For the FIFTEENTH consecutive season, Darcy Regier will maneuver the Sabres through the NHL trade deadline.
Let’s put him on “pass/fail” and assess his performance through his first FOURTEEN of these things.
1998
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost in Conference Final (Capitals)
BIG PICTURE?
After adding scoring 6 weeks earlier with Sanderson, the Holland/Kruse for Dawe move was a classic “add toughness and a veteran depth d-man for a prolonged playoff push” move. If memory serves, the tough guy’s face turned purple following his first encounter with an opposing set of fists (Canucks?) and Holland was never much of a factor. Still, a club that won 2 rounds and didn’t mortgage the future earns Regier a passing grade.
PASS
**********
1999
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost in Stanley Cup Final (Stars)
BIG PICTURE?
Barnes and Warrener helped in the short term and also proved to be long-term assets. Juneau is on the short list of my least favorite Sabres of all-time but this batch of moves is a definite plus for Regier. And they went to the Cup Final. And Hull’s foot was in the crease.
PASS
**********
2000
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost in first round (Flyers)
BIG PICTURE?
The best acquisition at this deadline (Dumont) was the one that came with the least fanfare. Gilmour and Gratton provided a boost in confidence that the team was serious about winning. Of the players who were shipped out, Primeau eventually found himself as a defensive-minded, semi-physical center and Sarich remains a steady NHL d-man 13 years later. If we fast forward in our minds and allow Gratton to become Danny Briere and Roy to be both Roy and Steve Ott, this was a pretty good deadline for Regier. Short term failure, long term success.
PASS
**********
2001
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost in second round (Penguins)
BIG PICTURE?
Rentals Heinze and Audette combined for 7 regular season goals and 6 playoff goals. It’s something– but it wasn’t nearly enough as the smallish Sabres got smallish-er. Thankfully, Regier didn’t give up much to get them.
FAIL
**********
2002
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying, I guess
PLAYOFF RESULT: Missed playoffs
BIG PICTURE?
Bob. Freaking. Corkum.
FAIL
**********
2003
BUYING OR SELLING? Selling
PLAYOFF RESULT: Missed playoffs
BIG PICTURE?
Selling can be good. In this case, it yielded one of the defining players of the Ruff/Regier era– Briere. Unconfirmed rumors say the “future considerations” Regier landed in the Rob Ray deal were Ottawa’s blueprints for a downtown canal that can be used for ice skating. Good idea.
PASS
**********
2004
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying
PLAYOFF RESULT: Missed playoffs
BIG PICTURE?
Getting bigger and tougher in order to battle through a playoff tournament for which you do not qualify epitomizes a botched trade deadline. Long term, the Grier addition proved wise. But still.
FAIL
**********
2005
No season= no deadline= no grade.
**********
2006
BUYING OR SELLING? Selling (sort of)
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost in Conference Final (Hurricanes)
BIG PICTURE?
“We like our roster” but we have an extra piece so– here ya go, Vancouver. Regier was right. This was the best team the Sabres have ever had and their best chance at the Cup. Ultimately, hope was thwarted by an ungodly rash of injuries. Hindsight says adding about half a dozen NHL-caliber defensemen while simultaneously preserving perfect team chemistry should’ve been the move here, but we’re going to let Darcy slide.
PASS
**********
2007
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost in Conference Final (Senators)
BIG PICTURE?
That’s a whole lot of nothing right there. Plus, no more Marty. Regier still liked his President’s Trophy-winning team’s chemistry. This time, it wasn’t the right mix.
FAIL
**********
2008
BUYING OR SELLING? Selling
PLAYOFF RESULT: Missed playoffs
BIG PICTURE?
Selling typically doesn’t feel good at the time and this was no fun at all but, hey… Ennis (and eventually Craig Rivet and Brayden McNabb)!
PASS
**********
2009
BUYING OR SELLING? Umm
PLAYOFF RESULT: Missed playoffs
BIG PICTURE?
Didn’t give up much. Didn’t acquire much. Didn’t do much.
FAIL
**********
2010
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost in first round (Bruins)
BIG PICTURE?
Awful addition to a mediocre team.
FAIL
**********
2011
BUYING OR SELLING? Buying
PLAYOFF RESULT: Lost in first round (Flyers)
BIG PICTURE?
Boyes scored a little (5 regular season goals, 1 playoff goal) after initially landing with the Sabres, but was a square peg in a round hole during a painfully nondescript 2011-12 campaign. Yuck.
FAIL
**********
2012
BUYING OR SELLING? Selling
PLAYOFF RESULT: Missed playoffs
BIG PICTURE?
Hodgson is a bright spot. Sulzer has been a pleasant surprise. Kassian started this season with a bang (5 goals in first 7 games) and has since gone silent (20 games without a goal.) Regier should have a bumper sticker that says “I got a first round pick for Paul Gaustad… ASK ME HOW!”
PASS
**********
2013
(All trade info/images via NHLtradetracker.com.)
I think he failed in 2008 and 1998. Sanderson was the pure shits here. He was suppose to come in and score like 30 goals. He was Brad Boyes before there was Brad Boyes. Those deals did nothing to put the Sabres into the EC Finals.
My issue with 2008 was that Campbell was a much better player at his highest than Tyler Ennis/McNabb have been. Plus, Big Bear sucked and the deal was all about Golisano being a cheapskate than it was about hockey.
The thing about this article , from 2006 to 2010 , Regier wasn’t to GM , it was Larry Quinn . From being the ” president ” of team , he took over and make Regier to head scout , and fired most of the scouting Dept. , and that’s also why the team lost Briere and Drury . And any other player that came up and started playing good . Come time for a new contract , Quinn never paid any player more that 3.5 million per season . But , anything that went bad , he give it to Regier . Lost losing both Briere and Drury , and Soup . You never seen Quinn in front of the mike when that happened , now did you ? The ” Pay Check ” King was only out to make a buck , not to win a Cup , and he got Quinn to do his dirty work , who passed it to Regier . Why do you think that Quinn didn’t want to renew the contract for Nolan ? And then hired Lindsey , saying that ” I don’t know Nolan , why I didn’t give him a three year contract ” , I guess he knew Lindsey , right ?
Funny to see all the picks that the organization gave up in the past that none have turned into any type of NHL’er. Goes to show how the late round picks are really a non factor for some teams. Kudos for Darcy to turn some of the picks that he received into past/present roster players. Despite that, it’s time for him to move on.