Drury agreed to deal last fall

The prevailing theme at Monday afternoon's news conference in HSBC Arena was that the player is the one who decides where he will sign as a free agent, not the team. That notion was repeated several times in different forms, leading one to believe Chris Drury and Daniel Briere simply didn't want to be Sabres anymore.

Turns out that couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, the co-captains on Sunday chose to play elsewhere. It even could be said they no longer wanted to be Sabres a few months ago.

But that wasn't always the case. Not nearly.

The Buffalo News learned a bombshell on Monday, and it will go down as one of the all-time embarrassments in Sabres history -- bigger than the broken fax machine, Artem Kryukov and the tumbling Jumbotron all rolled into one.

Drury last fall agreed to a four-year, $21.5 million contract to stay with the Sabres, a source with intimate knowledge of the negotiations told The News. The source said the sides made proposals -- the Sabres offered $20 million, Drury asked for $23 million -- and met in the middle. Then the Sabres either simply forgot or didn't feel the need make anything official. Maybe they didn't want to hurt Briere's feelings, but the Sabres never sent Drury's agent the agreed-upon contract.

After waiting for weeks, Drury instructed his agent to rescind their compliance because, the source said, Drury thought it was bad business.

What if Drury were to sustain a career-threatening injury on the ice? What if he were to get into a car accident? What if he were to slip into a prolonged scoring slump? With an unsigned contract hanging over his head, he would've needed to live up to those numbers (while getting paid a lesser sum) in order to guarantee its activation at some point. That's not the way it's done.

So Drury played the rest of the season with an uneasy feeling about how the Sabres conduct business and whether they truly wanted him around.

Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn and GM Darcy Regier insisted Monday they would have matched the Rangers' five-year, $35.25 million deal. In the process, they unfairly painted Drury as someone who couldn't wait to bolt for the door. The choice was Drury's, they suggested, and he chose the Rangers.

But he chose the Sabres first.

---Tim Graham

Comments

[Greg]

Can we just hit the rewind button here? This is like a bad dream that keeps getting worse. WTF??!!

[John]

This sounds way too crazy to be true. If I hear it from Drury I will believe it. In fact, if Drury is asked and he even says "no comment" I will believe it. But at this point it just sounds like kicking the Sabres when the are down. For all we know Drury told his agent to take the deal and the agent never told the Sabres because he knew he could get him more money. Yeah it's crazy but no crazier than a team "forgetting" to send a contract to its captain.

[Ralph]

I posted Sunday night respecting management's judgment with Briere and Drury. If this new story is accurate and Drury could have been signed as noted, this will cost Regier and possibly Quinn their jobs. Disgusting and unforgiveable!

[Don]

You gotta be ****ing me.

[sabresfan]

Not surprising. It's typical of the Sabres organization. Screw the players & the fans. What a shame they had to ruin what the team & the fans had. Players' loyalty means nothing to the "higher ups".

[Barton Keyes]

If the account is accurate, then Sabres' Management made fundamental errors of judgement. It treated the negotiations as if they were the usual game of give and take between management and labor. They treated Drury and Briere as employees; maybe high priced employees, but as employees nonetheless. But for Buffalo that is more often than not a losing strategy. Given the size of the market here, Buffalo can't compeat with other teams on a cash basis.
The Sabres need something other than money to keep their stars; another edge. That edge could be loyalty. And you create loyalty by treating your players as partners in a true team effort, not as salaried workers. And that starts from day one.
In this case that meant talking straight and frequently with Drury and Briere and their agents. It meant developing a relationship where they would have felt able to call up Management and ask: "Heh, where's that contract we verbally agreed on?" It means creating trust.
And yes it means honestly saying we sometimes can't even come close to matching another team's offer. But when that time comes, both management and the player need to be able to say that an honest, upfront effort was made to retain the player and it unfortunetly came up short.
And that hasn't happened here. Just look at the battling press conferences where both sides are attempting to cover their collective butts. That is the surest sign that the ball was dropped. And that a sense of mutual loyalty was not properly developed.

