sabres4cup
January 16th, 2008, 10:44:28 AM
NEW YORK — Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier admitted Tuesday he’s disappointed that defenseman Brian Campbell has broken off contract negotiations and acknowledged a trade is possible to ensure that the Sabres get some return for their lone all-star, rather than get nothing if he exits via free agency.
“There’s lots of things to consider between now and the end of the season,” Regier told reporters following Tuesday’s practice in HSBC Arena. “Where he is, where the team is, the trade deadline. You look at all of those and not close off any options.
“I don’t have any preconceived notions here. I think that first and foremost we’d like to have him signed. But on the other side of it, you’ve got to look at all of the circumstances involved.”
Pressed on the trade issue, Regier said the team’s attention remains on signing Campbell.
“[A trade] is not the intention and that’s not the focal point,” he said. “The focal point is to try to sign him. You never say never about anything but the thing we’d like to do . . . is to sign him.”
Regier said negotiations with Campbell “had closed even within the last couple days” and that made it even more disheartening that the player was putting off talks until after the season.
“We certainly respect that and that’s his right,” Regier said. “You’re disappointed because you’d like to keep going on it. But the approach he’s taken is that he felt personally it was a distraction. If he feels that way, I think the most important thing right now is the play, not just his play but the play of the team.”
Regier said “the dollars and the term” of a potential deal were the reasons one wasn’t done and that it’s too early for fans to compare this situation to the loss of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury last July.
“I think you have to take Brian at his word that it’s something he wants to get done after the season,” Regier said. “We’re going to approach it that way.”
• • •
So you think the Sabres’ recent run of futility in shootouts is pretty unbelievable? It’s more than that. It’s unprecedented.
The Elias Sports Bureau confirmed Tuesday that the Sabres are the first team to lose shootouts in three consecutive games since the penalty shots came into play for the 2005-06 season.
If the Sabres play a shootout again tonight against the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden, they will be just the second team ever to go that route in four straight games. Edmonton did it last month — but won all four. The Oilers are 11-2 in shootouts, just one win shy of Dallas’ 2005-06 record.
The Sabres are 1-5 after going 10-4 last year. So coach Lindy Ruff has resorted to simulating shootouts in practice to get his skaters and goalies more focused on what it takes to get the extra point.
“You get ideas on other guys you may use and we’re going to continue doing it,” Ruff said. “It’s good for the goaltenders and it’s also good to give us options. Some people may see some faces in there they haven’t seen before but it will only be dictated by how well they produce in practice.”
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/253002.html
“There’s lots of things to consider between now and the end of the season,” Regier told reporters following Tuesday’s practice in HSBC Arena. “Where he is, where the team is, the trade deadline. You look at all of those and not close off any options.
“I don’t have any preconceived notions here. I think that first and foremost we’d like to have him signed. But on the other side of it, you’ve got to look at all of the circumstances involved.”
Pressed on the trade issue, Regier said the team’s attention remains on signing Campbell.
“[A trade] is not the intention and that’s not the focal point,” he said. “The focal point is to try to sign him. You never say never about anything but the thing we’d like to do . . . is to sign him.”
Regier said negotiations with Campbell “had closed even within the last couple days” and that made it even more disheartening that the player was putting off talks until after the season.
“We certainly respect that and that’s his right,” Regier said. “You’re disappointed because you’d like to keep going on it. But the approach he’s taken is that he felt personally it was a distraction. If he feels that way, I think the most important thing right now is the play, not just his play but the play of the team.”
Regier said “the dollars and the term” of a potential deal were the reasons one wasn’t done and that it’s too early for fans to compare this situation to the loss of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury last July.
“I think you have to take Brian at his word that it’s something he wants to get done after the season,” Regier said. “We’re going to approach it that way.”
• • •
So you think the Sabres’ recent run of futility in shootouts is pretty unbelievable? It’s more than that. It’s unprecedented.
The Elias Sports Bureau confirmed Tuesday that the Sabres are the first team to lose shootouts in three consecutive games since the penalty shots came into play for the 2005-06 season.
If the Sabres play a shootout again tonight against the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden, they will be just the second team ever to go that route in four straight games. Edmonton did it last month — but won all four. The Oilers are 11-2 in shootouts, just one win shy of Dallas’ 2005-06 record.
The Sabres are 1-5 after going 10-4 last year. So coach Lindy Ruff has resorted to simulating shootouts in practice to get his skaters and goalies more focused on what it takes to get the extra point.
“You get ideas on other guys you may use and we’re going to continue doing it,” Ruff said. “It’s good for the goaltenders and it’s also good to give us options. Some people may see some faces in there they haven’t seen before but it will only be dictated by how well they produce in practice.”
http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/253002.html