Another couple of things to get you through the late hours. I'm still working on a midseason report, so look for that tomorrow along with a Blackhawks preview and a little game we are making up on our own.
- I've decided that I need to watch more hockey, so I started last night with the Detroit/Dallas game on Versus. We play the Stars this week, and I figured watching the Wings dismantle a bad team would make me feel better about the Sabres' play on Saturday. Thing is, the Stars played a heck of a game, eventually knocking off the Red Wings in overtime.
It was actually pretty frustrating because they played the perfect style of hockey to beat Detroit. They forechecked like crazy and relied on a few chances taken by the defenseman to cash in. Both goalies played great, but it took a starter bringing his "A" game and a full team effort to take down the Stanley Cup Champions. If a team like Dallas can do it with all their injuries and problems, why can't the Sabres?
The good news is that we're one of the first hits when you Google search "Valedictorian of Awesome", so I guess everything's not lost.
- A few days ago Side of Pork mentioned that the Sabres' schedule doesn't list local TV channels for the West Coast road trip coming up. If the January 27,28,31 and February 2 game isn't on local TV I would be really surprised, but just in case my friend Dave found us a good place to find them. I'm not saying, I'm just saying.
- ESPN is already starting with the "Braketology"? Really? That's like saying Tim Tebow is one of the greatest football players of all time. Oh, I see what you mean.
- Miller had an interesting quote from the Sabres' site.
“It’s kind of like a golf swing. That’s how I try to explain things to people. You go to the range and you’re thinking about six different things: Where is the weight on this foot, back hinge, the elbow, all this stuff. Goaltending is a lot like that. My stance, my hand positioning, where I am in the crease, how much I challenge, my glove side not being too low or too high, trying to get dialed in. The last few games I’ve felt good… I’m starting to feel more like where I think I need to be.”
I've never heard goaltending described like that, but it does make a lot of sense. There are so many things that can go wrong for a goalie, and what may look to us as bad positioning may just be a glove an inch too high. It's good to hear that Miller is confident in what he's doing now to talk about it, because we need him to round into shape for the playoff run. Mike Harrington says Lalime gets the start tomorrow, but this road trip will be a busy one for #30.
- I'm debating how to handle the playoff push this year. I'm guessing we take each day and recap what the teams close to us did the night before, as well as keep the standings on the sidebar somehow. Does anyone have any requests or suggestions on how to handle it differently?
By Chris Ryan Miller got it done last night. That's why the Sabres were able to get two points against the Rangers. The only shot he let it was one he couldn't see. Forty-three saves on 44 shots plus three in the shootout should get the job done no matter who you're playing. Last night, it resulted in a 2-1 win and the Sabres continue to roll through the calendar year.
Watching Chris Drury come down on the shootout...you had a feeling he was going to do something. We all know what Drury is capable of. But Miller rose to the occasion and slammed the door shut. And just like that the Sabres had two points in their pocket that, as a team, they didn't deserve.
-A majority of the saves Miller had to make were outside shots that didn't have much of a chance of going in. Credit there goes to the Sabres best three defensemen last night: Lydman, Rivet and Spacek. It was tight-checking neutral zone game until things started to open up in the third period and those three helped get the job done. At times, Rivet and Lydman look like a sold No. 1 pairing but so far this year, Ruff hasn't been reluctant to mix up the pairings as the game progresses.
-I don't know what Tallinder and Numminen were doing on that Rangers goal, but they looked completely lost. Colton Orr could have had a picnic lunch in front of the net and no one would have moved him out of the way.
-The lack of a transition game really hurt the team last night. The first pass out of the defensive zone was often deflected or intercepted and that's one of the main reasons the Sabres struggled for most of the game. More on this later today.
-Connolly returned last night. He looked a little rusty as to be expected, but he was able to create a few opportunities that made you sit back and remember why the Sabres refuse to give up on him. Buffalo is a better team with him on the ice without question but, as Ryan talked about yesterday, he's not out there nearly enough.
I hope I wasn't the only one drooling a little bit when Ruff put Connolly with Vanek in the overtime period. Hopefully that's something we see more of in the future.
-If Matt Ellis continues to play with as much passion as he showed last night, then he should be in the line up every game. He has a tremendous work ethic that rubs off on the other players.
Just before the Derek Roy goal, Ellis was streaking down the right wing with the puck. He gets the puck in deep and the next thing you know, the Vanek line has possession and puts the puck in. Ellis has become a bit of a spark plug and hopefully that continues.
-The pass Vanek made to Stafford on the Roy goal was a thing of beauty. Cross-ice, through Drury's legs, right on the tape. A little lucky? Maybe, but it takes a lot of skill and confidence to even attempt a pass like that.
-It's inexcusable that the scoreboard read 10:02 into the second period when the Sabres finally got their first shot on goal in the second period. The Rangers dominated the first 15 minutes of the period, but it's embarrassing that it took Buffalo that long to get ANYTHING going. The Rangers didn't look like a team with a second gear either, but if the Sabres want to keep this streak alive and beat quality teams, they can't be coasting through half the game.
-No Rangers penalties? Really?
-I was shocked Kotalik didn't go backhand on the Rangers backup goalie.
Actually, too, if Lundqvist had been in net, I bet we would have seen a much more wide-open game. The Rangers defense hung back for most of the game to cover, instead of pinching up into the play had Steve Valiquette not been between the pipes.
-The Rozsival incident was a bit scary. They never showed it on the Jumbotron so I still haven't seen a clear shot of what happened, but seeing something like that always puts a damper on whatever is going on at ice level.
-The crowd was pretty subdued last night. Granted they didn't have a lot to cheer about until the end of the game, but even from the get go, all 18,300-some in attendance seemed as out of it as the Sabres did. So much for those rowdy Friday night crowds.
Did Ryan Miller really make 40 saves last night? Really? And on 40 shots? Not like, 43 or 45?
If you saw the first period you would have thought for sure Miller was letting in at least a couple. His positioning looked a bit off, and he seemed to have a tendency to completely overpursue the shooter a few times. He made 13 saves in the first, but it looked like eventually he would slip up a bit and at least give up the usual cheapie. The Sabres were lucky to get out of the period with the lead based on the play in front of him, too.
