Blog - Internet Trading Danny Briere? Sabres could be potential trade partner

[Pegulaville26]

Why? People knock Philly for various things, but have you ever been to Buffalo?? It really is a miserable place to live.

Couldn't be farther from the truth, you have to live here first instead of listening to everything people say. NHL Players who still live in Buffalo and will when their career is over: Patrick Kane, Marty Biron, Michael Peca, Robyn Regher, Andrew Peters, Craig Rivet (hated he was traded to Buffalo at first), Jordan Leopold, Pat LaFontaine, Jay McKee, Teppo Numminen (before he was coaching), Ryan Miller (bought a house last year and spends 90% of the year in Buffalo w/ wife), Steve Ott (heard bad things before coming here and loves the city now) I can keep going but I think I made the point. Great people, great food, and great place to raise a family.

[radoran]

Why? People knock Philly for various things, but have you ever been to Buffalo?? It really is a miserable place to live.

It's actually a quite nice place to live with wonderful people - but it is definitely comes across as a barren industrial town.

But Buffalo's got some things going for it (not the least of which is University at Buffalo (SUNY) which is the largest in the system and keeps a steady flow of NYC money into the area).

The City itself isn't the main focus, the suburbs are where most people live - Northtowns and Southtowns. There is beautiful country in Western New York and the summers are absolutely glorious. Buffalo Garden Walk is a revelation (Google it).

The winters are snowy - it's like real winter. They adore hockey and breathe football. And drink like fish.

Rochester? Yes, that's a miserable place. Even more with Kodak now effectively dead.

[radoran]

Couldn't be farther from the truth, you have to live here first instead of listening to everything people say. NHL Players who still live in Buffalo and will when their career is over: Patrick Kane, Marty Biron, Michael Peca, Robyn Regher, Andrew Peters, Craig Rivet (hated he was traded to Buffalo at first), Jordan Leopold, Pat LaFontaine, Jay McKee, Teppo Numminen (before he was coaching), Ryan Miller (bought a house last year and spends 90% of the year in Buffalo w/ wife), Steve Ott (heard bad things before coming here and loves the city now) I can keep going but I think I made the point. Great people, great food, and great place to raise a family.

You left out Scotty Bowman. :-)

It's really a great little City that's, IMO, on the way up. How far, remains to be seen...

[flyercanuck]

@radoran

Still can't believe you lived there that long and didn't make it over to Niagara-On-The- Lake. There's gotta be a hundred wineries in that area. Beautiful parks, some great pubs.

Of course Niagara doesn't have a junior team anymore, so I see your point.

[radoran]

@radoran

Still can't believe you lived there that long and didn't make it over to Niagara-On-The- Lake. There's gotta be a hundred wineries in that area. Beautiful parks, some great pubs.

Of course Niagara doesn't have a junior team anymore, so I see your point.

I did get over to Niagara Fals - the tackiest place on Earth, but only to the American side of NOL. Friends got married up in a State Park on Lake Ontario (could barely see Tronno).

I go back a couple times a year.

[AJgoal]

Used to go up to NFNY a couple times a year when I was a kid. Go fishing on the lakes or the river, threaten to throw my sister in the whirlpool, good times. Didn't cross the bridge into Canada all that often.

[Polaris922]

I think it gets a bad wrap because if all you do is drive through on the Thruway it looks pretty shabby. Used to make that drive every other week. Friends who live there though say its a great place.

[flyercanuck]

@radoran

NF is no comparison to NOTL. Unless you prefer wax museums, bikers and casinos to wineries, wineries and wineries.

[Vanflyer]

remember this article is pure speculation and quite honestly there isn't much else to write about

I know- just giving my 1 and a 1/2 cents worth back.

[Vanflyer]

Great people, great food, and great place to raise a family.

I did live there. Great for those players to want to be there, but it is not my cup of tea. The positive it that it has a very homey feel to it. Meaning - as a city, you never feel like you are in a city. Rather just a very large town.

