Sabres sign Grier

[Indy Dave]

Welcome back

[GOBILLS78]

I have no idea whether or not he played well over the past two years, but if he can be a solid two-way forward the way he was during his first stint, that would be an excellent signing.

[bbb]

Wow - that is shocking. He seemed to leave on kind of bad terms. His wife didn't like Buffalo, the Sabres offered him the same that he took with the Sharks, etc.............I'm really glad to see him back. I missed his short-handed breakaways, even though he never scored on them...........If he had stayed, would Drury still be here???

[Chef Jim]

Wow - that is shocking. He seemed to leave on kind of bad terms. His wife didn't like Buffalo, the Sabres offered him the same that he took with the Sharks, etc.............I'm really glad to see him back. I missed his short-handed breakaways, even though he never scored on them...........If he had stayed, would Drury still be here???

 

Buffalo's a better city than San Jose, trust me I've been there.

 

Just kidding San Jose's not a bad place.

[Tcali]

Buffalo's a better city than San Jose, trust me I've been there.

 

Just kidding San Jose's not a bad place.

San Jose is the backwoods of the Bay Area. You just dont hear much about it exc when there is silicon valley company news

[Chef Jim]

San Jose is the backwoods of the Bay Area. You just dont hear much about it exc when there is silicon valley company news

 

Oh don't get me wrong it sucks compared to the rest of the Bay Area. It's just not bad compared to Buffalo.

[shrader]

Wow - that is shocking. He seemed to leave on kind of bad terms. His wife didn't like Buffalo, the Sabres offered him the same that he took with the Sharks, etc.............I'm really glad to see him back. I missed his short-handed breakaways, even though he never scored on them...........If he had stayed, would Drury still be here???

 

The idea that he left on bad terms always seem overblown to me. The story that the Sabres offered the same money to Grier always seemed like a face-saving move by Buffalo to me.

[Buftex]

The idea that he left on bad terms always seem overblown to me. The story that the Sabres offered the same money to Grier always seemed like a face-saving move by Buffalo to me.

 

I am glad they braught Grier back, but IIRC, he took some slams at team management, or at least Darcy, when he left, saying that he didn't sense that the franchise was as committed to winning as it was in saving money. I don't think he was wrong, but I am a little surprised (but happy) that they made this signing. Grier is a little up and down offensively, but he is the kind of night in and night out grinder the Sabres need more of...

[C.Biscuit97]

Wow - that is shocking. He seemed to leave on kind of bad terms. His wife didn't like Buffalo, the Sabres offered him the same that he took with the Sharks, etc.............I'm really glad to see him back. I missed his short-handed breakaways, even though he never scored on them...........If he had stayed, would Drury still be here???

 

 

I don't think she didn't like Buffalo. She just prefered the west coast.

 

Either way, I love the move and I'm glad to have him back. We need more grit on this team. They were heartless last year.

[C.Biscuit97]

Oh don't get me wrong it sucks compared to the rest of the Bay Area. It's just not bad compared to Buffalo.

 

 

Couldn't get laid in Buffalo huh?

[C.Biscuit97]

I am glad they braught Grier back, but IIRC, he took some slams at team management, or at least Darcy, when he left, saying that he didn't sense that the franchise was as committed to winning as it was in saving money. I don't think he was wrong, but I am a little surprised (but happy) that they made this signing. Grier is a little up and down offensively, but he is the kind of night in and night out grinder the Sabres need more of...

 

 

And Grier was 100% right. But you're right. I'm very surprised he signed back. And he's not a scorer but he scored 7 goals in his one full season here. In 3 seasons with the Sharks, he averaged about 12.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

Goodbye, Grier; Hello, Numminen

Sabres lose forward but keep defenseman

 

By TIM GRAHAM

Buffalo News Sports Reporter

7/4/2006

 

The Buffalo Sabres locked up one of their most important veterans on Monday, but not before one of their other influential leaders bolted with concerns about the team's future.

Although defenseman Teppo Numminen didn't have any reservations about a one-year contract to come back to Buffalo, physical winger Mike Grier signed with the San Jose Sharks.

