10 Years Ago was One of The Darkest Days in Sabres History 7/01/07

[Brawndo]

It's hard to believe it has been 10 years since one of the worse moments in Sabres History where the team lost both Chris Drury and Danny Briere to Free Agency.

 

http://buffalonews.com/2007/07/02/sabres-never-in-running-to-re-sign-co-captains/

 

The rotten core, the tank, Larry Quinn, Tom Golisano three GMs and five coaches later here we are.

 

With the additions of Eichel, ROR, Botterill and Housley the team appears to be on the right track, but only time will tell.

 

Here is to better times in the future.

[nucci]

I know Regier gets blame for this but I don't think Golisano wanted to pay to keep them both. You could tell by his demeanor at the press conference

[Scottysabres]

I was on vacation in Colorado the day it happened. I drew a rough picture of Darcy's face in a meadow up in monarch ppass, then proceeded to piss and on it.

The wife still hammers me on it to this day. Glad my anger gave her a lifetime of laughter. Should of ate chilli with Habenaros that morning, I was that freaking mad.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Hope springs eternal.  I just want to forget about that day.  This is a new day.

[PromoTheRobot]

It's hard to believe it has been 10 years since one of the worse moments in Sabres History where the team lost both Chris Drury and Danny Briere to Free Agency.

 

http://buffalonews.com/2007/07/02/sabres-never-in-running-to-re-sign-co-captains/

 

The rotten core, the tank, Larry Quinn, Tom Golisano three GMs and five coaches later here we are.

 

With the additions of Eichel, ROR, Botterill and Housley the team appears to be on the right track, but only time will tell.

 

Here is to better times in the future.

Ironically it was a crucial missed opportunity to let Vanek go in exchange for 4 first rounders from EDM. Think of what the Sabres could have become with those extra picks?

I know Regier gets blame for this but I don't think Golisano wanted to pay to keep them both. You could tell by his demeanor at the press conference

Yup, ol'Sugar packets and his "wormtongue" Larry Quinn.

[kas23]

I know Regier gets blame for this but I don't think Golisano wanted to pay to keep them both. You could tell by his demeanor at the press conference

I agree with this. The decision was Golisano's. It would've made no sense hockey-wise to let them go after what the team accomplished. I hate to say it, but DR's hands were tied the whole time. But, once the shackles came off, he proved to be a better GM when his hands were tied.

[Jerry Jabber]

Regier does deserve some blame as he did not like to discuss contracts during the season. But I agree the majority of the blame goes to Golisano. Regier deserves the blame on the Vanek fiasco, he should have taken the draft picks. Oh well, the past is in the past. I'm liking the direction of the team now and I'm glad to see the team focus their attention on getting good centers over the past couple of years. Hopefully adding to the defense and hiring a defensive minded coach [Housley] is all that's needed to get the team over the hump.

[sabills]

Ironically it was a crucial missed opportunity to let Vanek go in exchange for 4 first rounders from EDM. Think of what the Sabres could have become with those extra picks?

 

This is true, but there was simply no way that was going to happen. The team had made the conference finals two years in a row, they had a bunch of, what appeared at the time to be, up and coming stars, and they had just lost two of their most loved players to free agency; if they had gone full rebuild after that and let Vanek go I'm pretty sure the arena would have been burnt down. Hindsight is 20/20 for sure, and they could have done a quicker rebuild then, but it was never going to happen. 

[darksabre]

Close the loop: Offer sheet Draisaitl.

[Taro T]

Regier does deserve some blame as he did not like to discuss contracts during the season. But I agree the majority of the blame goes to Golisano. Regier deserves the blame on the Vanek fiasco, he should have taken the draft picks. Oh well, the past is in the past. I'm liking the direction of the team now and I'm glad to see the team focus their attention on getting good centers over the past couple of years. Hopefully adding to the defense and hiring a defensive minded coach [Housley] is all that's needed to get the team over the hump.

Regier had a deal worked out w/ Drury in season. It sat on Golisano's desk for waaaay too long until Drury decided to table the deal.

 

How does Regier take the draft picks when his boss just got done saying any and all deals would be matched?

[Scottysabres]

Close the loop: Offer sheet Draisaitl.

