Sabres won't spend to the cap

[Philagape]

Cap going over Sabres heads
As limit on salaries rises, team placing own restraints

By Tim Graham
NEWS SPORTS REPORTER

The Buffalo Sabres are preparing to spend right up to the salary cap again next season. Their salary cap, not the NHL’s.

“We will have our own budget,” Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn said, “and it will be a responsible one.”

The Sabres raked in the bucks this season. They’ve sold out HSBC Arena 50 straight times. They reached the Eastern Conference finals a second year in a row. They’ll get another cut of league revenue sharing. Their merchandise has been hotter than Arizona asphalt.

Despite high yields and their owner’s estimated net worth of $1.7 billion, the Sabres remain a small-market franchise. They already have decided they can’t afford to spend up to the NHL’s salary cap, expected to go up from $44 million to about $48 million and possibly higher.

The Sabres still are figuring out their hockey budget for 2007-08, but an unwillingness to push the payroll limit likely will make it difficult to resign co-captains Daniel Briere and Chris Drury while keeping top goal scorer Thomas Vanek happy.

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/85035.html

[Michael82]

I should have known that Larry Quinn and Darcy Regier would go back to their "cheap" ways. :ill:

You get the whole city excited again and spend as close to the cap as you can, and make a TON of money from merchandise, tickets and everything else...yet you go back to the old "our own salary cap" ways the next season..... :mad:

[Bufftp]

I should have known that Larry Quinn and Darcy Regier would go back to their "cheap" ways. :ill:
They are a business and should be responsible in how they manage the club for its long term stability.

[Dr. Lecter]

I should have known that Larry Quinn and Darcy Regier would go back to their "cheap" ways. :ill:

You get the whole city excited again and spend as close to the cap as you can, and make a TON of money from merchandise, tickets and everything else...yet you go back to the old "our own salary cap" ways the next season..... :mad:

And they said the same thing before this season.

I alsonotice that you leave Galisono out of the decision, as if he had nothign to do with it.

Also, how much money did they make? A rough figure will be OK.

[Don't Panic]

That would be interesting to see... just how much we pulled in in revenues vs. what went out in expenses. I'll tell you one thing, its never going to be as good for them $$$ wise as it was this past year, so if they can't reach the cap now, I don't know how they ever will. Part of me thinks they may be posturing for the upcoming FA season.

[YardRat]

I should have known that Larry Quinn and Darcy Regier would go back to their "cheap" ways. :ill:

You get the whole city excited again and spend as close to the cap as you can, and make a TON of money from merchandise, tickets and everything else...yet you go back to the old "our own salary cap" ways the next season..... :mad:

Both Regier and Golisano have said their #1 priority is re-signing Briere and Drury, and some hack from TBN says they 'might' not be able to because of a cap comment, and all of a sudden the hack is right and the organization is cheap?

[LABillsFan]

Hey the team was bankrupt. I believe that 2005-2006 was the first time they had made a profit as a team in some years, and a minimal one. Galisano knows what this team means to the city. If they don't win a championship it won't be because of him. How many years have the Rangers spent a ton of money and not even make the playoffs, St. Louis is another example from a few years ago.

[Ebenezer]

if they stay under the cap they don't have to worry about moving salary to add players at the deadline next year...

it also depends on how much under the cap they will be...if they only spend $25 mil we should all be pissed...if they spend 90% of the cap why should there be a problem?

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

after reading this it sounds like they aren't going to attempt to bring back Drury or Briere or Zubrus or bring in some other FA. Like I said before in another thread they're going to promote some players from Rochester and fill them in the empty roster spaces. Stafford can take Briere's, spot Paille can take Drury's spot etc. etc. etc. that's what they're going to do.

here are some other names that could be here on the Sabres roster that played in Rochester last season
ADAM DENNIS (G)
MICHAEL FUNK(D)
TIMO HELBLING(D):huh:
DYLAN HUNTER (LW)
*PATRICK KALETA* (RW) I heard he's already back in Buffalo working out. My friend goes to the same gym that he goes to.
MIKKO LEHTONEN (D):huh:
CLARKE MACARTHUR(LW)
MICHAEL RYAN (D)
ANDREJ SEKERA(D)
MAREK ZAGRAPAN(C)

[Dr. Lecter]

after reading this it sounds like they aren't going to attempt to bring back Drury or Briere or Zubrus or bring in some other FA. Like I said before in another thread they're going to promote some players from Rochester and fill them in the empty roster spaces. Stafford can take Briere's, spot Paille can take Drury's spot etc. etc. etc. that's what they're going to do.



It does not sound like that at all.

[Mr. Pink]

They've stated they're not gonna spend up to the cap for basically one reason. Remember this year and how hamstrung the organization was this year in trying to bring in a talent, ie Zubrus, for a cup run? They had to move salary, Biron, in order to get Zubrus in. We don't have a backup goaltender to move to save 2+ million at the deadline this year. So, they're not spending to cap, so at the deadline they can have some maneuverability.

[chernobylwraiths]

They spent to the cap last year and it didn't really get them what they wanted. Now, if they had maybe spent some of that money on different players, maybe things would have been different, but they didn't and you can't change the past.

Now, I hope they know what kind of team they will need to win the Cup. If they go out and get the type of guys that it will take, get rid of some of the ones that won't help, make good offers to Drury and Briere and spend somewhere close to what they spent last year, I would have no problem. The Sabres deserve the benefit of the doubt for now. They SHOWED last year the type of financial commitment to win.