The thing about Miller is that he just doesn't seem to "steal" games like some elite goalies do. This is difficult to adjust to when you've seen Dominik Hasek in net for your hockey team. Hasek was the kind of goalie who could absolutely rob the opposition of two points on any given night, and it's hard to remember how special he was when comparing players. No matter how much we wish it, Ryan Miller will never play like Dominik Hasek. He just can't, and our subliminal expectations of that are just as unfair as our subconscious hope that every Bills quarterback is the next Jim Kelly.
When I look back on last nights game I don't think Miller "stole" it, but that's mostly because the Sabres scored five times. However, stopping 40 shots against a team with talent such as Frolov, Kopitar, Brown, and O'Sullivan is no easy task, and although it didn't look like it at times Miller did play quite well. He settled down, played the shooter well, and controlled his rebounds; something which certainly needed improvement from Wednesday night.
The thing about Ryan is that sometimes he just seems to lose focus and give up that ridiculously soft goal you never think he would let in. He's been characterized as a little league outfielder chasing butterflies or staring up into the sky, and I think that's a perfect way to put it. Sometimes he will put together an excellent 58 minutes of hockey, but that two minutes where he was thinking about fedoras he lets in two. We all know the defense hasn't been there for him this year, but there are very high expectations there for Ryan Miller after his performance in the playoffs and the big contract. Lindy Ruff says it about any number of players, but he's been right about this: Ryan Miller needs to be better.
Last night Miller was much, much better. James Patrick is right, closing out games with a four goal lead should be pretty easy, but that's what Miller had to do. It is important that he didn't give up that goal, though. We need to know that Ryan can come up with games like this down the stretch. We know what we have with the defense and hopefully it can improve, but Ryan Miller needs to be there when this team decides to chase butterflies itself.
That said, it would appear the Sabres also need to play more teams that have zero goaltending. The Roy goal is on the defenseman (next time gently slide it into his pads, don't try to clear the zone from the goal line...), but LaBarbera needs to stop the puck clean on Butler's initial shot (Mair's goal) and not be out to lunch on the MacArthur goal. Give credit to the Sabres for actually crashing the net for once, but the Kings' lack of goaltending gave this game away before their forwards had the chance to take it.
Other than Miller's play there wasn't a whole lot to like from the Sabres, really. All five goals were the result of forwards going to the net, which is good to see, but the defense was shaky again and Dustin Brown made them look bad every other shift. Butler played very well for a guy who admitted he was terrified, and Ellis played his part well, too. The only thing you can ask from your callups is that they minimize mistakes and skate hard, and both did that last night.
The Sabres need to win games like these, plain and simple. We've already seen a few Friday night home games against mediocre teams slip away. They did their job last night and took the help LaBarbera offered. That's all you can ask.
A few other things before we start talking about the Habs:
- Give credit to the crowd for coming out even though most people had a foot of snow in their driveways. Even when there are travel bans in the area Buffalo puts more people in the seats than all of the South on a good night. Heck, take a look at this:
Okay, so it's Jersey. Imagine twelve more people in the crowd and you have a usual home game. The point is those twelve people show up in Buffalo, while in other places they decide they'd rather sit at home and cry about all the shopping they didn't get to do.
- I like this photo because it looks like Derek Roy is giving John Zeiler a seizure.
Roy did have a good game, and was the best forward on the ice for the Sabres. It's good to see him start to heat up, although I have no idea who his linemates are anymore. The past two games I think Lindy is just throwing people on the ice just to see what happens. I mean it sort of worked last night, but I don't think that's really the best policy.
- I think the Gauthier sucker punch is really interesting, and I've watched it at least 20 times today. I'm going to turn that into the gameday post for Montreal, so check back later for that.
I don't have a ton of time now, so I'm going to hash out a quick skeleton of the major points from tonight's game against Tampa. I'll come back to it throughout the day on Thursday for everyone.
This was a huge win for the team. Looking at the simple box score, the Sabres scored four unanswered goals to come back and win on home ice. This was all done behind the tremendous efforts of, once again--who else?--Thomas Vanek.
Vanek has been unreal this season and tonight was no excpetion. It seems every time the Lightning pop up on the schedule Vanek has a big night.
The Sabres went down early but came back towards the end of the first thanks to some energy from Paul Gaustad and Adam Mair.
Goose won his fight in a landslide and caused a four minute powerplay for Buffalo. Next thing you know, the puck goes off of Stafford's stick, past Mike Smith and it's suddenly a one-goal game.
Other thoughts:
-Lydman had a very solid game, a microcosm of the great season he's been having. He's quietly been very good.
-Sekera struggled tonight in my opinion. He had a few good battles with Lecavalier in front of the net but for the most part he looked a little jumpy, indecisive and..well...just not good. Hopefully he'll be able to shake it off, otherwise I don't think Lindy would hesitate throwing Paetsch in for a game or two.
-The Sabres were physical tonight. Not just the Goose and Mair fights, but the entire team had a little extra fight in them tonight. Even Gerbe towards the end of the game went out of his way to finish a check in his own zone. It's the little things the team has done the last three games that have made the difference. They're crashing the net and creating opportunities with their bodies. Stuff they don't do nearly often enough.
-Miller was very strong tonight. Came up huge when they needed him to, especially in the third.
-Officiating was a joke tonight. The delay of game call (I though the officials were supposed to blow the whistle when they lost sight of the puck...), the no goal call (was there a whistle?), the boarding call (was it even icing?). It goes on and on. Between what we've seen the refs do to Kaleta and Roy, then the swearing incident and now tonight's job, you almost wonder if there is a slight bias against this team. It really shouldn't matter, but it makes you think sometimes.
-A few rows above me, there was a little girl who decided to scream during every stoppage. For the entire stoppage. Thank God her parents took her home during the second period because I'm pretty sure someone was going to snap and throw her into the 100 Level.
-Speaking of leaving early, Bill Clinton didn't even stay past the first period. I'm sure he has other committments and whatnot, but there's something about going to a game and leaving early that doesn't sit well with me (then again I'm the kind of guy who felt guilty leaving a UB basketball game last Saturday at halftime). At least they introduced Clinton early in the game...otherwise it would have been pretty embarrassing.