Grier clearly felt a need to leave Buffalo based on General Manager Darcy Regier's revelation he would have matched San Jose's offer at $1.75 million for each of the next three seasons.

"I loved it there in Buffalo," Grier said in a conference call. "Darcy and the organization treated me well. I just felt going forward San Jose was a better fit. There's some uncertainty in Buffalo."

Grier echoed comments made last week by co-captain Daniel Briere, who said players were "a little nervous" about how the front office will handle the offseason. Numminen's signing gives the Sabres only four players under contract. They lost defenseman Jay McKee to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, a move Grier lamented.

"It's a young team," Grier said. "They have a lot of guys who will be unrestricted free agents in a few years. It's going to be tough to keep everyone around.

"Sometimes you have to make a business decision and go with your gut feeling on where you think things are going."

Grier, 31, had never before been an unrestricted free agent and had been looking forward to fielding offers. He made $1.364 million last season, and although he had his least-productive season in terms of offense - seven goals and 16 assists in 81 games - he contributed in many other ways. He had three goals and five assists in the postseason.

He was one of the team's best penalty killers, a physical force and a constant presence at right wing on a line with co-captain Chris Drury, his buddy from their days at Boston University.

"Mike's effect that he had on the locker room and on the ice was huge," Drury said from his home in Manhattan Beach, Calif. "That's been recognized league-wide. It's tough to see him go. There's not a lot about our jobs that's tough, but seeing a good friend go is.

"You include Jay McKee in that, too. Both of their time here won't be forgotten. They'll be missed."

The Sabres are one of four NHL teams not to have acquired at least one new player since the free agency period opened at noon Saturday. Before they reached accord with Numminen, they were the lone club not to have made a player transaction of any sort.

"I have all the faith in Darcy and [managing partner] Larry Quinn," Drury said. "I do think, come September, when we're together again, we'll have a darn good team."

Numminen re-signed on his 38th birthday. The salary was undisclosed, but Regier said it was for more than the $2 million Numminen received last season.

"I'm happy to be back," Numminen said from his home in Finland. "I'm excited everything worked out."

Numminen's first time through the Eastern Conference after 16 seasons in Winnipeg, Phoenix and Dallas was a satisfying one. He skated for a team that won a franchise record 52 games, won the first playoff series of his career and nearly reached the Stanley Cup finals.

"It was pretty exciting for me," Numminen said. "I really liked my team. I think we can continue what we started. The journey from the start of training camp, nobody knew what to expect. But as the season went along we proved we were a great team."

Numminen was crucial to Buffalo's blue-line and power-play success. He had two goals and 38 assists in 75 games. His 19 power-play points were second to Brian Campbell among Sabres defenseman.

Numminen underwent heart surgery last week at the Cleveland Clinic to correct an irregular heartbeat and said the procedure was successful. The Sabres knew of the heart condition when they signed him last summer.

"There were big questions going into the season with my age, taking a year off, didn't know how I was going to rebound with the health thing," Numminen said. "It pleases me the way everything went. Next year it's going to be easier, knowing that I can play, especially with the new rules. There were big questions, and I didn't know how it would work out. I'm glad it worked out well."

Numminen said other teams had inquired about his services. Regier admitted the Sabres were slightly concerned the price might get too high to retain him after so much money was being spent on other defensemen over the first 48 hours of free agency.

"The defenseman market was moving pretty fast," Regier said. "We had wanted to sign him before he left for home."

The Sabres might have been in a bind without Numminen's veteran presence, especially with Grier and McKee gone.

"He provides tremendous veteran leadership that other players look up to and learn from," Regier said. "He just brings intelligence and steadiness few players possess. Part of that comes from his ability, but the other part is from years of experience and figuring out the game."

The Sabres have two unsigned, unrestricted free agents who played for them last season: defensemen Rory Fitzpatrick and Doug Janik.

[Chef Jim]

Couldn't get laid in Buffalo huh?

 

No I think we can all agree getting laid in Buffalo was easy. Getting laid from a good looking chick in Buffalo? Not so much.

