How to wade through the trade deadine rumors as a Sabre fan

The NHL trade deadline is a month away, with a 2 week freeze for the Olympics, or as I call it secret trade time. And the rumor boards and messageboards will be blowing up with what the Sabres should do, who they are linked to and what not. But for the smart Sabre fan, you can make the time a little less stressful and worrisome, by following the typical modus operandi of one Darcy Regier.

1. Darcy will not overpay, in value or dollar wise.

The Sabres aren't cheap, to counteract the typical opinion of dumb average Sabre fan who couldn't budget out of a paper bag, in fact they are near the cap and don't have a lot of wiggle room. So any trade will have to be dollar for dollar, or a value player that fits the "system". Darcy would never go after a Kovolchuk or Souray. Players that don't pull their contract. Briere and Drury are perfect examples. Guys he got great value from, till they were overpriced now burdens to their respective teams. In the Stock market you would be called a genius, for buying low and selling high, but in Sports you're called Cheap.

2. Darcy will not Panic

Just because others are making deals, doesn't mean you have to. Right now big deals are happening. Great, good for the Leafs and Devils. The Sabres don't need to do anything right now. They could, but it's not necessary. They made a cap room deal already in shipping out Dan Paille. Right now is the time to see what you need to make a run to the Cup. During the break, do some analysis, make some calls and go from there. If you can't get what you want, just go with what you have. But do not panic and make a deal that could hurt the organization in the long run.

3. If you hear anything it will not happen

If you read something about a Sabre going somewhere for something, you can GUARANTEE it won't happen. He wants total secrecy and zero leaks. Notice no one in the Buffalo media has any idea EVER about what the Sabres will do. Darcy is very close to the vest and if any GM wants something from the Sabres, they have to keep their trap shut. So forget rumor sites, only if you want to find out who maybe out there. Otherwise they are no good for Sabre fans.

4. Any player from Buffalo or who played here will be linked to the Sabres.

With the Leafs purge, you'll see Stempniak linked to the Sabres about 40 times. He's not coming here. (goes to nhlnumbers.com) Makes 3.5 million this year and a UFA. And has 13 goals. Umm no. The only player that came back after playing here recently was Mike Grier, who was the last person, we'd thought come back. Buffalo fans like to get back what we know, because we're too lazy to do any research. Raffi Torres? Who's that? Columbus? They have a team? How many times have we heard the name Michael Peca and the Sabres at the deadline over the years.

Andrew Ladd, now we are talking. 11 goals, making 1.65 Million and a RFA. Playoff experience, was on a Cup winner.

5. Darcy will not settle.

Here's where Darcy gets criticised a lot. The old not getting anything for them routine. Darcy won't just trade a player to get something because they are leaving. I'm sure he tried his best to dump Max and Kalinin over the years, but nobody would offer something decent in return. So he kept them and got what he could out of them. Its like a car, you can't get a good trade in value so you just run it into ground.

He got a 2nd round pick for Alex Kotalik! Which was turned over to get Dominic Moore. Yikes. Well at the time it looked good. Who knew he was hurt?

Hasek and maybe Campbell are the few trades you can say he settled or got nothing for something. But really what did the Sharks get out of that Campbell trade?

6. Don't expect anything big

The trade deadline isn't the time where Darcy makes his big moves, he saves that for the offseason. Here he tinkers, acquires the Danius Zubrus' of the world (ZUBAZ!!!) He has the team he wants in place, now is the time to make tiny adjustments. He won't be putting in a new engine, he'll just be changing the oil. And of course gets roundly criticized every year for it.

Darcy has his method, you can debate whether it works or not. But just a few pointers on how to survive the trade deadline period, without getting too high or too down.

So is Darcy the worst ever?

The answer to that question is no. But listening to one Howard Simon, who as he gets older gets dumber. Really I listen to the show. Yes it hurts my brain half the time and it makes me angry. I guess thats the point of Newspaper columnists and radio guys to get people angry and make them stupid. But seriously Darcy knows what he is doing. He has a plan. He won't listen to public pressure. He won't bow to public pressure. That is exactly what you want your GM to be. He doesn't go out and sign guys to make press, (cough) Tom Donohoe (cough). He has a budget to work with. And if people see they have 46 million signed right now with players to sign. If its 50, mmm, quick math geniuses, not a ton of money. Lowe really screwed over this team with that Vanek offer sheet.

But its like listening to 10 year old kids. WHY DIDN'T YOU GET ANYTHING????(Stomp stomp stomp, pout) Darcy is like that responsible parent that won't spoil you with shiny toys, and want to do your homework, because in the end you'll be better off. Sure you'll hate him now, but when you are getting scholarships and not having to pay for school for 20 years, you'll see how good he really was. And thats the point with Darcy hes the thinking mans GM. He's the guy that doesn't see the need to spend lots of money on guys, you may already have on the farm. Leaving the fan, going Whats going on? Why aren't you doing anything? PANIC PANIC PANIC!!!!!!

