Briere to test waters?

After their surprising beat-down at the hands of the Senators, I thought the Sabres could re-sign the Centre duo of Briere and Drury.
I figured they didn't have big concerns outside of the duo in terms of free agents and they could be had for an average $6mil/year. But that was assuming the Sabres were going to spend up to the new cap ($48-50 mil) with the constant sell-outs, highest TV ratings in the league, and merchandise selling out as soon as it's stocked. Add to that the fact the Sabres are so close to winning that Briere and Drury would work it out for another two years for a chance at the cup.
I was wrong.

Buffalo is still a small-market town, current revenues notwithstanding. They can't afford to pay up to the cap and they won't. They didn't get to their current situation by being foolish.

But, I suppose it could be argued they may have been foolish for not paying Briere what he wanted last year - 5 years at $5mil. He got $5mil in arbitration anyway and they just offered him the same deal he wanted twelve months ago. He wanted it in '06, but it wasn't enough in '07.

So, instead of doing like the Oilers did with Hemsky and the Flyers did with Timmonen - signing a long-term deal that seems a bit inflated now, but by the end of the deal will be a bargain for the team - they now have to overpay even more or be without a top center.

He will certainly get at least $6mil/year in free agency. Some will say he's not worth it, but to me, 1 point per game in each of the last two playoffs and 95 points this past season is certainly worth what Federov, R.Blake, and Redden made this past year.