Sabres having also lost Vanek would have kicked our own draft spot up a few notches those years. So in 2008 we probably still would have taken Myers, but just a few spots up from 12. 2009 we took Kassian but maybe could have had Ryan Ellis or Calvin Da Haan. 2010 we took Pysyk at 23 but being Vanek less maybe we could have gotten Bjugstad at 19 or even Tarasanko at 16. And 2011 Armia at 16 but Brodin was at 10 and Hamilton went at 9.

It was a big mistake not taking Edmontos draft picks and doing a full-on rebuild, we could have had one hell of a team. And yeah, I get the whole but then we wouldn't have Eichel, but hey, nobody even heard of Eichel in 2008-2011
- sskkoo1

They had no choice but to match it. "We'll match any offer sheet for Vanek". That line added the $10 million in bonus money into that contract IMO.

You can say this all in hindsight, but had they let Vanek go and the team on the ice the next season come out with such poop, the poop storm would have been even bigger.
- stashu

Poop like the 2 seasons previous to this one? I mean yea there would of been outrage but if we're going to hit it lets hit it hard instead of treading water for 6-7 seasons

Poop like the 2 seasons previous to this one? I mean yea there would of been outrage but if we're going to hit it lets hit it hard instead of treading water for 6-7 seasons
- Havic3814

Difference being they were coming off of being a great team then. To lose all 3 and do an out-of-the-blue tear down like that would have caused soooo much rage.

Difference being they were coming off of being a great team then. To lose all 3 and do an out-of-the-blue tear down like that would have caused soooo much rage.
- stashu

Yep the Drury/Briere fiasco was rage enough at the time.

Add in Vanek and all hell would've broken loose.

drouin would have been nice
- homiedclown

I was on the Pysyk and Girgensons for Drouin train and see if they would bite, now not a chance.

They had no choice but to match it. "We'll match any offer sheet for Vanek". That line added the $10 million in bonus money into that contract IMO.
- dadeadhead

They had a choice, they weren't beholden to anything and Vanek signed the contract with Edmonton, it was a done deal. Not letting Vanek walk was understandable given the situation at the time, but was still the wrong move. It would be like watching Chicago lose Toews and Kane on the same day, but them then holding onto Panarin instead of taking Toronto's next four years worth of 1st.

They had a choice, they weren't beholden to anything and Vanek signed the contract with Edmonton, it was a done deal. Not letting Vanek walk was understandable given the situation at the time, but was still the wrong move. It would be like watching Chicago lose Toews and Kane on the same day, but them then holding onto Panarin instead of taking Toronto's next four years worth of 1st.
- sskkoo1

They would've looked even more foolish then they already did.

You don't say you'll match any offersheet to turn around and say April Fools.


Also the pick that would've been Edmontons pick in 2008 was the Myers pick. It was originally Edmonton's that they gave up for signing Dustin Penner to an offer sheet.


#12 - Anaheim receives a 2008 1st Round Pick, 2008 2nd Round Pick, and a 2008 3rd Round Pick from Oilers as compensation for signing restricted free agent Dustin Penner
http://www.mynhldraft.com/2008/round1

They had a choice, they weren't beholden to anything and Vanek signed the contract with Edmonton, it was a done deal. Not letting Vanek walk was understandable given the situation at the time, but was still the wrong move. It would be like watching Chicago lose Toews and Kane on the same day, but them then holding onto Panarin instead of taking Toronto's next four years worth of 1st.
- sskkoo1

It took 7 years for this fanbase to stop screaming about losing Drury and Briere in the same summer. 10 years later, even if they stopped talking about it, and even if it is understood now, the loss is still not forgiven.

If Golisano would have let Vanek walk, even in exchange for the 4 first rounders, there would have been torches and pitchforks in the streets of Buffalo.

They had no choice but to match it. "We'll match any offer sheet for Vanek". That line added the $10 million in bonus money into that contract IMO.
- dadeadhead

I still don't agree. Whether they said that or not, the fact remained you needed to offer something exorbitant in order to get the qualifying team to even consider walking away. Otherwise, you're simply doing the negotiating for them.

It took 7 years for this fanbase to stop screaming about losing Drury and Briere in the same summer. 10 years later, even if they stopped talking about it, and even if it is understood now, the loss is still not forgiven.

If Golisano would have let Vanek walk, even in exchange for the 4 first rounders, there would have been torches and pitchforks in the streets of Buffalo.
- Der Kaiser

I gotta disagree, the fan base was already pissed off, adding to it the loss of Vanek would have made little more difference, at least to anyone who really knows the sport and what we were facing that day, which was a death blow to that 2007 team. And yeah, it took 7 years for the fans to stop screaming, but it would have taken far less time with all of Edmonton's 1st. Once we would have annually started taking two 1st round picks in the top 15, the fanbase would have come around and had gotten excited for the new team real quick. I do agree though that what happened will never be forgiven, at least not until we win a cup.

