Buffalo's Not Dead

Everyone's talking about how Buffalo got screwed. Some have gone so far to suggest that they'll miss the playoffs this upcoming season. I think these claims are a bit farfetched and exaggerated.

Yes, they lost their #1 and #2 centers. That's not going to be easy to replace. However, its not like they were a two man team. Buffalo rolled 4 lines that could score last year; losing 2 players, even players as key as Drury and Briere, is not going to cripple their offense. They're bringing back Vanek, Afinogenov, Pominville, Roy (who should flourish with an expanded role in the offense), Hect, and Kotalik. That's a solid 2+ lines, especially in the fast paced, run and gun offense that Buffalo plays. To be honest, I highly doubt Briere will repeat his 95 point performance out of the super charged Buffalo offense, and I wouldn't bet against either Vanek, Pominville, or Roy stepping up to fill that role in the coming season. They still have the unflappable Ryan Miller in net (Go Green!), who I will forever have an enormous man crush on and the attitude and attacking philosophy of a winning organization.

The important thing to take away from this is that Buffalo didn't fall into the trap of making a panic signing. Both Briere and Drury signed absurd contracts that far outstripped their actual value. In five years, when both players are on the downside of their careers, the Flyers and Rangers will likely regret those deals. Meanwhile, Buffalo will still be on the attack, perhaps with slightly less firepower than the absurd lineup they featured last year, but still doing just fine.