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.

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 motorcycle injury, a motorcycle injury lawyer is also helping him put in a claim for his compensation. 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!

Unfortunately I have never lived in Pittsburgh but I have been to a few of their games. The first NHL game I went to was in Mellon Arena and I was enraptured. I live in Rochester, home of Buffalo’s minor league team the Amerks. I will be writing on the Penguins, the Sabres, and the Amerks. @themackattack will just have to share his beloved Sabres with me. He is very passionate about them which I can attest to first hand, however the Sabres may just trade him, or me now for that matter, for a draft pick. I digress, more on the Vanek trade in a later article.

I grew up in Sabres territory but not from a hockey family. I never skated on ice regularly.  About as close to ice hockey as I got was street hockey with friends who happened to be ice hockey players. Of course, I had trading cards and television to satisfy my needs.  I did go to Amerk games and in the 1990′s for the AHL Rochester was the place to be.  Back then the Amerks were arguably the best team in the AHL and they had this one fan called “The Masked Fan”. He was just a kid, younger than I even who came to the games wearing a lucha libre style mask to every game. He was the loudest, proudest fan at the games. He always cheered his heart out and started the chants.  Even during all the Calder Cup finals my fondest memories is still what only a child would possess, playing knee hockey in the stairwell of the Rochester War Memorial during the games. Ages, 10, 12, 14, didn’t matter I still wanted to play hockey with friends.

I am 31 now and still as youthful as ever. I have a degree in history and love talking about history, any kind, any time period. I am a mix between a geek/nerd and an athlete; I love sports and I love knowledge. My favorite games are hockey, chess, Magic the Gathering, soccer, volleyball, carcarsonne.  And I do love to write!  You can always find me championing for just causes and equality – not just for gays but for all people.

Lastly this Brian Burke bear hug rule – well if need be i’ll gladly teach hockey players (free of charge) how to properly apply a bear hug.  As a gay man it is nearly customary to hug one another upon greeting and the French-style kiss cheek to cheek. Businessmen shake hands, gay men hug. I’ll even teach them the finer art  of a proper hug, none of this three pats on the  back nonsense.

I would like to make a request that I begin with #68 Mr. Prague Spring Jaromir Jagr. Yes, Jaromir I know my history very well and have taught many lessons about the movement, Petr Novak, and the singing of “We Shall Overcome” at Wenceslas Square. Sidney Crosby also could learn how to properly hug from me and of course fellow mullet player and Buffalonian Patrick Kane should also be taught the bear hug rule.

Final line goes to someone else, not just gay men, who faced discrimination in hockey. Manon Rhèaume. I thank you for all you’ve done and challenging the hierarchy.

The Islanders, are as currently constructed, going to be in the playoff race all season. They aren’t good enough to pull away but not bad enough to fall out of it. That means the first rounder will be between 13 and 26. That’s Dylain Macilraith territory, not Connor McDavid. The 2nd rounder, will presumably be a mid round pick as well, which means 43-56 overall. That’s not the premiere trade chip it’s being portrayed as. The Islanders farm system is literally better than anyone elses in the NHL on the Blueline and at Centre. What don’t we have? A first line wing. Worry, no more. Finally, the last asset we bid adieu to is John Tavares’ best friend and wing man, a true Long Island fan favorite, Matt Moulson. I will elaborate below why it was okay to deal him, in my opinion.

6 Reasons I Love This Trade And You Should Too

1. The Tavares Factor -This morning, both John Tavares and Thomas Vanek (along with the lucky sonnovagun Kyle Okposo) became part of the best line they ever played on. They instantly became the best players each other had ever shared a line with. Think about that. This isn’t a case of a parasitic relationship where we bring in a washed up Boyes-ian vet to leech off Tavares’ skill. Tavares WILL make Vanek better, but Vanek can also make Tavares better.

