bouchard toast as well

the damn rangers took bouchard back
i suppose at least buffalo saves around a mil with he and begin gone

so much for all that french canadian chemistry jazz

damn, i liked how he was playing too, as well as begin. I don't understand what the sabres were doing leaving them unprotected. hopefull with the freed up money we can sign steve thomas!!

Regier should have protected Bouchard and left Patrick hanging.

I don't know, I like Patrick. Think he's solid and he's definitely a great leader.

I don't know, I like Patrick. Think he's solid and he's definitely a great leader.

Good call Tugnutt. Fact is Patrick has been with this team a long time and he's still very solid on defense. And as for the leadership, if he was able to play every night he is for sure the C. I think he'll wind up on the Sabres coaching staff at some time after he retires.

hopefull with the freed up money we can sign steve thomas!!

On WNSA today, Regier sent out a little hint that he was still looking for ways to improve the hockey club. I think he still believes we need a veteran leader like Steve Thomas. I think getting him would be a great move.

Regier should have protected Bouchard and left Patrick hanging.

Bottom line ...

If this club has to depend on Begin and Bouchard at any point, the season is over.

i think it is a good sign that fringe forwards and fringe defenseman are being cut loose. This team needs to move forward and those guys weren't gonna get it done.

Good call Tugnutt. Fact is Patrick has been with this team a long time and he's still very solid on defense. And as for the leadership, if he was able to play every night he is for sure the C. I think he'll wind up on the Sabres coaching staff at some time after he retires.

I agree that Patrick is a quality player, but he is a fossil. Bouchard has much more updside and would have provided blueline depth for more than this year.

I hope Patrick stays on as a coach after he hangs it up.

With the CBA looming and the money invested in this team, they're looking to make the playoffs now. I fully understand we're not going to win the Cup this year, but even if we sneak into the 7th and 8th spot, (which I definitely think is plausable) we regain a TON of confidence from the Buffalo fans/area...which is what the entire management team is trying to do this year.

That said, Patrick - fossilized or not, is going to be a better asset to this team THIS YEAR than Bouchard. Even if he doesn't play more than 40 games, he's an extremely valuable 7th defenseman, and I'd much rather have Kalinin, Tallinder, and Campbell learning from Patrick than Zhitnik. I don't think Zhitnik is a teacher type anyways, and with three young guys to be the cornerstone of our blueline, we need an older veteran mentor there to help them out.

Bottom line ...

If this club has to depend on Begin and Bouchard at any point, the season is over.

i think it is a good sign that fringe forwards and fringe defenseman are being cut loose. This team needs to move forward and those guys weren't gonna get it done.

i disagree
the sabres won't be depending on mair this year, but if he was cut loose there would be uproar
i think begin would have been very valuable to the sabres this year

at the game in Rochester... other than Peters fight, Begin was the only Sabre I saw hit anybody. They better generate a lot of scoring chances this year because as far as hitting and aggression goes this team could be pretty boring.