In End-Of-Season Press Conference, Buffalo Sabres Insist Stanley Cup Is Their Goal

At times it was a pretty testy end-of-season press conference when Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black and General Manager Darcy Regier fielded questions from the media.

When you miss the playoffs two years in a row and four of the last six years, fans want answers.  They want value for their ticket money, and they're just not getting it. 

And you want players that are willing to pay the price.  When you have a young player (Tyler Myers) that was given a huge contract and he comes in out of shape, it's unacceptable.

Among the very first questions was to Black regarding the status of Regier.  Many fans want to see Regier replaced.

Among the questions that weren't answered definitively involved the status of Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek.  Both have indicated they wouldn't be too interested in a team that's headed for a long rebuilding process.  Darcy Regier addressed that.

This city has been waiting for a Stanley Cup champion for 43 years. Regier asks that the fans be patient.

There's always the question of whether Darcy Regier is the right man to get the job done, but there's no doubt he badly wants to win the Stanley Cup. So what can the fans expect?  I think this statement sums up what the team is trying to do, and I noticed Regier got a little emotional about it.

If you expect a quick fix, it's not going to happen. If you thought this past season was miserable, you might have to go through a few more. The plan is to build through the draft, but the team insists it will lead to a Stanley Cup.

I've been listening to that for decades and so have the fans. They keep paying for tickets and keep supporting an inferior product. Is it the fans' fault that they keep supporting the team? We have no choice -- they're our team.