Bucky, Butler and more
A quick look at some of the NHL items from today:
*"Take a few twirls around the Northeast Division, and all but one team is either making significant attempts to improve or doing what they can to keep what’s in place," Bucky Gleason writes. "The Senators and Canadiens have playoff talent. Boston should be back near the top of the division. The Leafs will only get better.
"The Sabres are doing, well, nothing. Their idea of upgrading the organization so far has been signing Steve Montador. What, Doug Janik wasn’t available? If anything, they’re actually worse. [Jaroslav] Spacek wasn’t worth the money he’s collecting from Montreal, but dropping him and adding Montador is a net loss."
*Chris Butler was a potent defenseman and power-play cog in college at Denver, and he wants that role in the NHL. The chance is there. The Sabres lost defenseman Jaroslav Spacek to Montreal in free agency. Spacek was a special teams quarterback and the best point-producer on the blue line. Someone needs to replace his output, and General Manager Darcy Regier has already hinted Butler is the guy to do it.
"I'd like to become more of an offensive threat," Butler said.
*Williamsville's Todd Marchant re-signed with Anaheim for two years.
*Chris Pronger wanted to make sure he spent more than one season in Philadelphia, agreeing to a seven-year contract extension. (The Flyers are Cup contenders, but these long-term deals are going to hurt them at some point.)
---John Vogl
