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Losing Chris Drury and Daniel Briere to free agency was bad enough. The Buffalo Sabres weren't going to let high-scoring youngster Thomas Vanek get away at any price.
Without hesitation, the Sabres signed Vanek to a seven-year, $50 million contract Friday, matching the offer the player received from the Edmonton Oilers.
"We matched it for a lot of different reasons," Sabres general manager Darcy Regier said. "One, was to say to everyone in the National Hockey League, 'If you want to shop this way, don't come here."'
The Oilers move also enraged Buffalo, with Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn warning his team will consider making offers to Edmonton players in the future. "I'm happy we have Thomas for seven years. I think that's really important to state here," Quinn said. "But it's not doing the Edmonton Oilers any good what they did today."
Without hesitation, the Sabres signed Vanek to a seven-year, $50 million contract Friday, matching the offer the player received from the Edmonton Oilers.
"We matched it for a lot of different reasons," Sabres general manager Darcy Regier said. "One, was to say to everyone in the National Hockey League, 'If you want to shop this way, don't come here."'
The Oilers move also enraged Buffalo, with Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn warning his team will consider making offers to Edmonton players in the future. "I'm happy we have Thomas for seven years. I think that's really important to state here," Quinn said. "But it's not doing the Edmonton Oilers any good what they did today."
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