Buffalo Sabres Daily: Steve Ott, Chadd Cassidy, Steve Donner
By Tim Redinger
Not all news is good news, but the Buffalo Sabres dominated the regional news stories since the NHL draft. [Buffalo News].
It wasn’t hard to do. Tim Murray had a solid draft for the Buffalo Sabres, dropped one hell of a bomb on the first day of free agency, and the news around Rick Jeanneret, fan favorite play-by-play man and his throat cancer.
The last regime left the Buffalo Sabres fans in the wind, talking about suffering, and how it was going to take time and that we should get use to losing. Guess what – were still going to be bad next year, but Tim Murray just made it hurt a whole hell of a lot worse.
Keep up the good work and fans might not bail so much on you in the stands next year, bad or not.
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Also- if you scrolled the links in that article you will notice one about the stadium proposal. Wanted to add this little nugget in about the Buffalo Bills and a new stadium. I was talking this past weekend with friends and relatives and the topic came up, and someone mentioned they met someone with knowledge of the architecture of Ralph Wilson Stadium and said that the Ralph will outlive nicer, newer stadiums.
Of course that is not what the league wants to hear, they would rather have a new stadium built every 20-30 years.
Resigning Steve Ott still high on fans wish list. [Sports Media 101].
Steve Ott still doesn’t have a home since the start of free agency. Which I think is a little odd given the fire and passion he plays the game with. I for one gave it a week. If Ott didn’t have a new contract by Tuesday July 8th – the Buffalo Sabres chances of resigning him went even higher.
It is a match made in Hockey Heaven. The Buffalo Sabres want to be a meaner, nastier team that teams can’t skate all over; and they are in need of veteran leadership.
While fans are high on Steve Ott for his sneaky, blue collar style of play – Tim Murray and Ted Nolan have to be the ones to sign off on bringing him back. Does he fit in with the rebuilding mode? I definitely wouldn’t bring him back for more than a 1-3 year contract.
Tim Murray didn’t rule out Ott coming back, but with the moves that were made on day one of free agency made it difficult for him to come back. Maybe a change of scenery for Drew Stafford could make that room on the roster for Ott to return? I am not so sold on Stafford being gone. I would like to see Stafford under a year of the new regime to see how much more he responds to accountability.
Stability for the Rochester Americans as Chadd Cassidy returns as head coach. [Rochester D&C].
A small sign that Tim Murray isn’t going to rock the boat and change everything that Darcy Regier did, at least in the first off season. Tim Murray has been very adamant that the winning culture of this organization has to start with the Buffalo Sabres top affiliate in Rochester – so Cassidy has to be on a very short leash this season.
The Amerks failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year, but also didn’t get swept out of the best-of-five series either.
Former Rochester Americans owner Steve Donner files for bankruptcy. [Rochester D&C].
He calls it settling his finances, but once the main push behind much of the Rochester sports scene is now in court trying to manage a sizeable amount of debt. He says he is fine, and everything will be ok.
As we continue the off season, we ask you continue to remember Rick Jeanneret in your thoughts and prayers as he battles through this tough time. We are looking forward to having you back in the booth RJ. Get well soon. The entire Sabres Nation stands behind you.