I'll have more throughout the day (I knew I would probably regret going to a game during exam week...). In the meantime, feel free to talk amongst yourselves in the comments. I'll probably end up throwing a few of the talking points into this post as well.
Tim Peel in a quieter time with a much louder Sabres goalie
Listen, if the NHL says that nothing happened on Monday then I believe them. Why? Because the NHL is always right about everything, and as an infallible governing body it is futile to question it. Nothing ever happens that is out of their control or doesn't fall in their favor. That's just how it is, and the sooner you understand that the sooner we all can get back to enjoying hockey.
Trust your fellow linesman, people, and you too will reap the benefits of Valhalla.
---
This whole situation brings up an interesting conversation about player/referee interactions, as well as the effectiveness of officials in the sports world today. I know I've been teasing this post for some time, but Rich and I have been putting some thoughts together on the subject, and I promise by Christmas that will see the light of day.
For now let's hold those thoughts and get ready for another game against Tampa Bay, and remember: There is no B-3 Bomber.
Every once in a while it's easy to get down about Ryan Miller. He has a bad game, or a soft goal, or sometimes you remember what dominance Hasek displayed over his stay here. It's easy to tire of a goaltender when times are rough, and it's easy to criticize someone in quite possibly the most demanding job in professional sports.
And then you hear Ryan Miller talk and remember just how smart he is. Or better yet, someone tells you just how good he is.
Now this article doesn't exactly deal with Miller's intelligence, but it does highlight his unique understanding of the game. For example, Miller's thoughts on how last year turned out.
“For some, I think we didn’t buy into what Lindy was preaching every night,” Miller said. “His approach to the game works. Play as a team, keep it simple, be responsible, be accountable, you find out it works. We knew coming into this year we had to get back to that kind of game.”
It may sound like the same mumbo jumbo, but when Ryan Miller says it you seem to believe it more. Put it this way: every press conference Mike Tomlin gives I get jealous of the Steelers. He's so honest, so excited about the game. You can tell his enthusiasm and understanding of the game is there, and he's not afraid to show it.
Ryan Miller isn't as peppy as Tomlin, but he is just as smart when it comes to the game of hockey. The more I hear him talk, the better I am about that contract he signs. He understands the game in a way I only wish I did, and I like that he isn't afraid to be honest with what he says.
“You know, I’m happy here and I felt this was a good place for me and I had been treated well here and felt I fit in well here, with the organization and with the guys and in the community,” Miller said. “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. I wanted to be here and I didn’t want to go anywhere else, so I took the contract when it was offered to me.”
I believe him, and that's exactly what you want out of your franchise goaltender.
So far this year it seems like all we've talked about is Ryan Miller and Atlas Vanek. With St. Louis in town tonight, let's hope we have the chance to talk about them again. I'll be up in the Roost tonight, so stop by and say hello if you get near Row 9.
When I was coming up with a lede for the post game post I had a few ideas. My first thought was what Miller said after a Bruins game last year.
I never want to see the grin on his face like he had when he turned up ever again.
Not the most perfect of English, but what he said about Phil Kessel seemed to mean a lot to Ryan. It was a resolution of sorts, to shut Boston down whenever he had the chance. Now while he did score during the game a few weeks ago, we all knew there was no way he was scoring in the shootout.
That was the story of the game until Thomas Vanek did his thing, and what I ended up with was a little something like this. You could argue for either story, but I think it worked out for the best. Still, whenever Boston shows up on the schedule I'm going to think about what Miller said.
He may not get the chance to face them tonight, but I wonder if the team feels the same way.
If there was ever an exercise in futility, it would be picking players for an All Star Game. Whether it be punch ballots, online voting, or text messaging; there will always be something a tad unfair about the process. In a way it is by design. Fans are biased and root for players the like even if they may be less deserving than others. That's just how it goes, and sometimes even Rory Fitzpatrick gets involved.
However, what doesn't make sense is when the candidates don't make much sense. Let's try the Sabres picked or the 104 player ballot.
Vanek. Good.
Miller. Good.
Teppo. Okay, I can live with that.
Roy. Really?
Seriously, out of all the people to pick on a loaded team, how do Numminen and Roy stand out thus far? Teppo has been solid and has five points, but when you have Jaroslav Spacek on your team how does he get the nod over him? Nine points and a +3 on a decimated defensive corps is pretty impressive, and quite the bounce back season in a contract year.
Then we have Derek Roy. He's come on as of late, but he's still averaging half a point per game on a team with five forwards ahead of him in team scoring. One of them is an All Star shoe in (Atlas), but where is Pominville's nomination? You could make the argument that Kotalik has benefited from Vanek's play and Clarke is taking advantage of a few injuries, but what about Jason's strong play?
Let's face it, he got the big pay raise over the summer for a reason, and he has been making some noise in the past few games, much of it his own doing. Not to say that Roy hasn't been playing well, but if you had to put Derek or Jason on your ballot, which one would you pick?
Then again, this isn't an exact science. From the Rink, of course, has all the hits and misses. Hey, at least they didn't pick Connolly.
It wasn't the prettiest of games, but it was a well earned win.
After four straight games against New Jersey that give away extra points, it was just nice to see a game end in regulation. The way the Sabres have started this year would make you believe it would head there again this year. Taking a 1-0 lead into the third after completely dominating play. We've seen the soft goal that ties it up, another point lost within the conference.
Miller actually spent the whole first period like this
Not this time. Miller was strong again, the defense held, and they overcame some penalties to put together another great road win. We've wondered if Miller would live up to the expectations a new contract brings, and two straight shutouts to playoff teams does answer the bell quite a bit. He's made sure to put two a bad games behind him, and knowing he will get a long rest and maybe a day off this weekend does a lot for the team's confidence.
Max's shadow forcing a turnover
The forwards put in a pretty solid effort as well. It looks like Afinogenov and Stafford, and Mair didn't get much ice time, but the Kaleta/Gaustad/Paille line was excellent. Kaleta in particular had a good game. Aside from the nice goal, he was everywhere on the forecheck, killing penalties, and even blocking an important shot late. Putting Pat out with two minutes to play with a shutout on the line is a great gesture from the coaching staff, and Kaleta deserved it with a great all around performance tonight.
