Sabres at $26.6 million

[Don Cherry]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=627 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=stitle width=39></TD><TD class=stitle>Buffalo Sabres</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=fchartbkg cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width=627 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=ftitlerow width=150>Player</TD><TD class=ftitlerow align=left width=275>Contract Notes</TD><TD class=ftitlerow align=right width=202>2005-2006 Salary</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Chris Drury</TD><TD class=brick align=left> </TD><TD class=brick align=right>$2.926 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Martin Biron</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$2.128 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Teppo Numminen</TD><TD class=brick align=left>UFA (Dallas)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$2 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Daniel Briere</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$1.93 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Jochen Hecht</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$1.9 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Toni Lydman</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Acquired in trade from Calgary</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$1.9 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>J.P. Dumont</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$1.596 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Mike Grier</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$1,364,400</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Dmitri Kalinin</TD><TD class=brick align=left> </TD><TD class=brick align=right>$1.33 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Maxim Afinogenov</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$1.086 million</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Tim Connolly</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$1,036,900</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Taylor Pyatt</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$989,720</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Ales Kotalik</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$837,900</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Jeff Jillson</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$833,960</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Derek Roy</TD><TD class=brick align=left> </TD><TD class=brick align=right>$782,000</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Mika Noronen</TD><TD class=brick align=left> </TD><TD class=brick align=right>$665,000</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Henrik Tallinder</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$591,800</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Rory Fitzpatrick</TD><TD class=brick align=left> </TD><TD class=brick align=right>$532,000</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Brian Campbell</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$459,800</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Milan Bartovic</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>$450,000</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Adam Mair</TD><TD class=brick align=left> </TD><TD class=brick align=right>$450,000</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Andrew Peters</TD><TD class=brick align=left> </TD><TD class=brick align=right>$450,000</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Chris Taylor</TD><TD class=brick align=right> </TD><TD class=brick align=right>$450,000</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#fbf4ea><TD class=brick>Ryan Miller</TD><TD class=brick align=left>Re-signed RFA (Buffalo)</TD><TD class=brick align=right>Undisclosed</TD></TR><TR><TD class=ftitlerow align=left>24 Players</TD><TD class=ftitlerow align=left>1 Salary Undisclosed</TD><TD class=ftitlerow align=right>$26,691,172</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



McKee's deal will probably fall around $2-$2.5 million, putting the club around $28-29 million.

That puts Buffalo 10th out of 15 Eastern Conf Clubs,with Washington, Pitt, Florida, & Carolina probably spending less. Out West, the Sabres would only be underspent by Minnesota, with Nashville & San Jose in their neighborhood.

Chicago and Edmonton are close, but will likely jump ahead of Buffalo by a few million fillingout their rosters. Montreal is a few million behind buffalo, biut have some expensive deals to get done that will put them around $30 million (Theodore, Ryder)


Most Western teams will outspend their eastern counterparts by an average of $2-3 million per club.


Teams that will be hamstrung if they are hit with injuries, or will be very limited at the trading deadline will be Boston, NJ, NYI,NY Rangers, Philly, Ottawa, Tampa, Toronto, Anaheim, Colorado, Dallas, and Vancouver. They better have their rosters set- because this is who will be on their clubs come playoff time. If they are looking to be out of the hunt- they will be major sellers.

Teams in great shape to make a deal or two at the trading deadline will be St Louis, SJ, Nash, LA Kings, Edmonton, Calgary, (maybe) Detroit, Chicago, Atl, Mon, Minny, and BUFFALO.

Teams that will struggle to hit the minimum salary level- Washington, Florida

[Myers57]

WowI had no idea that Afinogenov re-upped his contract...

Great information!

[SabreEleven]

Mckee will be the 2nd highest paid Sabres? hmmmm

[don137]

When Mckee joined the Sabres he played with a lot more fire than he does now. He was not afraid to throw his weight around and stick up for his teammates. He has been a primadona the last few years and the crap he said during the lockout I lost a lot of respect for him.
I also can't believe the high salary of Toni Lydman.

[Earthquake Enyart]

When Mckee joined the Sabres he played with a lot more fire than he does now. He was not afraid to throw his weight around and stick up for his teammates. He has been a primadona the last few years and the crap he said during the lockout I lost a lot of respect for him.
I also can't believe the high salary of Toni Lydman.
$1.9 for a guy I've never heard of.

I agree about McKee. I was hoping he'd toughen up when they got rid of Warrenner.

[SABURZFAN]

I also can't believe the high salary of Toni Lydman.


$1.9 for a guy I've never heard of.




it can't be any worse than the $3-3.5 million we were paying zhitnik.

[Bill Brasky]

That puts Buffalo 10th out of 15 Eastern Conf Clubs,with Washington, Pitt, Florida, & Carolina probably spending less.
unbelievable that Pitt got so much better and they are STILL spending less than us. lucky SOB's

[SkateZilla]

we need like 2, 3 Million Scorers with average of 80 Points A Season,

that way we dont completely screw over rochester...

[Earthquake Enyart]

it can't be any worse than the $3-3.5 million we were paying zhitnik.
You got me there. Hopefully this guy can hit the net.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

When Mckee joined the Sabres he played with a lot more fire than he does now. He was not afraid to throw his weight around and stick up for his teammates. He has been a primadona the last few years and the crap he said during the lockout I lost a lot of respect for him.
I also can't believe the high salary of Toni Lydman.

Mckee jumped the shark when he got that concussion when he tried to check Mario.

[Dozerdog]

unbelievable that Pitt got so much better and they are STILL spending less than us. lucky SOB's
I really don't see Pitt that way- they have some high priced old guys making up a line or two, a decent defensive pair that will play 30-40 minutes- but outside of Crosby they have two lines filled with the likes of Chris Taylor. Their hotshot top Russian pick won't be returning from Russia until 2006 -2007.

Pitt could be looking pretty old and nicked up midway through the season.

[mchurchfie]

You got me there. Hopefully this guy can hit the net.
If he can't hit the net maybe at least he will miss a few of our players.:pray::ill: