...and 2/3 of the 2nd. Kind of a surprise to me, as I pegged Connolly on the 1st line. http://www.wgr550.com/Ruff-Names-First-Line/5292396

1. Vanek-Roy-Stafford
2. MacArthur-Connolly-Blank

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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.

Blank? Uhh, did you forget about Jason Pominville, Lindy?

My first lines would have looked like:
Vanek/Connolly/Pominville
MacArthur/Roy/Stafford

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mechaphil

if i had to guess it would be pominville. unless gerbe or kennedy can prove they belong in that position. wouldn't mind it being mike grier or mccormick either. protect connolly. though i'd guess ruff is going to keep hecht, gaustad, and grier together as they where quite the beast line.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

Wrong, Goose and Grier were beastly unto themselves. If Hecht were half the player he's being paid to be, that line would have wrought blood and thunder all over the ice last night.

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mechaphil

i can agree with that. put a guy like kaleta instead of hecht, the line feasts.

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"Tis The Season, Fa la la la la LaFontaine" - Rick Jeanneret

Here's how I predict it going down...

Vanek - Roy - Stafford
MacArthur - Connolly - Pominville
Hecht - Gaustad - Grier
Ellis - Kennedy - Kaleta

Here's how I'd do it...

Vanek-Connolly-Pominville
Kennedy-Roy-Stafford
MacArthur-Gaustad-Grier
Paille-McCormick-Kaleta

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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.

I like your lines, ETC

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mechaphil

Seems a little early to name the lines, and after all what does it really mean when Ruff shuffles them every other period. Anyway, I don't like the idea of Vanek and Roy together again. Part of Roy's over-fancy problem began because he was trying to a fault to feed Vanek the puck. After Connolly came back 100% and before Vanek got hurt those two were tearing it up on a line together. I'd rather see...

Vanek-Connolly-Pominville
MacArthur-Roy-Stafford
Hecht-Gaustad-Grier
Paille-Ellis-Kaleta

If Mac starts to stink it up Hecht will probably end up as the 2nd line LW. Hecht and Pominville were broken up last season because Hecht stunk and Pominville needs a playmaker or scorer to produce pts. So in case Hecht ends up back on the 2nd line I want Pominville on the 1st line where he has both a plamaker and scorer to pair with. Regardless of the 2nd line LW, Roy and Stafford should produce together. If Mac is taken off the 2nd line, he can either go to 4th or the bench for Mair while Hecht and Paille move up, or let Gerbe/Kennedy fill in.

I don't think they will have Paille in the press box this year.

Contract year, do or die year for his career. He's going to show something.

As nice as these lines look, we must remember who our coach is.

Coach Juggles

He can't even keep the lines together in practice for crying out loud. Though, last night they seemed to roll pretty consistently.

Maybe he went to coaches training camp? lol

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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

More like lines for the first period of our first game.....

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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.

Fuck... Looks like all the talk from Darcy and Lindy in the off season and in camp about bringing up youth at forward was just bullshit. I'm especially pissed about Kennedy not cracking the lineup...he was outstanding all preseason and earned a spot on the roster. Just keep stiffs like Hecht because they have the most guaranteed money and shut up.

http://www.buffalonews.com/494/story/806756.html

The Sabres have their starting forwards penciled in, at least on the top three lines. Coach Lindy Ruff said between practices Thursday that he anticipates Tim Connolly centering left wing Clarke MacArthur and right wing Jason Pominville. Derek Roy figures to be flanked by Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford. Paul Gaustad has looked good with wingers Jochen Hecht and Mike Grier.

"I initially would like to start the season that way," Ruff said.

That scenario would likely leave out prospects Tim Kennedy and Nathan Gerbe, whose skills are more suited to scoring lines than fourth-line checking roles.

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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.

It's neither Ruff's call nor Regier's call on Hecht.

That is on Golisano and Quinn. They won't pay him $3 million to play in Portland.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity

...well then, they can choose to pay him 3mil to sit and watch. Or, they can pay him 3mil to make mistakes that lose games for them, and lessen the team's chances for a post-season "Bonanza".

It's their stupid, narrow choice.

....Or, they can take another long, deep bong-hit and believe all the hype and BS about his having an "off-year", and convince themselves that he'll actually get better.

Seeing the way he entered camp, the odds on his improving are pretty long, right now. He's off to a very sketchy start.

Galisano makes no calls on who plays where. He wouldn't know a Hecht from a fart. If Quinn wants fucking worthless cocksucker Hecht to stay in the lineup, put the motherfucker on the 4th line and let Kennedy take his spot on the 3rd. Fuckers.

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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.

I'm not at all convinced that Gerbe or Kennedy are an upgrade over MacArthur. Hecht, we all know, is better suited as 3rd line LW...he could actually do just fine there without messing up scoring chances for the top talent. Gaustad and Grier will do the bull work on that line and he just has to chip in with SOG and be defensive.

So if Hecht is fine at 3rd LW, it's up to Mac to prove he's a scoring line LW now. He got a pay upgrade so he needs to prove he's worth it now. If he can, with every opportunity playing next to Connolly, then Gerbe and Kennedy just don't fit in right now. I would rather have those two playing in Portland and staying sharp than collecting dust as a healthy scratch. Injuries will happen soon enough, and they can get their chances then. In the meantime the 3rd and 4th lines are stacked with grit and toughness. Throw in McCormick, Mair, or Paetsch (if Myers and Butler are going to stay) as the two extra forwards and there is no room to keep the young guns.

It's a good problem to have, and as the trading deadline nears just maybe that problem can be eliminated.

You might want to read this message board a little more carefully before speaking for any of us about Hecht being worth a fucking shit. Hint: You are alone.

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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.

I never understood why general managers are so scared of sending vets down to the AHL because they have hefty contracts.

If we have a better option who is younger, what's the big deal? They're both on the payroll anyways... and you should do what's necessary to put the best team possible on the ice.

I love the way Kennedy is playing, and he should be kept up. Fuck Hecht.

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Wheelhouse

I love you, man.

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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.

I've heard a lot of talk that the Hecht-Gaustad-Grier line was the best Sabres line last game.

I also have someone that I trust that has been to a boatload of training camp practices say that Hecht was in shape and looked OK.

I'm OK with having Hecht as the 3rd line LW to start the season.

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Sabres Hockey: Commitment to Mediocrity