[Vanflyer]

The City itself isn't the main focus, the suburbs are where most people live - Northtowns and Southtowns. There is beautiful country in Western New York and the summers are absolutely glorious. Buffalo Garden Walk is a revelation (Google it).

Good points. I am bashing a bit for sure. Also I spent a semester in Cortland (SUNY). I guess my point was why would Briere want to return to Buffalo? While some redeeming qualities, not enough for him to waive his NTC / NMC when he is living in South Jersey.

[radoran]

Good points. I am bashing a bit for sure. Also I spent a semester in Cortland (SUNY). I guess my point was why would Briere want to return to Buffalo? While some redeeming qualities, not enough for him to waive his NTC / NMC when he is living in South Jersey.

This is my main point - but he is quite fond of Buffalo and has said so. In the realm of wild speculation let's just call Buffalo closer to reality by a tiny bit.

@radoran

NF is no comparison to NOTL. Unless you prefer wax museums, bikers and casinos to wineries, wineries and wineries.

Did a wine tour on the US side of Niagara - very immature wineries for the most part but some good selections.

Dear friends did a whole day on the Canadian side and brought back vast quantities.

Only thing NFC has is that when you turn around and ignore it, there's Niagara Falls.

Border can be a real pain in the tuckus, which is the main reason I avoided it except to take visitors on the mandatory Niagara Falls trip... Sure, it's just water falling off a cliff, but it is darned impressive...

[Vanflyer]

but he is quite fond of Buffalo and has said so.

Never knew that and certainly changes things.

[Vanflyer]

Sure, it's just water falling off a cliff, but it is darned impressive...

It pretty cool to go there in the fall or early spring when the waters are ravishing.

[radoran]

Never knew that and certainly changes things.

The general feeling was that both Drury and Briere wanted to stay in Buffalo, but the team stuck with their inane "no negotiating during the season" policy (effectively removing the one advantage they had in keeping both guys) and both guys decided to test the market. When one left (Briere), the other didn't find the *team* in Buffalo as appealing (Drury). Then Edmonton dropped the Vanek offer sheet bomb on the franchise.

Wikipedia notes that "this changed the team policy" - LMAO. We might note (as was earlier in the thread) that Briere is the only one of the "ZOMG! MUST HAVE #1C!!11!!!" that was ever that effective (and none - Drury, Gomez - really lived up to the "#1" center mantle).

I just can't see Briere agreeing to be traded in the next two years - maybe in the last year of his deal if the team isn't competitive or they make a deal to a Western contender as a deadline rental. But I don't see the team trying to deal him.

It would not surprise me (and might be a good idea) to have Briere wear the C for three years before "handing off" to Giroux.

That, for me, is vastly more likely than Briere going anywhere.

[jammer2]

This whole thread is summer time fodder IMHO. A fair trade would be both the Schenn brothers for Tyler Myers. At that is realistic.

[idahophilly]

I can't imagine trading Briere. He would have to waive his NTC and besides, he's to valuable in the playoffs and to the kids...

[Vanflyer]

Wikipedia notes that "this changed the team policy" - LMAO. We might note (as was earlier in the thread) that Briere is the only one of the "ZOMG! MUST HAVE #1C!!11!!!" that was ever that effective (and none - Drury, Gomez - really lived up to the "#1" center mantle).

I just can't see Briere agreeing to be traded in the next two years - maybe in the last year of his deal if the team isn't competitive or they make a deal to a Western contender as a deadline rental. But I don't see the team trying to deal him.

I really wanted Drury. I watched him allot in Colorado and thought he was the better leader and better overall player (ie. could play defense).

Truthfully I have been very happy with Briere (in hind sight of course). I remember tons of threads on Philly.com where he was a huge whipping boy. People see his price tag NOW, but forget the market THEN. Aside from his playoff performance, what has also impressed me is his leadership. We don't get to see the "room", but by all accounts, he is one of the top leaders in the "room". What we do see is him in interviews and he does not mince words.

