Sabre Rattling

TBN -- Tom G. on Building a Winner

Link: Buffalo News - Despite bad vibes, Golisano says Sabres doing it right.

I've been very impressed with Tom Golisano's handling of the Sabres since he took over.  Quibbling aside it looks to me that he has a goal in mind and a plan by which to get there.  I know that some of the fans I've talked to (and I'd love Chainshot's follow-up opinion on this) have wondered if that plan is the optimal one or not.  There are no doubt glaring holes in the Sabres current lineup.  Make no mistake, this does not look like a Stanley Cup capable team right now, but, given the demographics of the market and dire circumstances of just three years ago having a plan that is profitable within those parameters is the surest way to building a long-term success on the ice.

Gleason's hyperbole doesn't help the situation at all:

With so many box-office hits in one week, who needs public-relations disasters? Of course, the negative vibes reverberating from South Park and Main came after fans were so disenchanted with Buffalo's performance in free agency that they practically longed for the good ol' days under the previous collective bargaining agreement.

Not this fan.  Some yes.  But, certainly not me.

Tom Golisano has built a helluva lot more in his life than most of his detractors, and while he may not be the most experienced hockey mind around, he does understand how to build something up from nothing.  My view is that when he took over the Sabres were nothing.  There wasn't much if anything of value other than the personel in the organization.  The price he paid only covered their current debt load, if I remember correctly.  You don't build a house from the roof trusses down.  And regardless of what Tom Benjamin and his ilk are saying about not being able to build through the draft under this CBA, or any CBA, you don't build a hockey franchise from the Star Player down either.  You still build through shrewd acquisition of talent, buying low and selling high. The draft is still an important part of that equation. [see comments for edits, which are bolded... *hangs head in shame*]

Keenanization Means Never Failing to be a Prick

Link: Herald.com | 08/15/2005 | 'Keenanization' of Panthers is under way.

Mike Keenan is a prick.  That's it, and recently, not even a winning prick.  Check out this surprisingly good article from the Miami Herald.  It's a great run-down of why Keenan may not succeed in Florida.  Who says there are no knowledgable hockey people in the south?

His moves with Luongo will backfire on him, in my opinion, even if Roberto shows class and plays Vezina-class hockey for him this year.  If Keenan is around next year when they do this again, expect the same result.  All contract overtures will be denied and Luongo will move from Miami when he's able. 

Ta,

Something's Gotta Give in the Swamp

Link: TSN.ca - NHL - Canada's Sports Leader.

New Jersey Devils

Player                     Contract Notes                      2005-2006 Salary (US)
Martin Brodeur                                                               $5,237,238
Brian Rafalski             Re-signed UFA (New Jersey)          $4.2 million
Patrik Elias                 Re-signed RFA (New Jersey)          $4.18 million
John Madden                                                                 $3,861,561
Vladimir Malakhov        UFA (Philadelphia)                       $3.6 million
Alexander Mogilny        UFA (Toronto)                             $3.5 million
Jeff Friesen                 Re-signed RFA (NJersey)              $2.28 million
Scott Gomez                Re-signed RFA (NJersey)              $2.2 million
Dan McGillis                 UFA (Boston)                               $2.2 million
Viktor Kozlov                Re-signed RFA (NJersey)              $1.746 million
Colin White                  Re-signed RFA (NJersey)              $1.71 million
Jamie Langenbrunner   Re-signed RFA (NJersey)               $1,655,130
Sergei Brylin                                                                   $1.52 million
Richard Matvichuk                                                          $1.368 million
Jay Pandolfo                                                                   $836,000
Krzysztof Oliwa                                                               $836,000
Grant Marshall                                                                $760,000
Brian Gionta                 Re-signed RFA (New Jersey)         $627,000
Erik Rasmussen                                                              $532,000
Darren Langdon                                                              $450,000
Sean Brown                   Re-signed RFA (NJersey)             $450,000

21 Players                                                     $43,748,929

I have to wonder if Marty Brodeur is the odd-man out in New Jersey?   Crazy?  Maybe, but with the money Lou has thrown at the three UFA's listed above, someone's obviously gotta go... and Marty can't score goals for this team.  If he's not gone then Elias/Madden along with someone else certainly is. 

But, to make matters worse the Devils have the following at LW currently under contract:
Elias, Rassmussen, Oliwa and Pandolfo.... On RW you have Mogilny, Langenbrunner, Friesen, Gionta and Marshall.  Gionta's not going anywhere, he's one of the few real bargains on this team.  Friesen or Langenbrunner are making real money, and neither should be getting 3rd lines minutes.  Probably Friesen goes in this case, but that's only $2.2 mill and you still have Jay Pandolfo penciled in as your #2 LW?  BTW, do note the lack of Backup-goalie at this point... so add a minimum of $450k to the above salary picture.

