Cheapskate Owners Fleece Fans on Both Ends

While I was away in Maine last week, the Buffalo Sabres announced an ingenious new ticket pricing plan. The Sabres call it the "Variable Pricing System." Here is how the team describes this new system:

Individual game tickets are based upon the Sabres innovative, Variable Pricing system, which is a newly created program where each game is designated by one of four different classifications (Gold, Silver, Bronze and Value). Each classification is determined by the opponent, time of the year, day of the week, rivalries and games against all-star players.

GOLD GAMES

Gold games will be those games that typically have the highest demand with regard to the opponent or the date of the game.

SILVER GAMES

Silver games will typically be weekend games (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) or games versus high demand opponents.

BRONZE GAMES

Bronze games will typically be mid-week games or against up-and-coming opponents.

VALUE GAMES

Values Games will be "family friendly" priced games that are offered at a deeply discounted rate for the season.

For the cheapest seats in the house, here is the price breakdown:

Gold: $68

Silver: $41

Bronze: $29

Value: $20

The Sabres host the Rangers and Flyers twice each. One game against each team is slotted as a "Gold" game and one game against each team is slotted as a "Silver" game.

So, what does this all mean? Well, it means that the Billionaire Owner of the Buffalo Sabres, Tom Golisano, didn't think it was worth his money to re-sign either Chris Drury or Daniel Briere, but he certainly thinks it's worth his fans' hard-earned money to watch them come back to Buffalo and play against their team. For the four games against the former Sabres stars, fans have to pay $218 as opposed to the regular price of $80 for games Golisano and his errand boys in the marketing department didn't deem worthy of extortion. It must feel great to pay so much extra for the right to watch these guys play for another team. Talk about pouring salt in the open wound.

This is what makes the small-market NHL owners so lovable. They whined and screamed for a lockout, and took over the wheel of the league and drove it straight into the iceberg. Now, they finally get the system they held the players and fans hostage to get, and they are complaining about the big-market teams spending too much money. But, that won't stop them from charging their own small-market fans an arm and a leg to see those big-spenders when they come to town. The best part of this is that other owners will catch onto this idea, and it will drive up revenues, which, in turn, will raise the salary cap. But, if you think owners like Golisano will take your money and use it to put a better product on the ice, don't hold your breath. They will be the ones trying to shut the league down again to lower salaries, and blaming the Rangers and Flyers for destroying the small markets, while they laugh all the way to the bank to deposit the extra money they made off those very same evil teams.

Soo...Roy got his 4m a year, now what?

Well, at least I am right once in awhile. The Sabres and Derek Roy agreed to a contract nearly identical to the one the Panthers gave Nathan Horton. It averages out to 4m per year for 6 years. Nor really a surprise especially since the Dustin Penner fiasco in Edmonton.

So this leaves us with the Sabres and whats next. The only unsigned player of note is Nathan Paetsch who is pending arbitration. It would seem Paetsch is ready for prime time. So that leaves the Sabres with two obvious marketable commodities on defense in Jaro Spacek and Dmitri Kalinin. The Sabres seem to have a large hole at center after Connolly, Roy and Gaustad. Do they swing a deal, do they give Clarke Macarthur and Marek Zagrapan first shot? Could they take a preemptive strike and move a guy like Brian Campbell for a big name center?

My guess is the Sabres use the depth in their system to pick up a veteran centerman who can fill that third line role for the team. I am thinking someone along the lines of a Steve Reinprecht of Phoenix or Jeff Halpern of Dallas. Both games translate well to Buffalo and Lindy Ruff's various styles and both are defensively reliable.

Lets see, maybe a blind squirrel can find an acorn again ;)

Peca Wants Buffalo But......

According to the Buffalo News article today Buffalo doesn't want him. Don Meehan says he called Darcy to indicate Peca's desire to play in Buffalo. He said Regier indicated to him that they weren't interested and were going to keep the team building in-house. Oddly, Regier denies speaking to Meehan about Peca (here we go again?).

On the surface it seems like a good move for the Sabres. Peca would definitely help fill the hole left by Chris Drury. This could simply be a situation were Regier feels that Peca is done and just isn't good enough. If that is the case, so be it. If he still can play I think it would be a great move to help heal some of the wounds incurred in recent weeks by the Sabres' (mis?)-management.