2. Hello, Brooklyn, but it’s not time to say goodbye, Long Island – The Islanders are in the middle of an awkward transition. They are moving from Suburbia to become perhaps as Urban a team as it gets. They need buzz to dent the landscape. This trade is a headline grabber. It’s a power move. It’s an announcement that they will not go into Brooklyn on the same old shoe string budget, AND that they are not merely playing out the string on Long Island.

3. The Playoffs were nice. This is a move about ending that phase – This is a change in mindset. This is the big boy pants move this fanbase had wanted for so long. This is a move that definitively states, WE ARE OUT OF THE PHASE WHERE THE END GOAL IS MAKING THE PLAYOFFS. This is a GO COMPETE FOR THE STANLEY CUP move. Think about that, the New York Islanders loading up… for a run at Lord Stanley’s Cup. What a day and age.

4. This isn’t trading your tires for a new interior, this is trading your tires for a whole new sports car – Matt Moulson is a wonderful hockey player. I do not mean to diminish or slight his over 100 goals he’s notched on Long Island. He is willing to go to the dirty areas and pay the price. Few in this age of hockey do that. That said, he is dependent on a distributor. If Tavares is out with injury, can he drive the bus offensively? No. Vanek can. People point to their similarity in numbers and say ‘they are the same player’ because people are idiots.

Moulson put up his numbers next to one of the arguably 5 best players in the world. Thomas Vanek put up his numbers with Patrick Kaleta as the second most recognizable forward on his team. Vanek isn’t getting Tavares fancy hubcaps or a spoiler. Vanek is another fine automobile piece of ass, imported, from Austria, by way of Buffalo. Is Matt Moulson who you give Tavares Money to? No. He’s not. I’m sorry. He’s a legit number 2 scorer and a great player and loyal soldier, but he is a 2nd scoring option.

The difference between a primary weapon and a secondary one is the primary can create on his own. Tavares affords Moulson space to use his skills and net drive. Vanek… gives Tavares space. We weren’t letting Moulson walk for free a la Parenteau or Blake. We got the BEST PLAYER ON THE MARKET for him. Nobody, NOBODY this year, will trade for a better player than Thomas Vanek. Think about that.

5. It’s time to let love in, Islanders fans – Art Staple of Newsday was hammering home the point that Isles fans are so psychologically scarred by Milbury that they don’t trust any trade. This trade is a bold move. Yes, it’s a risk given that Vanek is a pending FA, but so was Moulson. And Vanek affords us something Moulson doesn’t: The possibility of seeing Wang open the purse strings to keep him. Moulson was going to walk. That was by design. Now, we enter a new era, where the Islanders do crazy things like MAKE IMPACT TRADES and ADD SALARY (Vanek’s cap hit is 4m HIGHER than Moulson’s this year). The dog days are over kids. Your hockey team wants to win. They want you back. It’s okay to love them again. They want to matter. BeLIeve in them.

6. Nobody is safe – There is a lockerroom dynamic, right? The boys have all grown up together. They love one another. You could see the pain in Moulson’s face when he discussed the trade. This team is a family. But it is also still a business. Once in a while, the boys need a little reminder. Turgeon for Lafontaine. Harris and Lewis for Goring. You need to shake up a room now and then. Welcome to the new age, kids.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t end this by thanking Matt Moulson for being here through some rough years and lighting our path towards a better future (along with a great many red lights). He is the proverbial quintessential Islander. That’s why this trade is so tough. Nobody epitomizes the ‘started from the bottom and now we’re here’ mindset of this team quite like Matt. He worked so damn hard here. He’s a true fan favorite and he busted his ass to transition from AHL journeyman to First Line NHL winger. I wish him nothing but the best and will always have a place in my heart for him. Good luck Matt.

And welcome to Long Island, Mr. Vanek.

I suppose I should be grateful to have been able to watch the Canucks play any hockey at all considering the entire season was nearly a complete write-off due to the NHL lockout that lasted for 113 days. But honestly, I was having more fun during the lockout than watching the often tedious and uninspiring hockey played by the Canucks.