It's good to see Rivet back, isn't it?
It's going to be a long week without a Sabres game, but we will find plenty to talk about. This team is getting healthy, and aside from a few hiccups last week they are firing on all cylinders. Vanek still had a good game, but nothing to show for it on the stat sheet. Miller is as lights out as he has ever been, and he's back to having a decent backup to support him.
This team is starting to look familiar, and I can't think of a better way to finish off a Monday than with saying that.
The Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl of the Game goes to Pat Kaleta, who totally deserves it. Kaleta always seems to make an impact, but tonight was more than that. His line was a force, and I'd like to see them stay together for a while and see what happens. With all the injuries we've seen so far, it would be nice to see a checking line set and ready to roll.
By Chris Another thing I've been meaning to get around to is giving a more detailed analysis to the news of Ryan Miller's signing. Without further ado, here it is (it's tough trying to post anything of real substance when you're at work).
What excites me most about the Miller deal is that, if we're to believe him, there wasn't any doubt in his mind that he wanted to stay in Buffalo. And from his interviews over the years, Miller has really been nothing but honest. He said he wanted to stay here and laughed at the Detroit Destiny rumors because his heart was here all along.
He wears his heart on his sleeve. When things are going well, he'll let you know and when the going gets tough, he'll let you know then too. It might be harder to get a hold of the goalie after a tough loss, but generally, his mindset his pretty much on par with that of the rest of the team's. As a vocal leader, he's been as much a captain as anyone that's worn a letter in the last season and a half.
The contract itself is a great deal for the Sabres. There are a slew of free agent goalies available next offseason including Nicklas Backstrom, Tim Thomas, Manny Fernandez, Martin Biron and Martin Gerber, which would certainly drive up the market price. While Miller is the fourth highest paid goalie in the league with the new contract, that may not be the case by the time 2009-10 rolls around. Goaltender salaries are due to explode.
Miller is set to begin the prime of his career and is ready to carry this team for the long-haul. There's no question that last season was not Miller's best. He was spotty at times but he was also learning. He had never taken on that kind of workload before and stretched himself beyond anything he had done before professionally.
Luckily, Miller is a smart guy and has used the experience of playing in 76 games (the last 34 consecutively) to help him prepare for the rest of his career. Miller is near the top of the list of players that the Sabres are banking on a lot to bounce back from a down year (Afinogenov and Tallinder also come to mind). I don't see Miller being the type of player to crumble under the pressure of a new contract. If anything the distraction of not having a new deal in place this season would have been what hurt if he were to struggle in 2008-09. But, thankfully, that won't be an issue.
Miller is an All-Star goaltender. Had it not been for him, the Sabres wouldn't have made it to two straight appearances in the conference finals. He was pretty much the only bright spot for the team in the postseason two years ago when they ultimately fell to the Senators.
The face of the team is now Ryan Miller. If you see a Sabre in one of those NHL commercials, most likely it's going to be Miller representing our city. The long-term signing of a solid player and franchise goaltender bodes well for public relations. Not only is the front office slowly regaining the trust of its fans, but locking up key players has to look good to potential free agents looking to sign with a winner.
Yes Darcy and company have made some questionable decisions but they're quickly taking the steps necessary to keeping a winning team on the ice. In addition to Miller, they've got Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek under contract for a few more years. They've added potential studs like Nathan Gerbe and Tim Kennedy to their farm club. They're also going to start working on a deal to keep Lady Poms in Buffalo before he hits the restricted market.
We may still be questioning whether or not the team has enough veteran leadership come October, but with another year to grow and solid goaltending, this team probably should make the playoffs, even if it is as a seventh or eighth seed.
At least now we can put the Jhonas Enroth Hype Machine to bed for a few years.
The Buffalo Sabres today announced they have signed goaltender Ryan Miller to a five-year contract extension. Miller, who will enter the final year of his contract this season, is now signed with the club through the 2013-2014 season.
UPDATE: WGR550 reports that that deal is worth $31.25 million, $6.25 million each season.
I see nothing wrong with that deal. The length is great and the money is competitive.
Press conference coming up in a few minutes. More to come.
Top goaltender salaries 2009-10 1. Miika Kipusoff $8.000 million 2. Roberto Luongo $7.500 million 3. Henrik Lundqvist $6.875 million 4. Ryan Miller $6.250 million 5. Jean-Sebastian Giguere $6.000 million 6. Evgeni Nabokov $6.000 million
It was about this time last week I was bored stiff by the lack of activity down at the HSBC Arena war room. Tonight I feel a bit different about the way Darcy has been handling the offseason.
I am admittedly hard on the front office, and as a fan you always want to see action, fireworks, anything to get you excited about the "direction" of the team. Seeing big name after big name sign elsewhere is nothing new, but watching guys you know are within reason go off the market is downright annoying.
So what is it that has made this summer seem suddenly bright?
The Steve Bernier Saga.
When the initial word broke that Bernier had been traded, you had to be a bit baffled by the decision. Sure you expected another move, but why give up so soon on a former first rounder that showed a bit of promise? At the going RFA rate, he wasn't going to fetch a huge cap figure, so why not move out a larger number (Timmy, Max, Ales) and make a splash with a defenseman?
Then came the Rivet trade.
I'm going to be honest, I'm pretty high on Craig Rivet. I like his game, I like his contract, and I like what he can mean to a hockey team. In between the Bernier trade and bringing in Rivet, Chris sent me a text asking "If you were Miller, do you re-sign based on this offseason?" I said absolutely not. Now, I'd take a look at this and reconsider:
Still, it wasn't until today that you really appreciated the series of trades the Sabres have made. With the news of Steve Bernier's offer sheet from St. Louis, suddenly Darcy looks a whole lot smarter.
Now that isn't to say Darcy knew an offer sheet was coming. Rumors support the theory, and word is that Vancouver had given notice of an impending offer sheet in the Backes deal, but that doesn't mean anything really. Darcy could have been looking to dump Bernier, and because he was suddenly a Canuck the Blues went after him in retaliation.
