Put yourself in Campbell's skates

Brian Campbell always was a standup guy, but we'll see how many fans whine in the days ahead about him being a greedy player because he had the audacity to stand up to management.

The Sabres were offering him a three-year deal worth $17.25 million, which was laughable. Dan Boyle just signed a six-year extension worth $40 million last night. Campbell is three years younger. He's going to wind up landing a similar average salary. It wouldn't surprise me if he gets seven years for $47 million in the open market.

I don't think Campbell is worth $6 million a year, by the way, but put yourself in his skates. Would you take what the Sabres were offering and tell everybody how happy you were in Buffalo or collect an additional $29.5 million in guaranteed dough somewhere else? It's a no-brainer.

Gee, maybe they should have taken his five-year offer worth $25 million over the summer.

--- Bucky Gleason

Comments

[Joe]

Brian Campbell shined in Buffalo. I don't see him being as effective any where else in the league. Why was the offer laughable? Because he was in the all-star game? That's what I think happens to these guys. They get star struck playing with big names. Campbell is decent. He can skate and carry the puck. I've also seen him choke and cough up the puck on some horrible mistakes. Zhitnik left town for much less than Campbell. I could list all the similarities in those guys for days. I know Zhitnik was well into the second half of his career, but he didn't shine nearly as bright out of town. He was an all star defenseman too. We can't seem to hold onto Buffalo talent. Campbell liked Buffalo, but I'd like to see where he ends up after being a rent a player... Playing average hockey for an above average salary in a town that couldnt tell you who he was off the ice. Even with that mess of red hair.

[Scott]

Obviously the cap is the pinnacle of the issue, so how do get around it, you donot but you hopefully become smart in manageing it. Drury , Briere wanted to resign during the season however,didleedo and DOeDOE say no because it's against policy to negiotate during the season.Where I come from when someone wants to buy you sell it to them at a reasonable price. Ok let's say "who would have thought" their values would sky rocket as they did, but they were having the best years of their carrers, their value was going down ? I do't think so. Mgt screwed up there,keep there job's and thinking positively you would have thought they might have learned through this experience.
They should have done their job and gotten the deal w/51 done early. Obviously All Star players are that because the talent is there. Their value is not going to diminish by simple waiting . Be creative negotiate early be smart they all were available at reasonable salaries. Two years in row now this Mgt team fails to effectively do their job.You can love or hate Brier and or Drury but Sabres were a magical winning team and Mgt should have put their best foot forward to keep together.An offer 24 hours before the deadline is a poor effort to keep a player. They would have shown more class by saying we just cannot match the mkt $. The only skill set they exhibit well is talking out the side of their mouth and addition.They are right about one thing TODAY the Sabre's cannot afford any player for $6 miilion and keep the other core players.

[Chet Zeshonski]

Those who say that Buffalo can't afford to let other teams set the market are right to an extent. Paying Campbell Pronger-type money would be silly; let Tampa Bay choke on Boyle's contract for the next several years. But acknowledge that Buffalo's front office reacted too late regarding Drury, Briere, and Vanek. They could have had these players at a reasonable price (or let Vanek walk for four first-round picks), but they waited for the other teams to set the market. I'm glad they didn't lock up Campbell in the off-season, but they should have locked up Drury and Briere to cap-friendly contracts when they had the chance. I hope they've learned the lessons of these last two years ("negotiate early" and "add years") in time to keep Ryan Miller in Buffalo for Lundqvist-like numbers.

[ElmaGolf]

Tom - remember me? Believe me, this isn't personal - it's just that you do give a lot of opinions worth debating.

You wrote - "To me the core of this team was (Drury, Briere, Dumont, Mckee, Miller)"

That is fine, but I think the key to that statement is "WAS."

In two years, your core will have an average age of 32, while the current core will be 29. You need to replace your talent at some point and give new players a chance to develop so you actually have a core at all in 3-5 years.

As for the drop in standings - Tampa Bay went from Stanley Cup to 8th place, and Carolina / Edmonton went from Stanley Cup finals to missed playoffs. These things happen because the game is played on the ice and not on paper. Teams adjust to your style, other teams get better, you have some injuries, etc. which all lead to such things.

Am I denying that the Sabres miss Drury and Briere - certainly not. But it's just not as simple as you think to keep everyone and maintain a franchise long-term.