It is essentially the same core team from two years ago. Minus Cody Hodgson (don’t get me started). But they sure didn’t play like that Cup-contending team. I fondly remember when the Canucks would score SHGs, or would score the game-tying goal with 10 seconds left in the third period, then win in overtime. Or when the Sedins would dazzle us with their displays of hockey wizardry.

But this season the Canucks struggled on almost every front. Defense was wobbly and woeful. Goals were as rare as sightings of Tim Thomas. Goaltending was strong, but mired in the drama of having two starting goalies, which Cory and Roberto lampooned in an amusing video segment for TSN. And key players were constantly getting injured.

The Kassian Konundrum

Zack Kassian started off the season impressively while playing on the first line with the Sedins. Of the 7 goals he scored, 5 of them were while playing with the Glimmer Twins during the first two weeks of the season. But as soon as he was moved off the first line his play went to hell in a hand-basket, scoring a total of 11 points for the entire season.

On the other hand, the guy we traded to get Kassian, Cody Hodgson, earned three times more points (34) and scored twice as many goals (15). That unfortunately did not help the Buffalo Sabres much. They slipped from 19th in the NHL last season to 23rd this season. But the Canucks slipped further, from 1st in the NHL last season to 8th this season.

Nearly all Canucks writers still feel the Hodgson/Kassian trade was a good deal for Canucks. I think it’s complete bullshit. Just because Cody didn’t single-handedly lead the Sabres to the Playoffs does not make him any less talented. And the old “but he wanted out of Vancouver” excuse is weak. Yes, he wanted out of Vancouver because Vigneault and Gillis completely mis-managed that relationship and treated him poorly. The Canucks have faltered ever since Cody was traded away prior to last year’s Playoffs, and none of the new players acquired since have done as well.

Goalie Imbroglio

The mishandling of the goalie situation was the biggest mess and distraction for the Canucks. Cory Schneider was named the new starting goalie for this season while Roberto Luongo, with his enormous contract, remained on the roster. Then, in early April, Twitter was aflutter with hyperventilating fans who were preparing for the end of the Luongo era when he was called off the ice by Canucks management minutes before the trade deadline.

But nothing happened. A trade never materialized, which meant Luongo was stuck being Number 1 Backup Goalie for the rest of the season. I don’t know the intricate details of why a deal never happened, but, I’m pretty sure this was the biggest fuck-up by General Manager Mike Gillis so far. It will no doubt be a drama that continues to play out during the off-season.

Vilifying Vigneault

Poor Alain Vigneault. The giggling, gum-chewing Head Coach didn’t have a chance against the pitchfork-wielding public who were calling for his head even before the Playoffs began.

Lots of people found Vigneault’s hands-off, laissez-faire coaching style a teensy bit off-putting while his team was quickly spiraling downward. I mean, if I were the Canucks coach, I’d be screaming and throwing shit around the locker room Tortorella-style. Perhaps he did, I have no idea. But whatever he was doing late last season and all of this season was just not working. The constant experimenting and tweaking of lines befuddled bloggers and started the “Fire AV” drumbeat that got louder and louder after each Playoff game loss.

Eventually those calling for Vigneault’s head got their wish. He and two of his assistant coaches were fired by Mike Gillis last week.

Gillllyyyyy!!

I’m amazed that, after mis-handling the Luongo trade and leaving the team without a strong Center for much of the season when he ended Manny Malhotra’s hockey-playing career, Mike Gillis is still the Canucks GM. Many point to him as the real reason for Canucks’ dilemma, and Vigneault was simply trying to work with what Gillis inadequately provided. But like the “Gilly” character played by Kristen Wiig on SNL, Gillis has yet to pay a price for the mischief he has caused. Or even say “Sorry.”

But now that Vigneault is gone, Gillis is left holding the bag full of problems that still plague the Canucks, including the additional burden of finding a new coach who can work with the team he’s assembled. But if the team continues to flounder and he flubs the Luongo trade, it’s possible Gillis could be looking for a new job this time next year.