No one will ever really know the circumstances of the trade and subsequent offer sheet, but I do know I wouldn't want Steve Bernier at $2.5 mil per. The moves made on July 4th seem reasonable, but combined with Bernier's increased price tag and Darcy comes off looking very... smart. In July, that's about as good as you can ask your GM to be.
This doesn't mean I'm satisfied with this offseason just yet. In fact, Chris and I agree that Jason Smith was very doable. However, Darcy has already achieved two very important things this summer.
The first of which wasn't really on the fans' radar, but certainly something Darcy is satisfied with. By flipping Bernier for Rivet, he has finally gotten a defenseman in return for Brian Campbell. Because of the picks and the players involved, Rivet and Campbell will be inexorably tied, both in the media guide and the general awareness of the fans. That's a huge deal, and will mean even more as time passes and memories fade.
The second bi product of the move is freeing up a roster spot for forwards. While there is still much to be decided, the fact of the matter is that Paille and Kaleta deserve to be in the top 12 and players need to be moved out. The sad departure of Bernier only shows how important Dan Paille is to the front office, and who knows if Marek Zagrapan makes the leap into the NHL this fall.
I know everyone has an opinion on how things are going this summer, and there seem to be two distinct camps. The first camp is skeptical about every move (or lack thereof), and the second is just excited to have a warm body coming to town. In fact, Bucky Gleason had an excellent article about the problems the Sabres have had with bringing in free agents.
Sadly, he is spot on with regards to how Buffalo is viewed by prospective players. This management has a reputation regarding how it takes care of current players, and it's not exactly a glowing endorsement. The track record is there, from the Rigas era to last summer's Briere/Drury situation. Until that reputation is rectified the Sabres will continue to struggle when it comes to luring free agent talent.
Fixing that image will take some time, but it should be the focus the remainder of summer. Getting Ryan Miller under contract before October is the biggest obstacle the Sabres will face; and it will make or break Darcy Regier's career. Pominville deserves attention as well, but just from the way Darcy talks about Ryan Miller, even to the press, you can practically feel the importance Ryan takes on in his mind.
We've seen far too many players walk out the door in this city. It's about time we nail one down before he gets a look at someone else's yard. It's not impossible, and if it gets done, consider me ready for another glass of Kool Aid.
Here's a transcription of the Sabres press conference today regarding the Steve Bernier and Craig Rivet trades. Also some info on where the team stands with Ryan Miller, Maxim Afinogenov and Jason Smith. I'll be interjecting briefly here and there.
Media: Can you fill us in, so far, on the two transactions today? Is that it for today?
Darcy Regier: That’s it for today. We’ve obviously traded Steve Bernier to Vancouver and really the focal point was to acquire a defenseman in this process. So effectively use the assets in the Steve Bernier trade to acquire Craig Rivet and we think we’ve accomplished filling a very important need for the hockey club. Craig brings tremendous leadership, character. He’s a proven veteran and a very good player. So when I think you put him in with our hockey club he’ll make a very significant contribution to this team.
Were we all wrong to think that Bernier seemed to be an important part of the future when he was acquired for Brian [Campbell]? Did something happen there? Was it an issue of not being able to sign him; did he want too much?
No, I think when you looked at our right wing, we really had six right wingers there. So it was a situation in which we looked at the right side, we looked at the individual players and we knew that we had to add to our defense. We really came down to who could we move in order to acquire the defenseman. It took two separate deals but that was really the decision. The decision was to take one of our quality forwards and acquire a quality defenseman.
So it looks like Afinogenov will still be around. And of all the right wingers to trade for picks (Afinogenov, Kotalik, Pominville, Stafford and Kaleta), they choose Bernier? Okaaaay...
The quality that Craig brings, most of it is leadership and experience, and physicality, too.
That’s right. He’s got a physical aspect to his game. So when you look at those three components, you look at some of the young guys that we have coming up, whether it’s Sekera, Weber, in hopes that they make our hockey club, I think that the blending of the experience and the youth going forward is going to be a very good for us.
It'll be nice having a guy on the blueline that isn't afraid to hit people. I've wanted a big mean Canadian defenseman since Rhett Warrener left. We had Brad Brown for awhile (but he kind of sucked) and Jay McKee was that guy for one year, so maybe Rivet can finally fill that void and do it well for three more years.
Obviously you’re comfortable getting Rivet basically in essence of Campbell and the draft picks because that’s basically what happened.
Yeah I guess you can reduce really, we acquired a first, a second and a third round pick for Brian and then used that to acquire a first pick and Craig Rivet. So I think it’ll prove out well.
We'll know in the year 2017. We need to see if Tyler Ennis was worth a first rounder and how those two picks work out. So Rivet can bomb, but the trade might still be a success if two of those other four aspects become something that can help the team. Gotta love fundamentally building a franchise via trades and the draft.
Have you had any inquiries about some of the other players like Maxim Afinogenov? Have you had a number of teams call you on him? Is there anything going on, on that front?
No, the Max front is very quiet. I expect Max to start with us based on the activity of the summer. I think Max will, the focal point will be for him to, if he’s here, I expect he will be here, to kind of regain his form and have the type of year that he had two years ago.
Worst news of the day. It's time to cut ties with Afinogenov and his $3.33 million cap hit. As exciting as he may be, he's even more frustrating. I guess the fact is that no one even wants him so we're essentially stuck with him. When I talked to Ryan, he wouldn't even be shocked if Max was signed to an extension if he bounces back. I think I'm going to be sick.
Are you happy with where the blue line is now? Are you looking to pick up maybe someone else; I know you were kind of linked to Jason Smith earlier in the week too.
I think we were linked to everybody that was available that hasn’t been signed yet. We will look, continue to look for ways to improve our defense but I think the goaltending’s been covered. I think it’s been a great addition for our defense. Our forwards were in good shape going into the off season. In fact we had too many forwards. So if we had an area where he had extra depth, it was really up front and we did what wanted to do which was convert some of that back into the defense.