[EMC]

I think we failed somewhere? Wow Larry Quinn,that is the understatement of the year, maybe of the organization's entire existance. It begs the question, is the organization, the front office truly committed to winnning a stanley cup. No one can fault Drury for leaving Buffalo when the team treated him in such a classless manner. It's a shame that the fans are left wanting, and the team has lost it's two captains. We believe, that is extremely difficult to say when Larry, Lindy, and Darcy do not give you anything to believe in.

[Holly]

This is a classic example of how EVERYTHING is done in Buffalo - it's called "dropping the ball".

[Canes Fan]

What a train wreck. This just keeps getting better.

[g$]

I agree with one poster who said if I hear it from Drury I'll believe it, otherwise, it is just piling on. Give it up already, it's over and done with. Do you think those players are looking in the rear view mirror? Doubtful. Why don't you sportswriters and fans look ahead. No wonder why BUffalo is labeled as a loser city from a ntional point of view. You think like losers, fans and writers alike!!

[Marc]

I'd say the picture of Chris Drury in a Rangers uniform on the front page of the Buffalo News is the worst thing I have ever seen. Why are Quinn and Regier still employed???

[Joe]

After listening to this press conference, these 2 guys sound like bumbling idiots. Its no wonder that Briere and Drury left. Golisano should fire both these guys and get some respect back in the organization.

[Charles]

As a general rule, I always cheer for the Buffalo crest and not player because of free agency. But Chris Drury embodied everything a Buffalo fan wanted in a captain for their beloved hockey club. Regier and Quinn should have offered Drury a 4- or 5-year, $30- to $38-million deal the day the season ended. In light of the autumn propoosed pact, 4 years for $22 million, that would have made Regier and Quinn look like geniuses. Instead, they now they look like two bumbling fools.

[Debby]

They are not just looking like fools. They are fools!!!
They lost a great deal of fans over this!!!But, on the flip side, I think a little bit of lying is being done on each side

[MAL]

HOW DOES REGIER AND QUINN NOT GET FIRED BY GOLISANO AFTER THIS IS EXPOSED ! THEIR BUNGLING WILL COST TOMMY G. SOME CASH ...SOMETHING HE MUST LOVE DEARLY AS HE TREATS HIS SPORTS FRANCHISE LIKE IT IS A MONEY MAKING ENTITY AND HE NEEDS IT ! THIS IS RIDICULOUS ! WHAT A COMEDY OF ERRORS ! THE GANG THAT COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT ! TOM WAKE UP BEFORE QUINN HAS YOU IN CHAPTER 7 ! FIRE THEM AND SCOTTY BOWMAN FOR MANAGING PARTNER ...HE STILL IS ONE OF THE SHARPEST MINDS IN HOCKEY, LIVES IN AMHERST AND I AM SURE HIS PAST FAILURE IN BUFFALO EATS AT HIM EVERYDAY AS BUFFALO WAS THE ONLY PLACE HE DID NOT GET TO A STANLEY CUP FINAL UNDER HIS TENURE

[Joel M.]

G$ - Seriously? The News' job is to present information and the columnist's job is to analyze. Intelligent people are retrospective. Complaints are a measure of accountability, and the lack of them could be read as approval.

The only loser here is you.

[kathy]

I've lived between NYC and Philly for over a decade. I had to leave Buffalo for job reasons, but my heart has always been "home". I've faithfully followed the Sabres and the Bills for the entire time that I've been gone. They're teams from my hometown and I was caught up in all the same excitement that everyone who has stayed in Buffalo was enraptured in. Now, I see Chris Drury on the NY news wearing a Rangers jersey with a smile on his face. I hear the buzz from the Flyers fans about Briere. I almost wanted to believe that it was the greed of these players that caused them to sign elsewhere. It would have made it easier to deal with. Now, after seeing this incredible blunder by the Sabres and hearing about the lack of respect and good business practice that they displayed, I don't blame these guys for leaving. They were the core of the franchise and they were ignored. Why? Why ignore such players who have done so much for the team, the city and the amazing and loyal fans?