I love this idea

[sabills]

I love this idea

There is exactly 0 reason to not do it besides all GM's being wimps.

[I-90 W]

I became a Sabres fan a year after this happened. I can only imagine how hard that was. Good times are a head though.

[Jerry Jabber]

Regier had a deal worked out w/ Drury in season. It sat on Golisano's desk for waaaay too long until Drury decided to table the deal.

 

How does Regier take the draft picks when his boss just got done saying any and all deals would be matched?

If all of that is true, then it sounds like Golisano is to blame on all of it. I still blame Regier for not addressing the Center position after losing their two best centers.

[mjd1001]

I would have liked to keep Briere, but I had the thought that Drury was going to be close to being on the downside of his career and if Buffalo had resigned him, in a year or two the contract wouldn't look that good. Even with saying that, the nhl was already on the verge of changing back to a 'clutch and grab, don't call penalties' league the next year....and that exact Sabres team with both of them may not have been good enough to win the cup.  

 

The biggest problem with not being a serious contender was NOT that you lost both of them...it was what you did (or didn't do) after that.  

[Chester Springs Rich]

I know Regier gets blame for this but I don't think Golisano wanted to pay to keep them both. You could tell by his demeanor at the press conference

 

But yet decided to over pay for Vanek?  That group totally screwed the pooch, espcially with Briere who stated time and time again he wanted to stay in Buffalo.  They should have paid at least Briere or Drury and let Vanek walk to Edmonton, we would have then been compensated with Edmonton's next 4 (yes 4) 1st round draft picks.

[nucci]

But yet decided to over pay for Vanek?  That group totally screwed the pooch, espcially with Briere who stated time and time again he wanted to stay in Buffalo.  They should have paid at least Briere or Drury and let Vanek walk to Edmonton, we would have then been compensated with Edmonton's next 4 (yes 4) 1st round draft picks.

Quinn came out and said they would match any offer for Vanek. I think Regier wanted both Drury and Briere and would have taken the picks for Vanek. Quinn was the worst

[Jerry Jabber]

Quinn came out and said they would match any offer for Vanek. I think Regier wanted both Drury and Briere and would have taken the picks for Vanek. Quinn was the worst

While Vanek was a good player back then, he plays on the wing. IMO, Quinn should have been smart enough to match a key position such as Center (meaning Drury or Briere). Dumb move on his part.

[Drunkard]

While Vanek was a good player back then, he plays on the wing. IMO, Quinn should have been smart enough to match a key position such as Center (meaning Drury or Briere). Dumb move on his part.

Supposedly they did offer to match Drury's offer from the Rangers but him and Briere were UFA's and Drury was probably pissed about the contract sitting in a drawer for so long plus he reportedly wanted to play for his childhood team. We should have signed Briere to the 5/25 deal he was willing to extend for after they gave him $5 miilion for 1 year in arbitration the year before.

Edited July 1, 2017 by Drunkard

[Jerry Jabber]

Supposedly they did offer to match Drury's offer from the Rangers but him and Briere were UFA's and Drury was probably pissed about the contract sitting in a drawer for so long plus he reportedly wanted to play for his childhood team. We should have signed Briere to the 5/25 deal he was willing to extend for after they gave him $5 miilion for 1 year in arbitration the year before.

If we could have kept one of those guys, I wish it would have been Briere as he's had the most points in a season since LaFontaine. Briere was always great in the playoffs. I think Regier was PO'd at Briere for going to arbitration the year before which could be another reason why he wasn't resigned.

[Sabel79]

If all of that is true, then it sounds like Golisano is to blame on all of it. I still blame Regier for not addressing the Center position after losing their two best centers.

Sir, have you forgotten Villie Leino?

[Jerry Jabber]

Sir, have you forgotten Villie Leino?

???????????? Oh yeah, Regier really addressed the position with arguably the greatest center in team history, Ville Leino. ????????????

[inkman]

Why does this thread exist

[qwksndmonster]

Why does this thread exist

So we can talk about how we should've taken Edmontons 4 1sts for Vanek again.

[LikeEich]

Why does this thread exist

 

Ruin everyone's day?