Darcy getting calls
Darcy Regier just said Day Two of free agency is differing from Day One in one interesting regard. On Tuesday, Regier was calling the agents. Today, it's the agents calling him. There are still defensemen left on the market, and the ones who think they fit the Sabres are giving the Sabres' general manager a call, he said.
Regier reiterated trades are the most likely route to fill their needs on the blue line.
---John Vogl
The Sabres are the talk of the town and much of that talk will be here. Sabres beat writers John Vogl and Mike Harrington get you behind the scenes, and columnists Bucky Gleason and Bob DiCesare provide perspective with frequent postings on the team and the league.
Elma,
Your words, not mine.
"Perhaps what this story means is that the GMs that Jump on Day 1 usually end up overpaying, and GMs who are patient and wait for the "PR Flurry" to clear end up getting people at reasonable (or even value) prices."
Nearing end of Day 3.
Wait, maybe you meant that The Excuses have until this years trading deadline to make a move. I know that was the case LAST year too.
Hey, what did they do last year at the trading deadline???? That's right, they MADE EXCUSES didn't they!
Posted by: Buffalo Excuses | July 03, 2008 at 03:33 PM
Yo Chad, are you kidding me? "These people don't have much of an arguement"? Really? Here is what I have witnessed the last 2 years. The Sabres have gone from cup contender to losing our three best players because we can afford to pay them, or can't pull the trigger early enough to sign them at the right price or just simply are more interested in turning a profit than winning a Stanley Cup. In case you need me to elaborate the three are Drury, Briere and Campbell. Now we have to sit around and get excited about the signing of Patrick Lalime? This while knowing the Sabres are an estimated 17 million under the cap? Wake up brother, they missed the playoffs last year and are heading for a repeat. If you want to sit around lamenting that Darcy is doing the right thing by not spending Tom Golisano's money that is one thing, but to say that the fans that are starting to get impatient have no arguement is BS. All the arguement they need is to look at the standings last year and understand that we have not done one thing this off season to improve the team for NEXT SEASON yet (and that includes Lalime's 12-15 games when he proves to be no better than Thibeaux). I even heard Darcy Regier comment on the radio the other day that he has "no idea where this market is going", how comforting is that to hear your General Manager say that.
Posted by: Slice | July 03, 2008 at 03:16 PM
Elma, don't bother, these people are angry and want to rant. They know they don't have much of an argument, so they start resorting to personal attacks. I'm glad I'll be out of town all day, it's going to remain ugly on these boards for some time, I think. Was this how it was last year? Worse?
Posted by: Chad | July 03, 2008 at 07:06 AM
Excuses - I'm sorry, I didn't realize that free agency closed on July 2nd. Did the trading deadline get moved up to July 3rd?
Just a sampling of transaction dates:
Spacek - July 5th
Numminen - August 2nd
Lydman - August 25th
Chris Drury - July 3rd
I'm not saying the Sabres are going to make a ton of transactions, but it doesn't need to be done by the end of July 2nd.
Posted by: ElmaGolf | July 03, 2008 at 06:48 AM
Uhhh...Elma and P.E., It is the end of day 2. Where are the bargains? I mean the ones that The Excuses signed.
BTW,
Patrick Lalime for $2.0 Million....Whattabaaahgain!
Heather, when are the calls going to result in trades?
Hello????
cricket, cricket, cricket...
Is that a stale dial tone I hear???
Posted by: Buffalo Excuses | July 02, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Hey did anybody really expect Darcy to spend any money on FA's? I hoped but knew the big day would come and go with nothing new. The current team didn't make the playoffs and nothing was done to improve a non playoff team. They will over spend stupid money on Miller and think that will be the saving grace without changing anything else. Darcy did exactly what deep down you thought he would.
Posted by: Mike In Florida | July 02, 2008 at 09:04 PM
As long as Darcy cuts the deadwood by the time camp opens, I'll be satisfied. But I wonder sometimes if he knows how to saw.
Posted by: Greg | July 02, 2008 at 06:48 PM
We can all sit around and say how crazy these salaries are and before you know there is nobody left to sign. But the reality is that this is the way things are and Darcy sticking to his prinicples really does very little for our team.
I wonder if Darcy calls his wife after a long hard day at the office and say, I'll be home soon honey, I'm just going to stop at the supermarket for a few things. Than retunrs home empty handled, commenting that the prices are just too high, but I'll go shopping again tomorrow......
Freaking incredible, get ready for another Nolan Pratt signing folks.
