Satan

[Larry Playfair]

hate to bring up an old topic, since its clear we made the right move in letting this guy go, but couldnt help take a peek at his stats to see where he was.

 

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nhl/players/playerpage/19146

 

satan - 15 goals, 10 A, -6.

 

 

Sabres

Skaters

Player GP GLS AST +/-

Ales Kotalik 36 16 10 0

Daniel Briere 24 14 9 -4

Chris Drury 36 12 13 -10

Thomas Vanek 36 9 14 -3

Maxim Afinogenov 31 7 17 1

Tim Connolly 36 7 19 5

Jochen Hecht 36 7 10 -3

Brian Campbell 33 6 13 -11

J.P. Dumont 19 6 8 -5

Paul Gaustad 36 6 8 5

 

 

Satan would be one of the top offensive players on our team, but his piss poor efforts and attitude would have certainly changed the dynamic of our team. We have everybody playing for each other, and Satan is not capable of contributing that way.

 

Surprisingly, so far so good Darcy.

[rickshaw]

Sabres win the series 4 zip this year. Satan has now been on the losing side of 11 of the last 12 games between the two teams.

 

Pattern?

 

The team loves each other and show it in their play. Guys like Mr Phone Call were a cancer in the room. Good riddance to him.

[Kristian]

On another note, Zhitnik is in the box AGAIN when Vanek scores the gamewinner.

 

He pretty much costs The Isles two games against us this year, since he took two late boneheaders with the score tied last time out, on both of which The Sabres cashed in.

 

Just for that, I'm happy he's no longer a Sabre. That said however, I sure would've liked something in return for him. Good call by letting him go, getting nothing in return stinks a bit though.

[BuffalOhio]

Not having Satan allows our other forwards to play more, and just look at the confidence they're gaining. Look at the effort they're putting forth.

 

Heck, right now, I love our 4th line!

 

I love this team. I love watching them and cheering for them. I don't seem to get worried when they're behind by a goal either.

 

This is wonderful!!!

[LabattBlue]

I expected more out of Satan in the "new" NHL than 26 points in 35 games. I thought this open style of play would benefit him and make him a "point a game" player finishing with somewhere around 40+ goals and 85-90 points.

[BuffalOhio]

You've still got to get to the net and stick your nose in there, and we all know Satan's not that kind of guy.

[Larry Playfair]

You've still got to get to the net and stick your nose in there, and we all know Satan's not that kind of guy.

Looks like Lindy agrees. Satan is a big euro .

 

http://buffalonews.com/editorial/20051227/1064083.asp

 

Miroslav Satan scored in Buffalo for the first time since leaving, and for a while it looked like he might have the game-winning goal until the Sabres rallied for a 6-3 victory. It didn't make Ruff want him back, however.

 

"With the new rules he's going to score," Ruff said. "Still, I'll take some of the grind and some of the front-of-the-net play that we have in our guys, and I think it's just made us a deeper, stronger team in that sense."

[BRH]

And the guy most responsible for getting this cancer off the team is none other than Chris Drury, who converted Satan's giveaway into a 5-3 lead last night that totally deflated the Isles.

 

A Bucky Gleason column from September 16:

 

Drury embraces leader's role

 

9/16/2005

 

 

By BUCKY GLEASON Sometimes, it's not so much what Chris Drury says but

how he says it. His true emotions often are disguised beneath his

soft, measured tones, but if you listen close enough and study his

facial expressions, his words will come to life with a quiet intensity

and unmistakable edge.

 

So when Drury said this week he was looking forward to seeing Miroslav

Satan on Oct. 5, it didn't mean he wanted to shake his former

linemate's hand and take him out to dinner. The subtle sarcasm and

accompanying smirk suggested Drury would rather take Satan into a dark

alley and show him the true meaning of misconduct.

 

Drury is comfortable now acknowledging Satan was a nuisance during

their one glory-less year together with the Sabres. Personally, the

Sabres liked Miro, but professionally they came to despise him. It

explains why early in the 2003-04 season Drury begged Lindy Ruff to

relieve Satan from his line in exchange for anyone else.

