Courtesy of The Sporting News:



A quiet summer in Buffalo means the team is counting on key players to be healthy.

"The way the Buffalo Sabres see it, a healthy Ryan Miller in goal would have been the difference between getting into last season's playoffs and falling two points short.

They also surmise that if Thomas Vanek and Tim Connolly stay off the injured list this season, they will end their two-year streak of finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference.

Perhaps that's why they were so quiet in the offseason, only replacing reliable defenseman Jaroslav Spacek with the less expensive and less talented Steve Montador, coaxing free-agent defenseman Joe DiPenta to flee Sweden and bringing rugged forward Mike Grier back to Buffalo.

If Sabres fans were not impressed with general manager Darcy Regier's summer game plan, they can take solace knowing the team didn't lose any star players like in past years, when Danny Briere, Chris Drury and Brian Campbell all left for fatter paychecks.

It can be argued that while division rivals Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal became better in the offseason, the Sabres stayed the same. And indeed the only significant changes were a minor ones."

I think the changes are going to come from who is not on the roster, including stiffs like Peters, Max, Kotalik, and, hopefully, Tallinder and Hecht, too. Replacing our softest, laziest players with tougher and hungrier players will go a long way to improving the team.

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

Very true ETC but the "star" players like Vanek, Roy, and now Stafford are going to have to play hard every game. They tend to take certain games off and they can't do that for this team to be competitive. Unfortunately I am looking forward to the season because I think we will be a ton tougher than we have been but I am skeptical that we can put the points on the board if we don't get more goal scoring.

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Besides the "toughness" and grit, I hope that Regier took into consideration the lack of discipline that this team has displayed, from '06-'07, onward...

Even when the Sabres won the President's Trophy, they were a team that tended to shut off (or slack) for long periods, with the expectation that they could harness their explosive scoring to put themselves back into a game.

They have lacked eveness and consistency; the hallmarks of discipline.

I believe they'll be more disciplined this season. They're hungrier from missing the playoffs, our young studs are growing older and more mature, we brought in Grier who can help on the leadership front. I also think that after nearly everyone having an off year they will strive to play to the best of their ability.

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"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." ~ Han Solo


We truly are not worthy of Miller!

I agree with both of you. Dropping Max, Petey, and Al is addition by subtraction, and surrounding our "talent" with tougher, hungrier players will hopefully elevate them to another level in terms of effort and drive.

...or we'll just crap the bed. Time will tell

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"Let's just trap Sekera in the caverns underneath HSBC arena." -BlueandYellow

Reporter: "Steve, you guys now lead the league in defensive scoring."
Montador: "It's probably because of how good-looking we are."

I don't really buy what everyone says about teams around us all getting better.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

That's such a cliché - I've seen no such improvement.

If anything, the upheaval and roster turnover on all those other teams (with perhaps the exception of the Bruins) leads me to believe that current rosters are pretty much "unknown quantities" - With a great probability being that these teams have moved laterally; bolstering the roster talent-wise, while sacrificing a well-developed chemistry.

Meh...such statements come across as so much "coach-speak".

I agree, Fly and Ice. I really miss Spacho (I'm so glad I didn't buy a jersey...I almost did)...but I really think that trimming some of the old fat and keeping guys with real chemistry is going to prove more beneficial than some 'good trades' over the summer. Time will truly tell.

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Its NNYFAN, but you can just call me Kris.

Still with the articles mentioning Drury and Briere....when will it stop...seriously.
This is like when I drive around LA and people still have John Kerry bumper stickers on their car.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

the sabres will have to make the post season before it really stops. untill then, for outsiders, they were the difference.

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...as opposed to MA vehicles sporting "Tip" O'Neill and Teddy Kennedy bumper stickers....?



Or, Buffalo vehicles sporting Masiello and Giambra bumper-stickers...?

I agree...the past is just that, the past...memories to use to shape the dreams and aspirations of the future. If I hear about the no goal thing once this season, I'll fuckin freak!

The lateral moves bother me....the statement itself seems like an indication of lateral mediocracy. I like the idea of hungry talent, but is Ruff going to play the same crap with them as he always has? One mistake and pack up, while the regulars are babying hangovers or hangnails....Or is the office running the show and play the cap players regardless. As far as toughness, the team showed they can be tough, but seemingly got reigned in by some nut-less wonder in control somewhere. The past seasons are indeed the past, yet lateral mediocracy seems to be the order of the day. Lets hope its different.

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I try to think, but nuttin happens.......Curley Howard
There is no past as it exists merely as a slippery bond tying the memories of the past to the dreams of the future.............Me
If we started life as an old person and lived until we were young, we would eventually finish off fucked as an orgasm.......George Carlin

If you look at the big picture, the Sabres don't need to add a lot of people. Admit it or not, after the big guys left, the Sabres were in a rebuilding period. You don't have to go out and sign big names to be a better team. I hate to side with Darcy, but I have to agree with him on this stance. When you have so many young players that are starting to reach that next level, you are going to be a better team from within. Look at teams like Toronto or the Rangers who always would go out and sign big name players. Sure, I get just as frustrated when the Sabres don't make big splashes ever, but sometimes the big splashes do nothing but get you all wet. If we signed a big name free agent or made a big trade the last couple of years that may mean we wouldn't be looking forward to Kennedy, Gerbe, Butler or Weber now.

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We were biting this morning. We were biting this morning.

I like the beat them on the ice, or beat them into the ice mentality we seem to be taking.

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