Millionaires in Six Seconds

While there was plenty to bitch about, there were a few redeeming moments during this truncated travesty of a season.

Canucks management got a lot of feel-good mileage when they introduced the Millionaires replica uniforms worn during the game with the Detroit Red Wings on March 16th. I was really looking forward to seeing them play in those uniforms and loved how they celebrated Vancouver’s long, rich hockey history and contributions to the sport we know and love today.

When Alex Burrows scored the first goal just 6 seconds into the game, breaking the Canucks record for fastest goal scored, I thought maybe this could be the turning point as they channeled Fred “Cyclone” Taylor and the Cup-winning Millionaires from 1915. No such luck. Detroit ended up trouncing the Canucks 5-2. We haven’t seen those Millionaires uniforms since.

Oops, this is supposed to be about happy moments. Back on course…

Henrik Breaks Stuff

Thanks to my Canucks-season-ticket-holding Fairy Godmother, Mary, I was at the game on February 15 when Henrik Sedin broke the Canucks all-time scoring record. He scored his 757th career point, surpassing Markus Naslund who previously held that record. The entire stadium erupted into a long, boisterous standing ovation. The only thing missing was a large bouquet of flowers presented to Henrik and an encore. Unfortunately, the Canucks ended up losing that game to the Dallas Stars by one point.

There I go again! Stay positive, Tom.

BizNasty No Longer a Dickhead

In my “Biggest Dickheads” post at the beginning of January, I included Paul Bissonnette (BizNasty), who plays for the Phoenix Coyotes, after a dust-up with him on Twitter last year. One night after the Coyotes played Canucks here in Vancouver, I posted another snarky tweet about him that I was sure he wouldn’t see because he had blocked me.

Well, he saw it and re-tweeted it. But surprisingly he unblocked me and we ended up having a private chat on Twitter that was short but sweet. Paul wanted to let me know that, while some of his followers may have hurled homophobic slurs at me, he supports gay rights and has no problem with gay people. I thought it was pretty nice of him to reach out like that. Now I can go back to thinking he’s hot again.

Most Unforgettable Canucks Tweet of the Season

One last moment that I can never forget was when injured Canucks backup goalie Eddie Lack sent out this tweet in early March:

No, he wasn’t talking about Alex Semin. A photo accompanied his tweet which showed a bicycle seat splashed with spooge! For realz!! Lack emphatically claimed in a followup tweet that he did not do it. And I believe him. But, wow, I don’t think any other professional hockey player can top that tweet, not even BizNasty.

Thanks for the Memories

This is my final post for PuckBuddys. It’s been an absolute honor to be the first writer recruited for this ground-breaking hockey blog, but I’m, afraid I must resign my position as both Canucks writer and Western Conference Bureau Chief. When Craig and Doug asked me to be a contributor in the Summer of 2011, I thought they must be high or drunk or both because I knew nothing about hockey and was a newly-minted Canucks fan. So of course I said “Yes!” Since then, they’ve built an impressive stable of writers who provide the best rainbow-colored commentary about hockey you can find on the Internet. I’m proud to have been a part of it.

You can still find me on Twitter (@GayCanuck) making snarky, bitchy comments about hockey and Glee. Over and out. XO, Tom, a.k.a. GayCanuck

[Editors’ Note: We thank Tom for his service, good cheer and panache. He’s responsible for our single biggest traffic day (Ohai, Naked Kesler), and the banner we have at the top of the site. With any luck, we can talk (cajole) him into helping us with our off-season site redesign. Replacing him won’t be easy and we’ll start the search for his replacement immediately. The audition process promises to be rigorous; we’re looking for verve, sass and style. Extra credit will be granted in both the talent portion and swimsuit competition. Inquire within.]

Except, as it turned out, it wasn’t.

