Home HockeyBuzz Register Login
Buffalo, NY • United States • 23 Years Old • Male
In three years from now, the Buffalo Sabres will be a completely different team, but that could be said about any team. The Sabres have a big couple of years ahead of them that will prove whether or not they will be a contender come playoff time.

The management will likely change soon, which may not be a bad thing. Lindy Ruff had and will face criticism regardless of what happens. Some fans complain that he can't get them far in the playoffs, while others are content that the team even got into the postseason.

If you take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, you will see how good of management they have. In a few years, the entire Northeast Division may fear the Leafs. General Manager Brian Burke knows what he is doing with every move he makes.

After winning the Stanley Cup with Anaheim, Burke headed to Toronto and has basically started from scratch. His first move was acquiring J.S. Giguere who is signed through this upcoming season for six million.

Burke then took a private jet to go and see Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson, who is currently a restricted free agent. Seeing that Dion Phaneuf wasn't happy in Calgary, Burke signed him too. Phaneuf's physical play and strong defense earned him a 32.5 million dollar contract through 2014.

Now, there are plenty of free agents about to hit the market on July 1st, and Burke is probably ready to make a few offers. This is the difference between the Maple Leafs and the Sabres. After watching Burke lead Anaheim to a Cup, and now piecing together Toronto, it's scary to think where Toronto will be in the standings in a few years.

Sabres fans know what Darcy Regier has done in the past. While he has made some solid moves, it's all been downhill since the Sabres won the President's Trophy in the 2006-2007 season. Buffalo has some holes to fill in the roster and will have a huge opportunity this Summer.

There have already been rumors that the Sabres have interest in Tomas Kaberle. He would be an instant 40-50 point defenseman and would improve the defensive core even more. Buffalo allowed 207 goals last season, good for 4th best in the league. Imagine what the team could do with Kaberle and Myers as the first defensive pairing.

Kaberle shouldn't be the main priority for Buffalo, but he would be a nice addition. The Sabres need to prove to their fans, and the rest of the NHL, that they are not going to sit back. Although Buffalo won the division last season, they need to show that they can repeat that success.

Many players will be leaving, traded, and retiring over the next couple of years, so somewhere Regier is going to have to acquire some players. One or two solid additions would have the team set to go for a couple years.

This Summer, the differences between Burke and Regier will be highlighted once again. Even though I can't stand the Leafs, I'm excited to see how well they will do with Burke as the GM. Hopefully, the Sabres will be able to keep everything together and improve in order to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Kevin "Kaberle Sweepstakes " Freiheit
Filed Under:   Buffalo   Toronto   Regier   Burke   Kaberle   Myers  
June 14, 2010 5:52 PM ET | Delete
Burke and Regire aren't even in the same field, one wants to win and will win the other, just wants to save money and "HOPEFULLY" make the playoffs. The Leafs will win a cup within 2 to 3 yrs. Book it! and 2 more expantion teams will win there first cup before the Sabres win one.
June 14, 2010 6:20 PM ET | Delete
do you honestly think Regier doesnt want to win? Because if you do your so dead wrong its hilarious. ALL GM's want to win.
June 14, 2010 6:24 PM ET | Delete
Except him, tired of all the excuses.
June 14, 2010 8:58 PM ET | Delete
The leafs will be in the playoffs for next 5-7 yrs, but won't win the cup unless phaneuf learns how to play defense and how not to float for shifts at a time. Like to see you all sign Kovy
June 14, 2010 10:13 PM ET | Delete
the Leafs need to dump Komi if they want success that guy makes Phaneuf look like Lidstrom
June 14, 2010 10:44 PM ET | Delete
guys the leafs have ONE foward and no prospects cuz they trade them all away they need to get better up front and get better prospects to get any better u cant buy players any more cuz of the cap and they have much already spent on dmen
June 15, 2010 2:44 AM ET | Delete
The leafs wont win in the next 2-3 years. 5 years minimum before id consider them a contender unless OV and Crosby end up on the team with Doughty and Lidstrom as the 1st defensive pairing..
June 15, 2010 7:08 AM ET | Delete
Leafs won't win because they are arrogant. They feel they don't need the draft to build a solid foundation. They feel the Ranger style of amassing talent regardless of whether they fit in their system is a means of building a winner. Forget Chicago and Pittsburgh and Washington etc.It is this "shortcut" method of managing that has plagued them for years and will continue to do so.
June 16, 2010 4:32 PM ET | Delete
What are you Buffalo folks smoking, the Leafs top 3 centres are Grabovski, Bozak and Kadri. Very few, if any teams have a more unproven and weaker group at centre. 25th in goals scored last year, 29th in goals against. They've traded Stajan, Poni, Stempniak, Blake, Mayers and Hagman aka most of their best forwards and have replaced them with nobody of importance and have minimal cap space. Take it from a Leafs fan, this team has many miles to go before they're a legitimate threat to anybody.
June 16, 2010 4:51 PM ET | Delete
June 17, 2010 7:32 PM ET | Delete
@toughockey - as a Leafs fan, couldn't disagree more. Burke has removed the deadwood ('aka their best forwards'?), acquired Phaneuf for spare parts,
June 17, 2010 7:33 PM ET | Delete
urrggghhh - site only posted 10% of my comment...
June 18, 2010 12:47 AM ET | Delete
Nice emblem there blueshirt..might use it for a new tatt..with 1918 under it..thanks for the idea.
June 18, 2010 1:51 PM ET | Delete
June 18, 2010 1:53 PM ET | Delete
June 18, 2010 6:35 PM ET | Delete
burke is a horrible GM stop praising him.
June 20, 2010 9:19 PM ET | Delete
As bad as Burke is he won a cup and what he does in the next 10 days will tell you if they'll get in the play-offs for the record the Leafs have Kessel, Bosak, Kulemin, and this year Kadri all these guys will score more than 25 goals this year and if the Leafs can add 1 or 2 studs into the top 6 how can you say they won't make the play-offs because the Leafs aren't looking to save money get rid of contracts or low balling players.
June 20, 2010 10:31 PM ET | Delete
wow, kevin...seems as if you're enamored with:
June 20, 2010 10:31 PM ET | Delete
(blaring trumpets sound)
June 20, 2010 10:31 PM ET | Delete
BRIAN BURKE!!!
June 20, 2010 10:32 PM ET | Delete
(you may all rise from your knees now)
June 20, 2010 10:55 PM ET | Delete
in the words of foghorn leghorn [burke's] "doin' a whole lota choppin', but no chips are flyin"...sure, he made moves, not to mention bold proclamations that got him nowhere (remember the "trade-up" in the draft to land the other brayden schenn?)...and where did they end up?...yeah, we all know...
June 20, 2010 10:57 PM ET | Delete
don't believe the hype!!!
June 23, 2010 9:29 AM ET | Delete
"Imagine what the team could do with Kaberle and Myers as the first defensive pairing." - Kaberle is not a good defensive dman....keep him and his inflated salary off the team.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to leave a comment.

Blog Archive