[chernobylwraiths]

And, though I liked Zubrus, I don't care if he comes back. If the Capitals tried to sign him what was rumored to be 10 million for 3 years and he wouldn't sign, I would think he might want more money. If he signs a decent contract I would love to have him, but not at the expense of guys like Drury or Briere.

[Michael82]

They spent to the cap last year and it didn't really get them what they wanted. Now, if they had maybe spent some of that money on different players, maybe things would have been different, but they didn't and you can't change the past.

Now, I hope they know what kind of team they will need to win the Cup. If they go out and get the type of guys that it will take, get rid of some of the ones that won't help, make good offers to Drury and Briere and spend somewhere close to what they spent last year, I would have no problem. The Sabres deserve the benefit of the doubt for now. They SHOWED last year the type of financial commitment to win.
Good post! :bf1:

[SpillerThrills]

And, though I liked Zubrus, I don't care if he comes back. If the Capitals tried to sign him what was rumored to be 10 million for 3 years and he wouldn't sign, I would think he might want more money. If he signs a decent contract I would love to have him, but not at the expense of guys like Drury or Briere.


I thought I heard that the only "major" thing holding up Zubrus from signing in Washington was length of contract.... I thought I heard that he wanted a 4 year deal and the Caps only wanted to give him 3...... but I could be wrong.

[tampabay25690]

Well the good thing is we will save over $2 mil with Numinen being gone. I think the Sabres will sign 1 of the 2 guys and I have no idea who that will be. My guess is Briere over Drury. A team will spend mega bucks for Drury becasue of the leader he is....

[LABillsFan]

You can't replace Druery or Briere with guys from Rochester. There is a reason why the worst NHL'er is still in the NHL and the Best Minor leaguer is still a minor leaguer. I could understand Kalinin being replaced, even Zubris, but not the heart and soul of the team. Zubris also got a taste of playing on a good team, it may be worth millions to him, but I bet it will make him consider a decent offer from the Sabres if they do in fact make one. I think some of the fat can be trimmed and given to role players, not big scores not speedy wingers but solid in your face players looking for a chance.

[OpIv37]

what a load of horse ****.

The Sabres sold out every game and were WAY up there in merch sales. Fans devote their time, money and emotional energy to the team only to hear management say "sorry, winning isn't cost effective."

**** that. I'm really getting sick of pro sports. The fans are the people who make them economically viable, yet owners and management are ALWAYS willing to **** on the fans to make a few extra bucks.

[Ebenezer]

what a load of horse ****.

The Sabres sold out every game and were WAY up there in merch sales. Fans devote their time, money and emotional energy to the team only to hear management say "sorry, winning isn't cost effective."

**** that. I'm really getting sick of pro sports. The fans are the people who make them economically viable, yet owners and management are ALWAYS willing to **** on the fans to make a few extra bucks.
Did you read the whole article? They will not put the team in debt. The have some of the lowest ticket prices in the game. Other cities make way more money. The Sabres still RECEIVE money as being one of the poorest revenue generating markets in the league. Why does everybody think because an owner has money that he has to pitch his own bucks into the pot to keep the team in the black; just because Dan Snyder does it? People wanted the Rigas' family to throw money into the team and look what happened when they started mixing their money with the team's and with Adelphia. They are running a prudent business. The team is going to make X amount of $$ and apparently they are going to keep the budget near what X happens to be. Again, if they only spend $25 mil then I think we have reason to complain but if they are over $40-42 million then I think they are being smart not only for this year but for future years. The NHL has guarenteed contracts. A mistake like Spacek is very costly.

I thought you were done complaining. If you are getting so sick of pro sports I suggest you go watch college. Squeaky clean there!

[OpIv37]

Did you read the whole article? They will not put the team in debt. The have some of the lowest ticket prices in the game. Other cities make way more money. The Sabres still RECEIVE money as being one of the poorest revenue generating markets in the league. Why does everybody think because an owner has money that he has to pitch his own bucks into the pot to keep the team in the black; just because Dan Snyder does it? People wanted the Rigas' family to throw money into the team and look what happened when they started mixing their money with the team's and with Adelphia. They are running a prudent business. The team is going to make X amount of $$ and apparently they are going to keep the budget near what X happens to be. Again, if they only spend $25 mil then I think we have reason to complain but if they are over $40-42 million then I think they are being smart not only for this year but for future years. The NHL has guarenteed contracts. A mistake like Spacek is very costly.

I thought you were done complaining. If you are getting so sick of pro sports I suggest you go watch college. Squeaky clean there!


I said I was done arguing in the Bills forum- I never said anything about complaining in the Sabres forum.

But that's ok- you go ahead and defend the team for spending $8 million less in salary than our opponents. Just don't be pissed or surprised when those opponents beat us because they were able to outbid us for top talent.

[Ebenezer]

Maybe with a few extra million around this year they could have brought in another defensemen and maybe this team would still be playing...my point is that you can't judge them until you see how much they spend and who they sign. I didn't see anything in that article to be despondent over. I also think the league will slow down the contract escalation...many of them are still losing money. We don't know what the NHL cap will be...we don't know what the Sabres cap will be...will they spend $8 million less...will they spend $800 less...we don't have a handle on who will be available in July...way too many things we don't know about yet.

*****ing right now makes no sense.