They're working on winning it right now, AS WE SPEAK.

For Squanto and 1980,
I understand your frustration with people, but this is a message board, and was created for just this reason. Also,

I am certainly mature enough of a hockey fan to understand that most things a GM will do are VERY complicated, however, I haven't won a cup yet("I" meaning we), and I won't be satisfied until we do. There will be no joy in Mudville until we do. I can't bitch about an owner who professes to run his club like a business(like any sane businessman would), so I have to go after the next guy. If Regier doesn't have what it takes, then I'm hoping for a change(not saying he doesn't either). I guess my frustration runs deep, but in a different(but similar) manner. Our owner(and his managing partner) really aren't qualified to evaluate our talent at GM and head coach. I'll bet some people on these boards may impart more hockey knowledge than Tommy G. has, so who is going to make the correct decision to keep Ruff/Regier/both? Even Squanto hinted a shake-up may be necessary, and he thought GM would be his choice. I felt that way for a long time, but if L.R. doesn't get us past the 1st round this year, then he's my lamb. I don't want Quinn pulling the strings for Ruff. That would be a nightmare. This team's ownership(management) has been strange for a while, and I'm not even sure normalcy is possible considering the future of the league.

...sorry for carrying on...

There are also trades that are meant to be for a cup run. Darcy does make decent trades for a cup run that just don't work out, but if he made a trade that was a bit bigger, he could alter the team and perhaps get us there.

Darcy has superb drafting though. Myers, Kassian were great choices. He picked Ennis up, which was a great pick. If we had a higher pick we would do damage, but we are too good for that.

We need at least one out of three of those things opened up. UFA, draft, or a trade.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

And I really don't get how people can disagree with firing Darcy. We need a change. Trades, UFA signings. They aren't happening. It's probably not Darcy's fault, but all of the other teams would fire their GMs (probably not all of the other teams) if they missed the playoffs for two years and kicked in the first round the year after that. We haven't won a cup ever. It's been 40 years. Time to stop making excuses and see what the damn problem is.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

the problem is ownership. they arnt invested to win, just to make money.

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Define 'invested' for me. I'm not nitpicking at you, but I hear this term bandied out a lot, and I'd like to know how you feel it's defined.

owning the team isnt just enough, especially from afar. an owner should be involved, and should be more aggressive in improving teams and trying to make a splash. im not saying be mark cuban, or big stein, but more invested. it should be a source of pride when they win, and embarrassment when they dont.

golisano has enough cash, he doesnt have to worry about if the sabres lose money. hell, the illitches lose money on the wings almost every year, but youd never guess. its more about wins and losses, and not cash flow.

i also understand a team can not bleed money left and right, and you cant spend wildly, but i feel an owner should be in between a shrewd businessman, and biggest fan of the team. an owner should see it as an outlet to a sport they care about, not about JUST a potential investment.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Well, then everyone who wants an involved should look elsewhere for a team because Golisano has never ever been an involved owner and he never ever will be. If there's one thing I fully agree with Ferret about, it's that Golisano is spending too much time in Florida playing grabass with Monica Seles and not enough time being the owner of the Buffalo Sabres.

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mechaphil

How old is Golisano? Does anyone know?

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

Born in 1942 so he's 68.

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mechaphil

It's not the owners job to be up close and personal with the team. That's why he has flunkies like GM's and coaches...

Not my personal belief but that's reality.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

Yet so many GM's get fired.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.

It's a business, you don't buy a hockey team so you can lose money or break even. Winning, especially in a cap era, helps promote the brand name and increases revenue! They are invested in winning, because they spend to the cap or near to it.

Dude, become a Pittsburgh Pirate fan just for a day. I dare you, I DOUBLE dare you. I've seen for going on 2 decades, an ownership team that keeps their payroll low so they can make more money. The pirates just axed a team leader, veteran pitcher so he couldn't hit his 1 million dollar bonus. And that, is one of the NICER things they do to manage payroll.

Nobody does fireworks like Pittsburgh, our Pirate games fireworks make 99% of the countries 4th of July fireworks piss their pants. And we alos love to eat. And drink. And take the kids somewhere that will enable them to shut up for an hour or two. PNC park does all of that all summer long. They make a killing, and do it without sniffing the playoffs for 18^ years.

All I need to know about the Sabres owners is that they are paying the players what it takes to win. That's all any fan can ask from ownership. Well that and giving back to the community.

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"I love that you know how to do that." Cheryl/Carol/Crystal

"And I love that I have an erection that doesn't involve homeless people." Kreiger

because they only seem to get press for the crap things they do which every other team also is guilty of doing.

Like we're the only team to ever walk away from a ridiculous arbitration award?

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If your having goal problems, I feel bad for ya son....we got 99 problems but Vanek ain't one!