Posted by: Slice | July 02, 2008 at 04:53 PM
the Sabres are the retarded child of the NHL which is a retarded child itself.
Posted by: Sal | July 02, 2008 at 04:29 PM
Campbell getting over $7 million is a joke people. The best defenseman in the league (and arguably the best ever) Nick Lidstrom is only making $7.5 million. To paraphrase Lloyd Benson, "I know Nick Lidstrom. Nick Lidstrom is a favorite player of mine. You sir (Campbell) are no Nick Lidstrom."
Posted by: JB | July 02, 2008 at 03:38 PM
well, now Jarkko Ruutu is a senator. Yippee.
Why would we need another gritty, tough, talented player on our team when we have Peters??
Jarkko for 1.3M per year is ridiculous money to throw at somebody with toughness and heart.
ok...sarcasm off now. Darcy better have something up his sleeve.
Super duper.
Posted by: DR | July 02, 2008 at 03:36 PM
ElmaGolf is correct that GMs who jump on day 1 overpay. Did you see what Commodore got? Insane. And Soupy is not worth $7.1 million a year - especially for 8 years! Chicago will be happy for the next 2 years, but I'll bet they will be wanting to buy him out by year 6. I don't know if it is so much that Darcy lowballs as that he waits too long to make his offers. It seems to me that he makes the offer about a year too late for him to get the player to accept it. (McKee; Briere; Campbell). But nice recovery with Campbell. Darcy gets a player and a first round pick; San Jose gets a rental player for 2 months and still loses early in the playoffs. But maybe the Gaustad signing and the Miller talks mean he's finally learning his lesson. Let's see what happens with Pominville.
Posted by: P.E. Carr in Calgary | July 02, 2008 at 03:16 PM
Speaking of calls, I wonder if Sullivan is still waiting for Golisano's call.
Posted by: Don H | July 02, 2008 at 02:51 PM
Jeff, Ricky - Darcy last season made one of the most watched trades of the year. Have you no memory? He's also been in touch with Miller's agent, re-signed Goose, has Roy and Hecht locked up. The bitter Buffalonians rear their heads!!
Posted by: Mighty Larry | July 02, 2008 at 01:26 PM
Hey John,
Did you ever think he may be blowing smoke up your arse? What agents are going to call a guy that is notorious for lowballing? I have no problem with them not overpaying but the thought of Darcy in phone call fielding mode sounds like OJ's hunt for the real killers.
Posted by: Jerry's Tweed Jacket | July 02, 2008 at 01:23 PM
Actually there has been talk out of NY - rumblings if you will - that Drury's contract is holding the team back in making other moves it desires and that there is a bit of buyers remorse with him.
Posted by: Rock | July 02, 2008 at 12:50 PM
"I envision some teams in the future consisting of 5 players making $9MM each, with 15 other guys on entry contracts or veteran minimums."
Elma, I think the Rangers are attempting to try that method out. They're getting close.
And talking to players who actually want to come to Buffalo and might fit in the system? Horrors!
Posted by: Heather B. | July 02, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Jeff / Ricky - nice way to keep up your pessimism in any way possible.
Perhaps what this story means is that the GMs that Jump on Day 1 usually end up overpaying, and GMs who are patient and wait for the "PR Flurry" to clear end up getting people at reasonable (or even value) prices.
Of course Darcy is saying he's more likely looking at trades - would you rather he tell the agents "Thank God you called - we're really desperate here!"?
What else this story tells me is that the NHLPA is battling itself in some regards. The Salaries are a fixed Pool based on revenues. Every Overpaid dollar to a "Known Name" means less for the "Role Player."
I envision some teams in the future consisting of 5 players making $9MM each, with 15 other guys on entry contracts or veteran minimums.
Posted by: ElmaGolf | July 02, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Since the Sabres don't participate in NHL activities (Free agency, trade deadline), Agents are calling to make sure the Sabres are an active team in the league.
Darcy answers and tells them they are going a different route. Open tryouts in Buffalo. Much cheaper, and then everyone on the team can be a "hometown" guy. But yes, we are still an NHL team. for now
Posted by: Jeff | July 02, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Agents are calling Darcy to see if he is still alive. They haven't heard from him in years...
Posted by: Jeff | July 02, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Agents are calling him becuase every player has a contract value "floor" and "ceiling." The Sabres set the floor each year. If Darcy will pay $2M for a guy, you have to figure someone else will pay more. Is it true MLB, NBA and NFL agents regulary call the Sabres' offices?
Posted by: Ricky | July 02, 2008 at 12:19 PM