Interestingly, yesterday in a post on the Billszone Sabres' message board poster Coach Sal (via poster Dr. Lecter). Coach Sal states that Regier is still upset with Peca and wouldn't sign him unless there was an apology for statements and treat of Regier by Peca during the dispute many years ago. Apparently money isn't a problem. Furthermore, he reports a sit-down with Sabres management over coffee. Whether or not Peca apologized is not clear.

So that raises the question. Is this a case where Peca isn't good enough or one where Regier is holding grudge? I hope it isn't the latter. Personal feelings need to exorcised from Sabres' negotiations and the right thing needs to be done. Hopefully any decision to sign or not sign Peca is a true hockey decision. The Sabres and their fans deserve that.

Does Derek Roy = Nathan Horton? You be the Arbitrator

Derek Roy is scheduled for arbitration at the end of the month. Sabres fans, in my most humble opinion, are likely to get another real jolt. If you look at message boards such as Hockey's Future or Sabreszone or listen to Sabres flagship station WGR550 it seems that the Sabres, and the Sabres fans, want to believe a salary of about $2.0-$2.5 million will get it done. I believe this is wishful thinking.

The Sabres, themselves, set somewhat of a benchmark when they signed Maxim Afinogenov to a $3 million a year contract prior to last season. With the escalation of salaries this is the least I would expect. More likely in my opinion is a salary of nearly $4 million a year. Lets examine the Sabres rational for their offer, which I fully expect to be a 2-year contract with a lowball figure around $2.75 million a year.

Why the Sabres would say Derek Roy isn't worth $4 million a year:

1) He plays regularly with the Sabres two most dynamic players, Thomas Vanek and Maxim Afinogenov. This artificially inflates his statistics.

2) He does not regularly play the power play.

3) He is not an especially gifted defensive player as well. In short he is nothing special either way.

4) His offensive production, with the Afinogenov and Vanek factor considered, is consistent with that of Mike Peca who earned $2.5 million last year.

All in all, I think these are easily defeatable arguments for Roy. There are actually few players in the below $3.0 range as productive as Roy. These are tough arguments for the Sabres.

Now let's examine Derek Roy's likely arguments. I expect, factoring in inflation that Roy will ask for a 2 year deal with a salary in the are of $4.3 million per season.

1) He centered the teams most dynamic offensive line. He had 21 goals, 63 points and a +37 rating in relatively limited ice time. His production is far above average for a 3rd-line center.

2) With Drury and Briere gone he can reasonably expect more ice time, power play time and his statistics to rise in correlation.

3) He compares favorably with John Madden of the Devils who earned $3.982 million last season. Here are their statistics last year in comparison:

Madden 74 games 12 goals 20 assists 32 points -7
Roy 75 games 21 goals 42 assists 63 points +37

4) Careerwise he compares to Nathan Horton who recently signed a 6 year, $24 million deal. Here are their career statistics for comparison:

Horton 208 games 73 goals 58 assists 131 points +18

Roy 194 games 48 goals 80 assists 128 points +30

I believe that Roy's arguments would be extremely persuasive and that he is far more likely to reach the $ 4 million a year plateau than stay down near the $3 million mark.

This, of course, causes the Sabres another headache. I fell the Sabres could ill-afford to walk away from the award. More likely, in my opinion would be for them to cut ties with someone (Spacek and Kotalik are first to come to mind) to clear salary. I respect the Sabres business plan, but it is becoming more apparent by the day that to remain competitive the Sabres will have to readjust up from their current salary structure or fail miserably.

Did the Rangers Pay Too Much for King Henrik?

There seems to be a bit of a debate brewing about the Rangers decision to ink Franchise Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to a one-year/$4.25 million dollar contract to avoid salary arbitration and build a bridge to a long-term deal in January. Some, including the New York Daily News' John Dellapina praised Lundqvist for working with the team and agreeing to put off signing a long-term deal to save the team some 2007-08 cap space. Others, including Larry Brooks of the New York Post, have pointed to the $2.667 million salaries earned by comparable two-year veteran goalies Cam Ward and Ryan Miller as evidence that the Rangers are paying Lundqvist significantly more than he would have been awarded in arbitration. Thus, the deal is actually a detriment to the Rangers' already perilous cap situation for the coming season.

