I've been in Buffalo all week, checking out The Sabres Rookie Camp.
My attention shifted to the grizzled old vets.
This morning I jumped into the Amherst Pepsi Centre to watch a little 5 on 5 shinny action.
Why lookie here... Jay McKee, Michael Peca, JP Dumont are keeping it real with te townies. Only in Buffalo! Maybe JP and Marty will go West with McKee? Stranger things have happened in Buffalo.
JP is not hopeful for his return to Buffalo. "We'll wait and see until after Mairsie's hearing to find out for sure", JP told me.
Not likely to happen.
Back to Jay.
I spent a good twenty minutes getting caught up with him, considering the last time I saw him was in his locker stall after the Sabres defeated Carolina in Game 6.
I must say, he looks great.
His weight is back to normal after his infection. His playoff scruff is gone, and he has a twinkle in his eye.
"Lets talk quick. We're leaving for St. Louis in a little while," he said. "We just bought a house, that's almost done being built. Great neighbourhood. We're twenty minutes from Savvis and twenty minutes from the practice rink. Its like an " L". I won't get lost", he joked.
Jay says that the real estate market in STL is nowhere as affordable as it is in Buffalo.
"You like the Blue and Gold?" he asked me as we shook hand.
Gotta say, it looked strange watching hm play in The St. Louis Blue and gold helmet, sweater, sox. I'll get used to it. So will Jay.
"Funny, the Sabres are going blue and gold , too", Jay quipped.
The more things change, the more they stay the same, eh?
About the Sabres, my man:
I asked Jay point blank. Did it piss you off to know that the Sabres had offered Spacek a multi-year deal in the $3 mill per year range last Summer? You'll recall that Jay was only offered a one-off $1.9 deal in September.
"No, I did not know that. But I know now. I took my one year deal and played hockey. That's what pros do."
Jay opened my eyes to his world when he told me,
"You know what? I would've stayed in Buffalo if they would've offered me the 1.9, and 2.3., 2.3, 2.3 for the four years last summer.
They didn't offer it, so what was I supposed to do? I'm happy now, I wasn't then."
So what he's saying is, "I would've stayed for Rhett Warrener money".
With a smirk, Jay told me
" Thats all it took to get me to stay long term. NOW, I'm thanking the Sabres !"
Jay would've stayed for 10 million ish. WOW !!
"You wanna hear a good one?", Jay asked.
"Danny would've stayed for $2.7 times four last summer. They didn't offer it. Now they have to pay him."
Jay told me that St. Louis came smashing through the door on the Saturday afternoon that the UFA window opened.
" There were three or four teams that were in the 3.0 - 3.5 range. then, Larry Pleaugh called. He said that he was serious about acquiring vets like me to play with his stable of great kids".
Hard to argue with the signings of guys like: Weight, Guerin Rucinsky.
"When they offered 4.0 firm, everyone else backed off. Right then I knew where I was going and that I was getting the long term deal that I feel I've deserved. I'm lovin it !!"
What about your D corps Jay?
"We have one of the top three D groups in the league with Brewer, Jackman, Wideman, me, Backman, Eric Johnson's gonna be great... its a great situtauion and I'm happy to be a part of the Blues team."
Sabres loss. St. Louis' gain.
Before we parted ways, Jay asked me:
"Hey, are the Sabres over the revenue sharing line, now? Pretty close, right? Then they should go for it. The fans here deserve it."
I suggested that's what Minnesota are doing because they love their team and want to win it all. Jay agreed.
Jay raises a great point: why not go for it now, Buffalo ?
Garth
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