[NYC wing eater]

Okay wow everyone. Step back for a moment and breathe. With that said Bryan Campbell was a great player and seemed to be a great teammate. He will be missed by the city and I for one will not boo him. Although Briere getting that shoot out the other night- deserved some booing. Come on people no one can deny it. So now here we are again blaming everyone in the world for the percieved problems with the Sabres and the lineup. I for one am glad that the Sabres are being run as a business. I mean come on people what kind of perfect little hockey utopia are you dreaming about. Nothing will ever be exactely as you wish it to be. I mean really- at least the Sabres aren't the Knicks. We have a wonderful coach in Lindy Ruff and a great solid team that I enjoy cheering for. Isn't that the point of watching sports? Maybe one day Buffalo will claim sports fame and win the big prize. It hasn't happened yet, ever, so have a little patience people. And everyone upset about the changing of the team from last season, really come on, yeah we were close to winning the stanley, but the truth is we didn't. So calm down, sit back, drink a beer and enjoy the game again, after all thats what its all about.

[Tom]

It is funny that I keep being told by Sabres Management Appologists that the team is freeing up money to sign the core of the team (Vanek, Roy, Hecht, Tallinder, Miller).

To me the core of this team was (Drury, Briere, Dumont, Mckee, Miller), but I guess once a worm gets into an apple, you don't quite know what the inside is going to look like until you slice it open. Going from 1st in the league to fighting for a playoff spot in less than a year is enough proof to me that the worm ate away the Sabres core.

I wonder if Quinn will let me take him icefishing with me. I don't know if the hook will hold him, but if he can do that to a hockey team so fast, he should be good to let a few dozen whitefish feast off of him.

[Hambone Johnson]

Funny, Tom. Yes, we have 7 players taking up $21 mill in 09/10. Let's compare it to other teams. Philly has 7 guys locked up for $32 mill. The Rangers have 5 guys for $25 mill. Montreal has 2 players....TWO! Ottawa has 7 for $28 mill.

Honestly Tom, I'm trying to understand your point and it's just not adding up. Having 7 players locked up in 09/10 seems to be average or above average compared to other teams in the league. In the next two years there will be salaries off the books that will free up room for guys like Stafford, Paille, Sekera, and Bernier. If you look at the big picture, Buffalo is getting their core locked up (Roy, Vanek, Tallinder, Hecht) and keeping cap room for the young players coming up.

[Trebor]

Campbell was asking for too much from us, plain and simple. Did any of you think he can lead a team to a Stanley Cup? So at least we got a possible good addition right now and a 1st round pick for him. Bernier is an RFA this year...so who knows if we chose to keep him.
Folks get over the fact that Golisano is not in it to win the Cup...the guy didn't even like hockey when he bought the team! He has NO PASSION for the game so don't expect him to run his team "to win at all costs." However, he has said he wants to keep the team in Western NY ( so THANK YOU MR G!!) and he will do that by not getting sucked into overpaying these athletes like all the GM's and Owners who are willing to do so these days. So do you prefer NO TEAM or one that remians here and can still be competitive?
WE MUST hope that the plan all along is to sign Miller and that (Please, if there is a hockey god!) that Ryan will chose to stay....and then we still have some great young talent to enjoy watching play!
Roy (great year), Vanek (he will get at least 30 goals this year folks and just get better!)Pomminville (our MVP maybe?), Goose, Staff, a healthy Connely ( maybe thats a dream?), Paile, Bernier, Mair, and Kaleta....great mix of YOUNG talent. Jochen Hecht will be a great full time Captain next year, Spacek is finally playing great (like we needed him to last year), maybe both Tallinder and Lydman will return to form. Paetsch could very well be the next Soupy - remember, Campbell was not so loved his first couple years in Buffalo was he? and picking up Pratt looks huge for this year. Maybe Teppo comes back for another year ! and then if we can only unload the pair of "Russian Give-The-Puck- Away Masters" in Max and Kalinin and trade our "sniper' Ales Kotelik (who barely gets 20+ goals a year) for some solid tough playoff style defensive players... we'll still have a very good squad.
Don't give up the ship just yet....yes Mgnt f-ed up with Drury, but we can still be a good team going forward and myabe raise the Stanley Cup sooner than you think.
Just don't buy a $200 jersey with someone's name on it unless you don't care how long he stays!

[Tom]

If you are looking for an economic reality, the Sabres have 7 players under contract as of right now after next season is over.

Assuming the team isn't sold by then, which by the way is a reality in today's marketplace, especially when Sabres' Management cronies are telling me Buffalo can't compete economically with the rest of the league when the Sabres brought home profits of close to $20 million total the past two seasons alone.....assuming they aren't sold, tell me kind sirs, who shall we prepare ourselves in the crash landing position to lose since losing Drury and Briere was to sign Vanek and Roy , and losing Campbell is to sign Miller? What about the other 15 or so free agents after next year? Has Darcy been working late at night plugging numbers into his IBM 8088 computer to see who we can afford?