As I said, I live in Jersey. I despise the Devils and can only tolerate the Flyers. I've found that Rangers fans, although far brasher than those from Buffalo, are passionate about their team. Flyers fans are too, just in different ways. I'm now happy for the Flyers and Rangers fans for acquiring such top talent. These teams want to win and they're committed to it. I wish Danny and Chris the best. I don't blame them for leaving. Wouldn't you? If your boss was more-or less ambivalent as to whether you stayed in your job? What's the first thing that we'd all do? Look somewhere else. Can you blame them? I certainly don't.

I don't know how I feel about the Sabres organization now. I know that there are plenty of talented players who still remain, but what has happened really upsets me. The major thing that I feel is betrayal, among other things. I know that the Sabres will always be my team and that the fans of Buffalo will always be the best and most deserving fans anywhere, but I might just have to check out a few Flyers and Rangers games to root for these guys. I wish them well.

[RSZski]

Excuse me, did I miss something? We are suppose to put ourselves broke for two players who didn't exactly lead us to the promised land? Guys, we didn't even make the finals!! Let them go!! We have a good young group...if we can catch a few experienced players to fill in, we can do well. Just make the playoffs and anything can happen.

Our "leaders" didn't get this team ready to go in the playoffs. I say I hope Briere enjoys counting his money in April while playing golf and Drury enjoys the Manhattan traffic!!

One more thing...Scotty Bowman WAS a genius...if he was still that good, 29 other teams would take him!! Stop living in the past!!! Throwing money around like the Rangers of old will cost teams in the long run in this new NHL!! See Tampa Bay and the Yashin debacle on the Island.

[RSZski]

Excuse me, did I miss something? We are suppose to put ourselves broke for two players who didn't exactly lead us to the promised land? Guys, we didn't even make the finals!! Let them go!! We have a good young group...if we can catch a few experienced players to fill in, we can do well. Just make the playoffs and anything can happen.

Our "leaders" didn't get this team ready to go in the playoffs. I say I hope Briere enjoys counting his money in April while playing golf and Drury enjoys the Manhattan traffic!!

One more thing...Scotty Bowman WAS a genius...if he was still that good, 29 other teams would take him!! Stop living in the past!!! Throwing money around like the Rangers of old will cost teams in the long run in this new NHL!! See Tampa Bay and the Yashin debacle on the Island.

[James]

What a joke!!! That is why Larry Quinn was gone in the first place and Regier should have been out on his you know what years ago. Golisiano had better get someone in there to handle the contract negotiations of the next wave of players before they are all gone too. Drury for 4 years at $21.5 million! The Sabres didn't jump on that? Pathetic.

[SAM]

CHEAP CHEAP IS THE THINKING OF SABRE MANAGEMENT. THE PEOPLE OF BUFFALO PUT THEM ON THEIR SHOULDERS AND CARRIED THEM TILL THEY BECAME THE TOP SPROTS TEAM IN AMERICA AND WHAT DID THEY DO CHOPPED THEM AT THE KNEES TOOK THE PROFITS AND RAN, SHAME SHAME

[Mica]

Miller said it best :

“It’s a hard time for a lot of guys, but [Drury and Briere] better hope they didn’t teach us too much because they’re going to have to contend against us. Leadership is changing hands on our team, but the attitude still will be there. I’m going to make sure to the best of my abilities to keep them in our rear-view mirror.”

If they don't WANT to be here...fu** 'em!

[Dan]

Come on people, wake up. Quinn is never going to be fired, he's Tom's right hand man.

If you were the owner of a company you knew very little about, would you fire the guy who knew (supposedly) what he was doing and fed you all your informnation about the company you own?

Quinn can rotate this any way he wants to Gollisano, and Tom will believe it because he's not "in the know" enough to know.

[Mike]

Don't worry, soon the Sabres and Bills will move out of town too. But we'll still have our third franchise...BABY JOE MESI!

[Scott R]

Marketing Nightmare - yeah the Sabres are a business and not a bank, however a business aims to satisfy their customer base. While Briere was not a marketable commodity, Drury was. If Sabres management did indeed drop the ball on #23 then heads have to roll - as they would in any good business. It has to start with management answering what happened last October - after all, their customer base has already committed to 2007-2008 and deserves straight answers.