I still think the Sabres need to re-sign someone like Pratt to split time with Paetsch in the sixth spot. As much as I like Weber, I don't think he's ready to take on that kind of role. Plus, if two guy get hurt on the blue line (very likely to happen), we're looking at Weber and someone like T.J. Brennan in the top six. Not good news. We're still thin on proven defensemen.
Have any further talks with Ryan Miller’s agent? Any updates on his situation?
No but I expect we’ll talk with either Ryan and/or his agent in the next couple days.
And from the talks you’ve had do you think Ryan wants to stay here long-term?
No I think Ryan hates Buffalo and wants no part of our cheap ass organization. I'm actually wondering why I even bothered coming back last summer for three more years. I guess it's probably because I wouldn't be able to get work anywhere else. Look at poor Dave Nonis. He had to crawl back to Brian Burke. I don't want to look that desperate. Come on. What do you think he's going to say? He's going to give fans hope that Miller won't turn his backs on us at the end of the year when he signs with Detroit.
I do think he wants to stay here long-term. I’m optimistic. We’ll know more when we hear back from his side but I remain optimistic with respect to Ryan.
How do you think the impact might have been of some of the other goaltenders signing a potential contract for Ryan?
Well I don’t think it altered the marketplace significantly. Huet is not as…is obviously an outstanding goaltender. I think the only reason he’s not in Montreal is because you’ve got one of the best young goaltenders in an awful long time entering the league in Carey Price. And I think if you look Fluery’s contract in Pittsburgh, it’s reflective of the market as well. I don’t think there’s been any significant upward movement in that marketplace.
I can't believe Darcy made sense of that question. It literally took me ten minutes to transcribe it, trying to get the syntax mostly right.
Can you be a little more specific on Rivet’s game and what he brings to the table? Obviously he spent a lot of years in the Eastern Conference.
Yeah he did.
Does he have a role on special teams, what will that role be? How does he round out your defense corps?
Well, I think if you look at his numbers, he may have had the best offensive year of his career. When you look at 35 points in 74 games, he’s someone that can certainly contribute on the power play, he’s going to play in penalty kill situations. He’s logged over 20 minutes a game in San Jose. I think he’s a guy that can help on both sides, offensively and defensively.
Do you think you have enough depth there at defense now or before the season yo need to acquire a little more depth there, considering that Mike and Andrej are maybe bound for this team?
Depth-wise I think we’re OK. If we can add to it we certainly will but I’m pretty comfortable with where we are depth-wise right now.
I wouldn't be shocked at all if they decided that they're really not that comfortable with Paetsch playing a regular role. That guy turning into Jeff Jillson last year really screwed up their plans on the blueline. Thank goodness Sekera stepped up (and hopefully he won't pull a Paestch).
Is Jason Smith still a possibility? Is he still on the radar?
I had a conversation with his agent yesterday. I have not spoken to him today. I know he was close to making a deal. Is he on the radar? Well we’ve had…We’ll see where it goes. I haven’t talked to him today. He may be signed for all we know.
Happy to see we're actively pursuing him. And from what's been reported, he hasn't been signed. Yet. One year, $2.5 million. Do it, Darcy.
Any update on Paille and Macarthur? Any talks with them yet?
I did talk to Danny Paille’s agent today and we played telephone tag with Clarke’s agent the other day so those talks will continue.
How important is it for you to get a defenseman for you in the first few days of free agency?
I think at some point in the summertime we needed to add a defenseman. When you look at the marketplace it was quickly drying up in the free agency. When we looked at the unrestricted free agency marketplace for defensemen, and looked at the cost of doing business in that area, we made the decision to look in the trade route, trade marketplace. We think that Craig is an outstanding addition to this hockey club.
So Henrik Lundqvist is basically, is that approximately where you think Ryan’s numbers might be?
I wouldn’t attach it to one individual goalie. I really think it’s a group of goaltenders that Ryan belongs with and will be treated fairly amongst that group.
Miller is a top eight goaltender. He'll be paid like a top four in this marketplace. I can live with that.
The new hockey year is fast approaching. Free agency opens up on Tuesday and soon we'll be looking forward to October when the Sabres season begins anew. As WGR has been calling it, "The Road to Redemption." Sounds kind of lame (it is) but after all success the team has had the last two seasons, it's somewhat fitting. Somewhat. The 2007-08 season pretty much was The Road to Perdition, after all.
Let's see how the team stacks up on defense and in goal.
On D, three of the top four spots are locked up. Henrik Tallinder, Toni Lydman and Jaroslav Spacek will be around. If the Sabres don't bring anyone in via free agency or trade, the fourth spot is Andrej "Balls" Sekera's to lose.
Given a full offseason to train and get healthy, the prospects are there for Tallinder to have his most productive season since 2005-06. And if Tallinder is going strong, Lydman plays better as a result. If that pairing is going strong, confidence can trickle down and make the entire unit better. It was that consistency that's been missing the last year and a half or so, mainly due to injuries to Tallinder.
Spacek really stepped up into a leadership role last season and was the team's steadiest defenseman, even when paired with a contract-weary Brian Campbell whose play crumbled under that added pressure. Spacek will sure up the powerplay and will hopefully continue to be a leader on a team that is still very much looking for its identity.
It may seem like a pretty big jump for Sekera to go from the seventh defenseman to a top four guy, but in the salary cap era, it seems players are expected to take up larger roles at younger ages. Especially now that players reach free agency at younger ages, they have less time to prove themselves. Sekera is going to be a restricted free agent at the end of next season. If he impresses enough this year, he could be looking at a big payday this time next year. Things can happen that quickly.
The development of Sekera and how much the Sabres want to rely on him should factor largely into how active they're going to be in the free agent market. If they feel that he can step in this year, will they look to signing a top four guy?
I think they have to. Figure the Sabres sign a guy like Brooks Orpik to, predicting inflation due to the Shea Weber deal (three years, $17.5 million), something around a five-year $28 million deal. If everything goes according to plan, a player like Orpik would certainly reduce Sekera's ice time and his price tag at the end of the season. Either way, this might be Spacek's last season in Buffalo as he enters a contract year. While Sekera would be a five this year, he would certainly be in the top four in 2009-10.
