Kaleta

[shrader]

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.

 

If a guy goes into the other team's bench, that is guaranteed to happen. They always sneak in a few cheap shots when that happens.

[Stoner]

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.

 

So what's new?

[BetweenThePipes00]

I could be wrong but seems to me more often than not Kaleta is hitting defensemen just after they make outlet passes and such ... it's not like he's out there headhunting stars. If guys like O'Brien and Mara don't like having to move the puck quickly and take hits right after, they are in the wrong business.

All that said, there's no doubt he needs to drop the gloves at times. But as someone else mentioned, it's not like he has been baiting these guys and goading them into dropping the gloves and then turtling ... he's finishing his check and the other guy has the gloves off before he knows it. So this week I have not had a problem with the way things have gone down.

[thesportsbuff]

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.

 

If O'brien and Mara are the "stars" of their teams, I think Vancouver and NY need to give the roster an overhaul. Kaleta doesn't target anybody, and the 4th line is rarely on the ice against other team's "star" lines.. he's usually hitting 3rd & 4th line players that can handle it.

[deluca67]

Players that turtle are pu$$ies. I don't care about power plays or anything like that. Claude Lemieux was A pus :rolleyes: Dale Hunter was A pus :rolleyes: and Kenny Linesmen was A pus :rolleyes:.

 

I just have no respect for that type of player. Play hard, physical and honest or don't play at all.

[BetweenThePipes00]

do you have respect for the guy like Mara that grabs someone from behind and just starts punching him in the head? Just sayin' ... is that somehow more worthy of respect?

[SabresFan526]

Well, moot point. Kaleta dropped the gloves against Thorburn tonight. Seemed like he got pummeled and was not ready to go, but he dropped the gloves, so he's willing and able to. But, I agree with what Lindy said last night in the presser which was to paraphrase, the other team wants Kaleta to drop the gloves, so we need to do the exact opposite of what the other team wants.

[deluca67]

do you have respect for the guy like Mara that grabs someone from behind and just starts punching him in the head? Just sayin' ... is that somehow more worthy of respect?

I don't know the entire story, but from what I have heard Mara said when he had the chance he would go after him. When you take a run at a player that has it in for you you should expect a punch to the head. Do I like what Mara did? No. It in no way excuses Kaleta's cowardly acts of late.

[deluca67]

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.

When the rep gets around the league you know the refs are going to target him.

[SwampD]

I don't know the entire story, but from what I have heard Mara said when he had the chance he would go after him. When you take a run at a player that has it in for you you should expect a punch to the head. Do I like what Mara did? No. It in no way excuses Kaleta's cowardly acts of late.

Acts like hitting everthing he can, not taking penalties, and getting the other team to take penalties. I want more cowards on my team.

 

When the rep gets around the league you know the refs are going to target him.

He already has the rep. His hit are clean...again...his hits are clean. Refs might overlook a foul but they are not going to make one up just because he has a rep.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

When the rep gets around the league you know the refs are going to target him.

 

For what trying to hard?

[cilevel]

do you have respect for the guy like Mara that grabs someone from behind and just starts punching him in the head? Just sayin' ... is that somehow more worthy of respect?

 

My sentiments exactly. I have even less respect for two or three guys going after one - now that is pathetic in my book.

[nfreeman]

Well, based on last night's game, Kaleta is already a marked man. He'll need the same kind of radar that guys like Chris Neil and Tootoo have to survive, because everyone is going to be looking to take shots at him.

 

FWIW, I think he'll probably fight between 1/3 and 1/2 of the time he's challenged, and look to draw penalties the rest of the time (often successfully). This is fine with me.

[rbochan]

Acts like hitting everthing he can, not taking penalties, and getting the other team to take penalties. I want more cowards on my team.

He already has the rep. His hit are clean...again...his hits are clean. Refs might overlook a foul but they are not going to make one up just because he has a rep.

 

 

Tell that to Peca.

