Last Year Buffalo Sabres were named the Team of the year. Golissano was a
hero and in possession of a rich asset....no one would have voted against
him for Governor in Buffalo. Anyone want to speculate on what the value of
the Sabres was last year and what it is worth this year?Gollisano is a
business man and it should be very clear that his net worth has taken a
huge hit in one year.
They should have signed Drury, Briere, Campbell and let Vanek go for 5
draft picks. The past is gone....They must sign Miller by July 1, (like San
Jose signed Thornton) and then they should make a pitch to re-sign
Campbell, failing that sign Redden to help Sekera and Weber. They must part
with Kailinen and Paetsch, and offer Numenenn a contract as a part time
player coach with the minor league team.
Peca should have been signed...his veteran leadership would have helped
when the centers started going down....I stated this on many blog boards
last summer and the proof is in what he did in Columbus and what was failed
by the Centers in Buffalo (face offs and the penalty kill probably cost us
5 points this year and therefore the playoffs). In my books, Peca was worth
at least 2 points to this team in the standings.
Gaustad has shown to be too slow for the new NHL and perhaps he may be
sacrificed as part of a deal to bring us a better back-up goalie;
Max, Tim and Alex have one year to prove that they are the real deal or
they too will walk and never see the daylight of contract values that they
have seen in Buffalo....somehow keeping those 3 over Briere, Drury, Dumont
never made much sense, but oh well we still have next year to prove that
management know better what they are doing than I do.
Puck Stop |
The Sky Has Fallenby Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell |
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Team Will Miss Playoffs for First Time Since Before Lockout
“The sky is not falling.”
So said Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier last July, when an angry public demanded to know how the organization could have allowed co-captains Daniel Briere and Chris Drury to depart via free agency.
The Sabres hastily arranged a press conference back then, and on the dais were Regier and a somber-faced Larry Quinn, doing their best to assuage the fans and convince the season ticket holders that all was not lost—that the team would do their best to field a competitive product on the ice, and that the departure of their two best players would not be the beginning of the apocalypse.
At one point, Regier made one admission which has proven to be prophetic: “We will not be as competitive”.
Boy he nailed that one.
This week the Buffalo Sabres will complete their 12-month journey from President’s Trophy winners to one of the NHL’s also-rans. The team was a legitimate Stanley Cup contender last season; some would say that two seasons ago the Cup was theirs for the taking, and only a mind-boggling spate of injuries to the defensive corps extinguished that dream.
Memories of this season’s failures are many: The excruciating 10-game losing streak in December and January. Thomas Vanek’s inability to shoulder the expectations that came with being “The Man.” The inability to resign Brian Campbell followed by the team’s folderoo after the trade deadline. The inability to win shootouts when such challenges were automatic wins in years past. Blowing a two-goal lead on no less than six occasions, none more memorable than last week’s meltdowns at home against Ottawa and Montreal.
Then there was the March playoff chase, and if you’re a Sabres fan, this was one of the most exasperating years ever to watch and stare at the standings. Go back to February 27 and the thrilling 8-4 win against Nashville, with newcomer Steve Bernier scoring the first two goals and all the entertainment and thrills that happened in that game. On that night the Sabres took control of seventh seed in the East.
Things would go downhill quickly. Two nights later they suffered an embarrassing loss against Montreal. Meantime, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington and the New York Rangers were holding their own in the standings. Even worse, when these competitors faced each other, they never seemed to settle their games in regulation—always that overtime or that shootout, and three points being awarded.
You know things are getting bad when your head coach can’t even bear to watch his own team in a shootout anymore, as in Ottawa last week. Or that he won’t watch out-of-town scores anymore, as he also admitted after the morning skate the day of the Montreal game.
Soon the Sabres will clean out their lockers and say goodbye until September. What the team does in the off-season will determine whether the ship can be righted, or whether we’ll endure more misery next season and, for that matter, well into the future. Here is what the team needs to do:
■ Re-sign Ryan Miller. Something wasn’t right about Miller for much of this season. Perhaps he never shook off the tragic loss of his young cousin before the season started. More likely, exhaustion took its toll on a player who was called upon night after night to start in net. But make no mistake—Miller is one of the league’s elite goaltenders and is just entering his prime. You do not win a Stanley Cup without an elite goaltender.
Anyone who wants to say goodbye to Miller and bring in a retread is just deluding themselves. That would make us a last-place team for years to come.
■ Sign a capable backup. Clearly Lindy Ruff lost confidence in Jocelyn Thibault as the season wore on. Out there are more than a few goalies who could fit into this program. Alex Auld, Johan Hedberg, Wade Dubielewicz just to name a few. Dare we say it? Dominik Hasek will be a free agent after this season. Bad joke, we know.
■ Make a splash in the free agent market. This goes totally against the Darcy Regier M.O., as the team has relied largely on drafting and home-grown talent. But this is no ordinary off-season. This team is bleeding and sorely in need of veteran leadership with star power.
■ Sign a “character player.” Michael Peca made overtures to Buffalo. He still lives here and he wanted to return to his old team. The Sabres snubbed him and he went to Columbus instead. Peca is exactly the kind of player this team needs—tough, gritty, a leader in the clubhouse. He, too, will hit the free agent market come July.
