MAX

[Buffalo Fan]

I agree with most on this board (I think) that it is time for him to go...but I hope he goes out with a lion's roar. It seems like he has been a part of Sabres history for a lifetime. Who can forget that infamous call by Rick, "Holy macrel, roll the highlight film!" Funny how promising he was as recently as 2 years ago. If he could help lead some kind of charge in the next 5 games I would like that memory.

[nfreeman]

Good call. I'll miss him.

[Two or less]

Hopefully he can net a few more goals before he leaves. I won't miss him though. Better players down the road.... but we do need him right now! Give us some more memories MAAAAAAAAAX NATION!

[apuszczalowski]

If the NHL kept up with the "New NHL", Max would be one of the better guys in Buffalo right now. In the "Old NHL", Max just can't be effective, which is why I think he would be better suited going back to Russia and play there.

[carpandean]

I must say that having a Mair/Paille-Moore-Max as an energy/supplemental-scoring line and Hecht-Gaustad-Kaleta as a checking line, in addition to two more legitimate scoring lines (if they can ever both play well at the same time) has been pretty effective. While certainly not as talented as the RAV line from 2006-07, the MMM/PMM line has enough talent, speed and energy to create havoc against team's lower lines. They may not have scored a ton, but they spend most of the time in the offensive zone creating excitement.

[cilevel]

If the NHL kept up with the "New NHL", Max would be one of the better guys in Buffalo right now. In the "Old NHL", Max just can't be effective, which is why I think he would be better suited going back to Russia and play there.

 

He can be downright deadly when he has space to move around unobstructed. That obstruction (i.e., clutch, grab, trip, tackle) is part of the game (once again) and Max can't be effective that way. He still opens up the ice for his teammates and may find a more offensive system to play in in the NHL. But a European league may be the best solution for him. Either way, I will miss not only him but the style of hockey the Sabres played those two years. Unfortunately, I don't expect the NHL to correct their officiating, which is in the process of detiorating the product on the ice (once again).

[inkman]

Funny how promising he was as recently as 2 years ago.

I never thought of him as promising, especially after his spectacular 17G 14A 31P production during his FIFTH full season in the NHL. I've always viewed him as basically a skater, because his hockey acumen seems near zero. It's like he doesn't understand anything that happens during the game. He just skates like a mad man hoping some lucky #%^$#! like last night happens.

[Stoner]

I hope Max is back and finally has a coach who can bring the best out of him.

[blugold43]

If the NHL kept up with the "New NHL", Max would be one of the better guys in Buffalo right now. In the "Old NHL", Max just can't be effective, which is why I think he would be better suited going back to Russia and play there.

yeah you're right...too bad that "new nhl" stuff was almost over before it started...we had a great team for about 6-8 weeks a couple years ago!

[MattPie]

yeah you're right...too bad that "new nhl" stuff was almost over before it started...we had a great team for about 6-8 weeks a couple years ago!

 

I'm calling BS on this one. For the two years the NHL was a skating league, the Sabres were at the top of the game. Only towards the end of 2007 when the league started reverting did they fall off.

[Swedesessed]

Max for me will always be remembered as a guy who can drive you absolutely batty, but then occasionally makes plays that you say wow that was awesome...from a skill standpoint and speed...

 

The burning image I will have of Max as a Sabre is the OT winner against the Rangers in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Semis....great times!! :thumbsup:

[jad1]

I hope Max is back and finally has a coach who can bring the best out of him.

 

Betting on these players over Ruff is a fool's bet.

[X. Benedict]

I hope Max is back and finally has a coach who can bring the best out of him.

 

Max has a head and vision problem........I doubt Toe Blake combined with the

strongest Pharmacopoeia could sort out his deck.

[Stoner]

Betting on these players over Ruff is a fool's bet.

 

Enjoy the "stability."

[Stoner]

Max has a head and vision problem........I doubt Toe Blake combined with the

strongest Pharmacopoeia could sort out his deck.

 

Someone needs to tell Toe Ruff -- he's played Afinogenov a minute more than Vanek tonight through two periods. The 40 goal scorer has eight minutes of ice time.

[JohnRobertEichel]

Max may have some worth as a 2nd scoring line right winger...say for 2 years at $1.5 million each year? We shall see.

 

For what it's worth, Max has gone on record as saying he still likes the Buffalo organization and wants to continue playing in the NHL. Not sure about Ruff's feelings for Max, although Ruff has been playing him a lot more since the injury.

[carpandean]

Max may have some worth as a 2nd scoring line right winger...say for 2 years at $1.5 million each year? We shall see.

 

For what it's worth, Max has gone on record as saying he still likes the Buffalo organization and wants to continue playing in the NHL. Not sure about Ruff's feelings for Max, although Ruff has been playing him a lot more since the injury.

