Confirmed with Link: Sabres Suspend Patrik Berglund for Failure to Report; Clears Waivers - Contract Terminated

[AustonsNostrils]

Berglund needs closure. He needs to conquer his demons in Buffalo. The Sabres ought to talk to him about coming back, at a deep discount of course. I think he'd mesh with Krueger.

 

[sabremike]

If I'm a player the fact that Armstrong took advantage of a situation to completely skunk Berglund would make me want to have nothing to do with him, because if he got the chance he'd gladly screw me too.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Will be epic if he goes back to St. Louis and produces.

 

[MayDay]

I still respect Berglund as a person for saying that he was done. So many guys will go through the motions and collect the money.

Is he really “done” though, or did he just “retire” so that he could get out of his situation in Buffalo?

I guess we’ll see now that he’s a UFA, how genuine his “retirement” was. If he signs with another NHL team in the near future, it was all just a BS move to get out of Buffalo.

 

[Baccus]

Is he really “done” though, or did he just “retire” so that he could get out of his situation in Buffalo?

I guess we’ll see now that he’s a UFA, how genuine his “retirement” was. If he signs with another NHL team in the near future, it was all just a BS move to get out of Buffalo.

You say that as if he didn't walk away from 10+ million guaranteed dollars, money that he won't be getting anything close to on a new contract if he does come back to the NHL.

 

[Buffaloed]

Will be epic if he goes back to St. Louis and produces.

He could replace Steen. I bet St Louis will give us a great deal on Alexander Steen if he doesn't submit his no trade list on time.

 

[MayDay]

You say that as if he didn't walk away from 10+ million guaranteed dollars, money that he won't be getting anything close to on a new contract if he does come back to the NHL.

But that makes it look so much worse for us if he does come back to the NHL.

Imagine wanting to get out of Buffalo so badly that you’re willing to forgo $10 million guaranteed just so you can go play somewhere else for much less money.

That would be a terrible look for Buffalo.

 

[TehDoak]

But that makes it look so much worse for us if he does come back to the NHL.

Imagine wanting to get out of Buffalo so badly that you’re willing to forgo $10 million guaranteed just so you can go play somewhere else for much less money.

That would be a terrible look for Buffalo.

Eh. It seemed like it wasn't a Buffalo thing as much as it was a
-Pissed he was traded from away from his teammates and his agent didn't get his NTC list in
-Pissed he was being a 4th line center and not being used properly by Housely (which, even at the time, seemed to be the case).

I mean, he wasn't happy in Buffalo, but I think it was more about that the circumstances of the trade combined with a bad coach/much young locker room. Even if he hated the city of Buffalo, he's been quiet about it.

 

[Baccus]

But that makes it look so much worse for us if he does come back to the NHL.

Imagine wanting to get out of Buffalo so badly that you’re willing to forgo $10 million guaranteed just so you can go play somewhere else for much less money.

That would be a terrible look for Buffalo.

Why would I give a shit about any of this? None of it's about the actual city of Buffalo or the people that live here. It's about Berglund and whatever issues he has or had.

 

[Butt Ox]

Kozlov was a jerk period. I do not think any Sabre fan was upset to see him on all 4s at that game against Columbus that ended his career here.

I got to see Jay and Rhett end "good" Markus Naslund. He was never the same after. Still a bummer to think about, and almost two decades have passed.

I'm sure Slava has fans that feel the same towards that incident.

 

[MayDay]

Why would I give a **** about any of this?

Because the widespread perception that Buffalo isn’t a desirable place to play hinders the team’s ability to attract quality free agents, get players to waive NTCs for trades, and so on. Berglund passing up millions to get out of Buffalo (for whatever his reasons) certainly doesn’t help with that stigma.

 

[Baccus]

Because the widespread perception that Buffalo isn’t a desirable place to play hinders the team’s ability to attract quality free agents, get players to waive NTCs for trades, and so on. Berglund passing up millions to get out of Buffalo (for whatever his reasons) certainly doesn’t help with that stigma.

Buffalo isn't a desirable place to play currently because we've spent several years being intentionally bad and are struggling to get out of that loop. Winning makes people happy to show up, end of story. If a player is specifically looking for bright lights, big city, always great weather, Buffalo will never rate anyways.

I highly doubt Berglund's issues makes anything resembling a dent in attracting FA's. Skinner waived his NTC for Buffalo, or have we already forgotten? It's almost like each individual player has their own likes and dislikes and we have no idea how much the "city" really makes a difference.

Winnipeg was long considered the worst place in the league to get traded, you know what changed that? Not being a terrible hockey team.

Free Agents are a really small part of the team make up and often involve either straight money or fit and development (Buffalo signs some every year) and NTC's being waived are on such a case by case basis that winning probably solves 90% of that issue.

It's also all irrelevant to your suggesting that he basically walked away from millions of dollars just to get out of Buffalo which is inane.