anytime soon.



Let's face it, it's very rare Lindy sees any criticism at all out of Sabres fans. Somewhere down the line he got an exemption when it comes to the problems with this team. In so many other leagues the head coach is the first to take the blame, but around here it is the immaturity of the players and their own lack of focus instead of an inability to coach.

I'm not writing this in an attempt to get crucified, but I'm genuinely curious to see where people think the responsibility lies. The past two years we've talked so much about the system Lindy has in place and how some players just can't adapt to it. That's a completely valid response to the problem, but here's my question: why can't the system change to fit the players?

Our general manager has a notoriously slow trigger finger, and has made only a small handful of moves before the trade deadline throughout his tenure with the team. Despite the struggles of players and the desperate pleas from fans and pundits to trade them, it seems unlikely anything will happen for another few months. The only moves that have affected this team have been plane rides to and from Maine, and only so much change come of that.

I've slowly come to realize the players on this roster aren't going anywhere. Darcy has plans for Max/Timmy/Ales sometime down the road, but I would be shocked if they weren't on team in some regard going into 2009. When is it, then, that winning with the group of guys we currently have supercedes the importance of the system in place? If the players aren't capible of sucessful hockey with these rules, why not change it?

I see nothing wrong with "The System" becuase, as I've said before; by design it is flawless. Only the players can perform badly within a perfect construct, but when these players continue to fail when it is the responsibility of the head coach to come up with something more effective?

To be harsh, I've seen little to no ability to adapt in this coaching staff since the lockout. The plans they laid out worked very well coming out of the work stoppage, but sometime after the Ottawa Brawl things started to break down. This Sabres team has played the same style of mediocre hockey for over 110+ games now, so when do the adjustments kick in?

Again, I agree that the players must take a lot of the blame. Some guys we previously thought had star potential may only be bit players, and some contracts may be too heavy. That means Darcy messed up as well, and that's something you can't overlook. However, a head coach is supposed to do more than just put a system in place. I haven't seen Lindy "coaching up his boys" in quite some time now, and it makes me wonder what direction this team is really moving in.

I feel the need to stress here that I don't think Lindy Ruff is a bad coach. He's done a great job at times and his foresight during the lockout was outstanding. Still, I really feel like it's been quite some time since he's shown me something, and I feel a "Coach of the Year" like he is should offer more than he has. Looking at the way his teams have performed last season and thus far this year it's easy to say he's overrated, and maybe there's nothing wrong with that. No one's perfectly "rated", so why not guess on the high side?

Get pucks deep. Forecheck. Get to the net. We've heard it all over and over again. Now we have a new one. "Start fresh." The Sabres can say their record is 0-0-0 all they want, but the truth is that they sit 11-10-3 and third in the Northeast. Those are the facts, and that "new season" mentality is only another way the Sabres say all the right things. What I want to see is that they have the ability to do the right things, and do them often enough to consider them a good team again.

I don't think just Lindy Ruff has the power to make that happen. Hockey is a team game, and every aspect of this organization (Coaches, front office, and players) needs to do what it can to improve this hockey team. All I'm saying is that I haven't seen the jaw dropping performance you'd expect from Lindy Ruff given his reputation.

But maybe others feel different.

A View from the Roost: All Around the World

by Ryan

Thomas Vanek is in a special place right now. It's the kind of place that goal scorers go to every once in a while; where everything is illuminated by red lights and there's always open ice. See, Thomas Vanek really thinks that he should score a goal every time he hits the ice. Every single time. He knows how good he is, he knows he is going to get his chances, and he's going to do whatever it takes to see that red light go off.

That makes him a very, very dangerous person.

Thomas Vanek didn't score in regulation tonight, but he did pretty much everything he could think of trying. He tried to score from behind the net, bouncing it off the goaltender. He tried a backhand he had no business getting that much power behind. Every once in a while he even tried to set up his teammates, drawing the defense away before he effortlessly tossed it out in front.

Vanek was everywhere again tonight, and even though the box score says he had two shots, he contributed to the offense in much bigger ways. Right now he is playing the kind of game where I want him to have the puck at all times when he's on the ice. Like the hot hand in basketball, Thomas Vanek is playing with his hair on fire, and you feed that guy the puck when he's that hot.

After the shootout goal Rich sent me a text that said: "Dude you don't even know how nasty the fake was on Vanek's goal." He's right. I still have no idea how good it was, but I know I'm going to watch it at least 12 times when NHL.com finally puts it up. If you make the trip over there with me, click Vanek's name and just watch his highlight real for a few minutes. This is something pretty special we are watching; a performance from a kid who has a world of pressure on his shoulders.



Thomas Vanek is doing his Atlas thing right now, and it doesn't look like he's going to shrug anytime soon.


Some other thoughts on the game:

- I give the Sabres Style gear a heartfelt "meh". A stylized Slug is still a Slug. Jon said he would quit the blog if I bought one, but let me point out that the stuff looks exactly like something Dan Paille would wear. So yeah, there's that.

- Speaking of Dan Paille, is it just me or does his face morph every season? Sometime tomorrow I'm getting his team photos together and comparing them. This isn't a puberty kind of morph, this is an Amy Winehouse pre/post coke kind of transformation.

- While we're on the subject of Sabres merch, they had the shirt in the store. The jury is still out in it for me, but it looks much more like a shirt than a jersey in person. Still not worth the price tag, though.

- They also had Portland Pirates gear there, including Nate Gerbe and Tim Kennedy shirseys. Don't worry, I can't believe it either.

- Also, if you've ever wanted an authentic (as in game worn) jersey, now's your chance to get one. They have a bunch in the corner where they usually have used sticks. I think they were $144 each, but it may have been $177. Either way, much cheaper than usual and even if it's not your size it would be prime framing material. (Please don't quote me on the price, we get enough angry emails from French people) looking for porn...)

- One more thing about jerseys. We are pretty strict around here with jerseys and what name goes on the back. However, what's the rule when that person literally doesn't exist?



You probably can't see it (he didn't stay still for long), but that's most definitely a Taro Tsujimoto jersey, #74 and everything. Personally I think that's kind of awesome, even if it's on a current jersey. Thoughts?

- The new cups look pretty sweet, but they have some major lid problems. Careful with those now. Also, try not to drop an entire tray of nachos on the person below you. Poor girl a few seats over wound up with a hood full of jalapenos tonight because the person behind her couldn't, I don't know, function normally around cheese, I suppose.

- The person behind me kept calling Dan Paille "Pele." It actually wasn't funny at all. Okay, it totally was.

- Mair's office got a bit of a downgrade this year. I'm a big fan of individual letters, but the picture of City Hall was a nice touch.

- I have a lot of questions about the music they played tonight, but one thing that freaked me out was the Green Day/Oasis mix they played during the second intermission. Somehow they got "Wonderwall" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" to turn into one song. That's a new one. How do you search for that on iTunes? Wondervard of Broken Dreams? Wondervard of Brokenwall?

- On an actual hockey note, I love pretty much everything about Craig Rivet. From the little push he gave someone who took a chop at Miller to the bad ass way he didn't react to the MacArthur goal at all. Even when he fell late in overtime, he absolutely flew to get back into the play. Chris better dial up that jersey before I make a bad life decision or two.

- On a down note, I absolutely hated the last power play in regulation. They were tentative and tried the same dump play to Ales in the corner twice, both times he muffed it. I know there's no point in this, but if they pushed the tempo a little harder to end the game they could have stopped Boston from getting the extra point. A few months from now those extra inter-division points could cost them. It sure did last year.

- I lied, the Aud did look pretty depressing tonight.





- Did I even mention Ryan Miller? That's pretty hard to believe I went a few thousand words without mentioning the first star of the game. That save in the third is why we pay him like a top five goaltender. After a game like tonight, Darcy looks pretty smart from up in the press box.



