Bouncing Back?

Tough loss tonight to Tampa after a nice stretch the last two weeks. Very positive signs including Vanek's consistent emergence as a nightly force, and the improved play overall by the defense. I stand by the need to move or waive #19. Another bad turnover tonight on the first goal. Can't imagine the coaching staff wants to deal with him anymore, and many of the character players on this team deserve the elimination of his presence in the dressing room. No doubt Luke Adam would be better. Also pretty clear Enroth will get the starts Miller is unable to make moving forward.

Rotten to the Core?

Amidst all the debate about whether this should be the end of the line for the longest tenured coach in the NHL or making an even bolder move in the front office, there are 23 players pulling paychecks that fully control the fate of this team over the next four weeks. Unfortunately, there's nothing I've seen to date, or for the most part, over the last four years, from the "core" of this crew that makes me believe they have enough talent or will to realize a turnaround. Coaching moves and captaincy roles just don't matter at this point. It's the group that came up with the Amerks, stepped into secondary roles after the lockout, and were then awarded long term financial commitments from management, that now lead this team who are facing a line item confirmation or veto from the fan base based on what happens in coming weeks. Roy, Vanek, Miller, Gaustad and Pommenville - the bell tolls for you. I wish there were more to build on than a division title over the last four years to point to for confidence in what you can do as a leadership group...

Road Warriors

Good news! Three away games coming up this week. I'm making a call out to all Sabre fans in Buffalo to organize and take shifts blocking all entrances to HSBC arena over the next 5 months, forcing all away games the rest of the year. An alternative move may be to work out a deal with Jim Balsillie to have all would be home games played in Hamilton the remainder of the season. Still plenty close for Buffalonians to make the trip, but perhaps far enough away to feel to the players like an away game. Added bonus, the outstanding white home jerseys being worn every game!

Should be an interesting week with key players starting to heat up and the possible return of #29. Doubt Miller will see the bench again until well after Thanksgiving as the team works to dig itself out of a deep hole. Still want to see one of the "top 2" centers traded and Adam brought up in the next few weeks. We shall see....

Righting the Ship

Three moves I would make starting today to right the ship:

1. Move Paul Gaustad to the first line between Vanek and Ennis - he's the only current effective forechecker on this club and it's time to give him a shot to win pucks and create space for the two most talented offensive players on the team.
2. Trade Derek Roy for Brad Richards - Roy's value will never be higher and Dallas would be attracted to the salary dump.
3. Sit or even waive Tim Connolly and bring up Luke Adam to center a line between Stafford and Gerbe - this is all about a morale move to give credit to the other players in the locker room who play with any level of passion.

40 and Still Kicking

I'm posting this just as the puck drops at HSBC after a tribute was made to four decades of exciting hockey. How long of a history is no doubt dependent on the perspective of the fan and their respective chronological age, or the length of their history as a Sabre fan.

Fact: 40 YEARS AND NO STANLEY CUP! ouch. Certainly not the futility some other sports franchises have experienced, but, Buffalo is a unique town in that no one under the age of 40 born and raised (and living wherever now) has EVER experienced a professional sports championship victory by their hometown team. For those older, there were pre-Super Bowl era AFC championships, but the fact is the region has NEVER experience a major professional sports championship.

Those that know me also know that I am a glass 3/4 full type of guy. What all his means to me is that the party when the Blue and Gold does finally hoist the cup will be one like no other. Here's to it being this year. In the interim...happy anniversary Sabres!

Dogging Derek

"DAMNIT ROY!" My cousin Jamie has managed turn his last name into a four letter word over the past seven seasons. Derek Roy has been maligned by fans throughout his career, but no more so than after his disappearing act in last year's playoffs. Like it or not - he is this team's first line center. Let's hope last night's performance is a prelude to a career season for #9, since now is the time if he's ever going to actually grow up and become know more as a leader than as the guy who's contract represents the best value for ownership.

Not So Square After All

The NHL takes a lot of ridicule for its lack of a national TV contract (at least legit one...) and some of its not so infrequent PR missteps. While well deserved in many cases, I am compelled to defend the league in that they have proven over the past couple of seasons to be the most progressive of all sports leagues on the digital media front. One can argue this is partly out of necessity due to the lack of presence via more traditional media outlets, but the league does boast a digital network of well-branded exclusive video and information content enabled by the shared content maneegment system and website platform the league runs and administers with all NHL franchises. Today's announcement and launch of the league's well-coordinated presence on foursquare and seeded content presence of each arena at launch is another impressive step in the social media space. Most impressive to me is that the league's entire digital media and marketing strategies are so consistently focused on the same overall objective - to create rewarding experiences and deepen relationships with existing fans. And all is done in a way which provides extremely compelling and user-friendly experiences. Bravo to the commissioner and his savvy marketing team! Now go get that deal with ESPN...