The reason the Sabres are anywhere near the current salary cap is 3 fold.

1) Failure to sign core players to club friendly contracts because of their own policy of not negotiating and presenting timely contracts during the season

2) Pure panic by management by after losing their initial arbitration with Danny Briere, then settling at player friendly amounts with all others headed to arbitration until the JP Dumont award, at which time the Sabres were close to the salary cap after giving raises to the other 6 or so players who were to go to arbitration or leave.

3) A pure CYA move of signing Thomas Vanek to a front loaded contract that was negotiated by all 29 other NHL teams since Vanek was allowed to dangle all summer.

The Buffalo Sabres own ineptitude is what has caused star players to bolt for greener pastures, and the Sabres to slide in the standings faster than Tim Rigas runs out of the community shower in Attica.

[Scatman]

I agree with Hambone. All of you people clearly don't understand economics. The Sabres are in a position in the league where we CAN NOT let the rest of the NHL dictate the value of our players heading into free agency.

Just b/c TBay was stupid enough to pay D. Boyle 6/40 doesn't mean the Sabres have to be that stupid too. TBay is in last place by the way with not too much of a future and a goalie named Mike Smith who they are banking on after the Richards trade. We could be TBay. We could have paid Drury (St. Louis), Briere (Lecavalier) and Campbell (Boyle/Richards before the trade) and we'd suck just like them. Look a little into the future people!

How about New Jersey? Did people think it was crazy that they had to let Niedemeyer go? Rafalski? Mogliny (post lockout)? Holik? No. They brought in some young guys and made it work b/c they play within their own economic system. The Sabres are following suit and I, along with Hambone and a couple others, understand what they're doing. Only a moron would think that they WANTED to get rid of all these guys. They are just realistic with an eye on the future, as much as you close-minded people don't want to admit it.

[Horace P Manure]

***

Here's what I know about Brian Campbell.

He's a selfish jerk who distracted his teammates with his greed.

Minus 6, isn't worth a dollar a fifty.

[Hambone Johnson]

It's absolutely amazing to read these comments and believe that people who post understand anything about the business side of hockey. Everyone seems to live in a vacuum and think that Buffalo is the only team that loses players to free agency.

As for Campbell, his situation is different than Briere and Drury. You shouldn't sign him just because the others walked. Is he worth $5 mill? NO. So why would we pay him that much only to lose Miller or Pominville in the future? Campbell has FIVE goals and is considered an offensive defenseman. His true value in the league is about $3.5M. To overpay him would be a huge mistake.

The Sabres three year offer wasn't a slap in the face. The money was good. It went to Campbell's agent to put in a counter offer for five or six years at slightly less money. He chose not to. If Campbell wanted to stay, he could have. But him and his agent chose not to. I'm not saying I'm blaming him, but did the Sabres really want to burn $6+ mill on an offensive minded defenseman that doesn't back it up with offensive stats? No. Moving him was a no brainer, and the package we got in return was more than I thought we'd get.

Before everyone assumes Miller is gone, look at Darcy's history with signing goalies. He locked up Hasek as long as he could and gave both Biron and Miller market value deals to keep them around. By letting Campbell go we will re-sign Miller.

[Mark]

I really don't understand fans who boo players that gave their all for Buffalo and left for more money.

Since 1980, we have had an awful lot of people leave Buffalo for more money elsewhere. Do we call them greedy? Do we say that they should have stayed at home for less money because they love it here?

The fact is, due to the ecomnomic situation in Upstate NY, a LOT of people have left for more money elsewhere. Yet almost every single one of them could have chosen to stay for less money right here. The cost of living in WNY is extremely reasonable when compared to other parts of the country and you don't need as much money as you do in other places.

But people still leave... and no one calls them whiners or crybabies.

So when Soupy comes back, I will not boo him. He loved it here and gave everything he had for the Sabres and the area. He made a financial decision for his family... good for him.

We'll deal with it... like we always do.

You people that spew hatred at Briere, Drury and others in similar situations need to understand that you make the rest of us look extremely poor on national TV.

[gary]

Yeah, Bucky, I'm going to whine. Poor Brian. Almost 6 million a year for 3 years. not good enough...TO BLOCK OR PUT A ****ING PIECE OF RUBBER IN A NET.

