Fiscal Responsibility??

[snow1989]

I've sat and read alot of posts with people being upset with not paying Briere and Drury....and how it 'guts' the team. I won't argue about it being a loss...but I would argue to what extent. Everyone said this was 'our year'....we didn't make it and without some 'retooling' I don't think we will....I agree with others, not enough 'grit', size etc at times....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070627.DUHA27/TPStory/Sports

Philly stepped up and splashed big bucks around....but here's a thought....

Briere - $10 milliion 2007

Timonen - $6.3 million 2007

Biron- $3.5 million 2007..................now some simple math....these 3 guys take up

over 39% of the Philly payroll!!!! So who exactly gets paired with these guys? The Hansen Bros from the Chiefs at $150,000?? I don't see where they afford real decent 2nd-3rd liners in either forwards or defensemen....I didn't feel that Briere could 'carry' our team - so I don't see him carrying Philly without serious help and theres little money left at that rate.
So....do the fans give management the benefit of the doubt and see what our team looks like in October or do we form the lynching mob now? I can wait...at least I know theres a pretty good core AND if a little more retooling needs to be done near the end of the season there will be some cash left to play with.
No...I don't feel like a Homer....although some are sitting behind their screens thinking that.....management has made errors....I think after realizing Briere was a goner they could have opened the vault just a hair more for Drury...his leadership will be missed....and I'm not sure about Zubrus...maybe they know something about his knee...maybe they don't like he takes games off during the season ( though I thought he played well in the play-offs)
Perhaps Connelly having played little will be 100% recovered and make up some of the points we lose from Briere...maybe Stafford steps up...maybe one of the young kids provides the grit....is just way too early to judge.....therefore I'll sit back and watch....

*chuckle* damn, I think this my longest post ever....and I imagine I'll get 'roughed up' some for my view, but thats cool....I always thought these boards were meant for discussion, lively debate...

[BlackMetalNinja]

I've sat and read alot of posts with people being upset with not paying Briere and Drury....and how it 'guts' the team. I won't argue about it being a loss...but I would argue to what extent. Everyone said this was 'our year'....we didn't make it and without some 'retooling' I don't think we will....I agree with others, not enough 'grit', size etc at times....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070627.DUHA27/TPStory/Sports

Philly stepped up and splashed big bucks around....but here's a thought....

Briere - $10 milliion 2007

Timonen - $6.3 million 2007

Biron- $3.5 million 2007..................now some simple math....these 3 guys take up

over 39% of the Philly payroll!!!! So who exactly gets paired with these guys? The Hansen Bros from the Chiefs at $150,000?? I don't see where they afford real decent 2nd-3rd liners in either forwards or defensemen....I didn't feel that Briere could 'carry' our team - so I don't see him carrying Philly without serious help and theres little money left at that rate.
So....do the fans give management the benefit of the doubt and see what our team looks like in October or do we form the lynching mob now? I can wait...at least I know theres a pretty good core AND if a little more retooling needs to be done near the end of the season there will be some cash left to play with.
No...I don't feel like a Homer....although some are sitting behind their screens thinking that.....management has made errors....I think after realizing Briere was a goner they could have opened the vault just a hair more for Drury...his leadership will be missed....and I'm not sure about Zubrus...maybe they know something about his knee...maybe they don't like he takes games off during the season ( though I thought he played well in the play-offs)
Perhaps Connelly having played little will be 100% recovered and make up some of the points we lose from Briere...maybe Stafford steps up...maybe one of the young kids provides the grit....is just way too early to judge.....therefore I'll sit back and watch....

*chuckle* damn, I think this my longest post ever....and I imagine I'll get 'roughed up' some for my view, but thats cool....I always thought these boards were meant for discussion, lively debate...

I've tried to make a similar argument as well, but there's no excuse for not signing either of them AND not going after somebody decent as a UFA too. I don't want all our money tied up for the next 3 years when we have others that will need to be signed, but having 8 tons of cap room and no top level guys is of little help as well.

[snow1989]

I've tried to make a similar argument as well, but there's no excuse for not signing either of them AND not going after somebody decent as a UFA too. I don't want all our money tied up for the next 3 years when we have others that will need to be signed, but having 8 tons of cap room and no top level guys is of little help as well.

I agree....it was a mess that might have been avoided, but its like spilled milk now. I also thought they might be more aggressive in the UFA market ....I'm not sure there's any real help left at this point.....unless....they are packaging some kind of trade.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

You can add Scott Hartnell to your argument for Philly, he is making 4+ mil a year. You can also add the NY Rangers to help your argument. They have the following contracts:

Drury - 7 mil
Gomez - 7 mil
Jagr - 8.3

22+ million tied up in three players.


However, I don't think I am worried so much about losing two guys, it is the way they left and where they left to. Unless word comes out differently, these guys didn't want to be here. I am worried that this franchise does not have a good reputation around the league. We might be in for a bad stretch in a couple years. Right now they have enough talent to compete but once Vanek and Miller leave in a few years, this could be a sad franchise.

[Crisis]

I'm not so worried about Briere & Drury leaving, I was prepared for it, I just HATE they went to two teams that I can not stand.

However the franchise can not afford to lose Vanek or Miller in the future. Those are two players that are essential to this franchise. Life will go on without Drury and Briere, but Vanek and Miller are the present and future of the team.