On that note, let's give the Ferrunginous Pygmy-Owl of the Game to Darcy Regier. It was a relatively quiet summer, but so far this fall there's been plenty of noise.

Magic Numbers

by Ryan

You were just waiting for it, weren't you?

As soon as you heard about the Pominville extension, those numbers started floating around in your head. 5for25. 5for25fivefortwentyfive. It's the phrase that has become cliche around these parts, a benchmark of sorts in an attempt to pinpoint the value of a player in this era.

Well, we were close.

Everyone has been talking about whether they like the deal or not, and I think it's obviously a solid deal for both sides. This summer is the first one I can remember where things went almost as well as possible. No one of significance bailed on the team, no contract talks got out of hand, and players were brought in that will immediately make it better.

But we are still not out of the woods yet. Take a look at the numbers for this team over the next few years. There are three big players entering contract years, and something has to give. Afinogenov, Kotalik, and Connolly all have similar cap hits and similar status as underachievers, and come next fall only one may still be on the roster. With Kennedy, Zagrapan, and Gerbe coming up there will be some turnover, and it will be interesting to see how all that shakes out.

What is important to note is that Darcy went out and got his guys. Regier gets so much flack for just doing his job, but you have to admit he is going about things exactly how he wants. Forget about last summer and the missed chances. Since July 1st everything has moved the way he wanted, even in dealing with Brian Campbell and the development of young talent.

These are his roster moves, his draft picks, and his contract negotiations. What Regier does so well is find guys he likes and trust them to come of age. The system has taken on a different look with the loss of Rochester and subsequent addition of Portland, but nothing has changed about the way he drafts and the way he signs players.

There aren't many expectations for this year's Sabres team, but you can't say that Darcy hasn't put together a roster worth watching. All he can do is sign them and look towards next year. How they perform and respond is up to Lindy, and that's the part I'm less sure about.

Miller signs five-year extension

From Sabres.com:

The Buffalo Sabres today announced they have signed goaltender Ryan Miller to a five-year contract extension. Miller, who will enter the final year of his contract this season, is now signed with the club through the 2013-2014 season.

UPDATE:
WGR550 reports that that deal is worth $31.25 million, $6.25 million each season.

I see nothing wrong with that deal. The length is great and the money is competitive.

Press conference coming up in a few minutes. More to come.


Top goaltender salaries 2009-10
1. Miika Kipusoff $8.000 million
2. Roberto Luongo $7.500 million
3. Henrik Lundqvist $6.875 million
4. Ryan Miller $6.250 million
5. Jean-Sebastian Giguere $6.000 million
6. Evgeni Nabokov $6.000 million

Drinkin' Down the Kool Aid

by Ryan

It was about this time last week I was bored stiff by the lack of activity down at the HSBC Arena war room. Tonight I feel a bit different about the way Darcy has been handling the offseason.

I am admittedly hard on the front office, and as a fan you always want to see action, fireworks, anything to get you excited about the "direction" of the team. Seeing big name after big name sign elsewhere is nothing new, but watching guys you know are within reason go off the market is downright annoying.

So what is it that has made this summer seem suddenly bright?



The Steve Bernier Saga.

When the initial word broke that Bernier had been traded, you had to be a bit baffled by the decision. Sure you expected another move, but why give up so soon on a former first rounder that showed a bit of promise? At the going RFA rate, he wasn't going to fetch a huge cap figure, so why not move out a larger number (Timmy, Max, Ales) and make a splash with a defenseman?

Then came the Rivet trade.

I'm going to be honest, I'm pretty high on Craig Rivet. I like his game, I like his contract, and I like what he can mean to a hockey team. In between the Bernier trade and bringing in Rivet, Chris sent me a text asking "If you were Miller, do you re-sign based on this offseason?" I said absolutely not. Now, I'd take a look at this and reconsider:



Still, it wasn't until today that you really appreciated the series of trades the Sabres have made. With the news of Steve Bernier's offer sheet from St. Louis, suddenly Darcy looks a whole lot smarter.

Now that isn't to say Darcy knew an offer sheet was coming. Rumors support the theory, and word is that Vancouver had given notice of an impending offer sheet in the Backes deal, but that doesn't mean anything really. Darcy could have been looking to dump Bernier, and because he was suddenly a Canuck the Blues went after him in retaliation.

No one will ever really know the circumstances of the trade and subsequent offer sheet, but I do know I wouldn't want Steve Bernier at $2.5 mil per. The moves made on July 4th seem reasonable, but combined with Bernier's increased price tag and Darcy comes off looking very... smart. In July, that's about as good as you can ask your GM to be.

This doesn't mean I'm satisfied with this offseason just yet. In fact, Chris and I agree that Jason Smith was very doable. However, Darcy has already achieved two very important things this summer.

The first of which wasn't really on the fans' radar, but certainly something Darcy is satisfied with. By flipping Bernier for Rivet, he has finally gotten a defenseman in return for Brian Campbell. Because of the picks and the players involved, Rivet and Campbell will be inexorably tied, both in the media guide and the general awareness of the fans. That's a huge deal, and will mean even more as time passes and memories fade.

The second bi product of the move is freeing up a roster spot for forwards. While there is still much to be decided, the fact of the matter is that Paille and Kaleta deserve to be in the top 12 and players need to be moved out. The sad departure of Bernier only shows how important Dan Paille is to the front office, and who knows if Marek Zagrapan makes the leap into the NHL this fall.

I know everyone has an opinion on how things are going this summer, and there seem to be two distinct camps. The first camp is skeptical about every move (or lack thereof), and the second is just excited to have a warm body coming to town. In fact, Bucky Gleason had an excellent article about the problems the Sabres have had with bringing in free agents.

Sadly, he is spot on with regards to how Buffalo is viewed by prospective players. This management has a reputation regarding how it takes care of current players, and it's not exactly a glowing endorsement. The track record is there, from the Rigas era to last summer's Briere/Drury situation. Until that reputation is rectified the Sabres will continue to struggle when it comes to luring free agent talent.

Fixing that image will take some time, but it should be the focus the remainder of summer. Getting Ryan Miller under contract before October is the biggest obstacle the Sabres will face; and it will make or break Darcy Regier's career. Pominville deserves attention as well, but just from the way Darcy talks about Ryan Miller, even to the press, you can practically feel the importance Ryan takes on in his mind.

We've seen far too many players walk out the door in this city. It's about time we nail one down before he gets a look at someone else's yard. It's not impossible, and if it gets done, consider me ready for another glass of Kool Aid.

From Darcy's lips to your ears (and computer screens)

By Chris

Here's a transcription of the Sabres press conference today regarding the Steve Bernier and Craig Rivet trades. Also some info on where the team stands with Ryan Miller, Maxim Afinogenov and Jason Smith. I'll be interjecting briefly here and there.

Media: Can you fill us in, so far, on the two transactions today? Is that it for today?

Darcy Regier: That’s it for today. We’ve obviously traded Steve Bernier to Vancouver and really the focal point was to acquire a defenseman in this process. So effectively use the assets in the Steve Bernier trade to acquire Craig Rivet and we think we’ve accomplished filling a very important need for the hockey club. Craig brings tremendous leadership, character. He’s a proven veteran and a very good player. So when I think you put him in with our hockey club he’ll make a very significant contribution to this team.

Were we all wrong to think that Bernier seemed to be an important part of the future when he was acquired for Brian [Campbell]? Did something happen there? Was it an issue of not being able to sign him; did he want too much?

No, I think when you looked at our right wing, we really had six right wingers there. So it was a situation in which we looked at the right side, we looked at the individual players and we knew that we had to add to our defense. We really came down to who could we move in order to acquire the defenseman. It took two separate deals but that was really the decision. The decision was to take one of our quality forwards and acquire a quality defenseman.

