Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: Buffalo+sabres
As A New Chapter Begins, Another Ends
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/23/11 at 09:33 AM ET
Comments (1)
Being at the Terry Pegula press conference yesterday, and seeing Sabres legends like Gilbert Perreault and Danny Gare on one side of the room and current icons like Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek on the other, underscored for me the meaning of keeping the past in your memories but putting it in the rear view mirror and forging ahead.
It’s kind of the same feeling I had when Scotty Bowman in 1981 traded away fan favorites Gare and Jim Shoenfield, when late owner Seymour H. Knox III gave his “Farewell, Old Friend” speech in 1996 during the emotional closing ceremonies at the Aud, and when Tom Golisano rescued the franchise from a near fatal bankruptcy eight years ago.
In the same way that the coronation of Golisano in 2003 brought closure to Sabres fans over the departure of beloved coach Ted Nolan, today’s first full day of the Terry Pegula era should expedite the permanent healing of the lasting wounds this town has felt over the free agency losses of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury.
It won’t, however, ease the pain of No Goal in 1999 or No “D” in Game 7 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals. There’s obviously only one cure for that, and the hope in Buffalo is that a diehard Sabres fan with $3 billion can administer it.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Patrick+Kaleta, Terry+Pegula,
It’s Finally Here - Pegula Day In Buffalo
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/22/11 at 09:18 AM ET
Comments (3)
The last time there was a sports related press conference of this magnitude in Buffalo, it was a championship fever-fueled circus. Fans lined the streets to get a glimpse of the limo as it arrived. Even the governor showed up.
It was August 18, 1986, when Jim Kelly came to town. That week, renowned Sports Illustrated sportswriter Paul Zimmerman referred to Kelly as “Joe Namath with knees”.
25 years later, the son of said governor is now the governor himself, and Buffalo is still without a championship. But the excitement level today is off the charts, because Terry Pegula is bringing his money and passion for Sabres hockey to Buffalo.
He passed up opportunities to purchase other NHL teams. Keeping in tune with the style of Dr. Z, the New Boss is “Passionate Sabres fan with money”. And today, he finally speaks. Commissioner Gary Bettman will also be on hand.
I’ll be down at HSBC Arena for the 11:00 EST presser and will report back to you afterwards. To listen to today’s festivities, click here. To watch, click here or here.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, NHL Talk, NHL Business of Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Jim+Kelly, Terry+Pegula,
Not Much ‘O’ In Buffalo
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/20/11 at 05:10 PM ET
Comments (0)
What do you get when, during a stretch of three home games, your goaltender ends up with a 2.02 GAA and a .935 save percentage - and is named third star in one game and first star in another? If you’re the Sabres, you get zero points.
Thanks to uninspired losses to Toronto, St. Louis, and Washington, the hot streak is now a distant memory. Ryan Miller gave up exactly two goals in each of those three losses, but his team scored just two of their own in nine total periods of hockey.
As was mentioned here a week ago, the Sabres were en fuego because of a potent power play and the ability to win close games. But in their past three games, they lost a pair by 2-1 scores and went 1 for 9 on the power play.
This team has looked slow. Every time there’s a battle for the puck, it seems like a foregone conclusion that the other team will win it. The defense is having a tough time breaking cleanly out of the zone, and the forwards don’t have an answer for opponents that are clogging the shooting lanes by keeping all five skaters down low.
Thanks to the mediocrity that surrounds them in the standings, however, the Sabres are still in the thick of the playoff race. The Rangers and Hurricanes are on a combined skid of 5-12-3. Buffalo has three games left in their six-game home stand, and the next two are against the falling Thrashers and Senators. These opportunities won’t last forever.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Eastern+Conference+playoff+race, Ryan+Miller,
Pegula Officially Approved As Sabres Owner
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/18/11 at 04:51 PM ET
Comments (0)
From WGR-550,
Terry Pegula has officially been approved.
WGR has learned from a high ranking league source that the NHL Board of Governors have officially approved the sale of the franchise to billionaire Terry Pegula, just hours before the team’s game against the St. Louis Blues.
The announcement is expected to be made on Tuesday, February 22nd, where there is a press conference that is expected to take place.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said on Thursday that the board had been faxing in their votes to league offices for the approval process.
Tom Golisano, Larry Quinn and Dan DiPofi announced the team was being sold to Pegula a little over two weeks ago. The sale of the franchise is for $189 million dollars.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Pegula+approved+as+owner, Terry+Pegula,
The Goaltending Investment, The Detroit Way
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/18/11 at 10:45 AM ET
Comments (20)
This one’s for all of you Detroit Red Wings fans that comprise a large portion of the KK readership.
There’s been plenty of debate in my town lately about the value of goaltending in the salary cap era. Specifically, does it make sense to keep a goalie (Two hints - I’m in Buffalo and his name rhymes with Hiller) who makes over $6 million per season when you could be spending those dollars at other positions? The Red Wings, time and time again, are brought up as Exhibit A.
A Sabres beat reporter went so far yesterday as to suggest that, since many NHL teams have come on board with Detroit’s low-cost goaltending model, it would be difficult for Buffalo to trade its franchise netminder for anything resembling decent value. With that in mind, and with humble apologies for descending to the level of dealing in hypotheticals, I hope you’ll chime in on this question which is based more on philosophy than reality (sorry, we don’t make up trade rumors here).
Imagine if Ken Holland received a phone call from the Sabres stating that new owner Terry Pegula, wanting to invest more cap money in his forwards, was making Ryan Miller available. As a fan of a team that’s enjoyed enormous success with cheaper goalies, how do you think your GM would respond? How would you want him to respond?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Detroit+Red+Wings, Ryan+Miller, spending+on+goaltending,
Miller Sits, Enroth Starts, Many Overreact
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/15/11 at 01:04 PM ET
Comments (2)
An American-born goaltender from Michigan has a career year, leads his team to the Northeast Division title, wins the Vezina Trophy, injures his hip early the following season and proceeds to stink up the joint. Sound familiar?
As you probably deduced, I’m referring to Tim Thomas.
While the numbers have been eye-popping for the Boston Bruins goaltender in his comeback season, the Sabres have a pretty talented goalie of their own who finds himself in a similar situation to where Thomas was a year ago.