People moan about his regular season production. What they do not give credit for is that he has improved his 2-way play since being in Philly. He will never be a Selke finalist or candidate.

He has three years left on his contract with this next season paying him 7M. The following two years pay him 3m and 2m respectively. If I am the Flyers, I just keep him. The cap hit sucks, but the salary is fine.

Lastly, he has played more years in Philly than Buffalo. He is more grounded / rooted in Philly than he ever was in Buffalo. I mentioned in another post that if he was to move to another team, it would be Phoenix before Buffalo. Just my stupid opinion of course.

[DanFlyerFan]

Sorry I didn't read through the whole thread but If a trade moving Briere to Buffalo was at all possible, I wonder if the return could be something to help get Ryan from the Ducks. Just a thought for a three way trade.

[Vanflyer]

I wonder if the return could be something to help get Ryan from the Ducks.

What is this love affair with Ryan? I don't get it.

[flyerrod]

What is this love affair with Ryan? I don't get it.

He is a Cherry Hill rink rat and he has pretty decent offensive numbers. The original post in this thread was Briere for Myers which means the guy speculating that is smoking Crack. A few other suggestions were put out there that could have been feasible but again only if Briere approached Homer about the move for family reasons or some such and was willing to drop his NMC.

[Indians58]

Interesting fodder, if we're playing hypothetical why not Briere straight up for Ryan.

Anaheim is clamoring for a second line center. We gain a younger scorer and clear more cap space.

Then I would sign Doan.

Imagine our lines then:

Hartnell Giroux. Ryan

Voracek. Schenn. Doan

Read. Courts. Simmonds

Fedetenko. Talbot. Rinaldo, Wellwood, Sestito

Three top lines with grit, speed, and D.

Our "D" still needs work but those lines are solid

[jammer2]

@Indians58 Forgive me for asking, but why would the Ducks want to trade a young stud who has 4 straight 30 goal seasons for a player in obvious decline like Briere?? I guess that's the best offer they could garner for their young star?? Not to mention the 2 mill or so in extra cap hit Danny boy carries with him....hmmmmm....

[Indians58]

Potential reasons:

1. They have several wingers coming up that are highly rated, and could collectively make up for Ryan. Palmieri, Etem, and Smith-Pelley.

2. They have had a black hole at the second line center position for several years.

3. My " rough" calculations are it's only $1m cap space difference, and they have plenty of room. Even looking ahed to next year when Getzlaf and Perry are do.

4. They spent/traded to upgrade their "D" so far, getting bigger. Still have not changed upfront from last year.

5. they are 45 minutes away from the Stanley Cup champs. They need to grab that So Cal market attention.

All these items are potential reasons, I throw out since as I mentioned in my post that the trading of Briere is fodder and simply hypothetical. The major obstacle will be Briere's NMC

[jammer2]

Well, I commend you for making some realistic explanations for your stance....however...

1)Even though they could make up for Ryan with young wingers, a younger center can be had for Ryan, someone not in decline

2)The black hole at #2 center does not mean they have to acquire a older vet for a young talent....this does not make sense

3)Why have a million dollar cap space differential when young talented stars that could be had for Ryan would make them come out on top of the cap space battle.

4)Even though the forwards have not been upgraded thus far, you still don't give away young talent for aging veterans, that's not how winning franchises do business.

5)Yeah, you don't steal the spotlight from the Stanley Cup Champs by making unwise youth for vets moves...this would only lead to their market shunning them more. In 2 years when Danny boy is injured for half the season and scoring 12 goals a year, the fans will love to see Ryan scoring 35+ goals a year for his new team.

The only legit reason to acquire Briere, is he could show the young Ducks how to win in the playoffs, but you still don't give away an all star young stud for one or maybe 2 playoff runs. There are 15 other teams out there that could and would offer WAY more for Ryan's services.

Edited August 2, 2012 by jammer2