Richards a Ranger

[thesportsbuff]

I really wish the Sabres had matched that 4 year $16M contract that ended up being bought out.

 

hindsight is 20/20. Drury got bought out too and half of Buffalo was in tears that day..

[Lanny]

hindsight is 20/20. Drury got bought out too and half of Buffalo was in tears that day..

I don't think anyone thought McKee was worth that, then or now. The cap was roughly $20M less than it is now as well.

 

If the reason negotiations went bad was because Darcy was unwilling to pay that, then what are we complaining about?

[SDS]

That's kind of how I heard it. Of course, the agent gets a %age, so he wants all of the bidders to be aggressive.

 

Those are marginal dollars that are relatively unimportant. What is important is showing future clients that you deliver the goods...

[thesportsbuff]

I don't think anyone thought McKee was worth that, then or now. The cap was roughly $20M less than it is now as well.

 

Irrelevant either way. I don't know what the problem they were referencing is -- doesn't always come down to money. Maybe (actually I believe he's said it on record) McKee wanted to stay in Buffalo... and called Darcy twenty times and never got a reply until July 1, when Jay already had a irrefutable offer on the table? Maybe Pat felt that Darcy was lowballing him the entire process? Maybe he just plain out thought Darcy was an idiot. I shouldn't have brought him up the first place without having the exact quote on hand... but listen to the interview if you haven't. It was very brief and subtle, but something along the lines of things being different now than they were back in the McKee situation. WHether he means financially, or if Darcy was pissing him off, or could be a number of things.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

I don't think anyone thought McKee was worth that, then or now. The cap was roughly $20M less than it is now as well.

 

If the reason negotiations went bad was because Darcy was unwilling to pay that, then what are we complaining about?

 

Because McKee was willing to sign the year previous 4 for 10

 

That is the deal with all this handcuff revisionist bologna. Darcy had the go-ahead to sign almost ALL these guys. He ended up balking for in some cases as little as 10% of the deal, only for the player to hit the open market and make 50% more on average than he could have had him for. McKee wanted 4/10, Briere 5/25, Dumont 2per, Drury 4/22, Campbell 5/25.

 

Meanwhile he handed out cash like it was candy corn to Connolly, Hecht, Kotalik, Afinogenov, Tallinder, Kalinin, yada yada.....

 

I'm as excited as anyone about Regehr and it looks like the Pegula family is going to do this thing Waco style (in a good way), but the front office was a tragedy for a few years and probably lost a once in a generation chance to win a cup.

[Claude_Verret]

Because McKee was willing to sign the year previous 4 for 10

 

That is the deal with all this handcuff revisionist bologna. Darcy had the go-ahead to sign almost ALL these guys. He ended up balking for in some cases as little as 10% of the deal, only for the player to hit the open market and make 50% more on average than he could have had him for. McKee wanted 4/10, Briere 5/25, Dumont 2per, Drury 4/22, Campbell 5/25.

 

Outside of Campbell he had no authority to negotiate with those guys during the season. Perhaps they made an exception for Drury, but the deal was nixed by those above him. He was handcuffed.

[darksabre]

Doubtful. I don't care if it's Cody McCormick or Wayne Gretzky... if I'm trying to get my star player Gretzky a new team, and one of the key factors in his decision is how reliable/dedicated/professional the team's management is, I'm certainly not going to recommend the team who ignored my texts and never returned calls about Cody McCormick. First impressions can mean a lot.

 

You're thinking way too hard about this.

[Taro T]

Because McKee was willing to sign the year previous 4 for 10

 

That is the deal with all this handcuff revisionist bologna. Darcy had the go-ahead to sign almost ALL these guys. He ended up balking for in some cases as little as 10% of the deal, only for the player to hit the open market and make 50% more on average than he could have had him for. McKee wanted 4/10, Briere 5/25, Dumont 2per, Drury 4/22, Campbell 5/25.

 

Meanwhile he handed out cash like it was candy corn to Connolly, Hecht, Kotalik, Afinogenov, Tallinder, Kalinin, yada yada.....

 

I'm as excited as anyone about Regehr and it looks like the Pegula family is going to do this thing Waco style (in a good way), but the front office was a tragedy for a few years and probably lost a once in a generation chance to win a cup.

The Sabres weren't signing ANY multiyear deals heading out of the lockout. Between TG's "I'd have everybody on a 1 day contract if I could" and an expectation that the cap would go DOWN after the 1st year back, they weren't going for any "long term" deals.

 

And, w/ the exception of Briere and McKee, I'd agreed w/ the philosophy coming out of the lockout.

 

The ONLY 3 guys that were under contract heading into the "oh, ######, we've got a lot of guys to sign summer of '06" were Drury, Vanek, and Hecht who already had deals that took the leaguewide 24% haircut the previous summer.

 

(And IIRC, both McKee and Briere wanted 3 year deals. Danny definitely wanted 3 yrs. Jay and Sabres had some back & forth, so a 4 year deal could have been proposed by his agent, I just don't recall 1 ottomh.)