And now, after a nightmarish performance by Ryan Miller Sunday against the New York Islanders, things here in Buffalo have gotten a little crazy. It’s amazing what one awful game in a 12-4-2 stretch will do to people.
A local radio station ran a poll on its website yesterday asking Sabres fans whether or not new ownership should move forward with Miller as their goaltender. Pundits are enlightening us with the notion that non-elites like Antti Niemi, Marc-Andre Fleury and Chris Osgood winning Stanley Cups somehow translates to Miller being expendable.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, goalie+hip+injuries, Ryan+Miller, Tim+Thomas, Vezina+Trophy,
Report: Pegula Hires Former Pens Exec Ted Black
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/15/11 at 09:53 AM ET
Comments (0)
From The Buffalo News,
Pennsylvania billionaire Terry Pegula has started putting key pieces around him as he prepares to take over officially as owner of the Buffalo Sabres. A source confirmed this morning that Pegula has hired former Pittsburgh Penguins executive Ted Black as part of his management team.
Black’s official title and responsibilities have were not yet clear, but it appeared he would be one of Pegula’s top confidants as they begin structuring the front office. Pegula was still awaiting full approval for his purchase from the NHL board of governors, which is expected to be completed sometime next week.
Pegula has no comment this morning, spokesman Ben Bouma said. Black is expected to be heavily involved in all major decisions involving the future of Sabres’ management on all levels. Although it’s not clear, it’s conceivable he would eventually be named team president and oversee daily operations while reporting directly to Pegula.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Ted+Black, Terry+Pegula,
It’s Miller vs. Media After Loss
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/14/11 at 02:16 AM ET
Comments (8)
Ryan Miller was in a cranky mood after Buffalo’s 7-6 overtime loss to the New York Islanders Sunday, and what followed was a verbal confrontation in the Buffalo dressing room between the franchise netminder and two reporters from the Buffalo News, John Vogl and Jerry Sullivan.
Vogl: Are you angry at the loss, what are you angry about?
Miller: I’m just frustrated, and to have you, I don’t understand where that line of questioning was going.
Sully: Maybe you’re starting to doubt yourself, maybe that’s what he’s getting at.
Miller: Maybe you should stop sticking up for him and let him talk.
The Sabres (Media Relations Coordinator) Chris Bandura then tried to end it.
Miller: No, I’ll hang in here and see where they’re going with this one.
Vogl: Are you more mad at the loss or more mad that you have to talk?
Miller: I’m just frustrated, I don’t get that one. Ask about the game.
Vogl: That was about the game.
Miller: I don’t know what you’re going with here John. I have no idea, I really don’t.
Click here for the conversation in its entirety (an interesting first-hand account from a radio reporter), and here for audio of the confrontation and Vogl’s blog post in response.
See below for a posting from Paul with Sullivan’s scathing article following the incident.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Ryan+Miller,
What Will The Islanders Look Like Today?
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/13/11 at 11:22 AM ET
Comments (7)
In their first game since Friday’s goonfest against Pittsburgh, the New York Islanders are in Buffalo today to take on a Sabres team that needs to win in order to end the day within three points of a playoff spot.
It’ll be interesting to see what condition emotionally the Islanders are in today, not far removed from back-to-back nights that featured a nice shootout win in Montreal and an unforgettable team bonding exercise against the Penguins.
The Sabres obviously won’t complain if New York’s balloon deflates and they come out flat, but it would be foolish to expect it. The Islanders, who have already beaten the Sabres twice in the past month, are a close-knit group that at last check still has a talented group of young forwards playing on a team with nothing to lose.
Buffalo’s game plan should center around shutting down John Tavares, who had a 4-point night on Friday and has tallied 3 goals, 3 assists, and 16 shots on goal in three games against the Sabres this season.
Ryan Miller will likely get his 31st consecutive start, and Patrick Kaleta is expected to return to the lineup from injury. The Sabres defeated the Islanders in their only day game played thus far this season, while New York is 3-3-0 in day games.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Islanders+Penguins+brawl, John+Tavares, New+York+Islanders, Ryan+Miller,
Sabres Finally Hit The Trifecta
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/11/11 at 11:48 AM ET
Comments (0)
Before last night’s 3-2 overtime win in Florida, the Buffalo Sabres since last March had literally as many three-game winning streaks as they had ownership changes.
So perhaps you can understand why some Sabres fans were feeling a bit giddy after the victory, to the point of making the game-winning goal scorer a trending topic on Twitter.
Noone here is planning a Stanley Cup parade just yet, but there’s a newfound wave of optimism in the midst of a healthy 12-4-1 run that has Buffalo back in the playoff conversation.
While the successful power play has been a big part of the turnaround, there’s also been a steady improvement in the play of the defense, even during the streak itself. In the first eleven games of this run, Buffalo gave up more than three goals five times. In the past six games, it’s only happened once.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, liberal+use+of+the+word+trifecta, Mike+Weber, Shaone+Morrisonn, Tyler+Myers+trending+on+Twitter,
Stafford Reinventing His Future
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/09/11 at 12:17 PM ET
Comments (0)
If new Sabres owner Terry Pegula didn’t have Drew Stafford on his short list of players not to be traded before the sale closing, you have to wonder how quickly he might have gotten on the phone with departing minority owner Larry Quinn last night.
Stafford had his third hat trick of the season, and the Sabres came out of nowhere in the third period to blitz the Tampa Bay Lightning for 5 goals in a 7-4 Buffalo win.
In his past 22 games, Stafford has racked up 17 goals. Wonderkid Steven Stamkos has “only” 14 during that period.
After a down year in 2009-10, frustrated Sabres fans couldn’t have wished the University of North Dakota product out of town fast enough. What ignited the turnaround?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Drew+Stafford, Kyle+Okposo+offseason+workout, Sabres+no+trade+short+list, Steven+Stamkos, Terry+Pegula,
Pegula Set To Take Over Sabres On 2/22
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/07/11 at 12:10 AM ET
Comments (0)
From WIVB.com,
Pegula tells Murphy that he’s excited about becoming the Sabres owner, and believes the team will have success.