[John]

Despite my earlier doubts, there is probably something to this, but it is not as simple as management just forgetting or not caring enough to follow up ... there could be any number of reasons ... maybe Darcy and Quinn agreed to the deal and Tommy G shot it down because he wanted Drury playing for a contract ... he has said many time he wishes everyone was on a one-DAY contract, let alone one YEAR ...
Someone screwed this one up, no doubt. I am not suggesting I like it. But as long as this team is in Buffalo I will support it. Fans lost over this will either be back quickly or were not really fans to begin with. They were front-runners.

[Beast Man]

John, do you know why Buffalo has never won a championship? Because morons like you accept losing. I don't care what their excuse is, great teams keep their core players. Do you honestly think we can win with vanek, roy, kalinin and a host of other soft players.
A real fan of hockey would be furious at the ineptitude of the 3 idiots running this team.
Hey Lindy, do you have a sack? Why hasn't the greatest coach never to win (sorry Marv) spoken up?
John, you sound like Bush "your either with us, or against us". I'm an angry fan because my dream of winning the cup will never be realized!

[Igor]

Tom G, this is not fans being frustrated, they are people that are not able to be fooled because they have been around too long.. Please find someone that can run a hockey team that can build and winner and not have cheap shots taken at them as well as the players.. Again everyone here that bought jerseys and season tickets is going to be laughed at around the league. I guess selling out every game and leading the league in merchandise sales was just expected out of us losers right?

[Gary]

Maybe it was Gollisano who nixed the Drury deal last fall, because he is trying to run the team like a business, or can Quinn and Reigier be that stupid. I guess we'll never know, the bungling began spring '06 when we could have had McKee and Briere long term. It makes me sick thinking about it.

[Dave F]

I have lived in Massachusetts for the last 11 years and I have made almost every game at the Garden\TD banknorth when the boys were in town. I have also purchased the Center Ice package since its inception so as to follow every game. Losing Drury (who can not be replaced) is the biggest kick in the head since last years mess (see Grier) and the LaFontaine incident of years past and I am sick of it. How can I justify continuing to spend my hard earned money for all the games in Boston (at least $300 a head), cable service and merchandise when this is what fans like me get in return. I hope the Sabres have learned a lesson and never allow this to happen again; otherwise, the Sabres turning into the Pirates of hockey will come to fruition.

[Greg]

Is it possible that, after winning the first 11 games or so, the Sabres Brass thought that we were going to win a Stanley Cup and pulled Drury's offer because of it.

Something really stinks here. Whatever it is, Buffalo fans deserve better than this. We haven't seen arrogance like this since Tom Donahoe left town. Sad.

[Paul]

Being a former Western New York resident, I may have developed a different "take" on this matter. The object of the exercise is to win the Stanley Cup. The regular season championship is nice but certainly well short of the goal. To achieve the cup, changes have to be made, even though they may be unpopular.
The team needs to be retooled to be competitive in the playoffs. As I read recently, the "grit" factor did the Sabres in. Time for changes or get used to good seasons and poor playoffs.

[Dan from Philly]

If this is true, Reiger should be out of a job. This is the biggest F up in the history of the team. What does this say to other free agents out there? What does this say to young prospects who want to go to a team who cares? Reiger should have been axed a long time ago. He got lucky the lockout ended with the changes it did to the game. Its time for new leadership. He's Tom Donahoe in a hockey sweater.

[BP]

Larry Quinn is a joke, and should be banned from Buffalo. He is a known liar and someone who doesnt care about our city or franchise, only his pocketbook. He will rot for this, and he should pay, with his job.

[BP]

Larry Quinn is the one to blame for this. He doesn't care about our city or our franchise, he only cares about his pocketbook. He should pay for this with his job but won't. He couldn't do the job five years ago, why did Golisano think he could do it now? Was it because he was out of a job and fired from his most recent job? Larry good job building the arena, now get the hell out of Buffalo.

