Love the way the Sabres are playing right now. Here's my takes...

~Myers is everything we hoped for and more. The hardest part is tempering the excitement for how dominant he could be over the next 15 years should he stay healthy.

~Kennedy has probably played his last NHL game for awhile. His ice time was heavily cut in the 2nd half of the game, and he was demoted to the 3rd line the few times he did get on the ice. I think it's a shame, but he'll probably be back in Portland before the weekend.

~Kind of under the radar because of the Sabres dominant play, Miller has been extremely sharp so far.

~Eunuch Hecht? Invisible again...naturally.

~Kaleta is an incredible asset... a very special player who really makes a difference with his hitting, heart and attitude. His kind does not come around very often.

~Roy is really playing some bad hockey right now. Missing chances, turning over the puck, getting too fancy...I'm getting a little bit of a Max flashback watching him dance around uselessly, and I don't like it.

~Tallinder is lucky he's got Myers carrying his load, because he's still playing like a tentative fairy. Sekera is getting me real nervous, too. I don't like what I'm seeing from him at all...soft and sloppy is a bad combination.

~Montador has me sold. Great heart, heavy shot, good positional play, and tough...exactly what we needed back there.

~Grier looks really slow to me. I like his toughness and instincts, but he has really slowed down a step over the past 3 years.

~MaCarthur is playing so hard and with a great confidence...he's making a believer out of me right now.

~Connolly: shoooooooot the puuuuuuck.

_________________
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.

Something to add to one of your points...

Montador - two games in a row he's taken a really, REALLY lazy hooking penalty. I thought we shipped Kotalik out?

_________________
mechaphil

I keep getting the impression that there are a handful of players that are really in shape, and are attacking the puck and the puck-carrier...throwing the puck on the net, taking shots and crashing the crease.

Then, there are also a cadre of players that are still stuck in '06-'07...they are far too reliant on their belief that they can hang onto the puck and use their (inflated sense of) skill to "get the job done"....with "remote control".

These players are truly aggravating to watch in all their stubborness and failed glory.

Overall the future looks very bright for the first group, but I fear that the second group will drag the team downward - Especially during critical points in any given game, unless they shape up, use their thick heads and get their noses dirty.

A great number of players looked like they were skating in mud. They seemed out of synch and could barely sustain a basic set of passing plays, to advance the puck...

Definitely a bubble team, at this point - If they slide (again) I'll be one of the first to be screaming for Lindy's head (Olympic Team coaching-position be damned.)

Pretty much the same ol' same ol' - But, to a slightly lesser degree. Not enough change in the culture and habits, to satisfy my "tastes".

I'm onboard with ETC's synopsis - But, feeling a bit less generous with the assessments of most of the "money" players. Miller has shown himself to be an exception.

I'm also wondering why Darcy bothered to re-sign Sekera and (to a lesser degree) Stafford. Far too great a sense of entitlement shown by both these players.

They already have "their feet up on the furniture" and the ink isn't even dry on their contracts...

Gonna be lotsa splainin to do, if the team runs into an early-season slump.

This team, in its' current form, does nothing to assuage the chronic feeling of dread that comes from watching their powerplay, or casual even-strength play in the neutral zone.

I disagree. Two games in a row the referee has made terrible calls against Montador for hooking. I practically vomited on the TV after last night's bullshit call. Montador should never, ever be mentioned in the same sentence as Kotalik.

_________________
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.

Granted, if it wasn't for "Barbie" in the net last night, we would have blown them out of the water. He kept the game close. However, a lot of the saves he was making, he seen the shot every time and took it square in the chest.

The handful of guys who are playing sloppy really need to pick it up before their shit play spreads like a cancer to the guys who are working their asses off. As ice said, if we go into an early slump, Lindy's system will (or should...) come under the microscope. If he loses the room, who comes in to try to clean up the mess? I think we can all agree that Timmy C. (and others) need to shoot the god damn puck more instead of trying to stick handle all over the ice. Also, a lot of sloppy passes lead to quite a few turnovers that could have been dangerous.

2 Games into the season, I'd say our tough play has been consistent a long the boards and the work ethic and potential is definitely there. We just need it to continue. And Kaleta, good god what an asset!! He was responsible for seemingly every power play last night!

_________________
If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

I see your counter-point, and offer my counter x2-point...from where I was sitting (in 300, so looking directly at his back when he committed it), my entire section audibly cringed when he hooked the 'Yote, even before the ref put his hand up. It was a very obvious hook, IMO. I'm happy with Monty, but he's gotta cut it out with the hooks.

_________________
mechaphil

Oh yeah, and at the risk of sounding like a troll or Euro-hater, Vanek looked like absolute tripe last night. Mac was responsible for that goal with his unselfish decision on that play, IMO.

Vanek was slow, looked incredibly disinterested, and made poor decisions. Ice, when you talk about acting like it's still '06/'07, Vanek IMMEDIATELY came to mind.

_________________
mechaphil