Most importantly, the Sabres need to show the fan base that this team is committed to being a winner. The community has responded to this team at the box office and showered it with their affection in ways not seen since the days of the French Connection. However, one can expect that to change mightily if the club is unable to rebuild the on-ice product back to the Stanley Cup contender that it was in recent past.
Reader Comments
Dan 03 Apr 2008, 13:02
Scott 03 Apr 2008, 13:43
Rob, Dan, Jay...I grew up on the outskirts of Buffalo..Arcade, NY..I went
to and graduated from Canisius College in 2001...The Buffalo Sabres cost me
my marriage last year. I had the choice to stay in Albany, NY and attend a
birthday party for inlaws whom I didn't like or go to Buffalo and stand
outside the stadium with no money for a hotel and watch a Sabres game. My
ex-wife told me specifically what would happen if I went..and I went
anyways! That's a true Buffalonian..apparently my ex didn't understand
that.. :-) And neither do you Jim...How's that NASCAR going for you down
there in Carolina..?
Mike 03 Apr 2008, 14:37
Former Western NY'er (Orchard Park class of '75) and still love the Sabres.
Had the great pleasure of taking my daughters to Dallas for that win in
Jan. I am just plan sick by what I see - not from a players perspective
but from a management perspective. Larry Quinn proved he was a freakin'
moron in the 90's and in his short return has demonstrated his great talent
at eclipsing even those "abilities." Let's review - We don't have Briere,
why, because we refused to negotiate during the season - BRILLIANT! Same
for Drury......and Campbell......and Dumont.......and McKee........Yes, I
know, they were not all during Quinn's time - I believe Regier had his
hands tied by mgmt (Previous, Bankrupt, and Quinn), but an intelligent
managing partner would have seen the slights of the past and reacted.
Nope, Not the BRILLIANT Larry Quinn - "Hey Gang, I got an idea - Let's wait
until the end of the season to negotiate with our star players.......Maybe
will get to spend $50 Million on Vanek when we only really need to spend
$20 - 25 Million for the same term........Oh, and then lets suspend our
high-character player because he has a heart ailment - that will make
everyone in the league want to play for us........." With great pleasure,
My daughters and I walked around the arena in Dallas with three signs, 2 of
which read: "Beat the HULL outta Dallas" and "DUMP QUINN."
Allen J 03 Apr 2008, 16:39
Guys... Puck Stop is the BEST part of Artvoice I read your columns all the
time. But Sabres are still alive as of Thursday so isn't this a bit
premature? If by some miracle they actually make the playoffs your readers
will expect to see the both of you EAT your column and post the photo or
video clip on the Artvoice site to prove it. I will furnish the catsup. GO SABRES!!!!
Mark 03 Apr 2008, 17:24
The Sabres have had a difficult year which was brought about by Larry Quinn
and Darcy Regier. I cannot fathom that Tom Galisano wanted his team to sink
to the current level. Granted, there are some very good players who suit up
night after night for the Blue and Gold however there are some that must
GO>>> Kalinin, Pratt, Kotalik pack your bags..."Mad Max"...sorry, your time has come too!! What about signing Free Agent to be...Sean Avery from the Rangers....That would be SWEET PAYBACK!! In addition he "brings it" EVERY Night! Could you imagine another player to Compliment Kaleta??!! I admire Sekera and Weber...Hope they stick. Who knows with ole Darcy!!?? The good thing (if there is one) about the 07-08 campaign is that the youngsters had a chance to grow up a bit more. Add a bit of veteran leadership and another BADASS Blueliner and we may be onto something promising in just 12 short months!!
Allan S 03 Apr 2008, 19:59
It can easily be argued that Larry Quinn is responsible more so than anyone
else for the poor state of the Sabres. His whole game plan appears to be
to ensure that he doesn't spend Galisano's money. Notwithstanding losing
all the free agents, nothing exemplifies this more than firing about the
best scouting staff in the league because a camera costs less. This being
said, I blame Galisano for allowing all this to happen. Anyone with his
bucks need not be a spendthrift if you can afford to buy expensive toys.
The thing is, if you don't maintain those toys, they stop working. When
that occurs, those who enjoy watching them will lose interest in them.
This represents a business principle that Mr. G. has apparently never had
to fathom before.
Mark 03 Apr 2008, 22:14
Dave Mead?
