A while back, our Buffalo Sabres writer – Paul Kaseman – told us he had some thoughts to share about the NHL’s annual All-Star game. He does have some thoughts – some strong ones. This was written several weeks ago, before the NHL’s declaration that John Scott will be attending the NHL All-Star game as a participant. Due to an error on our part we’re only getting it up now. -Eds

In lieu of what the NHL vis-à-vis Gary Bettman have nefariously acted as in according to John Scott’s fan vote selection of captain in their all-star game my interpretation of that which constitutes the definition of an all-star has come to be questioned. The reason for scrutinizing the definition is based on a rise of repugnant feelings toward the National Hockey Leagues on their treatment of the parties, John Scott is not the only party persecuted, involved.

Let us embark initially on these blogging thoughts of a madman where the controversy begins in its infancy, the NHL All-Star game in conjunction with fan-voting. The All-Star game is a contest of those adjudicated to be the best player in the league. In an effort to bolster viewership and participation for the game itself the NHL gave the fans some say into the contestants.  I imagine the rationale for this being (simply):  increased fan participation equates to increased fan involvement, i.e. money for the league from  a myriad of sources including but not limited to prospective TV deals & revenue from all-star related activities of but not solely the sale of merchandise & promotional events.  My previous involvement in such activity has been to cast a single vote to players I would appreciate watching in the aforementioned competition.

I know not the multitudes of players in the league but I know players I like to watch, even those not belonging to the Blue and Gold of my Buffalo Sabres.  Yes, last year I was one of 1,574,896 (pg 90 in  the link) votes for Zemgus Girgensons & one of probably two hundred thousand votes that weren’t from the country of Latvia.  Girgensons is not an ‘all-star’ caliber player perspective of the league yet in my estimation he is.  He came to symbolize hard-work, dedication, grit, & most importantly for me (perhaps Latvia as well) determination to not just emerge in the land of the best but to have success there as well.  These qualities are worthy of emulation in my life.  Through Zemgus I have an admiration for.  In a term for the NHL he is an all-star in my life.  He was one of the players I voted for last year.  Through his participation, the principle reason, I viewed not just the all-star game itself but the draft, etc, etc.  In every year of which I voted & a principle character has enlivened the format I have watched the NHL All-Star game.

This year the NHL resumed their tradition of a fan vote.  Again my votes were cast in their new format.  Jagr, despite his humor on twitter, was one of my selections, Girgensons another, the East I knew well enough.  The West not as much but decently enough to know league scribed all-stars, if for nothing else the balloting page had a list of recommended players to choose from.  Yet John Scott was one of the names I heard about acquiring serious nomination.  I thought of Mr. Scott as a representative.  Having some familiarity to both the player and his person from his warm days in Buffalo, a notoriously cold city & during his tenure a cold couple seasons (12/13, 13/14) through no fault of his own (#tank).  Reminiscent of what he was, he certainly became a source of gaity, merriment, and laughter.  Actions much needed from the viewpoint of this blogging madman.  His fights, hits gave us a reason for the occasional cheer too.  Thus when it came time to cast a vote he was a person I could call an all-star in my estimation.  Through not his point production on the ice but through his charming personality & dedication of a good soldier, a team player – doing that which is asked of you without question by your coach.  Perhaps the later is akin to us all.

With the league phasing out his role, the role of enforcer, an all-star tip of the cap is a thanks not just to John Scott but a memorial tribute with great appreciation to the unsung heroes (all-stars) of enforcers past.  John Scott symbolizes our statue of bronze outside each arena of enforcers and journey-men; that of good soldiers who will soon be obsolete.

What then is an all-star but those that exemplify the qualities & dreams of the viewing public or even the private person.  The NHL appears to stricken the meaning to those with the best statistical points/records in comparison with the current season & in relation from their respective team. -Each team shall have at minimum one representative.- We, the people, generally agree with such a definition.  It represents qualities of success, perseverance/drive, dedication, team-work.  As a coach these are all top qualities I strive to instill in my players year after year.  As a worker, these are qualities I strive for at work.  As a person these are all qualities I remind myself to be daily.  An all-star can be defined not as narrowly.  It may also be remarkable, excellent, prominent, noted, even notable; a hero – someone to look up to in admiration for the “content of their character, not the color of their skin” – M.L.K. or in this case not for their marginalized role in the NHL.

My father is an all-star of mine as is my mother, my grandmother as well, as people personal to me for raising me the right way with ‘content of character’; for teaching me to respect others, be fair in life, adhere to the golden rule, instilling in me a most solid and noble moral compass to which I lead my life.  They themselves in loose ways fit the NHL standard of an all-star but they are not a the top of their class in a broader world like the NHL selected list recommends despite their successes/stats/records in life.  After all you, the reader, would have no idea who they are if given their names.  They are not Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Bill Gates; the Alex Ovechkin, Erik Karlsson, Jonathan Quick type people.  They are the John Scott’s of hockey to me, the dedicated soldier to help me be better in my life – the same as an enforcer protects star players.

They are the marginalized players but the important players that receive little fanfare.  Herein lies the maturity of the controversy with the spoiled action of the National Hockey League vis-à-vis Gary Bettman in the removal (according to Bob McKenzie’s twitter account) of John Scott from their all-star game in Nashville.  They are saying my all-star, your voted in all-star/hero can not be your mother, father, or any personage that is personal to you without it being a distinctly notable entity in the grand scheme of the world like that of a Bill Gates or Alex Ovechkin.  Well Mr. Bettman, the NHL, and others hidden behind the obfuscation of a corporate entity, I do admire Warren Buffet, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, et al, but one representative of each team is to be selected to the all-star game.  Since, by your generosity, have allowed me to vote in a representative of my team I have selected my father/my grandmother/perhaps myself if I be so fortunate to exemplify qualities others admire me for, in the NHL personage of John Scott.  In doing so I also give great thanks to him and the NHL journey-men of past & present he represents along with the NHL enforcers of old he is a modern symbol of.