Ya know, I'm getting tired of you idiots defending these greedy pieces of ****. They aren't CURING CANCER!!!!

They are spoiled little brats. Harder working people get up every morning and make ten dollars an hour. People are dying of diarrhea and starvation and you feel sorry for Brian Campbell. GROW UP BUCKY!!!!!

No wonder the rest of the world hates the US and western society. We are disgusting pigs. Sloths. 6 million a year isn't good enough. I don't care if they are good at what they do. So are other people who don't make a sick amount of money.

Spoiled little Canadian brats...Morons like Bucky who feel sorry for them. Idiot...

[David]

A lot of people here saying "why would Miller want to sign here" it should read say Ryan Miller won't sign here. there is nothing left for him to take pride in. When his deal is done, Ryan will take his equipment and head for the Motor City. Being a local boy, he would love nothing more than playing for the Red Wings. And as an added bonus for him, the Red Wings actually care about winning Cups and they are willing to pay their players accordingly. He owes Buffalo nothing, he has watched this team amputate limbs and vital parts when a band-aid or splint would have worked.

[David]

For far too long the Sabres and their organization have been THE farm team of the NHL. They have consistently evaluated talent, groomed it, re-fined it and made those diamond-in-the-rough youngsters, better players. Then, year after year, they watched them walk away to other teams with barely a whimper and usually nothing to show for it.
The other 29 GM's thank their lucky stars for this communal franchise that clearly knows how to develope talent.
It saves them from having to invest the time and money into a young prospect.
As I grow older, I'm begining to realize that despite cheering for the Sabres since their first face-off, I'm probably going to go to my grave with never having watched them lift the Cup. Being that I'm only 47, and my life expectantcy here in Canada is 72.5 years, means I will have 25.5 more years of frustration in watching some of the NHL's best and brightest don a Sabres jersey for their final exam, and then move on to greener pastures and glory.

[W]

Here look for yourselves: Brian Campbell was costing the team $1.75 million this year. Take that up to $6 or $6.5 million.

http://www.nhlscap.com/salarynumbers/sanjose.htm

The Sabres have about $5 million in cap space right now, after the trade.

http://www.nhlscap.com/capnumbers/buffalo.htm

Change out Bernier's $1.183 million and swap in Campbell's $6 million...what do you have? Right against the cap, with no room to sign Miller to the deal he is going to command. Who is more important to this team?

Still think I am the one smoking something? Its simple math folks, nothing more. The Sabres could not afford to sign Campbell long term to that kind of money, because they have too many people that are important to the team.

[Tom]

Fact: Tom Golisano paid just over $60 million to purchase the Buffalo Sabres hockey franchise.

Fact: The Buffalo Sabres franchise today is worth $150 million as a conservative value.

Fact: The Buffalo Sabres will have positive cash flow of close to $20 million since Golisano took over the team by the end of this season.

Golisano purchased this team at a steal of a price, and now that he is playing with house money, he takes the chips off the table and goes to bed. Quinn is only worried about the bottom line himself since he owns part of the team, graciously given to him by Mr Golisano for putting the sale together. Darcy Regier is only worried about not taking too big a chance so he can keep his job. He knew full well that the Sabres had no plans to keep their stars this year, yet failed to make any big moves to add some veteran grit at the end of last season to take a shot at it.

I understand that every player can't be resigned in every situation, yet what is disgusting about this organization is that they never really put the pedal to the floor when they knew behind the scenes last year was their last chance. Look at what Pittsburgh did today. They smell blood in the eastern conference and they WENT FOR IT! Who knows how it will turn out, but they weren't worried about keeping a few nice prospects around when they can add a top 20 talent for a Cup run. By the way....Pittsburgh was bankrupt as well recently yet they somehow figured how to develop their young talent, and add gritty veterans like Gary Roberts, George Laroque, and now a stud like Hossa to the mix. While we are talking bankrupt teams...Ottawa was also on death's doorstep a few years ago yet somehow has kept a great team together to be at the top of the eastern conference on a regular basis. They were actually proactive enough to work out a nice deal last week instead of waiting till the last minute and hitting whatever bid was out there.

There is zero excuse for what has happened to this team. Not only have they been stripped, but they play with the same personality of their general manager. How many times over the past month has Ryan Miller been run, only to have to defend himself? Where is the honor? In the past week, even the guys who bring any sort of physical attributes to the game have been cheap. Mair knocks Carter down as he is going to the bench. Peters grabs a jersey in the throat and refuses to square off with any rival. Kaleta, while a breath of fresh air, attempted a move out of the WWE on Avery the other night in order to end his fight prematurely. On top of this you have Connolly yelling at the Flyers bench after he somehow managed to fall himself into the boards and injure something. Who knows what it was, but we are running out of parts to tally.

