The Sabres Observer
Outcry Over Spending Falling On Buffalo’s Deaf Ears
by @DaveDavisHockey on 07/06/11 at 12:04 PM ET
Comments (7)
“If Ehrhoff and Leino don’t turn out to be quite as good as their salaries suggest, the same guys who are giving Sabres fans so much hope now could be millstones around the Sabres payroll once they are good enough to contend.”
- Ken Campbell of The Hockey News
“Dear Mr. Campbell - Just wondering if you could elaborate on the financial downside for deep-pocketed owners taking chances with high risk/reward contracts, such as was the case with deals for Wade Redden, Cristobal Huet and Michael Nylander. I ask this because when checking capgeek.com for team payrolls this past season for New York, Chicago and Washington, these millstones were nowhere to be found. Sincerely, Dave”
Go ahead, hockey world. Tell us in Buffalo how our owner should be committed for agreeing to these crazy contracts. We can take it. Not that it means anything to you, but this franchise has suffered far too long for us to be overly concerned about what you think.
After enduring years of heartbreak watching the vultures fly in to swoop up Michael Peca, Dominik Hasek, Jay McKee, Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Brian Campbell, Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman with contracts reaching varying levels of absurdity, fate has apparently concluded that it’s finally time for the Sabres to become takers rather than givers.
Besides, weren’t you the same fans and media that mocked this team for trading Peca rather than ponying up to meet his demands in 2001? Did you not condemn the future of this organization when a frustrated Hasek followed Peca out the door to pursue his Stanley Cup dream with a free-spending contender in Motown?
Wasn’t there snickering on your end when the San Jose Sharks took Brian Campbell off the Sabres’ hands not too long before he helped bring a Stanley Cup to Chicago? And please don’t tell us with a straight face that you were chanting the Sabres mantra of fiscal responsibility as they were negotiating with Briere and Drury, because we were just as perplexed as you were when they both left.
Last week, it was reported that the Flyers were prepared to pay Ville Leino $3.5M per season. Then Darcy Regier had the audacity to come in and offer $1M per season above that for someone that his pro scouts told him has a huge upside. There’s no argument that the term is too long. Fans and media folks here fully realize that, but good luck finding a few of them in this championship-starved town who would undo the deal if they could.
The Christian Ehrhoff contract is a good gamble for the Sabres to take, especially given how the deal is structured. Adding him and Robyn Regehr to this young defense, just recently having been schooled by a swarm of talented Philadelphia forwards in the playoffs, is just what the doctor ordered.
It’s not a $39M salary cap anymore, people. At it’s current pace of an average annual 8.7% increase since the lockout, the cap will hit $90M in four years. If Ehrhoff simply plays at the same level where he’s been at for most of his career, his $4M annual cap hit will look like small potatoes. Leino’s contract has more of a flat structure but that doesn’t even matter. If either of them flames out, Buffalo can minimize the problem with a demotion to the minors.
We’re going through a stage in this league where owners with deep pockets are gaining an increasing amount of flexibility each year to deal with bad long-term contracts. You’d think looking at the rising cap that there’s never been a better time in the new NHL to be aggressive and take chances, potential labor unrest notwithstanding.
But you’re right, though. Throwing big numbers at players to pursue a championship is a losing proposition, not to mention a good way to earn the wrath of fellow owners. Why pay a little extra for guys like Zdeno Chara, Marian Hossa and Brian Rafalski when you can just sit back and not have to deal with the scrutiny?
Ehrhoff and Leino aren’t as good as those guys, but they sure make this Sabres team better. And if you think you’re disgusted now then stick around, because the bigger fish could be in Buffalo’s crosshairs soon enough.
This is an exciting and unprecedented time in the history of this franchise. Don’t be so quick to judge the Sabres for being overaggressive to fill some gaping roster holes by locking up some of the best talent that was available. Buffalo is the team that’s been playing nice for most of the past 40 years. Look up to the empty rafters at HSBC Arena and you’ll see where it’s gotten them.
Just remember that when it comes to overspending to win at all costs, many of you are fans of teams that wrote the book on it. At least you have memories of Stanley Cup parades to show for it. So if you don’t mind, we’re going to try it your way for a while.
Twitter: @DaveDavisHockey
Filed in: | The Sabres Observer | Permalink
Tags: Christian+Ehrhoff+signing, Sabres+free+agency, Sabres+overspending, Terry+Pegula, Ville+Leino+signing,
Comments
At it’s current pace of an average annual 8.7% increase since the lockout, the cap will hit $90M in four years.
If either of them flames out, Buffalo can minimize the problem with a demotion to the minors.
Wow, you’re not really aware of the climate surrounding the impending end of the current CBA, are you?
But you’re right, though. Throwing big numbers at players to pursue a championship is a losing proposition
I know you write about the Sabres, but are you a Rangers fan?
Becuase you should ask Glen Sather about the success he’s had simply throwing big numbers at players.
“Throwing big numbers at players” is not how you win championships, it’s throwing the right big numbers at the right players.
The fact that the Sabres now have deep pockets is a good thing in the long run and the Ehrhoff and Leino contracts sure prove that they’re willing to spend to get players, but if they continue to throw Leino-sized contracts at Leino-level players, it could get very problematic very quickly.
Posted by Garth on 07/06/11 at 10:43 PM ET
I’d venture a guess I’m more aware of the current climate surrounding the end of the current CBA than you are, Garth. When you live in as small a market as Buffalo you kind of like to keep up on that kind of stuff. And forgive me for assuming that Regier will do a better job than Sather of picking his spots to open the vault. You set the bar pretty low with that one.
Posted by @DaveDavisHockey from Buffalo, NY on 07/06/11 at 11:12 PM ET
How will these teams ever compete if they don’t take a shot. Just squirrel money away like baseball small market owners? I applaud these franchises they give their fans hope. When fans have hope they come to the games.
Posted by 13 user names on 07/07/11 at 12:23 AM ET
Good article with exception of “looking up to rafters and seeing empty seats ” . The Sabres despite losing these players have still managed to fill the building .
Posted by GaryMAc on 07/25/11 at 07:33 PM ET
GaryMAc I’m aware of the attendance success and the article didn’t say anything about seeing empty seats. The rafters are typically where championship banners hang.
Posted by @DaveDavisHockey from Buffalo, NY on 07/25/11 at 09:08 PM ET
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About The Sabres Observer
Dave Davis has covered the Buffalo Sabres for various NHL accredited websites and newspapers since 2003. He was the senior writer and Sabres correspondent for The Fourth Period, covered hockey for Western New York Sports and Leisure Magazine, and has had articles featured on NHL.com, FOX Sports, Yahoo Sports and in New York Sportscene. Sabres news and notes can be found on his Twitter page.
Davis originally garnered media attention in 2002 as leader of a lobbying campaign working in unison with potential buyer Mark Hamister attempting to secure state financing to keep the Sabres in Buffalo. In 2004, Davis was briefly back on the airwaves - this time reaching the finals of the inaugural “WGR Rookie” sports talk competition. After a few years of “syndicating” his articles on various sites, along with doing some internet radio work, Davis now devotes his new media efforts to bringing quality Sabres related opinions and content to Kukla’s Korner.
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Twitter: [@DaveDavisHockey]
Dave, I couldn’t agree more.
Posted by danabob on 07/06/11 at 09:37 PM ET