Big names don't always spell big success in hockey

[SkateZilla]

By LARRY FELSER

It seems that a faction of Sabres fans are upset about the team not signing name free agents. They are having a cow that Miroslav Satan and Alexei Zhitnik are no longer on the roster.

Everyone knows that names make news, and apparently the discontented fans think names also make a playoff hockey team. Wouldn't it be nice if the Buffalo club had star players such as Jaromir Jagr, Pavel Bure, Eric Lindros, Theo Fleury, Mark Messier and Bobby Holik wearing Sabres jerseys?

Well, maybe not.

Back when the NHL was having a season, all of those names appeared on the New York Rangers' roster at one time or another. It was so comforting to Rangers supporters that they predicted a Stanley Cup for their favorites.

Read the Rest Here...
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050821/1047248.asp?tbd1047248.asp


Makes me Think of the Replacements Movie

[BuffaloRanger]

The "Rangers spend money and don't make the playoffs argument" is tired and old. Cheap owners hide behind it to justify their cheapness. Spending money on stars didn't hurt the wings, leafs, devils, stars, avs, blues, flyers, etc. All perennial playoff teams.

It's the same arguement, but used differently in baseball when a team like the A's or Mariners make the playoffs with a payroll 1/3 the size of the Yankees/Red Sox.

Big money team fan: "Stop complaining our salary is so high. That low salary team made the playoffs" (And in the offseason we will strip them of their best players BWAHAHAHA!)

[BuffaloRanger]

OK, now I actually read the article.

"Right now it doesn't seem prudent to embrace a big-name free agent system that has failed so many other teams." Like who the Rangers? He also holds up the flyers as a team that has spent big money and didn't win the cup. Has it really failed the flyers? Their fans have been watching hockey the last 3 Mays, not golfing. Just making the playoffs is a success if you've missed it 3 straight years.

"If the team can miss the playoffs with them, it can surely do it without them."(Speaking of Satan and Z)

That is the worst logic ever! I am convinced the Sabres have cut a deal with some reporters to justify this disasterous offseason.

[pyrrhonist]

And the apologists argument continues. For as many of these apologists that continue to harp on some of us who have rational arguments about the lack of FA signings, there is great irony. They're complaining about so-called complainers. :rolleyes:

It's getting to be a broken record, but I say again: I'm not upset by the lack of name signings. It's letting 2 of our best players go, and expecting to get as close to the playoffs again. There were plenty of solid, non-name quality players available (Hamrlik, Aucoin), and we let them go to other teams that don't traditionally spend money. Of course, Rochester guys will save the day! :down:

[Dozerdog]

From this vantage point the Sabres appear to be on much firmer ground in casting their lot with young, developing players, hopefully hungry and hard-working ones. The last time the Sabres played, Tom Golisano, who rescued the franchise, was so new he was still having trouble remembering the directions to the owner's box. Right now it doesn't seem prudent to embrace a big-name free agent system that has failed so many other teams.

As for the loss of Satan and Zhitnik, both were on the rosters of Sabres teams that failed to make the playoffs for the last several seasons. If the team can miss the playoffs with them, it can surely do it without them.

:bf1:

[Novacane]

let's see what Larry's saying in december