‘It was not so long ago that the stands were full of empty seats and the playoffs were something that other teams did. I doubt if the Sabres, given the boost of league revenue-sharing and the safety net of billionaire Golisano, will slip back to the bad old days. But putting a good product on the ice is the secret to sellouts and deep, profit-padding playoff runs. Saving a few salary dollars could cost Golisano far more in the long run.’