Kaleta

[rickshaw]

I have no problem with Kaleta stirring it up, that's his job. But he's going to have to answer the bell sometimes or this is what he's gonna' hear a lot.

 

Coach AV:

 

"We had written on the board. . . that all [Kaleta] does is talk and doesn't fight. It was written on the board. You're supposed to read the board and not put your team in trouble. Obviously, [O'Brien] did."

 

O'Brien said: "I should know better; I shouldn't have put my team down shorthanded. But he runs our skill players shift after shift and no penalty. If that's hockey, I don't know what's going on with the game. He takes liberties on our skill players, I come in, I get four minutes. I could see maybe giving me two minutes. Like I said, I shouldn't have did what I did."

 

Kaleta is walking a fine line. It's great he's getting guys into penalty trouble but as we saw last night, he dove when Johnson bumped him in the open ice. He needs to stay honest.

 

Thoughts?

[Mbossy]

Having Kaleta on the opposing team is like knowing the Grim Reaper is around, you constantly look over your shoulder wondering where he went and take your focus off the game.

 

IMO, having Peters around to watch his back is making Kaleta that much better. We'll see what Kaleta does when Peters isn't around, he'll be forced to fight.

[inkman]

I love Patty but his lack of dropping the gloves makes me uncomfortable. I know if he was on another team, he just might be my least favorite player in the game.

[Eleven]

I love Patty but his lack of dropping the gloves makes me uncomfortable. I know if he was on another team, he just might be my least favorite player in the game.

 

He's had a few fights in his short NHL career, but basically, I feel the same way right now. Reminds me an awful lot of Sean Avery, and maybe even Darcy Tucker (but Kaleta's far from being the dirty hitter that Tucker is), neither of whom fight a lot. Kaleta is a Sabre and a local kid, so I have to pull for him, so here's hoping that he becomes a little more like Matt Barnaby and finishes what he starts.

[Claude Balls]

I love Patty but his lack of dropping the gloves makes me uncomfortable. I know if he was on another team, he just might be my least favorite player in the game.

Shades of Darcy Tucker. But at least I've seen Tucker fight. Tucker will run everyone he can, but he chooses his spots to actually drop the gloves well. I have never seen him go toe to toe with anyone that much bigger than him. I think Kaleta will fight eventually, just don't look for him to drop the gloves with a big dude. We all know Pat is strong, just ask Brendan Witt, but his fighting skills may need some work. He wanted nothing to do with having to fight Witt, so he just body slammed his arse then buried his head in his chest.

 

I agree though, he needs to be ready to drop the gloves if he is going to try and run everyone in the building. Show some bawls.

[Eleven]

Shades of Darcy Tucker. But at least I've seen Tucker fight. Tucker will run everyone he can, but he chooses his spots to actually drop the gloves well. I have never seen him go toe to toe with anyone that much bigger than him. I think Kaleta will fight eventually, just don't look for him to drop the gloves with a big dude. We all know Pat is strong, just ask Brendan Witt, but his fighting skills may need some work. He wanted nothing to do with having to fight Witt, so he just body slammed his arse then buried his head in his chest.

 

I agree though, he needs to be ready to drop the gloves if he is going to try and run everyone in the building. Show some bawls.

 

Tucker doesn't fight that often. http://www.hockeyfights.com/players/132 It just seems like he does.

[wjag]

I have no problem with Kaleta stirring it up, that's his job. But he's going to have to answer the bell sometimes or this is what he's gonna' hear a lot.

 

Coach AV:

 

"We had written on the board. . . that all [Kaleta] does is talk and doesn't fight. It was written on the board. You're supposed to read the board and not put your team in trouble. Obviously, [O'Brien] did."

 

O'Brien said: "I should know better; I shouldn't have put my team down shorthanded. But he runs our skill players shift after shift and no penalty. If that's hockey, I don't know what's going on with the game. He takes liberties on our skill players, I come in, I get four minutes. I could see maybe giving me two minutes. Like I said, I shouldn't have did what I did."

 

Kaleta is walking a fine line. It's great he's getting guys into penalty trouble but as we saw last night, he dove when Johnson bumped him in the open ice. He needs to stay honest.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Having Kaleta on the opposing team is like knowing the Grim Reaper is around, you constantly look over your shoulder wondering where he went and take your focus off the game.

