Agreed for the most part. The first two Bowl loses sucked the most, after that, it became a joke.


The Bills teams just felt like they should have won more than the '99 Sabres.
- rmiethaner

We should have won the 1st and the last super bowl IMO, don't get me started on the no goal.

Alex Tuch from BC just signed his ELC w Minny.

I always liked his game.

It was Regier and Galissano for sure but I also play Drury for being a Brute'. Regier should have realized Briere was the smart buy and allocated his resources to find a way to pay him instead of thinking Drury wouldn't run off to gotham city and stab us in the back. That forced him to over spend on Vanek and rely on him and Pommer to replace two franchise centers.
- bluengold12

It was actually Larry Quinn's call.

He was sure that they had Drury and let Briere walk.

I would say the back to back Hart, Vezina and Pearson(now Lindsay) awards would beg to differ. With the exception of maybe Patrick Roy I would say Hasek is the best goalie ever. He almost single handedly won the Cup for us. Those teams were dogpoop without him.
- Wetbandit1

Yes, I agree, Hasek was great, but he's one guy that you can put in the superstar category out of 100 + seasons of Bills and Sabres history, and that's why I believe people from Buffalo typically value average players for being more than they are.

It was Regier and Galissano for sure but I also play Drury for being a Brute'. Regier should have realized Briere was the smart buy and allocated his resources to find a way to pay him instead of thinking Drury wouldn't run off to gotham city and stab us in the back. That forced him to over spend on Vanek and rely on him and Pommer to replace two franchise centers.
- bluengold12

Drury wanted out but the Sabres wanted to keep him, Briere wanted to stay but they didn't want him, crap if you ask me.

It was actually Larry Quinn's call.

He was sure that they had Drury and let Briere walk.
- rmiethaner

Larry "The Money Man" Quinn. I think, if it's possible, he's a bigger tool than Russ Brandon.

Drury wanted out but the Sabres wanted to keep him, Briere wanted to stay but they didn't want him, crap if you ask me.
- SABRES 89

I agree. Drury showed his true colors. Real P.O.S move if you ask me...

They just didn't have the resources to resign Briere. (Or the guts) more likely. That's probably what Quinn was thinking. Worst Buffalo sports day that didn't involve the playoffs...

Larry "The Money Man" Quinn. I think, if it's possible, he's a bigger tool than Russ Brandon.
- Wetbandit1

Yes, he is.

He lucked back into the Sabres organization a second time when he got Golisano to buy the team.

I'm willing to stipulate that we haven't had anyone in the last 20ish years, but to say Mogilny, Lafontaine, Hasek, Perreault, Housley, hell even Hawerchuk, Andreychuk and Barrasso were stars if only for a few years each.
- Wetbandit1

I agree, they were stars for a few years, not superstars. I am a huge Lafontaine fan and even in his 142 pt season, he was third in assists, and 11th in goals. It was a different league back then, they were great for us, not overwhelmingly dominate across the league that would give any of them superstar status.

I agree. Drury showed his true colors. Real P.O.S move if you ask me...

They just didn't have the resources to resign Briere. (Or the guts) more likely. That's probably what Quinn was thinking. Worst Buffalo sports day that didn't involve the playoffs...
- bluengold12

I don't remember what Briere was asking for exactly before he went to arbitration.

They did agree to the one year, five million deal.

I think they should have signed him for what he was asking for before then.

I don't remember what Briere was asking for exactly before he went to arbitration.

They did agree to the one year, five million deal.

I think they should have signed him for what he was asking for before then.
- rmiethaner

Got cocky... Thought they could keep the older more concussion prone Drury

I don't remember what Briere was asking for exactly before he went to arbitration.

They did agree to the one year, five million deal.

I think they should have signed him for what he was asking for before then.
- rmiethaner

It's tough to think that we almost lost Briere that year over his 5 million arbitration number but the cap was actually only 39 million.

I don't remember what Briere was asking for exactly before he went to arbitration.

They did agree to the one year, five million deal.

I think they should have signed him for what he was asking for before then.
- rmiethaner

Apparently Briere wanted 4 for $16 before his last season, but since Darcy/Tom's stupid rule of not extending/negotiating in season sunk them when Briere blew up that season.

Man, (frank) the NHL. They keep pulling the streams down. Make the (frank)ing games more accessible and we wouldn't have to resort to streaming them!

I really am not sure how this is still perpetuated. In the last 4 or 5 years of his ownership we were a cap team.
- Wetbandit1

He let some contracts walk and matched one, mostly due to pride, I assume.
I can't find year to year sabers cap numbers from when the cap was implemented (admission, didn't try very hard) but Drury, Briere and Campbell?
I know the blame can go 50/50, but there's no way Darcy was 100% OK with losing all 3 of those guys. That came from upstairs.
We were way too close. Should have paid all of those guys, won a cup and blown it up if money was such an issue.

I don't remember what Briere was asking for exactly before he went to arbitration.

They did agree to the one year, five million deal.

I think they should have signed him for what he was asking for before then.
- rmiethaner

Was it him or Drury that was going to accept 5 for 5 midseason and Darcy or Quinn pulled it? Or was it Campbell?

Was it him or Drury that was going to accept 5 for 5 midseason and Darcy or Quinn pulled it? Or was it Campbell?
- sbroads24

I thought that was Drury.

Was it him or Drury that was going to accept 5 for 5 midseason and Darcy or Quinn pulled it? Or was it Campbell?
- sbroads24

Drury reportedly agreed to accept 5x5 in October, but they never inked the deal, and Briere asked for 5x5. Supposedly, Quinn wouldn't agree to both, so Briere never was offered the deal he asked for, and when the Rangers offered Drury a bigger pile of cash, he told Darcy his contract wasn't worth the paper it was never written on.

Man, (frank) the NHL. They keep pulling the streams down. Make the (frank)ing games more accessible and we wouldn't have to resort to streaming them!
- Wetbandit1

All this effort to keep fans away from the game baffles me.
I downloaded the NBC sports app, but i have to prove I already subscribe to it through a cable provider to watch it.
If I was subscribing to it, I would be watching it on TV!
My cable provider is AT&T and they refused to negotiate with the NHL for their NHL channel, so I don't get that either. And I'm in an apartment with AT&T as my only choice of cable providers.
How this isn't collusion, i'll never understand.

Was it him or Drury that was going to accept 5 for 5 midseason and Darcy or Quinn pulled it? Or was it Campbell?
- sbroads24

Campbell cried as he left the organization.

Cried.

Drury reportedly agreed to accept 5x5 in October, but they never inked the deal, and Briere asked for 5x5. Supposedly, Quinn wouldn't agree to both, so Briere never was offered the deal he asked for, and when the Rangers offered Drury a bigger pile of cash, he told Darcy his contract wasn't worth the paper it was never written on.
- Der Kaiser

Looking back I wouldn't change a thing. The dominoes eventually lead to #15

Looking back I wouldn't change a thing. The dominoes eventually lead to #15
- sbroads24

There are many other ways we could have moved toward glory. I'm just pleased we're getting close now.

There are many other ways we could have moved toward glory. I'm just pleased we're getting close now.
- Der Kaiser

Me too. I think this is a playoff team with a top 2 defender, and a contender with Stamkos

There are many other ways we could have moved toward glory. I'm just pleased we're getting close now.
- Der Kaiser

Would have had Darcy trade for some defensive depth in 05-06

Campbell cried as he left the organization.

Cried.
- Der Kaiser

"Dont boo me"
…I'll never forget that press conference.