'Briere earned $5 million for 2006-07 and given his 90-plus points this year could easily command over $7 million per season on the open market. Drury earned $3 million and could possibly double his money as a free agent. Even if the two agreed to "hometown discounts" to remain in Buffalo their combined salaries could potentially cost Regier almost $11 million per season, pushing the payroll up to almost $40 million. That would leave little room to forward Tomas Vanek, defensemen Teppo Numminen and Nathan Paetsch, and a backup goalie.'