msw2112

I may be in the minority, but I'm not that interested in the Sabres making a major deal. We've "suffered" so long with a young team, but with Lindy at the helm, they're finally starting to come along and take shape. I'd actually like to see how things play out. I'm fine with trading a 2nd round draft pick, or that plus other lower picks, to pick up another veteran or two. Maybe the "RHD" version of Zucker, or another veteran forward of Zucker's caliber. Definitely players OVER the age of 25. There's more than enough youth on the team. I just get the sense that if they trade one of their younger players - Krebs, Quinn, Kulich, Power, etc. that the player will develop into a star on someone else's roster and the guy we acquire won't be a longer-term asset. Lindy has gotten the power play going. The PK has been terrific. The goaltending is rounding into form. The in-zone defense is a work in progress, but I think Lindy will address that next. Note that I liked the Savoie trade. He could develop into a star in Edmonton, but I'm not sure he will, and McLeod has been a great addition. Both Benson and Savoie got early chances with the team and despite being similar in size and coming from the same Junior team, Benson was far more effective. Savoie didn't seem to have the "it" factor that Benson had/has. Savoie may turn into Tyler Ennis and have a nice NHL career, but Benson could be more of a Brad Marchand type. McLeod is helping the team now with his speed and grit, along with some timely goal scoring. He also was great for Edmonton in the playoffs last season and could be the type of guy that could really benefit the Sabres if and when they finally make the playoffs.

Hats off to the Reimer. He played extremely well and was a difference maker in the game. I was wrong. Hats off to Lindy and the coaching staff for pushing the right buttons.

While this would not be a terrible time to play Reimer, given the 4-day break after the game (which I was not aware of), play UPL and go get those last 2 points. Give UPL a couple of days off from practice after that, if needed.

Like most Sabres fans, I'm frustrated with Power's lack of physical play on the defensive side, but he's a young guy with tons of talent. He does some things extremely well now (as this post sheds light on) and he'll improve in other areas. He still has the upside to be a star player in the future.

I'm out west and welcome the late start. In the age of cell phones, smart watches, TVs in every gym, bar, and restaurant, satellite radio in the car, and the internet on my desk at work, It's a challenge to avoid spoilers when the game starts at 4:00 PM and I can't watch for several hours.

I'm 6'2" and my dad used to have season tickets in the perfect spot - about 20 rows up at center ice. I remember having to sit almost sideways in order to fit in the seat. I never had a problem at the Aud in his seats there, before the current building opened. That said, I've sat in other places in the building and have not noticed an issue, so I think it's dependent on the row/seat. In any event, the place isn't a state-of-the-art arena, but if the product on the ice is good, the building is more than adequate. They have food, beer, and bathrooms. The sight lines aren't bad. I have not seen the new scoreboard yet, but I'm sure it's an upgrade. I can't speak to much to the acoustics, but they don't need to be anything special for hockey. If the product on the ice improves to a good one, and the team can be consistently good for a number of years, the place will be full for most games, revenue will be up, and that would be a good time to pour some money into the place. Today, if you feel cramped, you can just spill over into the seat next to you, as it's likely empty.

I really like Lindy's honest approach and I think the players like it too. I liked Granato, but I don't think he had the gravitas to fully speak his mind and comment honestly, for fear of losing the room. Lindy does not have that problem.

And he's had that nickname for decades.

Yes. Per Google: "Through the 1980-81 season, the Vezina was awarded to the goaltender(s) who played a minimum of 25 games for the team allowing the fewest goals during the regular season. In 1981-82, Billy Smith of the New York Islanders was named the first winner of the Vezina under the current system." In the current system, the Vezina is awarded to the goaltender deemed the best by way of a subjective vote and not by the objective number for the fewest goals against. I believe the "fewest goals against" award is now the Jennings trophy. It sort of makes sense, because the "best" goalie may not be the one who gives up the fewest goals or has the best save percentage, as teams play different styles and have different levels of defensive talent. A goalie with a .915 Save Percentage and a 2.95 GAA may be on a team with terrible defense and could be "better" than a goalie who has a .922 save percentage and 2.78 GAA. Not all shots on goal are created equal. An unobstructed shot on goal from the point is not the same as one with a bunch of traffic in front and is definitely not the same as a SOG on a breakaway or 2-on-1. (Sadly, we Sabres fans know this all too well.) I realize I'm stating the obvious, but it's the reason that the NHL changed the criteria for the Vezina and added the Jennings. The Jennings is still a good award, as the teams that give up the fewest goals should also be recognized, regardless of how they did it (great goalies, great defensemen, a good system, etc.) An interesting fact I saw via Google: 7 goalies have won BOTH the Vezina and the Jennings.

