Don't believe everything you read

It's obvious to every Sabres fan (real fans, who actually care who's under contract), that the next few weeks are crucial to the team's immediate future.

With both captains on the brink of leaving, there is some concern that one, if not both are going to be elsewhere when next season rolls around.

While many believe that Briere is the most likely to return if either do, it's widely believed Chris Drury has California in his sights. The fact Drury lives in Huntington Beach in the offseason leads many to think he's bound for LA or SJ. Of course we all know Drury's college pal and best bro Mike Grier bolted the team last year for the Sharks, taking their offer over the same money to stay with Buffalo. The Kings are a potential suitor as well, a big market with a lot of room to work and loads of potential.

Darcy Regier says it's not one or the other, but it's unlikely B. Tom will open up the wallet to bring both back. It really isn't about staying under the cap now. It's about not spending too much money. It seems unlikely unless a severe hometown discount is in play.

Some think that both could be back... such as Ken Campbell at The Hockey News...

Both Briere and Drury are eligible for unrestricted free agency July 1 and there has been a sense in the hockey community at least one of them will have to go. Regier refutes that notion, saying the math could very well work in the Sabres’ favor.

“I don’t know exactly where that is coming from because we’re not at a tipping point,” Regier said. “We’ve never viewed it as one or the other.”

That’s not to suggest the Sabres will continue to be one big, happy family, but to concede the Sabres won’t be able to keep both is premature.

The fact is, the Sabres are quite nicely set up for next season. They have a total of 13 core players – goalie Ryan Miller, defensemen Henrik Tallinder, Brian Campbell, Toni Lydman, Dmitri Kalinin and Jaroslav Spacek and forwards Tim Connolly, Maxim Afinogenov, Jason Pominville, Ales Kotalik, Jochen Hecht, Paul Gaustad and Drew Stafford – under contract for $28.4 million.

The salary cap is expected to rise next season to somewhere between $47 million and $49 million, so for the sake of argument, let’s just assume it’s going to be $48 million. That leaves the Sabres almost $20 million, if they choose to go to the upper end of the cap, to fill out their roster. After two straight seasons of sellouts and lengthy playoff runs, the Sabres should be able to handle it.

I like the optimism, but I still don't think that the Sabres will spend to the cap. My problem is the terrible math he uses:

Let’s say they can get a hometown discount and sign both Briere and Drury for a combined total of $12 million or $13 million. That takes them up to $41.4 million. Vanek and Roy will cost a combined $3 million, which takes you to $44.4 million. A backup goalie and Peters will cost a combined $1 million and they’ll be able to sign Paille for $800,000 on a two-way deal. That takes us to $46.2, which would mean they’d technically be able to sign Zubrus, but they wouldn’t be allowing themselves much wiggle room.

Wait, what?

Just a heads up to anyone who thinks otherwise: Darcy will be damn lucky if he gets Thomas Vanek signed for under $4 million a year. A 23 year old stud with a 43-goal sophomore season? How in the hell do you expect to get him and Roy (who, if signed before he goes to arbitration, should get somewhere between $1.8 and $2.5 million a year) together for under $3 mil? There is simply zero chance that happens.

"Fact is", Vanek is really the key as to whether or not either captains return. If Darc' can get him locked up long term for a reasonable rate, then that opens the door to bring back one or both. The Sabres will be in deep trouble if they sign Briere and Drury before Vanek. They would be squeezed fairly close to the cap, and probably over their budget already, and some team will give Vanek an offer the Sabres can't match.

I'd love to see the Sabres stock up for another run at the Cup, but Vanek is probably the most untouchable guy on this team behind Mr. Miller. Regier & Co. better keep that in mind before they try too hard to keep the captains off the market.