Really happy for Nolan. Deserves to be back in the NHL IMO. Good coach who got lost in the wash. As for LaFontaine, not sure how this will help other than he's just another face to the Franchise. Will see how that pans out.
Still, Nolan should be able to get some more out of this group.
Regier makes good trades but bad signings. That was his downfall
I have to wonder if there's something else going on. Some of the Sabres' prospects are thrown to the wolves and don't seem to develop as expected. I'm not really sure Zadarov or Ristolainen really have the ability to be NHL ready yet and Myers has been pretty infamous for his decline and probably could have used a year or two in the AHL to work out his game.
While I think Regier is doing his job well and am really surprised by this move, something doesn't seem right with some of the decisions being made in Buffalo. I'm not sure Zadarov is his fault as there's a pretty bad injury bug going through there, but things don't add up.
But wasn't he handcuffed by ownership and not able to spend money on upcoming free agents, and having to rely on promotion from within the ranks?
From 06-08 they didn't re-sign JP Dumont, Mike Grier, Danny Briere, Chris Drury, and Danius Zubrus. They traded away Brian Campbell and Biron.
And then the only free agents they basically signed were Spacek and Thibault.
In some ways previous ownership did handcuff him, yes.
From all reports at the time though, both Drury and Briere were willing to sign long term extensions at the beginning of 06-07 season in the neighbourhood of 5 million each. Regier waffled and by the end of the season those were obviously off the table. Letting Dumont go was an enormous mistake.
Still though, in 06 and 07 this was a championship caliber team that had some bad luck keep them away from a trophy. It takes some awful mismanagement to completely blow up that team into one that was lucky to make the playoffs, and now one that is in dead last.
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Still though, in 06 and 07 this was a championship caliber team that had some bad luck keep them away from a trophy.
yeah I remember that team well ... that was before we got NHL Gamecenter here, but an Austrian TV station got the playoff rights that season and they had every Sabres game live because of Vanek. I really thought this was their year ... just a fantastic offense with a lot of good players that could produce (Briere, Drury, Vanek, Afinogenov, Pominville, Stafford, Roy, Kotalik and Hecht, plus they added Zubrus at the deadline and Connolly returned for the playoffs). Too bad it didn't happen ... I was pissed when they lost to Ottawa.
I always blamed ownership and their internal cap for what happened afterwards, but you surely have more insight on that. Always thought highly of Regier, but I guess you're right with "never been able to pull it all together". After 07, his teams looked better on paper than on the ice most of the time.
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I think Regier needed an adjustment period from being a very 'cheap' GM to one with a big budget. With that being said, he definitely made some blunders, but probably did a whole lot more good than bad.
I wonder if there would be a position with the Flames, given his apparent friendship with Burke, and this organization's attempt at building a 'brain-trust'. Don't think there is room really, but Regier has been very good at trading and drafting over the years. Even if he just manages to 'steal' a couple of his more trusted scouts if there is turnover there would be worth it. Would have some continuity moving forward if the Flames decide Feaster isn't a guy they want to continue with. Just talking out-loud I guess..
As for Patty - loved him as a player. Will be interesting to see how he turns that org around, though honestly, that org is just going to move up with all that talent. Unlike the Oilers, they have talent upcoming in all areas, and have the size, and have a history of drafting better. That is a team that will make the transition well, but how long is the question. I don't see him having to make a lot of changes there really, just ensuring that he gets a guy in place who can manage contracts well as ELC's are up, and is able to adequetely fill holes through UFA signings/trades.
Nolan is the big surprise there. A bit more of a wild-card. A guy that was both loved by many, and hated by many. Buffalo instantly became much more of an interesting team to follow.
Dumb dumb dumb.
Regier is a top flight GM. He just pulled off a major steal in his latest deal.
Why let him go?
DUMB
I dunno. He was handed more money and free reign and he squandered it on guys like Leino and turned his roster into one of the worst in the league. Their decision to match the Vanek offer years ago looks kind of silly in retrospect as that merely delayed a rebuild that should have started right then with 4-5 extra first rounders
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Their decision to match the Vanek offer years ago looks kind of silly in retrospect as that merely delayed a rebuild that should have started right then with 4-5 extra first rounders
I don't know if the Oilers would have drafted #1 overall in each year, but 2 of the first rounders turned into Hall and Nugent-Hopkins. Looks bad in hindsight.
Maybe I'm in the minority but I wouldn't want Regier here, we already have Burke who is good at trades. Since we have dropped the "win now" agenda and are rebuilding our depth I'm liking the way things are going with Burke, Feaster and Weisbrod. They make a good team IMO. I like our recent drafting, trades and signings.
Listened to the Ken King interview today. He said so far the Burke/Feaster combo is working beautifully and even better than they envisioned it. He also thinks that in 5 years about half the teams in the league will move to this model of hockey executives.
Also sounds like Burke is loving his job so far
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Really? He's had the job for 17 years, and what has Buffalo done in all that time?
went to the Finals, won the Presidents Trophy and reached the Conference Finals three more times. No SC, but he's in pretty good company in that regard, and don't forget that he had to operate on a strict internal cap until Pegula showed up. If you can keep that kind of job for 17 years, you surely have done something right. He has also given them a fine start to their rebuild (17 picks in the first two rounds between 2012 and 2015) and the Sabres will reap the rewards of that in a few years.
He won't be out of a job for long. I hope Edmonton won't pick him up.
I was not surprised of this move. He was rumoured to get fired after the last season along with Lindy Ruff. Owner decided to keep him and let Regier fire Ruff. So, at the beginning of the season, he was on a short leash. Buffalo struggled early this season so he is gone along with the head coach he hired. Him and Ruff worked for Sabres a very long time so it is time to move on.
I think Reiger ends up in Philly or Vancouver. If the Nucks miss the playoffs Gillis is done and Holmgren is also on thin ice
In that case you can pencil him in to languish in Vancouver. The Flyers brought in Ron Hextall to "assist" Holmgren in the offseason. Writing is all over the wall in Philadelphia.
