sorry guys, not sure what's changed

terry pegula at his introductory press conference asked for everyone, including the media to get behind the team...for the past three years darcy regier and the buffalo sabres organization traded for a player and gave up a second-round pick...we also heard from regier that the asking price was too high for the players they've wanted, just like the last three years...and, we've also heard that the sabres are looking to add for a playoff push--that would be adding to "the core"...

in addition, tim connolly's name has been bantered around in trade talks, again, and for the third straight year, he remains a sabre, much to the chagrin of this particular fan...

here's why...

the sabres are a bubble team this year and it seems as if the new management team has a three-year plan...they are not cup-contenders this season and they said that they're adding not only for this season, but for the future as well--enter brad boyes who's signed for next season...

there's been alot of talk as to pegula taking off the chains and letting regier spend money and they talk of the proof being the addition of boyes who carries a $4m cap-hit...yet, it's rarely mentioned that the sabres waived craig rivet and his, overall, $3.5m cap-hit...although the sabres are on the hook for half of rivet's salary this seaon, it's basically a wash, as the sabres remain under the cap by just under $4m...

and i'm ok with that, it's about what i expected...keeping that in perspective, what has changed?

there was a golden opportunity for the sabres to get good value based upon supply and demand, for tradeable, unrestricted free agents...yet regier spun the retaining of connolly as proof that the sabres were not sellers and we're looking to add to the team...in other words, he's still committed to his core--a core that has failed to get the team to the playoffs in two out of three years, with a one-round-and-out performance last season....

once again, they are on the precipice of the playoffs and have just as good a shot missing them as they do making them...

after berating regier and his trade-philosophy the last two seasons, the buffalo media is on the pegula bandwagon, seemingly at the behest of the new owner...just take a look at the stories from the buffalo news:

• sabres shift thinking with boyes trade, john vogl--basically an article about the sabres trading for a $4m player with another year on his contract...not one mention of craig rivet being the salary out for the salary in
• deadline deal singifies new era, bucky gleason--"Regier's decision to keep Connolly could be viewed as another passive approach and keeping a player for too long, but actually it was an act of aggression. It was a bold move, in the face of public scrutiny of the chronic underachiever, designed to help them make the playoffs this season.
  The time to trade Connolly was two years ago. He has disappeared over long stretches, but he's a dangerous player when he performs to his potential. It's not enough to warrant another long-term commitment, but Regier figured, with Derek Roy sidelined, he was their best option."...really?...what has connolly done this season?...what did he do in the playoffs?...paul hamilton on wgr this morning said that connolly's basically shot and that, as a fan, he'd rather see luke adam on the ice
• ohl teammates together again after 12 years, mike harrington--a "feel-good" story on the re-united of brad boyes with tim connolly and steve montador who all played with the erie otters 12 years ago...and we actually have connolly saying something to the media--"[Boyes] has got a great release with his snapshot and his slapshot," Connolly said. "He's a real smart player and it will be my job if I'm playing with him to get him the puck in scoring areas."...really?...what was your job before boyes came on board?...oh, and the addition of boyes, without subtraction, could mean that tyler ennis goes to the third line

hook, line and sinker...

which brings us to rob niedermayer, he of zero goals this season...it's possible that he will be on the bench with the addition of boyes...what? and vancouver, who wanted a fourth-line center, couldn't be coerced into trading for him instead to chris higgins?...

i don't buy that thing's have changed...nothing will change as long as darcy regier is still with this organization...

quick, name me your favorite buffalo sabre right now...

exactly, ya had ta think about it, didn't you?...last year was easy, tyler myers...

btw, on tyler myers...the los angeles kings traded colten teubert to the edmonton oilers as part of the dustin penner "blockbuster" trade yesterday...teubert was picked one spot behind myers in the 2008 draft because regier actually traded up for the spot they took myers in..traded with the los angeles kings...significant?...yes...

most are touting darcy regier as "the genius" behind this move...actually, regier had to be convinced by his head of amateur scouting, kevin devine, to go after myers...at the urging of devine, regier got into "serious" discussions with l.a. gm, dean lombardi, at the draft...and here's how regier approached this decision:  he and lombardi wrote down names on a napkin, both coveting a defenseman...if the names were the same?...los angeles keeps their pick...if they were different?...the sabres trade up...

nothing like leaving it to chance, eh darcy?...

the littany of passive transgressions against the sabres by regier is long...and yes, he was probably hamstrung by upper management...

but was he really?...or was he hamstrung by his own meekness as an nhl general manager...