So it looks like Afinogenov will still be around. And of all the right wingers to trade for picks (Afinogenov, Kotalik, Pominville, Stafford and Kaleta), they choose Bernier? Okaaaay...

The quality that Craig brings, most of it is leadership and experience, and physicality, too.

That’s right. He’s got a physical aspect to his game. So when you look at those three components, you look at some of the young guys that we have coming up, whether it’s Sekera, Weber, in hopes that they make our hockey club, I think that the blending of the experience and the youth going forward is going to be a very good for us.

It'll be nice having a guy on the blueline that isn't afraid to hit people. I've wanted a big mean Canadian defenseman since Rhett Warrener left. We had Brad Brown for awhile (but he kind of sucked) and Jay McKee was that guy for one year, so maybe Rivet can finally fill that void and do it well for three more years.

Obviously you’re comfortable getting Rivet basically in essence of Campbell and the draft picks because that’s basically what happened.

Yeah I guess you can reduce really, we acquired a first, a second and a third round pick for Brian and then used that to acquire a first pick and Craig Rivet. So I think it’ll prove out well.

We'll know in the year 2017. We need to see if Tyler Ennis was worth a first rounder and how those two picks work out. So Rivet can bomb, but the trade might still be a success if two of those other four aspects become something that can help the team. Gotta love fundamentally building a franchise via trades and the draft.

Have you had any inquiries about some of the other players like Maxim Afinogenov? Have you had a number of teams call you on him? Is there anything going on, on that front?

No, the Max front is very quiet. I expect Max to start with us based on the activity of the summer. I think Max will, the focal point will be for him to, if he’s here, I expect he will be here, to kind of regain his form and have the type of year that he had two years ago.

Worst news of the day. It's time to cut ties with Afinogenov and his $3.33 million cap hit. As exciting as he may be, he's even more frustrating. I guess the fact is that no one even wants him so we're essentially stuck with him. When I talked to Ryan, he wouldn't even be shocked if Max was signed to an extension if he bounces back. I think I'm going to be sick.

Are you happy with where the blue line is now? Are you looking to pick up maybe someone else; I know you were kind of linked to Jason Smith earlier in the week too.

I think we were linked to everybody that was available that hasn’t been signed yet. We will look, continue to look for ways to improve our defense but I think the goaltending’s been covered. I think it’s been a great addition for our defense. Our forwards were in good shape going into the off season. In fact we had too many forwards. So if we had an area where he had extra depth, it was really up front and we did what wanted to do which was convert some of that back into the defense.

I still think the Sabres need to re-sign someone like Pratt to split time with Paetsch in the sixth spot. As much as I like Weber, I don't think he's ready to take on that kind of role. Plus, if two guy get hurt on the blue line (very likely to happen), we're looking at Weber and someone like T.J. Brennan in the top six. Not good news. We're still thin on proven defensemen.


Have any further talks with Ryan Miller’s agent? Any updates on his situation?

No but I expect we’ll talk with either Ryan and/or his agent in the next couple days.

And from the talks you’ve had do you think Ryan wants to stay here long-term?

No I think Ryan hates Buffalo and wants no part of our cheap ass organization. I'm actually wondering why I even bothered coming back last summer for three more years. I guess it's probably because I wouldn't be able to get work anywhere else. Look at poor Dave Nonis. He had to crawl back to Brian Burke. I don't want to look that desperate. Come on. What do you think he's going to say? He's going to give fans hope that Miller won't turn his backs on us at the end of the year when he signs with Detroit.

I do think he wants to stay here long-term. I’m optimistic. We’ll know more when we hear back from his side but I remain optimistic with respect to Ryan.

How do you think the impact might have been of some of the other goaltenders signing a potential contract for Ryan?

Well I don’t think it altered the marketplace significantly. Huet is not as…is obviously an outstanding goaltender. I think the only reason he’s not in Montreal is because you’ve got one of the best young goaltenders in an awful long time entering the league in Carey Price. And I think if you look Fluery’s contract in Pittsburgh, it’s reflective of the market as well. I don’t think there’s been any significant upward movement in that marketplace.

I can't believe Darcy made sense of that question. It literally took me ten minutes to transcribe it, trying to get the syntax mostly right.


Can you be a little more specific on Rivet’s game and what he brings to the table? Obviously he spent a lot of years in the Eastern Conference.

Yeah he did.

Does he have a role on special teams, what will that role be? How does he round out your defense corps?

Well, I think if you look at his numbers, he may have had the best offensive year of his career. When you look at 35 points in 74 games, he’s someone that can certainly contribute on the power play, he’s going to play in penalty kill situations. He’s logged over 20 minutes a game in San Jose. I think he’s a guy that can help on both sides, offensively and defensively.

Do you think you have enough depth there at defense now or before the season yo need to acquire a little more depth there, considering that Mike and Andrej are maybe bound for this team?

Depth-wise I think we’re OK. If we can add to it we certainly will but I’m pretty comfortable with where we are depth-wise right now.

I wouldn't be shocked at all if they decided that they're really not that comfortable with Paetsch playing a regular role. That guy turning into Jeff Jillson last year really screwed up their plans on the blueline. Thank goodness Sekera stepped up (and hopefully he won't pull a Paestch).

Is Jason Smith still a possibility? Is he still on the radar?

I had a conversation with his agent yesterday. I have not spoken to him today. I know he was close to making a deal. Is he on the radar? Well we’ve had…We’ll see where it goes. I haven’t talked to him today. He may be signed for all we know.

Happy to see we're actively pursuing him. And from what's been reported, he hasn't been signed. Yet. One year, $2.5 million. Do it, Darcy.

Any update on Paille and Macarthur? Any talks with them yet?

I did talk to Danny Paille’s agent today and we played telephone tag with Clarke’s agent the other day so those talks will continue.

How important is it for you to get a defenseman for you in the first few days of free agency?

I think at some point in the summertime we needed to add a defenseman. When you look at the marketplace it was quickly drying up in the free agency. When we looked at the unrestricted free agency marketplace for defensemen, and looked at the cost of doing business in that area, we made the decision to look in the trade route, trade marketplace. We think that Craig is an outstanding addition to this hockey club.

So Henrik Lundqvist is basically, is that approximately where you think Ryan’s numbers might be?

I wouldn’t attach it to one individual goalie. I really think it’s a group of goaltenders that Ryan belongs with and will be treated fairly amongst that group.

Miller is a top eight goaltender. He'll be paid like a top four in this marketplace. I can live with that.

Bye Bye Bernier

By Chris

Well this certainly came as a surprise while I was eating lunch today:

Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) -- The Buffalo Sabres traded RW Steve Bernier to the Vancouver Canucks Saturday, in exchange for a second round draft pick in 2010 and a third round pick (Los Angeles’ selection) in 2009.

This move certainly looks like one that sets in motion the wheels to another deal. For what, though, no one outside of the front office can really be sure. Bernier has a load of upside who was hampered by an injury and a tough adjustment period in his short time in Buffalo. He made a giant splash in his debut game but fell off the radar quickly after that.

Perhaps Darcy and company are looking to collect picks in hopes that it will sweeten a secondary deal. Maxim Afinogenov is still an option to trade away but what is he really worth?

Perhaps the Sabres are looking at putting the money that would have gone to Bernier (a restrcited free agent) towards new deals for Jason Pominville and Dan Paille. Then again, it's not like Bernier was going to make that much in the first place, so it's certainly not a salary dump move.

Whatever the next move is (and whenever it happens), hopefully it will make the Brian Campbell trade seem like it was worth it. As it stands, the Sabres traded Campbell for 2008 first round pick Tyler Ennis (who, at the earliest, is three years away from making the team), a third round pick in 2009 and a second round pick in 2010.

At this rate, we won't know how the Campbell trade really affected the team until at least 2014--six years from now.

