Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

The Buffalo Sabres are ending their affiliation with the Rochester Americans at the end of this season. The 29-year marriage has featured hundreds of players making the one-hour drive on the I-90.

“That’s over,” Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn told The News on Wednesday. “We’re going to go elsewhere.”

The union between the Sabres and their American Hockey League affiliate had become strained in recent years. The Sabres, who partnered with the Amerks in 1979-80, have been sharing them with the Florida Panthers. The Sabres want their own team, and after their reported attempt to purchase Rochester was rebuffed, they decided to go elsewhere.

“We want to have an affiliate where we’re the only team, have control of the players, the coaching staff, the trainers, the whole process,” Quinn said. “We’ve wanted that for three years.”

The Sabres’ business model features young prospects replacing expensive veterans. Because the Sabres share the Amerks, they are limited to nine or 10 AHL players. Quinn said the Sabres would have liked to sign college kids or young Europeans, but space was limited. Having their own minor-league team will allow them to enhance their pipeline.

“We couldn’t get the situation we wanted,” Quinn said. “We have to have a strong affiliate to be successful. It’s not something we can compromise on.”

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabresnhl/story/222742.html

for people thinking that we will be losing our prospects and head coach Randy Cunneyworth they're all under contract with the Sabres and they'll go were the Sabres wind up setting up camp.

[CuseJetsFan83]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

oh by the way unless buffalo wants to buy out anaheim..... anaheim and portland have 3 years left on their agreement.....

the only teams that have flexibility are binghamton, syracuse, and if they create a franchise from scatch

[solomon100]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

Quinn is an idiot! Rochester has been a great farm club for the Sabres for years and now this where told that we are sacrificing this relationship because of money- the same money that could have been used to keep Drury under contract and resulted us in overpaying for Vanek. We give Vanek all that money but we cheap on the farm club that has served us so well.....................

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

Quinn is an idiot! Rochester has been a great farm club for the Sabres for years and now this where told that we are sacrificing this relationship because of money- the same money that could have been used to keep Drury under contract and resulted us in overpaying for Vanek. We give Vanek all that money but we cheap on the farm club that has served us so well.....................

This one is not Quinn's fault.

Rochester's ownership is messed up.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

and from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle & look at the subtitle underneath

Twice before Rochester was poised to kick Sabres to the curb

For a week now, Quinn has been saying the Sabres ship has sailed. The Florida Panthers, an equal development partner in Rochester, say they are willing to become the sole parent team.

"Who's to blame? It has to be both sides," Donner admits. "But I think I've shown, in some cases, too much loyalty."

In the summer of 2003, Donner was ready to pull the plug on the Sabres. The Rigas family had run the Sabres into bankruptcy.

"The only reason we didn't do a deal (with another team) was because Tom Golisano bought the Sabres and I thought it was only fair to see if we can save this affiliation by going with the local guy," Donner said.

Neither side says the partnership can be saved this time. The major stumbling block: veterans and who pays for them.

It's been a source of great consternation for both teams for three years.

The Sabres say if veterans are important to the identity of the Amerks, then it should be Rochester's responsibility to pay part or all of the salary. Buffalo's contention: it's not the Sabres job to sell Amerks tickets.

But Donner doesn't understand why Buffalo won't pay for veterans. He says they are critical to prospect development, and the older on-the-bubble players also are NHL-ready in case there are injuries in Buffalo.

"I've been puzzled why the Sabres don't have any depth guys here," Donner said. "Do you think they can make a serious run for the Stanley Cup with the depth guys they have here now? No way."

The Amerks' slow-pay practices have irked the Sabres for years. That was clear in a letter sent to the Rochester ownership group by managing partner Larry Quinn in January.

In requesting the start of talks regarding an extension of the affiliation, Quinn wrote that any new deal would require "some form of security to assure payment" (of affiliation fees).

When this dual affiliation first took shape, the Sabres wanted only about 13 roster spots in Rochester. They were leaving seven slots open to the Amerks to fill.

The Amerks, however, didn't have the money to pay for seven of their own players. Since the Sabres had no desire to pay for players with no NHL future, they brought the Panthers in as a limited partner in Rochester.