In that season you're looking at Tallinder and Lydman both going into the final year of their respective deals, a player of Orpik's caliber, Sekera, Mike Weber and Nathan Paetsch (mainly because he will still be under contract). That's a very strong starting six (on paper) that would probably cost the Sabres somewhere in the $16 million range (assuming the free agent will make $5 million and Sekera's salary skyrockets to $3 million). Keep in mind that the team spent about $17 million last season when you factor in the contracts of Lydman, Tallinder, Paetsch, Dmitri Kalinin, Teppo Numminen, Nolan Pratt and Brian Campbell. As salaries keep rising, the Sabres could be looking at a very cost efficient defense in two years, especially if they strike out at a free agent this year.
In addition to Orpik, on the free agent end, Darcy Regier and company could be looking at John-Michael Liles, Mark Streit or way under the radar, a player like Ron Hainsey (a 27-year old, 6'3'' 211 pound defenseman, who made only $900,000 last year while averaging over 20 minutes a game and scoring all eight of his goals on the powerplay for Columbus). I don't even want to hear those Brian Campbell-might-want-to-come-back rumors.
I'm assuming a lot here, mainly because it's difficult to predict exactly what the Sabres will do. They could very well move Sekera into the top four, re-sign Teppo as the fifth man, and rotate him with Paetsch and Weber to round out the corps. Bringing back Pratt is always an option as well, but it would make the most sense to choose between Numminen and Pratt as the resident "old guy."
2008-09 Salaries: Jaroslav Spacek $3.300 million Toni Lydman $3.150 million Henrik Tallinder $2.9 million Nathan Paetsch $800,000 Andrej Sekera $$659,000 Mike Weber $551,000 ---------------------------- Dmitri Kalinin UFA (Darcy already said Kalinin's days in Buffalo are over) Teppo Numminen UFA Nolan Pratt UFA
In goal, the Sabres are looking to give Ryan Miller a long term deal. Whether or not Miller would be interested is another story. He's a top eight goalie without question, but with the market, he'll be making top four money. Look at Henrik Lundqvist's six-year $41.25 million deal as a benchmark for what Miller will be looking for. However, if I were the Sabres, I would front load the contract as much as possible so it's easier to move him in three or four years (especially if that Enroth kid really pans out).
I'm a huge Miller fan; we wouldn't have gotten anywhere in the playoffs in 2006-07 if it weren't for his heroics, but you need to keep all of your options open. In three years, if Enroth is the better choice, then at least the opportunity to trade a long term contract is there. That's a worry for another day, though.
Who is going to back Miller up in 2008-09 is the bigger question. The free agent pickings are slim to say the least. The Jocelyn Thibault Experiment backfired terribly but it makes sense to bring in someone with experience instead of letting a young unknown take up the role. Perhaps the Sabres could snatch up a Johan Holmqvist, Patrick Lalime, J.S. Aubin or even an Alex Auld.
Buffalo just needs someone reliable that can play around 20 games and hopefully win half of them. As long as the backup gives the team a chance, it's definitely an upgrade over the black hole that was on the end of the bench last year. 2008-09 Salaries: Miller $3.5 million -------------------- Dead to us (Thibault) UFA
Everyone knows who's up next, and once again we are all saying Darcy won't let it happen again. The fact of the matter is that Ryan Miller is the real deal. He is, he's a starting goaltender that is finally carrying this team down the stretch, keeping them in games that they simply do not deserve. On Saturday night the Sabres stole a point from Carolina, but the real story was that Miller kept this team's playoff hopes alive.
No matter what numbers you have in your mind right now, know this: Miikka Kiprusoff will make $8 million in 09/10. If you think some other GM won't pay Miller that you're out of your mind.
Amy mentioned Ryan Miller's postgame comments so I though I'd throw those up here. I had intended on posting them, but if you check the timestamps on the last few posts you know it was a late night for me. Here are some things I found interesting:
"I don’t know what happened. But if we don’t have the legs for it we gotta have the brains for it."
"We had one shot on goal. It’s...this is everybody. Everybody has to be better."
Did Kessel actually shoot the puc- "No, he lost it. I never want to see the grin on his face like he had when he turned up ever again. Unbeliev-No, he absolutely was going glove side. There’s no chance he tried to shoot that or tried to do it. You know, just... give me the opportunity to stop him and I think that, you know, we gotta be better in shootouts."
"...He got lucky tonight."
One of the things I really like about Miller is that he is always first to take responsibility for his performance. A friend noticed this first, but Miller is pretty honest when it comes to the effort he sees in front of him. He wasn't happy at all with the way the third period went, but he didn't make any excuses.
The fact of the matter is that there simply aren't any excuses. Last night was awful, and to an extent embarrassing. 17-1 shots on goal in the third and we are supposed to be excited about that performance? Really? I mean, if Miller doesn't play out of his skull and we don't get that point we're all on the ledge today.
Every team has a bad game or two, but it really feels like we've seen enough bad games and crappy performances. The Sabres didn't live up to Goose's "every game like a playoff game" quote, plain and simple.
Whether or not it happens tomorrow, I have no idea. Today I'd try to forget about that last 25 minutes of hockey and just enjoy Hockey Day in Canada. I'm sure over those three games you can find a full 60 minutes of hockey.
Lazy Eye should be okay, and this team still has a prayer.
Actually, I've been thinking about this, but it's not Miller's lazy eye, it's his eyebrow. Take a look sometime, when he has on a hat or mask he looks fine because his eyebrows are covered. However, he has one eyebrow that goes in a completely different angle as the other, and when that's visible he looks a bit... off.
Those of you that have been reading the site for a while know that I am a bit of a collector. In fact, last week I was pretty pumped to pick up an O-Pee-Chee Patrick Kane rookie and haven't had an excuse to talk about until now.
With that in mind, it's pretty exciting to get a link like this tossed your way on a Friday afternoon.
That is a very, very cool figure.
I've been really happy with McFarlane's work in the sports market since Starting Lineup stopped making those skinny little action figures so long ago. The life-like quality of the work is just downright stunning. The bodies, expressions, and even stick models match to the letter, something that just isn't there with other brands. I have a Jonathan Papelbon figure that would scare A-Rod into a weak check swing all by itself.