It took 7 years for this fanbase to stop screaming about losing Drury and Briere in the same summer. 10 years later, even if they stopped talking about it, and even if it is understood now, the loss is still not forgiven.

If Golisano would have let Vanek walk, even in exchange for the 4 first rounders, there would have been torches and pitchforks in the streets of Buffalo.
- Der Kaiser

Bingo

I still don't agree. Whether they said that or not, the fact remained you needed to offer something exorbitant in order to get the qualifying team to even consider walking away. Otherwise, you're simply doing the negotiating for them.
- buffalofan19

I think the only egregious thing they did was even saying that. Had such a statement not been made, I don't think Edmonton's offer gets so ridiculous.

I still don't agree. Whether they said that or not, the fact remained you needed to offer something exorbitant in order to get the qualifying team to even consider walking away. Otherwise, you're simply doing the negotiating for them.
- buffalofan19

The offer sheet to Vanek by Lowe was a purely predatory move that was intended to hurt the Sabres even more when they were already cut and bleeding after the loss of B&D. It worked.

There was no good faith effort to obtain the player.

I gotta disagree, the fan base was already pissed off, adding to it the loss of Vanek would have made little more difference, at least to anyone who really knows the sport and what we were facing that day, which was a death blow to that 2007 team. And yeah, it took 7 years for the fans to stop screaming, but it would have taken far less time with all of Edmonton's 1st. Once we would have annually started taking two 1st round picks in the top 15, the fanbase would have come around and had gotten excited for the new team real quick. I do agree though that what happened will never be forgiven, at least not until we win a cup.
- sskkoo1

I disagree with your disagreement, and we will not see eye to eye on this one.
We can keep debating it if you want, or we can move on.

The offer sheet to Vanek by Lowe was a purely predatory move that was intended to hurt the Sabres even more when they were already cut and bleeding after the loss of B&D. It worked.

There was no good faith effort to obtain the player.
- Der Kaiser

As soon as the Sabres matched Vanek he sent an offer sheet to Penner.

So the bills are going to trade our qb and then draft a rookie ?

If this happens everyone should be fired

I disagree with your disagreement, and we will not see eye to eye on this one.
We can keep debating it if you want, or we can move on.
- Der Kaiser

I'll digress, good show.

So the bills are going to trade our qb and then draft a rookie ?

If this happens everyone should be fired
- gerbe75pts

Who cares?


It's the Bills.

Like this

- yen6d1

oh my

As soon as the Sabres matched Vanek he sent an offer sheet to Penner.
- dadeadhead

They were very different offers:

Penner: five-year, $21.25 million.
Vanek, 7 year 50 million dollar offer sheet

Penner was an effort to obtain a player.
Vanek was just a knife in Darcy's guts.

I gotta disagree, the fan base was already pissed off, adding to it the loss of Vanek would have made little more difference, at least to anyone who really knows the sport and what we were facing that day, which was a death blow to that 2007 team. And yeah, it took 7 years for the fans to stop screaming, but it would have taken far less time with all of Edmonton's 1st. Once we would have annually started taking two 1st round picks in the top 15, the fanbase would have come around and had gotten excited for the new team real quick. I do agree though that what happened will never be forgiven, at least not until we win a cup.
- sskkoo1

Hasn't the front office also been pooped on for their poor drafting? If Vanek was let go and the picks turned into Zagrapan type picks, then it's even worse.

1st round picks made by the Sabres:

2006: Dennis Persson
2007: none
2008: Myers, Ennis
2009: Kassian
2010: Pysyk

Not exactly overwhelming, and could have turned out even worse.

Let's not act like the team was complete crap, they DID make the playoffs after losting Drury and Briere. It's possible they would have missed out those years, paired with crap/equivalent draft years and the arena would look like Florida.

oh my
- homiedclown

Im dissapointed in myself for not finding it sooner

Who cares?


It's the Bills.
- dadeadhead

Ugh... that franchise is such an embarrassment. Even if you made all your decisions by flipping a coin, I think you could have gotten that team into the playoffs by now. Seriously, children could run the organization better than the idiots who have been in place.

They were very different offers:

Penner: five-year, $21.25 million.
Vanek, 7 year 50 million dollar offer sheet

Penner was an effort to obtain a player.
Vanek was just a knife in Darcy's guts.
- Der Kaiser

Lowe was a poacher
He couldn't get players to sign there, so he tried to poach other teams players.


Vanek had 84 points
Penner had 45 points


No way they could offer the same sheet.

Ugh... that franchise is such an embarrassment. Even if you made all your decisions by flipping a coin, I think you could have gotten that team into the playoffs by now. Seriously, children could run the organization better than the idiots who have been in place.
- sskkoo1

I gave up on them years ago.


I work at a bar and we're closed on Sundays.

That's how little they effect the business.