"That wasn't meant to be standard practice, it was more an aberration," Quinn said.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071206/SPORTS02/712060328/1007/RSS02

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

The truth is finally coming out,

on MSG, Kevin Sylvester (second intermission) just reported that the Sabres DID offer the Americans 4.5M to purchse the Rochester Americans also he said the Sabres put in a November 1st deadline for the Rochester Americans to renew they're affiliation with the Sabres and the Rochester Americans DID NOT respond.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

I don't really care who they are affiliated with. I would think it was Rochester that would be upset, if they really are, it could be any city that is the farm team.

[JD]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

donner

[THATHURMANATOR]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

oh by the way unless buffalo wants to buy out anaheim..... anaheim and portland have 3 years left on their agreement.....

the only teams that have flexibility are binghamton, syracuse, and if they create a franchise from scatch

Just go with Syracuse. That seems like a no brainer to me.

[Michael82]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

The truth is finally coming out,

on MSG, Kevin Sylvester (second intermission) just reported that the Sabres DID offer the Americans 4.5M to purchse the Rochester Americans also he said the Sabres put in a November 1st deadline for the Rochester Americans to renew they're affiliation with the Sabres and the Rochester Americans DID NOT respond.

Donner is the problem here. And I'm betting that if he doesn't produce some new investors soon and pay off his debts...Rochester will no renew his Arena lease and will tell him to sell the team or pound rock salt.

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

Why can't the Sabres do this create they're own AHL team put it here in Buffalo and ask the Niagara Purple Eagles if they can play at Dwyer Arena which is a nice arena. OR play the games at the Pepsi Center in Amherst all they have to do is bring in bleachers.

[CuseJetsFan83]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

Why can't the Sabres do this create they're own AHL team put it here in Buffalo and ask the Niagara Purple Eagles if they can play at Dwyer Arena which is a nice arena. OR play the games at the Pepsi Center in Amherst all they have to do is bring in bleachers.

because this would fall in under the stupid agreements made between the ahl cities............ and they would fall right in the middle of rochester and hamilton's "territory"

plus the screwed up way the divisions are set up, the only way it would be a logical fit is if rochester lost its franchise...... which from what my sources (crunch management) tell me isn't that far fetched..... as mikey alluded to the amerks are not only in a hard place with sabres management, but also with the monroe county government as well, on terms of agreement for a lease.

unless the minority owners get their way.... i'd have to say donner is gonna run this one down the hole........... only glimmer of hope i have for the amerks is that the panthers want to remain there..... so kudos to them, but i fear the damage is already done as far as the sabres are in rochester

[CuseJetsFan83]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

The truth is finally coming out,

on MSG, Kevin Sylvester (second intermission) just reported that the Sabres DID offer the Americans 4.5M to purchse the Rochester Americans also he said the Sabres put in a November 1st deadline for the Rochester Americans to renew they're affiliation with the Sabres and the Rochester Americans DID NOT respond.

as far as this goes, everyone who pays attention this stuff (mainly people that are AHL fans) already knew this..........

this really shouldn't be that much of a surprise, and from what i've heard, unless a team is dormant....... franchises can't talk about where they will be heading to until the end of the season

[OpIv37]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

this is a HUGE mistake for both clubs. It keeps Rochester fans interested in the Sabres and gives them a bigger fan base that's close enough to go to games.

Rochester gets the benefit of having NHL players on the team to attract fans- once a guy plays for the Sabres and comes back down, he becomes a bigger draw.

Sounds like this one is mostly on Rochester's end- it's too bad cooler heads didn't prevail because they're both going to pay the price for this.

[Dude]

Re: Sabres say "they're done with the Rochester Americans"

Why can't the Sabres do this create they're own AHL team put it here in Buffalo and ask the Niagara Purple Eagles if they can play at Dwyer Arena which is a nice arena. OR play the games at the Pepsi Center in Amherst all they have to do is bring in bleachers.

Dwyer Arena only seats 1500. The Pepsi Center has - what, 1400 seats? Adding bleachers won't give you much more than that. Neither of those capacities is adequate for an AHL team. If the Sabres were to run their own team locally, it would only make sense to have them play at HSBC.