Brilliant

by Ryan

You probably heard about this sometime last week, but Roberto Luongo was named the Canucks captain. This creates a problem because a goaltender cannot wear the customary "C" on his jersey. Vancouver decided it would have three assistant captains, and try to figure something out for Roberto.

They did.



You may want to click that photo, because it's actually pretty cool. It's nice to see a team bend the rules a bit of they really want Luongo to be their leader. He anchors the team every year, and why not have someone on the ice at all times named captain?

Sure, he won't be able to argue penalties and sit patiently outside the half circle; but many fans don't realize how much a goalie does on the ice. The majority of the muffled yelling you hear in the defensive end is from a goaltender's mask, so why not give him the letter to back it up?

Creative? Yes. Symbolic? Most defiantly. It may not mean much to some, but it's a much better solution than breaking out the seam ripper every thirty days.

The Five Biggest Mistakes of the Season

by Ryan

Because everyone loves post-season lists...

5) Jocelyn Thibault
He seems like a delightful person, but we saw a lot of this from TBO this year:



I'm not going to give you the hindsight-aided "should have kept Ty Conklin" argument because that's dumb, but you have to think Darcy could have done better in the UFA goaltender category. Let's hope he improves this summer.

4) Trading Brian Campbell
Actually, it's what didn't happen following shipping Soup to San Jose. Something I wrote about the deadline on 3/3:

I think this year’s deadline will once again show Darcy’s inability to make a distinct decision. Weakening the team with Campbell’s deal but not completely retooling is not advantageous in the long run. We would have been better off if Darcy decided to make another move, one that shows either this season is a lost cause or that we are going to make a playoff push. Doing neither is not doing both.

I think the results of the season don't change my thoughts much.

3) Andrew Peters
Do I really need to talk this one out? Peters was an embarrassment this year, especially when you consider who he kept out of the lineup.



Pat Kaleta is the future of "goon hockey", let's throw Peters under the bus and get it over with.

2) Not Eating at Caliente Corner
I went to over a dozen games this year and not once did I stop by the Mexican eatery on the 100 level. I've been eying that place all year and somehow didn't make a stop there when I was hungry. It just doesn't make sense. I love overpriced nachos, why not pay a few more bucks to get overpriced nachos with even more stuff on them? Totally dropped the ball here.

1) Captain by Committee
Say what you want about the alleged emergence of Jason Pominville(!?!) as captain, but this novel experiment, like Prohibition, failed miserably. No consistent leadership led to, get this, inconsistency in play. One captain, Mr. December, was traded to San Jose in the middle of the playoff push. Even Pominville, the player who supposedly took the biggest step with this system, was at the helm for the worst two losses of the year (Montreal and Ottawa in the same week!), completely killing their playoff push. My how the expectations of leadership has fallen.

If you have any other ideas I'm open to suggestions. I know I have to live my mistake down all summer...

I'm Sorry, Jason Pominville

by Ryan

When we last left Jason Pominville he looked a little something like this:



Now while the resemblance may be uncanny, he probably wouldn't ask if we wanted extreme fajitas at 10am on a Monday.

Looking back, I've been quite skeptical about the whole idea of "Captain by Committee", but especially with the reign of terror Jason Pominville has instituted this month. Here are some thoughts:

- Is that how we are assigning letters now? “He’s a great guy, everyone likes him, and he’s pretty consistent.” Apparently the Sabres captain needs to have the same qualities you look for in a mechanic. When’s the last time you thought an oil change showed leadership ability? Red Wing Ramblings, 3/3/08

Hey, and in that same post:

- What the heck was with the gong show on Pomminville’s goal? For once Jason’s nancyboy ways paid off.

Okay, that was a bit harsh. The truth of the matter is that looking back on the first 17 days of this month I've been pretty impressed with how Jason has handled the C. He has become accountable with the media, always one of the first players to talk to reporters and even posting his thoughts regularly on his Sabres.com blog.

People always look to on ice play to gauge how well things are going, but I've been much more impressed with the way he has handled all this outside of the rink. He has played quite well recently and the team is suddenly on the upswing, but I still think a lot of that upswing has to do with the coaching suddenly kicking in.