The next few days and weeks will certainly be interesting. Now we wait.

Lazy Sunday

Rookie Camp, Day Five
-----------------------------------

Lindy: So what do you think of the kids?

Darcy: I think we're in good shape. They seem to be responding well to-hey, what's on that TV over there?



Lindy: Is that the Euro 08 final?

Darcy: Nah, I think it's... golf.



Lindy: Really?



Darcy: Yeah.



Lindy: Cool.

Rated R

By Chris

Scott Cullen over at TSN.ca has a nice column about restricted free agency and I'm going to steal his nice little chart.


What we're looking at is the range of compensation teams would receive if they do not match the qualifying offer sheets that their restricted free agents sign with other clubs.

This tidbit from that same article is also pretty interesting.

For example, if we start at the lower end, why not offer some of these guys a contract between $900,000 and $1.3-million, risking a third-round pick if their team won't match? Steve Bernier, RW, Buffalo; Paul Gaustad, C, Buffalo; Dan Paille, LW, Buffalo; Kevin Klein, D, Nashville; Nigel Dawes, LW, N.Y. Rangers; Ryane Clowe, RW, San Jose; Brooks Laich, LW, Washington

None of these players is going to make a huge difference to your team, but they could very well fit among your top nine forwards or, in Klein's case, as a regular on the blueline. For the price of a third-round pick, any of those would be a reasonable acquisition.

I like the fact that Cullen decided to throw three Sabres in that example. Mainly because Buffalo has plenty of experience in dealing with offer sheets (and Sabres management and Edmonton General Manager Kevin Lowe are no longer "friends" as a result). Since Bernier, Gaustad and Paille aren't exactly top-flight restricted free agents, you would think that the Sabres would be in the clear this year and not have to worry about other teams trying to snag their top restricteds. I did...until I saw this chart and remembered how the compensation works. Now I'm thinking that the Sabres may not dodge a bullet after all.

If a team really likes Dan Paille and is willing to pay him over $2.5 million, then they only risk losing a first and third round picks in next year's draft. It's not that steep a price to pay considering they'd be getting a 20 goal scorer that can also play the penalty kill. It can be very easy for teams like Toronto, looking to rebuild with a lot of cash to spend, to swoop in and mess with the budget of smaller market teams that operate on their own self-imposed cap (like the Sabres try to do).

The Leafs can afford to spend to the cap ceiling every year and if they're willing to overpay now for a player like Paille, who they feel can be a part of their core, then it might be worth it for them to give up a few draft picks for a player that can help them now. That's bad news, especially down the road if the cap keeps going up, for cash-strapped teams like Buffalo who rely heavily on retaining home-grown talent.

Another interesting piece in this process (as pointed out by a friend who I think has memorized the CBA) is that, as stated in that headache-inducing document:

10.4 Draft Choice Compensation for Restricted Free Agents

Clubs cannot acquire picks to use as compensation (with the exception being a Club's own draft selections that are traded and then re-acquired).

Clubs owing one (1) draft selection must have it available in the next draft.

Clubs owing two (2) draft selections in different rounds must have them available in the next draft.

Clubs owing three (3) draft selections in different rounds must have them available in the next draft.

Clubs owing two (2) draft selections in the same round, must have them available in the next three (3) drafts.

Clubs owing three (3) draft selections in the same round must have them available in the next four (4) drafts, and so on.

When a club owes two (2) or more draft selections in the same round, the signing Club does not elect the years in which such selections shall be awarded to the Prior Club; rather the selections next available will be transferred to the Prior Club (i.e., a club that owes two (2) selections has them available in the next two (2) drafts-- that is when they are transferred).

Basically, if a team wants to submit an offer sheet to a player, it needs to have picks available as compensation in the next draft. And they have to be the team's original picks.

Hypothetically, let's say the Sabres sign Capitals defenseman Mike Green to an offer sheet in that $3,923,437-$5,231,249 price range. The compensation to the Capitals if Washington doesn't match the offer would be a first, second and third round pick in the 2009 draft. The problem is that Buffalo doesn't own a third round pick in that draft because they traded it to the Kings to get Tyler Myers. Darcy Regier can't just trade Maxim Afinogenov to Vancouver for a third rounder and expect to use that as compensation because that pick originally belonged to Vancouver, not Buffalo. Also, Washington would be stupid not to match.

So, realistically, it's going to be tough for the Sabres to get into the Offer Sheet game without that third round pick because that pick is used a lot as compensation. Unless the Sabres re-acquire that pick from Los Angeles, it looks like your bubble is officially burst if you were expecting Buffalo to go after Green, Jay Bouwemeester or Valteri Filppula.

On the bright side, the Sabres.com P.R. MachineBlog has some very insightful words from Regier in terms of how much the team will be spending now that the cap has increased to $56.7 million next year.

REGIER GIVES INSIGHT INTO 08-09 PAYROLL

The NHL and NHLPA today announced the team payroll range for the 2008-09 season.

The lowest payroll limit has been set at $40.7 million, while the upper limit will be $56.7 million. That leaves the midpoint at $48.7 million.

Following Thursday’s developmental camp, Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier said this concerning the team’s potential payroll for the 2008-09 season.

“We’ll be above at the midpoint,” said Regier. “How far above it? We’ll have to wait and see. But we have some room, but not a lot of room.”

Yeah that pretty much told me nothing. Very insightful, indeed.

What I can tell you is that the Sabres spent $45.023 million last year when the cap was at $50.3 million. The Sabres already have $43.819 million committed in salaries next season to 12 forwards (including The Kaleta), 6 defensemen (including Andrej Sekera and Mike Weber) and one goaltender. That's not counting the restricted free agents they have yet to sign (Bernier, Gaustad, Paille or Clarke MacArthur) or any other potential moves Darcy and company may make via trade or free agency.


The Sabres do have some money to play with until they reach that $49 million mark. And the team payroll will almost certainly to go up again in 2009-10 despite the cap ceiling if Pominville and Miller are signed to extensions. Expect Buffalo to be very cautious with salaries in a league where it seems owners just don't seem to learn from past mistakes (See: Outrageous Contracts and Lockout).

A Look Ahead: Behind the Sabres Blue Line

By Chris

The new hockey year is fast approaching. Free agency opens up on Tuesday and soon we'll be looking forward to October when the Sabres season begins anew. As WGR has been calling it, "The Road to Redemption." Sounds kind of lame (it is) but after all success the team has had the last two seasons, it's somewhat fitting. Somewhat. The 2007-08 season pretty much was The Road to Perdition, after all.

Let's see how the team stacks up on defense and in goal.

On D, three of the top four spots are locked up. Henrik Tallinder, Toni Lydman and Jaroslav Spacek will be around. If the Sabres don't bring anyone in via free agency or trade, the fourth spot is Andrej "Balls" Sekera's to lose.

Given a full offseason to train and get healthy, the prospects are there for Tallinder to have his most productive season since 2005-06. And if Tallinder is going strong, Lydman plays better as a result. If that pairing is going strong, confidence can trickle down and make the entire unit better. It was that consistency that's been missing the last year and a half or so, mainly due to injuries to Tallinder.

Spacek really stepped up into a leadership role last season and was the team's steadiest defenseman, even when paired with a contract-weary Brian Campbell whose play crumbled under that added pressure. Spacek will sure up the powerplay and will hopefully continue to be a leader on a team that is still very much looking for its identity.

It may seem like a pretty big jump for Sekera to go from the seventh defenseman to a top four guy, but in the salary cap era, it seems players are expected to take up larger roles at younger ages. Especially now that players reach free agency at younger ages, they have less time to prove themselves. Sekera is going to be a restricted free agent at the end of next season. If he impresses enough this year, he could be looking at a big payday this time next year. Things can happen that quickly.