“We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,” he told Murphy.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, John+Murphy, Stanley+Cup+guarantee, Terry+Pegula, WIVB,
Analyzing The Sabres Streak
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/06/11 at 03:46 PM ET
Comments (0)
As a public service to numbers geeks and the attention span impaired, we now bring you a quick analysis of the Buffalo Sabres’ current 10-4-1 streak which has allowed them to close to within five points of a playoff spot:
Buffalo’s stellar record as of late can really be attributed to their power play (13-46, 28.2%) and their ability to win the close ones (5-1-1 in one-goal games). More numbers:
Leading scorers: Thomas Vanek (6-13-19), Jason Pominville (6-9-15), Drew Stafford (7-5-12), Tyler Ennis (3-7-10), Jochen Hecht (5-4-9).
Goaltending: Ryan Miller - started all 15 games, 2.71 GAA, .919 save percentage.
Special teams: Power play - 13-46 (28.2%); Penalty killing - 47-55 (85.5%).
Goal differential: In regulation - 47 goals for, 42 against; 5 on 5 - 36 goals for, 30 against.
Location, location, location: 4-2-0 at home, 6-2-1 away.
Against quality opposition: 6-2-0 vs. teams currently in playoff position.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Drew+Stafford, Jason+Pominville, Jochen+Hecht, Ryan+Miller, Sabres+stats, Sabres+streak, Thomas+Vanek, Tyler+Ennis, Tyler+Myers,
Source: Pegula Wants To Keep Regier, Ruff
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/03/11 at 04:18 PM ET
Comments (0)
Hockey Night In Canada’s Elliott Friedman reported on Tuesday that he was recently told that incoming Sabres owner Terry Pegula would like to keep both Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff “going forward”. He mentioned it again in today’s piece about the Sabres scouting department.
I asked Paul Kukla if he could find out from the respected CBC commentator how he knew about this. Friedman’s response to Paul was that he heard of Pegula’s intentions from a “trusted source” at the Board of Governors meeting in Raleigh during the All-Star break.
Another person to keep in mind is former Penguins GM Craig Patrick. Friedman was told that Pegula is interested in bringing on the former Penguins GM in some capacity, perhaps initially in a senior advisory role with the long term goal of him eventually becoming president of the club.
Whether Ruff wants to return as coach, move up to the front office, or test the free agent market is anyone’s guess. After yesterday’s practice he simply stated that he wanted to win a Stanley Cup in Buffalo. Regier has two years remaining on his contract and told the media today that he expects to still have his job in Buffalo next season.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Darcy+Regier, Elliott+Friedman, Lindy+Ruff, Sabres+ownership, Terry+Pegula,
LeBrun: Pegula May Not Spend To Cap
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/02/11 at 01:37 PM ET
Comments (2)
From Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com,
On the Sabres front, Pegula has agreed to buy the team for $189 million ($175 million in cash and $14 million in assumed liabilities). It’s good news for Sabres fans because the dude has deep pockets (he’s worth around $4.7 billion). But I was also told yesterday it doesn’t mean he’s going to spend to the cap every year. He’s rich because he’s made smart business decisions in his life. Buffalo remains a small market no matter who owns the team.
more, including what GM Darcy Regier told LeBrun this morning, and more Sabres and NHL ownership talk with LeBrun and colleague Scott Burnside.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Buffalo+Sabres+ownership, Darcy+Regier, New+Jersey+Devils+ownership, NHL+small+market, Terry+Pegula, Tom+Golisano,
Buffalo Sabres Announce Purchase Agreement
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/01/11 at 02:34 PM ET
Comments (0)
From the Buffalo Sabres,
BUFFALO, NY (February 1, 2011)—The Buffalo Sabres today announced that Tom Golisano has reached an agreement to sell the Buffalo Sabres and its related companies to Terry Pegula. The agreement, completed at 1 p.m. today, is subject to certain closing conditions including review and approval by the National Hockey League. It is expected the NHL review process will take several weeks to complete.
Tom Golisano and Larry Quinn will hold a press conference on Thursday at Noon in HSBC Arena. There will be no further comment until the press conference.
Terry Pegula will not be at Thursday’s press conference.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Larry+Quinn, sale+of+Sabres, Terry+Pegula, Tom+Golisano,
Ruff Turned Down Sabres Extension Offer Last Fall
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/01/11 at 01:57 PM ET
Comments (1)
Things just keep getting more interesting in Buffalo in the midst of the pending sale of the team.
From Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News,
In the wake of today’s news that GM Darcy Regier received a two-year contract extension in the fall, it was natural to ask Lindy Ruff if he received the same treatment.
Ruff pulled a shocker after Tuesday’s practice in HSBC Arena when he revealed he also got an extension offer and turned it down. Understandably, Ruff wasn’t all that interested in the line of questioning so his answers were pretty cryptic when pressed by The News on the issue.
click here for the interview.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Darcy+Regier, Lindy+Ruff, Regier+contract+extension, Sabres+sale,
Report: Regier Received Extension Last Fall
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/01/11 at 07:19 AM ET
Comments (0)
From The Buffalo News,
It appears the Buffalo Sabres will finally announce the sale of the team to Pennsylvania billionaire Terry Pegula on Thursday. No surprise there.
But here’s a stunning transaction they’ve never publicized: A contract extension was handed out some time last fall to embattled General Manager Darcy Regier, who was widely believed to be on his way out once Tom Golisano sold the franchise he purchased in 2003.
The News has learned Golisano gave Regier a two-year extension, a deal the team has never announced. The contract’s total value is believed between $2 million and $2.5 million.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Darcy+Regier, Regier+contract+extension, Sabres+sale, Tom+Golisano,
Pegula To Outline Plan To Buy Sabres
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/29/11 at 10:09 AM ET
Comments (0)
from The Buffalo News,
RALEIGH, N.C. — Billionaire businessman Terry Pegula today is expected to take a major step toward buying the Buffalo Sabres when he meets with the NHL executive committee during All-Star Weekend. He will outline his plans to purchase the franchise for $175 million.
The presentation before the panel is considered one of the last hurdles he must clear before officially assuming ownership from Rochester billionaire Tom Golisano. Pegula is expected to be approved by the executive committee over the next several days before the purchase is voted upon by the full NHL board of governors in the next few weeks.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Jeremy+Jacobs, NHL+executive+committee, Terry+Pegula, Tom+Golisano,
20 Years After ‘Wide Right’, One Thing Hasn’t Changed
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/27/11 at 02:18 PM ET
Comments (0)
It was 20 years ago today that Buffalo lost a tough one, and by the narrowest of margins. The Calgary Flames came into town and beat the Sabres 5-4 at Memorial Auditorium. Rick Dudley was the Sabres head coach, and his assistant was a young and fiery up-and-comer named John Tortorella.