All I am left with from this disaster of a year are soundbites etched in my head.

Darcy's "The Sky isn't Falling" and "Don't Come Shop Here!"

Quinn telling us that we were returning one of the best defenses in the league, and my personal favorite and a Freudian Slip, "We have a two legged horse here."

Now today we have Campbell begging in near tears, "Please Don't Boo Me."

Don't worry Brian, there won't be enough fans in the stands this time next year to boo your return.

[Rick]

One last comment..As far as comparing this to Briere & Drury...You are right about one thing ..There is no comparison..this is far worse..Campbell wanted to stay! Kevin you & W ....get some help!

[Rick]

Hey W..whatever you are smoking..remember to work with your drugs & not against them

[Rick]

My comments are directed towards other fans remarks..Great Story Bucky

[bean]

In response to W, it's about having credibility...with the fans AND the players. Mike Grier ripped these guys two years ago for the very same reasons everyone is angry right now. If you are Miller...why the **** would you want to sign here? Can he possibly think he ever has any shot at winning anything here when he watches player after player walk or get shipped out for younger players? You were close to winning the big prize, and management did everything they could to rip that team apart. When you have success in sports, you have to pay the freight. How does Anaheim do it? Every one of us would take a Stanley Cup if it meant having a few down years afterwards. But to be that close, only to break it apart to start all over again, is what has people upset. This team may make the playoffs, but how far can you realistically expect it to go? The management has ZERO credibility, and it's only a matter of time before fans revolt. It's obvious from reading these posts that some of them already have.

[Rick]

That's it Defend Tom The Savior...Ooooh oooh he doesn't have money to spend on Brian Campbell(a Veteran Player who was an AHL & NHL AlLStar, yeah he hasn't proved his worth or payed his dues) But what you are forgetting is that Galllisonnnnnnooo hasn't given us the tools to get the "Job Done"(oops that was the other owner who had us all flopping around in the boat down by the waterfront now he's Bubbas Boyfriend..ok maybe some justice served). Has Galllisonnnnooooo listened to the Fans since buying the Baaaaaafallllooooo Sabres in a Fire Sale. NOOOOOOOO Futhermore isn't this is the same Idiot who brought back the Biggest Hated Jerk in Baaaafffallllo Sports Management(who I won't even dignify by writing his name)then also wasted over 100 million dollars on not 1 but 2 stupid bids for the Gov.of NY.OOOHHHH Yeah he has no Money....Do everyone a Favor & SHUTUP!!!! Please

[Shawn]

I have to hand it to Bucky Gleason. At first I thought he was turning into Gerry Sullivan II, now I realize he was Paul Revere. Bottom line: "If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, guess what?" Quinn and Golisano are a couple of ducks. Regier can make an argument of what he wants, but at the end of the day he has to tow the line. The Sabres are turning into Jeremy Jacob's Bruins teams...build a contender and ride them as far as you can until they start asking for raises, then tear them apart and start over. How many Cups have the Bruins won with Jeremy Jacobs as the owner? ZERO!!!! Take note Larry and Tom! Fans want to root for players that personify the town, team chemistry, and love being here...you guys are making the Sabres into a gradual laughing stock again, not just around the country, but with the fans themselves. The Capitals do not fill their stadium, even when they are good, unless they are playing a marquee opponent, then half the stadium is filled with opposing fans because half of the population of the DC/NOVA/MD area are from other parts of the USA and Canada. They do not sell the merchandise or have the fan loyalty Buffalo has. They charge about the same for tickets as the Sabres...guess what? They pay salaries of guys they want to keep and are after more talent. I know this because I live in DC. Golisano and this team make lot's of money, those of us that are connected to Buffalo and other cities in our jobs know better. It will be interesting how quickly the season ticket base dwindles in Buffalo now. Here is a piece of advice, go after Brian Campbell and sign him for 8 years when he is up for free agency on July 1st and the fans may just think you are a bunch of wizards for pulling off a prospect, a first rounder, and getting Brian back in the end! Still, we will not delude ourselves with your cheap talk anymore. Thanks to you clowns, the Sabres have gone from the prototype team for the NEW NHL, to playoff bottom feeders at best. I once like Quinn and Goliasano, but now I think both are money grubbing bean counter who have the audacity to insult the intelligence of fans and pin this on the Sabre's player's each time they leave. Every one of these players had their agents give intital cash and duration terms that were reasonable...the Sabres management blew it every time. I think the Bills would be better off in Buffalo that in the hands of the likes of Golisano as the full owner. He will be fielding players from Division 2 & 3 colleges and telling you how lucky you are to be a fan!