I also recognize your, perhaps successful attempt at that of removing him and his representations from your All-Star hockey game.  I say ‘perhaps successful attempt’ in hope by your mercy you allow him to play and being the final representation of our personal all-stars and the last vestige of the ‘enforcer’ role you yourself are phasing out of the game.

John Scott is a marginal player.  He symbolizes much for your many varied and marginalized fans.  This blog itself is indicative of a representation of your marginalized fans (though this article is of my belief alone and may not represent the beliefs of the site it is posted on).  As a Buffalo Sabres fan I know what marginalization feels like.  In hockey terms:  We play Canada’s game in America, we are too Canadian for America, too American for Canada.  Is Buffalo American or Canadian for the hockey world?  Who knows… We haven’t won anything since…  Every Sabres game I attend their isn’t a star jersey that sticks out (not even Eichel yet).  We celebrate our third and fourth line players and admire their grit and ferocity as much as our first and second line players.  The bevy of jerseys with too numerous a name etched on the back during each home game proves our love for the team as a whole, first to fourth line along with benched & traded/retired players.  We love all our players and they love us (just one of many examples).

On a more personal note, is that I also am marginalized at large by being a homosexual which this website and its many authors can attest to.  Yet we are all hockey and even NHL fans.  Women, minorities, etc. can also attest to being marginalized at large, fans that enjoy fighting and enforcers have also felt marginalized by actions of the NHL to curtail a certain aspect of the game they love.  Each marginalized in their own way yet each still appreciate and enjoy that game which you oversee.  Despite the work of this site, You Can Play, Andrew Ference, Brian Burke, LA Kings’ kiss cam & team, et company at large we are still marginalized.  Please, I implore thee, allow us skates to play, a stick to tape up, and pads to protect us.  Give us an ice rink in Nashville for our teams’ representative in the NHL personage of John Scott.  Not just for me but for us – your marginalized fans in society – but also your segment of fans who love and appreciate the role of ‘enforcer’.

Please allow John Scott to play so that I, we, will watch the all-star game in Nashville this year.

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Today we’re introducing our newest writer – Paul Kaseman, covering the Sabres. He’s just the latest of what we expect will be the hockey scribes of the future, and today offers thoughts both season-related…and more expansive. 

An editor’s note: Paul sees the beautiful game not just as team on team, or stats-analysis, but as classic struggle. Much as those who came many generations before us, sport – in this case hockey – doesn’t end at the book of who won or lost. Hockey…from country frozen ponds to corporate profit sheets…speaks to something deep, and essential, in us all. His reflections, and thoughts about the Sabres 2015-16 season, follow.

The Buffalo Sabres have begun a new season…and perhaps, a new era.  Now, as they look to the future, they must let go of two dismal seasons. And so must the fans.

The team has undergone a paradigm shift. With players such as Evander Kane, Ryan O’Reilly, and Jack Eichel entering the fray, the Sabres aren’t the same team during the past two years of blight.  This year the team is motivated.  Kane and O’Reilly were exhumed from the West, sought specifically, now galvanized to prove not just to their organization but to themselves they can thrive beautifully on the ice.  Eichel is excited at his Oracle of Delphi-like prediction to not just make the team but to fulfill the hype that has shadowed him all off-season.

Every player on the roster is driven to succeed. The ‘veteran’ Sabres strive to cast the doubt of last year back to the shadows of the past – the young players as well as those brought in have the spark to assert themselves; to grow, develop, adapt.  While some are inspired by their dreams to play in the NHL, others are piqued by the swirling circumstances of good fortune the Moirai have assembled in Buffalo.  Even Murray and Bylsma are prompted to advance the beauty on the ice.

But motivation is not solely a reserved characteristic for those that entertain on a frictionless surface. Motivation rests, alas, also with me: the fan.  With the abyss of successive seasons cast down to Hades’ underworld, I too am motivated, even invigorated by the upcoming season.

I have seen the players struggle, entertain hardships, and form jovial friendships under difficult circumstances.  Their work tosses them into partnerships with players that may not be around tomorrow.  They know this; it’s the way of professional hockey.

Yet they are inspiring, before even the first game. They meet the personal challenges of their work.  Witness young players like Guhle, impressing with the Sisyphean task of making the team to Legwand and re-proving why he’s a legitimate NHL player. Those who wear the sweaters are heartening.

And like them, fans have their own tribulations to overcome.  Jobs, families, relationships (romantic and platonic) are just some of our struggles. And dare I remind that Western New Yorkers will soon be visited by the white struggle of snow…but I digress.

We grapple with our jobs. The struggle of man versus machine happens to be very real to many of us. Are we to be replaced by a computer? Even then there’s always the very nature of work  – a.k.a the boss and its bottom line – do we make too much?  Is a kid fresh out of college going to take my position for cheaper?  Am I achieving or even exceeding expectations from my employer?

We also must contend with our worst enemy: ourselves. Man vs self.  Do I make enough to raise a family, buy a car, travel, take vacations (mentioned twice since it’s doubly important), save for retirement (unless the job is so good its not worth leaving), engage in hobbies (tix to Sabres’ games), save, buy a house?

What are my goals in life? What makes me happy? What do I want out of life?  What’s for breakfast? Will the Cubs ever win a World Series? What’s the answer to life if it isn’t 42? These are our collective thoughts; our companions for every game. The fighting is real. There aren’t 5-minute penalties in this life, though perhaps a couple game misconducts every once in a while. That 200-foot frozen pond isn’t just the stage for a beautiful dance; it’s also a reflection…a mirror back to the life of a singular fan.

The beginning of the season, with its freshly Zambonied mirror of ice, is a tabula rasa of the spirit. A clean slate for us all to begin anew…Elysian Fields to frolic within. Grappling thoughts with doubt is broken by twelve men playing a beautiful game. Motivation in action, every game. All players on that roster and those that have been cut or reassigned have struggled all off-season just to have a glimpse of NHL play…just for a chance, however brief, to entertain us, motivate our lives, and perhaps spur us to action.

