You dare me? Is this grade 3 again?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPJkEHDG9EA

Looks pretty passionate here

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When I was a boy I spoke as a boy, I understood as a boy, and I thought as a boy; when I became a man I took that boy outside and shot him.

That wasn't the past two years either.

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Must be third grade... you didn't read my post correctly.

I said the past 2 years. Find a clip where he's giving an effort like that during the past 2 years.

You won't. It doesn't exist.

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Wheelhouse

I blame Regier for not trading for Kovy to get Max to warm up.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

Well he scored again.

8 goals and 11 assists for 19 points in 18 games.

Fucking eh Max. you had 20 points in 48 games last season you fuck.

And he is a +3 right now. He hasn't been anywhere near this level in 2 years. When he was facing 3rd line pairings every night.

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At some point, the line between riding a superstar's coattails and rediscovering the potential inside is going to fade. Fuck.

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mechaphil

Another goal and assist for Max tonight....

I think you need to look at the stats for Buffalo and Atlanta. Max is a plus 3 which is way higher then Buffalo's top scorers. mac is a -6, Connolly -3, Roy -4, Pom and Staff -1, Vanek plus 1 and even the mighty Myers is only plus 3, same as Max. He even gave the super Rookie a minus by schooling him for a goal. Some people hate stats when they go against them and then love them when they are for them. I don't remember seeing Kotalik playing on a line with Gaborik, Before Drury was hurt he played with him. The top 6 for Atlanta are +3 - +9.

Let's take into account who Max's linemate is...

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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

Whoa. Squirrel? Who let you on here? A Bruins fan? We can continue our Bruins-Sabres rivalry from the Bills MB here

Wayne Gretzky had many wingers over his career and not all of them became 50 goal scorers. I'm sure it helps that max is playing with Kovalchuk but he didn't start out the season on the top line, he worked his way up until the coach had faith in him. I think Max is having fun playing for a coach who wants him on the team. Think about your life, if you had a boss that acted the way Lindy acts towards Vanek or Max would you be happy? Every time you made a mistake he would go up to you in front of everyone and scream at the top of his lungs. But, when others that work with you(like Roy) gives the puck away, nothing happens, no benching or screaming, ever. Ripping the confidence out of a player and giving Goose more pp time(check stats please, it's true) then Vanek is a way of Lindy holding Vanek back. Lindy always has his favorites. Vanek is one guy he is really messing with. Look at the last game, Vanek was on the second pp unit and Goose had 1 minute more pp time. A guy who led the entire league in pp goals and is the best player at tipping pucks on the pp get bumped in favor of a guy who has 12 pp goals in almost 300 games. Vanek wasn't even on the ice when buffalo was down a goal. Goose and his 4th line friends were out there for some reason(check the shift chart for last game). Goose with 1 minute shift then another 47 second shift while Vanek had a 14 second shift. Vanek's icetime before last game was under 15 minute for each of the last 5 games and one game was 12. Do other teams usually sit 40 goal 50 million dollar players on the bench? Lindy is fucking with the kids head.

Vanek hasn't earned his ice time, and neither did Afinogenov when he was here.

It doesn't work the other way around, as you suggest.

If he was playing well, then why would he lose ice time? Just so Lindy can fuck with him?

This theory you suggest is super unintelligent, unoriginal, and frankly, uninteresting.

Don't blame Lindy for a player not doing his fucking job.

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Wheelhouse

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

you know. plenty of productive players failed to produce at the end of the tenure with their team, and move on, and are rejuvinated. max just had a bad two last seasons in buffalo. kovalchuk aside, max is playing good hockey. its not all kovie.

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Lindy does a damn fine job in getting the most out of our European players.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

Torts isn't doing much better with our old friend Kotalik - I see he is leading the Rangers with a -9, next closest is -5 on his team. He must be near the top in the league in that prestigious stat. I bet he would look better if he was on a line with Kovy also, but I do think Max was a bit misused and obviously the change in scenery has helped him - still plays pond hockey though!!

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"I don't feel like Satan, but I am to them"
Neil Young

Max had an assist on the game winning goal(2-0 win over Detroit)

21 points in 21 games. Plus 6. Anyone who ever played sports at any level will tell you that playing with confidence is very important.

squirrel get you ass in here more often, Pal.

I never bashed Max; so I am not surprised with his turn around. I say turn around because I can't spell renaissance!!

Scrotalik I have, and will always despise.....

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

Does anyone think that maybe Max is trying harder this year because of the kick in the pants he got by almost not signing a contract?
and the fact that the one he got was 2 million cheaper than before...

Yeah it sucks he didn't turn it up his last 2 years in Buffalo, but he has an excuse to be doing this good now. He had a good wake up call.

The point is Max had some offensive hockey left in him. The problem is someone didn't know how to get that out of him - whether it was through strategy or motivation. Either way "someone" failed.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.