Sabres fans and media were questioning the toughness of Dale Hawerchuk and Pierre Turgeon and the worthiness of their $500,000 salaries. Buffalo media legend Ted Darling was in his final full season in the broadcast booth. There were captaincy issues as Mike Ramsey had just replaced Mike Foligno, who was traded to Toronto. The Sabres were an average team trodding along with 51 points near the end of January.
It so happens that there was another game that day, with a little bit more at stake, that was of interest to Buffalo fans, and for that matter people all over the world.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Dale+Hawerchuk, Derek+Roy, Mike+Foligno, Mike+Ramsey, No+Goal, Pierre+Turgeon, Rick+Jeanneret, Scott+Norwood, Super+Bowl+XXV, Ted+Darling, Tim+Connolly,
No Pity Party In Ottawa Tonight
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/25/11 at 12:52 PM ET
Comments (0)
The Buffalo Sabres’ lack of sympathy for the misfortunes of the free falling Ottawa Senators should be in full display tonight at Scotiabank Place.
The streaking Sabres need every point they can get, and if that means figuratively kicking their already wounded division rival in the stomach on their way out the door towards the All-Star break, then so be it.
In their last 12 games, the Sabres are 8-3-1 while the Sens are 1-8-3. Ottawa will start Brian Elliott, who is winless in his last 10 starts, in goal tonight.
Still, it’s not like the Sabres don’t have issues of their own. They need to win this one just to get within four points of eighth place. The defense is still shaky. To be honest, not a whole lot of fans and media here are taking the streak too seriously.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Derek+Roy, Drew+Stafford, Nathan+Gerbe, Patrick+Kaleta, Sabres+injuries, Thomas+Vanek, Tim+Connolly,
Free Agent Ruff Could Draw Huge Interest
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/21/11 at 03:22 PM ET
Comments (0)
via Mike Brophy of Sportsnet,
One of the most interesting potential free agents this summer could be Lindy Ruff. That’s right; if the Buffalo Sabres don’t sign their longtime coach to an extension, Ruff goes on the market and, depending on what happens with Dallas Stars centre Brad Richards who is likely to re-sign with his club, he could be the most sought-after free agent in the summer of 2011.
Ruff, like his GM Darcy Regier, has been forced to operate with one hand tied behind his back working for the cost-conscious Sabres. There are a number of teams that aren’t happy with their coaching and Ruff could write his own ticket if he is set free. In fact, he may even want to consider declining an offer from Buffalo just to test the market, figuring there are teams that would be willing to pay him more than he’d get from the Sabres. Should Ruff leave Buffalo, a solid candidate to replace him is former Sabre and current Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Mike Foligno.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Lindy+Ruff, Mike+Brophy, Mike+Foligno, NHL+free+agency,
Resting Miller Would Be Senseless
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/21/11 at 10:12 AM ET
Comments (0)
Sometimes it’s as simple as your best players being your best players.
The Sabres earned a big 4-2 win in Boston last night, and regardless of what the 3-stars voters had to say, this game was about Ryan Miller (38 saves) and Thomas Vanek (game-winning goal, assist) coming through when it mattered most.
On the subject of Miller, there have been rumblings in the local media that he should get a game off before the All-Star break. The talk after last night’s game was about whether or not Patrick Lalime or Jhonas Enroth should start the following night against the New York Islanders.
This is the same media that reminds us continuously that the Sabres as an organization don’t display enough desperation. Sitting a healthy Miller tonight, when the alternatives are a guy who hasn’t won a single game since Easter and a rookie struggling to be a .500 goalie in the AHL, wouldn’t exactly exemplify a sense of urgency.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Boston+Bruins, Buffalo+Sabres, New+York+Islanders, Ryan+Miller, Thomas+Vanek,
Nasty, Gutsy, Scary = Sabres Win
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/19/11 at 11:45 AM ET
Comments (0)
That was a gutsy Buffalo win last night (2-1 in overtime) over division rival Montreal. There was a whole lot of hitting, yapping, pushing and shoving going on. Why we don’t see more of this nasty attitude from the Sabres is the subject of another conversation.
Having a threat like Mike Cammalleri off the ice for most of the game certainly made the task less formidable, but beggars can’t be choosers. And let’s not forget that Buffalo was missing its most potent point getter (Derek Roy, 35 points in 35 games) and goal scorer (Drew Stafford, 15 goals in 30 games). Stafford suffered a groin injury early, and it looks like he’s going to miss some time.
Great move by coach Lindy Ruff breaking up the Tyler Myers-Andrej Sekera pairing on the blue line. The 20-year old Calder Trophy winner seems better off with a stay at home veteran as his defense partner. Ruff felt that way during training camp when he originally played Shaone Morrisonn with Myers, but a poor start by the free agent acquisition put a damper in those plans. Let’s see if it sticks this time.
Big sigh of relief that Max Pacioretty is going to be OK after a scary moment when he took a slap shot to the chest. Forgive me if my heart rate shooting up from being terrified upon first seeing it was an overreaction, but it’s partly the fault of having a selective memory. Clint Malarchuk and Richard Zednik can attest to the fact that Buffalo can be a pretty risky place to play sometimes.
Things probably won’t be much more pleasant for the Sabres on Thursday when they play in Boston. Whatever they put in their pasta yesterday should be bottled up and brought with them on the trip.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Andrej+Sekera, Buffalo+Sabres, chest+struck+by+hockey+puck, Max+Pacioretty, Mike+Cammalleri, Montreal+Canadiens, Shaone+Morrisonn, Tyler+Myers,
There’s no ‘D’ in Buffalo
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/17/11 at 01:45 PM ET
Comments (0)
The biggest concern for the Buffalo Sabres recently has been the lack of coverage in their own end. New York Islanders star forward John Tavares had a field day in the Buffalo zone Saturday night, and he even half-heartedly noted afterwards that he had so many scoring chances in the 5-3 Isles win that perhaps he should’ve notched two hat tricks instead of his one.
