Is it too late to sell?

Remember how excited we Sabre fans were after the deadline? Hey we're making a run at this thing. We didn't sell. Got a young guy for the stretch run. Got another goaltender as a insurance policy. It was good times. Soooo.

What has happened since then?

They've gone 3-3-1. Lost to Ottawa twice and the Thrashers. And last night might be rock bottom. 13 shots? Are you serious? This team has no fight, no passion and its pretty evident. No one is going to turn things around for these guys, unless they go back to the third line. Pominville needs to be demoted. Sit em down. Let em watch. I don't know if he wants to be out there. Hell call up Gerbe, Mancari and Kennedy. Let them out there. I'm sure they would give everything they had. Would they score? Maybe not, but at least they'd care

Maybe they should have sold at the deadline. Would have it been unpopular? You bet. But if this is what we get for the rest of the year, then might as well sell off unwanted parts, for stuff that might get the job done.

Its obvious the current team isn't good enough. Just isn't. And the core is all locked up long term. Good job Darcy of falling into the Bucky Gleason trap. You're short contracts worked great, because you get guys in contract years, play their best and then let them go and suck someone else dry. (cough Briere cough) Get more bang for your buck. Only superstars justify the contract they get. Middle line guys like Pominville will never measure up to his deal. But now you got Roy, Vanek, Connolly, Pominville, Hecht, Gaustad locked up for several years. Lucky Day! And last year, you would have thought, Darcy finally gets it. But there is locking up the right players. And locking up the wrong players.

The guys that left over the years really have taken a toll. And I'm not talking about about Drury and Briere. Its the Griers and Dumonts and yes Mckee. Guys that always gave an honest effort. Guys that couldn't come back, because they had to suck it up and sign Briere to that 1 year 5 million dollar deal. Remember how that deal was seen as outrageous? Then a year later the same deal over 5 years is a bargain? Uh?

The 2005-2006 year was the beginning of the current problem. The Sabres had to sign so many guys, raises for everyone, and they hit the cap, where they couldn't do anymore to solidify the squad. Just like in real life, financial decisions, that seemed reasonable or necessary at the time turned out to be the wrong call down the line.

Should they have locked up Drury when they could? Probably. But who would have been the casualty. Pominville? Miller? Vanek? You can't sign them all. One big signing effects the rest of the team. They give Pominville a big deal, show committment to Hecht and they fall flat on their faces all year. Signings that were hailed, now look to be huge mistakes. If they let Vanek go, would the picks helped 2 years from now? Who knows. Hindsight will always be 20/20.

But its always the results from decisions that will justify keeping or losing one's job. And I think time has run its course on Darcy Regier. This team needs a new vison. The core, his core, isn't gonna get the job done. They've had 2 years. And it isn't good enough. Someone else will have to blow things up.

Things might have to uglier before they get better.