 

The point of no return was Satan's charade in March 2004, when he

pulled out his imaginary phone after scoring a goal against Toronto.

His message to Darcy Regier was clear: Make the call, Darcy, trade me.

His teammates, most of whom were floored by Satan's antics, also had a

message: Miro, don't let the door hit you in the fanny.

 

"In a team sport, it's so much about character, desire, determination

and hard work. You have 20-something guys pulling one way and one or

two guys pulling another way, it's a huge distraction," Drury said.

"There was too much distraction stuff that took away from our year,

you know, with the phone thing. It just got to be too much."

 

By no means does Satan's act absolve Drury, who failed to meet lofty

expectations during his first season with the Sabres. Ruff would be

the first to admit he forced Drury into foreign territory. In

Colorado, he was a third-line center on a veteran team that won a

Stanley Cup in his third season. In Buffalo, he was expected to be a

first-line center, a checking-line center, a penalty killer, a leader

and, in some ways, a savior.

 

Funny, but Drury thought he was a disruptive force during his first

couple months here. He was a wreck while anticipating the birth of his

first child. He was short-tempered, frustrated with his play,

frustrated with losing. He smashed three sticks by mid-November and

showed up one day with $300, a self-imposed fine for behavior he

deemed inappropriate. But at least the guy cared. Isn't that what you

want from your leader?

 

Drury had 18 goals and 53 points in 2003-04, but you knew he was a

better player. He needs to play better this season, under new rules,

if the Sabres are going anywhere. He was a plus-8, Satan a minus-15,

the difference created with effort. Drury is a tireless worker, a

respected competitor who cares far more about his team's point total

than his own. It's one reason Ruff named him co-captain along with

Danny Briere this week.

 

This is their team. Already, you can sense the Sabres' chemistry

changing for the better. Buffalo traded for Drury because he was a

clutch player and proven winner, but he hasn't been to the postseason

since 2002. Now that Satan is gone, Drury believes there's nothing

impeding the progress of an evolving team. He's prepared to embrace

the inherent responsibilities that Satan shirked as the highest-paid

Sabre.

 

Drury figures he's a different man than he was two years ago. On May

24, his wife gave birth to their second child, Luke James. Drury

believes fatherhood accelerated his maturity away from the rink. We'll

see if it translates to a better, more mature player, one who can

direct the Sabres into the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

 

It starts Oct. 5, against Satan and the Islanders. Drury can't wait.

It should be, as he said with a smirk, interesting.

[jp...]

1. Drury has been the leader of this team and has surprised me...i wasn't happy with his start to the season but ever since Briere has gone down, he has taken control of this team...i always said it was a great trade to get him but i was beginning to doubt it until this stretch...

 

2. It's still amazing to me the effects of addition by subtraction...good ridance to anyone that doesn't want to play here in Buffalo...

[Toddkaz]

Hey where is DELUCA defending his boy?

[deluca67]

Hey where is DELUCA defending his boy?

Why don't you just go back and read my old post.

 

Here is one for you. 214 to 21. You figure out what the numbers mean.

[deluca67]

And the guy most responsible for getting this cancer off the team is none other than Chris Drury, who converted Satan's giveaway into a 5-3 lead last night that totally deflated the Isles.

 

A Bucky Gleason column from September 16:

 

Maybe Drury was too worried about Miro and that's why he didn't show up for the first 20 games of the year. :lol:

[BRH]

Maybe Drury was too worried about Miro and that's why he didn't show up for the first 20 games of the year. :lol:

Come on, DeLuca. "Showing up" doesn't mean "scoring goals." You think Miro "shows up" even 40 times a year?

 

You need to look at the on-ice play instead of the stat sheet once in awhile.

[Toddkaz]

DELUCA how about this number

 

SABRES win ISLANDERS lose

 

BUFFALO 4th SEED read that number and cry in your milk

you want the sabres to lose so you can b e right. Sabres hater