I tend to agree with Brooks here. While Lundqvist is certainly the key to any shot this team has at success, the Rangers are not obligated to pay him more than what he should be paid under the CBA. Since King Henrik is an arbitration-eligible RFA, they were right to use arbitration as a way to prevent other teams from extending a cap-busting offer sheet. They also should have calculated what they believed he would have been awarded in arbitration and made that offer to him, with the promise to lock him up to a long-term deal in January. The team would have been in a position to save some cap space this year, while still being able to offer him the kind of big contract he would get on the open market.

Let's understand something here. The Rangers are still going to lock him up to the same 5-6 year deal at $5.5-6 million a year in January that they would have if they had saved the likely $1.5 million by going to arbitration, or signing him to a more reasonable contract. They aren't going to get any discount for giving him the extra money this year. The only difference is they now have an even more difficult cap situation this season than they should. I have no problem when the team signs players like Gomez and Drury to big contracts. They are playing by the same rules put forth by the CBA as everyone else. But, when it comes to a situation like this, the Rangers should also use all of the rules of the CBA to their advantage.

Report: Cullen Could be Headed Back to Carolina

According to a report by John Dellapina in the New York Daily News, Rangers' Center Matt Cullen could be heading back to the city to which he helped bring Lord Stanley's Cup in 2006. Dellapina writes:

Sather is shopping center Matt Cullen, with a trade back to the Carolina Hurricanes very much on the front burner. Should the Rangers shed Cullen's contract (three years left at $2.8million per), they'd trim nearly $3million from this season's cap hit.

That could simply provide flexibility for potential in-season moves. But it just as easily could be the first step in a plan to clear enough cap space to sign free-agent defenseman Sheldon Souray, whom the Devils and Islanders have pursued. Unloading defenseman Paul Mara's $3million salary undoubtedly would be another requirement.

As we have discussed here all week, the Rangers moving Cullen is not a surprise. Cullen is a terrific third-line center, with great speed. He does all the little things well, and he is certainly the kind of guy you often find on successful teams. However, he is the most logical forward on the roster to be moved to clear cap room. The Rangers really created this problem when they signed Cullen last summer. As I wrote above, he is a good third-line center, but the Rangers signed him to center the 2nd line and set up Brendan Shanahan, hence his $2.85 million cap number. After watching Cullen struggle on the second line on Broadway, the Rangers felt so strongly that Cullen was not the answer at that spot, that they broke up their top line late in the season and moved Martin Straka to center the second line. They then proceded to tie up $14 million in cap space on Scott Gomez and Chris Drury to center their top two lines. When you have that much invested in your top two centers, you simply can't also pay $3 million to your third center. Well, at least not in the salary cap era (we all remember the Rangers paying Bobby Holik $9 million a year to be their third center). So, while I like Cullen, and I wish the Rangers didn't have to move him, the reality is that when you add as much salary as the Rangers have this summer, sacrifices must be made elsewhere on the roster. And, this is a necessary sacrifice.

As for Souray, I continue to believe that, even if the Rangers deal Cullen and move Mara and his $3 million salary, it still won't be enough to get a Souray deal done, unless you can get him to take a one year deal for $4 million. If Souray was willing to take that kind of deal, he would have already been signed. I know his agent is very close to Glen Sather, but Souray is also close to Martin Brodeur, so if he wouldn't take that kind of deal from the Devils to play with Marty, why would he take it from the Rangers?

Lundqvist, Rangers Agree to One-Year Deal

Updated:

Various media outlets are reporting the deal is actually worth $4.25 million, not the $2.5-3 million that had been speculated. This undoubtedly complicates matters for the Rangers, and almost certainly guarantees that one or two players will have to be moved to clear out cap space. This also ends any, albeit remote, chance there was of the Rangers landing Souray.

From newyorkrangers.com:

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with restricted free agent goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

Lundqvist, 25, appeared in 70 games with the Rangers this past season, posting a 37-22-8 record, along with a 2.34 goals against average and a .917 save percentage. Among league leaders, he ranked fourth in minutes played (4,108), tied for sixth in shutouts (five), ranked eighth in goals against average (2.34), tied for eighth in wins (37), and tied for ninth in save percentage (.917). His 37 wins marked the second-most victories in one season by a Ranger goaltender (Mike Richter, 42).