[Guest Sloth]

When the rep gets around the league you know the refs are going to target him.

 

You can't penalize a player for clean hits. Nuff said.

[Stoner]

You can't penalize a player for clean hits. Nuff said.

 

Thank you. Kaleta is not a dirty player.

 

This can be a very maddening sport to follow. A lot of players are numnuts, and too many fans too. Did I spell numnuts right? I could google it, but I'm afraid of what sites will show up in the results.

[rickshaw]

Refs see when guys turtle and I'm sure it's only human nature on their part to look for something else. Like when Kaleta got interfered with in the Canucks game. The refs sent him for diving, which I'm not so sure he did.

 

I love his play and how he pisses guys off. I'm happy he fought last night. That will keep him honest.

[wjag]

Refs see when guys turtle and I'm sure it's only human nature on their part to look for something else. Like when Kaleta got interfered with in the Canucks game. The refs sent him for diving, which I'm not so sure he did.

 

I love his play and how he pisses guys off. I'm happy he fought last night. That will keep him honest.

I agree. Unfortunately we only get what TV shows us. And in this case, it didn't seem like he dove.

[Stoner]

Refs see when guys turtle and I'm sure it's only human nature on their part to look for something else. Like when Kaleta got interfered with in the Canucks game. The refs sent him for diving, which I'm not so sure he did.

 

If this is true, it's a terrible indictment of NHL officiating. I don't doubt it is true. Can you imagine the same being said about refs in the NFL?

[shrader]

I don't see how turtling would lead to diving penalties. Kaleta does seem to flop a bit sometimes after hits. He takes enough big hits though that I can't imagine him being called for it too often.

[deluca67]

You can't penalize a player for clean hits. Nuff said.

lol. Have you ever watched an NHL game?

[deluca67]

Thank you. Kaleta is not a dirty player.

 

This can be a very maddening sport to follow. A lot of players are numnuts, and too many fans too. Did I spell numnuts right? I could google it, but I'm afraid of what sites will show up in the results.

Turtleing makes him something worse. If he wants to make his mark as a physical player he needs to man-up and be ready to answer the bell when a opposing player takes exception and wants to go.

 

What toughness the Sabres fourth line has. One guys grabs on and sticks his arm to avoid getting hit and another lies on the ground in the fetal position trying to draw penalties. Neither one will ever have to worry about testicular cancer.

[Stoner]

Turtleing makes him something worse. If he wants to make his mark as a physical player he needs to man-up and be ready to answer the bell when a opposing player takes exception and wants to go.

 

What toughness the Sabres fourth line has. One guys grabs on and sticks his arm to avoid getting hit and another lies on the ground in the fetal position trying to draw penalties. Neither one will ever have to worry about testicular cancer.

 

Do you even care he is helping the Sabres win games?

[DR HOLLIDAY]

Do you even care he is helping the Sabres win games?

 

No he has windmills to chase.

[deluca67]

Do you even care he is helping the Sabres win games?

So it's OK for a player to do anything he wants as long as the Sabres win? Maybe they should let Peters go back on Andro or whatever he was taking. It made him a better player. For that matter let Tallinder female fans in between periods.

 

Maybe this is a generational argument. I grew up watching professional sports believing that a professional conducts himself in a certain way. He should at all times carry a certain respect for the game they play. I can imagine that such ideals are fading away considering the state of the professional athlete today. A state in which contracts, ESPN air time and drawing attention away from the team onto themselves are prominent.

 

If you want to hide behind "the ends justify the means" go ahead. IMO, the actions that have been occurred embarrass me as a 30+ year Sabre fan. There is no place in the game for it and I will never condone it no matter the end result. I know I live in a fantasy world where the Sabres to have young tough hockey players that stay on their skates and fight. Just like in my world where the Bills can win without a rookie wide receiver who hits women and a running back that doesn't leave women laying in the street after hitting them with their SUV. Call me a dreamer.