Mike Grier signs in Buffalo?!?

Mike Grier back in Buffalo

I go out of town for a few days and something like this goes down with my home team? I am shocked and curios all in one. So flash back to 04 through 06 when Mike Grier was previously with the Sabres. Obviously if we roll back the clock he has a few years more jump in his step, he was productive and doesn’t want to leave Buffalo. But in the real world Mike wanted a bit more money for his efforts and that is when Buffalo can typically walk away (or trade) a player. And they did, and lost a key component to their squad.

So why my confusion? I really felt that the way things ended you could make Mike another player that wouldn’t suit back up for a team that shipped him out the second he wanted more for his efforts. And I will tell you this, during the 05 – 06 season Mike Grier may have only notched 7 goals 16 assists but it goes beyond that. No forward on the Sabres team since then has been more valuable on the penalty kill since Mike. He was physical when he needed to be and hustled night in night out. If Mike can bring a fraction of that work ethic back to the Sabres the team will be in a better position for it and the young players will finally have another body in the locker room to learn from. I’m very surprised to see this acquisition went down but a solid signing by Darcy Regier. During is earlier run with Buffalo I liked to refer to Mike as “Mr Hustle” when he was out there because he never let up on puck persuit, owned the PK, and opening up short-handed opportunities.  The Sabres need much more that a Mike Grier to make the team into a true contender, but this signing is a step in the right direction at least and I love it.

Grier currently has 345 points (147+198) in 914 career games with Edmonton, Washington, Buffalo and San Jose.