[g$]

Joel M, the writers job is to analyze, not whine like a loser. Maybe you should be GM of the sabres, then what you could go on Tv and cry in front of everyone. It's all conjecture and heresay anyway about what happened with Drury. They have no facts about what did or did not transpire. "A source close to the negotiation" what a joke. My point was, but you're too stupid to see it, let's look forward instead of lamenting what was.......

[Gerry in Jersey]

Dumb and Dumber for two reasons: 1) D & B are rare, humble athletes who bring 100% to every game and give the team and fans their money's worth. Even rarer are guys like D, who thrive when the pressure is the greatest. Furthermore, both of these guys are just reaching their prime. 2) Nothing since the Bills super bowl days has brought the WNY community together like the Sabres of 06-07. This is a combination punch, one for the team and one for the WNY community.

[Kevin]

Both Reiger and Quinn should be put up in Liberty Square and be sentenced to a firing squad. This is a disgrace to the fans, the remaining members of the team, and anyone who practices good business. Their track record of treaty captains is absymal and there needs to be a change in management if we are going to have a chance to win again, whenever that will happen. I am truley disgraced about this entire situation. I am from Buffalo, but I go to school in New York City. I can tell you that I have not heard one thing about Chris signing with the Rangers at work, my friends from NYC, on the news, or around town. The picture of Drury putting on a Rangers jersey made me throw up in my mouth. I am disgusted.

[Hockey Fan]

Quinn and Regier are taking the heat for Golisano's decision to pull the contract in October. Do you think they can actually come out and admit that? It's time to call in Golisano and put him out there publicly ...we deserve to hear from you, Tom....

[Frank]

Can we please remember a few players from our Buffalo past...

We thought losing Eric Moulds and Peerless Price were the end of the line for the Bills because they were such great players...Price went to Atlanta to barely catch any balls and Moulds to Houston to be blown away by a rookie

Some hated losing Satan, Peca, LaFontaine, Zhitnik, and Barnes. Those moves didn't sink our team like we feared.

I understand that this situation is slightly different, but at the end of the day, the only fact we know for certain is that the Sabres were willing to make match any offer to Drury. However, Drury (and/or his agent) made up their mind that they were looking elsewhere.

Blame whoever you want, but that won't change anything. Complaining about it won't change anything either. True, it will hurt us not to have them in the line up, but have a little faith. Hockey experts, and many fans around here (don't lie, you were probably one of them), were so certain that we were going to miss the playoffs at the start of the 2005-06 season, but we surprised everyone.

Don't sell this team short, they have a tendency of surprising us.

[Kevin]

This team had a tendency of surprising us when they had a core of magical players who were full of heart. They no longer have that.

[bonk5]

I will never trust Sabres management again when it comes to their statements about the importance of the Sabres fans. We center our lives around Sabres games. We invest our emotions. We scour the newspapers and Internet for news. Then, like a hokcey gold digger, the Sabres slap us in the face and walk away.

[Greg]

To those people saying it was okay that Drury and Briere are gone, we need to move on and the Sabres will be better, they know what they are doing, here's what you are missing....THEY WANTED CHRIS DRURY BACK!!!!! It's this fact and how they screwed it up that people are upset about because any idiot knows that you don't take a President's Cup-winning team and then remove both of your captains. The Sabres look like idiots here.

[Greg]

Frank, pardon me, but Eric Moulds ain't no Chris Drury.

(Neither is Price, Satan, Barnes, Peca, or Zhitnik)

LaFontaine had concussion problems and should have retired.

[margaret]

Of course I agree that losing Briere and Drury was a huge blunder, but people aren't giving the rest of the team enough credit. When ever someone says that Danny and Chris were the heart and soul of the team, he's insulting each and every player that has been fighting for the sabres this past season. What have they been doing during games? Making designs in the ice with their skates?

Sure, we lost some great leaders, but you can bet that Miller is going to step up and take a hold of this team and lead them to the playoffs this coming season. So please, everyone, let's not alienate the players who are going to be playing for us still.