The development of Sekera and how much the Sabres want to rely on him should factor largely into how active they're going to be in the free agent market. If they feel that he can step in this year, will they look to signing a top four guy?

I think they have to. Figure the Sabres sign a guy like Brooks Orpik to, predicting inflation due to the Shea Weber deal (three years, $17.5 million), something around a five-year $28 million deal. If everything goes according to plan, a player like Orpik would certainly reduce Sekera's ice time and his price tag at the end of the season. Either way, this might be Spacek's last season in Buffalo as he enters a contract year. While Sekera would be a five this year, he would certainly be in the top four in 2009-10.

In that season you're looking at Tallinder and Lydman both going into the final year of their respective deals, a player of Orpik's caliber, Sekera, Mike Weber and Nathan Paetsch (mainly because he will still be under contract). That's a very strong starting six (on paper) that would probably cost the Sabres somewhere in the $16 million range (assuming the free agent will make $5 million and Sekera's salary skyrockets to $3 million). Keep in mind that the team spent about $17 million last season when you factor in the contracts of Lydman, Tallinder, Paetsch, Dmitri Kalinin, Teppo Numminen, Nolan Pratt and Brian Campbell. As salaries keep rising, the Sabres could be looking at a very cost efficient defense in two years, especially if they strike out at a free agent this year.

In addition to Orpik, on the free agent end, Darcy Regier and company could be looking at John-Michael Liles, Mark Streit or way under the radar, a player like Ron Hainsey (a 27-year old, 6'3'' 211 pound defenseman, who made only $900,000 last year while averaging over 20 minutes a game and scoring all eight of his goals on the powerplay for Columbus). I don't even want to hear those Brian Campbell-might-want-to-come-back rumors.

I'm assuming a lot here, mainly because it's difficult to predict exactly what the Sabres will do. They could very well move Sekera into the top four, re-sign Teppo as the fifth man, and rotate him with Paetsch and Weber to round out the corps. Bringing back Pratt is always an option as well, but it would make the most sense to choose between Numminen and Pratt as the resident "old guy."

2008-09 Salaries:
Jaroslav Spacek $3.300 million
Toni Lydman $3.150 million
Henrik Tallinder $2.9 million
Nathan Paetsch $800,000
Andrej Sekera $$659,000
Mike Weber $551,000
----------------------------
Dmitri Kalinin UFA (Darcy already said Kalinin's days in Buffalo are over)
Teppo Numminen UFA
Nolan Pratt UFA


In goal, the Sabres are looking to give Ryan Miller a long term deal. Whether or not Miller would be interested is another story. He's a top eight goalie without question, but with the market, he'll be making top four money. Look at Henrik Lundqvist's six-year $41.25 million deal as a benchmark for what Miller will be looking for. However, if I were the Sabres, I would front load the contract as much as possible so it's easier to move him in three or four years (especially if that Enroth kid really pans out).

I'm a huge Miller fan; we wouldn't have gotten anywhere in the playoffs in 2006-07 if it weren't for his heroics, but you need to keep all of your options open. In three years, if Enroth is the better choice, then at least the opportunity to trade a long term contract is there. That's a worry for another day, though.

Who is going to back Miller up in 2008-09 is the bigger question. The free agent pickings are slim to say the least. The Jocelyn Thibault Experiment backfired terribly but it makes sense to bring in someone with experience instead of letting a young unknown take up the role. Perhaps the Sabres could snatch up a Johan Holmqvist, Patrick Lalime, J.S. Aubin or even an Alex Auld.

Buffalo just needs someone reliable that can play around 20 games and hopefully win half of them. As long as the backup gives the team a chance, it's definitely an upgrade over the black hole that was on the end of the bench last year.

2008-09 Salaries:
Miller $3.5 million
--------------------
Dead to us (Thibault) UFA

A Look Ahead: Sabres Forwards

By Chris

With the NHL Entry Draft behind us, the new hockey year is fast approaching. Free agency opens up next Tuesday and soon we'll be looking forward to October when the Sabres season begins anew. As WGR has been calling it, "The Road to Redemption." Sounds kind of lame but after all success the team has had the last two seasons, it's somewhat fitting. Somewhat. The 2007-08 season pretty much was The Road to Perdition, after all.

Let's see where the team stands up front right now.

The Sabres have 11 forwards under contract, costing the team $28.959 million. Steve Bernier, Paul Gaustad, Dan Paille and Clarke MacArthur still need new contracts as restricted free agents. Signing restricteds to offer sheets seems to be a new fad among general managers, however these players aren't the type other teams should break that bank for. Each should be able to sign multi-year deals with the Sabres.

Paille and Bernier are both former first round picks. While Paille is on the verge of breaking out (I can't wait to see where the Sabres' cap number is on him since they'll mainly be paying him for potential), Bernier is still a bit of a mystery. "Big Bear" stormed out of the gates in that Nashville game but fell off the map after.

Part of it can be attributed to be young and adjusting to a new team, a team that was searching for an identity all year. Replacing the distraction that had become the Brian Campbell situation probably put some added pressure on him.

"This is a tough part, but I think the toughest part right now for me is when you get traded you get a big push, a big push of energy, you want to prove yourself," Bernier said. "After a couple of days you get a big down, and I did not sleep good the last couple of nights because of it. That's the toughest thing I think, to make sure you play the same way for a period of time, that's going to be something that I have to learn pretty fast."

That was Bernier on March 5, about a week after the trade. Hopefully he settles in right away at the beginning of the season. He seemed all right with Vanek and Roy when he first came to Buffalo but his play tailing off and an injury didn't help his case. Time will tell.

MacArthur is interesting because he's shown sparks of being a very good hockey player, but also disappears from time to time. He's locked in as one of the first call ups, but it wouldn't shock me if young guns like Tim Kennedy or Nathan Gerbe leapfrogged him by the time training camp lets out. The General is the type of player that could easily be moved in a package deal.

The centerpiece in that sort of trade? Three players mainly fit that bill and they're each entering their walk year. Maxim Afinogenov is making $3.5 million, Tim Connolly is set to rake in $3.5 as well, no matter how many games he doesn't play and Ales Kotalik, at $2.5 million is the third viable option.

Forwards hitting restricted free agency after 2008-09 include Drew Stafford and Jason Pominville. The Sabres have made it public knowledge that they would like to lock Pominville up before that time comes but the longer they wait, the higher his price tag will climb, ala Campbell.

It's not unreasonable to figure he could make an average of $5.5 million a season over five or six years (or something crazier that we were only joking about a few months ago) with the way salaries have been going as of late.

Regier was hesitant to give Campbell that sort of security, but maybe they think differently of Pominville. A Lady Byng nomination and the fact that he was the captain as they stumbled down the stretch (although he actually did a very good job publicly in the role, always being accountable), may factor into them actually giving him that kind of money.

Stafford went through the stereotypical sophomore slump, having to deal with injuries in addition to a heavier workload. Towards the end of the season, he seemed to settle in on the fourth line with Adam Mair and Pat Kaleta, but he's expected to be a top line talent.

If the Sabres aren't careful, he could turn into the American Kotalik--a player with a ton of talent and size but doesn't use either often enough. It could also look like the Sabres choose between Bernier and Stafford since they're similar players. It will be easier to figure that scenario out after Bernier gets a contract.

It doesn't look like Mike Ryan will be around unless he signs a two-way contract which would keep him in Portland and only in Buffalo in emergency situations. That wouldn't be a bad deal. Sure I won a generic Sabres wooden stick signed by him that hangs not-so-proudly on my wall, but I'm not holding my breath for it to become a collector's item.

And speaking of wasted roster spots, let's not forget Andrew Peters is still under contract. Sure he may be a good "locker room guy" but it doesn't help the team pick up wins on the ice. Anyone against waiving him? Anyone?

