Commentary
Sabres tread water while others swim
The Sabres made yet another blunder en route to the first day of the NHL's free agent signing period. The difference in this one, which was hardly shocking but left people shaking their heads just the same, was that it came in an attempt to appease the masses after years of offending them.
The Sabres announced Tuesday that General Manager Darcy Regier would be available at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday for a live Q-and-A during the team's "Lunch Express" on their official Web site. There's nothing wrong with Regier reaching out to the fans, but it was scheduled to begin 30 minutes into free agency.
How about at least giving the appearance that he was, you know, working?
Fans freaked, of course. The organization quickly backtracked, saying it shouldn't have announced Regier would be available live because it was actually, um, being taped in the morning. Who would have queried the GM when nobody knew of the early taping? Good question. Either way, he had more relevant duties, such as improving the roster.
Time will tell if he did. Steve Montador is a tough defensive defenseman with a big heart and strong work ethic. OK, so he lacks skill and comes cheap. His impact on the Sabres will be marginal, but he does make it easier to trade away Henrik Tallinder, Toni Lydman or both with the idea of making upgrades elsewhere.
Buffalo's dalliance with free agency was a baby step in the right direction, but proceed with caution. Long ago, the organization lost the benefit of the doubt. What remains is a layer of distrust between the Sabres and their fans. The Montador signing, while interesting, was uninspiring. It was the Sabres once again doing things half-baked.
Regier suggested the Sabres would stand to the side Wednesday, so doing little was better than nothing. The price for free agents on Day One is usually high. The Sabres have a recruiting problem, and they would have been forced to pay more than other teams for top players. It cannot be discounted.
Apparently, they're taking the trade route toward improvement. That's fine so long as you understand trades also come at a price. Surrendering assets isn't easy for a team that in recent years has been smitten with mediocre players.
It takes a certain stomach to make trades without fear of mistakes or the possibility of getting canned. Flames GM Darryl Sutter has what it takes and was rewarded with Jay Bouwmeester, a team-changing defenseman who would have helped Buffalo. Leafs GM Brian Burke pulled the trigger on Mike Komisarek for $4.5 million per season, which was reasonable. Sutter and Burke inspire confidence. Regier does not.
Minority owner Larry Quinn says he wants to compete for a Stanley Cup, but champions aren't built by accident. The best teams refuse to make excuses, identify their shortcomings and aggressively address problems. The Sabres have done none of the above in recent years, and there's little reason to believe it's going to change any time soon.
Buffalo stocking up on bruisers in the draft was a good sign, but it was two years after it became clear they weren't tough enough to win it all with the talent they had. Now, they don't have the talent or the toughness to compete.
That's why they're, well, here. They blame injuries when it's really a lack of depth and character. They point toward big contracts when they could have kept players for less. They preach patience when it's really status quo. Meanwhile, teams across the league make honest attempts to get significantly better.
The Sabres didn't need to chat with fans Wednesday to say they were serious about making improvements. Their actions should speak for them. And so far, there isn't much to discuss.
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