The Sabres have allowed five goals in two of their last three games, and that’s in no small part due to the struggles of the Tyler Myers-Andrej Sekera pairing. They’re a combined –9 in that stretch. The play of Myers, who looks clumsy at times and seems to be having issues with his skating, has regressed to where it was during the first month of the season.
Getting some heat of his own, despite a huge lack of defensive support, is goaltender Ryan Miller (17-14-4, 2.72 GAA, .911 save %). It’ll be interesting to see how this town reacts if the red lamp behind the franchise netminder and fan favorite continues to be lit too often. A huge component of last year’s 100-point team was Miller’s ability to steal some games, and this season it just hasn’t been happening.
Buffalo will try to tighten things up tomorrow night when the Montreal Canadiens come to town.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Andrej+Sekera, Buffalo+Sabres, John+Tavares, Ryan+Miller, Tyler+Myers,
Pending Sabres Sale Doesn’t Mean No Deals
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/13/11 at 12:31 PM ET
Comments (0)
There is a misguided notion among some Sabres fans hungry for change that the timing of the impending sale to triple-billionaire Terry Pegula will potentially put a freeze on some much needed player transactions as the February 28th trade deadline approaches. If history is an indicator, don’t fret.
Assuming Buffalo is still out of the playoff picture in five weeks, GM Darcy Regier will best serve the organization by putting on his seller’s cap and stockpiling some draft picks and prospects in what’s starting to look a lot like his final trade deadline at the helm of this team.
Regier has been in this position before, in 2003 to be exact, when Tom Golisano was in the process of saving the franchise. But while the wheels were turning behind the scenes as a transfer of ownership was slowly being completed, Regier wasn’t exactly sitting around contemplating his job status.
He cut ties with veteran forward Vaclav Varada. He parted ways with fan favorite Rob Ray. He moved Stu Barnes to tears when he dealt his captain to Dallas. And in the most brilliant execution of stratagem imaginable, he somehow convinced then-GM Mike Barnett of Phoenix that the Coyotes would be a better team with Chris Gratton than with Daniel Briere.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Chris+Gratton, Daniel+Briere, Darcy+Regier, Rob+Ray, Stu+Barnes, Terry+Pegula, Tim+Connolly, Tom+Golisano, Vaclav+Varada,
Breaking: Potential New Sabres Owner Meeting Team
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/11/11 at 02:19 PM ET
Comments (3)
From WGRZ-TV tweet:
Two on Your Side has learned that Terry Pegula, potential buyer of the Sabres is now at HSBC Arena meeting with the team.
It looks like the transition to new ownership in Buffalo is in full swing.
Edit 2:30:
Link to full article.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Terry+Pegula,
Source: Sabres Sale Imminent
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/07/11 at 02:26 PM ET
Comments (0)
From Nick Mendola of WECK-1230 AM:
A source reached out to me and says the sale of the Buffalo Sabres is imminent. While the source could not name Terry Pegula as the buyer, they did inform me that some high-ranking members of Paychex, a company Tom Golisano owns, have received notice that their use of the owners box will cease by the next “home games” due to the impending sale of the team.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Paychex, Terry+Pegula, Tom+Golisano,
With WJC Over, Pegula Watch Begins
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/06/11 at 11:33 AM ET
Comments (0)
Joyous Russian hockey fans weren’t the only ones enthusiastically counting down the final seconds of the World Juniors gold medal game last night.
No sooner had an ecstatic group of Russian teenagers on HSBC Arena ice started celebrating and screaming stuff that we couldn’t understand than Sabres fans at home began holding their breath in anticipation of “The Announcement”.
It was as if they were glued to the television waiting for Managing Partner Larry Quinn to walk out onto the ice right after the Russian anthem, grab the microphone, look into the TSN cameras and spill the beans. “Igor, Yevgeni, great job tonight. Now, for those of you Buffalo Sabres fans who may be watching, I have some exciting news…”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Chris+Parker, Larry+Quinn, Terry+Pegula, Tom+Golisano,
Happy Drew Year Buffalo
by @DaveDavisHockey on 01/02/11 at 12:51 PM ET
Comments (0)
It was a memorable hat trick on a late night that likely caused panic among writers trying to meet deadline. Could there have been a more fitting evening to honor Alexander Mogilny and Jim Kelley?
Following the pregame ceremony inducting the former Sabres sniper and the late legendary hockey writer into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame, Drew Stafford had a night that was typical of so many by Mogilny during his heyday.
And as if the tying goal with 27 seconds left in regulation to get him the hat trick wasn’t enough, he set the tone for the shootout with a 15-foot wrister that beat Tim Thomas, and the Sabres won a 7-6 thriller over the Boston Bruins.
The irony of the evening wasn’t lost on Sabres beat writer Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News in his game night blog as regulation was winding down:
Here come the hats on Mogilny’s Hall of Fame night. Somehow appropriate. And it’s 6-6. And our man Kelley is laughing from above at his buddies in the press box sweating out deadline now.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Mogilny, Boston+Bruins, Buffalo+Sabres, Drew+Stafford, Jim+Kelley,
Report: Announcement of Sabres Sale Coming
by @DaveDavisHockey on 12/28/10 at 04:30 PM ET
Comments (0)
From WGRZ-TV:
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WGRZ)—A source close to the situation tells 2 On Your Side’s Scott Brown that the sale of the Buffalo Sabres to Pennsylvania billionaire Terry Pegula is expected to be announced at some point after the World Juniors Championship wraps up next week.
We’re told the timing of the announcement is being dictated by Sabres owner Tom Golisano.
Golisano may come to Buffalo for the tournament next week, and doesn’t want an announcement regarding the sale of the team detracting attention from the tournament, which is a point of pride for the Sabres’ organization.
Our source says that Golisano has reached an agreement in principle for the sale of the team to Pegula.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Terry+Pegula, Tom+Golisano,
Replacing Roy Would Be Exercise In Futility
by @DaveDavisHockey on 12/28/10 at 03:57 PM ET
Comments (0)
With all of the media and fan obsession in this town over where the Buffalo Bills will be slotted in the NFL draft order this spring, Sabres fans might be interested to know that their hockey team is currently in line for a top 5 overall pick in 2011. The last time Buffalo was in such a position, they drafted a guy named Thomas Vanek.