In his last 44 games of the 2006-07 regular season, Lundqvist posted a 1.85 goals against average and a .931 save percentage, and surrendered two goals or fewer 33 times over the span. He was named the NHL's "First Star" of the week twice in a three-week period in March and was selected as a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the second consecutive season.

In the 2007 playoffs, Lundqvist posted a 6-4 record, along with a 2.07 goals against average and a .924 save percentage in 10 games.

The 6-1, 195-pounder has appeared in 123 career games with the Rangers, posting a 67-34-17 record, along with a 2.29 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. In postseason play, he has appeared in 13 career contests, posting a 6-7 record, along with a 2.58 goals against average and a .905 save percentage. In 2005-06, Lundqvist set the Rangers rookie record for wins in a season (30) and now has more wins (67) over his first two NHL seasons than any netminder in team history.

Prior to joining the NHL ranks, Lundqvist appeared in 144 career contests with the Frolunda Indians of the Swedish Elite League, posting a 2.02 goals against average. In 2004-05, he appeared in 44 games with Frolunda, posting a 33-8-3 record, along with a 1.79 goals against average and a .936 save percentage. He ranked among the Swedish Elite league goaltending leaders in several categories, including: wins (33, first), goals against average (1.79, first), save percentage (.936, first), shutouts (6, first) and minutes played (2641:51, second).

In the 2004-05 postseason, Lundqvist turned in a record of 12-2 with a 1.05 goals against average, a .962 save percentage and six shutouts. His efforts led Frolunda to the Swedish Elite League championship for the second time in three years. Following the postseason, he was named to the Swedish media all-star team for the third consecutive season, earned league MVP honors and was tabbed with Sweden's best player award.

Lundqvist captured his first Swedish Elite League championship with Frolunda in 2002-03, posting a 2.11 goals against average in 12 postseason contests en route to the title. While playing for Frolunda's junior team in 2001-02, he was named the League's Junior of the Year.

Internationally, Lundqvist has represented Sweden in several tournaments. Most recently, he captured a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy where he recorded a 5-1 record, along with a 2.33 goals against average and a .907 save percentage in six games. As a member of Team Sweden at the 2004 World Championships, he backstopped the club to a silver medal finish. In the tournament, he appeared in all eight contests, posting a 5-1-2 record, along with a 1.64 goals against average and a .925 save percentage.

Following the tournament, he was named to the Media All-Star team, as well as one of Sweden's top three players for the Championships. He also represented his country at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2005 World Championships. In addition, Lundqvist participated in the 2001 and 2002 World Junior Championships and the 2003 World Championships.

The Are, Sweden native was the Rangers seventh selection, 205th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Report: Lundqvist Deal Could Come Today

John Dellapina of the New York Daily News reports that with the Rangers finalizing the deal to keep Brendan Shanahan in New York for one more season, the Blueshirts immediate focus is on inking Franchise Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to a one-year deal to avoid salary arbitration. Dellapina reports that, much like Shanny, King Henrik is being flexible in negotiations with the Rangers to help the team navigate the salary cap. Thanks to that flexibility, the report states:

an announcement could come as early as this morning that Lundqvist has agreed to a one-year contract worth approximately $2.5 million. The deal is essentially a bridge to next season and beyond that will enable Lundqvist and the club to avoid their scheduled July 24 salary arbitration case while keeping the Rangers from having to unload players to get under this season's $50.3 million salary cap.

The 25-year-old goaltender will get his big-money, long-term deal soon enough. After Jan. 1, 2008, the Rangers can sign Lundqvist to a lucrative and lengthy extension for 2008-09 and beyond without affecting their '07-08 salary-cap situation. And they almost certainly will do so.


Allowing Lundqvist to hit the market next summer as a restricted free agent would be dangerous, as rival clubs might line up to make him whopping offers that would present the Rangers with this no-win option: match the offer sheet and crush themselves against the salary cap or let their franchise goaltender go for draft-pick compensation unlikely to ever produce a comparable player.

