Robyn Regehr To Buffalo Is Huge For the Sabres...

...not just in terms of the on ice product, where I thought it would be a rock solid (albeit far-fetched) acquisition for the learning process of young stud Tyler Myers, but also for the perception of the team and the direction they're headed.

One just needs to look at how this trade all played out to show just what the team is up against when trying to lure players to the city.

Calgary Flames GM Jay Feaster and Darcy Regier had a deal in place on Wednesday and the only impediment was Regehr, an 11 year NHL vet who earned the no movement clause in his contract.

"You're trading me where?
Buffalo" I think I'll need some
time to cool off, Jay."

From there the shock of being traded to Buffalo took it's toll on the big blueliner as he wavered upon whether or not to accept. "It's a huge, important decision. I just wanted to make sure I explore as many options as possible," Regehr told the Calgary Sun. "Darcy Regier [the Sabres' general manager] has been fantastic. ... It sounds like Buffalo is great ... but until we see what's all out there, we can't make a real good informed decision that we're comfortable with."


Regardless of what Regier and new Sabres Terry Pegula had to say, the stigma of the last four years lingered. Guaranteed if it was Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston (a place he waived his nmc for) or even San Jose' and possibly Vancouver or Anaheim, the rugged d-man would not have had that big of a decision to make.

But, it was Buffalo. And it wasn't until well into the evening on the west coast that Regehr changed his mind and made the decision to go to Western New York.

Former Sabre Rhett Warrener played with
Robyn Regehr in Calgary.

Darcy Regier did some hard selling and Regehr talked to many players, including former Sabre Rhett Warrener who texted Regehr in April while at the alumni gathering the last game of the regular season and told Regehr that "he'd be a perfect fit for Buffalo." Regehr talked to others about the city and the team as well coming away saying “I couldn’t find anyone to say anything bad about Buffalo. Everyone enjoyed the people, the city. Nobody said anything negative about the city." Even with all of that input from GM to ex-players, one would assume that Terry Pegula did most of the heavy lifting.



On February 23, 2011, Terry Pegula's
first game as owner of the Buffalo
Sabres, "The French Connection."
skated together and the Sabres
became whole again.



Pegula has the desire and deep pockets to make his dream of Buffalo winning the Stanley Cup come true. He just needs to convince any player willing to listen that he's gonna get the job done.

The Sabres have been championing Buffalo as "hockey heaven" and have been making all the right moves cosmetically whether it was connecting with past greatness in bringing the French Connection back together on-ice or flying in over 80 alumni for the last home game of the regular season.

Former Sabres d-man Jay McKee was
one of over 80 alumni flown in
by Terry Pegula for Fan Appreciation
Day at the Sabres last home game
in April.

But, there comes a point where they needed to put their money where their mouth is.

Terry Pegula has taken off the financial constraints of the previous regime and is backing it up beginning with this trade. With Calgary needing to dump salary, not only was Regehr's $4M salary involved, but the excess millions tied up in former Sabre Ales Kotalik will also be coming to Buffalo. It's assumed that Kotalik will head to Rochester or be bought out.

All-in-all a pretty impressive deal by Darcy Regier. And a great selling job by Terry Pegula and the whole Sabres organization.

Right now, having Regehr next to Myers in front of Ryan Miller has given me a taste of "hockey heaven."