Lloyd 03 Apr 2008, 22:52
Well, friends, this season ends with the Sabres falling short of the
playoffs, and there is blame to go around: Lindy Ruff, for not getting more
out of his guys and motivating them to accomplish more; Larry Quinn, from
the moment he insulted Ted Nolan by not extending his contract after the
1997 playoffs, through his handling of the Sabres even today; and even
Darcy Regier, for not vigorously going after players who could've gotten
the Sabres over the Stanley Cup hump. But, the main blame lies with Thomas
Golisano, the owner who was heralded as a hero for putting together a team
that came within 20 minutes of getting on the Stanley Cup stage, but who
has since presided over their freefall. After the Sabres lost to Carolina in Game 7, the expectations went up. Had they re-signed Jay McKee, Mike Grier, and JP Dumont; and even gone after some free agents who won the Stanley Cup and who could put Buffalo over the hump, we'd likely be talking about the Sabres as defending 2007 Stanley Cup champs. But... they let the three go, and signed Jaro Spacek, a free agent form the Stanley Cup LOSER Edmonton Oilers. And in 2007 trade deadline action, they brought in some nobody players, and even made a trade for Stanley Cup LOSER goalie Ty Conklin, who floundered in backup of Dwayne Rolosson in the 2007 Stanley Cup. And then, July 1... Chris Drury and Danny Briere are gone, and the Sabres don't go after players who could help make this team a contender. For me, the time to thank and praise Golisano ended after the 2006 Stanley Cup ended. From then on, Golisano's obligations to Sabre fans began in full force. So far, he has reneged on his duty of care. With all his billions of dollars, if he could plunk down $50 million for a run at the governorship, surely he could plop down some millions to put together a team who could go all the way. I'd be willing to pay a little more for a quality product that gets things done, rather than pay rock-bottom for a half-@$$ed bargain-basement dungheap(shorten it to BBD hereafter). Sad to say, this is what Golisano et. al. have managed to accomplish in just less than 2 years: Turn a once-proud post-season/Stanley Cup contender into a half-@$$ed BBD. I hope they're proud of what they've done, because I sure am not. However, I believe Golisano can redeem himself, should he follow this season by fulfilling the following things, come HELL or HIGH WATER, before September: FIRE Messrs. Ruff, Regier, and Quinn... and bring a head coach and "brain trust" who KNOW how to put together a winner, who HAVE done it, and who can pass that same spirit to the players. BRING THESE PLAYERS BACK HOME: Mike Peca, JP Dumont, Jay McKee, Mike Grier, Chris Drury, Danny Briere, Brad May, Jason Woolley, Dominik Hasek, and Brian Campbell. TRADE OR FULLY RELEASE: Ales Kotalik, Teppo Numminen, Maxim Afinogenov, Dmitri Kalinin, Toni Lydman, Jaro Spacek, Tim Connolly, the Peters guy, Jochen Hecht, and Steve Bernier. MAKE TRADES/FREE-AGENT DEALS FOR: Sean Avery, Ryan Smyth, Chris Pronger, Saku Koivu, Gary Roberts, the Nedermeyers, Scott Gomez, Kevyn Adams, Doug Weight, Martin Gerber, Joe Corvo, Eric DesJardins, Rod Brin'Damour, Chris Chelios, Danny Heatley, Matt Schneider, and even Chris Phillips and Chris Neil. Tommy G.: You got the $$$; you got the power. F the slary cap; we want the CUP! As a July 2007 letter so rightly stated in the Buff-News sports section: You owe us BIG; you owe us NOW.
Louis 04 Apr 2008, 19:54
To Do: 0. Develop some foresight; 1. Don't be penny-unwise and
pound-very-foolish; 2. Don't act like you think the Buffalo Sabres are
God's gift to hockey players. Um, let's try that again. 1. Re-sign Miller; 2. Re-sign Pominville; 3. Get a back-up who can play 25 games and play well after riding the pine for a month (oops - not possible); 4. Add character, grit, toughness, etc. (crease-clearing defencemen, forwards who finish their checks, etc.); 5. Get someone who can take face-off; 6. Unload the dead weight. I don't want the biggest names - I want the best players for us. Remember - before they got here, Mike Peca was a marginal NHLer, Danny Briere was a career minor leaguer, and Chris Drury was an appendage to the Avalanche stars and not the kind of player you could build a team around. How times change. One thing: Jim had one excellent point - stop whining about the team not spending money if we the fans won't spend the money. If we want a 20% increase in the team's salary, surely we should be willing to spend 20% more on tickets, right? If that means choosing the Sabres over the Toronto Bills, so be it. Until we start voting for jobs (lower taxes, no Thruway tolls [Thank you, Mr. Higgins, for starting us down this path], business-friendly state and local laws, smaller government, etc.), eventually we won't even have the Sabres any more. As a Sabres fan, I wanted to reward Golisano. So, being a capitalist, I routed some of my 401k money to Paychex. If Golisano decides to overspend on the Sabres, don't you think that I, as an investor, would have doubts about his business acumen? He would not be a billionaire for long if he did so. At least running for governor gave him a chance to try and help improve the business climate - that is much more acceptable to me the investor. Unfortunately, that conflict with me the Sabres fan who would gladly add $10M to payroll if I had the money and thought it would make the Sabres contend.
Lloyd
06 Apr 2008, 09:05
"If Golisano decides to overspend on the Sabres, don't you think that I, as
an investor, would have doubts about his business acumen?" I'd have no complaints, as long as he brings here payers who can get the job done. As I said... If he can plunk $50 mil for a run at governor, surely he can tithe some of his money into making the Sabres a winner. As a July 2007 letter said in the Buff-News: He owes the Sabres fans BIG, and he owes us NOW. Leave a Comment:
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