[W]

Oh, and the difference between Brian Campbell and most fans? He is a world-class athlete that people will pay good money to go watch play. Thats the real difference. Was he wrong for not wanting the 3 year deal? No, I don't think so. He will get it. Count on that. Would any of us have done any different in a similar situation? I sincerely doubt it. Think about it. If your boss offered you less than you think you were worth, or told you he would only guarantee your job for a year, how would you feel?

[W]

You know what bothers me? When people act like it is Tom Golisano's responsibility to sign one player, no matter what. Sign Brian Campbell to a 6.something million dollar deal, and have Miller to sign next year, and what happens? Sabres over the cap. People need to look more carefully at where this team stands right now, and understand that this is not really about Golisano's pocketbook. There is a cap that is limiting all team's spending. Could they have re-signed Campbell? Of course they could have. Would it have been the best move for the team? Well, this is where the judgement call comes in. Sabres got a young, big forward in Bernier, a kid who plays physical hockey, and a #1. Worth it? Hard to say yet, but I think in the end it will be a good trade. Bernier, if he comes and hits people as he was doing in SJ, will be a fan favorite. Count on it. Thats worth something, at the very least, for a guy like Campbell.

[bean]

umm, last I checked, 29.5 mill isn't a hometown discount. It is, however, about a third of what Gaulinsano would nake if he sold the team

[Rick]

This is it Baaaaaafaaaalo... Finally the end is near & so I hear the final curtain...Oh yes for this I'm certain. We Got Gallisoonnnnnoooooo the Nut and Ralph the Greedy Old>>(expletive). Nobody respects Baaaafaaalo(Right Robie?)I mean He had to Sue to get The Baaafaaalo Sabres to give him his lifetime job. Comeon Fans of Buffalo Sport.. tell this team to take a flying crap!!!! What a joke!!! Brian Campbell?? Gone? RIDICULOUS!!!.. Screw Darcy Reeeeeegear....Don't listen to his BS spin.....It's time call it the way it is....BS....So when the Bills Leave and then the Sabres, Please at least have the decency to show the Fans and the City of Buffalo RESPECT, by turning the Lights Off when You leave. What a Sad day in Buffalo Sports!

[Hy]

WHAT'S NEW????
I can't blame Campbell - -at least he explained his situation to the public which is more than Briere or Drury did. If the fans can't accept that, tough !
He has spent 8 years without making a good salary, it's about time he did. All the Sabres had to do was give him an added 2 or 3 years and he would have stayed. The Sabres said 3 years and wouldn't budge so why should he plus they waited again when this could have been completed back in October. Sound familiar ???
And yes Jeff, it is depressing. I live in Florida now but born, raised and lived in Buffalo for years and have been following all Buffalo sport teams since 1947, still do and it always has been the same old story. Always a brides'maid, never a bride. Buffalo is its own worst enemy. The fans are great and deserve better. The city deserves better and yet it is shrinking. The Bills are next and I can recall seeing the first game they played (exhibition) at the Rock Pile against the Boston Patriots, 1960.I don't know what the answer is any more.
Ralph always spoke out the other side of his mouth.
Good luck Buffalo .

[West coast Sabre fan]

It's like deja vu all over again. My fear is that IOS is correct and we'll watch another fan favorite in Miller be the next to leave. Regier goofed on Drury and Briere, but it sure looks like Golisano put the lock on the piggybank on this one, probably due to the $$$ he had to shell out for Vanek.

[West coast Sabre fan]

It's like deja vu all over again. My fear is that IOS is correct and we'll watch another fan favorite in Miller be the next to leave. Regier goofed on Drury and Briere, but it sure looks like Golisano put the lock on the piggybank on this one, probably due to the $$$ he had to shell out for Vanek.

[Chet Zeshonski]

Putting myself in Brian Campbell's shoes, I would talk things over with my family and probably take the money. But I would not put on the "it's not about the money" charade. That's the difference between most fans and Brian Campbell.

[Disappointed Sabre Fan]

Regier, Quinn, & Galasano have killed the Sabres.

They keep deciding to cut our good players so we can win a cup cheaply...Well if they dont understand that other teams WILL PAY for a stanley cup and pay the right players we will never win. Buffalo will NEVER win a stanley cup...

