COMMENTARY
Sabres have some work to do
Jerry Sullivan
Updated: 06/26/08 6:32 AM
Cliff Fletcher isn’t fooling around. Fletcher promised to change the culture of the Toronto Maple Leafs when he returned as general manager. Two weeks ago, he hired Ron Wilson as coach. Last week, he gave the Canadiens negotiating rights with prospective free agent Mats Sundin. On Wednesday, Toronto bought out the last three years of Darcy Tucker’s contract.
I’d never stoop to comparing the Sabres with their rivals to the north. The Leafs have missed the playoffs three years in a row. The franchise has been a dysfunctional mess for years. They were due for a house cleaning.
The Sabres don’t need to clean house. But it wouldn’t hurt to rearrange the furniture. Management acknowledges that the team wasn’t big or tough enough last season, and that it needs better leadership and more of a competitive edge.
It was evident in the draft, when Buffalo went for a lot of tall teenagers who might make an impact in the latter stages of an Obama administration. Otherwise, it’s the same collection of softies who missed the playoffs last season, a year after winning the President’s Trophy.
Max Afinogenov is still a Sabre. Even General Manager Darcy Regier, who rarely shows his hand, said a trade might be the best thing for Afinogenov. It’s true. More than any other player, Max reflects the fragile makeup of this team.
Still, Regier didn’t enhance his bargaining position by publicizing his desire to move Afinogenov. It’s similar to the J. P. Losman situation. The fact that he’s still on the team tells you a lot about his diminished stature in the league.
Afinogenov is hardly the only problem. Ales Kotalik has worn out his welcome. Tim Connolly is soft, injury-prone and virtually untradable. Thomas Vanek showed up for half the season. None of last year’s defensemen are what you’d call gritty, blood-and-guts performers, guys who make a physical statement on a nightly basis.
So Regier has a lot of work to do if he intends to transform his team’s personality in a meaningful way. The unrestricted free agency period begins Tuesday. We’ll find out soon if they plan to shake up the roster or simply tweak it.
The team needs more of an edge, and it starts on defense. They should bring in a couple of tough, veteran “D” to bolster the blue line. Dmitri Kalinin will be gone, the latest Sabre to walk with nothing coming in return. I’d trade either Henrik Tallinder or Toni Lydman, who became stale as the No. 1 pairing.
Brooks Orpik, a gritty defenseman and a local guy, would be a welcome addition. Of course, if Orpik is worth $4 million a season, it seems even more foolhardy that the Sabres wouldn’t negotiate a deal in the $4.6 million range with Brian Campbell last summer.
Regier should add at least one veteran forward with an edge, someone with skill, grit and a gift for rattling the opposition.
How about Tucker? He’s 33, and most Sabres fans would like to run him over with their cars. But he’s an agitator and a good hockey player. It’s funny how these Stanley Cup-winning teams seem to get leadership and production from guys in their mid-to late-30s.
What about Sean Avery? Yeah, he’s high maintenance. But Avery can be a competitive force, a difference-maker. He could be pricy (maybe $4 million per), but he’s only 28. If the Sabres free up some money, it’s worth considering.
The more optimistic fans believe the Sabres are a small tweak away from contention. I’m not so sure. The Sabres will be hard-pressed to keep up in the East.
This roster is more likely to be fighting for eighth place again than first. If the Sabres don’t develop more of a physical edge, they could miss the playoffs again. If that happens, they won’t be selling out the house, but cleaning it.