In the time it took to make a bank deposit, the tenure of the longest-serving head coach in the National Hockey League came to an abrupt, startling end. The Lindy Ruff era was over. For the first time this season, I (and I would venture to guess most of Western New York) felt a sense of sadness for the man who’s been in charge of the Sabres bench for the last 15 years.

Yes, it was certainly time for a change of some kind. After going just 6-10-1 in this greed lockout-shortened season and dropping a 2-1 decision on Tuesday to basement-dweller Winnipeg, the blue and gold faithful were at a tipping point. Something had to be done, and it had to be done right now. Whether that something will prove to be the right decision is perhaps the biggest uncertainty in Buffalo right now.

What is certain, however, is the legacy Ruff left behind. Two years after he was hired by the Sabres in July of 1997, he led the team to their second-ever appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. Had it not been for Brett Hull’s (still to this day) controversial triple overtime “skate in the crease” goal (or NO GOAL, depending on who you ask), the Sabres very well might have hoisted hockey’s holy grail in June of 1999. After the (2004) lockout, Ruff led his team to back-to-back conference finals. This included a very memorable contest in 2006 during which then-rookie Jason Pominville scored a shorthanded, overtime goal to clinch the series against Ottawa. That same year, Ruff won the Jack Adams award for the NHL’s Coach of the Year. In 2006-07, the Sabres won, for the first time ever, the Presidents’ Trophy under Ruff’s leadership.Unfortunately, that’s when things began to slide. The Sabres failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2008, 2009, and 2012, and were eliminated by archrivals Boston and Philadelphia in the first round in 2010 and 2011 respectively. After a 2-0 start to the 2013 season, the team has since frankly looked lost, slow, and lazy on the ice, especially defensively.

Perhaps nobody summed it up better than Heather Bermingham of Buffalo Wins, in this post:

“I think most of us would agree that it was long past time for Lindy Ruff to get fired.  As much as my head knew that, however, I could never quite make it connect to my heart.”

It is indeed quite the odd feeling losing a coach who seemed like he’d be here forever- a mix of shock, disbelief, sadness, relief, and hope, among others. I grew quite fond of Lindy during his time in Buffalo, and I’m sure that he won’t stay unemployed for long. He’s a tremendous head coach and an even better person, and I’m sure we’ll see his name hoisted into the rafters of First Niagara Center sooner than later, and justifiably so. Since the Sabres’ inception in 1970, Lindy has been a part of 24 years, or 65 percent of their history as a player and a coach.

He’s done perhaps more for this team over the years than anyone else, and the city of Buffalo, the Sabres, and the hockey community will surely remember him in a decidedly positive light. If Lindy should ever return to the Sabres organisation in another capacity, I have no doubt that he will be warmly welcomed. As former Sabres great Larry Playfair put it, “My guess is wherever Lindy Ruff ends up going, Buffalo will still be a big part of his life.”

So now, as a community, and as a team, we move on. Ron Rolston, the now-former head coach of the AHL Rochester Americans, will take over Ruff’s duties in the interim, but yesterday’s actions certainly don’t solve all of the Sabres problems. Buffalo seemingly has more defencemen than the Pentagon, yet they can’t seem to find their stride. If not for the outstanding performance of Ryan Miller night after night, the team might be in an even worse position than they are now. With a few exceptions, the team seemingly lacks the heart to get the job done on a consistent basis. Addressing the media for the first time as Sabres head coach this morning, Rolston commented that many players seem to enjoy taking shortcuts that aren’t working.

If the Buffalo Sabres want any chance of a playoff berth, they need to understand that victory comes from hard work, consistent effort, and the drive to succeed, no matter what that entails.

And so Buffalo bids adieu to Lindy Ruff, at least for now. I’ll remember Lindy Ruff as part of the reason why I became so impassioned with hockey–some of my life’s most memorable moments have come watching his team play, and I owe him a massive amount of gratitude for that. United under the blue and gold flag, Sabres Nation raises our collective hockey sticks to you. Thank you, Lindy Ruff.