This is the new NHL and if you don't realize you hafta pay good players and accept longer contracts then your just gonna get burnt...like Buffalo does over and over and over.

NEXT STEP: Ruff is gonna be gone...Miller will get traded...then we will have to get rid of our last 3 goal scorers...then well be back to basics...

thx management!

[Chris R]

I dont believe trading Campbell was a bad move. He was fast, but not the all around defenseman you need for that type of cash. For those you continue to harp on Drury and Briere, get over it. For the record, those guys benefited from the Sabres system as much as the Sabres benefited from them. Their stats will never be as good as they were in Buffalo. Could Quinn, Darcy, et al done more to keep them--absolutely! Did they? No. As far as Vanek goes, yes his contract is huge on the front end but decreases over time meaning that as he approaches his prime years, the Sabres will have a quality goal scorer for a very reasonable price. If they can lock up Miller and pick up a vet for the blue line and another playmaking forward they will be in good shape for next year. It is Ruff's system and coaching that make them successful. Lets not forget that Ruff has been to the conference finals 4x in his tenure in Buffalo including twice with teams equal to or worse than this years. If someone can coach these guys up it is Lindy.

[Geoffrey Anger]

Bean said it all. Exactly right.

[Dennis]

He should have left. I left Buffalo 10 years ago for double my salary. The question for Bucky is, why do you stay in Buffalo when you clearly can make big bucks in NY, LA, Chi, etc.? Just wondering.

[Heather B.]

"Gee, maybe they should have taken his five-year offer worth $25 million over the summer."

Nah. I don't think so.

[bean]

Bucky is right on the money. The fact is that with just a little foresight, this team could have had Drury, Briere, Campbell AND Dumont for the same money that Vanek makes this year plus what Campbell will get on the open market. It is the responsibility of the management to project the future ramifications of their decisions. It is no different in the management of any business. In any other company, the leader of their business would have been canned for their ineptness in understanding the issues they were going to face if they handled them the way the Sabre management team has handled their decision-making process. Today, I had the opportunity to listen to the local sports talk radio station. The host was crediting the Sabre management team for having the courage to stick to what they believe is right, no matter what public opinion suggests. What he fails to realize is that everyone who buys tickets has an equal right to be dissatisfied with the consistent bumbling that has gone on here over the last two years. The small market thing is overblown by this team out of convenience to cover up their own shenanigans. The last three Stanley Cups have been won in markets that had nowhere near the support of what the Sabres enjoy. Player after player after player has moved on, and every one of them could have been signed, should have been signed, and weren't signed. Keep buying tickets if you want, but I'm out. I can't support a team if they prove time and time again they don't have a clue in projecting their business marketplace. You wouldn't keep a stockbroker who led you down the wrong path. You wouldn't buy a car again from someone whose customer service was inept.
I can't imagine Golisano kept his managers at Paychex in their jobs if they performed the way his hockey team's management has. At least Bucky tells it like it is. The interviews on the team's radio and television stations have been nothing more than orchestrated attempts to keep the spin-doctoring moving along. This team has gone backwards. You can't blame the players who are no longer here for that.

[Don H]

Campbell has a right to make as much money as he can and the Sabres have a right not to pay him if they feel it's more than they can afford or if they think he's not worth that much. End of story.

[Jeff]

I also don't understand why people bring into the conversation how poorly Drury and Briere's stats are this year. I don't care how they do on other teams...they played really well in Buffalo, and that's where they needed to stay (at least Drury did, in my opinion.)

How is it relevant what Drury or Briere is doing on another team right now, with different teammates, different playing time, ect? Not relevant at all. Since they left, I can't speculate on how their numbers would be if they stayed, but you do have proof that they were good here...the stats of 2006. Stop bringing up irrelivant stats. It makes me nuts.

[danp727]

The 5 years for $25M offer Campbell supposedly made last summer really doesn’t make any sense. After seeing what happened in the free agent market last summer why would he and/or his agent Larry Kelly think that was a good deal? Why would they want to sign early unless he was getting an offer he really couldn’t refuse. If you recall, Sheldon Souray hung around the free agent market for a long time but ended up getting $27M over 5 years from Edmonton. Campbell was willing to accept less than Souray got? I don’t think so.

As far as the future goes, who knows? If Campbell had stayed with the Sabres and then gone to free agency, it’s likely he could have gotten a monster contract. But right now all he has is a new place to play out what’s left of this season and the playoffs. But he’s in a new division with a new team that holds high expectations for him. If he’s able to be an impact player in the Western Conference he will no doubt be highly sought after. But his future, at least in part, is now tied to the immediate future of San Jose.