[tom webster]

With McKee there was also the use of a loophole that cost Jay a $200,000 I don't remember all the details. It's how they did business back then, they used every advantage the CBA and player's contracts allowed them. For instance, I think TP would have handled the Teppo deal differently.

[PotentPowerPlay22]

He could also be telling Darcy that Richards is willing to come if the price is right.

 

Richards reportedly wants a very long deal at about $7 million per year. He's 31 years old. If you study the statistics you will find that a players' most productive years are not in the mid-30's. The Sabres invested big money in Vanek, but he had his most productive years ahead of him(theoretically). Richards is now 31 and has averaged about 21 goals per year. He has never even hit 30 goals in the NHL.

 

I know the Sabres need help at center. If I were the GM I would try to trade for a younger center and let the overpriced Richards find his way to the Rangers where he can fill Drury's boots.

 

I think the price is not right for Richards. The Sabres might benefit in the very short term, but in two or three years they might look back with huge regret.

[wnyguy]

Richards reportedly wants a very long deal at about $7 million per year. He's 31 years old. If you study the statistics you will find that a players' most productive years are not in the mid-30's. The Sabres invested big money in Vanek, but he had his most productive years ahead of him(theoretically). Richards is now 31 and has averaged about 21 goals per year. He has never even hit 30 goals in the NHL.

 

I know the Sabres need help at center. If I were the GM I would try to trade for a younger center and let the overpriced Richards find his way to the Rangers where he can fill Drury's boots.

 

I think the price is not right for Richards. The Sabres might benefit in the very short term, but in two or three years they might look back with huge regret.

 

 

That's why you frontload the contract so that his expense is higher the first three years of the deal and can live with the salary toward the end of the contract when Richards would more than likely become less productive,

[shrader]

With McKee there was also the use of a loophole that cost Jay a $200,000 I don't remember all the details. It's how they did business back then, they used every advantage the CBA and player's contracts allowed them. For instance, I think TP would have handled the Teppo deal differently.

 

They declined an option on his contract. It left him as a restricted free agent and the required qualifying offer was for less than that original option. He accepted that offer quickly knowing he'd leave the following year.

[Oakstream]

Don't know if this has been posted:

 

As for the Sabres and billionaire owners Terry Pegula, whom Morris (Brad Richards agent) has yet to meet?

 

"We know Buffalo hockey well. It's a real good community to live in and a team on the rise," said Morris. "They're a very strong team. If they call, we'll certainly receive them with open arms and listen."

 

We said it at the time and will say it again: Pegula's courtship and sell job on Robyn Regehr(notes), a career Calgary Flame who waived his no-trade clause for Buffalo, impressed plenty of agents and players around hockey. It showed a level of commitment and engagement that a free agent wants to see from his owner … especially a free agent who has been twice bitten by an ownership collapse.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Brad-Richards-8217-criteria-8216-Hockey-mar?urn=nhl-wp8237#mwpphu-container

[Bullwinkle]

If TP truly wants Richards and Darcy fails to deliver, that might be the telling stroke on Darcy's reign here. If money is the prime motivation, we have enough space to match anything NY or Toronto would offer.

 

Another sticky point would be a NTC. I hate those things as I suppose most GMs do as well. However I'm sure Richards would demand one. I'd probably settle for a modified version, similar to what Pomminstein has now.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

The Sabres weren't signing ANY multiyear deals heading out of the lockout. Between TG's "I'd have everybody on a 1 day contract if I could" and an expectation that the cap would go DOWN after the 1st year back, they weren't going for any "long term" deals.

 

And, w/ the exception of Briere and McKee, I'd agreed w/ the philosophy coming out of the lockout.

 

The ONLY 3 guys that were under contract heading into the "oh, ######, we've got a lot of guys to sign summer of '06" were Drury, Vanek, and Hecht who already had deals that took the leaguewide 24% haircut the previous summer.

 

(And IIRC, both McKee and Briere wanted 3 year deals. Danny definitely wanted 3 yrs. Jay and Sabres had some back & forth, so a 4 year deal could have been proposed by his agent, I just don't recall 1 ottomh.)

 

Those were the numbers....that's all I'm saying. Then they go and sign a bevy of 3 year deals with Connolly, Hecht, Kotalik, Afinogenov, Tallinder, Kalinin, pushing a $3 million average when they could have signed Briere, Drury, Dumont, Campbell and McKee for a $4 million average. Disgusting!!! I don't care how you want to spin it.

 

Throw on top of it Darcy coming out and handcuffing himself by stating 2 weeks before the deadline that Connolly and Afinogenov would be back for sure in the regular season, thereby forefiting their cash against the cap.....and that is why I went total ape. I don't care how anyone wants to spin it....or if it matters to you...but that was total unwarranted BS and a coward move. They KNEW that Briere at minnimum would walk, yet they didn't make a move for Gary Roberts and Guerin who could have been had for a few prospects and picks. Darcy wanted those warm, cheap bodies for the next few years....which one by one are given up on and thriving in a different environment anyway...i.e Paille, MacArthur.

 

To me, that is Regier's defining moment. He knew it was over the next season, and didn't go for it when they had it sitting right there. Again....I know what I saw...I don't care who else saw it....but that made me spit. Disgusting!!!....I'll say it again.