The Sabres are just one of a number of motivating factors in my life, but they are a very real one. In a word: motivation.

In their art we see our lives; just look closer at the mirror they dance upon.

Motivation.

Serving both as a nightly escape from a weight Atlas barely manages onward to a renewing spirit the Phoenix possess we must be awoke, leave our cave, cast our eyes on the light of a renaissance.

Motivation.

A rebirth from within uplifting us to persevere our own trials and tribulations. Their beauty is winter’s rainbow!

While Hodgson and Meszaros were ultimately benched for the majority of the game their dismal play offered more ice-time to newly recalled forward Mikhail Grigorenko.  He played admirably in a 5-1 loss winning 53% of his face-offs, a key feature which caused Hodgson to be benched with less than five minutes of game time under his waist.

Grigorenko was the first of the significant Amerks to receive the call up.  Though he was sent back down to the AHL today he will likely be called up again soon.  The Amerks play tonight and Friday while the Sabres do not play next until Saturday.  Mitchell’s foot injury is unlikely to have healed itself by Saturday’s game.  Grigorenko could see a continued look in the coming month.  He just needs to focus on what is at hand.  He says resentment no longer fills his thoughts about playing in the AHL.  His actions will speak for him.  Can he keep up his good play with the Amerks?  He’s done well thus far, 19 points, 27 games, -2 on the AHL equivalent of the Buffalo Sabres.

The defensive core has weaknesses, aside from injuries.  Meszaros is not the player he used to be nor is he able to not just help the Sabres but help himself (he may be masking a head inj).  He is on a one year contract.  He has demonstrated thus far that he isn’t worth a roster spot on any team playing poorly any time he’s on the ice.  With the young players getting more playing time with other teams, Spurgeron, Brodin, Klingsberg, to name a few, Meszaros may need to contemplate taking his game to the land of the diminishing ruble or another league.  He isn’t washed up or a has-been… yet.  He has done nothing to stem the growth of those ideas.  His play is just poor, incomplete passes, misses on defensive assignments, non-existent in the offensive side of the game either.

Meszaros’ poor play and diminished ice time is a clear sign that the door is open for certain Amerks D to display why they should be in the NHL.  Pysyk, Ruhwedel, McCabe are all front runners, each having spent some portion of time with the Sabres in the past.  Yet of the three Pysyk has been the worst stat wise for the Amerks while Ruhwedel has been the best.  Ruhwedel and McCabe are positive in the +/- at +1 with Pysyk at -7.  Ruhwedel (15) has more points than Pysyk (7) while McCabe (7) is tied.  Chad Cassidy will need to turn the Amerks around.  Leaning on these three defensemen should be the mantra going forward.

From the Sabres to the Amerks a monumental shift needs to be realized to leave the basement.  What that shift is may be well unknown to the parties involved.  The onus resides with the players.  They are the focal point by their coaches and management.  If there was any more of a sign that management and coaches are tired of poor play, lack of work ethic, lack of dedication, the Sabres traded away Luke Adam to Columbus for D’Amigo (Binghamton native) in what is just a start of a momentum shift.

D’Amigo is a hard-working player known for his commitment and dedication to hard-work.  D’Amigo’s entrance and Adams’ exit is clear indication that all levels of the Sabres’ organization is to be altered.  D’Amigo was immediately placed with the Amerks however do not be surprised if he plays a handful of games with the Sabres throughout the course of the year.  Though it’s unlikely he’ll replace Hodgson, he could see some call up time should Stewart be moved or benched.  He’s just a stitch to heal the wound, an AHL player with low-line NHL potential.

If Ted Nolan being at the helm and Tim Murray pulling the strings was not enough of a sign that hard-work, ethics, determination, a team approach, old-style hockey (in terms of preparedness in body and mind) is the future of the Sabres then perhaps the blatant benching of Meszaros and Hodgson along with the trade of Luke Adam will stir the rest into realization.  These two are not yes-men.  They will not praise you or stroke your ego undeservedly.  They care little about your potential.  You are not their meal-ticket to fame and fortune.

I go out on a limb here to say this:  They don’t care about fame and fortune.  They are not glitz, glamor, and the nightlife people.  They are hard-working folk who care about competency.  They do their best while striving for better.  Their mystique is about improvement, growth, commitment, dedication.  They are rock-solid and true.  They are the type of person that can be counted upon.  Can the same be said of the players?

The flames managed to get burned this go around. Buffalo circled the wagons after falling behind three to two despite holding a one zero lead at one point. The Ennis, Moulson, Girgenson line were responsible for a come from behind victory. Much credit though is due to their defenders in Myers and Gorges. Responsible for keeping the likes of Giordano and the rest of the Flames’ top line from tying the game Myers and Gorges kept their legs moving. Their teammates demonstrated immense resolve so credit deserves to be upon their shoulders accordingly.

Within the third period the Sabres opened up their game, when behind, to attack more. The Flames opened their game to begin the third, daring the Sabres to follow suit. The Sabres did, their passes were connecting to proper targets within the final period as opposed to the first two. As a result they came from behind to win. Buffalo needs to keep an open game against the Panthers tonight. Ristolainen and Zadurov will need to play a bigger role in the offensive zone in order for the Sabres to keep this #EmbraceTheSabres winning streak going.

Passes will be a key feature to this game. So long as the Queen City can continue to improve their passing percentage they will keep the game close. Face-off wins will be a stat they need to improve but against a pliable Sun Belt hockey team passes will be key.

Other lines still encounter interchanging players though Hodgson and Foligno seem to be continually paired together as does Mitchell and Gionta.  The defensive pairings remain remarkably quite stable despite the perceived pressure from prospects in Rochester that have served time with the Sabres before in stretch-runs like Pysyk and McCabe.  The tandems are Gorges-Myers, Ristolainen-Zadorov.