Of the Sabres’ Alumni that are so often mentioned, Philadelphia isn’t jumping for joy over either Marty Biron or Daniel Briere and Chris Drury is looking pretty average for a $7M man. These three were all expected to make an immediate impact. For better or worse, now the same is expected of Brian Campbell.

[IOS]

There is no doubt Brian Campbell is not worth that kind of money. In all honesty I agree with them on this move.

The problem lies in that they let their talented players get to the final year of the contract.

They could of locked up both Drury and Briere for a lot less money at the end of the 2006 season. We would be hammering the Eastern Conference right now still...

[Happy]

Bucky Butt Head- Why don't you get a real job and do something creative? Your writings must be self exciting while boring the living hell out of every one else. Did your mother not like you when you hatched out of the egg?

[Mike]

I think the Sabres made a good move, their first since the Drury/Briere/Vanek debacle.

Drury and Briere leaving forced the Sabres to overpay on Vanek. I would have been ok with them letting Vanek walk and letting Edmonton eat that salary.

Briere is getting booed in Philly and isn't living up to the impossible expectations. Biron, as nice of a guy as he is, isn't a starting NHL goalie.

I didn't like Drury leaving, but Pominville, Roy and Vanek all have more points than he did.

The Sabres made a great deal in resigning Roy, for a reasonable amount of money.

Campbell is not worth Dan Boyle-like money, but with 30+ teams someone will offer him that kind of cash. It sucks that he left, but that is how it goes. You have to look at this every move as to well it helps the team, and resigning Campbell to a 6 year 40 million dollar contract would not have helped this team.

[IOS]

@ castigs corner

LOL why should I move out of the city? Because I don't sugar coat it?

Dumont
Grier
Drury
Briere
Campbell

There is three ALL STARS out of five players there in two years. Yea I see Ryan Miller sitting at home today thinking "Gee I can't wait to get that fat contact with this team..." What do you work for the Sabres PR department ? Two years... LOL...

[Jeff]

And to "Joe M", why should we shut up about the 5 for 25 "crap"? It just shows how terrible management is, and why aren't we supposed to hold people accountable for bad decisions like that?

Setting aside any statistic and speaking solely on watching the competition on the ice, I can honestly say I enjoyed watching Chris Drury play hockey every game. It was good to see a man so dedicated to his sport. He was such a leader. Took all the big faceoffs. Scored all the clutch goals. Took a puck in the face, and came back out on the ice to finsh the game.

Simply put, I miss watching the man play hockey in our city. I don't care if it wasn't a good "hockey decision" to sign him. To me, he is the only player in the NHL that I would gladly pay to watch. And isn't that what matters most? Management blew it, and how can I forgive them for that? Why should I?

[Jeff]

Seriously, Buffalo can't even get lucky and get a superstar that wants to play here. Even comparable cities (in population, location, history) have theirs:

Cleveland- Lebron
Pittsburgh- Sid the Kid
Green Bay- Favre
Indianapolis- Manning

I mean, who does Buffalo have that even rivals these kinds of elite athletes? JP Losman? I'd say Vanek is the closest we come...since him, who? Hasek? Jim Kelly?

It's just so depressing. Why can't we ever just catch a break? Instead, we are the farm team for the NHL. Lovely.

[castigs corner]

ios you should move out of buffalo i know a good real estate agent in Toronto you would get a super francise in the leafs and a brand new football team you pesimist. In 2 years when the sabres make another run dont paint your face and tell everyone you knew what they were doing all along

[IOS]

You keep forgetting that Miller has the final say if he resigns here or not. Do you honestly believe he will resign here with a team that let all that talent just walk out the door? Miller wants to win and win now. Not ten years down the road...

This time next year we will all be hammering Darcy for not getting enough for Miller...

[castigs corner]

sabres didnt goof here they dont have the ability to give him that money or that long of a contract. We need to have enough to sign miller July 1 wich is a lot more important than campbell They went out and got a 1st round pick that can hit and score a little but needs some guidence wich I beleive the orginization shows they are well at. You give us another 1st rounder next year, we can develope into another promising player. We did the best with what we had. You people complaining dont see the business side to this. You dont get to pick and keep all the best player as if it were gym class. This is not the same as Drury, danny this was the right move. o yeah any team would be perfect if they could go back in time and change mistakes. 5 for 25 is way over.