The Official NHL Playoffs Thread

[GambleGamble]

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And if keeping Drury means theres a chance the Sabres get Jason Blake (can you name a source on this?) at a discount, yea, i think that adds a bit to keeping Drury

Stealthcow-

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Cant name a source, just "heard" etc Ill assume it was in some type of interview where he asked who he would like to play with at some point in his career etc...

[Triumph36]

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And if keeping Drury means theres a chance the Sabres get Jason Blake (can you name a source on this?) at a discount, yea, i think that adds a bit to keeping Drury

Stealthcow-

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Cant name a source, just "heard" etc Ill assume it was in some type of interview where he asked who he would like to play with at some point in his career etc...

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you have it backwards. it's rob blake and chris drury, drury is rumored to go to LA because of his friendship with rob.

anyway, stop [censored] hijacking this thread

[Yads]

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Do you even bother to check the validity of NHL.com, or did you not realize Craig Conroy and Wayne Primeau didn't get all their goals on Calgary. Conroy had 8 as a Flame, Primeau had 3. Figure it out!

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So what you're implying is that any goals/points acquired prior to a trade are completely meaningless when looking at the make up of a team. Does this mean that Ryan Smyth doesn't add any scoring depth to the Islanders because he's only scored 5 goals for them? You are the one that needs to figure it out.

[GambleGamble]

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anyway, stop [censored] hijacking this thread

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calm down there slappy...

...Hockey Talk is Hockey Talk....just let it go, youll feel better I swear

[mosuavea]

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And if keeping Drury means theres a chance the Sabres get Jason Blake (can you name a source on this?) at a discount, yea, i think that adds a bit to keeping Drury


Stealthcow-

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Cant name a source, just "heard" etc Ill assume it was in some type of interview where he asked who he would like to play with at some point in his career etc...

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you have it backwards. it's rob blake and chris drury, drury is rumored to go to LA because of his friendship with rob.

anyway, stop [censored] hijacking this thread

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Source? Because I have sources for the JASON Blake Drury connection, or are you just assuming things? SO stop interuptting a hijack with wrong information

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Jason Blake couldn’t find the right words Friday to describe precisely why he’s become a card-carrying member of Chris Drury’s fan club. There’s just something about Drury that drew the New York Islanders veteran winger near, something that made him fantasize about someday playing alongside the Sabres’ co-captain.

The word coming out of Philadelphia in recent weeks had the Flyers prepared to empty the piggy bank for Daniel Briere, the Sabres’ gifted leading scorer, come July. Like Drury, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Philly sees Briere as a franchise player, someone who can lead them from hell. Who would argue?

Buffalo has made almost no effort to get its co-captains signed beyond this season, leading to speculation the Sabres are going to lose at least one. In fact, both could be gone if Philly blows away Briere with an offer and Los Angeles entices Drury to start living year-round in his offseason home in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

It’s an unnerving but very real possibility, especially if the Sabres aren’t willing to spend to the salary cap the way they did this season. They planned to spend $37 million this year but ended up shelling out $44 million.

Fans can live with losing one, but not both. OK, now choose one.

Briere is a terrific player, a gift from Phoenix, if not heaven. His departure would create a gaping hole in the lineup, but Drury is the one player on the roster they can ill-afford to lose for reasons Blake could not entirely explain. Simply, it’s the intangibles that set him apart and make him such a treasure.

Drury taught this team how to win. In his case, it’s always been more a disdain for losing. It’s hard to imagine him leaving the situation he has in Buffalo for a lesser one elsewhere, especially if the Sabres offer him a contract in line with his value. The Sabres would likely need to give him between $6 million and $7 million per season, about what he would get on the open market.

“He’s a great player, a complete player,” Blake said. “You don’t find many players like that in the league on the penalty kill, the power play, he’s got a great shot, he’s a great leader. Chris Drury was probably the best player on the ice. Every shift he’s doing something to make his linemates better. He does it all.”

Drury hasn’t had steady linemates for most of the season, the way Briere has with Jochen Hecht and Jason Pominville. Drury has been saddled with underachieving Ales Kotalik and an assortment of rookies called up from Rochester.

He’s expected to be a candidate for the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward, impressive for a guy who has a career-high 37 goals, including nine winners. He scored once on the power play, the winner short-handed and clinched a 6-4 victory over the Islanders when he set up Dainius Zubrus for the Sabres’ final goal.

Granted, the game Friday was hardly a measure of his worth. Anyone paying the least bit of attention could sense a Buffalo victory. The Isles were without starting goalie Rick DiPietro and newcomer Ryan Smyth. When backup Mike Dunham wasn’t clueless, he was helpless. He was pulled after giving up five goals in the first period.

Blake was one of few Islanders who showed up. He scored New York’s first goal when he whistled a wrist shot into the top corner. He has career highs of 39 goals and 66 points this season while playing on a mediocre team. Imagine his production if he were surrounded with more talent.

The All-Star winger also becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season after making $1.5 million this year. He’s one of the faster players in the league, creative with the puck, a proven veteran who would be a good fit this summer for a speedy team looking to fill a hole. By the way, he’s also a big fan of Lindy Ruff.

bgleason@buffnews.com

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Jason Blake: Interested in Joining Sabres
RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
Saturday, March 31, 2007

Update: Blake indicated on Friday that he would be interested to join the Sabres this offseason as an unrestricted free agent, The Buffalo News reports.

Recommendation: The Sabres' three leading scorers (Daniel Briere, Thomas Vanek and Chris Drury) will all be free agents at the end of the season, Briere and Drury of the unrestricted variety. The Sabres are unlikely to bring all three players back, due to the salary cap. Blake is likely to command a lower price tag than Briere, Vanek and Drury and is a speedy veteran who has a lot of respect for Drury and Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff. This situation will become clearer during the offseason, but look for the Sabres and Blake to try and work something out. That could be very good news for Blake's scoring output.

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[Triumph36]

oops - i think i should look these things up first

w/e blake's not taking a big discount on his last nhl contract - drury might.

[mosuavea]

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oops - i think i should look these things up first

w/e blake's not taking a big discount on his last nhl contract - drury might.

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Obviously its all speculation, most of which I don't want to think about considering the playoffs just started and the outlook of the team will probably be much different next year. So back to the topic at hand..

I think The Sabres may run the Isles out of the building within the first 10 minutes of this game tonight. Final score 6-2

GG where are you seats? Hitting the pre-game concert or is this Buffalo weather going to make you a game time arrival [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[GambleGamble]

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GG where are you seats? Hitting the pre-game concert or is this Buffalo weather going to make you a game time arrival [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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Gotta work til 6:30ish so will be heading right there...should be in the Harbor club by 7 at the latest..

The way things have worked out I should have tickets for everygame but in different sections...

My Split Seasons (2games a series)
Section 220 Row 1 Seat 7&8 !!! great seats

1/4 Seasons (1 game)
Section 322 Row 7 Seat 4&5

Extras from 1/4 seasons (1 game)
Section 302 Row 11 Seat 13&14

...Just look for a gigantic handsome man and thats me !

[GambleGamble]

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Source? Because I have sources for the JASON Blake Drury connection, or are you just assuming things? SO stop interuptting a hijack with wrong information

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Yea get him get him

[gjv76]

GG, I'll be in section 105 row 14 seats 13,14.

I think its going to be a white out game tonight!

Go Sabres