 

IMO, having Peters around to watch his back is making Kaleta that much better. We'll see what Kaleta does when Peters isn't around, he'll be forced to fight.

 

 

I love Patty but his lack of dropping the gloves makes me uncomfortable. I know if he was on another team, he just might be my least favorite player in the game.

 

Did anyone hear the broadcast last night? Ray defended his style of play and all but said keep it up... He's drawn 28 minutes of penalties in four games. He didn't exactly back down to Witt and by all appearances Witt came out the worse for it. Can't we just let Kaleta be Kaleta?

[Kristian]

I have no problem with Kaleta stirring it up, that's his job. But he's going to have to answer the bell sometimes or this is what he's gonna' hear a lot.

 

Coach AV:

 

"We had written on the board. . . that all [Kaleta] does is talk and doesn't fight. It was written on the board. You're supposed to read the board and not put your team in trouble. Obviously, [O'Brien] did."

 

O'Brien said: "I should know better; I shouldn't have put my team down shorthanded. But he runs our skill players shift after shift and no penalty. If that's hockey, I don't know what's going on with the game. He takes liberties on our skill players, I come in, I get four minutes. I could see maybe giving me two minutes. Like I said, I shouldn't have did what I did."

 

Kaleta is walking a fine line. It's great he's getting guys into penalty trouble but as we saw last night, he dove when Johnson bumped him in the open ice. He needs to stay honest.

 

Thoughts?

 

I didn't get to see the game last night, so I can't comment on whether any of hits were dirty, but if they weren't : Quit your f'ing bitching O'Brien, and tell your skill players to start playing with their heads up.

 

In case there was a dirty of borderline hit involved well, I suppose I can see where he's coming from.

 

Other than that, yeah having Patty drop the gloves once in a while would be nice, but I see no reason why he should when a crybaby like Mara starts throwing them, just cause he takes offense to being hit. And MISSED, for crying out loud!!

[darksabre]

Did anyone hear the broadcast last night? Ray defended his style of play and all but said keep it up... He's drawn 28 minutes of penalties in four games. He didn't exactly back down to Witt and by all appearances Witt came out the worse for it. Can't we just let Kaleta be Kaleta?

 

Exactly! Who cares if he turtles? He's not out there trying to start fights, he's trying to draw penalties. And he's doing a damn fine job at it. As long as he keeps his hits clean why should he have to worry about anything but playing his game?

[Mbossy]

Kaleta had 8 of the 25 hits last night. I have no problem with Kaleta being Kaleta. Last year I heard people looking for grit, well here it is. Kaleta et al.

[Corp000085]

I do not have a problem with what Kaleta does. He did nothing wrong on wednesday. Took a run at Mara, MISSED HIS HIT, then was sucker punched. Same thing last night. He hit the guy then was sucker punched. So what if he doesn't drop the gloves in those cases. I would love for him to square up with someone on a faceoff though. I'd also love to hear an uncensored version of "Mic'd Up". To have guys take 20+ minutes in penalties on Kaleta for doing nothing obvious, he's obviously got a legendary mouth on him. I'd pay money to hear him trash talk.

 

He will get more of a reputation for being a first class p***y amongst the players for not dropping the gloves every now and then.

[Stoner]

Screw the code. Win the game. Get a reputation as the conference's best team and a contender for the Cup.

 

I'll keep repeating that at every opportunity until some of you knuckle-draggers finally die off.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Most of Kaleta's hits are clean and tough.............He is a big asset to this team...........Plus he is not a mouth piece or a surgeon with his stick, so this puts him no where near Avery in that regard.

[Fighting Chicken]

I'd be happier if Kaleta would "answer the bell" when he does hit to the head - which he does do occasionally and I don't like it.

 

If the NHL did something about penalising hits to the head properly Kaleta wouldn't walk such a fine line during a game and adjust.

 

There are too many whiners who either don't like being hit fair and square or don't like their star players getting hit at all. They should realise that hockey is a physical sport before we get another Bertuzzi - Moore incident.

