Yes, as a matter of fact, I can remember the Regier GM years before Golisano, and they were just as horrible.
He had multiple failures prior to Golisano buying the team, or even the downfall of the Rigas family for that matter.

He failed to have enough vision to bring in the offensive help needed to push the team over the hump for a Stanley Cup in the 98-99 season.
He allowed a gross battle between Ruff, and arguably the best goaltender in the history of the game in Hasek, to take place without stepping in, then went on to loose the greatest asset this team had at the time for Koslov from Detroit. He let Hasek dictate the terms of the trade specifically because he was not pro-active enough to put a stop to the bickering at the beginning of the season.

He then went on, prior to Golisano purchasing the team, to have multiple failures in the draft, specifically 1st and 2nd rounders, where your most likely to get NHL talent as opposed to later rounds. And it continued into the Golisano era.
I mean really, guys like Barrett Heisten, Artem Kryukov and Marek Zagrapan.
Or how about these bueaties.....Daniel Paille, Dimitri Kalinin, and second rounders like Andrew Peters and phillip gogulla.

Ummm...............ya, no thanks to Regier, the proof is in the pudding.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

I can see both sides of this issue, but for the people who don't trust Darcy, its gotta kinda feel like giving your kids the keys to your car just after the insurance company paid you for the one they just wrecked.

As of right now, he's got a clean slate with me as the ownership of this franchise were embezzlers, the league, and a guy who didn't want to pay for one of, if not his best trade acquisitions. But this team isn't going to go anywhere without some significant changes. If it gets better, then I don't mind adding a few more former players jerseys to the back of my closet.

The dumb moves both franchises have made has taken its toll. It is embarrassing sometimes living outside WNY and having to justify your teams in a market where their teams win championships. And frankly, no one up here gives a s#it about the Bruins unless you're one of those people who are clad head-to-toe in Bruins gear.


The fact remains that Darcy has pulled off some wholesale rapings of deals, but one may also have to wonder if this window has closed for him. Maybe when Darcy comes a calling, other teams see him as that used car salesman with 3 gaudy rings on each hand. If I were a GM and Darcy asked me about one of my players, my first instinct is not to trade him and maybe fire my coach. Okay maybe not that far... but "Regier - Briere" would be laminated next to my phone.

I don't know if we'll see movement this trade deadline as from the initial articles, Pegula's suggestions will only be suggestions...whatever that means. Seems weird for me to read as the guy bought the team and can axe people in the front office, but can't axe a player?

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

I think to be fair you have to look at the draft comparatively and see how other teams did. I mean in 2003 we took Vanek 5th overall. Great pick, but in that draft you have Mike Richards and Ryan Kessler going 24, and 23rd overall. How many times does that happen..that was a deep first round.

Then compare the 2005 draft...was there anyone who's a "household name" out of the first round other than maybe Tuuka Rask after we picked ...Rask who lost his stating bid to a 36 year old rejuvinated Tim Thomas with a hot yoga doing girlfirend and a repaired hip? Maybe Steve Downie...but 15 other teams passed on him including the team that he's now playing on, the Lightning who took a defenseman who hasn't cracked their lineup yet.

Phillip Gogulla? Look at all the trading that was done that round and what came from it...most teams lost except the Avs who did this to have Paul Stasny fall into their laps....Phoenix traded Chris Gratton, Ossi Vaananen, and a 2nd round pick in 2005 (Paul Stastny) to Colorado for Derek Morris and Keith Ballard.

Could Darcy have made some better picks? Sure, almost every GM could be placed in that category. Does he need to hit on a more players to keep his job...I sure that's part of the standard he'll be rated on.

What might help Regier is maybe being allowed to wheel and deal like he was able to going into the lockout. then he had to wheel and deal for other reasons...maybe now he gets to wheel and deal with the Cup being the reason.

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

I dunno what OTH took, but he needs to keep taking it. Words right out of my mouth.

Arguing over who was drafted, when, is kinda pointless.

We got Roy in 3rd round, Goose in 7th, etc. You never know who is going to pan out and who isn't. Fuck Peters scored 61 points in ~150 Minor games, could have looked like a tough guy with a lot of skill when he was drafted. He never panned out. He could have been a Cody McCormick type player, only with greater size and toughness.

It's all a crap shoot in the draft.

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

Peters was actually a pretty good player, and he was supposed to be a skilled power forward in the NHL.

He got into a fight (surprise surprise) when he was with the Kitchener Rangers and took a wallop to the forehead that dropped him cold.

He wasn't the same player after that.

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Wheelhouse

Darcy's moves without Quinn has been troublesome also. He overpaid for Gratton, who was a bust. He acquired a very unhappy Slava Kozlov, who got injured and sat out the season's remainder to get out before he could be traded for someone else.

As for an MD, ask your primary care provider for references.

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Let's go Buffalo!

Another poster pointed out to me how concentrated the talent usually is in the draft and I went back and looked at the last decade of drafts and realized that while I'd love to work for a sports franchise...I don't think NHL GM would be very high on my list of jobs to have.