His entire demeanor has changed, and he's a different form of captain then most people are used to around here. He's not going to be the voice of experience, but leadership in his case may only have to be acting properly when faced with problems. He may not be the fiercest of players, but he has displayed a surprising amount of responsibility, both good and bad, for this team's actions. It may not be what we are expecting, but it is certainly a form of leadership.

The point of all this is that I should lay off of Jason, and I mean it enough to apologize for most some of the jobbing I've done. He's done a good job so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the team reacts to him down the stretch.



I still mean that, though.

Captain by Committee: Act III, Scene II: Chotchkies

by Ryan


---



Lindy: Paul, can I talk to you for a moment?

Paul: Yeah coach?

Lindy: You asked about the captaincy?

Paul: Yeah coach. I've been working really hard all season trying to get us in the playoffs. I know I haven't been on the scoresheet a lot but I've been working on my faceoffs, trying to be better in front and really sticking up for the guys when there's trouble. I know I'm young, but I thought maybe I could get a shot at a letter one of these months...

Lindy: Okay, but we need to talk about your flair.



Lindy: You see, you have on 15 pieces of flair. Look, we want you to express yourself, ok? If you think the bare minimum is enough, then ok. But some people choose to wear more and we encourage that, ok? You do want to express yourself, don't you?



Paul: Yeah, yeah coach.

Lindy: Okay, so maybe next time you're out there try being a bit less... aggressive. It's about being consistent, well liked, and mostly being adorable. And wearing cute buttons. Oh, and take off the one that says "Mike Grier was right."

Paul: Okay.

Lindy: Now, it's up to you whether or not you want to just do the bare minimum. Well, like Jason, for example, has 37 pieces of flair. And a terrific smile.



Lindy: You do want to express yourself, don't you?

Paul: Yeah. Yeah. Here, coach.



Lindy: Great. Great. That's all I ask.

Flavor of the Month: February

by Ryan


Baskin-Robbins recommends Jamochen Hecht for the month of October February.

I guess Lindy ran out of options? It's nice to see Adam Mair get the "A", though. He's been a consistent force for them and deserves the recognition.

500th Post

by Ryan

What perfect timing for the site, eh? Our 500th post right on the dot of another very important date.



Happy Birthday, Goose.

Maybe Lindy wants go give him a little birthday gift? I hear his favorite letter is "C"...

Flavor of the Month: January

The Flavor of the Month is Very Berry Jaroberry. Eyeblack optional.

Hey Liiiiindy...

by Ryan

Hear me out, okay?

You have to give Paul Gaustad the C for the good of the league. Because, if you name him captain for the month of January then I'm going to have to buy this:



Yeah, $200 worth of merchandise from NHL.com. That's more than Florida Panthers ticket sales for the entire year.

This is for the good of the league, Lindy. I mean, you wouldn't listen to me when I was all rational and logically thinking, but you're a realist. You play a fun and gun style because it's exciting and better for the league. You understand the New NHL. Well, that new NHL needs some cash money right now, and you can help them out.

Lindy, I will buy this. I swear to you on the name of the blog, if you give Goose the C it will happen.

Make it happen.

Flavor of the Month: Veinbow Sweatbet (with a touch of Ginger)

By Chris

Captain December has been named, and now we REALLY know Lindy Ruff doesn't check in on message boards or the blogosphere.

Brian Campbell is our captain, oh captain. This should drive up his asking price if he and the Sabres go back to the negotiating table. Unless he crashes and burns under the pressure. No pressure, Brian. Don't sweat it. Seriously.



Hecht and Spacek were named alternates. Hecht has worn a letter all season (the C in October and an A in November). I think we all know who the real leader of this team is. Stop passing it around and leave it with Flavor of the Year, Jamochen Hecht.

We've seen this team be both very very good and very very bad. December, I believe, is the time when we'll see the true colors of this team. They've played through adversity and they've played through a stretch of really good hockey. Everyone is getting healthy so we should see the true 07-08 Sabres soon. We hope...

Stormy, Soupy, and Sparky- Saturday Storybook

by Ryan


The Hurricanes have six players with a higher point total then our leading scorer.

June 1st, 2006.

Their fans are... for the most part awful excuses for human beings.