With an abundance of forwards, don't expect the Sabres to dive headfirst into that end of the free agent pool. While veteran additions like a Rolston or Roberts (or heck even a Darcy Tucker) would be nice, the reality is that, up front, the Sabres seem pretty much set. Regier has publicly questioned Afinogenov's future, but a trade would likely bring in a defenseman and open up a full-time roster spot for a guy like Kaleta.

And with extensions for Pominville and Ryan Miller likely on the horizon, it's like signing two free agents next season.

2008/09 Salary Numbers:
Vanek: $8 million
Hecht: $3.8 million
Roy: $3.5 million
Afinogenov: $3.5 million
Connolly: $3.5 million
Kotalik: $2.5 million
Pominville: $1.375 million
Stafford: $984,000
Mair: $750,000
Peters: $550,000
Kaleta: $500,000
----------------------------
Ryan: UFA
Bernier: RFA
Gaustad: RFA
Paille: RFA
MacArthur: RFA

The Source of the Problem

by Ryan

That "something special" just isn't there anymore, Ryan Miller said it himself. Over the past 71 games we've seen a team struggle and falter to a 32-28-11 record, light years away from last year's Presidents Trophy finish. The two teams have relatively similar rosters, the same starting goaltender, head coach, front office, and owner. The building still sells out. So what is the difference between the two teams? What explains the complete collapse of this franchise over the span of the last year?



Jiri Novotny isn't here anymore.

Stay with me here. Everyone remembers Marty Biron moving at the trade deadline last year, but the real story was that Jiri Novotny was dealt as well. The perennial two goal scorer was traded to Washington in exchange for Dainius Zubrus, destroying the chemistry and magic this team had created with Jiri's aid and subsequently extinguishing the "something special" Miller talked about tonight. The team's playoff failure was not only inevitable, it was deserved.

The defeat at the hands of Ottawa just a few months later was something that should have been expected and certainly could have been prevented. The age old advice of "you ain't 'aposta fix what ain't broken" was ignored by our brain trust in an attempt to bring in a hired gun. That hired gun turned out a cold, heartless mercenary whose icy demeanor scared Danny Briere's playoff beard into permanent hiding.



Jiri don't scare no beards.

Losing in May was only the first of disastrous results stemming from Jiri's departure. The floundering, leaderless team is a direct result of Novotny not being in the lineup. Just look at how he has improved his new team, the Colombus Blue Jackets. His 8 goals, 12 assists, and -9 rating has helped the Jackets achieve a 31-28-11 record, just two points worse than Buffalo with a game in hand. That, my friends, is "poetic justice" (No? Still wrong? Darn!)

Heck, just today they picked a captain, something this team still can't do since Jiri left. Does anyone else think he was the heir to the throne? Hrm...



Look at that strength.

I know I'm not the only one that thinks we threw a former first round pick under the bus by trading Novotny away so soon. He was the heart and soul of this team, plain and simple. If Briere and Drury were the real "winners" on this team why didn't they finish the job after he left?

July 1st was viewed as the day that Danny and Chris left, but to me it will always be the day that we failed to get Jiri back. Instead Columbus won his services and will reap the benefits for years to come. Rat bastards.

Now you know the truth. Over the next 11 games you are going to see things go wrong and say "I wish Jiri was here". Don't worry, you won't be alone. The course of our franchise has forever been altered by the hubris of Darcy Regier. You can all thank him for the performance you saw tonight.

Pay the Kid

Everyone knows who's up next, and once again we are all saying Darcy won't let it happen again. The fact of the matter is that Ryan Miller is the real deal. He is, he's a starting goaltender that is finally carrying this team down the stretch, keeping them in games that they simply do not deserve. On Saturday night the Sabres stole a point from Carolina, but the real story was that Miller kept this team's playoff hopes alive.

No matter what numbers you have in your mind right now, know this: Miikka Kiprusoff will make $8 million in 09/10. If you think some other GM won't pay Miller that you're out of your mind.

Once again, you're move, Darcy.

Slow Clap

by Ryan


Say what you will about the Anaheim Ducks fans, mascot, arena, or even the state of California itself, but don't you dare question their General Manager.

Brian Burke has got to be the best GM in hockey, right? Now maybe you wouldn't have said something like that in August when they lost Dustin Penner, but after reading this you can't help but be impressed with what he has done with the team.

Here are a few clips if you don't feel like skimming:

Sources tell TSN that Selanne signed a one-year deal with an annual base salary of $1.5 million, which means Selanne will receive just under $600,000 for the balance of this season. But as a player older than 35, Selanne is entitled to performance bonuses and he will almost certainly earn another $1.35 million from the Ducks this season. That performance bonus is achieved by simply playing 10 games, so, barring injury, Selanne will actually receive close to $2 million in base salary plus performance bonus for the balance of this season.

Not too bad, but what about overall cap space? They were over the cap to start the season, right?

And if the Ducks should add a player at the deadline, they have plenty of cap room this year to do it. As of today, they could add a player making an annual salary of $5 million. By the time the Feb. 26th trade deadline arrives, that player could be making closer to $6 million. If they sign a player of that level, it would mean they would have to carry forward Selanne's bonuses to next year, but there clearly is a lot of flexibility in terms of what the Ducks can do now and in the off-season.

Wow, flexibility indeed. That's swinging a trade for Brian Campbell and Ales Kotalik and still having some room to wiggle come next year. (Soup's a UFA and Ales has one year left at $2.5 mil)

Now maybe this is me, but isn't what just happened here the direct opposite of what we have going on in Buffalo? Think about it: both Anaheim and Buffalo had Kevin Lowe swoop in and try to nab an RFA this off season (Penner and Vanek, respectively), as well as some big name players hit the free agent market or contemplate retirement.(Neidermayer, Selanne and Briere, Zubris, Drury)

So what happened? Anaheim doesn't know what Selanne or Niedermayer is doing. They go out and sign Bertuzzi and Schnieder as well as resigning some key young players. Then Penner gets nabbed and they are suddenly down a winger. Things look pretty grim at the time.

Grim was the operative word in Buffalo as well. All three big UFAs walk and Vanek gets tossed a $10 million offer sheet for this year. Darcy and Co. have to do damage control and match while complaining about how unfair life in the NHL. The major off season acquisition is Jocelyn Thibault, and the phrase "we will be less competitive" is actually uttered by management.

So... what happens next?

For Buffalo it's an easy one: nothing. It is not fiscally sound to spend to the current cap, and so Buffalo stands pat all year and has rolled to a 21-21-6 record, currently 13th in the East.

Anaheim is a completely different story. Both Neidermayer had Selanne have returned and Burke had made that more then possible. Gone are Bryzgalov, Andy McDonald and Shane Hnidy while Branden Bochenski, Doug Weight, and Mark Mowers come in. The results are a 27-20-6 Ducks team that suddenly looks more than capable of defending their Stanley Cup reign with room to spare at the deadline.

Of course there are differences in each team's situation. The Ducks have proven they are willing to spend to the cap, while Darcy has blatantly said that Buffalo will not. However, that is not the main difference between the two clubs. For while Sabres management has stood pat and complained about the likes of Kevin Lowe, Nathan Horton, and ticket prices; Brian Burke stepped up and overcame the loss of Dustin Penner and some veteran leadership with shrewed management and the willingness to work within the system in place.

There was a time the Ducks were over the cap limit this year, but they made the right moves to both get that number down and still stay competitive. The same certainly cannot be said for Buffalo, and while that is not the only reason this team has underachieved it cannot be overlooked as one of the main problems this season.

I'm not asking to be in the situation Anaheim is in, and I'm not saying I want Brian Burke as my GM. All I ask is that our front office shows they have the "commitment to winning" that was talked about so much last summer. No more emergency "We're not trading Campbell" press briefings, no more "We're sorry" speeches, no more complaints about the system. Show me you believe in this team and this city by doing everything in your power to make this team work.

