What a Season!

[Eleven]

Yeah, I'm disappointed like every other Sabres fan. But I also saw this post coming, hopefully after a Cup win but more likely earlier than tonight. During the next week or so, I'm going to try to post some notes on the NHL in general, hopefully daily, to take our minds off of this loss. But tonight, it's all about the Sabres. Among the season-long regulars here, not many would have thought we'd be posting about this team tonight. Maybe in April, maybe again at draft time. My month-by-month thoughts were these, basically:

 

September: I've watched this team at a couple of open practices, and man, they do NOT have the talent to skate with Toronto (yes, I thought that), Montreal, and Ottawa. They'll beat Boston as often as Boston beats them. That's it.

 

October: Nice opening night win. Nice collapse. It won't be fourteenth place in the conference like all the experts say, but it'll be tenth.

 

November / early December: Why is Noronen on this team? Biron is unbeatable. When Miller comes back, he's going to have to fight for his spot. Damn, this team is fast, can score, and Kotalik is the best point shooter I ever have seen. This Gaustad guy from North Dakota is kickass. Roy is what I always expected, and whoa--Pominville? Ok, welcome aboard. Geez, Ruff is doing a job with these kids!

 

Late December / early January: Oh. THAT's why Miller's the starter. Damn, he's the man. Should have made Team USA. Why the hell wasn't Kotalik on the power play last season? This team isn't finishing tenth. It's definitely making the postseason, but probably won't win a series. Still, pretty cool--Sabs in the playoffs! Again, Ruff is kicking ass with teaching these kids.

 

Late January: Holy sh*t, this team is good. I think it's going to win a playoff series. And who's the guy wearing No. 51? He's got Campbell's name and number, but all of the sudden, he can play. Not the same guy whose presence I dreaded last season. Ruff, well, it's been said twice already.

 

February: I'd say screw the Olympics, Waddell, LaViolette, and all, but I like curling too much. The Americans are out on hockey, Minnesota only kept us so competitive in curling, and so bring on the season again, ! And what happened to that reliable Kotalik on the powerplay?

 

March: Well, it's obvious that this team will make the playoffs, but the way they're playing, they won't last a round. Cool that they're in it, though. Wouldn't have expected that in September. Still wondering what happened to that big slapshot from the point on the powerplay.

 

April: Flyers, huh? Gonna be tough, but I think the Sabs can take this one. Ottawa might not advance, too, which means the Sabres might win two series. Kotalik is turning into a hell of a two-way player, and even if he isn't scoring, he's got some hellfire. Drury's lack of emotion is turning into an asset. Grier looks like the best trade the Sabres have made in years. McKee is the Berlin Wall. Connolly is incredible, so is Max. The Sabs hang a snowman on the Flyers AGAIN. Hitch, tell yourself to eff off. Better yet, tell Clarke, 'cause it's his fault the Sabs have these kids flying all over the place and the Flyers have old rent-a-players who, well, can't fly.

 

Early May: Sh*t. It's Ottawa. No WAY the Sabs get past them. Wait. Game 1, a win. Twelve people, mostly from the Southwest, watch the game with me in rural Arizona--we were there for a wedding--and root for the Sabs. (They may not care about hockey so much, but they're stand-up folks.) Game 2, a win. Game 3, a win. Holy cow, a series win. McKee is the Great Wall of China. Tallinder and Lydman are the best tandem in the NHL. Miller is the calmest stud goalie in forever (there have been some great goalies, but with his level of mellow?), and all of the sudden it's no surprise that Pominville is the hero and that Roy is a playaahh. These guys have matured. Probably no Cup, but man, what a team! Gimme some New Jersey, a/k/a Filly with Goaltending.

 

Later in May: Okay, no Filly with Goaltending. It's going to be a real fight. Sabres look great in Game 1, but don't look so good (to me) for the next three. Nice win in Game 3, but Buffalo doesn't have it. Defensemen start going down left and right. Kids who barely have licenses to drive at night are playing in the semifinals. Game 5: Sabs look GREAT but don't win. I start to notice something about Max: The guy is fast, but he might not be a consistent 40-goal-scorer, ever. What he is, though, is a guy who always will get that puck out of his zone, no matter what. That's pretty cool. Game 6: I'm beginning to think that several posters on this board need to play defense tonight.

 

June 1, 2006: Wow, it's been a hell of a ride. I've seen Amerks develop into career NHLers, I've seen career NHLers develop into leaders, and I've seen leaders develop into stars. I love this team. I don't want changes (if the Sabs have to replace Numminen because he decides to retire, or Connolly because he can't play anymore, well, that's that). I want THIS team next year, because they're so much fun to watch grow, to root for, to win.

 

This is our team. I love it.