For those who enjoy crow

[GGM]

Sorry to all for my inactivity on the board. The weather is finally getting nice, NHL playoffs are starting, and work is so busy that I've had to work 10-11 hrs per day (including some weekend days). Having been laid off 5 years ago, all I'm complaining about is the timing.

 

For those who would like a little chuckle:

 

The wisdom of Burnside

 

See you all at the games!

[Larry Playfair]

He was actually right on with all but the 13th place finish.

 

Why - did you predict a record breaknig 50 win year at the start of this season?

[Eleven]

He was actually right on with all but the 13th place finish.

 

Why - did you predict a record breaknig 50 win year at the start of this season?

 

Oh, there were other problems with Burnside's article, besides the 13th-place prediction. Dependence on improvement from Kalinin and Jillson? Nope. "One of the three netminders, likely Biron, will have to assert himself as a number one backstopper?" Not Biron. Zhitnik-Numminen merely a "tradeoff?" Nope--it was an improvement (settle, DeLuca, I know Z's offensive numbers, and I also know Brian Campbell suddenly became someone this year). Golisano needs to free up cash at the trade deadline for the team to make the playoffs? Nope. Sabres needed to sign a veteran forward during the offseason but failed? Obviously not.

 

The man gets paid for this analysis. We're just fans. He did a poor job. He was right on about the pre-existing forwards, and he was right about little else.

 

On the other hand, I he picked the Sabs over the Flyers in 6, so let's hope he learned as the year went by (but let's hope he didn't learn enough; I want a sweep).

[JujuFish]

I want a sweep

I would love to see a sweep as well. I am going to game 4.

[deluca67]

"If Ruff can keep his players playing within the rules and using their speed, the Sabres may be the surprise team in the conference."

 

Looks like he hit a home run here.

 

Back in October nobody knew what the "New NHL" would be like. Would the rules be enforced? Would fans come back? Would people hate the 'Shootout'?

 

The only people who expected the Sabres to do this well? For the most part, are fans who would say so no matter what the Sabres did. It's why they are a surprise team. No one was predicting 52 wins and 5th overall.

 

And,

 

I still think this team would be better with Z on the roster. I feel it affected Kalinin's game. I think a defense of ..

 

Zhitnik

McKee

Teppo

Talinder

Kalinin

Lydman

Campbell

 

.. would be second only to the Sens.

[Taro T]

I still think this team would be better with Z on the roster. I feel it affected Kalinin's game. I think a defense of ..

 

Zhitnik

McKee

Teppo

Talinder

Kalinin

Lydman

Campbell

 

.. would be second only to the Sens.

That D would most likely be better than the current version. The problem is, if Z had signed, the Sabres would not have gone after Teppo.

 

DeLuca, I was very adamant back in the early part of the season that the team would have been better w/ Z; I am no longer as certain of that (at least not with having him from day 1). If those are the top 7 D, either Kalinin or Campbell are the odd man out. If Kalinin isn't playing, he will never regain the form he had prior to the lockout (not that he's regained that form, but he is finally closer to that form). If Campbell is out, the Sabres powerplay doesn't click at nearly as high a pace as Z is the likely replacement for Campbell on the pp.

 

If the Sabres could have worked out a deadline deal for Z, that would have been different. I don't think that Lindy would give him the ton of ice time he used to get and would probably not put him on the powerplay.

 

PS - There were some people predicting the rules would be enforced. ;)

[deluca67]

That D would most likely be better than the current version. The problem is, if Z had signed, the Sabres would not have gone after Teppo.

 

DeLuca, I was very adamant back in the early part of the season that the team would have been better w/ Z; I am no longer as certain of that (at least not with having him from day 1). If those are the top 7 D, either Kalinin or Campbell are the odd man out. If Kalinin isn't playing, he will never regain the form he had prior to the lockout (not that he's regained that form, but he is finally closer to that form). If Campbell is out, the Sabres powerplay doesn't click at nearly as high a pace as Z is the likely replacement for Campbell on the pp.