Then there is Mike Weber and whichever D is not suffering from some sort of injury.  He has been paired with Meszaros, Strachan, and Benoit this year.  While Weber has slowly become a steady, as well as consistent, ice warrior his compatriots not so.  Meszaros has been prove to give the puck away either by being stripped or worse passes to the opposition.  He has executed these plays in dangerous areas like the defensive zone.  Benoit is just as poor as Meszaros but in a different realm.  He lacks defensive responsibilities not pertaining to grit and physicality.  Strachan resides in a similar vein.

While all three are serviceable D-pairings they just are not ample suitors with Weber nor anyone else.  All three seem necessary for the moment to provide depth in case of injuries, maintenance days, or even Nolan’s plan of how to play against different teams.  None are long-term solutions.

What the Sabres ultimately demand is for Pysyk or McCabe to get their act together in Rochester.  A permanent call-up would then take place for Weber’s partner, perhaps even to move Weber into the seventh D roster spot.  Weber has great utility by being able to be combined with any of their other defenders.  At least for the rest of this season Pysyk and McCabe will be kept in Rochester for playing time in hopes they make good for next season in Buffalo.  Meszaros, Benoit, and Strachan are all on one year contracts making them highly likely to not be in a Buffalo uniform (or Amerks for that matter) next year save for something astounding on their part or disastrous on the side of the prospects in Rochester.

Behind the players are the goalies. Enroth and Neuvirth were both expected to compete for the starting gig.  They still are though Enroth has a slight edge in many journalists’ minds.  For being this early in the season the stats indicate no clear ‘starter’.  The only minds that matter though are Murray and Nolan.  Enroth has started eight of the past ten games during the winning streak with a victory in six of those games.  Though Enroth may look like he is the number one net minder in the Queen City, Nolan seems to enjoy letting a goalie play for long stretches before allowing a different goalie to play for long stretches.  With Murray open to opportunities of moving either goalie neither is secured.

Mr. Murray also is open to talks about his other players, notably Chris Stewart.  While Stewart fits the mold of a Murray-Nolan player, big and physical, he lacks the characteristics of a Murray-Nolan inspired athlete, heart and determination.  Unquestionably Stewart is a good player and a second line producer.  That production though just isn’t with the Sabres.  He’s not internally committed to this team or its core group of players.

The Sabres do have a core group of players that won’t move despite the actions of the open lipped Tim.  These are players that not only fit the mold but the character of a former Jack Adams award recipient back for his second stint as head coach.  The entire line of Moulson, Girgensons, and Ennis are staples.  Girgensons, the leading NHL All-Star vote getter, is their prototypical player (leading by 400K).  Ennis might seem like he’s worthy of being traded but despite his stature he possesses the requisite heart and drive.  Gionta, Foligno, Kaleta, McCormick all have multiple honorable characteristics of heart, soul, dedication, leadership, team-work, or physical play.

Following them on the defensive side is Gorges and Weber.  Ristolainen continues to prove himself and will remain a staple for hopefully many years to come.  Zadorov is reminiscent of Ristolainen though earlier in his development.  Those two make a fantastic couple (on the ice of course)…  Myers on the other hand is a wild card.  He possesses good skill, a tall frame, and long reach.  He has been slow to adopt the more physical and bold style of Nolan though yet he has adopted more defensive responsibilities under a new helmsman.

Every player not mentioned, well the jury is out.  They need to prove themselves committed to a new style based more on positional play, based on drive in practice, and internal motivation.  For charming Ted if you want to play you need to prove commitment to the team consistently.  What matters most to him is character, a word lost to those self-indulgent stars (or believe them to be stars).

Back on Wednesday Buffalo played their final pre-season home game against the Capitals of Washington D.C. Entering the game were numerous players projected to start the season in Buffalo including Moulson, Ennis, Stafford, and Stewart. They were followed by probably starters in Grigorenko, Reinhart, Mitchell. The defense itself had their own share of potential starters as well as projected starters. The likes of Zadurov, Benoit, McCabe, Strachan teamed with Gorges and Myers.

As a whole the defense played smartly. They kept the lowly Capitals, who were without many of their star players, to twenty-three shots on goal. Individually their mind unraveled. Constant miscues were abundant in both responsibility and skating. Defenders twisted their legs around falling over while trying to defend. They weren’t deked out of their shoes, merely couldn’t execute skating backwards nor could they execute the timing to go from skating backwards to skating into an offensive player. Zadurov was the main culprit of this illness that afflicted the Sabres’ D that night. Somehow he managed to find himself ill half a dozen times, carelessly gliding on the ice belly down. Enroth was unfazed by these distractions, clearly the jester Neuvirth put the defenders up to the task of distracting the starting goalie. Be it for increase playing time during the season or just due to forgetting which team he plays for, Enroth got the better of that clever former Capital by stopping all but one shot he faced securing him the starter’s gig and beating a hapless Cap attack paired with Sabres D futility. Somehow Neuvirth managed to convince elder D statesman, Tyler Myers, to join this Barnum and Bailey act on the ice. Oh the pre-season, what a folly of comedic genius you are.

Number 51 lapsed time and time again in his duties as a D-man. While in Buffalo’s zone defending, Zadurov consistently didn’t mark nor pick up his man leaving open what could have been a dangerous slapshot from Ovechkin (had the Caps actually cared about the game and played their starters). Instead just their D,E, and F lines had opportunities. Though Washington never managed to convert any of the opportunities off of Zadurov’s blunders, thanks in a high part to the back-checking of the offense. Zadurov seems to require a few more years of conditioning before he has a serious shot within the NHL. He possess the potential yet lacks the necessary vision of a quality defender. A couple more years of dedication at a slower level should acquaint him with maturity and responsibility. In his defense he looked overzealous to prove himself. Patience padwan.

Only one D-man was impressive that night, a 6-1 swirl over visiting Capitals. This player kept with the play, not once overstepping his bounds – chains of defense. He forced turnovers, created passes from great lengths, giving the offense a jump against the cowering Capitals. Jake McCabe was doing all he could to earn his own starting position. With Pysyk out McCabe is a similar player to fill Pysyk’s role. He’s a former member of the US National development program as well as a former Badger (University of Wisconson). He signed a three year entry level contract with the Sabres towards the end of the prior season. He immediately joined them playing seven games all in April. He started the day after he signed the contract. At that time the Sabres kept many of their top D prospects in Rochestser including Pysyk and Ristolainen. McCabe had seven games to taste the NHL without competition. This season he has not that luxury.