With leading scorer Derek Roy likely done for the season, and with the gap from here to eighth place in the East ever so painfully widening, it might be time to start habitually looking down on the standings page instead of up.
News of the severity of Roy’s injury certainly felt like a skate boot to the stomach. And in timely fashion, disillusioned armchair GM’s are now calling for Darcy Regier to make a trade to bring in a top line center to replace him. You know, something similar to all of the other trades for top line centers that have been made around the league recently.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Darcy+Regier, Derek+Roy, Thomas+Vanek, Top+5+overall,
Hanging by a Thread
by @DaveDavisHockey on 12/21/10 at 03:30 PM ET
Comments (0)
You’ll have to forgive us in Buffalo for playing the “must win” card before every game for the next 3 ½ months, but that’s what happens when your team is practically staring into the face of a double-digit point deficit behind a playoff spot before Christmas.
Two weeks ago, the Sabres got a much needed home win against a San Jose Sharks team that had just scored an impressive win in Philadelphia the night before and was nearing the end of a grueling Eastern road trip.
A similar situation presents itself tonight, and the stakes are high again. The Anaheim Ducks won 3-0 in Boston last night, and 24 hours later the Sabres desperately need to prevent them from playing a successful encore. This game will be Anaheim’s fifth road gig in seven nights.
Aside from its own play, part of Buffalo’s problem in its playoff chase is the behavior of teams they have targeted ahead of them. If Atlanta, Tampa Bay and the New York Rangers aren’t for real then they all have a funny way of showing it. Those teams just refuse to come back to earth and Buffalo has lost ground to all of them, with a mediocre 5-4-1 record in its last 10 games.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, Buffalo+News, Buffalo+Sabres, Craig+Rivet, Lindy+Ruff, Mike+Harrington,
Buffalo Braces For Hockey World
by @DaveDavisHockey on 12/19/10 at 10:58 AM ET
Comments (1)
From The Buffalo News:
The World Junior Hockey Championship will run from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, with only one off day, New Year’s Day. The tournament, showcasing the world’s best 18- and 19-year-old hockey players, will bring 21 games to HSBC Arena and another 10 to Niagara University’s Dwyer Arena.
“It’s the NCAAs, for 11 days, with beer,” Buffalo Sabres public relations director Michael M. Gilbert quipped.
Sabres officials, serving as host for the 10-team tournament, won’t hazard a guess on the number of visitors expected here for what’s considered the second most prestigious international hockey tournament, behind only the Olympics.
All they’ll say is that they expect tens of thousands of fans.
More than 50,000 visitors, mostly from Canada, are expected.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, World+Juniors,
Pens Schooling of Sabres Shows What it Takes
by @DaveDavisHockey on 12/12/10 at 07:27 PM ET
Comments (1)
After getting 9 out of 12 possible points in their last 6 games, and with Ryan Miller finding his groove again, you had to think maybe the Sabres were starting to get their swagger back. What better time to take on a powerhouse red-hot Stanley Cup contender on an 11-game winning streak to see where you’re at?
As it turned out, the Pittsburgh Penguins came into HSBC Arena last night and gave a lesson on what separates the big boys from the lesser teams like Buffalo. The Sabres came through with a pretty strong effort against a truly elite team. They showed some heart and, for the first two periods anyway, went at the Pens pretty hard.
But it still wasn’t good enough as Pittsburgh never trailed and scored a 5-2 win. While Sabres big guns Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek were whiffing on their scoring chances, Pens lesser-knowns like Arron Asham and Mike Rupp were cashing in on theirs.
For all of the positives that you can come up with about Buffalo’s recent streak, last night confirmed a disheartening truth about this group. The Sabres fall way short when matched up against quality teams. They’re now 2-12-1 against clubs that are seeded in the top 6 in either conference.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Arron+Asham, Buffalo+Sabres, Mark+Mancari, Mike+Rupp, Nathan+Gerbe, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Sidney+Crosby,
Choose Your Team Captain Wisely
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/10/10 at 09:00 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Ryan Kennedy at TheHockeyNews.com:
Before the 2010-11 campaign began, I talked to numerous NHL personalities about what the ‘C’ meant these days and Rivet was one of the focuses. Teammate Jason Pominville told me that when Rivet arrived in 2008, he was a rarity on the team: a veteran willing to be vocal in the dressing room. The players took to him right away and voted him in as captain.
Two seasons later, I wonder about the optics of him being relegated to the sidelines. What does it mean for the leader of the team not to be on the bench during a game, imparting his wisdom to the youth or stabilizing a dicey situation? Maybe the Sabres are mature enough now that they can stand on their own without Rivet, but it doesn’t seem like a good situation to me.
The trend in the NHL recently has been for captains to be younger and often super-skilled. You’re never going to see Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews or Shea Weber benched. But based on the fact Toronto has eight legitimate NHL defensemen at its disposal right now, would it be crazy to think Phaneuf would be a healthy scratch one of these days if he continues to give the puck away or miss assignments?
Click here for more.
Filed in: | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Craig+Rivet, Dion+Phaneuf, Edmonton+Oilers, Shawn+Horcoff, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Report: Sabres, Tourism Group At Odds Over WJHC Fan Services
by @DaveDavisHockey on 12/10/10 at 02:53 PM ET
Comments (2)
From WGRZ-TV:
BUFFALO, N.Y.—The World Junior’s Hockey Tournament will bring thousands of fans to Western New York from all over the world but it seems the local tourist organization will not be offering services to fans, as they have in the past.
The Buffalo Niagara Conventions and Visitors Bureau was at the forefront of the NCAA Tournament held in March here in Western New York, offering informative maps of local hot spots, Twitter updates about transportation delays and volunteers on each corner downtown to point fans where they needed to go. 2 On Your Side is told that because the World Junior’s is an event bid on by the Buffalo Sabres, the CVB will not have an active role in the 11 day hockey tournament.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, Non-NHL Hockey, International Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: 2010+World+Junior+Ice+Hockey+Championships, Buffalo+Niagara+Conventions+and+Visitors+Bureau, Buffalo+Sabres, WGRZ,
Sabres Observations: Close Games, Gerbe, Miller
by @DaveDavisHockey on 12/08/10 at 12:14 PM ET
Comments (0)
There’s a fine line between winning and losing in the salary cap era, but some statistics can show how slanted that line can be.
