Unclassy

[SabresFan526]

There is a difference, First off, Connolly was injured (many times) on the job, so they can't suspend him without pay for missing time, Teppo's injury is not work related, i.e. he did not get this heart condition playing for the Sabres. Second, guys missing a game or 2 for the flu is like you missing a couple days at work, they are called sick days, and alot of places will still pay you something for missing those days due to illness. Now as for Kessel and Blake (and Koivu too) how much time did they miss and were they getting paid under their NHL contracts? I guess it all depends on weither the "took a leave of abscence" voluntarily, or the team made them leave too. If they didn't miss much time, or weren't going to be out of the lineup long, the teams may have just let them stay on the roster so they could be put back in whenever they were ready. Also how many of those guys missed time after the lockout (I know Kessel did) with the Salary Cap in place? Did any of the players with Cancer fail physicals too?

 

They knew Teppo was going to be lost for a while, and possibly the entire year, or force him to retire. He is only on a one year contract so what people are saying is that the Sabres should have paid him even if he never stepped foot on the ice under this contract as a "PR move" to the NHL so that they would look good to other players by showing that they will pay you no matter what?

If we are going to use the real world, then what you are saying is not 100% accurate. Many companies will pay you short or long term disability if you get sick and will continue to pay a portion of your salary until you come back to work. My company sure pays disability leave if I have a serious injury like a heart problem or cancer. They will also continue to cover my insurance and not drop me. While I don't get paid as much as hockey players, I think my company operates much better than the Sabres.

 

Regardless, bottom line for me is, certain players are getting paid for not playing games and other players are not getting paid for not playing games. Bottom line is neither player is playing a game. It's a slippery slope. Where does it end and who justifies what's a hockey related injury and what's not. For example, in Edmonton, Fernando Pisani has severe colinitis that is not a hockey related injury and the Oilers had every opportunity to suspend him, but they didn't. With regard to Jason Blake and Phil Kessel, they did not fail their preseason physicals, but were diagnosed with cancer subsequent to the season starting. So that means it's okay to get a non-hockey related injury so long as it's after the preseason physical? So because of the timing of when the non hockey injury occurs, they cannot be suspended? Perhaps Jason Blake continues to play with his cancer because he's afraid of losing his salary from suspension. It's just a ridiculous rule and the enforcement of it is ridiculous. Bottom line, if this idiotic rule is going to be in existence, then it should not matter when the non-hockey related injury occurs because ultimately the player would not pass a physical in that moment in time. Why is it okay for a non-hockey related injury to occur during the season but not okay for it to occur over the offseason. Second, in Teppo's case I'd like to know how exactly it is his fault for having a faulty heart valve. If he comes in out of shape and overweight, that's his fault. Regardless, what's done is done. All I'm saying is that the rule itself makes no sense and its enforcement is silly. I don't understand why it's acceptable to fail a physical at one point in time vs. another moment in time, and I don't understand why it's okay for certain injuries to be deemed acceptable for pay while other injuries are not deemed acceptable even though both types are non hockey related. Take for example a player who contracts mono. Is he entitled to the 2-3 months off that the disease would cripple him with? Are 2-3 months considered sick leave? Mono is still a non-hockey related injury so why is it okay to get mono after the season starts as opposed to getting mono before the season starts? They are both non-hockey related injuries and they will prevent a player from playing for a long period of time. I just don't understand this rule as it's incredibly silly in terms of its arbitrary definition and enforcement.

[bottlecap]

it's just the overall perception of the sabres being a penny-pinching organization that gets me down,

none of these technicalities really justify the action to me.

[PromoTheRobot]

I think the way the Sabres handles negotiations, looking like an organization more interested in pinching pennies than winning, has more to do with our negative stigma among players. The Teppo thing contributes in a small way when you add it all in. As far as the city goes, most NHL players have no problem with it because Buffalo is the most Canadian-like city in the USA. And it's a short drive to their home towns for about half of the NHL players.

 

PTR

[X. Benedict]

I think the way the Sabres handles negotiations, looking like an organization more interested in pinching pennies than winning, has more to do with our negative stigma among players.

 

The fans talk about it. But I think players probably notice the waiver wire first...

I think Byzgolov, Moore, Samsonov, and Recchi were waived this year not because they were cap tied or were bad players, but mostly to save money to make room for cheaper players.

[tom webster]

The fans talk about it. But I think players probably notice the waiver wire first...

I think Byzgolov, Moore, Samsonov, and Recchi were waived this year not because they were cap tied or were bad players, but mostly to save money to make room for cheaper players.

 

X, I always look at your posts because they are bang on or at least have an opinion worth debating, but you are way off in this one. It appears you went reaching to argue against a point in this one.

 

Byzgoloz - released to help make room for Nierdermayer

Samsonov - awful player, who has had a mini-resurection

Recchi - asked to be released and not playing before release

Moore - making only 700K

 

Players do noitce when respected veterans like Teppo are treated like garbage. Name a similiar situation were a team has handled a player so callously.

Why would Buffalo be considered among the least desired destinations when they have a great fan base, proximity to Canada and so many of them choose to live here?

[X. Benedict]

X, I always look at your posts because they are bang on or at least have an opinion worth debating, but you are way off in this one. It appears you went reaching to argue against a point in this one.

 

Byzgoloz - released to help make room for Nierdermayer

Samsonov - awful player, who has had a mini-resurection

Recchi - asked to be released and not playing before release

Moore - making only 700K

 

Players do noitce when respected veterans like Teppo are treated like garbage. Name a similiar situation were a team has handled a player so callously.

Why would Buffalo be considered among the least desired destinations when they have a great fan base, proximity to Canada and so many of them choose to live here?

[/quot

I think you're right. -got me dead to rights there -

 

Maybe day after frustration?

 

I am just skeptical about any long term impact from negative player perceptions as far as money and contracts go. The art of negotiating is being able to set a price and walk away when the price is too high. - The art of speculating into the future and misreading the market is another matter - something Buffalo has failed at.

 

 

anyway - doing two things at once I am. <=(holy smokes I have turned into Yoda)

[tom webster]

Another part of the negotiating process, when attracting free agents especially, is being able to convince them that you are offerring them the best scenario to continue their careers. A lot of times these guys have multiple choices were the money's not that different. Darcy has not distinguished himself here and he can't exactly point to a long list of satsified veterans.

By the way, I'm with you as far as day after frustration. I'm at the point were I'm not even sure how I feel abut yesterday's game.

[stenbaro]

How many of you would be complaining about paying Teppo 2.6 million to do nothing while we're penny pinching? You'd all be on DR for that too. So really, I don't have a problem with it.

Good Point..I have to agree.....

[tom webster]

Good Point..I have to agree.....

 

 

Only probem with this point is that I doubt it was Darcy's call. This came from higher up.

 

And for the record, Iw ouldn't be complaining about paying him, I would be complaining just as I am now, for signing him in the first place. The Sabres were the only people that thought their defensemen didn't need to be addressed in the off season.