McCabe has been displaying all the signs of keeping up with the NHL game, especially during the pre-season. His best talent for the Sabres are his long passes. They are rarely intercepted, landing deftly upon the blade of a mate. He keeps a good pace and never overstretches his jumps into offense. Defense is sound in his mind and stature. As for his defensive attributes; he isn’t the hardest of hitters yet he is able to play a physical close game. He can dislodge the puck from shooters as well as keeping them to the side, forcing bad angle shots. He hounds offensive players like a basset hound does an escaped criminal. Look for Mr. McCabe to be a mainstay with the Sabres while Pysyk is out. Beyond that time-frame he’ll sure to see significant time with the Amerks if for nothing else but to see him play top minutes against the stiffest competition the AHL has to offer.

The player – the only offensive layer i’ve kept an eye on has been the fringe Zac Dalpe. Last Wednesday night he lacked that ingenuity that caused me to spot him out of a sea of blue a couple games ago. Rather this game he looked lethargic, like your family does after an extensive Thanksgiving meal. His break-away speed only came out in bursts like solar flares but never consistently. Though he typically feigns at physical contact he seemed more timid this night. Preferring speed over close proximity he skated from the center of the ice towards the boards. The vulcanized rubber and him parted often at the hands of defenders. There never appeared any creation of space by him except when he shyed towards the corners for a time-out. Sure the game was played closed (despite the score) but he never frolicked assertively at the defense and goalie like he had previously – like I was accustomed to witnessing. As the play moved towards the corners Dalpe remained a couple sticks distance from the puck, soft play offensively. He requires some more finesse, the ability to not be afraid of being hit, and to be more direct/stoic in the face of challengers.

With all that being a regression of his offensive acumen, his defensive shell hardened! The wanderlust skater found a groove while defending. Hounding every white jersey that night which happened to stray away from the boards and towards the center of the ice. #20 ensured no success would be had while he patrolled the central strip. His shrewdness displayed the focus of Nolan’s work ethic and defensive responsibilities. Dalpe was calculating in his movements, gliding about, never in a place for more than a moment. He kept passing lanes from being open too long. The pace of the game continued to move because of him. Despite him and his line’s lack of points they kept the momentum of the game in favor of the Sabres, the final tally reveals so. Many a points were had after his shift was over and the team transitioning from defense to offense. On the night he was an even player for ten minutes and fifty-seven seconds while managing three shots on goal, one hit, and a takeaway in fifteen shifts. Clearly Nolan kept going with the hot line in the offensive zone. In the greater picture their success was in part due to the back-checking, pace, and movement of the minor lines such as Dalpe’s.

Mr. Dalpe is a fringe player to make the team come this Wednesday. Should he pass waivers and be with the Amerks he could truly shine as well as see call-up action a third to a half-way into the season. He’s more developed than other younger players with a similar style like Varone. So long as he can manage defensive responsibilities with his offensive talent while not being afraid of being physical, he could be a star penalty killer. Think of a player in the mold of Kirk Maltby but with more goals. Dalpe has potential for twenty to thirty goals in the NHL with a third of them possibly coming from the penalty kill. In the AHL I believe the hope is he gets accustomed to the physical aspect of hockey. After a few hits and getting back up he’ll realize that the hits only keep on alert and don’t hurt so much.

In recent news – Reinhart looks poised to start the season in Buffalo along with Zadurov. Don’t expect them to stay for long however. Neither should make it past game nine. I think they need more work (above for Zadurov reasoning). Grigorenko who’s surprised this pre-season has been sent to Rochester with the expectation (mine) to dominate then replace Reinhart or dominate all season long and get playoff experience with the Amerks (perhaps a trophy!). McCabe and Dalpe are expected to be in Rochester (should Dalpe clear waivers). I’ll be sure to monitor Dalpe closer while he’s in Rochester as well as stay abreast of the defense.

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Last Friday night the Sabres matched up with their cross-border rivals infamous for their blue Maple leaf logo. These teams, regardless of their records,seem to bring forth such disdain for the other. From the moment the Maple Leafs walked into the stadium a bitter intensity covered the ice like cirro-stratus clouds cover Buffalo throughout the winter threatening snowstorms.

The Maple Leaf fans threatened to take over the entire stadium. Many of them probably traveled fewer than the eighty miles it takes me to trek from Rochester to every home game. Kessel, Bozak, Phaneuf jersey’s were as prevalent as Moulson, Miller, Vanek, Ennis jersey’s that night. Strangely a Karlsson jersey made it into the game and an un-named LA Kings jersey happened to make it onto the jumbo-tron. How peculiar.

My seats against the back wall in the 300’s had plenty of Leaf fans within spitting distance. All-in-all the Canadian fans occupied about fourty percent of the stadium based on the eye test. The fans kept the tight, heavy hitting game congenial. The same was not true for the players on the ice.

From the onset of the puck drop the players kept a hard, physical, checking game intact. The named players for the Sabres got their shot at Toronto first. Moulson-Ennis-Stafford, Hodgson-Reinhart-Gionta, Foligno-Mitchell-Stewart almost all of them are expected to make the opening day roster while Flynn-Schaller-McCormick got action this night; only McCormick of them is expected to make the opening day roster. Reinhart, Foligno, Mitchell, Flynn, and Schaller were out to prove their meddle. For defense Pysyk was out (inj) so McCabe saw time with Myers. Weber with Ristolainen, and Zadurov with Meszaros.

The players were physically inept for the first period. Not only were they continually knocked off pucks, they also couldn’t knock any Toronto player off the puck either. Their hits were brushed aside like silly thoughts to Randy Carlyle’s genius. Toronto kept possession for much of the first, admittedly in their two thirds of the rink; managing only six shots on goal. All three goals of theirs in the first came from Buffalo’s focus on hitting the player rather than going after the puck.