I was all, "why can't we get superstars drafting 15th overall?" Then I looked at he draft and other than a few years like 2003 its long odds to get that guy out of the top 5, heck top 3.

But what should we expect out of Darcy? I think that if you can hit on even just 1 player per draft you're probably doing good enough to keep your job. I don't mean hitting on a stud every year, but just 1 player who will turn into an NHL player and most of which won't take 5 years or so to get there. We have been lauded for how we have made successful players out of our farm club players.

The Red Wings seem to be thought of as one of those teams that is good at finding and evaluating talent? I'd agree with that, but I look at their 1998 and 1999 drafts.

In 1998 they miss on their first 4 picks and in the 5th round draft Pavel Datsyuk who went undrafted the previous 2 seasons. In 1999, the Red Wings don't have a pick in the top 3 rounds and draft Henrik Zetterberg in the 7th round. We all know this history its no secret.

But by hitting on those 2 players...does anyone in Detroit care who those misses were or how it affected their team? I doubt it.

But now with a new owner, maybe we can pay to keep some of those hits and lock that one up to that long deal that other teams do....before another franchise puts a gun to our head.

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

Kozlov was a move forced by Hasek; he wanted out, Darcy had no leverage.

Let's look at the Gratton move again.

March 9, 2000: Traded to Buffalo by Tampa Bay with Tampa Bay's 2nd round choice (Derek Roy) in 2001 Entry Draft for Cory Sarich, Wayne Primeau, Brian Holzinger and Buffalo's 3rd round choice (Alexander Kharitonov) in 2000 Entry Draft, March 9, 2000.

So they gave up Sarich / Primeau / Holzinger, and got Gratton and Roy. Gratton turned into Briere.

Sarich has been a decent player, but Primeau / Holzinger never really did anything after they left.

I would very much disagree that he gave up too much.

IMO, (that and three-fiddy will get you a cup of coffee), the standard for Darcy should be something like...find me a great Swedish skater for this team. Do something outside your comfort zone that makes this team better.

But yeah, I agree, keep the tape and get some scouts.

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

I'd have to agree with this. Primeau had the size to do something, but just never managed to become anything great. I call his situation the (Brett) Lindros syndrome.

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

Haha, kinda like the super stats dudes put up in the Canadian Junior Leagues and then tank in the NHL. I call it Alexander Daigle Syndrome. (I'm looking at you John Tavares!)

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

i think that the cuts to the pro scouting, scouting, and the assistant GM position has hurt the team (i read somewhere that the assistant GM was a big reason they acquired briere), but saying this that means this team you see is the one darcy wants. Larry Quinn was a big hockey fan and though i don't like him either i do think darcy was given free range to make the team the way he wants (obviously with the break even mentality). For this reason i want darcy fired.

I also think that this new owner represents a change, breaking away from the break even mentality to a championship mentality. With this comes a GM who has won a championship, assistant GM Jim Nill of the Detroit Red Wings would be an example.

I see Darcy's poor player judgement (seeing into the future; ex kotalik over dumont, not signing orpik but trading for rivet, not resigning briere), lack of motion (tough sale on trades; reluctance to move future), and his lack of championship experience as keys to his demise. Plus when in a position to win they do not make the right moves with regier at the head.

I also think that many fans will be a hard sale of a real change if Darcy sticks around.

That all being said this up coming trade deadline will be interesting to watch, and offseason if regier lasts that long.

note the i thinks this is just my opinion and i tried to explain my reasoning.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

I'm trying so hard to contain how excited I am for this change. Everything froma new Captain to possibly a new coach. I love Ruff and would like to see him stay but it also wouldn't break my heart. I would like Darcy to be pushed on down the road and someone with championship experience brought in. I have no idea what the changes will be but I can't wait to see 'em.

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I want Pegula to start up the scouting department again no questions asked. Even though they have done pretty good the last couple of draft on Myers, Ennis, Adam, probably Kassian, Foligno, Mcnabb.
I still think it's important to see players play live and watch them often. Small market teams like Buffalo need to do well in the draft. I don't know if that will matter now with Pegula owning the team since he has money to burn. Should be interesting to see what he has in store.

I think you guys are severely underestimating the video scouting system. It's not just tapes of players made.

Scouts can only be in so many places at once, and only see limited games and performances.

The video scouting system helps the drafting department keep an eye on prospects all season long.

Plus, check out this read:

http://www.suite101.com/content/buffalo ... ry-a276781



And then there's this:

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Wheelhouse

Video scouting failed us, there. God dammit.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550

Not really. He's a good guy to have waiting in the wings. How many 4th round picks end up playing in the NHL? And he didn't look bad against Tampa Bay from what I remember.

Besides, video scouting hasn't replaced scouts all together. They compliment each other quite nicely.

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Wheelhouse

Haha, yeah, I know. It was really a joke. I'm fairly impressed with our scouting department since we went to video scouting. We had a lot more hits than misses.

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Girgensons for captain. Team Keep Nick DesLauriers forever.

@TJLuckman550