Maybe someone who knows the Devils organization better can enlighten me as to how they get out of cap hell without turning Elias or John Madden (this team is deep at center as well) and Friesen into two Top-6 quality forwards for around $1.5 million total?

You move Brodeur for a cheap young goalie to learn behind that stellar defense and a great many problems are solved.  Paging Darth Regier... Ryan Miller, a pick and 2 forwards for Brodeur and either Colin White or David Hale. Or something like that.

Ta,

TBN - Sullivan's Useless Follow-Up

Link: Buffalo News - Sabres looking penny wise, hockey foolish.
I would expect a local newspaper to employ someone as a sports writer whose articles can rise above the worst level of internet message board writing.  But, the Buffalo News can't seem to do that.  Jerry Sullivan may really care about the Buffalo Sabres but he has a funny way of showing it.  He sounds like every busybody with a pet cause complianing to their local government to just 'DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING!"  Maybe Darcy should show Jerry he cares by sending him a get well card for the burr up his ass!

As I said yesterday who cares about the malcontents leaving because they didn't feel like they were treated properly.  Maybe it was they who had the loser mentality while Ruff, in an unbelievably bad situation, demanded that they play a brand of hockey that would give them the best chance for success and still expected them to give a full accounting of themselves on every shift, no exceptions, no special favors because your Doug Gilmour or whoever it was you used to be. Regier and Ruff have been slowly acquiring what they think is a balanced group of players with both talent and heart. 

Sayeth La Sullivan:

 

You can bet that the typical free agent is aware that Lindy Ruff's defensive-minded system has suppressed the offensive statistics of virtually every skilled forward who has played for him in Buffalo.

And, tell me Jerry just who would those skilled forwards be?  Dixon Ward?  Michael Peca? Chris Gratton?  or maybe it was the paragon of NHL ability Michael Grosek?  This is typical lazy, straw-man stuff.   The truth is people like Peca, Stu Barnes, Varada, and yes, Satan were never better than when they played for Lindy Ruff and his so-called defensive system.  Seemed to work for Bowman and LeMaire, didn't it?   I mean, how many coaches in the NHL currently would have been able to extract 17+ minutes a night from career AHL'er Rory Fitzpatrick and not have it cost them their job? 

Ruff is the teams greatest asset.  Anyone who can't see this is in desperate need of an eye exam.  Then again, this team was 10th in Goals For last year and no one had more than 30, including the Dark Lord himself. Zhitnik wasn't expendable, he just wasn't worht $3.5 milion a year for 4 years, and he was an impediment to Dmitri Kalinin's growth, which became obvious once Z was injured during the stretch run of '03-04.

TBN -- Briere, Captain Material?

Link: Buffalo News - Sabres still working to get in the game.

Well, we must be getting close to hockey season The Buffalo News has actually had some Sabres coverage.  I may faint, three articles in two days this week.  On the heels of yesterdays dirty laundry list comes this more reasonable assessment of the Sabres current situation.  I'm pleased that Tim Graham decided not to take any pot shots at the organization lack of current moves and place them in the longer-term context.

The quotes he got from Daniel Briere though sum up the kind of attitude that needs to be universal in the locker room for this team to succeed:

"Some teams will have to unload, and that's where we can take advantage," said Briere, acquired for Chris Gratton at the 2002 trade deadline, one of Regier's all-time best moves. "If we as players can put ourselves in good position through the first two or three months and don't fall off the charts right off the bat, we could become a very dangerous team if we can pick up an extra guy or two.

"It's up to the players we have right now to keep us in a playoff spot. When management sees how we have done they'll make the appropriate moves."

He's placing the burden of success on his shoulders.  This team has been lacking in leadership since Peca left and it seems that now we're beginning to see who is and who will be the leadership going forward.  Zhitnik and Satan either didn't want to or were incapable of doing it.   

If Briere backs these words up with his play on the ice and gets the rest to do the same then I'll be too happy watching them win to remember what did or did not happen during the off-season.

Ta,

TBN -- Pariah Sabres? Outcast Unclean?

Link: Buffalo News - Loose lips sinking Sabres?

This is a deatailed list of those who have left the Sabres in the past 5 years on less than admirable terms.  It should be no mystery to anyone that Lindy Ruff is a hard man to play for.  He despises laziness and lack of consistency.  Now, I'm not defending Ruff's handling of players, because it seems that he misjudges a guy on occassion.  And, while having to deal with the worst kind of off-ice distractions (bankrupcy, the Rigases, etc.) his margin for error, as is the entire organization's, is pretty slim.  Anyone who has watched this team closely for the past four years knows this. 
But, honestly, how many guys quoted in that article have left the Sabres and torn it up or played to the level they did when they were here? 

The only one who has, in my mind, is Slava Kozlov, and that's only because he was on an even worse squad with lower expectations than Buffalo's.  Peca's numbers have dropped off as has his ability to stay healthy.  Who cares what Chris Gratton thinks?