Don't sign Derek Roy because Nathan Horton inflated the market value for a forward his age, don't tell me you won't negotiate in season again if Brian Campbell is a Leaf next year, and for the love of God don't whine about a GM doing something completely within his means by giving an offer sheet to Thomas Vanek.

Make the system work for you within your own means. It's possible, we used to be the "prototype for the post NHL franchise" until this summer. It can't be all that hard to get that distinction back, look at teams like New York or Toronto floundering just like us even with those huge markets.

Please, don't make the next sign I hang in HSBC Arena say "Mike Grier Was Right".

Same old, same old

By Chris


Forget last night. Tonight, the Sabres showed that they couldn't get the job done, which is what we've seen from them for most of the year.

They got down 3-0 early and fought to get back into the game. Late in the third period, down a goal, the defense pushed too hard, gave up an odd-man rush and gave up the put-away goal. Nothing new.

And it was against Toronto, arguably the worst team in the league, with their captain on the proverbial trading block and with fans calling for the heads of everyone in the front office. Thank God we beat Atlanta.

They just weren't good enough tonight. They just haven't been good enough all season. The flashes of greatness haven't been greater than the mental lapses and metal posts.

There are just over 37 days until the trade deadline. At this pace, the Sabres should be major sellers, but does anyone else get the feeling that Darcy will play the "Wait till we're completely healthy, then you'll see what kind of team we really are" card? I know I can't wait for that.

Ten and Counting

By Chris



Ten straight games without a win.

Sixteen goals in that span.

Five points out of a playoff spot.

Just over forty days until the trade deadline.

And the nights just continue to keep getting longer and colder.

Your move, Darcy.

Soup's Off

By Chris

Brian Campbell is done. The Sabres had their chance to re-sign him and they couldn't agree on a number. Now they'll have to wait until the end of the season, whenever that may come form Buffalo.

Today, Campbell announced today that he and his agent have broken off talks with the Sabres and that he would wait to talk again at season's end. Potentially, it's very bad news for both the team and its fans. Once he hits free agency, it's pretty much a given that he signs the biggest contract. And that contract won't come from Buffalo.

If Campbell walks, the Sabres look like fools again. After the Briere-Drury debacle (well-documented), letting another great player leave for nothing will kill any good will fans still have towards the team.

So if the Sabres have no intention of signing Campbell (which they had the opportunity to do this past off season before he was named to his second All-Star game), whether it's because they don't feel he's worth the money or if they just don't want him on the team anymore, then there's only one way to make sure they get something for him.

Trade Brian Campbell.

The Sabres is struggling to say the least. While Brian Campbell may be the best defenseman right now, it's not saying much compared to the way the rest of the corps is playing.

Henrik Tallinder looks like he's playing hurt every game and it's seriously hurting Toni Lydman's game. Jaro Spacek has been very good while paired with Campbell, but he's hurt right now. Nathan Paetsch has been underwhelming following a strong rookie campaign. Dmitri Kalinin is a train wreck. Nolan Pratt is doing his job, as a six/seven grinder. And who knows if we'll ever see Teppo Numminen in a game again?

With the offense struggling even more so at this point (after finishing last season with an average of 3.63 goals for per game, they're scoring 2.88 goals so far this year), the playoffs are quickly fading out of the picture. Going into Monday night's games, the Sabres were in 11th place and four points out of the playoffs.

In the midst of a nine-game losing streak, things might actually have to get worse before they get better.

And for the team to make a run, things need to change. Darcy Regier has always been hesitant to make an in-season trade, but bringing in some fresh blood is what the team needs right now.

While it may seem like they're waving the white flag and telling everyone, "Yes, we're rebuilding," they'll be better off getting a return on good players now rather than let them walk for nothing later. And with Regier's track record, a trade will virtually guarantee good players coming back in.

So if Campbell gets moved after the All-Star break, the Sabres might as well clean house. Afinogenov, Kalinin, hell maybe Connolly too. Bring in players who Lindy Ruff won't have to call out while they're injured and hesitates putting back in the lineup after they've been cleared to play.

While that extreme is unlikely to occur, bringing new hungry players in who will buy into Ruff's message is what the team needs if they want to make the playoffs.

How many times do we all have to listen to Campbell or Jason Pominville or Ryan Miller talk about how the whole team needs to give a better effort? While they've played better in the last few games, this team needs finishers and guys who might actually fear getting benched.

Maybe just trading a few guys, or just Campbell will provide a spark for the guys in the locker room to play a little harder.

For now, Campbell just wants to focus on hockey, and with the way the team has been playing, that may be for the best.

76 Months Later

By Chris

On July 1, 2001, the Buffalo Sabres traded away their greatest player in a generation.

Dominik Hasek finally got his wish and was shipped out to Detroit for Slava Kozlov, a first round pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and those ever-mysterious "future considerations." The team is still feeling the effects of the trade.

On the first day of that draft, June 22, 2002, general manager Darcy Regier set in motion a series of trades that eventually sent Kozlov to Atlanta. They started by taking that first round pick (30th overall) and the rights to Mike Pandolfo and sending them to Columbus for the 20th overall pick.

The Sabres selected winger Dan "Fat Crosby" Paille. Buffalo then packaged Kozlov and the 41st pick overall (eventually defenseman Joakim "Noah" Lindstrom) to Atlanta for 31st and 82nd picks overall in the 2002 draft.

Then, Regier parlayed the 88th overall pick and a 2nd round pick in 2003 to Nashville for the 36th pick overall in the 2002 draft. Darcy made one final move that day by dealing the 31st and 36th picks overall in the 2002 draft to Edmonton for winger Jochen Hecht. What it all comes down to is the Sabres trading the remainders of Hasek'a groin for Hecht and Paille.

In hindsight, couldn't the Sabres have gotten more? Probably. But given the circumstances, Regier didn't have much of a choice.

Ownership under John Rigas was as shrewd as ever, personified by the Michael Peca trade. Sure the Sabres were still contenders in 2001. They had just lost to the Penguins in a series they choked up. So the six-time Vezina Tropy winning gold medalist and his $7.5 million salary wanted out. But Hasek wanted to go to a team he considered a contender.

So in return we got one of the worst Sabres of our time: Slava Kozlov.

It's not that he wasn't talented, he definitely was and still is a quality player. He just didn't mesh well with coach Lindy Ruff and did more harm than good behind the scenes. Kozlov eventually found himself in harm's way and suffered a season ending injury, just as he seemed to be trying to fit in. Regier, notorious for protecting his coach (see the Jason Woolley trade as an example), he made a deal to ship the bad egg out.

So six years after the Hasek trade and five years after the Kozlov deal, the Sabres are left with Hecht, who has played just 253 games in four full seasons with Buffalo, and Paille, a blue chip prospect who is in his first full pro season, and is fighting for time as the team's 12th forward. Both players are good in their own ends and are excellent penalty killers.

After 10 games this season, Hecht served as the team's captain, and led them to a 5-5 record. Not exactly stellar. But the team still sits in tenth place in the East, just a point out of a playoff spot if the season ended now, and eight points behind mighty Ottawa for first place in the division. And ten of the next eleven games are against division opponents. A great time to make up some ground.

Now no one expected the Sabres to pull off the roller coaster ten game winning streak of last season. But the team has been so up and down that it's hard to tell exactly what we're looking at.

Realistically, Buffalo only lost four players in the offseason. Chris Drury, Daniel Briere and Dainius Zubrus ended up in the Atlantic Division via free agency and Teppo Numminen has been nursing a heart condition since training camp opened. Players were expected to step up in more expanded roles and to live up to new contracts. Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy are prime examples #1 and #1A.

After a run and gun opening night which the ended up losing, the team came back and played a tight defensive game on Long Island. But they couldn't put the puck in the end, something they looked to their former co-captains for.