I'm a little older than you....although not that much! I just found the following clip online which speaks to the Edwards-Sauve duo. Barrasso/Cloutier was OK, but Cloutier really wasn't that good (Barrasso was). Don Edwards and Bob Sauve, 1979-80 "Sabres goaltenders Don Edwards and Bob Sauve co-received the Vezina for the 1979-80 season. Edwards became the team’s starting goalie in 1978 and appeared in 72 games, with a .906 SV% and 2.64 GAA. By the 1979-80 season, the Sabres had cut down Edwards’ starts, because they didn’t want to overuse him. Despite this, Edwards finished 1980 with a respectable 2.57 GAA. He also played in two All-Star games in 1978 and 1980 Bob Sauve, Buffalo’s backup goaltender, led the NHL in GAA during the 1979-80 season with 2.36 and enjoyed a .901 SV%, higher than Edwards’ .893. What makes this more impressive is that Sauve only started in 32 matchups that year, compared to Edwards’ 49. Regardless of who had the better stats, the NHL awarded the goaltending duo the Vezina Trophy in 1980 for their efforts in front of the Sabres’ net."

I agree and posted the same thing earlier. Levi has the ability to be a solid NHL goaltender, but like most goalies, he needs to play a lot to get into a rhythm. UPL is the same way and he's further along in his development than Levi, so UPL needs to play, and play a lot, to be sharp. Thus, the best answer is to send Levi down to get some games in to keep him sharp too, and he can be called up for the occasional start. It's not a demotion for poor play, but just the best way to get him some live game action. Plus, the Amerks are down a goalie due to injury anyway, so they could use the help. Levi has not been particularly good this season, but, again, I think that's because he's not getting enough game action to be sharp. Some guys are career veteran backups and can step in and play OK on occasion, based on mostly practice reps. Young, developing guys, however, need more game action. I'd love to see UPL and Levi eventually develop into the modern-day "Edwards-Sauve" tandem, but for now, they both need to play a lot. They every-other-game switch that they tried at the beginning of the season did not work very well. For clarity, as long as UPL is injured, Levi can and should stay with the Sabres and play. Levi wasn't great last night, but he was OK, only giving up 3 (plus one where the post bailed him out), and if UPL is still injured, I would start Levi in the next game and see if he can get hot - and if so, ride him until he isn't.

Yes, Marc-André Gragnani played both D and wing for the Sabres. I'm pretty sure he started as a defenseman, they experimented with him on the wing, but I think that he ultimately went back to defense. I remember him being a tall, lean guy, along the lines of a Dylan Cozens, and had some decent offensive ability for a defenseman and maybe they thought he could be a "power forward" type of guy. In the end, he was one of those fringe AHL/NHL guys that got a fair number of callups and opportunities, but was never able to carve out a full-time role in the NHL. I think he was one of the parade of defensemen that got called up and injured in that semi-final series against Carolina in 2006, which was the last time the Sabres had very realistic shot at winning the Cup.

I remember Lindy playing wing, but does anyone remember Marc-André Gragnani, a borderline NHL defenseman who got called up from Rochester a few times in the early 2000s playing some wing? I do, and was able to confirm it on Wikipedia: "He played minor hockey for the Dauphins de Deux-Rives followed by four years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He was selected 87th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and signed a professional contract with the Sabres in June 2007. After completing his junior career with the PEI Rocket, Gragnani began his professional career within the Sabres organization in the 2007–08 season, making his debut on February 23, 2008. Although originally drafted as a defenceman, Gragnani shifted to the left wing position during his first season.[1] " ( "Sabres call up Gragnani". wgr550.com. February 23, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2010.[permanent dead link])

One way to look at it is that Reimer is SO BAD this season that he's been waived by not 1, but 2 lower-tier teams. Then again, Levi has looked pretty bad when in net for the Sabres, so how much worse could Reimer be? And to rebuild Levi's confidence and get him some rhythm, he needs to play. If he plays, UPL loses his rhythm. So the answer is probably to reclaim Reimer and have him back up UPL, while Levi plays a lot in Rochester. They can bring Levi up for periodic starts like they did later in last season, to keep Reimer out of the nets Reimer could be a game-day backup/injury replacement, but not get any (or get VERY few) starts.

The fact that is was the SECOND time this occurred, it was not historic, but it's a very cool and fun statistic and it was a great game to watch as a Sabres fan. I really hope Lindy can help the team find this kind of effort on a consistent basis. There will be nights when they play this well and lose (face a hot goalie, hit some posts, general bad "puck luck"), but if they play this way they will win on most nights. People have short memories, but they did have an occasional great game like this under Granato or even a couple in row, only to come out flat against an inferior opponent a few days later. With Lindy's experience and strong personality, I'm hoping he can coach that inconsistency out of this team. He has not done it yet - see the last few weeks where they won 3 in a row, lost 3 in a row (playing poorly against the Islanders and Detroit), and bounced back to win 2 in a row - but I think he's more likely to get it figured out than Granato was. And I'm a fan of Granato and hope he gets another opportunity.

No doubt. Hall was a #1 overall draft pick and has more raw talent than Zucker, but Zucker is doing a whole lot more for the team. In my opinion, Hall's had one of the most unimpressive careers for a #1 overall pick and his play with the Sabres was nothing short of a joke. He had one good year with New Jersey and that was about it. How many #1 overall picks have played for SIX teams in their career? I've always liked Zucker throughout his career. Although he's not a star, he's stood out in games against the Sabres while he was with Minnesota and Pittsburgh. He's a good hockey player that plays the game the right way. He was an excellent signing and I agree with those who say that the Sabres could use 1 or 2 more similar players (especially one on defense).