[BlackMetalNinja]

I'm not so worried about Briere & Drury leaving, I was prepared for it, I just HATE they went to two teams that I can not stand.

However the franchise can not afford to lose Vanek or Miller in the future. Those are two players that are essential to this franchise. Life will go on without Drury and Briere, but Vanek and Miller are the present and future of the team.

The Rangers and the Flyers... that really is the kicker isn't it? Only ones that could have compared were Toronto and Ottawa...

I don't care what we do, locking up Miller long term has to be the biggest focus over the next two years. If we let him even get a tiny breath of Free Agency, the numbers will get ungodly huge.

[snow1989]

Not to make light of the situation....but doesn't Buffalo usually get a bad rep just because...well, it's Buffalo?? I'm sure players talk ( I think thats how Briere got into Philly - see Biron) ....and I agree it looks bad, but who knows what the players themselves actually say behind closed doors...

....by the way....I have a couple Philly fans that work with me here in Japan...and they aren't too impressed with spending $10 million on a 'pipsqueak forward' as they called him.....so I guess it's all a matter of perspective

[Crisis]

The Rangers and the Flyers... that really is the kicker isn't it? Only ones that could have compared were Toronto and Ottawa...

I don't care what we do, locking up Miller long term has to be the biggest focus over the next two years. If we let him even get a tiny breath of Free Agency, the numbers will get ungodly huge.

Definitely...I really was prepared for Drury going out West, that would've made things a lot easier...

[don137]

It seems the best thing to do is to sign a player to an extension a year before he becomes a free agent. Think of how many players the Sabres could of had cheaper if they signed an extension a year earlier with out changing the financials of the last years contract they potentially of never lost Drury, Briere and McKee.

[snow1989]

Definitely...I really was prepared for Drury going out West, that would've made things a lot easier...

Have to admit it will make for some interesting games

[snow1989]

It seems the best thing to do is to sign a player to an extension a year before he becomes a free agent. Think of how many players the Sabres could of had cheaper if they signed an extension a year earlier with out changing the financials of the last years contract they potentially of never lost Drury, Briere and McKee.
That's true....but there will always be guys that want to try free agency knowing its coming up...especially the way salaries are getting inflated again

[don137]

Not to make light of the situation....but doesn't Buffalo usually get a bad rep just because...well, it's Buffalo?? I'm sure players talk ( I think thats how Briere got into Philly - see Biron) ....and I agree it looks bad, but who knows what the players themselves actually say behind closed doors...

....by the way....I have a couple Philly fans that work with me here in Japan...and they aren't too impressed with spending $10 million on a 'pipsqueak forward' as they called him.....so I guess it's all a matter of perspective

I do think Briere will do well in Philly but he will not live up to his contract. He will be better than he played in Phoenix but the system helped him succeed in Buffalo so I do not think he will get 95 points in Philly...I think he will get about 70-75 points.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Not to make light of the situation....but doesn't Buffalo usually get a bad rep just because...well, it's Buffalo?? I'm sure players talk ( I think thats how Briere got into Philly - see Biron) ....and I agree it looks bad, but who knows what the players themselves actually say behind closed doors...

....by the way....I have a couple Philly fans that work with me here in Japan...and they aren't too impressed with spending $10 million on a 'pipsqueak forward' as they called him.....so I guess it's all a matter of perspective

Philly fans tend to know absolutely nothing in my personal experience however... At any rate, Briere will remain good, but that team is not built for his style of play at all and I expect his numbers will certainly drop off. Add to that the fact that Philly fans will indeed jump all over him for that contract the moment he doesn't produce at a very high rate consistently, he might not be ready for the pressure he's going to be put under.

[Typ0]

Philly fans tend to know absolutely nothing in my personal experience however... At any rate, Briere will remain good, but that team is not built for his style of play at all and I expect his numbers will certainly drop off. Add to that the fact that Philly fans will indeed jump all over him for that contract the moment he doesn't produce at a very high rate consistently, he might not be ready for the pressure he's going to be put under.


one has to wonder if any team is built for his style come playoff time...he's a finess player who needs to play down low but doesn't have any bully strength.

[BlackMetalNinja]

one has to wonder if any team is built for his style come playoff time...he's a finess player who needs to play down low but doesn't have any bully strength.

This is true, but Philly is a much slower, plodding team then Buffalo by far. The Sabres relied heavily on odd man rushes and that's something Briere excelled at. Philly is going to have to get into the zone and setup and run an offense, where Briere has a much higher likelihood of being heavily harrassed. We'll see, but I'd expect Briere to be more in the 30 goals, 45 assists range this year.

[snow1989]

This is true, but Philly is a much slower, plodding team then Buffalo by far. The Sabres relied heavily on odd man rushes and that's something Briere excelled at. Philly is going to have to get into the zone and setup and run an offense, where Briere has a much higher likelihood of being heavily harrassed. We'll see, but I'd expect Briere to be more in the 30 goals, 45 assists range this year.

I definitely expect his totals to be lower....and if they are...how ripped off will the Philly fans feel?

[BlackMetalNinja]

I definitely expect his totals to be lower....and if they are...how ripped off will the Philly fans feel?

Being Philly fans... extremely ripped off... probably 5 times more so then they have any right to...