It wasn’t much of a “pay cut” if the Sabres paid him $333,000 to leave, and the Rangers signed him for $550,000.
From what I’ve just read, he made $600,000 for Buffalo. Sabres offered him $800,000 and he wanted $850,000 - then arbitration awarded him $1,000,000.
Sounds like he made a bad gamble. Made the money that he wanted for one season, but it derailed his chances in hindsight of establishing a solid NHL career, which probably could’ve happened in Buffalo.