Only the big boys are left in camp, which must mean we're less than one week from face offs that mean something in the standings. Nothing shocking about the moves Regier made today to send players to juniors, Portland, and in Mark Parrish's case...parts unknown. But I am a bit surprised that both Kassian and Mancari were not kept on the roster to open the season given the tentative health status of #36 and lack of depth on RW (at least compared to the log jam of LWs on the team assuming Gerbe stays.) I'm left wondering if Mancari is destined to be the second coming of Jody Gage for the organization - an AHL scoring superstar that due to skating limitations never made make a full time nhl roster.

Beer Hunter

I've often pondered which opposing player I despised the most throughout Sabres history. I always come back to the same guy....Dale Hunter. Somewhat ironic now that I live in the DC area, but this was just a down-right bad guy! His dirty playoff hit on Pierre Turgeon (post-Buffalo as an Islander) has to rank as one of the 10 most spineless acts on the ice of all time. Scratch that...on or off the ice!

Wobbling Weber

I feel for Mike Weber. He seems like a hard working guy who has battled injuries and been more than patient to earn his place on a full time NHL roster. And one pre-season game should not make or break you. However, I'm beginning to think he may not be able to step up to the big-league level. He was atrocious in the preseason last year with constant giveaways and tentative play. He went to the other extreme last night vs the leafs playing over-aggressive and constantly leaving his partner, Andrej Sekera, out to dry. Hope for a major bounce back over the rest of the preseason and that he can reach some level of equilibrium that made him an all star in the AHL.

Turning to another Dman, Dennis Perrson has been a "love him or hate him" prospect by most scouts and pundits. Last night was telling. He simply does not appear to belong on the ice with NHL players. At 22, he should be a lot further along than he showed and I would be surprised if he is given another opportunity to play this preseason.

Overall, lots to like last night about the short-handed Sabres lineup almost beating a lineup filled with NHL-level Leafs. T-minus 10 to opening night!

The Lowly Maple Leaf

Gotta love the QEW rivalry...even in the preseason. I find it hard to believe that anyone from Buffalo can truly detest Toronto. Sure, their fans can be grading at times...but not nearly as much as Boston fan! I've always respected how passionately Toronto fan supports his or her team despite having so little to cheer about in the last decade.

Plus, there are so many great things about the city of Toronto. First and foremost...it's home of greatest indy band EVER - the Lowest of the Low. And is world-class in offering great theatre, restaurants and, of course, the hockey hall of fame.

I saw my first baseball game ever in Toronto at the old Exhibition stadium. This must have had the worst sight lines in the history of entertainment complexes, where every seat faced towards the outfield. But with all the amenities the city offers, Toronto was one of the best quality of life reasons to live in Buffalo.

Zack Attack

Nice start to the "unofficial" season last night. The top 6 played like it (with Luke Adam thrown in the mix) and Zack Kassian looked like he'll give the coaches a tough decision in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to the day of his first shift matching up on opposite wings with Milan Lucic...and that day may be sooner than expected.

Despite all the hand-wringing by fans over the offseason on lack of bold F.A. moves, the Sabres appear to have a wealth of depth at practically every position. Assuming Mark Mancari is currently 5th on the depth chart for RW, it appears he would be the odd man out, again, for getting any consideration for time with the big club should Kassian stick.

It will be very interesting to see what the coaching staff decides to do with LW-C positions on lines if Ennis and Gerbe both make the opening night roster. There are a number of players who can play both - Gaustad, Hecht, McCormick and Ellis - but there's just too many players for too few spots.

I do find the early mix of speed and size on every line compelling...will Ruff stick with that approach when the games begin to count?

Jumpin' on the Ice

Starting my first blog on the day the Sabres play their first preseason game for their historic 40th Anniversary season. Having survived 38 of those years as a loyal fan, I have tepid expectations that this could finally be "the year."

Five early predictions for this season:

• Vanek scores 50+ goals
• Ennis contends for rookie of the year
• Myers contends for the Norris
• Enroth called up to play 10+ games
• Stafford and Gerbe are traded by the deadline

...what say you?