Chris Stewart was the only Sabre to respond in kind to Toronto’s hard-hitting ways as the first period unfolded. Stripping the puck, being in the face of every Maple Leaf jersey he saw (only the glass prevented him from cross-checking Toronto fans in the first two rows), and scoring two goals to Toronto’s three. The rest of the Sabres tried too hard to be physical at the cost of playing sound hockey. Their pass-heavy plan failed due to its inconsistent passing and lack of fluid skating. They were left vulnerable to Toronto’s pounding. Many a times a Sabre received the puck while standing still. Buffalo was slow, passed slow, hit slow, skated slow for the first twenty minutes. Only Stewart’s line (Foligno, Mitchell) kept pace with the enemy.

Something happened after the first intermission. Buffalo, blue and beaten after twenty minutes which must have seemed like its own sixty minute game, emerged from the dressing room blue and golden. Physical and open became their style of play. They dictated the tone of the remaining fourty minutes. Delivering hits, playing with intensity and speed, the game became a true competition of grit and prowess. Neuvirth, Weber, and the rest of the defense not named Myers or McCabe were the only obstacles preventing the Sabres from imminent victory. Neuvirth was personally responsible for at least two of Toronto’s six goals. He never got high to stop those shots – congrats Toronto for proper scouting. Toronto shot high on him all night converting twenty seven percent of the time. At least four of the six goals were high. Weber on the other hand was not just slow but lacked eyes on a developing play. He looked as lost as a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car along the 90. Like that deer, he had no reason for being on the ice being responsible personally for two of the oncoming cars’ goals. His pairing mate Zadurov just didn’t back him up nor adjust to meet Weber’s inefficiencies. Toronto skated in with ease while those two were drawing blanks for eyes forgetting if they were deer or hockey players.

Since I am focusing on D-men this season Meszaros, whom pleases me as a signing, and Ristolainen had their own miscues. They were as porous as sand. Sure they kept Toronto to twelve shots in two periods but they allowed the Leafs to get far too close to Neuvirth for anything but a goal. Those four D-men were catalysts for Toronto’s twenty-seven percent shot ratio, four percent higher than the feared and dangerous Penguins or Capitals PP% for all of last season.

Highlighting the defense, the combination of Myers-McCabe were on fire! From the get-go they were melting the ice. Their physical play, their focus on stealing the puck, their speed to play defense from an offensive position on the ice was a major catalyst in Stewart and Mitchell having a prominent role in the first period. Kudos to Foligno for being the anchor-weight on that line! Those two players (Myers-McCabe) kept the Sabres as close to winning as possible. Myers even managed to demonstrate a physical intensity. In the third period after a cheap shot against him while in the corner he got into a scrum. Though his attempt at a fight lasted only five seconds before he fell over, he Carrick through their gloves down and fought. Officially his attempt at a fight was ruled as a double minor for roughing.

All-in-all the Sabres showed their grit and prowess to attack in a physical game while trailing. As there are expected only three forward positions open for the regular season according to Bill Hoppe of BuffaloHockeyBeat.com. Mitchell, after Friday’s performance, is a strong contender for one of them. In my view Dalpe made a strong case for inclusion into the roster based upon last Tuesday’s game. The test gets tougher with tonight’s tilt in Toronto (try saying this sentence three times fast). Only Reinhart, who’s presence has been questionable on the ice despite knowing he is in the lineup, of the nine seen as competing for the last three forward positions will not be facing Toronto in Toronto. Defenders Bagnall, Petrecki, and Strachan, will get in on the pre-season play and opening day roster availability. The defensive spots are harder to acquire. Weber, who is expected to play, may be making a roster spot easier to acquire.

Side note: On the physical violence of Friday’s game – I saw nothing over-the-line from either side. None of the three official fights (and certainly not Myers’ attempt at a fight) appeared to be staged nor did any appear to be a scrub VS a star. Even the McCormick-Phaneuf non-fight was not a scrub VS star as Phaneuf was taking liberties with some line-mates of McCormick and with McCormick himself. The hits, ‘finished-checks’, and overall physicality of the game did not appear beyond the context of the game itself. Neither team allowed for cheap shots. Those shots that did occur either the players or the refs took appropriate actions. Friday’s match was a testament to how refs should handle the more physically dominating games – be them in an open or closed system. The refs took immediate action to cheap shots often assessing penalties, players themselves did their best to quell cheap-shots immediately. My first star of the game goes to every referee on the ice that night!

P.S. I am a proponent of fighting in the NHL but only when it occurs in the context of the game and especially when liberties are taken against any players. Players should be able to defend themselves appropriately, team-mates should be able to stand-up for one another while playing hockey. Emphasis on being able to play the game of hockey.

The Sabres won their first game already and are .500. Too bad its the pre-season where those kind of stats are irrelevant to the playoffs. Fortunately it’s the preseason and those things matter for fans and management alike. So the Sabres finished in last place a season ago but that was a prior season when Tim Murray was so painfully sick he up-chucked nearly the entire roster. Murray’s purge led to his subsequent binge of draft picks and free agent signings. Those acts make for an exciting pre-season for fans, management, people, and probably players alike!

After watching a practice on Saturday and attending their win versus Carolina last night a great deal of my focus this season will be on the defense. The defense will be the litmus test for subsequent seasons, in my opinion. The Sabres have a burgeoning defense. Fan favorite Myers, soon to be if not already a favorite Gorges (if for nothing else than spurning Toronto and CHOOSING to play in Buffalo), and of course young twin towers in Ristolainen and Zadurov. The later is perhaps a couple years in the works but the best promise according to many scouts. My favorite defender though is Mark Pysyk. Aside from good looks and charm – never having met him – he is my player to watch. He has the ability to shut down the opposition which he demonstrated in his time with both the Sabres last season as well as the Amerks.

