Okay, well. I just listened to the entire press conference and here are my thoughts on the matter.

1. While playing on NHL ice, nobody cares where you grew up. I know how it feels, because I am a Ryan Malone fan from Pittsburgh. But look at the team on the ice for what it is. Calm your emotions and just pretend everybody on the team is from your back yard. Not your city, but literally your back yard. Or if you don't have a yard, the nearest patch of grass (10'x10') will do. Then, base your opinion of the team as a whole without Kennedy on it. With all due respect to him, he is not blessed with the physical attributes needed to thrive as a checking line winger in the NHL and his skill level is half that of an Ennis. I love his heart and feistiness, I really do. And I wish he was on the team with that 2-way contract that was offered him. But he's not, and I wish him well.

2. The team has a self proposed cap. Not a hard cap mind you, but for whatever reasons MGMT are NOT spending to the NHL cap ceiling this summer. Could be that there isn't anybody worth spending that kind of money on this summer. Could be that they need to cut back a little now, so they can spend more later. Could be that they are preparing for Myers gigantic contract extension next year or the year after. Could be that they are bracing for a trade at the deadline. Speculate away.

3. Regier did right by the team. He sacrificed from a position of abundance, and lets face it the Sabres have a lot of REALLY good wingers of all ages on the team. So that he could strengthen a weakness on the team. A defense man that will protect the teams most important asset, pick up a great deal of the slack left behind from Lydman, and continue to provide the team with better size for those long grueling playoffs runs that we all want to happen VERY soon. And he's only 27, probably a better catch then Sutton due to his discipline and durability. And he's not a douche either, I don't like Sutton.


Finally, I think Sabres MGMT once again conducted themselves in a professional, compassionate manner and DR in particular has said all the right things once again.

My consternation has never, for one instant, had anything to do with Kennedy being from South Buffalo. It's completely been about the fact that they're buying out a good young player to save a couple hundred thousand bucks. With Morissonn's contract in, and Kennedy out, they have $5.4M in cap room. They could have kept Kennedy at $1M, signed Morrissonn, and STILL been $4.57M under the line. So, they basically made themselves look like a bunch of cheap bastards because LQ wouldn't authorize another $833k.

If they wouldn't spend that money on one of their own players, why should anyone expect that they would ever spend it on someone else down the line?

Well, they aren't going to send Ennis down through waivers. So who do you think was eventually going to need to get bumped down? Kennedy. If he had a ONE WAY deal they would have had to have eaten more of the contract later and looked-to your eyes-as even bigger douches then.

Very good points but I must respectfully disagree with some of your thoughts. When was the last time the Sabres spend a crap load on any player (oh yeah, we do have a 50 million dollar man who is WELL WORTH that kind of money ), let alone make a big trade. Really good wingers???? Seriously??? Who are these "really good wingers," and where were they last season.

Yes, we have a pretty solid defense now but how about some scoring? You need to be able to score in order to win and I don't see it. Unless someone lights a fire under these forwards asses, you can keep dreaming about a championship.


Again, sorry about the rant.....just trying to vent a little.