Vanek if it’s a long rebuild: ‘It probably makes sense for both parties to move on’
The Sabres were back at First Niagara Center today to clean out their lockers, have exit physicals and meetings with staff that included General Manager Darcy Regier. As could be expected after another non-playoff season, the mood was a somber one. The Sabres have missed the playoffs two years in a row, four seasons out of six and seven years out of 11.
Said winger Drew Stafford of this year’s miss: “There’s just no excuse for that.”
While reporters have heard a lot from Ryan Miller this week about his potential exit from Buffalo and his 500th game — and Miller spoke again today for more than 11 minutes — the star attraction today was winger Thomas Vanek. And like Miller, Vanek admitted he thought plenty that Friday’s shootout win over the Islanders was his last game as a Sabre.
“Let’s be honest,” Vanek said. “I’m not stupid. I know I have a year left and they can probably deal me for prospects, young guys, whatever else is out there. Yeah, I’ve thought about it. If it looks like it’s a long rebuild, then it probably makes sense for both parties to move on.”
Vanek wants a quick, trade-based rebuild as opposed to a build through the draft. But the latter scenario appears more likely.
http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2013/04/vanek-if-its-a-long-rebuild.html