He has a skill I highly value in my defensemen (in any sport); the ability to play offense while on defense and defense while on offense. Some may liken it to transitioning simultaneously from defense to offense or from offense to defense but it’s actually a more subtle skill though comparable. If one is familiar with world football think gay friendly Philip Lahm of Deutschland. Much like Lahm I believe Pysyk to be the teams keystone on defense. He will be able to transition this latent ice-capped volcano to erupt like Mount St. Helens.

Pysyk suffered an upper-body injury in the first minute of play during Tuesday nights contest against the mighty Hurricanes. As a result Nolan adjusted all night his defense pairings. As a whole the defense did not use their space well nor did they transition from one side of the rink to the other with much vigor. Their play was admirable marked by highlights from none other than Tyler Myers. His defense is noticeably better already. He starred in both the open game more akin to his skill set as well as the closed game corresponding to the mentality of the Sabres. Myers allowed his body to get some work in! Meszaros’s highlights are mentioned here. He is a player I am incredibly happy we signed. I have liked his play since he first came into the league despite him being a Flyer for a few seasons. I firmly believe Meszaros will do so well for us and us for him!

With all this defense talk my star of the game is a forward, shockingly. It came out of nowhere and surprised you just like Zac Dalpe did to me Tuesday night. At practice on Saturday he wasn’t even on my radar in Group A. Overshadowed by the likes of Pysyk, Reinhart, Ristolainen, Zadorov, and by promising players in Carrier and Samuels-Thomas (look for them to shine wherever they play!!!), was Dalpe. Only drills were had in practice. Come game time Tuesday night he was the one player I couldn’t help but observe. Speed abound he had while being everywhere on the ice.

At 24 yrs old 6’1″ 195lbs he wasn’t doling out hits nor did he shy away from them either. He used his body as needed to strip the puck (my kind of player). He had the best pace of all the players on the ice including his former franchise in Carolina. I couldn’t help but be astonished with his positional play. Offense went to defense which turned to offense with each twist and turn of his sound frame. All I saw was #20 skating everywhere. Only when he was on the bench and not moving was there a name with that number – Dalpe. Never had I heard of him, impressive he was though.

No doubt playing against former friends aided his drive. Coach Nolan though gave him plenty of respect to prove himself. Zac played a minute and a half on both the PP as well as the PK – he shone on the PK in the first period. Nolan rewarded with the second most ice time by a forward despite Dalpe winning only 33% of his faceoffs. Clearly that is a skill he’ll have to work on.  He was at 45.9% last year in 55 games with the inept Vancouver Canucks.

While researching for this article I found out his history. He’s a native of Paris, ON. He played last season with Vancouver, his childhood team. Zac signed with Buffalo in a one year deal over the summer. I have already mentioned his speed, like Speedy Gonzalez.

In addition he has energy, shoots well, passes well, and is very versatile. He can play center or on the wing – the Sabres might require him on the wing despite performing well with Stewart. The critical side has him not being assertive (physical contact) while his defense needs some polishing. Even as he is I forsee him playing on either the 3^rd (most likely) or the 2^nd line and garnering short-handed goals. The Sabres could use some PK threats (a lost thought in hockey). He has the skills and qualities I look for in a player. I hope he performs well-enough for a contract extension as I see him being a talent. Be it in Buffalo or my hometown Rochester – where he purchased his truck (9:40 mark) – the waves of barley atop his head, the two spheres of a calm night’s sky below those golden stalks will be a heart-warming sight come game time.

What he hasn’t mentioned though is what the Sabres need to become a better team with the players, or certain players, already on the roster.  No player appears safe to remain in Blue and Gold, in the majors or minors.  A notion he decidedly chose.  Even though he (and Ted Nolan) have notified the players that they need to “up their compete level” to have a job, Tim Murray has done nothing yet about how to create an exciting team to watch.  All he has done is a parlour trick of smoke and mirrors to distract us.

His own wish is to create a more stoic ‘tough-guy’ atmosphere in Buffalo with his burly power-forward leanings.  If the Sabres don’t win at least they will have beaten the other team up.  When we win it will be because we beat the other team up, or more politely as analysts will say ‘wore them down’.  Physically dominating performances, finishing checks, stealing pucks on the back-check, having defensemen getting in on the rush while forwards grit their way out of the corners may be what Mr. Murray has in mind for his style of play.  Are those attributes he has telegraphed to the fanbase like Zimmerman?  This one-upsmanship game he’s playing is merely an arms-race with other NHL teams.  The Sabres are far behind.  Could it be that tiny Tim is attempting to prove himself to his family?  They’ve played this game before (still are) so why come in and not change the mindset?

What do the fans think about the posturing of a man with a chip on his shoulder?  With sixteen thousand season ticket holders and a waiting list rumored to be greater than three thousand within a stadium that only holds nineteen thousand for the worst team in the NHL, the fans will come anyways.  Buffalo, Hope’s last bastion.  We put our faith in vagabonds, tramps, and scheysters out for their own selfish pursuits.  At times we find some gems, some electricity beyond the Niagara Falls.

Is Tim attempting to dam up the Sabres in order to light up Buffalo?  What will Tim Murray become?  Will his personal ‘compete’ vendetta bring a team together for enjoyable hockey and a position in the playoffs?  For that answer I’d have to bend the fourth and fifth dimensions in a Mobius strip.  The best I can do is allow this first time GM time and put myself in a three-thousand person queue.  Both of which have already been done.

The chess game of the puppet masters’ Sabres begins tomorrow (Friday) for the NHL draft.  He has talked, wooed fans, but is he able to dance on that eight by eight square board and impress us, fans and owners alike?

     I have spent months analyzing the roster for strengths, weaknesses, glaring holes, and trying to peer into the fourth and fifth dimensions as best I can.  Skill followed by the C and RW positions are concerns going forward for those donning the Blue and Gold.  Sam Reinhart is the best player to fill all but the RW position.  He also could play in the NHL immediately.  He will surely benefit from being thrown into the fire.  Murray then has three picks in the second round.  Though he’ll likely trade two of them for a first rd pick (looking at the Penguins at 22^nd).  Perhaps Mr. Frosty Tips will come over in the trade and Stewart will march across the PA line.  Murray should pick up skill and depth in the forward positions.  With all the picks in the 2014 and 2015 draft he needs to pick well.  Beyond picking well he needs to develop the players better than he picks them.  Their own development, maturity or lack thereof, can be a major reason determining the success of both the Sabres and their new GM.

