Again the LACK of brain power of a CanSUCKS fan...LOL
The game 7 loss and the aftermath that followed will put the Nucks in a downward spiral...that team even with a tweak or two can't and won't close the deal. I will bet you right now that the NUCKS don't make it past round 1 of the playoffs next year.
Robyn Regehr (REG28) gave his approval to a trade from the Calgary Flames to the Buffalo Sabres.
With a no-movement clause in his contract, Regehr had right of refusal on any deal. After talking to new owner Terry Pegula and general manager Darcy Regier, the rugged blueliner told his agent J.P. Barry to give the Flames approval to make the move.
“Options changed,” he said Friday night via text. “And I did decide to waive.”
Earlier in the day, Regehr denied a request from the Flames to waive his no-movement clause for a move to play in front of Ryan Miller.
“We had something with Buffalo that we were very interested in,” Feaster said late Friday.
“On Wednesday, I contacted him and asked him if he would waive. He initially indicated that he would not.
“He has since indicated through his agent that he is reconsidering that.
“We’re still in a position here where we have to get some things finalized before we know for sure where we are.”
A wide variety of compensation has been rumoured, from Tyler Ennis, who scored 20 goals as a rookie last season, to Luke Adam, the American Hockey League rookie of the year last season, to defenceman Chris Butler and centre Paul Byron. Speculation also included first and second-round picks.
Strong whispers late Friday night had disgruntled forward Alex Kotalik moving back to Buffalo where he hit the 20-goal plateau three times. In Calgary, Kotalik scored seven goals in 52 games over two seasons.
A late TSN report suggested Regehr and Kotalik were on their way to Buffalo for Byron, Butler and a second-round pick.
“(Regehr) and I had a conversation during his exit meeting,” said Feaster, who had almost lost his voice after two busy days of trying to consummate a deal. “We talked about the team and the direction.
“He indicated that he understood we were in a difficult situation and if in fact he was somebody who could help us, he would be willing to explore that.”
As of supper time Friday, the Flames had $60.25 million committed to 20 players for the 2011/12 season. With this proposed move, Regehr ($4.2 million) and Kotalik ($3 million) would come off the books for a combined total of $7.2 million.
Butler, 24, is a restricted free agent. His cap hit last year came in at $850,000. Byron, 22, carries a cap hit of $555,000 in the last year of his entry contract.
“I couldn’t find anyone to say anything bad about Buffalo,” Regehr said earlier in the day. “Everyone enjoyed the people, the city. Nobody said anything negative about the city.”
So why the initial ‘nay’ instead of ‘yea’?
“A huge decision,” Regehr said. “We’d like to look at as many options as we can. We didn’t feel comfortable (with just one scenario.)
“I just told Jay that I’d like to see more options. Jay said it was only Buffalo.”
According to Feaster, Regehr told former general manager Darryl Sutter in the summer of 2010 that he was willing to entertain a move for the good of the club.
Regehr, 31, is coming off his 11th season as a Flame. The six-foot-three, 225-pound blueliner serves as a steady force on back end and would no doubt prove valuable for any team looking to tighten up defensively.
A product of Rosthern, Sask., Regehr left money on the table in July of 2007 upon signing a five-year contract extension worth $20 million.
“How I envision the no-movement clause working . . . you just work together with the team and come away with a solution that works for both side,” Regehr said. “There’s lots of moving pieces.”