 

If the Sabres could have worked out a deadline deal for Z, that would have been different. I don't think that Lindy would give him the ton of ice time he used to get and would probably not put him on the powerplay.

 

PS - There were some people predicting the rules would be enforced. ;)

 

It is only an assumption that the Sabres wouldn't have signed Teppo. For the sake of arguement lets say they would have and the D is as listed above.

 

Due to injury Fitzpatrick played 56 games. So I don't think the scenario where Campbell falls to the wayside

is a valid one. Z played a ton of ice time because he had to. The Sabres were lacking on the blueline. By adding Lydman and Teppo? Lindy is smart enough to use the horses he has, especialy in the condensed Olympic year. There were times when this defense looked tired. Having another stud horse to rely on could have only helped.

 

PS - Some did predict the rules would be enforced. They did so with trepidation having been burned by the NHL before. B-)

[Taro T]

It is only an assumption that the Sabres wouldn't have signed Teppo. For the sake of arguement lets say they would have and the D is as listed above.

 

Due to injury Fitzpatrick played 56 games. So I don't think the scenario where Campbell falls to the wayside

is a valid one. Z played a ton of ice time because he had to. The Sabres were lacking on the blueline. By adding Lydman and Teppo? Lindy is smart enough to use the horses he has, especialy in the condensed Olympic year. There were times when this defense looked tired. Having another stud horse to rely on could have only helped.

 

PS - Some did predict the rules would be enforced. They did so with trepidation having been burned by the NHL before. B-)

Had the Sabres added Z to the roster that was iced this season, the team payroll would have been well over $31MM. The Sabres brass were on record as stating they would not have a payroll over $30MM (IIRC, the plan was to be between $27MM - $29MM). Someone would not have been on this roster, either Teppo or Lydman. With the timing of the Teppo move and the general reporting of how the Sabres "overpaid" for him, I am assuming that Teppo would have been the one not signed, but it may have been Lydman. "Dallas only offered him $1MM, the Sabres had to way over pay because no one wants to come to Buffalo." (That's a paraphrase, but covers the mood prior to October 5.)

 

It's hard to say whether Fitzpatrick or Campbell would have been the #7 D-man and getting action with Kalinin hurt at the beginning of the season. A case could be made that Campbell would have been the #8 d-man, as Fitzpatrick played regularly in '04 and Campbell would have been looked at as a liability in his own end (which to a degree he still is) and the powerplay would have had 2 "specialists" already - Z and Teppo. (BTW, I don't see any way that the powerplay is as good as it is with Z's "booming" slapshot replacing either Campbell's creativity or Teppo's accurate shot.)

 

When healthy, I would expect the pairings to have been Z-Kalinin, McKee-Numminen, and Tallinder-Lydman. Remember, it was believed (after Z going to the Isle) that Kalinin was the Sabres best D man heading into the season and you yourself believe that Kalinin would be better playing with Z. When all are healthy, when does Campbell get into the lineup?

 

Z, had he come back to the team at the deadline would most likely have had reduced ice time from past seasons, but had he been here from the start he would have still gotten the lion's share of the ice time as he would still have been the best D man on paper. I agree that had the Sabres brought Z back at the deadline they would likely have been better than they are now; but I honestly would have preferred to see the Sabres bring in Witt or Spacek at the deadline. I also definitely prefer the D as it is with Teppo and Lydman to one lacking one of the 2 and possessing Z. (That opinion has evolved over the course of the season. On day 1, I would have preferred to have had Z.)

[GGM]

Of course I didn't predict a 50 win season. And yes, Burnside did make a comment that said the Sabres could be a surprise. However, those kinds of vagueries are found all over the preview capsules. Nevertheless, the guy picked us to finish 13th in the conference, and I just thought a few people would like to savor the team's accomplishments a little more.

 

That, and I posted the link before I'd actually reread the thing. I was just surprised I could still find it.