millertime

New York, NY • United States • 2013 Years Old • Male

Russian Roulette: Where will Brian Campbell end up?

Round and round the ball goes...where will it stop? Nobody knows!

Brian Campbell is for sure a hot commodity on the trade market. There's an interesting feeling in Buffalo right now with the whole situation...Most of all, it's the desire for RESOLUTION. The Campbell saga has plagued its ugly face on the team the last several days, especially recently as the Sabres battled key opponents like NYR and Philly, and the fans AND the players are going to be so glad when it comes to an end. Ryan Miller summed the whole situation up best tonight after the Flyers-Sabres game when he called it a "circus."

The thing is nobody really knows where Brian will end up. There is obvious interest from teams like San Jose, Chicago, and New Jersey, and it seems the Rangers, Senators, and Detroit too...and why not? Campbell's the type of player - an offensive, puck-moving defenseman (and an all-star at that) - that can give your team a big boost.

But there's a good chance he'll end up somewhere we might least expect. Think teams like Colorado, Phoenix, Columbus, and Minnesota to put together compelling offers for the 2-time all-star's services. And in one sense, even these teams probably wouldn't come as a complete surprise - Darcy will try to send Soupy West if at all possible.

Then, there's the far-out-there chance Brian Campbell remains a Sabre after tomorrow. Yes, all the hoopla, but if the right offer doesn't cross Darcy's desk, if something weird happens behind the scenes with management (weird things have happened before), if Brian has a sudden change of heart when he wakes up and just wants to get something done with the Sabres and makes a counter-offer surprising us all.....things happen, and we'll have to wait this out and see. Who knows, maybe the Sabres will give Brian one last offer early tomorrow morning for the year's he's looking for - just less pay.

It's hard to say where this ends up exactly. It's one of the more intriguing story lines of this trade deadline.

Sabres fans can't wait to see what happens and when it's all said and done tomorrow, I think Darcy will come through again for us. His patience is certainly his trademark - some don't like it, but ultimately he always seems to find ways to improve the hockey club. And with Buffalo just a whisker out of the playoffs right now, look for him to do just that. After all, it's his job.

Finally, the top 10 most likely destinations as I see it tonight for Brian Campbell, who by the way, I'd like to thank personally for all the wonderful memories in Buffalo. He's a special player, but with lots of young talent that will be seeking raises and Ryan Miller in the backdrop, who we need to lock up long term, we don't have much room for him, and it's really that simple.

1. Detroit
2. Anaheim
3. San Jose
4. New Jersey
5. Chicago
6. Minnesota
7. Colorado
8. Vancouver
9. Dallas
10. Buffalo

What say you?

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By the way, I was at the game tonight. I do have mixed feelings because Danny Briere and Martin Biron are such great guys, so it is always good to see them do well. Just not against us, so that was tough... But even tonight, I can appreciate their win in one sense - and it was nice seeing smiles on both of their faces. They're both classy guys when it comes down to it, and great PEOPLE. And they're special players too, so it's nice to see them succeed.

As for the Sabres, a trade is in order to give this team a little bit of a spark. Doesn't have to be anything huge - doesn't even have to involve Campbell - but something needs to be done. Someone who can come in and light the lamp, a stay-at-home defenseman, or a two-way player a lot like Drury used to be would all be nice. And of course, a resolution to the whole Campbell saga is NECESSARY for this team to move on and focus on the prize here. They're so close of a playoff spot, no sense in giving up now.

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