Ex-Sabres are given the business
Published: October 22, 2009, 11:28 pm
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Martin Biron is a confident guy, but doubts started to invade his brain. He had 59 wins over the previous two seasons, plus solid playoff performances. At 32 years old, he was still in his prime for an NHL goalie.
Yet week after week this summer, he waited for a team to call and say it wanted him. He kept waiting, from July 1 until July 22, when the New York Islanders finally rang him up.
"Middle of July you're starting to think that you're basically no good anymore, and that's a tough part," Biron said. "In a month you go from thinking you're going to be one of the top free agents to thinking, "Man, what's going on?' "
Biron received a sobering introduction to free agency in the salary-cap world. He wasn't alone. The Buffalo Sabres' past three games featured meetings with former teammates who underwent a summer of no love: Biron, Maxim Afinogenov and Dominic Moore. Afinogenov didn't sign with the Atlanta Thrashers until the end of September. Moore was on the street until the Florida Panthers gave him a contract this month.
"This was probably the weirdest year ever for free agency," Moore said before his team's 5-2 loss Wednesday to the Sabres, who return to the ice Saturday in Tampa Bay.
Lower pay to play
Too many long-term and high-dollar deals have forced teams and players to adjust their thinking. Biron made $7 million over the previous two seasons with Philadelphia. Afinogenov made the same amount in Buffalo. Moore rejected a multiyear extension from Toronto last winter reportedly in the neighborhood of $1.7 million per season.
All three signed one-year deals with their new teams. Biron is making $1.4 million, Afinogenov will get $800,000 while Moore is banking $1.1 million. Organizations that found themselves pressed against the cap decided early to turn toward less-proven, cheaper options. The veterans had to accept less than they believed they were worth if they wanted to play.
"For many years when I was here in Buffalo, it was play hockey, enjoy life, and that was it," said Biron, who was in the Sabres' organization from 1995 to 2007. "Now I got to understand the business of the hockey. Some guys say, "Well, it sucks.' Yeah, it sucks, but you get through it, you play, and then you understand there's another side of the game.
Biron has opportunity
"Do you want it to be the No. 1 thing in the game? No. I still come into the rink every day, practice, have fun. But when it comes to summertime, when it comes to contract talks, there's a business, and you have to be ready to be a businesslike person to deal with it."
The big thing for those three and others in their category is to pick the correct team. It will allow them to produce and be more attractive on the market next summer.
"For me, it's a case where you want to make sure you put yourself in the right situation," Moore said. "I'm really happy the way it worked out. Florida was one of the teams that I thought was a good fit for me, their style of play and what they're trying to build here."
Islanders franchise goalie Rick DiPietro is out with a long-term injury, and instability in the crease was New York's top problem last season. Biron knew the team would give him and fellow newcomer Dwayne Roloson support and playing time.
Wait till next year
Biron investigated a similar option in Buffalo. Backup Patrick Lalime was coming off a down year and two offseason surgeries. Starter Ryan Miller is scheduled to play for Team USA in the Olympics. Biron saw a team that likely would give him ample starts in the crease.
"We were fairly serious," Biron said of talks with the Sabres. "Negotiations are what they are. To be honest with you, this wasn't about money, not anything other trying to get a fit into where I would be able to play and compete, put myself in the position where on January 1 I can look for a long-term deal with the organization that I'm with, or come July 1 next year I'm at the top level where I was last year.
"This was a very unique year just because of the Olympic year, because there's a lot of games. I knew that a situation like Buffalo would have been a situation where I would have gotten to play some games, maybe more than usual. But at the same time, this situation [in New York] was giving me the best chance to play on a regular basis.
"I was very excited about possibly having a chance to come back, but in the end, you make sacrifices to be at the top level you can."
This was the first long summer of sacrifices for veteran free agents, but it won't be the last.
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