[shrader]

I am glad they braught Grier back, but IIRC, he took some slams at team management, or at least Darcy, when he left, saying that he didn't sense that the franchise was as committed to winning as it was in saving money. I don't think he was wrong, but I am a little surprised (but happy) that they made this signing. Grier is a little up and down offensively, but he is the kind of night in and night out grinder the Sabres need more of...

 

Looking at the article posted below, those comments definitely weren't slams at management as he left. They've been exaggerated over the years. Nothing new there.

 

This team desperately needs a shut down line and hopefully this will help out in that department. Any combination of Grier-Gaustad-Hecht-Paille seems a hell of a lot better than anything they were throwing out there last year.

[Heels20X6]

Looking at the article posted below, those comments definitely weren't slams at management as he left. They've been exaggerated over the years. Nothing new there.

 

This team desperately needs a shut down line and hopefully this will help out in that department. Any combination of Grier-Gaustad-Hecht-Paille seems a hell of a lot better than anything they were throwing out there last year.

 

 

In Ottawa, we keep hearing Buffalo's name being thrown out in the Heatley Free-for-all....any thoughts on that?

[shrader]

In Ottawa, we keep hearing Buffalo's name being thrown out in the Heatley Free-for-all....any thoughts on that?

 

The rumor where Buffalo would throw in some extra pieces so that Heatley could go to San Jose? That one never seemed all that realistic to me. I can't see the Sabres having any interest in the salaries San Jose would have to drop to make that happen.

[GOBILLS78]

No I think we can all agree getting laid in Buffalo was easy. Getting laid from a good looking chick in Buffalo? Not so much.

 

Come on, everybody knows those don't exist.

[Peevo]

The rumor where Buffalo would throw in some extra pieces so that Heatley could go to San Jose? That one never seemed all that realistic to me. I can't see the Sabres having any interest in the salaries San Jose would have to drop to make that happen.

 

 

Interesting blurb from a Senators propaganda state run rumor site. How reliable slash accurate this may be is up for debate. But the ALLEGED offer REPORTEDLY to exist MAY or MAY NOT involve the Sabres. Im over-qualifying so it doesn't look like I know for sure this is true.

 

http://www.senschirp.ca/

 

"It sounds like the Buffalo Sabres may have tabled the best offer throughout all of this but its highly unlikely Dany would accept a move to Buffalo. It certainly would do wonders for the Senators/Sabres rivalry that's for sure. But like many of you have pointed out Buffalo is sort of the Edmonton of the Eastern Conference and not exactly an attractive place to play.

 

Their offer apparently included Derek Roy, Dan Paille and Tyler Myers. That is just a rumour at this point but that sounds like a heck of an offer to me."

 

Interesting. I wouldn't do it. But that is a very fair offer for Heatley. I know the Sabres brass are really high on Myers from everything I've read/heard on XM/WGR. So, its certainly something to think about.

[GOBILLS78]

Interesting. I wouldn't do it. But that is a very fair offer for Heatley. I know the Sabres brass are really high on Myers from everything I've read/heard on XM/WGR. So, its certainly something to think about.

 

If they traded Myers, I would puke.

[DaGimp]

Interesting blurb from a Senators propaganda state run rumor site. How reliable slash accurate this may be is up for debate. But the ALLEGED offer REPORTEDLY to exist MAY or MAY NOT involve the Sabres. Im over-qualifying so it doesn't look like I know for sure this is true.

 

http://www.senschirp.ca/

 

"It sounds like the Buffalo Sabres may have tabled the best offer throughout all of this but its highly unlikely Dany would accept a move to Buffalo. It certainly would do wonders for the Senators/Sabres rivalry that's for sure. But like many of you have pointed out Buffalo is sort of the Edmonton of the Eastern Conference and not exactly an attractive place to play.

 

Their offer apparently included Derek Roy, Dan Paille and Tyler Myers. That is just a rumour at this point but that sounds like a heck of an offer to me."

 

Interesting. I wouldn't do it. But that is a very fair offer for Heatley. I know the Sabres brass are really high on Myers from everything I've read/heard on XM/WGR. So, its certainly something to think about.

I'm ok with getting rid of everybody other than Myers. We can not let him go.