1981: Sabres send Gare, Schoenfeld, Sauve, Smith for McCourt, Foligno, Peterson

[Dingo44]

http://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/03/sports/sabres-wings-in-7-man-deal.html

I'm shocked that Bowman would trade Danny Gare and Bob Sauve. I know Schoenfeld has been getting on in years lately, but he's still a heart and soul player. Sauve is third in the league in GAA. Derek Smith is a useful winger.

I do know Dale McCourt was a first overall pick on an upward swing. He has the potential to be a star for the Sabres in this league for a long time. I don't know as much about Mike Foligno other than he was drafted third overall and seems to have some grit with some scoring. He could really be a useful piece on this team or be potential trade bait in a year or two. Brent Peterson's another first rounder but seems to be suited for the fourth line.

I guess getting three former first round picks is a coup for Bowman, but losing Gare hurts. From what I've read on the Courier-Express website, he was pissed at Buffalo for trading him. After all he's done I am sad to think we'll never see him in Buffalo again in any capacity. I would have liked to keep Bob Sauve but his days as a Sabre are also done. Maybe Schoenfeld can come back as an assistant coach or help out with the team when he retires.

I'm sure in a couple of years when McCourt is in the top five in scoring we'll look back and think we really got the best end of the deal but it hurts right now.

Click to read more...

 

[FearTheBeard]

uhh ok?

 

[VaporTrail]

I can remember as a kid coming home and asking my Dad about this trade...I think I was shocked they would trade Gare....He said something like the players were are getting are supposed to be good....

Got to love the last sentence to that article, lol....

" This year his 2.76 goalsagainst average is third best in the league."

 

[Dingo44]

I can remember as a kid coming home and asking my Dad about this trade...I think I was shocked they would trade Gare....He said something like the players were are getting are supposed to be good....

Got to love the last sentence to that article, lol....

" This year his 2.76 goalsagainst average is third best in the league."

I remember the TV news showing Gare and them at the airport taking off for Detroit. Gare was PISSED, but Schony was crying. He was actually crying.

Later, I wrote to all four of them thanking for their time with the Sabres (I was only 10 at the time) and Derek Smith sent me back a signed picture of him in his Red Wings gear. I had that hanging up in my room forever.

 

[My Cozen Dylan]

I think this could be a good idea. Someone posts a historic trade the day it happened, and we react to it like we would a trade that happened now with knowledge of the player prior to the deal.

 

[Chainshot]

I remember this one and while McCourt was supposed to be the best player coming back, it was Foligno who turned into the gem of the deal. It was Bowman starting to pull down Punch's teams and attempt to put his stamp on the organization. We know how that came out...

 

[Ralonzo]

Dale McCourt was the most talented and should have been the best player in that deal, but it was said his conditioning wasn't up to league standards. And by league, I mean beer league.

 

[Dingo44]

I think this could be a good idea. Someone posts a historic trade the day it happened, and we react to it like we would a trade that happened now with knowledge of the player prior to the deal.

That's what I was trying for but I guess the mods thought people might get confused.

I was just thinking how the Internet would have reacted back then.

 

[Foligno17]

I remember being shocked by the trade but then seeing Foligno power his way to the net and tip the puck in one-handed shortly after. Obviously, he became one of my favorite Sabres of all time.

 

[Djp]

Tanking for Lemieux.....

 

[Jacob582]

I started being a fan of the Sabres toward the end of Foligno's tenure with the team.

Schoenfeld I knew first as a mattress commercial actor.

 

[Flapjack]

I was in high school when this deal went down. Me and my friends were thrilled the Sabres got McCourt. Who knew at the time the real key to the deal would turn out to be Foligno.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I wasn't even near born yet when this went down.

 

[krt88]

I had totally forgotten that Bob Sauve was part of that trade.

Gare had knee issues and getting a more energetic player in Foligno made sense at the time. Schonny was used up and not even close the same player he was in 78/79.

At the time it was a smart trade for both teams. Peterson and McCourt didn't do much for us in the long run but in the short term they were useful players.

 

[jamers]

I wasn't even near born yet when this went down.

Me either, but I loved reading this. Gives some perspective and emotion to something I only know as trivia.

 

[Chainshot]

I was a huge Schoenfeld fan so I was not pleased with the deal at the outset. Then to have McCourt be gone in two years was just a kick in the chops. It is funny that both Schoeny and Sauve came back to Buffalo later and that likely the best piece in all of that was Foligno. Peterson was an excellent faceoff man and PKer, a fine piece in a specialist role.

 

[Djp]

I remember this...a childhood friend was a big fan of Gare. She cried when he got traded.

We lived a few houses down the street from buffalo long time trainer Frank Christie. She had gotten a few autographed things from Gare. when we were kids.

I also remember around this same time. Me and another friend were walking to Tops (supermarket). We pass this van. Out comes Scotty Bowman, his wife, and his kids. Stan was one of them.

 

[Mit Yarrum]

I was too young to remember this at the time (toddler), but cool post.

Bowman is a failed GM.

 

[VaporTrail]

I started being a fan of the Sabres toward the end of Foligno's tenure with the team.

Schoenfeld I knew first as a mattress commercial actor.

He was also a very vocal supporter for donuts

 

[JThorne]

He was also a very vocal supporter for donuts

But not fat pigs.