Right off the bat, it was obvious that the team was struggling within itself to find its go-to-guys. The players you follow into battle that will lead you to victory.

Center Tim Connolly could be that guy. He's tied for the team lead in points with defenseman Brian Campbell, but he's more prone to looking for the pretty pass and setting up the easy goals (PLEASE SHOOT MORE, TIM!!!), like he has done for Pominville several times this season. Connolly's been great on the powerplay, and so has Jaroslav Spacek, who up until this season, looked like a $3 million bust.

As soft as Pominville can be, no one on the team is better at moving to open spaces in front of the net to set up a shot on goal. The lack of toughness is a concern not just to Pominville, but to the team as a whole. Maybe finally getting gritty veteran defenseman Nolan Pratt in the line up will help alleviate some of those problems.

But the Sabres are really hoping that the go-to-guy is Thomas Vanek, the Ten Million Dollar Man whose play has been lackluster so far to say the least. He had just three goals in the month of October and an infinite number of after-whistle swearing spells. Love that we have seven more years of this guy dropping the F-Bomb after every shift.

After the "breakaway" against Carolina, where he decided to do a wrap-around-pass-out-front instead of taking it right to the net, he redeemed himself in Tampa Bay. After scoring that overtime goal, the team mobbed him like we beat Ottawa in five games again. It was definitely a "monkey off the back" moment and maybe the kick start the team needs.


Remember, the Sabres were pretty dreadful in November and December of 2005. And I consider that to be the greatest Sabres team of my lifetime. So there's still a very good chance that this year's team can find their way and get things going in the right direction.

Trading Hasek opened the door to a new era in Sabres history. We waded through a few years of mediocrity as fans before the team found our next franchise goaltender. Ryan Miller hasn't been great so far, but he's been good enough. He can be better and he's going to have to be. Like the great teams of the late 1990's, the goaltender has a chance to make the team his own. Miller is a leader and has the ability to take this team as far as he can carry them.

The journey continues tonight in Boston. Who is going to step up?

Leadership

by Ryan

Bill Walsh died.

I know this is old news in the blogosphere, but it is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Now I know how great a coach Walsh was, but that has been said by people more qualified than I many times over. What really got me thinking this past week was this story.

That article brought me to a shocking revelation: Marv Levy is old. He's so old that he gave a head coach that just died in old age his first college coaching job. The numbers are there, plain and simple, and we have an 82 year old General Manager. It's not so shocking when it is stated in black and white, but realizing what that number means by comparison takes me aback. While Brett Farve is busy tinkering with iPods in order to look cool, our GM is thinking back on former understudies who have died recently.

To be honest, that scares the crap out of me. Like most of you out there, the Bills are my team, and their future is very important to me. Remembering that our owner is just as eldery as our GM, and the fact that there is no succession plan in place God Forbid something happens and, well, it's not fun in my head for a bit.

My fantasy draft was last night. That also has gotten me to thinking about things. Drafting for an imaginary team in an imaginary league has me realize that the Bills are not my team, I just root for them. I am a fan of the Bills just as much as a girlfriend or wife is a fan of your fantasy team. Sure, they may get upset when you lose, but for the most part they have no idea what is going on inside your head. We as fans have no way of knowing anything about One Bills Drive other than what we are told, just like a confused girlfriend being explained your league's scoring system.

There is an interesting contrast between a real football team and your fantasy team. In fantasy football, you are in complete control of your own squad, a team that no one but you cares about. Let's be honest, no one cares why I drafted RB strength first and settled for Vince Young as my QB because it's just my team and nothing more.

However, in the NFL we have absolutely no control over anything, and care more than we'd like to. I couldn't pay strangers to listen to my draft recap, but if I could have Marv Levy explain his thought process on draft day to me I'd take notes, record, and hire a professional cameraman to capture every second of it. Heck, I'd take his advice on how to cut my grass or make decent mac and cheese if he took the time.

I've read Marv's biography, traveled to Canton, Ohio to see him inducted into the Hall of Fame, and watched four full quarters of preseason football just to hear him ramble on the local broadcast. Yeah, it's a bit crazy, but I'm not the only one. Because it's Marv Levy.

And he's 82. Yet somehow, I trust him. I trust Darcy, too. I couldn't explain to you why, but maybe that's exactly the reason. Regardless of age, regardless of the past, you have to trust who's in charge of your team. Life is not Fantasy Football, and to be a fan you have to give up the reigns and have faith.

Well, no, not always. But in the doldrums of August, with a fresh, crisp season on the horizon, you have to delegate yourself to the backseat and trust where you will be taken.

Hopefully it's going to be a long, pleseant ride.

I Didn't Rob a Bank Because You Made Up the Law...

by Ryan

You know it's going to be a fun vacation when you are literally terrified of your cell phone the entire time.

Yes, while I traveled down to Boston to visit baseball Mecca, news of the Sabres offseason slowly trickled in through my phone. And as blown away as I was by Fenway Park, (a full post will follow shortly) I simply could not escape the sad reality of this past week.

Coming with me on the trip was the Tuesday morning edition of the Buffalo News. That awful front page, I simply couldn't get away from it. Who would have thought Chris Drury would be a Ranger a week ago? I can't even imagine him in red, white, and blue. The thought itself is enough to make my stomach turn.

The final straw for me was yesterday morning when I learned the Oilers tried to sign Vanek, forcing us to match that ridiculous contract to save face. Blame who you want, but Thomas Vanek is now over payed, plain and simple.

Here's the deal: everyone is wrong. Any Sabres fan who thinks this team is through is absolutely out of their minds. As I've said before, losing Briere and Drury is not losing your team, but losing the face of your team. It's an emotional connection, yes, but in no way are we not a playoff team. Anyone who is ready to write this team off here and now, well, I'm glad to see you go. Take the next couple plays off, and get ready to bail on the Bills in Week 2. So glad you could make it.

Looking at what the Buffalo News has been writing while I've been away, I have to completely agree with the notion that they are going way, way overboard. My red flag went up when Bucky Gleason insinuated that he knew more than Darcy Regier on Monday, and it only got worse while in Beantown. Alan Pergament's article accusing TV broadcasters being too soft is the perfect example of making something out of nothing. I'm not sure if the sports department got together and someone made the "Let's go out there and run 'em" speech, but it sure seems like a team effort over there.

However, the Sabres brass is not off the hook in my book. In my opinion, the entire off season game plan has been utter garbage. Throwing Danny Briere under the bus while not knowing for sure Drury wanted to come back was just plain stupid. Not having another big name free agent on the sign able list was also a big mistake, one that still has no explanation. So to alleviate the pressure of that failure, management promised to bring back Thomas Vanek.

Enter the Edmonton Oilers.

The contract itself is simply disgusting. Not once did I ever hear mention of a signing bonus to lure anybody to Buffalo. How many times did you hear someone call Danny Briere "The Five Million Dollar Man" when things went awry? Thomas Vanek just made that for waking up on Friday morning.

It didn't have to be this way, though. Larry and Darcy will have you believe there was no way to know how the market was going to work. Well why do they seem to be the only ones that have no sense of foresight in these matters? If Chris Drury is your "guy", wouldn't you do everything you possibly could to keep him in Buffalo? Including front loading a contract, or taking a hit with a signing bonus?

You can't take the effect and make it the cause, either. It's simply wrong to say that letting Danny and Dru walk with money to give on the table was necessary because signing Vanek would be so imperative. In fact, the opposite is the real truth. I know I wasn't the only one that was more than okay with losing Vanek to a big contract if I had a captain on the roster. Take a look at the Group Two comp sheet and tell me you wouldn't feel better about losing Vanek to that contract in exchange for Chris Drury signed at $7 million and four first round draft picks.

To sum it up, I'm not happy. No one is.



It's good to be home.