Steve Bernier is now back on the west coast. The Sabres' return in the Brian Campbell trade is gone after 17 games with Buffalo. Two years ago the Sabres were looking promising after a playoff run that included the demolition of the Flyers and a signal of what post-lockout hockey was to become. Now, the Sabres' caution signing their own talent has started to make Darcy Regier look less like a genius than he did in the summer of 2006. They are continuing to accumulate draft picks and they have a strong group of youngsters in the minors but they are going to leave their fans yearning for the 2006 roster. If you want to make a serious playoff run, you can't do it on a shoestring and a batch of youngsters. Retaining Ryan Miller will be a necessary move and some deft UFA moves will also help. If the Sabres current management have a hard time spending money, that might I suggest moving someone other than the Bills from Buffalo to TO.
This move will definitely help the Canucks, who will likely put Bernier on the Twins-Line-Audition-Carousel. With Naslund gone and Morrison next, Bernier will stand out as one of the Canucks' 4 or 5 20 goal scorers next season.
Other notes:
Jagr's gone to Russia. He can still be a force but it is really up to him whether he wants to or not. For 15-20 inspired games a season he is not worth the money any NHL team would be tempted to throw him. For the Russians, it is the kind of signing that will earn the league a bit more serious consideration in the future and if they want to rival the NHL down the road this is the kind of gamble they have to make.
Kristian Huselius has moved from Mike Keenan's doghouse to Ken Hitchcock's. The man needs a new agent or a Finnish language edition of The Hockey News.
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