[X. Benedict]

If TP truly wants Richards and Darcy fails to deliver, that might be the telling stroke on Darcy's reign here. If money is the prime motivation, we have enough space to match anything NY or Toronto would offer.

 

Money aside, this comes down to what Richards wants. He'll have his payday.

[carpandean]

Another sticky point would be a NTC. I hate those things as I suppose most GMs do as well. However I'm sure Richards would demand one. I'd probably settle for a modified version, similar to what Pomminstein has now.

My preferred option would be to front-load those clauses, too. Give him a NMC for the first four years, then a limited NTC for two, then nothing after that. Not sure if he'd accept it, but that would be how I'd prefer it. He'll get a lot of money up front and a guarantee that he'll be staying for a long while, but in the latter years, the team has some flexibility.

 

Also, I don't necessarily expect him to take the biggest offer, especially if there are similar offers from competitive teams. For example, I wouldn't expect him to take a 8yr, $60M deal from Florida over an 8yr, $50M from a contender. I also wouldn't necessarily expect a couple million to be a deciding point. If he likes one team more, he'd probably take $51M vs. $54M. In other words, I believe that they'll be enough really big deals, that it won't come down to money only.

[Taro T]

Those were the numbers....that's all I'm saying. Then they go and sign a bevy of 3 year deals with Connolly, Hecht, Kotalik, Afinogenov, Tallinder, Kalinin, pushing a $3 million average when they could have signed Briere, Drury, Dumont, Campbell and McKee for a $4 million average. Disgusting!!! I don't care how you want to spin it.

 

Throw on top of it Darcy coming out and handcuffing himself by stating 2 weeks before the deadline that Connolly and Afinogenov would be back for sure in the regular season, thereby forefiting their cash against the cap.....and that is why I went total ape. I don't care how anyone wants to spin it....or if it matters to you...but that was total unwarranted BS and a coward move. They KNEW that Briere at minnimum would walk, yet they didn't make a move for Gary Roberts and Guerin who could have been had for a few prospects and picks. Darcy wanted those warm, cheap bodies for the next few years....which one by one are given up on and thriving in a different environment anyway...i.e Paille, MacArthur.

 

To me, that is Regier's defining moment. He knew it was over the next season, and didn't go for it when they had it sitting right there. Again....I know what I saw...I don't care who else saw it....but that made me spit. Disgusting!!!....I'll say it again.

You can be as disgusted as you'd like to be, but you are mixing and matching '05, '06, & '07 in your post & the prior.

 

You also blame DR for not signing Drury to a $5.3MM/yr deal, but DR is the one that negotiated that deal. It wasn't HIS desk that the deal sat on.

[shrader]

Don't know if this has been posted:

 

As for the Sabres and billionaire owners Terry Pegula, whom Morris (Brad Richards agent) has yet to meet?

 

"We know Buffalo hockey well. It's a real good community to live in and a team on the rise," said Morris. "They're a very strong team. If they call, we'll certainly receive them with open arms and listen."

 

We said it at the time and will say it again: Pegula's courtship and sell job on Robyn Regehr(notes), a career Calgary Flame who waived his no-trade clause for Buffalo, impressed plenty of agents and players around hockey. It showed a level of commitment and engagement that a free agent wants to see from his owner … especially a free agent who has been twice bitten by an ownership collapse.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Brad-Richards-8217-criteria-8216-Hockey-mar?urn=nhl-wp8237#mwpphu-container

 

So if team management comments on a player ahead of time, it's tampering. How is an agent saying something like this right now any different?

[wjag]

10 pages of hopeful comments for a player not coming to Buffalo.

 

Carry on...

[X. Benedict]

10 pages of hopeful comments for a player not coming to Buffalo.

 

Carry on...

But the difference now is that it isn't totally implausible.

[nobody]

10 pages of hopeful comments for a player not coming to Buffalo.

 

Carry on...

 

 

You need to change your set up - mine is only 4 pages long so it isn't so bad!

[CallawaySabres]

Take it for what it's worth, but I just spoke with my friend and I asked him if he thought (or heard) if Buffalo had a chance or a legit chance.....his response was "a VERY legit chance". Personally, I am really starting to think Richards might be coming here. If Buffalo can somehow make this happen while keeping Connolly as a 3rd line Center, Sabres will be a contender THIS year....

[dEnnis the Menace]

Take it for what it's worth, but I just spoke with my friend and I asked him if he thought (or heard) if Buffalo had a chance or a legit chance.....his response was "a VERY legit chance". Personally, I am really starting to think Richards might be coming here. If Buffalo can somehow make this happen while keeping Connolly as a 3rd line Center, Sabres will be a contender THIS year....

 

Who is this friend?! I will remain cautiously optimistic, but that sounds awesome.

[CallawaySabres]

Who is this friend?! I will remain cautiously optimistic, but that sounds awesome.

 

Someone pretty high in NHL (non player)....it sounds as though Buffalo has just as good of a shot as anyone else. Cautiously optimistic sounds about right.....