But what I hate the most about the Caroline Hurricanes is their mascot, Stormy the Pig.



Look at that. I wasn't aware a stuffed animal could be classified as a "douchebag" until that thing came to fruition.

I have a serious problem with mascots that make no sense. Stormy fits into this category. I'm not saying we have the best of mascots in Buffalo (Why is Billy Buffalo purple?!?), but at the very least the species of mascot somehow fits the team moniker.

Sabretooth- Sabres. Billy Buffalo- Bills.

Stormy the Pig- Hurricanes?

I get the first name, that's quite witty; but what does a hurricane have to do with pigs? Is there a large number swine farms displaced by tropical storms that I'm not aware of?

I think this pretty much sums things up. It may be petty, but when you hate a team, you hate every aspect of that team, including the moron that's made of 20% foam padding.

----

According to the Sabres "blog", Brian Campbell is the captain for December. I know that makes a certain Jon quite happy, but I of course am crushed. However, this still leaves the door open for a Winter Classic Gaustad jersey. Maybe this is for the best...

----

Also from the website...

Adam Mair will be playing tonight, something I am very excited about. I really like Mair's game, and he isn't the most productive offensive player we have, but the lineup has a more balanced look when he's in it. Adam had a very philosophical take on his return:

"This is pretty much when I've been ready to play," said Mair. "I don't think I could have played before this.

Uh... thanks Adam.

This means Sparky MacArthur is getting shipped down the 90. It was fun while it lasted, but I'd much rather have a healthy lineup, even if it means seeing him go. To be honest, he wasn't playing as well in recent games, and a more experienced lineup will help take care of those youthful mistakes Lindy was talking about.

Hurricanes at Sabres. 7 PM.

Be careful with Erik Cole, boys. He's Fra-gi-le.

Chain of Command

by Ryan



Give Goose the C. It's what Chris Drury would have wanted.

Do it.

The Blues and the C

by Ryan

Back in the Roost tonight.


Love the view.

Should be Jay McKee's first game back in Buffalo, unless he stubs his toe in a doorjam somewhere. Or trips over a stray moose. Or steps on a crack in the pavement. (Just kidding, love ya Jay!)

On a more serious note, the Sabres look to keep the winning streak alive and finish out the month of November on a positive note. After the disaster that was the first half of "Rivalry Month", I think I'll take the current state of things.

The last game of the month means a new captain should be in place for the Canes game on Saturday. Unless you are very, very new to the site you know my choice for December. In fact, while researching for the Caps game I found something that disproves one of my "negatives" towards Goose.

Paul Gaustad averages 16.31 minutes a game. This is a big increase from last year, almost as much TOI as "skill players" such as Vanek and Afinogenov. (although understandably so for the latter) Compare that to Washington's captain Chris Clark, who averages 17.77 minutes per game.

All of that sounds like a wash, doesn't it? Well, add on top of that the fact that one of Washington's "A"s, Donald Brashear, only averages 9 minutes per game. With regards to TOI, that's like handing Mike Ryan (9) or Adam Mair (7.56) the A. (Although that may one of Washington's problems...)

The point of all this is the following: there really is nothing keeping Goose from getting the C, at the very least an A. At this point, with the leadership he's shown on ice and the other "options" out there, the C opposite Goose's 28 at some point is a lay up.

Quick reminder of recent history: the last time we finagled with the rotating captaincy it wasn't until December in which we finally settled on permanent co-captains. Whether history will repeat itself here or not, I say you have to give the kid his shot.

Maybe "C" is for cookie after all

By Chris

I used to laugh at how the New York Islanders chose their newest captain.

Owner Artie Wang and general manager Garth Snow didn't have a captain to begin with, judging from Alexei Yashin's last postseason performance. He clashed with coach Ted Nolan and management decided to pay him over $17 million to play anywhere BUT Long Island. So they lost Yashin in addition to trade deadline mercenary Ryan Smyth to Colorado and Jason Blake to the Leafs. To save face, they were looking for ANYONE to sign.

They eventually landed the gritty Bill Guerin and his two-year $9 million deal must have included a "I'm not playing for you if Miroslav Satan is my captain" clause because Artie and Garth had the captain's "C" stitched on that #13 jersey before Guerin even had it on.

