Commentary
Who can blame Sabres' co-captains for leaving?
JASON NADOLINSKI Sports Reporter
For many teams, the beginning of the free agency signing period is a time to retool and revamp the roster in an effort to put the best possible squad on the playing field, no matter what the sport. However, when it comes to Buffalo Sabres fans, free agency has recently been about as appealing as contracting bubonic plague - and about as deadly.

The fans may not like it, but can you blame previous Sabres like Jay McKee and Mike Grier, and now former co-captains Daniel Briere and Chris Drury, for leaving for greener pastures? If all the NHL is is a business, which appears to be the case with Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano, then he can't be surprised when players are more loyal to the almighty dollar and not the team, when that team essentially takes more than it gives?

For instance, Briere rejected the Sabres' only offer of a contract extension, worth reportedly $25 million over five years. It was a smart move on Briere's part, considering it took the Philadelphia Flyers a mere four hours to lock Briere up for the next eight seasons. Briere and his agent knew what they were doing testing the open market, hauling in more than double what the Sabres were willing to spare ($52 million, including a whopping $10 million next season alone).

It doesn't help matters that the team's offer came just over three days before free agency officially began, but did the Sabres' top brass really think Briere would forego a pay raise after recording nearly 100 points last season? It's like Sabres management was saying, "Hey Danny, thanks for posting a career-high 95 points for us last year. Thanks for getting us some recognition by earning the All-Star Game MVP honors. Would you so kindly perform at least at the same level, if not even higher, for the next few years without getting a raise?"

Hometown discounts are one thing, but that's not the kind of offer that would make Briere want to walk away from what is now essentially his last very expensive multi-year contract. If that was how little the Sabres thought of him, of his contributions on and off the ice, Briere would have been crazy not to wait the few extra days until teams fell all over themselves trying to secure his services.

The same goes for Drury, who also recorded a career-best points total (69) last season. While the Sabres did offer Drury a raise in their lone offer, he received a better offer from the New York Rangers (five years, $35.25 million) before the end of free agency's first day.

How can any of us blame these players - and not just Sabres free agents - for choosing financial security for their families when another team with deeper pockets, or at least a greater willingness to spend up to the salary cap, comes along with a better offer? It's the noble thing to say we'd all stick with the home team, but in the moment of truth, I don't think any of us would be dumb enough to turn down more money to do the same job in a different location.

I understand Golisano's argument of not wanting to dump money into an unprofitable venture, but that's not what he has with the Sabres - at least not if he and the rest of the team's management can use the losses of Briere and Drury to revamp the way they conduct business. If the Flyers and/or Rangers have the success the Sabres could've had if they'd retained Briere and Drury's services, perhaps management will then realize that sometimes you have to spend money to make money.