Looks like he would have been sitting with Benson coming back, so better that he get ice time in Rochester, than sitting in Buffalo. He'll be back. I wish they could do the same for Levi, but with Reimer being claimed, there's nobody else to serve as UPL's backup.

This same roster played lights-out and beat a great Dallas team less than two weeks ago. Last night, they looked completely disjointed and fumbled their way to a loss against a lowly Islanders team. How does the owner of the team factor into explaining this drastic difference in play by the SAME roster?

I'm familiar with the name, but don't have any idea where the Sabres organization views him as a future prospect. Does anyone here have insight? Is him signing this extension in the KHL a concern? I suppose that if he's playing professional hockey, the Sabres still like him as a prospect, and he'll only be 24 when the KHL deal ends, there still could be a path to Buffalo if the Sabres were interested.

Others may disagree, but I think that Zucker, a veteran player with better-than-average talent, has made a positive impact on the team. He is not the player he once was, but he has some gas left in the tank, he knows how to play in all situations, is generally in the right place at the right time, and pretty consistently makes the right play. The Sabres could use a guy like that in the top-6 of the defense corps. Maybe they tried to get that in Clifton, but he's not and never was at Zucker's talent level (relative to his peers). Many here think that the Sabres overpaid for Zucker, but to bring good free agent players to a smaller market and struggling franchise like Buffalo costs a little more, and if you factor that in, it was a good signing. So I guess what I'm saying is that the team could really benefit from a "Zucker-like" player on defense, and factoring in guys like that make the Sabres a little less young. Pairing this with some of the comments above, how would the team look if they had retained Mittelstadt and signed a "Zucker-like" player on defense (based on experience and talent-level) who was a stay-at-home defensive RHD? As I stated above in an earlier post, Byram has some good skating and puck moving skills, but they team already has that in Dahlin, Power, and to a lesser extent Jokiharju, so perhaps what they really needed was a physical stay-at-home defenseman AND because they team already has a bunch of young, developing players, perhaps what they really needed was a veteran and not another 22 year old.

I did not like the Byram trade at the time, and I still don't like it now. Mittelstadt was one of the Sabres' best players and seemed to be ascending. Byram's skill set appeared/appears to be redundant to what we have in Dahlin, Power, and even to a small extent, Jokiharju: good skaters/puck handlers who can move the puck up the ice and possess some offensive skill (Joki far less than Dahlin and Power, of course), but are not particularly physical or "defensive" defensemen. Yes, Dahlin can be physical and is not afraid to mix it up, but he's still a skill player more than a physical player. But, as the above quoted post correctly states/implies, Byram is a young player (a couple of years younger than Mittelstadt) with a lot of skill and a high draft pedigree who has only played a small number of games with the Sabres, so it's quite possible that he'll become a much more valuable asset in time. Mittelstadt himself is an example of a player with skill and a high draft pedigree that took a few years to get there, and Byrum still has a chance to do that. A little bit off topic, but so do guys like Power, Quinn, Benson, Kulich, etc. who have lots of skill and high draft pedigree but have not yet achieved a status in the league in line with their draft status.

That's very true. But the comment I responded to said (verbatim) "Destroy the Wings and beat the Panthers...." Are the fans going to "Destroy the Wings" and "beat the Panthers" or are the players? My point was that the Sabres (and not the fans) need to focus on the Wings and not on the game after it. My comment neither stated nor implied that it was the fans who needed to focus on one game at a time. All that aside, I think this Detroit game is an important one. First, the Sabres are suddenly playing well and can play themselves right back into the race. They need to maintain their momentum. Second, unlike Florida, who is a lock to make the playoffs and be a top contender, Detroit is one of the teams that is likely to be competing with the Sabres for a wild card spot, so arguably this could be seen as an early "4 point game." Further, the Sabres laid eggs in a couple of critical Detroit games down the stretch last season, so they need to figure out a way to be successful against that particular team.

I thought Dahlin was a little bit better last night, but perhaps it's just the rising tide raising all ships. He's still not playing at his peak level.

I know it's early in the season, but I think it's important to focus on one game at a time. Beat Detroit, then start thinking about Florida. Great effort last night. Hustle wire-to-wire, great goaltending, and effective special teams. The power play did not produce a goal, but the Sabres actually established themselves in the offensive zone, moved the puck around and created some legitimate chances. If they keep doing that, the goals will come. Dahlin is not quite back to his old self, but he seems to be coming along (he was better last night than he's been in other recent games). I was very negative after the Columbus game, and rightfully so, but I'm more than happy to get off the negative train and onto the positive train. The next one against Detroit should be telling. Will they play another great game, or will they lay an egg like they regularly did after a strong performance the last couple of seasons?

Sometimes it's necessary to play mind games to pre-justify a poor 2 1/2 hour time investment.