European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 3, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                July 2007 stars and stripes Page 33 David the new York rangers made a big splash in free signing both Scott Gomez left and Chris sabres raided by rivals by John Wawrow the associated press How badly did the Buffalo sabres get trampled in the Nils free agent Stampede enough for new York rangers general manager Glen Sather to almost feel sorry for his Eastern conference i have some kind of mixed feel Sather said in Happy we got an Opportunity to get these from buffaloes in sure there not Happy these two Guys that the nature of the the rangers made the biggest splash on a frenzied first Day of free signing two of the five to Echelon players Avail shortly after signing new Jer sey Forward Scott Gomez to a million con new York landed sabres coca Tain Chris Drury with a million if that want the Phila Delphia flyers signed buffaloes other Daniel to a whopping Mil lion Briere immediately becomes the fresh face of a retooled flyers team that also completed a four player Trade with Philadelphia acquired the Oil ers defens Eman Jason and Forward Jeffrey Lupul in Exchange for defens Eman Joni Pitkanen and Journeyman for Ward Geoff in what will go Down As Black sunday in the sabres two year reign As the easts most competitive team approached an end with the balance of Power clearly shifting to the conferences traditional big Market fran i know it was a difficult Day for Sather referring to sabres pm Darcy you just have to face facts that sometimes you cant keep every Colorado made the biggest moves among Western Confer ence the Avalanche signed Island ers Forward Ryan Smyth to a million and san Jose defens Eman Scott Han Nan to a million in other significant moves defending Champion Ana Heim found a potential replace ment in the event Captain Scott Niedermayer signing de Senseman Mathieu Schneider to a million Detroit quickly made up for schneiders loss by signing new Jersey defens Eman Brian Rafalski to a million con Toronto signed Winger Jason Blake to a million Blakes Stock Rose after he scored 40 goals and 69 Points both career highs with the new York islanders last the san Jose Sharks were shut out from adding but they did lock up Joe who signed a million contract Extension mat keeps him with san Jose through Thornton was Only signed through next and Louis managed a late adding Nashville Paul Kariya with a three year among the better players still unsigned Are rangers forwards Michael Nylander and Brendan Montreal defens Eman Sheldon Nashville for Ward Peter Forsberg and Detroit forwards Robert Lang and Todd Briere and Drury signings were among the most in part because they marked the breakup of a sabres team that had won a league leading 105 games Over the past two seasons and both times and the East while somewhat handcuffed by the salary Buffalo was philosophically unwilling to overburden its payroll Structure with to heavy the rangers and flyers at tempting to rebound after win Ning a league worst 22 games last season had a different a Gomez and Briere will be the leagues to paid players next sea both scheduled to make Drury contract averages out to More Money per year than Gomez and but hell make million next Briere was the top scorer Avail Able in free Agency after finishing 10th in the nil in scoring with 95 Points 32 63 the sabres we rent the Only los ers in free joining them were the new York whose roster was also besides Smyth and the Isles lost two players to washing ton when the capitals signed de Senseman Tom Poti to a fou year million and Forward Vik Tor unable to retain Smyth was the biggest blow to islanders pm Garth who acquired the for Ward from Edmonton at the Trade deadline in february in Hopes he could keep it was obviously not what we wanted to but i appreciated the Snow after learn ing the news of myths Depar Ture from the players Don Carter agree 20 vying for Lewis the associated press Vince cart or and the new Jersey nets have the framework in place for a fou year contract that Guaran tees the Allstar More than according to a person with knowledge of the word of the Deal came though the person spoke on the condition of anonymity because under league rules the agreement cannot be announced until july the first Day free agents can a Day earlier the nets announced Carter had opted out of the final year of a contract that woul Dve paid him million next team had said they were optimistic the 30yearold who will be entering his 10th sea would return to new since the playoffs cart or has been practising at the teams facility in East Ruther and he also had invited team mate Nenad Krstic to visit his or Home this week to practice and Bruce rat the teams has been a Strong supporter of Carter and has said he wanted him Carter and the nets had been talking about a contract for the past Gary a team spokes did not immediately return a message left sunday night seek ing details of the the Star Ledger of Newark reported on its web site sunday that the Deal guarantees Carter million for four sea with the team holding an option for a fifth Kurt Carters has not returned Telephone Calls to his Cleveland office since the negotiations and he did not return a message left Sun Carter averaged Tea highs of Points in the regular season and for the sonics first to court Lewis rockets in mix Seattle Rashard Lewis found out very quickly sunday just How coveted he is in the Aba free Agency Lewis Tony said 20 teams contacted him in some form by late sunday morning re Garding the 6foot10 who opted out of the final two years of his contract with the Seattle supersonics to become a free but it was the sonics the Only team Lewis has played for that got the first Chance to meet with new general manager Sam Presti led a Seattle Contin gent that had discussions with Lewis and Dutt Early sunday in Lewis also met sunday with rockets officials at a Houston air port before flying to rockets general manager Daryl prey told Houston television station Morey earlier told Kriv that despite salary Cap the rockets would make a Strong push for who grew up in Presti and his staff presented their plan for the future of the franchise an Issue brought into question since thursdays draft when Seattle traded Allstar Ray Allen to and drafted for wards Kevin Durant and Jeff who appear to play the same position As we went Over All of putt All i will say is they Laid it out very it was very productive and important for us to sit Down with them Dutt said the two sides get into although Lewis is expected to command a salary in the Range of million per sea Seattle has the added j Tage of being Able to sign Levvis to a six year contract under the Aba collective bargaining agree while other teams can Only offer him a five year that extra year has brought into play the possibility of a signal Trade Lewis is coming off his Best sea when he averaged Ca ree highs in Points re Bounds and assists bobcats face rivals for Wallace the Charlotte bobcats face heavy Competition in their Effort to resign leading scorer Gerald Wal the bobcats were one of eight teams that contacted Wallace when the nabs free Agency period began at Midnight de Portland and Golden state All made a person close to Wallace said the speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the sub said Wallace Hast agreed to a Deal with any bobcats part owner Michael Jordan said last week that resign ing Wallace was one of the teams top of season Wallace averaged Points and rebounds a game last sea when he made just More than he opted out of the final year of his which would have paid him about to become an unrestricted free the bobcats acquired swing Man Jason Richardson from dal Las in a draft night they be Lieve a nucleus of Power Forward Okafor and Point guard Raymond Felton would get them to the play offs next reports lakers to resign Walton los Angeles Luke Wal ton appears to be returning to the los Angeles several published reports said the Forward agreed to a million Deal sunday on the first Day teams were allowed to Contact free Waltons agent Lon Babby told that lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak called one minute after the free agent signing period officially a fou year the 27yearold Walton averaged five rebounds and assists All career sea