When has Darcy ever signed anyone flashy in free agency? Teppo? He makes quality trades that somehow better the team while shifting money around. Its like a great signing without really spending money. Its how good business is run. Briere for Gratton. Drury for Warrener and Reinprecht, who was never on the team. Now he has excess forwards on the team. So he has trade bait. And for all those that said trade Kalinin, now hes free to be picked up, look at all the action on him. Obviously he has zero value. When the market starts thinning out, is when you make your moves. Well that guy is gone, so I guess we trade someone for something we really want. And thats why the Dan Boyle rumors are so strange to me. The Lightning without Dan Boyle are terrible. But I don't know if Dan Boyle is that much worse then Brian Campbell. Brian Campbell to me is an emotional trainwreck, and heres my prediction, the weight of a huge contract will get to him. Lucky hes in a market that doesn't care too much about hockey right now. In Toronto he'd have a nervous breakdown.

Yes I would love to for the Sabres to do something. It would make great news. But I don't want them to do something crazy. So I'm going to let Darcy do what he needs to do, give him time, trust in what his plan.

Whats the record under the Regier Regime?
I have ties and ot losses as the same. To make things look good

Wins 362
Losses 302
ties/OT 107

Thats pretty good for a small market team that lives under the budget. If things go well this year he'll reach 400 wins this season. Thats pretty good in my eyes. This team has been under standard operation with Regier for 10 years. They have a winning record. They make the playoffs. They have reached 4 Eastern Conference finals. When will people just give Darcy the benefit of the doubt? Oh wait never, because people hate not being able to control things. But for me Darcy, you can do whatever you want. I'll wait.

The Trade Deadline

I love the trade deadline. Hell I love trades. All the rumors, all the deals. Its like christmas in a way. New guys and new hope. No more talk about a certain guy that wears #51. The man above has a history of great deals and fleecing people. This year he has one of the most sought after assets. And could really shape the future of the Sabres. A player with a couple years on their contract, prospects, picks. This team isn't going anywhere, he knows it, he won't say it, but he knows talent and intangibles. He gave them most of the year to show themselves, now he has a phone to change things up.

People run Darcy all the time. The man who brought in Drury, Briere, Dumont, Lydman, Grier, Zubrus. Drury was in no mans land in Calgary and brought him in for basically nothing. Gave him the opportunity to succeed and make a ton of money. The same for Danny Briere. Briere was a nobody. He got traded for Chris Gratton! Now he makes 10 million dollars this year. Its been a few years since Darcy's been able to resurrect someones career. Theres a former captain in San Jose who is languishing in the shark tank. His confidence is down, his worth is down, and probably you can get more with him, just to take the contract off their hands. Plus he'll make your team better.

Darcy I have always had faith in you. Looking at your history. The best GM in Sabres History. Yes I just said it. People in this town want you fired, blaming you for certain things out of your control. I see the logic in not giving long term deals. But you changed, with deals on Roy and Hecht. Good, cheap two way players. Now Pominville is next. But here you can add to the team, and keep the fans excited, plus keep playoff hopes alive.

Darcy your move.

A letter to Darcy Regier

Darcy in happier times

I would call this more an essay to Darcy Regier, but whatever. Darcy, you must be going through a lot right now. You're team is biting it hard, and its really the team you built. Last year you were called a genius, now people are questioning your motives. Are you hampered by budget concerns? Did you make a mistake by not locking up people earlier? ed. note Long term contracts are stupid. Why are you waiting to make a move? There is trouble on this team, at least get rid of the backup goaltender, you can find 30 guys like him tomorrow. I don't mind if you start selling. I'm in this for the long term. So I rather you sell some parts, pickup some talent and move forward like you did before the lockout. Now is the time to buy low Darcy. No one fears the Sabres right now. Make some moves. Distract from the on ice performance.

Look at some of these trades

3/10/2003 Chris Gratton and a 4th round pick in 2004 entry draft to Phoenix Coyotes for Daniel Briere and a 3rd round pick in 2004(Andrej Sekera) GREAT TRADE!

7/3/2003 Sabres send Keith Ballard to Colorado for Steve Reinprecht. Sabres then trade Rhett Warrener and Steve Reinprecht to Calgary for Chris Drury and Steve Begin GREAT TRADE

6/22/2002 31st and 36th(Jarret Stoll) picks overall in the 2002 draft to Edmonton for Jochen Hecht. Ill take that deal.

2/25/2003 Vaclav Varada and a 5th round pick(Tim Cook) in 2003 entry draft to Ottawa Senators for Jakub Klepis , wait it sets up......3/9/2004 Jakub Klepis to Washington for Mike Grier AWESOME!!!!

8/25/2005 3rd round pick(John Armstrong) in the 2006 entry draft to the Calgary Flames for defenseman Toni Lydman. Great deal.

You have a history Mr. Regier, and now is the time to pick up that phone, and make some deals, don't wait for the trade deadline, teams are looking to make moves now. Improve yourself for next year, lets face even if you make the playoffs you ain't going nowhere, fans will understand if you give them hope this year was a fluke.

Deal Brian Campbell, (high value) Hey if Kevin Lowe wants Thomas Vanek deal him to him. How many times are we gonna have to hear about his mental issues and dealing with pressure. How come this wasn't an issue at Minnesota where he was a scoring machine? Cut salary, yet at the same time acquire young cheap talent for the future, mixed with veterans at bargain prices.

You've done it before Darcy, you can do it again.