Max has missed ~25 games in each of the last two seasons with the same groin injury. Muscular injuries are such that a history of that injury increases the likelihood of it reoccurring. All other concerns aside, we can't afford to have another oft-injured forward.

[jad1]

Enjoy the "stability."

 

Enjoy your half-assed effort from a bunch of losers playing under a different suit.

 

There's not a single player that I'd chose over Ruff right now. And that includes "Miro" Vanek.

[Stoner]

Enjoy your half-assed effort from a bunch of losers playing under a different suit.

 

There's not a single player that I'd chose over Ruff right now. And that includes "Miro" Vanek.

 

Of course. But that's only phase 3 of the housecleaning. Or phase 4. Team president, a hockey man to rebuild -- new GM -- new coach -- then tear up the roster. Hell, I'd make it phase 5 if we could get rid of OSP, whose character has also been revealed in his disappearing act the last two seasons. Sure saw and heard enough of the guy when times were good.

[jad1]

Of course. But that's only phase 3 of the housecleaning. Or phase 4. Team president, a hockey man to rebuild -- new GM -- new coach -- then tear up the roster. Hell, I'd make it phase 5 if we could get rid of OSP, whose character has also been revealed in his disappearing act the last two seasons. Sure saw and heard enough of the guy when times were good.

 

Sure, we'll call this the knee-jerk, fantasy plan, guaranteed to send the entire franchise into the wilderness for the next 10 years.

 

Somehow a new local owner will be found, and he'll be able to hire a new president, new GM, new coach, bring in new players and magically, the team will be in the playoffs sometime during the next couple of seasons.

 

This team has a coach who has won with a low-budget, star-starved team in the past. It has a GM who made some pretty good trades and drafted some talented players when he needed to.

 

The problem with the team is that it has followed of post-Drury plan of building from within. The plan has failed, in large part because they followed it too militantly, eschewing trades for solid veteren players.

 

The question that needs to be answered is, does Regier have the ability to complete another Drury/Briere style trade, and is the organization ready to modify the build-from-within plan it has been following.

 

It's disappointing that Regier and Co. decided not to use the trade deadline to bring in a player like Cole or Doan, even if it meant giving up assets like Stafford, Pomminstein or draft picks. Obviously the team wanted to give the home-grown players one more chance to prove their worth. It didn't work.

 

The quickest route back to the playoffs is to bring in a couple of veteren leaders. The team already has a good coach and some young talent. A couple of smart trades could quickly turn things around for the franchise.

[Stoner]

Sure, we'll call this the knee-jerk, fantasy plan, guaranteed to send the entire franchise into the wilderness for the next 10 years.

 

Somehow a new local owner will be found, and he'll be able to hire a new president, new GM, new coach, bring in new players and magically, the team will be in the playoffs sometime during the next couple of seasons.

 

This team has a coach who has won with a low-budget, star-starved team in the past. It has a GM who made some pretty good trades and drafted some talented players when he needed to.

 

The problem with the team is that it has followed of post-Drury plan of building from within. The plan has failed, in large part because they followed it too militantly, eschewing trades for solid veteren players.

 

The question that needs to be answered is, does Regier have the ability to complete another Drury/Briere style trade, and is the organization ready to modify the build-from-within plan it has been following.

 

It's disappointing that Regier and Co. decided not to use the trade deadline to bring in a player like Cole or Doan, even if it meant giving up assets like Stafford, Pomminstein or draft picks. Obviously the team wanted to give the home-grown players one more chance to prove their worth. It didn't work.

 

The quickest route back to the playoffs is to bring in a couple of veteren leaders. The team already has a good coach and some young talent. A couple of smart trades could quickly turn things around for the franchise.

 

Does five years in seven out of the playoffs qualify as wilderness? Why fear change? What's the worst thing that can happen? Deeper wilderness? OK, then we get a Crosby or Ovechkin. I think I'd rather be on a roller coaster right now than the spinning tea cups.

[jad1]

Does five years in seven out of the playoffs qualify as wilderness? Why fear change? What's the worst thing that can happen? Deeper wilderness? OK, then we get a Crosby or Ovechkin. I think I'd rather be on a roller coaster right now than the spinning tea cups.

 

The reasons they missed the playoffs post-Peca and post Drury are remarkably the same, aside from having a criminal as an owner who drove the team into bankruptcy.

 

They were and are a young, talented, leaderless bunch of floaters.

 

A couple of veterens and a weeding out of the pretenders righted the ship very quickly last time. I propose that before they get rid of the best coach in franchise history, with no promise of an upgrade, they attempt the same type of roster changes.

 

And it took Pittsburgh almost a decade of losing to get Crosby, and it damn near cost the city the franchise. It rather see them attempt similar changes to the roster that led to franchise records in wins and long playoff runs than risk the fate that almost happened to Pittsburgh.