Signing Lundqvist to another short-term deal after this one also would be pointless as he could become an unrestricted free agent following the 2008-09 season.

It appears as though Sather is buying some time here to clear salary and also avoid the wounds that can be opened during salary arbitration. This is a smart move, and I hope they get this taken care of as soon as Dellapina suggests. While I liked the Gomez and Drury moves for a variety of reasons, the moves can't really be judged until we see what the true cost will be in terms of salary cap sacrifices. If players like Cullen and Mara are moved and replaced by kids like Staal and Dubinsky, then these big free agent singnings were well worth it. However, if these moves ever cost them the cap maneuverability to keep King Henrik on Broadway long term, then these moves would be a disaster. I don't see that happening. Both sides want to make this work, and I think they will be able to get a one-year deal done in short order and then a long-term deal done sometime next year.

Free Agency Grades: 10 Days Later

THE TOP OF THE CLASS:

N.Y. Rangers: The Rangers finally get it right. They add two dynamic players to their roster who are a) not over the hill and B) Leaders. Chris Drury and Gomez together could put the Blue Shirts on the verge of being a legitimate threat in the East. Gomez with Jagr could be something special.

Calgary Flames: The team took care of its own in Iginla and Regehr and totally retooled their blueline by adding Sarich and Erikkson at good prices. Darcy Regier and Larry Quinn should take notes on how to treat your leaders. These moves make the Flames legitimate contenders for the Cup.

GOOD:

Philadelphia Flyers: They overpaid in every case, but adding Briere, Hartnall and Timmonen significantly upgrades this team. Paul Holmgren has done a tremendous job in retooling thre Flyers in his short tenure.

Montreal Canadiens: Simply moving out Samsanov and Bonk makes it a great off season. I loved the addition of Smolinski. Probably should have gone the extra mile for Briere.

Washinton Capitals: While none of their moves would be described as earth shattering, they quietly added some significant talent at reasonable prices. Nylander, Kozlov and Poti are nice fits for this young club.

Detroit Red Wings: Getting Brian Rafalski for 6m a year looks like a coup. The simply keep getting the player they target at good prices. He should make a nice impact for them and supplement Nik Lidstrom nicely.

L.A. Kings: Another team that added significant talent at reasonable prices. Adding Handzus was a great move. Preissing, Stuart, and Calder will be solid additions. I look for Calder to really rebound in L.A.

BAD:

Toronto Maple Leafs: The overpaid for Sundin and then they added an aging Jason Blake. The should have saved their money and gone after Gomez, Briere, Drury or Rafalski who would have all helped the Leafs far more. John Ferguson Jr. just keeps digging the holes deeper.

St. Louis Blues: In the process of a nice youth movement the Blues revert to their old tricks and spend big money on Keith Tkachuk and Paul Kariya. Both are dynamic players, but you gotta wonder...why?

Anaheim Ducks: In a boom or bust set of moves the Ducks drastically overpaid for Mathieu Schneider and Todd Bertuzzi. If they work out the Ducks just got scarier. Unfortunately, Bertuzzi is a negative wherever he goes. My bet is both moves backfire on them. I am very surprised they didn't go after Kariya harder.

UGLY:

New Jersey Devils: Losing Rafalski and Gomez hurts badly. Trying to replace Gomez with Dainus Zubrus for 6 years...hurts worse.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Chris Gratton and Michel Oullet in, Cory Sarich and Ruslan Fedotenko out. Yuck! The burden of the big three contracts hurts the Lightning yet again.

New York Islanders: Though I actually like their signings of Guerin and Comnrie the Islanders let Ryan Smyth get away. A team cannot give up as much as they did for Smyth unless the are pushing for the cup or plan to build around that player. Now the Islanders have neither. Garth Snow just compounded his biggest mistake.

DUNCE CAPS:

Buffalo Sabres: This dunce cap isn't for losing Briere and Drury, in the end the decisions not to resign them might have been the right call. It is for how the Sabres did it. Larry Quinn and Darcy Regier just ensured that that the Sabres remain LAST team anyone wants to play for for a long, long time. Classless.

Nashville Predators: Shameless sell off of their top talent is an embarrassment to the National Hockey League. Move 'em to Kansas City already and end the charade.