Here’s one for Sabres fans to ponder: Buffalo’s 3-2 overtime loss to Boston last night continued a disturbing trend. Since March 12, if you disregard last minute empty netters, the Sabres have been in 31 games (including playoffs) that have in effect been decided by one goal.
Buffalo has only managed to win 5 of those 31 games in regulation or overtime. This is not the stuff contenders are made of.
* * *
It’s time for coach Lindy Ruff to put this Nathan Gerbe-on-the-top-line thing to sleep. A team that needs every point it can get just to make the playoffs shouldn’t be dragging down its top line with a guy who has 2 goals in 38 career NHL games.
In the 3 games since this awful idea came to fruition, linemates Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy have combined for one goal and zero assists at even strength. Tyler Ennis was a better and more dangerous player than Gerbe a week ago, and we can now confirm that this hasn’t changed.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, HSBC+Arena, Nathan+Gerbe, Ryan+Miller,
Adam, Gerbe Get Prime Time Tonight
by @DaveDavisHockey on 12/03/10 at 03:27 PM ET
Comments (0)
You might think Sabres coach Lindy Ruff would have to be desperate to put a pair of struggling youngsters on the top two forward lines. Well, his 25th ranked offense is averaging a paltry 2.4 goals per game. It’s hard to blame him for feeling a little antsy.
Enter Nathan Gerbe and Luke Adam, who are getting premium billing despite tallying only 4 assists in 20 total games between them this season.
Buffalo idly slid down the ladder during its five day break which ends tonight at home against Columbus, and the Sabres suddenly find themselves eight points behind eighth place Atlanta. The gap is measurable now, and this team has a lot of work to do.
For his part, Ruff is rolling out a new look lineup trying to kick-start his offense.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Drew+Stafford, Luke+Adam, Nathan+Gerbe,
Report: Pegula Signs Letter of Intent to Buy the Sabres
by @DaveDavisHockey on 11/30/10 at 10:08 AM ET
Comments (3)
From Ken Campbell of The Hockey News:
THN.com has learned that billionaire Terry Pegula has signed a letter of intent to buy the Buffalo Sabres from Tom Golisano for about $150 million.
Pegula is the founder and CEO of East Resources, one of the largest privately held companies in the United States. A graduate of Penn State University, he and his wife Kim, recently donated $88 million to the school to help fund a new arena and establish a Division I hockey program.
More to follow.
Edit 11:42 a.m. ET : Sabres Managing Partner/Minority Owner Larry Quinn has released the following statement:
“Reports regarding the sale of the Buffalo Sabres tend to surface from time to time. There have been several inquiries in the past few years regarding this subject. Our company policy is we do not comment on them because people make inquiries all the time. Some of these inquiries are serious, some are not, some make the media and others do not. The report that a $150 million letter of intent has been signed is simply not true.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Terry+Pegula,
Blast From Buffalo Reporter Exposes Our Vanity
by @DaveDavisHockey on 11/24/10 at 01:03 PM ET
Comments (2)
As you’ve probably figured out by now, we’re living in an increasingly egocentric world. It’s 2010 and all of us, in our tweeting, blog meta tagging and facebook friending glory, are legends in our own minds. We’re so important and relevant that we were even voted collectively as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year.
So, when someone dares to challenge our elite celebrity status or question our worthiness as it were, well at that point it’s “Go” time. That’s precisely what happened in Buffalo yesterday. An e-mob of Sabres fans shouted a loud “Do You Know Who I Am!” to a mainstream newspaper guy who by technology standards still parties like its 1999.
After some unsubstantiated hearsay about Derek Roy supposedly striking Tim Connolly in the face at Ryan Miller’s charity event gained some legs courtesy of a tweet from former Sabre and current ESPN reporter Matthew Barnaby, Buffalo News reporter John Vogl apparently was frustrated by his due diligence obligation on the matter.
It’s not preferable for those who report the news to become the news, but that’s exactly what happened following Tuesday’s Sabres practice, when Vogl unloaded some epic anti-twitter blasts for the ages in his blog.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres, NHL Media, Hockey Bloggers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: bloggers, Buffalo+News, Buffalo+Sabres, John+Vogl, mainstream+media,
Video - Ruff Loses It At Practice
by @DaveDavisHockey on 11/23/10 at 05:39 PM ET
Comments (6)
Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff goes on a tirade during a power play drill. The Sabres are 26th in the NHL with a pp conversion rate of 12.8%. Thanks to WGRZ for the clip.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Lindy+Ruff,
Sabres ‘D’ Trying to Put it All Together
by @DaveDavisHockey on 11/17/10 at 01:52 PM ET
Comments (0)
If you think the Sabres aren’t scoring enough goals, well, don’t blame the defense. Buffalo’s blueliners have racked up 13 goals in 19 games. Tonight’s opponent, the high flying Washington Capitals, ‘only’ have 12 from their defensemen.
Sure, the offensive contributions of Jordan Leopold, Steve Montador (yep, really) and Tyler Myers have been a tonic for this team as it tries to climb out of its self-dug hole. Buffalo has gone to overtime in five straight games and has earned 9 of 10 possible points. But let’s not kid ourselves - the Sabres will have to cut down on mistakes in their own zone if they’re serious about being contenders again.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Jordan+Leopold, Nathan+Gerbe, Shaone+Morrisonn, Steve+Montador, Tyler+Myers,
Enroth Headed Back to AHL
by @DaveDavisHockey on 11/13/10 at 10:39 AM ET
Comments (0)
Soon it will be announced that Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth is headed back to Portland of the AHL. Ryan Miller is expected to make his return tonight against the Washington Capitals.
Despite a season stat line that reads like this - 4 starts, 2-1-1 record, 3.43 GAA, .876 save percentage - the 22-year old Swede held down the fort very well in Miller’s absence. He didn’t seem the least bit overwhelmed by the spotlight as he scratched and clawed his way to helping his team gain a little traction in the standings. The Sabres picked up 5 out of 6 possible points on their road trip.
While the criticism over sending him down is inevitable, a few good games isn’t enough to change the fact that Enroth is still a work in progress and is better served getting more AHL starts.