The price is pretty good as well. You'd be hard pressed to get one of these in your local Target, and any other shop I've seen has these in the $20+ price range. I haven't been to D&A in a little while, but it looks like I'll have to stop by soon.
Also, looks like McFarlane makes Jocelyn Thibault figurines as well:
For anyone who was there, no matter what team you were cheering for, there is one undeniable fact.
The Winter Classic was awesome.
It was one of the most communal, emotional events I have ever experienced and probably will never experience again, at least not at that level. To put it simply, I agree with everything Ryan said Tuesday night. It was an afternoon no hockey fan will soon, if ever, forget.
Sure there were a few miscues here and there. It may have taken too long for the ice crews to fix the ice during delays, but at least they took the time to make sure it was right. What bugged me the most about the cleaning was that they didn't bring the Zambonis out for the shootout, which is actually normal NHL procedure. But if that is my biggest gripe (aside from switching ends in the five minute overtime being stupid), then there obviously wasn't much to complain about.
I just wish Brian Campbell would have been looking forward to the "f*cking stupid Ice Bowl" as much as the fans were (skip to about 35 seconds in). Eh, who knows? Maybe he really was. He does look a little tipsy while trying to sing the Hip.
For the most part, again echoing Ryan, what struck me the most was that the NHL didn't screw it up. For such a huge event, it was very-well organized, there was stuff to do outside of the usual tailgating and added to the festive atmosphere.
And did anyone else find it weird that it didn't snow a flake during intermissions, but then as soon as the players headed out of the tunnel, the flurries started to fall again?
The tailgating was fun in itself. Having the television crews for the NHL Network and RDS patrolling our area added to the excitement. Then again that's maybe just because Jon and I snuck into the Rick Jeanerette "Lalalafontaine" tribute, and just because RDS put me on camera for the Gilbert Perreault jersey I had on (if anyone can find that, if it even made the air, feel free to shoot us an e-mail. We all like to laugh at me).
Should the NHL pull off this event again? From a publicity and marketing standpoint, yes. But all of the factors need to be there to make it special and not just a rehashing of the last two outdoor games. The place needs to be right and, if the league wants America to start caring about hockey again (and if they want to increase revenues even more, including a big TV deal, I think they would), then the game would most likely have to be played stateside between two American teams.
For the best publicity and for the largest money-making machine, Rangers-Islanders at either Yankee Stadium or in the Meadowlands may be the best bet. Or wait until the new Gopher Stadium is built in Minnesota. Wild v. Dallas or Detroit would be amazing. The best idea I think I've read/heard so far is for Buffalo and Pittsburgh to host the event against each other every year. This way it stays exclusive and it's still an event, like Detroit and Dallas hosting Thanksgiving football games. On another thought, why not do the All-Star game outdoors?
I thought the pregame ceremonies for the Winter Classic were very well-done. Doug Allen is a Roost favorite and Ronan Tynan is a winner (I can't believe there are actually complaints that they sang "God Bless America" and not the national anthem. They have done this every time Tynan has sung for the Sabres. My best guess is that those complaining don't watch Sabres games so I'm not going to waste too much energy here). The fly-by by the Blackhawk helicopters was also stunning and chilling.
And the crowd?
You can't say enough about the job the fans did. You could cut the tension with a knife as the game went into the shootout. Everyone was tuned into the game the whole time. I was up on my feet with everyone else in the lower bowl from faceoff to Crosby's clincher. Buffalo looked great in the national limelight, and while I really really really really had a great time, I hope something like this doesn't come back to Buffalo, at least for a couple years. It was special and to overdo it would most definitely cheapen a unique but already kind-of-gimmicky event.
As the Sabres prep for Ottawa tomorrow night, there are certainly some questions and concerns that face this team. The offense isn't producing and fingers are already being pointed in Thomas Vanek's direction.
And rightfully so.
Vanek is a -3 with just one point, an assist, in his last five games. He had 84 points last year and finished with a league-leading +47. Now as a top line player, he's on pace for just 24 goals, 48 points and a +7 rating. Whether it's the money or just the pressure of being the go-to-guy, his head clearly isn't in the right place. And that bodes very badly for this hockey club down the stretch if he continues going in that direction.
Miller has been solid and seems to be getting better and he's bound to snap at some point about the shotty defense that's being played in front of him. I mean, could Campbell at least TOUCH Crosby on that first goal? The guy skated right at him and Campbell backed off like he was scared. Or maybe he was just cold.
The team isn't playing great, they are on a four game losing streak, despite getting two shootout points in those games, but with Ottawa coming to town, they need to step it up. With Ottawa struggling, including back-to-back barn burning losses to the Capitals and psycho goalie Ray Emery supposedly walking out on a practice this week, it's as good a time as any to beat up on the Sens.
And with 11 of the next 14 games on the road, this team better get out of the funk fast and play some quality hockey, otherwise the season will end on April 5 in Boston.
With the games ahead looking like they could be kind of bleak, it was great to be able to enjoy a day like January 1. Overall, New Year's Day was a fantastic day that really kicked off the second half of the season. With only basketball and hockey as the two professional leagues playing right now, this event was the perfect statement to tell America that hockey still matters in some parts of the world. Maybe this was the spark the NHL needs to leapfrog the NBA.
My only regret from Tuesday? That I (stupidly) taped the NBC broadcast over CBC. I've lived in Western New York all my life, you'd think I'd know better.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my Perreault jersey cleaned. It smells like charcoal, wet snow, and Dr. Bob (long story). On second thought, maybe I'll hold on to it smelling like that for just a few more days. What a day.
If you haven't seen this video, you probably weren't watching the Winter Classic.
The best part of it is that Miller is facing off against J.S Aubin. I wasn't aware he was in the Kings rotation of goaltenders until I saw this. Then again, Ty Conklin won the Winter Classic and Todd Collins is starting a playoff game this weekend. Crazy times.
For the record, Amp tastes like battery acid. In a good way.
The breakdown of Mountain Dew products goes as follows:
Mountain Dew: Sprite + sugar Code Red: Dew + blood of innocents Baja Blast: Tidy Bowl water Game Fuel: cocaine AMP: battery acid
Posts