     Pick Sam Reinhart.  He has the hockey sense about him to not just be an intelligent player but a mature person.  Pick fellow intelligent and mature players who will play with skill, despite your zeal for power-forwards.  While I am not one for putting nor drafting power-forwards, I ought to give Tim Murray some time.  If puffing up his chest fails – and it most certainly could- Buffalo is in for a long winter.  A new GM (5 years from now) will need to come in and go against the grain of both the thinking and practices of NHL brass; a task no good soldier does especially the great soldiers that become GM’s (tourniquet).

I forsee no gambit in Tim Murray’s opening game.  No strong defense, no strong opening, just a posturing of pawns with the flashiness of dancing bishops.  Well do-si-do and around Buffalo goes like toy soldiers, knights of the chess board.  A positional play Murray has done thus far.  He is setting himself up for a long game.  May a Steinitz-like opening actually be the man and not a tumbleweed* of a man passing through trying to come out from the shadow of his family.

*not to be confused with the unorthodox chess opening of the same name this writer has been known to employ.

Dear Mr. Murray, The Buffalo Sabres are a very good team despite this season and their state of rebuilding for the last few years. Some changes have been made in the short and long term vision for the franchise. I equate the beginning of these changes with the departure of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury.

Since their absences the Sabres have struggled to enter the playoffs or when there they have failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals as the team coped without what I viewed as their heart and soul. New players emerged as stars (Pominville) and fan favorites (Vanek) only to be traded as part of a ‘rebuild’. Yet through all the movements goaltending was never an issue. Even this season goaltending is not an issue. Ryan Miller should remain the future goaltender of the Buffalo Sabres.

Miller’s past really does speak for itself. He’s been a stalwarth in net since he first arrived from the Rochester Americans. His whole career has been with our organization. He has been consistent, steady, and stellar through good years and poor years. He always gives the team a chance to win night in and night out. He’s also a workhorse, playing in about 70% of the games year after year. At only 33 years old he still has many great years as the leading goaltender. In many regards he reminds me of a former Buffalo goaltender, Dominick Hasek, who played stellar into his 40’s. Miller has the potential to be just as dominating as “The Dominator”.

The weakness for your team is offense. Sure, Ryan could be traded for a bon-a-fide star forward and/or young talent/picks. This option though would hurt the future of the Sabres. All the players acquired would require a few more years of training, growth, and ‘rebuilding’ mode. While I would love to see my local team, the Rochester Americans, win a few more Calder trophies, I would prefer to see the Sabres hoist their first ever Stanley Cup.

Your team already have stars in the making and talented prospects, I see that when I watch the Amerks play. The Sabres are also at the tipping point of breaking out and vying for a top seed in the East next year. As mentioned previously the Sabres have talent.  Tyler Ennis is shining on the top line, Zemgus Girgensons is playing top minutes and proving to be a two-way threat. Hodgson continues to improve after recovery from injury. Ehrhoff is offensively gifted and Myers is adding defensive talent to his offensive skills. Mark Pysyk has become a household name (at least in Rochester and Buffalo) and proves to be a phenomenal talent at his age. He can be paired with anyone since he is good at adjusting to the play. He’s a completely complimentary player capable of aiding defense and offense.

Foligno continues to progress this year stepping up and down when required. Moulson, an acquisition, is demonstrating a scoring touch even away from the “Tavares effect“. He too should be signed along with Miller. Signing them will show good faith to those that work hard and a commitment towards winning a Cup sooner rather than later.

To address our teams’ lack of a bon-a-fide offensive stars and depth I have 2 trades in mind that will aide the Sabres in the short and long term. The first trade involves the best player in the game right now, and one of the 5 best players ever, Jaromir Jagr. Even at his age he is still the best player on the ice night in and night out. Compare him to any player playing right now his skills are the sharpest, his work-ethic is the best. He also plays an east-west game which compliments Buffalo’s north-south game granting further depth and threats for opposing teams to defend against. He also has the wisdom to tutor the young players on the team. Lastly he fills the hole at RW, a necessary position the Sabres lack in skill and depth. Jaromir Jagr has another great 3 years left of hockey in him if not more.

The second trade in mind also fills the hole at RW and creates depth for your team. I firmly believe that the Blackhawks will be open to trading Patrick Kane and Marcus Kruger. Patrick Kane’s exploits are well known. Ask anyone in the stands about Kane, a native of Buffalo, and they will tell you all you’ll ever need to know about him. His work ethic and skills are unparalleled in a player of his age.

He’s also starting his prime years and is a phenomenal team player. Marcus Kruger is a highly talented Swedish center. He is skilled with excellent vision and able to thread passes from a distance, turning defense into offense instantly. He also is great at face-0ffs winning, at the time of this article, 57.1% of them. He grants Buffalo tremendous depth at center.

The cost for these players is minimal to their net affect on our team as a whole. Jagr could be acquired in the offseason for money. While Kane and Kruger would cost a shiny nickle (thinking in terms of Grigorenko, Ristolainen, a first rd pick and/or 2nd rd pick). Buffalo would become instant contenders for Lord Stanley’s Cup next season and many season’s thereafter. Financially the Sabres could be very healthy with these acquisitions, even being $10-$15M under the cap next season.

Financial notes:  Miller – $7.5-$8.25M/5-7yrs, Moulson $4ishM/4-6yrs.  Jagr – $2-3M (plus incentives)/1-x years his choice on how long he’d like to play even if he does pull a Zigmund Palffy.  Ennis – $3.5M/5yrs.  Kane $8-9M/7yrs, Kruger 1.75M/3yrs.

I’ll see you Wednesday night VS the Pens and I pray Miller will be in net!