Patrick Lalime, who is due to see action in a tough upcoming stretch of games, has to be running out of chances to save his job. If his failure to win any games continues then you have to think consideration will be given to cutting him loose and bringing Enroth back to stay.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Jhonas+Enroth, Patrick+Lalime,
Surviving Years With Some Ruff Times
by @DaveDavisHockey on 11/10/10 at 11:57 AM ET
Comments (0)
It seems like only yesterday that the hiring of 37-year old Florida Panthers assistant coach Lindy Ruff to take the helm of the Sabres was stirring an already boiling pot in Buffalo.
It was July 1997. Management had been going through a dysfunctional phase. Fans were furious that the team had just cut ties with a beloved figure named Ted Nolan. The widow of the franchise’s founder was seen on the news protesting with mobs of fans in front of HSBC Arena.
Then, just when nerves needed to be calmed with some assurance that things would be alright, the Sabres and their new coach got off to a rip roaring start by winning 7 of their first 25 games. Ruff was convinced he’d be gone by Christmas.
Fast forward to 13 years later - past goaltending controversies, No Goal, criminal ownership, franchise bankruptcy, and free agency nightmares - and incredibly he’s still here.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Lindy+Ruff,
Bashing Buffalo’s Net Picks is Nitpicking
by @DaveDavisHockey on 11/08/10 at 08:17 PM ET
Comments (0)
In the Buffalo Sabres locker room, Patrick Lalime is looked up to as someone who is revered, admired, respected, and almost any other positive adjective you can come up with. That is, except for a pretty important one - successful.
Which is why it was somewhat surprising that so many people were questioning the decision, with Ryan Miller injured, to throw highly touted goaltending prospect Jhonas Enroth into the fire for this past Wednesday’s game against the Boston Bruins.
You can’t argue that the 2006 2nd round draft pick stunk up the joint that night. But what followed in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout win in Toronto - featuring Enroth stopping ex-Sabre Clarke MacArthur on a breakaway and stoning 4 of 5 Leafs in the shootout - was closer to what coach Lindy Ruff and GM Darcy Regier had envisioned for the 22-year old Swede, albeit a few days later than they would’ve liked.
What’s really comical about the criticism of playing Enroth is that many of these people are the same revisionist historians who bashed the Sabres for sending him down to the AHL in favor of Lalime in the first place.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Darcy+Regier, Jhonas+Enroth, Lindy+Ruff, Patrick+Lalime,
Ruff Has Run Out of Buttons to Push
by @DaveDavisHockey on 11/04/10 at 12:27 PM ET
Comments (2)
Buffalo isn’t a city known for feeling a lot of heat in November, but don’t tell that to coach Lindy Ruff and his 30th place hockey team.
The longest tenured bench boss in the NHL is getting desperate, and his solutions for pulling his befuddled group of underachievers out of the ditch aren’t working. But it certainly hasn’t been for lack of trying.
He showed the captain a seat in the press box. He benched one of his leading scorers for almost an entire 3rd period with his team down one goal. He leapfrogged over his veteran backup goalie for a critical home game, with Ryan Miller injured, and started an AHL netminder with 1 game of NHL experience.
But the magic touch isn’t there. Buffalo is in danger of missing the playoffs for the third time in four years, and things are now seriously starting to unravel a bit.
Sabres fans that were booing Zdeno Chara and Daniel Alfredsson every time they touched the puck are now doing the same to Tim Connolly. Ruff’s post-game press conferences are getting testy to the point where you’re waiting for him to go Tortorella on someone.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Darcy+Regier, Lindy+Ruff, Tim+Connolly,
In Buffalo, “C” Is For Cursed
by @DaveDavisHockey on 10/30/10 at 08:48 AM ET
Comments (1)
How fitting that as we approach Halloween another soul is in the process of becoming an eternal resident of the Sabres haunted house of contentiously departed captains.
The Sabres blew an early 2-0 lead and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Atlanta Thrashers last night, but the big story in Buffalo is that Craig Rivet, who has worn the “C” since being elected by his teammates upon his arrival in 2008, was a healthy scratch for this game.
Granted, it won’t be as big an item on the hockey airwaves as an Ilya Kovalchuk benching. But in Buffalo, treatment of captains is kind of a sore subject. Just ask the man who made the decision, coach Lindy Ruff, who as a player in 1989 was benched and in turn relinquished his captaincy, effectively ending his time as a player in Buffalo.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Craig+Rivet, Lindy+Ruff,
Sabres Could Use a Heist or Two
by @DaveDavisHockey on 10/28/10 at 09:13 AM ET
Comments (0)
Rewind to three weeks ago: The 2010-11 season is about to commence, and your friends over at Psychic Freaks Network get a few premonitions right for a change. The crystal ball shows the Sabres completing their first 10-game segment with a winning road record, Derek Roy on pace for a 90-point season, and Tyler Ennis delivering pretty much as advertised and battling for the lead in rookie points.
If you’re a Sabres fan you’d be guessing first place on Halloween and hearing pundit predictions of a 40th franchise anniversary party with a happy ending, right? After further review, you might want to throw that crystal ball in the trash along with the Brett Hull trading card your prankster friend got you for your birthday.
Given all of the above, plus the fact that Thomas Vanek, Tim Connolly and Drew Stafford are each on pace to exceed their respective goal totals from last season, how does this team find itself wallowing near the bottom of the pack at 3-6-1?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Ryan+Miller, Thomas+Vanek, Tim+Connolly, Tyler+Myers,
Sabres Get Big Relief in Blueland
by @DaveDavisHockey on 10/21/10 at 10:14 AM ET
Comments (5)
It’s a mystery why the three strongest performances by Buffalo thus far have been their three road contests, where they’ve averaged over 40 shots per game, but at this stage the Sabres will take points anywhere they can get them - even if nobody is there to see it.
It was an impressive 4-1 win last night in Atlanta in front of a few family and friends at a sparsely populated Philips Arena, and the script for getting some key players going couldn’t have been written much better.
Tyler Myers netted his first goal of 2010-11, and despite an ugly first period turnover he looked much better overall. There’s just too much ability there for the turnaround not to continue. Keep in mind that even when Myers was playing at his best last season he was prone to occasionally coughing up the puck. You must have some talent if you can win a Calder Trophy after leading the NHL in giveaways.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Buffalo Sabres | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Buffalo+Sabres, Dustin+Byfuglien, Thomas+Vanek, Tyler+Myers,
