SabreSpace

'The Rigas family, thrilled the organization had succeeded in obtaining "value" for Peca, broke out two $3 bottles of cold duck stored in the wine cellar for just this occasion. They also are pondering a freeze in cable rates . . . through July 1.' … [Read more...] about End of Peca affair still doesn't balance the books

'"I'm just happy now that I can move on and my family can look forward to moving on as well. I wish the Sabres organization well, I thank them and the city of Buffalo and the fans for everything I was able to enjoy in my five years playing here."' … [Read more...] about Sabres finally trade Peca

'So the Islanders in two days traded five younger players for two stars who are both 27 and are both former captains with recent histories of bitterness and idleness because of contract disputes.' … [Read more...] about In Peca, Islanders Get Another Marquee Name

'Yesterday's deal cost the Islanders two of their best young players, center Tim Connolly and left wing Taylor Pyatt, both of their high first-round picks from the 1999 draft.' … [Read more...] about Peca Deal Has Isles In Middle of it

'"We had a year's history of offers for Michael Peca," said Sabres GM Darcy Regier, a former Islanders assistant. "This was as good as we were going to get, in our opinion, unless we pushed it all the way through the summer."' … [Read more...] about Peca joins Isles' makeover

'"Obviously, with the addition of Yashin," Peca said, "we're going to be a team that's going to be more than just a little bit competitive next year."' … [Read more...] about Milbury sends pair to Sabres for holdout Peca

'But how could anyone be excited about being traded to a team that hasn't made the playoffs in seven years?' … [Read more...] about Former rivals happy to unite with Islanders

'Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier, as decent a man as there is in NHL management circles, choked up while announcing the trade of former captain Michael Peca to the New York Islanders yesterday, a reflection of both pride in his own organization for seeing a gut-wrenching process to the end and hurt over being publicly portrayed as a villain bent on injuring a … [Read more...] about In the end, Peca deal dictated by money

'After sitting out a year, Mike Peca may have gone to a worse fate: He's now a New York Islander.' … [Read more...] about Islanders land Peca

'The deal reportedly is delayed by the lack of assurance from Hasek he will play two more years in the NHL. It is widely speculated that he plans to retire after the Olympics in February.' … [Read more...] about Sabres set to send Hasek to St. Loo?

'Sabres general manager Darcy Regier said he was never trying to be vindictive in his contract battle with Peca, though those allegations were made by Peca and his agent, Don Meehan. Regier said he was simply trying to protect the Sabres.' … [Read more...] about Islanders prove Peca's salvation

'"It's very rare that I'm at a loss for words, but the only thing I can say is that this is just great," said Peca. "I was close to tears (Saturday) because I knew some of the offers (Buffalo had received) and I didn't think it was going to happen."' … [Read more...] about Tears of joy for Peca

'Asked if it was the best deal Buffalo could get, he replied, "That's a good question. Given the deals that were on the table yesterday, you really had to take a step back and wonder what they were doing by not seriously considering some of the [other] offers. . . . Some of the other offers out there were as good as the Islander offer, or perhaps better, … [Read more...] about Islanders get Peca from Sabres

'"I think nothing more than at some point in time, it became personal, and they wanted to teach Michael Peca a lesson," Meehan said yesterday. "I guess they are part of the dynamics of our game today, but in my view this was totally unnecessary."' … [Read more...] about Islanders pull Peca from exile

'They're not the best of buddies -- Milbury fired Regier after taking over as Islanders GM -- but in this case, Milbury had the best cards to play. He obtained Peca and Yashin without giving up his best winger, Brad Isbister.' … [Read more...] about Peca overjoyed at being Islander