[rickshaw]

I'm not saying Kaleta should have fought either guy mentioned mainly because they went at him before he was ready to go. But if he is in a situation where it is implied that "it's on" then he'd better not turtle.

 

He needs to square up and get it on man to man. I agree, let him be Kaleta, but just make sure you are ready to back it up when you should. Last night he did the right thing as he did with Mara, he had no choice. But don't become "that guy" around the league.

[mrjsbu96]

I think my other issue with Kaleta 'turtling' is he will get hurt...eventually, someone is going to whale on him hard enough and knock him cold.

[darksabre]

I do not have a problem with what Kaleta does. He did nothing wrong on wednesday. Took a run at Mara, MISSED HIS HIT, then was sucker punched. Same thing last night. He hit the guy then was sucker punched. So what if he doesn't drop the gloves in those cases. I would love for him to square up with someone on a faceoff though. I'd also love to hear an uncensored version of "Mic'd Up". To have guys take 20+ minutes in penalties on Kaleta for doing nothing obvious, he's obviously got a legendary mouth on him. I'd pay money to hear him trash talk.

 

He will get more of a reputation for being a first class p***y amongst the players for not dropping the gloves every now and then.

 

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[jimiVbaby]

The more other teams talk, the more I love it. He's an agitator and doing a great job at it. The reason he's not getting penalties on these hits to skill players is because they're clean, hard hits. Get used to it if you're going to play the Sabres.

[SwampD]

I just found out that Kaleta was one of the guys that went under my cabin to level off the front porch(a few years ago, obviously, but still kinda cool).

 

I personally think fights are stupid, especially after a big hit. Hitting is part of the game and there is no penalty for it. His hits are never late and the guy he's hitting always knows he's going to get hit(unlike Chris Neil), they just can't do anything about it. Why do people get mad that he is better at a part of the game than others. He doesn't need to fight to prove he is tough. The only thing that opposing players are proving by wanting to fight him is that they aren't as good as him at hitting and need to keep their head up.

[thesportsbuff]

i don't really get all the "Kaleta has to 'answer the bell' talk." Maybe if he was actually doing something wrong, throwing dirty hits, sucker punching people... a la darcy tucker, THEN i'd expect to him to fight. Jeez, he throws a few big hits and you guys are basically calling him a pansy for not fighting? Why fight over a legal hit? You're just never satisfied.

[nucci]

I don't think it's a big problem as all or most of his checks are clean and legal. He has yet to get a penalty on his hits. Guys don't like getting drilled. Too bad for them.

[inkman]

Can't we just let Kaleta be Kaleta?

Exactly! Who cares if he turtles?

I do not have a problem with what Kaleta does. He did nothing wrong on wednesday.

Screw the code. Win the game. Get a reputation as the conference's best team and a contender for the Cup.

The only thing that opposing players are proving by wanting to fight him is that they aren't as good as him at hitting and need to keep their head up.

You're just never satisfied.

Too bad for them.

Actually it's going to be too bad for Roy, Vanek and Pominville. Kaleta runs other teams stars. The Sabres "stars" better keep their heads on a swivel. Everyone remember Roy underneath Vancouver's bench last night? Just a coincidence or was that a little retaliation for Kaleta's hit on Demitra?

 

Whether or not Kaleta's hits are legal, other teams thugs are going to take exception to his hits and start running our guys. Get ready for it.

[wjag]

Actually it's going to be too bad for Roy, Vanek and Pominville. Kaleta runs other teams stars. The Sabres "stars" better keep their heads on a swivel. Everyone remember Roy underneath Vancouver's bench last night? Just a coincidence or was that a little retaliation for Kaleta's hit on Demitra?

 

Whether or not Kaleta's hits are legal, other teams thugs are going to take exception to his hits and start running our guys. Get ready for it.

That's what Rivet, Gaustad, Mair and Peters are for...

[inkman]

That's what Rivet, Gaustad, Mair and Peters are for...

...and that when the games will be real fun to watch. :thumbsup:

[Claude Balls]

I think sooner or later some goon like Tootoo, will just cheapshot him bad enough to take him out. Someone will just say ef it and make their top priority to "take him out". He is the kind of player that might make certain coaches call up the worthless scrub from the farm just to do that job. It's going to be interesting to see where this goes.