Published: July 07, 2008 10:47 pm      

SCHMITT: Numbers dispel theory that Sabres are cheap

It’s amazing how one resplendent mistake can mislabel an organization. Yes, the Sabres have gone techie in their scouting approach, foregoing overpriced airline tickets for a quiet night in front of the big screen. And yes, they’ve decided not to make splashy unrestricted free-agent signings, although that’s hardly proven a sure-fire recipe for success in today’s NHL (see the meager accomplishments of the Rangers and Leafs).

And sure, they swapped an all-star defenseman at the trade deadline when it was obvious he wouldn’t sign at a reasonable rate.

But truth be told, the Sabres aren’t cheap. They’ve tried to be innovative, and have indeed been frugal with free agent dollars, but just a tiny bit of number crunching shows this cheapskate reputation is unfounded.

Of the four teams with 19 players signed, the Sabres have the highest payroll. Their current cap hit is just over $46 million, and three teams with more players under contract have lower payrolls. Buffalo has plenty of wiggle room — about $10 million right now — but hardly so much that it’s embarrassing.

Expect Daniel Paille to get a decent bump after going to arbitration — Paille had 19 goals and 16 assists last year — and that should bring Darcy Regier and Larry Quinn’s spending plan to fruition.

They like Paul Gaustad’s grit and paid him accordingly. They weren’t getting enough from Dmitri Kalinin and showed him the door. They wanted another affordable, but capable defenseman, and swung a smart deal for Craig Rivet. They couldn’t get a fair offer for Maxim Afinogenov, so they’ll give him another chance.

There have not been, and have almost never been, impulse buys when it comes to the Sabres.

Expect Jason Pominville to get a long-term deal in the next few months, and Ryan Miller to follow. Miller’s will be for bigger bucks, but both are cornerstones of the future.

Call me crazy, but the fact that Buffalo passed on local hero Tom McCollum with the 26th pick in the draft means they’re feeling a good vibe in negotiations with Miller. Sure, Jhonas Enroth seems a reasonable successor to Miller, but goalies take years to cultivate. Nick Eno of Bowling Green is at best an average prospect and Adam Dennis has been a pillar of mediocrity in two seasons with Rochester.

If the Sabres felt there was a good chance they were losing Miller, they’d have scooped up McCollum, who was one of the highest players left on the board when they took Tyler Ennis with their second first-round pick. The Sabres decided against taking a goalie in all eight picks.

It’s just another sign that Regier and Quinn don’t waver from their master plan.

So why do teams feel the Sabres are unreasonable?

Simple. Since they gambled and missed on Chris Drury, it snowballed into losing Danny Briere. That gave an ugly tinge to Brian Campbell’s departure, even though it wound up a shrewd maneuver.

The Sabres are in good shape in almost every regard. There’s plenty of young talent, a decent amount of cap space and expiring contracts in Afinogenov, Tim Connolly and Ales Kotalik that will only help the future landscape.

Will solid footing be enough to convince the rest of the league they’re on the right path? Tough to say.

Sometimes a few bad steps make it look like you’re always stumbling.

Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.