Maybe they overpaid for the 36-year old, maybe not. Maybe giving him the captaincy before he even laced up for the orange and blue seemed forced, maybe not. But at least give the Islanders management credit for making a decision and having a guy undoubtedly assume that leadership role, which is more than our hometown Buffalo Sabres can say.

Suddenly just handing out the "C" doesn't seem so funny. At least they know who their leader is.

Rotating the captaincy is a stupid idea. Lindy Ruff may be the best coach in the league, maybe not, but the captaincy isn't something that a player should earn with a month's worth of good work. The players voted for Jochen Hecht to represent them as their captain and that should be enough. The players see Hecht as the first choice as a leader, not just the guy they want to follow for a month.

Players should compete for roster spots and playing time, not who can be the better leader. It takes a certain breed of competitor to be able to lead a team. It can't just be, as we joke here in the Roost, a flavor of the month.

Sure the last time the "C" rotated in Buffalo we learned that Satan was an awful captain and that Drury and Briere were the true leaders on the team. But the players didn't have a say in that in 2003-04. This time they do, and if I were Lindy, I'd respect the decision of my players and let Hecht run with the captaincy.

And if I were Darcy Regier, I'd be making sure right now that Hecht is wearing that "C" for a few seasons to come.

Captain(s?) by day...or tomorrow

From the Sabres website:

10.1.07, 4:51 p.m. :::: CAPTAIN UPDATE

Still no captain on board. But fear not, there is an end in sight.

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff today indicated that the captain blueprint for this season would be released either Tuesday or Wednesday.

Following a morning meeting among the coaching staff, it was decided that the players will probably have a say in the matter. Basically, the team will hold a voting session with secret ballots.

How much that vote will count towards the overall decision, we don't know. But they will be involved.

"We know we've got good leadership around here," said Ruff. "We've had good leadership the past couple of years and I've really felt that leadership was everywhere. Danny [Briere] and [Chris Drury] represented strong leadership in that room and they had tremendous support from all the guys in the room.

"When a captain is named, he needs that type of support.

"There are different types of captains. If you wanted to compare Danny [Briere] and Dru ... Dru was a more on-the-ice example. Not a real rah-rah guy, but a very businesslike off-ice [personality] where his on-ice spoke for itself.

"Danny was more vocal and an offensive type of leader for us.

"So there are a lot of types, but we need leadership from a lot of different areas."

Ruff wouldn't say whether or not the "C" would rotate and he won't until the captain/s are named.

The good news: We should know which players will be wearing letters either today or tomorrow.

The bad news: The rotating "C" is actually being considered.

Crown 'Em: Captain by Committee

by Ryan


Unless you fell into a ravine sometime in June, you are aware that the Sabres are currently captainless. If you actually did just get out of a ravine, we're glad you're safe, but the Sabres are captainless.

So, we've decided to go through Lindy's options for captaincy. We will continue to make a case for players until Lindy makes it official, the logic being that if we write about everyone, we can't be wrong.

So with Denny Green in mind, let's "Crown 'Em!" Today's choice: Captain by Committee.


Reasons to Crown, uh... Everyone

- Everyone has a number on the right, why not put a letter on the left?

- It lets all those goofballs that order jerseys with their own names on the back to actually be captain for a day.

- Because Little League really was the best time of our lives.

- Who really needs a committed leader? That's what we have Sabretooth for.

- If we rotate captaincy, other team's goons won't know what players to headhunt.

- Obviously if you have no leadership to speak of, you can't give just one guy the letter.


Reasons Not to Crown Everyone

- It sends a horrible, horrible message. Not having a distinct captain for the year shows a lack of commitment by the players, coaches, and ownership. No one on your roster is good enough to signify as a leader, so why not give everyone a shot?

- No, really, this is a bad idea. A poll on sabres.com asked about captain by committee, and over 60% said it was a bad idea. I'm curious as to who that 40% was, and how they were able to decide which answer to give in the first place. Being that undecided on things, I'm sure it took them a good hour of two of thinking before clicking the vote button.

- October 2003. Why? Because Miroslav Satan was our captain that month. That's why.