[Ashammed for the 2]

What a bunch of loosers those two are. Did they honestly think this would wash well with the fans?? Do they really think this will all smooth over?? Not with me it won't and I know plenty of others who feel the same.!!!!!!!!!!!

[John]

Hey Bucky Gleason. Last year you gushed over the Sabres and said pretty much what you said today. You said the sky is the limit and gloated over the Sabres all season long. Never mentioning their shortcomings until after the season when it was easy to do so. So you will excuse me if I take your analysis of keeping Briere and Drury and adding a little toughness as the answer to winning the cup with a grain of salt. That said, it is indeed managements fault for letting these two get away. However, the thing that really stinks about the entire ordeal here is that the Sabres should have made the first season ticket payment due after say July 7th and not on June 25. This would have given the fans time to evaluate if they wanted to renew their tickets or not after the free agent frenzy. If I still lived in Buffalo, I would still have my season tickets like I once had for 10 years even after losing the co-captains. But that's just me. I think it would only be fair to the people that would not want to renew based on the teams personnel dicisions to have the chance to cancel their tickets now without penalty if they choose to do so. The Sabres certainly could have waited two more weeks for that first payment. What is obvious though is that they knew what was going to happen and didn't want to risk having season ticket cancellations after Briere and Drury were gone. That's a little sneaky to say the least.

[gary]

i have said this before,the blame rests on the shoulders of quinn,period.regeir had no atourity to offer anything because he wasnt under contract,this being said,the supposed offer they sent to drury before,should have been sighned,the heck with the feelings of brier.did he show any towards us?obviously he wanted to bolt.i was at the last game in the regular season in philly,and the conversatio he had with biron was way to long for the hi how you like it here.
quinn had better get a grip on reality,he knew the circumstances that were brewing here.he should have used his power as the gm,to step up and insist they sign him,while the fire was hot.and he was willing to sign,and the same goes with brier.they would have both still remained if they lose their stance on not talking while the season is going on.at any corporation anywhere,if there are labor or contract talks,you keep them going untill you can stike a deal,not shut down,claiming distraction.do corporations shut the doors on working folks because they are about to end their contracts?no.they keep on working and try to settle the issues before the possibility arises where we lose business.this to me is another curse of being a captain in buffalo.history has shown us no matter who becomes the captain gets the shaft.and yes,this includes gilbert,he wasnt involved with the organization,for a time because he was not pleased with the organization,for the fact they let rene go to colorado i beleive,and martin shotly after left too.he has ask they keep them for another couple years,imagine the french connection,and scotty bowman as the coach all at the same time.so it goes to show you,you get the "c" and you are sure to leave.i wish them both the best with their money,but i will boo them,they are also to blame,for their greed.but i by no means will give up on my TEAM.go sabres.im now packing another set of jersays i wont where.and i understand why people never put names on theirs,almost like tattooing a girls name on you body,it is soon to fail.my only hope of the defensive style they want to impliment will work.and connoly keeps his head up.go sabres.im still going,and maybey i can find some non inflated tickets this year too.this may also be a blessing in disguise.its july,lets wait till we see what the roster will be made of before you think you see rats jumping off the ship,before we start a mutiny.i do also think we need cunneyworth up here now more than ever,afterall,he has been the force behind all the kids that are going to have the chance to prove themselves now.we had 5 others hit the 50 point mark too,so lets nt dis them,them along with miller can make it work.or did you all forget about the concept of TEAM.

[Stan]

Hockey Fan wrote: "Quinn and Regier are taking the heat for Golisano's decision to pull the contract in October."

HF your guess is possibly true, but how do you know that it wasn't Quinn who dragged his feet October?

As far as I know, Regier reports to Quinn - and not directly to Golisano.

Somebody inside the Sabres organization should spill the beans about this.

[Dan from Philly]

Are we really comparing Drury to Stu Barnes and Zhitnik? Satan wasn't a leader. Peca was completely screwed, and by guess who?

I can deal with losing Briere, but again, the Drury loss is going to result in a struggle for an 8 seed. Especially given the fact they've gone after NOBODY else.